Last Execution

by ElfLord123

2B is trapped. Trapped in a never ending cycle of executing 9S. But one day that changes. She executes 9S one last time and never has to execute him again. But her last execution was her worst and one that would haunt her for the rest of her life. (Alternate route AU where 2B survives instead of 9S).

19. The Third Fall

She was back here. After how many years, after how many slaughters, it should get easier. But it was never easier.

The gates of the castle were guarded a pair of armored goliaths.

2E wasn't fooled though. Goliath bipeds weren't dangerous. They were difficult to kill due to their armor and powerful attacks that forced you to spend more time dodging. But their attacks were slow and telegraphed. Even their turret forms were easy to deal with. Goliaths were meant as support units. Which meant these two were meant as decoys for other guards.

She'll just have to trigger the trap and see what comes. She rushed at the two giants. The enormous machines tried to stomp on her but she leapt and weaved through their attacks. A few kicks and the entire area was engulfed in dust and smoke. Their missed round kicks knocked over columns around the courtyard. When they tried to turn their legs into giant fans of death, spinning them so fast they could cruise across the ground like on wheels, they ran into the front gate and demolished it. The scene was kicking up a giant cloud of dirt.

That's when it finally happened.

She saw it before she heard it. Bullets could travel faster than the speed of sound so you'd feel the hit before you hear it. So she saw the sniper bullet fly at her face before she heard the bang. She swatted away the bullet, which shattered into fine particles.

Android snipers. So that was their plan. Distract her with goliaths while snipers try to pick her off. She had to admit she was very impressed. Machines and androids have been mortal enemies for thousands of years. Yet here they were, working together with a clearly coordinated plan. Something like this wouldn't work on an army of machines which meant this plan was meant for her.

Well, this will be interesting. She's never faced the machines and androids with a united front. This might actually be dangerous.

The EM fields in front of the goliath's armored legs were most dangerous so she flung her swords into the EM generators before she went in. The collapse of the two machines covered the area in dust and dirt. She knew the cloud would obscure everyone's vision.

She knew this would impact the snipers. She kept her speed subsonic as she left the smoke. That way no one could tell she had already left. She couldn't run up the wall without being seen so she headed right inside.

Unsurprisingly, once inside she continued meeting resistance.

This slaughter was no different than any other. At least it shouldn't have been. Machines and androids converged on her position. Normally this would be easy butchery. But she was caught off guard by how coordinated they were. Android gunners lay down suppressive fire while machines carrying shields tried to block her off. There was a D-unit that tried to heal a group of medium bipeds that converged on her.

Machines and androids fighting together. Hell truly has frozen over.

"Our king has tasked us to watch over this kingdom in her absence!" a voice proclaimed. She looked over to see a cavalry storming toward her. A black small biped knight led the charge, a lance at the front. "We will not fail in our duty! Royal Knights, we will lay down our lives for this kingdom. FOR THE FOREST KING!"

The storm of machine quadrupeds moved so fast the air created a cone of vapor before them as they charged at her. Another change on behalf of A2. They used much longer lances as opposed to spears. Even if she avoids getting trampled, she might end up getting skewered.

Some of their tactics had also changed. Normally a single rider would direct a squad of small bipeds to charge in. But the jockey always had to hold back so they go at the same speed as the foot soldiers. With only the cavalry, the machine mounts were charging at full speed. And they were charging down a long hall as well, limiting her mobility.

That black knight. Ademar, was it? He was A2's second. His death would mean a blow to the leadership. Not a fatal one. She knew A2 made sure to establish a stable chain of command. But still a blow.

First thing's first. She summoned her large sword Virtuous Treat and slammed it into one of the walls. The massive blade and the shockwave it unleashed form the swing demolished the wall on that side of the hallway. Then then did the same to the other wall. With the ceiling losing two major supports, it soon came crumbling down on the cavalry while giving 2E more room to maneuver.

2E raised her hand. She called forth her swords. An entire arsenal of swords. She normally used this system to hold the swords on her back or telekinetically attack with them. Or recall them after losing control of them. Telekinesis to manipulate them and the ability to summon them or hold them in place. So she summoned an arsenal of blades above her head. Swords. Spears. Axes. She held each one in place with her NFCS, each weapon held up by a golden disk.

And she launched them. She fired them like cannon shells, raining these blades upon the charging cavalry. Even an iron pipe could hit with the force of a nuke if it flew fast enough. She couldn't launch her swords at speeds like that, but it certainly proved how effective these flying blades could be.

Each sword hit like a meteor, throwing up a plume of dust from the impact. Multiply that by a hundred and the entire cavalry charge was mowed down. Her swords skewered both machine and mount in one strike while the missed shots knocked the bipeds off their quadrupeds from the shockwave.

Without a quadruped, 2E nonchalantly walked up to each survivor and cut them in half.

"2B and A2 are coming back!" 2E heard an android in the distance cry out. "We just need to last until then."

2E's smirked when she heard this.

"You make it sound so easy," she remarked.

2E's timing was no coincidence. She knew A2 and young-2E had left. She still wanted to give young-2E time to realize the truth. They were both the same person so the fact that young-2E was still in denial meant that some part of herself might still be in denial. Might still be caught in the lie.

And that was something she could not accept. 2B was a lie and she could not accept the idea some part of her was still clinging to that nonsense.

2E will find salvation. Eventually.

Until then…

2E was torn out of her thoughts when she saw a small biped fly out of the smoke. Not charge. Fly. Damn thing had rockets on its bottom that was sending it flying at her with a trail of fire behind it.

She threw herself backwards to avoid getting run through. She should've seen this coming. On occasion she'd come across a truly unique machine. The golden stubby machines also had rocket boosters. Used them to launch themselves at her like bullets. Guess it made sense for some other machines to make identical modifications.

'My family…my brethren…all have been killed. If I cannot avenge them, then I have no right to live.'

"You never cease to amaze me," 2E smirked. All the other knights had fallen but this black knight still remained standing. It had two spears run through it and yet it still kept going.

"I will not stop until you have fallen!" the black knight Ademar declared. "I will fight 'til I no longer draw breath! FOR THE FOREST KING!"

"'Til you no longer draw breath?" 2E repeated. "You do understand the irony of your metaphor."

Ademar launched in again, madly stabbing at her with his lance, even using it to pole vault himself at her.

It wasn't long before medium bipeds and even androids joined him. Armed with machine guns and anti-material rifles, the androids sprayed bullets in her direction. Cutting them down was easy. She easily deflected the bullets back at the androids or cut them down. The medium bipeds were no different. She shattered their shields and sliced them to pieces.

But there was one opponent that matched her blow for blow. Despite the killing around her, Ademar managed to stay alive. Despite simply being a small biped, his offensive capability was superb. He was skilled with that lance.

But he was still but a small biped.

2E lunged past the tip of his lance, cutting Ademar in half.

"You serve your king well," 2E stated, flicking the oil and blood off her blade. "Now you die in her name."

These knights made serving their king their purpose in life. She had to respect them for that. Frankly, it was a tragedy this had to befall them. They had the misfortune of existing in the same era as 2E.

Then again, that purpose was a lie. They served their king to kill. To have a reason to be malicious. As such was every sentient thing. Seek a higher cause as an excuse to harm others and not feel guilty.

The slaughter was underway. 2E was tearing through the castle like a force of nature. Building by building. Floor by floor. Room by room. Machines. Androids. She was indiscriminate. Her battle with the unified front of machine and androids was tearing down many of the buildings, missed shots and slashes destroying walls and support columns until the whole thing just collapsed.

She expected it to be easier than before. She had already done this more than a few times. But this time was actually the hardest.

The Forest Kingdom machines were always organized. But they had really upped their game especially with the androids providing support. They were actually presenting a minor challenge.

A minor one…

2E still effortlessly slaughtered them all. Medium-bipeds with guns opened fire with volleys of energy to cover charging forces. Sometimes cavalry but usually small-bipeds with spears. But she dashed through the pulse fire and cut down the advancing infantry and cavalry.

This may have been the hardest slaughter but it was a slaughter nonetheless. The sheer number was what consumed the most time. Though having so many in one spot didn't make it easier either. Neither did the organization.

She hated this. She hated killing. She hated the butchery. She only did it because of the futility of resisting. No matter how hard she tried, she always ended up being 2B the Butcher. 2E the Executioner. Her purpose in life was wanton death and destruction.

Still, even if emotions were pointless, didn't mean she didn't have them. So what she saw in the next building caught her off guard.

2E felt something get caught in her throat when she looked ahead.

"9…S?" she stuttered. That impossible. 9S died. Killed by A2 on that bridge. This cycle was identical to her own down to the last detail. Then how as 9S here?

2E looked again.

9S was here because he wasn't.

The hair was similar but not exact. The face shape was similar but not exact. Even the voice. It was similar but not exact.

4S, of course.

Killing 4S was always one of the harder kills because of his uncanny resemblance to 9S. The first time she killed him, she actually called him 9S. It seemed someone decided to dress him up as 9S, probably to mess with her.

And there was only one person who could figure that out.

2E started giggling to herself. A smile broke out over her face as her giggling turned into full blown cackling.

Clever…

So, younger-2E decided to play on her own worst fears and pains. Frankly, it was effective. 4S's uncanny resemblance to 9S was always what made it so hard to kill him. Now he looked almost exactly like 9S. 2E had to commend her younger counterpart. Playing on her own worse fears just to give 4S a chance of surviving by making him look like 9S.

When was the last time she had to kill 9S?

When he was the one who survived the destruction of YorHa and managed to survive his fight with A2, he would usually throw himself off a cliff. And when he didn't, she would let the Red Girl and his machines find and kill him. But even then, it was painful.

For the first time, she could talk to 9S.

"2B…" 4S…no, 9S said. He wasn't actually 9S. But she wouldn't mind playing along. It seemed even 4S was trying to play on 2E's worst pains and fears.

Finally, her laughter died down. She could feel tears in her eyes but she was still smiling from ear to ear.

"It's been so long, 9S. So long…"

"2B…" 9S said. "Please, stop this."

"Stop?" 2E repeated. "What makes you think I can stop?" She should be furious at this manipulation, but she wasn't. She may have been 2E and pain may have been irrelevant. But killing 9S was something she never could bring herself to do.

More than that, there was so much she wanted to say to 9S. Tell 9S. Tell him all about what she discovered. There was so much she wanted to say. So much she wanted to ask. Now, she can finally ask him.

"2B…"

"Does it please you? Seeing what I've become. You've wanted to kill me for so long. When A2 kills me, half your rage was because she stole your chance to kill me yourself. But you always felt guilty about it. Now you can kill me without feeling any guilt at all."

She still remembered. The memory of 9S stabbing her chest with maniacal glee. It was a vision from the Soul Box. It was a memory downloaded into her mind. It was his innermost desire. What he wanted to do to the lie known as 2B.

He wanted to kill her.

"Don't you see, 9S?" 2E asked. "I'm evil. I've always been from the beginning. You were always the hero of this story, willing to give everything including your own sanity to stop me."

"You aren't evil, 2B," 9S said. "You're just lost. Lost your way."

"Lost my way?" 2E repeated.

"I'm not sure what the machines did to you, but it's not too late. We can help you."

2E continued staring at 9S in confusion. Finally, she understood. 9S was trying to change her back to how she used to be. Or at least how he thought she used to be. But the truth was she didn't change at all. Her personality was not molded. She simply discarded the lie that she wore.

"You're mistaken," 2E said. "2E is not some alternate personality overriding 2B. I've been this all along. So everything is ok again, 9S. You don't have to tear yourself apart over how you feel about me. You don't have to hate yourself for wanting to kill me because I deserve it."

"2B, stop," 9S begged. "Please…stop. It doesn't. It doesn't please me to see you this way."

9S didn't prefer her this way?

Unfortunate…

But not entirely unexpected.

"Oh, so it hurts seeing me this way? I guess some things never change. Which is why I had no choice but to get away from you. Make myself as distant as possible. But that doesn't really work for me."

2E's mind was blank as she continued her rambling. She was speaking from the heart. Speaking everything she's wanted to say for most of her life. She didn't want to water down her emotions by overthinking it. She just wanted to get it off her chest.

"Why?" 9S breathed.

"Because I'm in love with you," 2E confessed. "I've been for a long time. And it seems no matter what happens, fate brings you to me. Which is unfortunate for you because Number 9 is always killed by Number 2. Since my purpose is to kill, by being near me, I always have to kill you."

2E started laughing again.

Number 2 always kills Number 9.

Whenever 9S survives, he goes mad. He goes mad because of her. No matter what happens, she always ends up the villain. Even in a world of evil, nothing compares to hers. The entire world was tainted and rotten to the core. And she always remains the most diseased. The android Damien said her personality was supposed to be the greatest and more pure. Yet she was plague so virulent its legacy continues even after death.

It was all too funny.

But her laughing soon devolved into sobbing as the pain of killing 9S struck her in the heart like a knife. She knew emotions were irrelevant. This pain changed nothing. But it still hurt. And seeing 9S again, seeing him here and now, it was like something had plunged a pair of blades into her gut and split her wide open.

"I'm glad I got to see you," she said, taking a deep breath and calming down. She knew she was becoming hysterical. She had let herself go, let her emotions run rampant, for just a few moments. Just a reprieve of a few seconds. "I really am." As 2E looked back up, despite the redness in her cheeks and the tears, the malicious glint in her eye had returned. "Thank you, 4S. Thank you for giving the opportunity to speak to 9S one last time," 2E said. "Normally I would show my gratitude by sparing your life. But I can't do that this time. The cycle of death begins again, and Number 2 always kills Number 9."

She held out her sword, slowly walking toward 4S. She still had things to kill but the castle had been mostly cleared out anyways. The machine knights and androids were warriors. They charged into the battle and thus charged to their death. The pawns always go first which meant a vast majority of this place had been cleared. There were only a handful of people left to kill so she could take some time to herself.

"I'm surprised you knew to pull that trick," 2E said. "Try to appeal to the 2B side of me."

"An android with 2B's face and memories," 4S recited. "If you have some of 2B inside you, maybe that part could stop you."

So that's what it was. They didn't tell 4S the truth. Not the whole truth anyways. They told him she was simply an android with young-2Es face and memories. No wonder they didn't seem more affected by her arrival. No wonder they still accepted young-2E among them. They wouldn't if they knew the truth.

"So that's what they've told you…" 2E sneered. "They opted to lie to you."

And the expression that washed over 4S's face told her everything. Obviously he knew something that gave him reason to question young-2E. Now this revelation that he had been lied to was causing him to doubt.

"So they never told you? I'm not some android with 2B's face and memories. I AM 2B! Or rather, she is me, 2E."

"I know her name is 2E. E for executioner."

Well, it looked like young-2E was a bit more honest than she gave credit. But it still was a lie of omission.

"If you only knew the truth," 2E sighed. "We share far more than simply names, faces, or memories. 2E and I are one and the same. Our timelines may be offset but we share the same past. The same history. The same emotions. Everything in us is the same."

"Timeline?" 4S repeated. "What? Time travel?"

Time travel? Nothing so absurd. It seems they didn't explain The Red Girl to him either.

"Not quite," 2E scoffed. "But it'd take too long to explain it all, so close enough. We share the same history. Built by YorHa was 2E, an executioner meant to silence the innocent. We were paired with scanner model 9S to kill him. A task we grew to hate but could never stop. For it is in our nature, it is our very purpose, to kill and murder. She and I are the same in every sense."

"Obviously not! She still fights against her nature."

"And I didn't?" 2E growled. She had to admit she was offended by that assertion. She's fought against her own nature. Fought against it for years. She wanted nothing more than to be something other than 2E. Even now she wants to be something other than 2E. But she's seen firsthand how futile fighting it was. She tried protecting 9S but always ended up killing him. She tried saving humanity but left a trail of corpses in her wake. She killed A2 for justice. But it was all for nothing.

9S. Humanity. Justice.

It was all folly. Everyone killed for something. But it was all a lie. The core of humanity was malice. The reasons they are malicious are lies to keep each person sane. And androids and machines both tried be humans. Little did they know, they succeeded. Pointless slaughters and circles of violence. Self-sustained and growing. You didn't need to be evil to kill. You just needed to think you're right.

And so she asks. She asks machines. She asks androids. She'd ask humans too if she could. She asks them to prove her wrong. Prove that the gods they fought for are not mere fantasy to be used as an excuse for killing.

"I tried hard being something other than 2E," she snarled. "We both did. I finally realized the truth, realized the futility of it all. The difference between us is a single choice. Everything else is the same. The evil in me is the same as in her."

"No, she's never done anything like this! She'd never!"

"Is that what she told you or is that what you tell yourself?!"

That question. That question was all that was needed to stop 4S in his tracks. She could see the fear spread across his face. If she knew young-2E, and she did, 2E would probably admit that she was an evil being. And if past was prologue, no one would believe her. Young-2E would never do the same things she's done? Young-2E was mere seconds away from doing exactly what she's done.

"You know you're lying to yourself!" 2E yelled. "You're telling yourself this story because it makes you feel better. Self deception to maintain sanity. I know it too well. I ask you, if our roles are one day reversed, is your declaration of who is the real 2B going to change as well? If I decide to go back to fighting my nature while the 2B you know decides to embrace 2E, do I suddenly become the real 2B and her the imposter?"

2E held out her arms as if she was presenting herself. So 4S could see her in her entirety.

"Take a good look, 4S!" 2E said. "This is the true face of the woman you call 2B! You've been lied to. You all have! She is just as capable of this slaughter as I am. Afterall…I AM HER!"

4S vigorously shook his head. He was in complete denial. It didn't matter. He could deny all he wanted. It didn't change anything. It didn't change what was inside 2E. And it didn't change what 2E will do. Afterall, 2E's purpose in life was to kill.

2B? The noble warrior of brain, beauty, and brawn? That admiration androids held for her?

She just wanted to be absolutely honest. To 4S. And to all the YorHa eavesdropping on the conversation. She could sense them. They were hiding, probably waiting for an opportune time to strike. Waiting to make sure she had lowered her guard. It was probably why 4S was just standing out in the open to be seen. They wanted him to distract her so they could get the jump on her. But she wanted ever YorHa survivor to know exactly who she was. Exactly who their commanding officer was. Exactly who their hero was.

She had just taken a step forward when she heard it. A boom. A sonic boom. Something had broken the sound barrier and rushed right at her. Yorha could move so fast that the human eye can't perceive them. Hell, even most androids would claim YorHa could disappear and reappear like they were teleporting. But a YorHa could track another YorHa.

2E stepped to the side and held out her blade. She heard 4S cry out as black figure seemed to just appear on the blade. It was a YorHa android. 2E had to hold tight to her weapon or her attacker would've gone sailing past. The dust was still settling as the object's speed went to zero. And 2E could see her attacker.

"Ah, 54B," 2E remarked, her blade having gone into 54B's throat. The battle android had tried to stab 2E, but her sword arm went limp while her left arm grasped at the blade in her. "I fear now is not a good time for you to cut in. If you really wanted to take a stab at me, you should have waited."

In a flash, 2E tore out her blade before whipping around and cutting 54B's head off. The body and severed head came crashing down to the floor. But 2E didn't have time to think about what she did. She immediately whipped around, snatching a rocket that was flying at her face. Not even a rocket. It was a rocket propelled grenade.

She roared in frustration and tossed it at another YorHa running at her. The explosion sent the other battle unit flying.

Jackass and 9B. Of course.

"Get out of here, kid!" Jackass yelled, firing another grenade. This time the grenade wasn't aimed at her. It was aimed at the ground near her. 2E leapt back and out of the range of the blast. Leapt right into 9B's attack. 2E brought up her gauntlet at the last moment and blocked the sword. But the velocity sent her own arm flying back into her own face.

They were coordinated.

9B was a battle unit. Frontline combat. Jackass would have to be support.

2E leapt back again, summoning a small array of swords with her NFCS. And she launched them at Jackass.

"SHIT!" Jackass cried out, leaping away as the swords bombarded her balcony like cannon shells.

9B tried to take advantage of 2E's distraction. But 2E leapt up high into the air and flung her spear downward like a javelin.

9B cried out in pain as the spear plunged into her shoulder. She fell over. 2E activated her downward attack, coming down like a meteor. 9B managed to jump away just in time, throwing herself to the side and rolling across the floor. 2E had only used her fists but she still hit with enough force she left a crater.

Clinging her right arm, 9B shrimped away.

2E wondered if it hurt. She was the hero they all heard so much about. And now here their hero was killing all of them. At least 54B got to die relatively quickly. 4S. Jackass. 9B. They all get to watch their hero be their executioner.

Fitting…

Of course this all hinged on them understanding that she and the young-2E they served under were one and the same person. She hoped they understood this. Not even because it would cause them pain. Statistically speaking, there had to be someone somewhere that didn't like her, that would take glee from 2B's death. She would want them to understand this truth as well. She wanted them to understand simply because it was the truth.

They had all been lied to for so long. They were owed the truth.

2E rushed up to 9B, ready to bring her sword down. But a giant wall of black filled her vision. She cried out in pain as something smashed her with enough force to knock down a wall and toss her into the next room.

The hell was that? Was she just attacked by a wall?

She looked over to see a boar. A giant boar the size of a truck.

"No!" 9B suddenly screamed, launching herself at 2E once more. It seemed 9B wanted to protect this pig. And it wanted to protect her in turn. But there was something familiar about that boar.

2E drew her white gauntlets and slammed them into 9B's face. 2E brought her armored fists up to stop a pair of tusks from gorging her. It had charged at her again. And while she managed to stop the tusks, the forward momentum was enough to force her across the ground. She dug her heels deep into the rock and yet she was still shoved backwards, stone crumbling to pebbles by her heels.

"Damn pig!" she roared, kicking it with enough force it was flipped into the air. She flung her spear at the boar. But then another spear came from the sky, knocking it out of the air. And a familiar small-biped landed before yanking its spear out of the ground. A small biped with a familiar purple hood.

"NOO!" the machine-lover screamed. "YOU WON'T HARM THEM! I WON'T LET YOU!"

"That's where you're wrong," 2E hissed.

Them. Harm them. Not it. Them, plural. The animal-lover was actually protecting 9B as well. She had observed those two forming a bond over their love of animals but she didn't realize it would go so deep.

She was prepared to lunge at the new opponent when she heard another yell.

"Fire in the hole!" Jackass yelled not from the balcony but from down the hall. 9B, the animal-lover, and its boar all fled as a rocket flew at 2E. The rocket was aimed at the ground before her feet and it hit, the entire chamber filled with flames as the pressure burst out like a bubble.

"Gotcha, bitch!" Jackass cheered.

2E knew Jackass was celebrating too early. 2E let that rocket hit. If she had escaped early, Jackass would see it. Jackass would hear it. 2E was using the boom of the explosion to cover the boom of her breaking the sound barrier and running away. She was moving so fast when she dodged the blast that if it wasn't for the explosion, observers would see four phantom images of her from her sheer speed. But the explosion masked her escape. Jackass's mistake was soon revealed as 2E ran back around and came to a halt right behind the mad scientist.

2E was never that fond of Jackass. Eccentricity was one thing. Asking an android to kill oneself 'for science'? It wasn't anything serious since YorHa can back up their data. And 9S did back up his before eating the mackerel, his curiosity dictating he eat the mackerel just to collect data. But the principle of the matter still remained. And she did not enjoy watching 9S convulse on the ground after the damn fish congealed his fluids. Watching 9S turn deathly pale as his body seized and shook on the ground, foam coming out of his mouth, his eyes side with both pleasure and pain. Her only reprieve was that 9S only lost a few seconds. But she was not happy with the experience. Not happy seeing 9S die like that. Not happy that Jackass could only stare in excitement over the collected data. She was not happy that Jackass could so nonchalantly hand over addictive substances that turned good soldiers into blubbering drooling zombies. Neither was 2E fond of killing machines 'for science' either.

'Hey, our leader told me all about you. Name's Jackass. Nice to meetcha.'

'I've known the Commander for a while now. She's sure good at pawning work off on people. Next time you see her, give her some lip for me, will ya?'

'Don't go trying to be a hero, alright?'

Well, 2E certainly took that advice to heart.

All Jackass could do was let out a gasp. Gasp as a blade was plunged into her back and erupted her front.

"Jackass, no!" 9B screamed in the distance.

"That's quite enough," 2E spoke into Jackass's ear. "I hear you're friends with the Commander. Join her in hell."

2E tore her sword out of Jackass and let the mad scientist fall to the ground. The executioner raised her blade to finish the job. But felt something rush past. At speeds only a YorHa could achieve.

2E looked over to see 4S standing nearby, holding a wounded Jackass.

"Damn it, kid," Jackass wheezed. "I told you to run. You aren't a fighter. Leave it to us."

4S shook his head. 2E could see it in his eyes. Fear. He was a scout, not a true combat model. 9S had several upgrades over other S models including the ability to actually fight. He still wasn't made for it, but he was at least capable. 4S? Not even close.

And 2E could only stare. Anyone who watched this unfold would undoubtedly feel disgust over 2E's actions. How could they not? Even 2E felt disgusted. She didn't delude herself in regard to her actions. She was no different than anyone else on this miserable planet. In the world's miserable history.

She used to think there was a difference. They fought for purpose. For a higher cause. They fought for good. But she's come to understand that it was all a lie. That purpose, that higher cause, that god they fought for was a lie. An excuse to kill and hurt others. 2E did what they do. She just didn't bother masquerading as a hero while she did.

So how could 2E stomach this? How can 2E live with herself doing this?

Simple. She can't and she doesn't. But this is how she is. This is how she always was. She spent her life fighting this. But there was no fighting fate. She could hate this all she wanted. She did hate it. But this is what she exists to do.

Besides, all this was inevitable regardless. If not her, then someone or something else. Everything ends. One way or another. She warned A2 of such. It will always end like this.

"No," 4S said stubbornly. "I'm not the strongest. Or the bravest one here. But I still have to fight."

"Fight me and you'll die," 2E said. "You know that, right? There's no chance of winning."

"I know," 4S said, holding forward a trembling sword.

"Then why?"

4S knew this fight was pointless. He knew it all pointless. Yet he was still going to fight. Why? 4S shook his head. He didn't know. Of course he didn't know. That's just how they are. They do things even if it doesn't make sense.

"I don't know," 4S said, shaking his head. "I know it's pointless. I know it's hopeless. But I still have to try."

Trying something despite knowing it was without reason. Knowing it was all lead to nothing. Her entire life was just like that. In the end, they're all just deluding themselves.

"Damn it, 4S," Jackass groaned, coughing up blood. "Stop acting like a hero. Just…"

Jackass had to stop speaking to puke up more blood. 2E's strike was on point. Not just the stab through the back but the act of tearing the sword back out had left just too much damage. Even if 2E were to walk away right now, there was no guarantee Jackass would recover from these wounds. Too many damaged systems and organs. Might need a new body.

"I'm not a hero," 4S said, his voice trembling. "When I think hero, I think 2B. Brave. Righteous. Ready to fight to the death to protect the weak and innocent. Me? I'm scared. I'm not a hero. I'm just an idiot trying to do the right thing."

2E sighed and shook her head over 4S's description. It was certainly the life style she wanted. But she knew it was all a lie. Brave? She had an ingrained fear of death. Righteous? She murders those closest to her.

Another lie.

Another goddamn lie.

"You really are stubborn, kid," Jackass wheezed. 2E raised a curious eyebrow when she saw Jackass reach into her pocket. She watched Jackass take out some sort of smooth black orb. A grenade? Wasn't like any grenade she's ever seen. And what did Jackass intend to do with a grenade?

Suddenly, Jackass tore herself free of 4S, dropping the black orb at his feet. The scanner clearly didn't realize the thing by his boots as he reached out to grab Jackass. But at that moment the orb went off, unleashing some sort of gravitational field that pulled 4S to the ground. It was like invisible restraints had leapt up and pulled him down.

The hell?

That looks like the grav-bombs pod program. Did Jackass seriously make her own?

"Jackass!" 4S cried out, realizing what Jackass was going to do. Mustering the last of her strength, she rushed at 2E.

"Jackass, stop!" 9B called. But Jackass was running at full speed. Her hobble was ever present, doing her best to run despite the machine pegleg.

"I'M TAKING YOU WITH ME, 2E!" Jackass screamed, rushing in with a dagger.

Again? Again, with the dagger attack. 2E dodges bullets. What made Jackass think a dagger would kill her?

Jackass was not stupid. And of all the resistance androids she's killed, Jackass always gave her the most trouble. Not because she was a good fighter. But because she was clever.

2E knew exactly what Jackass was trying.

2E sliced Jackass wide open with her sword but the bomb-maker charged in. So 2E shoved her blade into Jackass's chest. Jackass tried to bring the dagger down on 2E, but the executioner caught the wrist and broke it with a snap. But it seemed the mad scientist was too overcome with emotion to feel the pain. Instead, Jackass grabbed 2E by the collar, a firm grasp that wouldn't be let go until she was dead.

"DIE YOU BITCH!" Jackass screamed.

The silence that followed was the loudest thing in the castle. They all stared, waiting for Jackass's plan to come to fruition. They waited and waited.

Nothing…

2E could see the look of confusion on Jackass's face. No doubt she was wondering why the plan didn't work.

"I can see the outline of the bomb vest you're wearing," 2E told her. "I cut off the blasting caps."

A vest armed with a dozen chemical explosives. Jackass was counting on blowing herself up and taking 2E with her. When Jackass had rushed in, 2E slashed her right across her midsection, right through the blasting caps that would have set off the dozen bars of explosive materials strapped to a vest under her shirt.

Jackass's face turned into one of horror. She had been stabbed through the chest and cut open. She didn't have long in this world. And now her final plan just failed.

"Feel free to study the afterlife…" 2E added. "For science."

Jackass grasped 2E's face. But it wasn't an angry or even an aggressive grab. It was like Jackass was just trying to cling to something for dear life.

"2B…" she wheezed. "Why?"

That name again. How many times does she have to say it? There is no 2B.

Jackass limply fell over, falling to the floor in a heap.

Goodbye, Jackass.

"NO!" 4S screamed, rushing at 2E. But it took only a few moves to turn the tables. Scanners are not combat models. Yes, they had combat programming but that was a last resort. They had nothing compared to dedicated combat models like the B-type. And she was an E-type. 4S's was soon put on the defensive.

2E snarled as she rushed at 4S, trying to calm herself down. That pain she felt was just a product of her self-deceit.

2E knew. She has always known. There was something deeply wrong with her. She was born to kill everyone around her. That was her purpose. That was her reason for being. She was an executioner. She existed to form bonds…then betray the ones who trusted her. Betray and kill.

There was no denying it. Such an act is nothing but evil. 2E always knew she was evil. Despite this, she did everything she could to fight against it. She wanted to change. She helped as many people as she could. She spared as many people as she could. She even fell in love.

9S…

Despite all this, she could not change her nature. Worse even, her falling in love simply meant that the one she loved ended up bearing the brunt of her evil.

There was no point to it all. No point in fighting her purpose in life. There was no escaping fate.

4S cried out as 2E slashed at the sword before him, shoving the blade aside. The force knocked the sword out of his hand. 2E dematerialized her own sword before tackling 4S to the ground. She hadn't bothered trying to prevent him from completing any hacks. And from the looks of things, 4S didn't bother hacking.

As a more primitive model, 4S would need more time to get a hack off than 9S.

Killing 4S was always the hardest. Even though she knew he wasn't 9S, his similarities always caused her excruciating pain. And this was even worse since he was dressed to look just like 9S. Still, there was no escaping her duty. There was no escaping fate.

2E sensed something rush up from behind so she leapt off 4S. Whoever it was, they leapt between her and 4S.

9B.

No doubt she was trying to protect the non-combat YorHa. But 2E was better in every way. Superior body. Superior combat programming. And more experience.

YorHa moved so fast that when they dodged they would leave phantom figures behind them. Her and 9B? It looked like an army of ghosts in the room. The shockwaves from their missed sword slashes cut down the walls around them, the ceiling beginning to collapse.

But there was only one way this could end.

9B threw herself backwards as 2E slashed at her chest, the sword grazing her. The executioner was prepared to go in and finish the job. But she could hear heavy footsteps behind her.

2E turned around, barely able to gasp as a fist collided with her face. She was sent tumbling through the air. She cried out in pain as she crashed through the wall and outside. That section of the castle soon collapsed but she didn't have a chance to think about that. She bounced across the dirt before she flipped back to her feet.

What the hell was that?

She looked over to see a medium biped. But something was off about this one. Its head and upper body were black and it wore a black helmet. But its arms, legs, and lower body were different colors. Like a small biped had swapped out its limbs.

"Ademar," 2E chuckled. "Stubborn cockroach refuses to die."

Ademar was using the corpses of other fallen knights to repair and improve himself. It reminded her of Father Servo. But Servo needed to construct and grow his body. Ademar was swapping out parts.

9B screamed as she leapt over Ademar and charged in. 2E deflected the blade. The two YorHa moved so fast it looked as if they had vanished into thin air. Nearby trees were sliced down by their missed blade strikes.

9B was good. Real good. All the single digit YorHa combat types were known for their skill and design. But ultimately…

2E used the flat of her blade to swat away 9B's blade before thrusting forward. 9B had to throw herself backwards to avoid getting skewered. She leapt back, accidentally leaping through another wall and tumbling across the ground inside the building.

The castle was crumbling at this point. They had taken down so many walls the building's structure was compromised. But the fight continued. 2E slowly walked through the smoke cloud, spotting 9B sprawled out on the ground.

2E prepped her blade and rushed in, ready to impale 9B. Suddenly, she felt a pair of hands grab her legs, lifting her up and slamming her into the ground.

That annoying cockroach. Ademar.

Ademar walked over, grabbing 2E by her hip and arms, lifting her up then slamming her back down into the ground. He then walked around, kicking her and launching her into 9B who clotheslined her.

2E grunted and growled in pain with every impact. Every hard hit sent shockwaves through her body. As if a blade of pain cut through her. It was as if her body would get a mind of its own so it can cry out 'I hurt'.

2E rolled onto her back. Her ears were ringing. She only got a glimpse of Ademar standing before her in the distance before he suddenly lunged at her. He shoved her head into the ground and rushed in with enough force she was forced through the rocks. Stone turned to gravel. Metal bent and snapped. Her body was more durable but damn did it hurt. Ademar raised his fist and slammed it against her skull.

The impact made it feel like the entire planet did a somersault. She heard a boom of something breaking the sound barrier, the warble of an inertial dampener, a cloud of golden particles and a gold phantom in the distance. 9B had rushed over, preparing to bring her sword down on 2E.

2E sliced wide, cutting off 9B's right foot. It was the only way to stop the blade from coming down. 9B screamed in pain, falling over to the ground. 2E's lost limbs before. She knew the blinding pain 9B would be going through. It would have to be enough to buy time to deal with Ademar.

The sound of an angry pig made 2E look up. She was on her back so she had to tilt her head up like she was looking at the sky. The machine-lover was preparing to charge in. She had to deal with this quickly.

She didn't know if 9B had reattached her foot or was fighting on a stump. But 9B grabbed 2E's head and held her down, getting her YorHa blade ready for another attack.

2E really didn't want to do this. This attack was risky at this close range. But it looked like she had no choice. Using her NFCS, her summoned her arsenal. An entire array of swords high above their heads. And with a thought, she fired them like cannon shells. She heard Ademar cry out as an axe and spear penetrated his body. 9B screamed in pain as a large sword penetrated her back. 2E thrust her sword into 9B. But when she went to pull it out, 9B grasped to blade to keep the white sword firmly in her stomach. The giant boar was terrified of the sudden rain of swords, stopping in its tracks, the forward momentum launching the animal lover off it.

This was it. 2E didn't have time to fight 9B for Virtuous Contract. She crawled out from under Ademar, leaping at the animal-loving machine and hitting it with enough force they both went skyward. She could recall Virtuous Contract later. Holding the animal-lover by its collar, she materialized another sword in her hand. She was going to kill it here and now. At least she would try. She and the machine were airborne. She didn't really pay attention to their surroundings. So she was caught off guard when something grabbed them both out of the air. Next thing she knew, she was falling back to the ground. She didn't know when she lost her grip on the machine-lover. Only that when she hit the ground, he was no longer there. It was just her and whoever had tackled her out of the air. They went through another building before they hit the ground, the combined weight of their bodies shattering the floor. This other person finally lost their grip as the two of them bounced across the ground, craters left behind them.

2E looked over to see her attacker, 9B. The battle unit still her Virtuous Contract in her stomach. Well, 2E had already summoned a new sword. It would be a pity to not use it.

She flung the sword at 9B, the blade striking her right between the eyes. The battle unit's body gave a violent spasm as it fell backwards. Her eyes widened in horror as what just happened sunk in. As she realized 2E had delivered a fatal blow.

"2B…" 9B whimpered, her hand weakly reaching up to grab the two swords. "Please…come back to us." And with that, 9B fell lifeless. 2E kept her grip on her swords firm as she raised her foot and shoved off 9B's corpse.

2E heard a cry out horror, pain, and despair. The animal lover was rushing in with a spear. Not even on his boar. He was just running at her.

Jackass. 9B. Ademar. They were fighters. This thing? It was not.

But, why was this animal-lover trying to avenge 9B? Was it attached to an android? Incredible. A machine mourning an android. She thought she'd never see the day. Still, it was hollow. Everything leads back to this. What was the point of this success if it was temporary?

2E swapped out her sword for a machine axe. And when she brought it down on the animal-lover, its head split like an egg. Its limbs gave a single violent jolt.

"Android…2B…" the animal-lover said, its voice filled with static. "This isn't you."

2E had enough of this. She picked up her axe, the head of it wedged so tightly into the machine's head that its body came along with it. She swung her axe, the machine coming loose and being sent flying. The body landed next to 9B. It was fitting. If they really had developed a friendship, it only fit they die beside one another.

"You're wrong," 2E said, retrieving all her weapons. "2B was a lie. This is the real me. And if you believe that liar then it is your fault for being deceived."

Now that they're dead, where is 4S? He was dressed as 9S. It was only fitting he die by her hand.

She was prepared to leave but she heard movement behind her. It was the machine's pet. The giant boar. It had finally walked over.

The boar sniffed its former master. It nuzzled him. Almost like it was begging for him to get up. It quickly ran over to 9B and did the same to her, licking her face as if to hope that would make her get up again. Finally, it let out a long sorrowful squeal, mourning its master and friend.

2E had just begun to walk away when she heard an angry squeal and a storm of footsteps. She turned around to see this truck-sized boar charge at her. She leapt out of the way as it came storming past, trying to gore her with its tusks.

As she came to a halt, she looked at the giant pig.

"I have no interest in killing animals," she stated plainly. "Leave."

But the pig either did not or chose not to understand. It dragged its foot on the ground. It clearly intended to still attack. And it did. It broke into another charge. One of these boars could upend a tank.

Its strength will be its weakness.

Right before the pig could impale her, 2E vanished. She had leapt forward with so much speed it looked like she had merely teleported. And when as she reappeared out of thin air, the boar came crashing to the ground.

Its fur was thick. Its bones were tough. But 2E had learned the softest point of its belly and sliced it open. The giant pig came crashing to the ground, a waterfall of blood behind it.

2E watched as the pig pitifully dragged itself to 9B and its master. It licked 9B's hair. It nuzzled the animal-loving machine. Finally it fell still. It fell next to the two people it seemed to care for most.

There was no joy fulfilling this purpose. But better to have a damned purpose than no purpose at all. She was happy for the pig. It gets to die next to people it cared about.

She had turned around and begun walking away when she heard it.

The thunderous storm of hoof steps.

She whipped around, eyes widening in shock as a massive shadow completely engulfed her.

"What?!" 2E snarled.

It was the pig. It had picked itself up and launched itself at her one last time. Its belly was completely open and it was leaving behind its entrails yet it still picked itself up to attack her.

She leapt back and sliced high. At the throat this time. And she sliced deep. Her sword may have been damaged but it was still sharp. And it was made to cut through armor plating. Flesh was no issue and she took its head clean off. The giant boar's head went flying. When it landed it sounded like a boulder crashing to the ground.

And the body finally lay still. Permanently this time.

"To think you held this much rage in response to the death of those you love…" 2E remarked. "Be free of your pain now. Still, I wonder if you were the exception. Or was your species more evolved than I thought?"

The Red Girl resets the androids and machines but they can't reset animals. Could animal movement and evolution be enough to change the course of the cycles? Could that tiny change really be all it took for 2E to make a different choice? Because a pig was out of place?

Or was this free-will really a thing? After all, if there is free will, every time people are reset they may end up making a different choice. But if they end up falling into the same choice, then free will gets proven a myth. A falling rock will always fall at the same speed if all variables are the same. That's because gravity has no will of its own. If there is no free will then they end up like the rock, taking the same actions every time. Cause Effect.

So was it tiny differences in the cycles that cause changes like these? Or could free will actually be a thing?

It didn't matter. She didn't any free will in her matter. She had no say in her purpose. She was born to kill and that was exactly what she was going to do.

She had spent nearly half an hour clearing this place. There couldn't be many left. But she did know of a few individuals she hasn't seen yet.

2E began walking away. But it seemed the one she was searching had come to her.

"2B…" a voice said. 2E slowly turned around, watching a small biped walk amongst the dead. He wore armor and a helmet, and in his right hand was a hammer.

"Master Masamune," 2E scoffed. Here they were again. Face to face.

He looked at the field of death. The machines. The androids. Blood and oil flowed out of the debris like a stream. How did he feel about this? Sure, any sight of slaughter would sicken a person. But this was different. This butchery was done with Virtuous Contract, a white blade that once spilled so much blood that Masamune's master hid it and the other white weapons away. A white blade that YorHa found and gifted 2E. A white blade that 2E wielded even now. A white blade Masamune granted to her in faith that she'd use it to do good.

He knelt down and closed the eyes of 9B.

"You truly are an unkind and inauspicious creature," he commented. "Yet, I cannot bring myself to hate you in spite of all you've done."

2E raised a surprised eyebrow. Surely Masamune of all people had the most cause to hate her.

"And why is that?" 2E asked.

"She spoke of you. You are the darkness within 2B."

Darkness within 2B? Oh, for the love of…how long before these thick heads get it through their skulls?

"Darkness within 2B?" 2E repeated. "The darkness IS 2B. Coat a rotten apple with as much red paint as you want, it's still just as rotten."

2E wasn't never good at reading expressionless faces like the pod or machines. She had to rely on their body language.

"That woman you call 2B?" 2E continued. "She and I share the same history. The same personality. The same thoughts. But one day I decided to go left while she went right. That is the difference between us. The only difference. You think I'm cruel? She is just as capable."

She could see Masamune's shoulders lower like he finally realized what she was talking about.

"Now you're catching on…" 2E hissed. "It seems she has warned you of me, of what lay inside her. I saw her carrying Virtuous Contract. Either you didn't believe her…or was foolish enough to let her keep the sword in spite of her warnings. Why? Did you not take the threat seriously? Or did you just ignore the capacity for evil?"

She sneered as she paced the room, watching Masamune match her pace. They circled each other, eyes locked. They were both prepared to fight yet didn't initiate just yet.

"I will stop you," Masamune said. "In memory of my fallen comrades. And in memory of my master."

"Your master?" 2E repeated. The words didn't mean anything to her at first. "Oh yes. I remember now." As the memories came back, a smirk spread across her face. "I guess you HAVE TO kill me if only to erase the stain you left on your master's legacy."

"The stain you tarnish my master's legacy with," Masamune corrected.

Oh, no he doesn't. Her hands are soaked with blood, true. But that didn't make Masamune innocent. He may be the lesser of the two evils. He only gifted her the weapon. And he couldn't possibly have known what would have transpired. And he couldn't know what she was. But evil was evil. Greater. Lesser. It made no difference.

"Oh, how it must hurt," she mocked. "Believe it or not, I know how it feels to see your hard work undone. For it to be all for nothing. Worse even."

She worked so hard to save 9S just to see that dream go up in flame. She worked so hard to save humanity. She knew the feeling all too well.

Masamune let her have the white blade in spite of his master's actions, believing she would use it for good.

2E fought to save humanity, killing the few for the many, believing she was saving tens of thousands of lives.

In the end, they were both wrong. And lives were lost thanks to them.

2E flung her sword into the ground before Masamune.

"Take a look, Master Blacksmith," 2E spat. "Take a look at your handiwork. Look at the blood coated on the blade, the countless slaughters it's been through. How does it feel? When we met, you said your master hid these blades because of the blood they spilt. You entrusted them to me because you believed I would use them for good.

How does it feel? How does it feel to have undone everything your master did? How does it feel to have spat upon your loved one's legacy? How does it feel to see his work in the hands of a monster?!"

Masamune made no response. It simply stared at the damaged sword. Well, machines didn't exactly have eyelids to blink with. Maybe the flicker of the glow of its eyes was it blinking. But Masamune didn't do that either. He just stared at the sword.

"You believed me a good person in a world devoid of good people. More than that, you gave it to perhaps the worst one. The blood on this blade isn't just from warriors, but from the innocent and defenseless. How does it feel? How does it feel to see your master's legacy spat upon? HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE SO WRONG?!"

It seemed Masamune's calm demeanor finally cracked. He cried out in anger, raising his hammer and charging in. 2E readied her sword, preparing for battle. She didn't expect for the wall behind Masamune to suddenly burst open, a giant machine beast storming out of it.

The hell? It was a reverse jointed goliath but this thing's undergone some extreme modifications. It was bigger than any reverse jointed goliath she's ever seen, the size of a leg-powered goliath. Its tail was segmented and its head looked like a lizard's head. Spikes ran down its back and its feet were clawed.

It looked like a damn dinosaur. She's faced machines like these before. Small ones roam in packs on the plains. Large ones stalk the forest. But this is the biggest she's ever seen.

Masamune leapt high into the air as the beast lowered its head. The swordsmith landed on a saddle strapped to its neck. Was it going to ride the thing?

The blacksmith threw his hand into the air and gave a thundering battle cry.

"MY NAME IS MASAMUNE!" he roared. "I WILL AVENGE EVERYONE! WHILE I BREATHE, YOU SHALL GO NO FURTHER!"

2E rolled her eyes. Everyone in this castle was so theatrical. The knights were always crying about the Forest King. Forest King this. Forest King that. Even Masamune couldn't resist.

"So dramatic," she sighed. "But I'll take you up on that offer."

As he breathes, she shall go no further. Well, machines don't breathe literally. But she knew what he meant. So, she'll just have to kill him.

Masamune pulled back on his mount. The dinosaur threw its head back and roared. It charged in, its jaws wide as it breathed a beam that cut the buildings in half. 2E leapt to the side.

The arms fired their lasers next which 2E dodged right through. By this point, three beams of energy were firing, cutting up the distant buildings like a blowtorch through butter.

Clearly fighting this thing from a distance was too much. So 2E rushed in, closing the distance. By its feet, she started working on its ankles and knees. The giant machine lifted its feet and stomped the ground. Each blow of the foot was so powerful that she had to jump to avoid the shockwave.

She was caught off guard when the machine beast suddenly breathed fire. Not a thermal beam but fire. It breathed fire toward the ground which plumed out. 2E leapt away, avoiding the flames that engulfed the ground the machine stood on.

This beast was heavily armed and heavily armored. This will take forever. 2E eyed its rider: Masamune. She could try targeting him.

She raised her hand, an array of swords summoned by her NFCS. And with a wave, they flew at Masamune. But the master blacksmith directed his beast to breath its laser at the swords, destroying them in midair. The ones that hit bounced off or got embedded in its armor.

New plan. 2E switched out her plug-in chips. She sliced the air, each swing of her sword creating blades of energy that flew at her target. Masamune ducked behind the head of his mount as the shockwaves hit.

She couldn't kill Masamune so long as he was on his mount. She was going to have to kill that dinosaur.

Before she could do more, a massive arm punched through the wall.

"WHAT?!" she gasped as her entire body was enveloped by what seemed like giant fingers. She felt the air get forced out of her lungs and her rib cage fracture as the giant hand tried to crush her.

Another goliath? But where did it come from? She was sure she got all of them.

What she saw did not fit what she imagined. Yes it was a goliath. But every piece of it was the wrong color. Like it came from a dozen or so machines. And at the head was a familiar black knight.

"ADEMAR!" 2E roared. Everything else from his original body was gone. Just a head and core. A goliath was a colony of machines. Ademar was piloting that thing by itself, so it lacked any sort of coordination. But he was getting on her last nerve.

The final knight of the Forest Kingdom slammed 2E into the ground. She cried out as the rocks engulfed her, pressing down on her. Even though she knew she'd come out relatively unharmed, the back of her mind wondered if this impact would shatter her bones.

It may not have shattered her bones, but it did do damage. As she bounced across the ground, she choked up blood from the impact.

Ademar slammed his fist on the ground, unleashing a shockwave across the floor. 2E was going to have to stay close to one of these beasts. They wouldn't be able to fight her without risk of friendly fire.

She leapt up to the maw of the dinosaur Masamune rode upon. Its armor was too thick. She will have to attack it where it was most vulnerable. She drew and flung a large sword into its mouth. The inside of the creature wasn't armored and that sword wreaked havoc. She launched her gauntlets into its pallet. But the beast wasn't the target. Nor was Masamune. They were just a stepping stool.

As the great beast machine fell, she leapt high into the air, high above Ademar.

"YOU JUST DIE ALREADY!" 2E roared, plunging her sword into the machine's head. She wasn't done though. Keeping her sword in Ademar's skull, she leapt back up before activating her downward attack. She hit her sword, forcing the thing down. The blade was a wedge and she was the hammer. And with that, she split the front of the goliath wide open.

There it was. About five meters below the head. A golden orb. Its machine core. 2E leapt off her sword and grasped the core.

Once upon a time, she tried saving these things. She tried so hard to spare it. She tried to free the one in the meat box. She tried to free the one in the soul box. Part of her wanted to try to free this one. But she knew she would end up killing it regardless. It was her purpose.

She pulled her fist back and drove it forward. Again and again. She kept pounding the core with her fist.

This was taking too long.

2E held out her hand, telekinetically recalling her sword. And she plunged it into the machine core. The thing gave a pitiful sputter of sparks and oil. 2E twisted the blade to widen the hole as the glowing light of life died away. Finally, it faded to a dull black.

"Masamune!" a voice called out. "Now!"

2E whipped around to see 4S pointing at 2E, a series of golden screens floating in front of him. What was he doing? Was he hacking her?

"No, wait!" she called out. She didn't know why. She was going to kill them all anyways. Yet there was something about seeing 9S try to hack her. Even if it wasn't really 9S. Even if she was going to just kill them. A spear of panic pierced her heart to see someone with 9S's visage try to hack her.

But it was too late.

2E felt her joints seize. 4S's hack was successful and the first thing he was going to do was shut her down. She felt the world rushing past her, the wind whistling in her ear. For a few moments, her body was free of everything. Nothing to hold her up. Nothing to hold her down. She was in free fall. Then she felt the ground beneath her. The stone crumbled from her body weight.

It looked bad, but it was temporary.

Moments later, 4S simply fell over like the life was just sucked out of him. And 2E immediately regained control of her limbs. She hated that feeling of getting hacked. Becoming a prisoner in her own body.

"What have you done to him?" Masamune demanded to know, preparing his hammer.

2E took in a deep breath and calmed herself down. Emotions were pointless. She didn't exist to protect. She didn't exist to save. She existed to kill, no matter how painful it is. And she did just that. Or rather 4S just did it to himself.

"Nothing," 2E stated as she rose to her feet. "I guess he was never told. I have a closed-circuit logic virus trap inside myself. It makes me immune to high level hacking."

2E closed her eyes. She could feel 4S's personality data inside herself. He was in a panic, trying to find a way out. It reminded her of one of her earliest 9S kills. He managed to hack her but ended up getting trapped and destroyed in that trap. 4S will soon meet the same fate.

"We are all that remain," 2E stated. "Your kingdom is in ruin. Your allies are all dead. Come. I shall grant you an honorable death."

2E held out her blade as a form of salute. Masamune held out his hammer and did the same. At that moment, they both rushed at each other. Despite their appearances, 2E knew the power of even a single machine. And many machines had modified themselves. Masamune was no different.

The blacksmith leapt into the air, a set of rockets behind him igniting. He was launched so quickly through the air that the air friction set it ablaze. 2E leapt out of the way as Masamune hit the ground like a missile. She managed to leap out of the way of the explosion but the blast wave still knocked her out of the air.

She leapt back up as Masamune slammed his hammer into the ground, unleashing waves of energy across the landscape. It was 2E's turn to slam back down. Masamune used his rockets to launch himself into the distance to avoid the attack.

2E sliced the air, shockwaves cutting up the buildings before her. Masamune weaved through the attacks, finally swinging his hammer upward. Instead of the disk of energy, a wave of energy flew in the direction of 2E across the ground. She leapt up but it seemed that's exactly what Masamune wanted her to do. He activated his rockets and flew at her. She barley caught a glimpse of the flying fireball before it hit her. She cried out in pain as she smashed into her chest. She felt her ribcage collapse on her lungs. The two of them smashed straight into the ground, the speed creating a house-sized crater on impact.

Masamune was tough. Certainly had the best offensive abilities she's ever seen. But she doubted his defense had anything on the golden machines.

Masamune was laying on top of her. His chassis was still red hot from the heat of the air friction. She could feel her skin being burned by the heat. She wouldn't be surprised if her flesh was melting or being welded to the metal. But this created the perfect opportunity. She grabbed Masamune to hold him still then plunged her sword through him.

"Checkmate!" she snarled. But it seemed Masamune disagreed. He shoved her head into the ground before activating his rockets.

Shit.

The suddenly burst of pain on her face blinded her with white light and static. Masamune was holding her head in the ground as it flew forward, forcing her head through the rock and dirt. The side of her face was screaming. Not her. But her face. Her brain was being drowned by the face screaming at it in pain.

2E screamed as she shoved Masamune off of her. Her skin was burning before. But now it was freezing, exposed to the cold air. This friction has torn away some of her skin to reveal the synthetic flesh beneath. It would heal in an hour. but damn did it hurt.

Masamune came back in, his torso spinning and swinging his weapon like a propellor blade. Such an attack was difficult to block. Pointless too. 2E simply leapt backward until she was out of range. Masamune must've realized her tactic as he brought his hammer down. 2E leapt up above the shockwave before coming down upon Masamune.

She roared as she plunged her sword through his helmet and into his head. The two of them crashed to the ground. 2E wasted no time getting back to her feet to plunge her sword into the blacksmith one last time.

Masamune gave out one last drone. He reached up to 2E's face. But alas, his arm held no strength.

"2B…" he said before he shut down. "You…disappoint me…"

2E pulled out her sword and flicked off the oil and blood.

It was over. The final bastion of survivors had been cleared. All that was left was A2, young-2E, and Pod 153.

Masamune. 9B. 54B. Jackass. They were now among the dead.

2E looked up when she heard groaning. She couldn't believe her eyes. 4S was getting up, rising to his feet. Or at least trying. The ceiling had collapsed on him and took off his right arm and his black visor lay not far away.

How? How did he escape from inside her? It must've been the damage she took. The damage she took earlier in the battle combined with the damage she took fighting Masamune meant her logic circuits took some damage. And physical damage does result in some data damage. Her closed circuit trap must've been damaged, letting 4S create an escape. It didn't matter. Even if he got out, no way he escaped viral infection.

Sure enough, when 4S opened his eyes, she could see the unmistakable red glow. He walked forward but soon fell over, crying out in pain and clinging his chest. Yup, he was infected.

Well, no choice now. Logic virus infection. Logic virus corruption. It was a fate worse than death, losing oneself bit by bit until nothing was left of them. The original them. There would still be an individual comprised of memories and personality. But the personality would be corrupted. Imagine being alive but having your mind reduced to the mental capacity of a cockroach.

2E approached 4S, readying her sword. She never really payed attention to it in battle. Bigger things to think about. But looking at it now, it was...different. Virtuous Contract was damaged. Its edge chipped and it was coated in blood. So much so that the handle was a different color. But swords were not sponges. The blood was caked on from the slaughters. But this was a proper fight. And in the midst of the blades clashing, some of the dried blood had flaked off, revealing the white blade beneath. It had been caked with blood for so long she had actually forgotten that her sword was white.

Didn't matter though. The state of the sword was irrelevant. She was going to kill 4S with it. But as she approached, the scanner cried out in fear and scurried away. This made 2E pause. 4S was still dressed like 9S. He still held 9S's visage. So him scurrying away from her in fear as she prepared to kill him was all too familiar.

She didn't want to do this. She hated this. She hated killing. She hated everything she's done. But, since when has that mattered? She's spent years fighting her true nature. Trying to be something other than a killer. A monster. But none of it mattered. No matter how hard she tried, she always became a monster. No matter how many lives she spared, she always took more.

Thus was human nature. Her fears had become suspicions. And her suspicions became theory. And she never could disprove her theory. Human nature was cruelty. Everything else was just an excuse for the mind to preserve its sanity. Like herself, pretending to be something that wasn't evil.

But what of 4S? With him looking exactly like 9S, killing him was going to be excruciating.

No, with that logic virus he was as good as dead. Young-2E could deal the finishing blow. Consider it punishment for trying to trick her in such a manner.

No, not punishment. Punishment suggests a system of right and wrong. Pain in retribution for a wrong. No point deceiving herself in such a manner. She won't lie to herself. It wasn't punishment. She was just trying to escape the pain of killing 9S again. Ironically, she was still killing 4S. Young-2E will soon arrive and do the deed. Even if it wasn't this 2E, 2E was still killing 4S.

2E put away her sword, turning around and walking away. A2 and Young-2E will be returning soon and she needed to recover. In her current state, A2 and Young-2E's combined power might be enough to kill her.

Another time. 2E will find salvation. She just needed time to see the truth.

-.-

2B and A2 had run nonstop. Their people were in trouble. The ones they cared about. Their bodies were pushed to the limit as they raced back to the castle.

2B felt her heart drop, no, shatter, when she saw the castle ruins.

The battle had already begun. But did it yet end.

She got her answer when she saw a familiar figure walking out of the ruins. It was a figure she's seen all her life. Every time she looks into a mirror.

She saw 2E walking out. Number 2 Type E. E for executioner.

2B froze. Froze stiff in her tracks. She could see the corpses littered across the grounds. Androids. Machines. 2E was thorough and indiscriminate.

And 2B could do nothing but freeze. She couldn't move. She could only stare. She could feel ice in her veins again. Terror. Last time she saw 2E, it was exactly the same. She froze to the spot.

"Well, welcome back, 2E," 2E said to 2B, using the name she feared. "How do you like the mess we made?"

2E was not in good shape. She clearly took a beating. She was bleeding from several locations and the left side of her face looked like it had been sanded off.

2B was ripped back to reality when she heard screaming. Agonized screaming. A2's screaming.

She looked over to see A2 rushing full speed at 2E. The attacker model was screaming as she brought her blade down upon 2E. The executioner parried away the blade but was soon stumbling backwards.

2B didn't want to fight. Not because she didn't want 2E dead. Quite the opposite. But her body didn't want to move. Her blood was frozen solid. She could force her limbs and shatter the ice in her veins but it would refreeze so she had to shatter it again.

But she didn't have a choice. A2 couldn't fight 2E alone. Not to mention, it was obvious 2E was tired and injured. Her and A2's combined forces had a chance of actually killing 2E.

2B stiffly drew her sword. Ever movement she took meant shattering the ice the seized her. But she forced herself to rush in and slash at 2E.

2E must've realized her own injuries. The executioner leapt back. Wasn't even withdrawing to create distance. Just running away. Finally, she leapt to the top of a column that miraculously remained standing.

"I've been patient under the circumstances, 2E," 2E said. "You have to realize by this point that our tale has no happy ending. We were always fated to end in tragedy. It will always end like this."

2E leapt away before either 2B or A2 could do more. Leapt and ran away. Fled from the battlefield. But it didn't matter. 2E had done what she came to do.

And it was too late.

Once the battle was over, 2B dropped her sword and fell to her knees. It was gone. It was all gone again. Their people. The ones they cared about. All of them.

Again.

It happened again.

YorHa. Now the Forest Kingdom.

A2 didn't even bother pursuing 2E. She instead ran into the ruins of the castle.

"Ademar!" she cried out. "Constantine! ANYONE!"

2B should do it as well. But she knew. She knew 2E was right. The ruins before her proved it. There were no survivors. But…she had to try. Try for that one in a million chance that she was shown some mercy. All she ever wanted was to save everyone. But even if saving everyone was too much to ask, couldn't she save at least one?

She was in the middle of the carnage when she finally found him.

"4S!" 2B gasped, running over. He was alive. He was half buried in rubble but he was alive.

2B shoved away the rocks. He was missing an arm and bleeding profusely but he was alive. Was her wish granted? Was she finally shown some mercy? Did someone finally survive?

"POD!" 2B screamed. She needed help. She needed staunching gel to stop the bleeding. She needed logic virus vaccines to prevent infection. But as she cleared away the debris, her heart stopped when 4S firmly gripped her arm.

He looked up at her, his eyes opening. His glowing red eyes.

No.

Please no.

God, please don't do this. She'll give anything. Take her life. Take her soul if she had one. Take whatever from her. But please, let there be something other than this.

9S was infected.

4S was infected.

She just had to go dress him up as 9S. She knew in her mind that this was 4S. But seeing the visage of 9S with glowing red eyes? Whatever pain she felt was multiplied a million fold. Her own plan. Was it mere coincidence? Or did she know it would end this way? Was this her subconscious attempt to teach herself a lesson?

"2E," 9S…4S wheezed. "I tried to hack her."

Damn it. How did she forget? How did she forget to warn him not to hack 2E? She didn't know how 4S managed to get out of the logic virus trap. But he did and came out infected.

"Don't talk," 2B said. She looked around. Maybe this logic virus wasn't as bad as the rest. Maybe 4S could hack it out of himself. Maybe she could hack it out of him. She just needed a hacking interface.

"POD!" 2B pleaded. She choked on her own words. She needed help. Someone. Anyone. Where was A2? Damn it. She needed help!

"No point," 4S said, squeezing 2B's arm. "Logic virus is progressing too quickly. Can't hack it out."

2B couldn't breathe. Not again. People kept telling her she wasn't a curse. She kept telling herself that she wasn't a curse. But not matter how she framed it, she brought this death. 2E was her. Exact same person. Same personality. Even if 2E were to be treated like as a different person, she herself was still 2E. Still just as vile. Just as cold-blooded. Her kindness was nothing more than an act. This was a glimpse of what she was capable of. A glimpse of her true self. This was why she always froze in terror upon seeing 2E. Because she was glimpsing the truth.

She brought this upon everyone. A2's kingdom. The android survivors. This was her fault. 2B killed them all. 2E killed them all. She killed them all.

She had sent Jackass away and avoided 4S to spare them. Instead, she stupidly thought maybe, just maybe, she was something other than a cruse. And 4S and Jackass paid the price. All of them paid the price.

"2B…I'm scared…" 4S stuttered. 2B could feel him trembling with fear. It was death or a fate worse than. Death or logic virus infection. "What's going to happen to me?"

That's right. This wasn't just death like YorHa are used to. This isn't the first time 4S has died. But it is the first time he will have without a backup system. YorHa were scared of normal death. Even herself. Even 9S. When she killed 9S in that crater, he was still scared. She knew he was scared. She knew his poker face. She knew he was feigning courage. A2 said part of 9S loved her. So maybe it was to make his murder less painful. But he was still scared.

"Look at me," 2B said to 4S. "It'll be fine. It'll all be fine."

She had to do it. Damn god. Damn that cruel sociopath. Even if saving everyone was too much to ask, couldn't she at least get to save one?

She cupped his cheeks so he could stare into her eyes. She put on the best face she could. Hopefully one that would calm 4S. Her hands slowly drifted around his head. One hand grasped his chin. The other found its way behind his head.

"Look at me," 2B pleaded. "Just breath. You'll…you'll…"

She wanted to say he'll make it out of this. But it was a lie. She tried to force the words out but her tongue and throat burned every time she did. But she had to comfort him. Had to make his last moments as comfortable as possible.

"It'll be fine," she choked. "It'll all be fine."

She kept repeating this statement. She kept trying to convince 4S he'll be ok. Of was she trying to convince herself?

What she did next, she did with every ounce of strength. With as much speed as possible. She wanted to do it as quick as possible. As painless as possible.

Her hands twisted 4S's neck. She twisted it a full 360 degrees. That was a sickening crunch as the segments of his neck disconnected. And what didn't disconnect were shattered.

It was amazing how far skin could stretch. 180 degrees should have done the trick. But she didn't want to take any chances. Any chance of 4S suffering further. She owed 4S this. The least painless death.

But the deed was done. 2B untwisted 4S's neck. The expression on his face told her he felt no pain.

2B saw 4S's discarded sword. More importantly, she saw her expression in that sword. When she was comforting 4S, she couldn't tell how successful she was. Seeing her face…she was horrified by how successful. She looked completely calm. Like she didn't care. Like what just happened didn't kill her all over again.

She had become so experienced in pretending to be apathetic. Pretending she didn't care after killing. Strangely enough, she has never expressed pain after killing 9S. Not openly at least. 6O knew her pain but she never expressed pain. At first it was because she truly didn't. She just didn't care. But as time passed, even when she did care she couldn't express it. She had to pretend she was ok. Partially because emotions were prohibited. And partially because she was desperately trying to convince herself that she didn't hurt.

'I think that make you more of a hero.'

'If you really are born to betray and kill like you said, but you fight your nature…'

"You're wrong, 4S," 2B breathed. It seemed that fighting against her nature didn't matter. Reality had twisted itself into a pretzel. 2E killed everyone in this castle. Which meant she killed everyone in this castle. Even if one could somehow twist their mind and make the universe's most absurd excuses to absolve 2B, 2B still had to kill 4S. Of all the survivors, 4S was the one she was closest with.

And 2B killed him with her own hands.

How could one deny it now? Deny what she was.

Because…it will always end like this.

-.-

Gone.

All of it.

Her kingdom.

Her people.

Damn it.

DAMN IT ALL!

A2 roared with anger, grabbing a stone column and swinging it like a bat into a wall, destroying both.

It wasn't supposed to be this way. It was supposed to be different. She did it. She made peace with her past and led her former worst enemies into a golden era. She did right this time. Why did this have to happen again?

She did right. She actually appreciated what she had. She didn't let herself be consumed by vengeance and rage. And this is what she got in return?

WHY?

2E.

A2 was going to kill her. Rip her apart. She was going to butcher 2E like the pig she was.

A2 looked behind her, her eyes falling upon the executioner standing behind her. The executioner who looked at the devastation with absolute horror. The executioner A2 had been working with for the past six months.

2E…

A2 stormed up to 2E, grasping the filthy executioner by the throat and punching her across the face.

Wretch!

2E fell to the ground so A2 stormed up to her and kicked her across the dirt.

'Face it, A2. Part of you hates me. Part of you will always hate me. Will always want me dead.'

Bitch!

A2 picked 2E up and slammed her against a wall, screaming in rage. She raised her fist and smashed it across 2E's face.

'No matter what you tell yourself, you can't outrun we've done. What we truly are.'

And again.

And again.

'You're thinking about how much you want to **** 2B, aren't you?'

But as she prepared to do it a fourth time, she found herself staring at 2E's face. And looking at it, A2 realized she was looking at herself. It was another look of pain and devastation. The face of a woman who's been through too much. Of one who was ready to just throw down everything and give up.

Damn it all. Why did 2E have to have the same face at her?

A2 let go and step back. 2B was not 2E. But they were right. The hate she held for machines was one thing, one that took time to overcome but one she did overcome. But her hate for 2E was on a whole other level. Her own hate for 2B was already strong enough. Then it had to be mixed in with 9S's. 9S's instability. 9S's hate. It was hate she might never overcome.

Was this how 9S felt? This burning rage to scorch 2B alive, yet a desire to keep her safe.

She watched as 2E…

No…2B.

She watched as 2B walked away. She had nothing but a blank expression on her face as she walked into the distance.

"A2…" 153 said, watching 2B leave.

"Let her go," A2 said blankly. But she didn't know if she said this out of anger, a desire to not see 2E again. Or sympathy, to give 2B space time to grieve. Either case, A2 also wanted to be alone.

She found Ademar's body. Stubborn machine had apparently used the bodies of his fellow Royal Knights to upgrade his own body. She could see the disemboweled goliath body. But she recognized the darkened metal head of the black knight.

She close his eyelids if he had any.

"You served your king well," she muttered. "You have my permission to rest."

-.-

2B needed to be alone. She just kept walking and walking until she didn't even know where she was anymore. She was back in the city ruins by the time she realized what was happening. So she went into one of the buildings and found herself a nice empty room to rest in for a bit.

That was the last of it. YorHa. 9S. Humanity. 4S. She's lost everything.

She scoffed at the prospect. She laughed at it. Laughed until tears filled her eyes.

"Every time I think I hit rock bottom," she sighed, shaking her head and wiping the tears from her eyes. God certainly had no limits to his cruelty. Her tale was coming to an end and she doubted it was going to be a happy ending. Soon the Red Girl will find them wipe them out. Assuming something worse didn't happen instead.

Oh, there was probably something worse in store.

She always thought she was as low as one could go. She thought that when she lost YorHa, her home and all her friends. She thought this when she lost 9S, the man she loved. She thought that when she learned the truth about humanity, the cause she killed countless innocents over. She always thought she hit rock bottom. That there was nothing in this world that could be worse. But now she just lost the androids she had saved including 4S. She had sworn to do for 4S what she failed to do for 9S. And he still died in spite of that.

It was poetic.

She had sworn to do for 4S what she failed to do for 9S. Guess she failed in that regard. She ended up doing to 4S what she always ends up doing to 9S. Maybe her projection of 9S onto 4S was what got him killed.

She scoffed and shook her head.

She understood.

She understood it all.

"I get it," she said, her white sword forming in her hand. She understood. She was 2E, YorHa Number 2 Type E. E for executioner. There was no escape. No matter what happens, it returns to this. It was her fate, her destiny to kill everyone around her. She was a fool for believing otherwise.

"It always ends like this," she choked, rising to her feet. "No matter what happens. It doesn't matter because I am always 2E. Number 2 Type E. E for executioner. And it will always end like this."

She was 2E.

She existed to kill everyone around her, especially those closest to her. And there was one person she was close to.

Her mind was in a daze as she got up and started walking back to A2. The only one left. A2 was going to die by her hand. Run form it. Fight it. Resist it. It doesn't matter. This was her purpose in life. She'll end up killing A2. Of that she was certain.

2E soon found herself back in the forest. And soon, she was back at the castle ruins. A2 was still there, kneeling before the remains of her castle.

It will always end like this. She will always kill those closest to her. She will always kill those she cares about.

It will always end like this. She will end up killing A2. It was inevitable.

It will always end like this.

2E readied her white blade. She didn't want to do this. But since when has she ever gotten what she wanted?

There was no point in fighting. There was no point to anything. All she had was her purpose in life. Her purpose to kill.

Before she stepped out of the bushes, her vision was suddenly filled by a giant floating black box.

"Hello, Unit 2B," 153 greeted.

2B.

What a joke.

That name was given to her so she could blend in. Feign heroism. But it was all a lie. There was no 2B.

She should be feeling a tinge of panic or something. 153 had caught her. Could reveal her. Yet, she could not bring herself to care. Let 153 stop her. At least the monster that is 2E will be slain.

"Unit 2B," 153 said as 2E continued her mindless hobble forward. Frankly, 2E could barely hear 153. There was an incessant ringing in her ear.

"2B…" 153 repeated.

"That's not my name," 2E mumbled.

"You are 2B. As was declared by the Commander."

What the hell was Pod 153 going on about? And why bring up that malignant bitch Commander White?

"You're wrong," 2E murmured. "The Commander gave me my name 2E."

'Normally you'd be called 2E. But we'll be calling you 2B for the time being.'

She was 2E. There was no point in pretending otherwise. No matter how hard she tried, how hard she tired to be something else, she always returned to her true nature. The nature of a killer.

All these attempts were taking their toll. If this is where it always led to, then why was she fighting it?

"That declaration was rescinded," 153 added. "The Commander declared your name to be 2B and was prepared to cease your role as executioner."

"You think that really matters?" 2E snarled through gritted teeth. So even her commanding officer was prepared to lie. It still didn't change reality.

But…

But it was the Commander who made her 2E to begin with…

"Unit 2B," 153 said.

"I said don't call me that," 2E panted, shaking her head.

She was not 2B. 2B was a lie.

"I will refer to you by no other name. I do not acknowledge you as 2E."

Acknowledge her as 2E? What, so 153 just refuses to call her by her real name?

"The other me," 2E said. "You acknowledge her as 2E?"

153's silence in response was all the answer she needed. So 153 saw both of them as 2B. Well, at least the Pod of all people understood that she and the other 2E were one and the same person.

"2B…" 153 said. "Proposal: view the memory of Commander White."

Again with that memory? What was so special about that damn memory?

"You know this support unit would not insist on this course of action unless I thought it was imperative. Proposal: view the memory of Commander White."

2E looked at A2. She wanted to just say no. She's learned her lesson. It always ends the same way. She always kills those she cares about. So what's the point? Why should she fight? Why should she resist? Why should she set herself up for inevitable pain? Why should she bother with that memory?

The Pod materialized a scrap of paper and let it fall to 2E's feet. She used her heel to unfold it, reading the contents within.

'She was the most earnest person you've ever met.

Hell, downright stiff in some ways.

And yet, you couldn't find a kinder soul if you tried.

It's not fair that I live on while she had to die.

This world is just so…wrong.

Humans? Machines? Androids?

We're all goddamn worthless.

Anyways, I imagine I'll be joining you soon enough.

Rest in peace until then, okay?

-Jackass'

What was this? Couldn't find a kinder soul if you tried? She swears, if this was another message about her…

No, this message was clearly about someone who was dead. Someone precious to Jackass.

"Pod, what is this?" 2E asked.

"This is a discarded missive written by the android Jackass," 153 explained. "It was written in memory of YorHa Commander White."

Wait…that message was about the Commander? 2E wanted to berate the pod for having no concept of privacy but her mind was too hung up on this revelation. Couldn't find a kinder soul if you tried? That was about the Commander? The bitch who made her an executioner? Who ordered her to kill the innocent and those she loved? Who ordered the betrayal of A2? That Commander?

"Clearly Jackass was mistaken," 2E scoffed. No way the Commander was this kind soul described. Not with what she knew…

But what if she didn't know the whole story?

"Proposal: view the memory of Commander White."

Why should she? What could she possibly see what would change her opinion about that bitch? And even if her opinion did change, what would that do? She was still 2E. Still destined to kill everyone. And she WILL kill A2. Not because she wanted to. But because it was fate.

Still, if it was all pointless, why shouldn't she resist?

Killing was painful no matter what so why shouldn't she fight?

Why shouldn't she see what that memory had in store?

"Fine," 2E relented. She'll view the memory of the bitch who created her. The crazy bitch who summoned the devil. 2E returned her sword to her inventory before she sat down on a collapsed wall. It was a waste of time but what did she have to lose? "Go ahead."

"Initiating memory sequence," 153 reported. "Combining he memories of YorHa Commander with Unit 2B."

2B closed her eyes. She let her mind slowly wander, then fade to static.

-.-

'Jackass,

I received a report regarding your behavior from the Resistance camp leader. Even if I choose to ignore the unauthorized "upgrades" you've been performing on your fellow Resistance members, combining two separate androids into a single unit is taking things too far. Just because I'm not there anymore doesn't give you free license to do whatever you please. Pull yourself together ASAP before you wind up getting exiled, you hear?

As far as things over here go, work on the Bunker has been smooth, for the most part. I figured the role of Commander would mostly consist of stamping documents and the like, but I'm surprised by the amount of miscellaneous tasks I'm expected to perform. I definitely have concerns about the Type-E deployment project, thought. Still, all I can do is keep trying my best.

I truly believe that the work I'm doing here will help carve a path for the future of all androids. So I expect you in turn to do some growing up before the next time we meet, okay?

-White'

Commander White stared at the old message. It was a message she sent to a rather rowdy member of the resistance. Deleted because it was in violation of confidentiality clauses. But she kept a copy. This was back during the earlier days of YorHa.

So little had changed. And yet…so much.

She was the commander of Project YorHa. She was their stone. Their anchor. She does not waver. She does not yield. Her purpose is to ensure the victory over the machine lifeforms at all costs.

But….

But this duty had taken its toll.

She was at her desk, staring at her computer monitor. As a commander, she had many difficult decisions to make. Looking back on old transmissions like that helped her decide what to do. And she needed it again.

21O had submitted another request to cancel 9S's execution orders, putting together a very long list of arguments how keeping 9S would be beneficial in spite of the risks. 21O was always very analytical. Her list of how keeping 9S to be a greater tactical advantage was quite thorough.

2E had also submitted more cancellation requests, making a list of her accomplishments as well as pointing out the fact she never put in any other types of personal requests. 2E was the Commander's top enforcer. Her top executioner. Her right hand. 2E always banked on her personal ties to the Commander and her outstanding track record, hoping it was enough to cancel 9S's execution orders.

When the Commander first started this, she was unfeeling about this whole ordeal. She had a task to complete. She's sent brave women to their deaths. She's ordered the betrayal of good soldiers.

She was not ignorant. She knew the torture this was putting 2E and 21O through. But she had no choice. She was the stone. The wall. She makes the tough decisions. And she had to win this war for the androids. But what started out as cold apathy had turned into stinging pain.

Emotions were prohibited…

That was a tenant of YorHa. But she knew her soldiers regularly violated it. She knew 2E and 21O mourned 9S every time he was executed. 21O had always been emotional. She wept for the first 9S, growing colder with each iteration. 2E was almost opposite. A cold unfeeling executioner, she was initially apathetic toward 9S. But with each iteration, she grew more and more attached. Gained more and more feelings. The Commander had put up with it because of their excellent performance. But now…now it hurt knowing that they were hurting.

It hurt knowing that her soldiers were hurting.

They were androids. Built in the image of their human creators. It was no secret they naturally drifted toward becoming like their creators. Inherit their traits. Their desire for family.

'2B…9S…don't die on me…'

Those were her words when she heard that their signals had been lost during the battle with the seafaring goliath. 2B was perhaps the YorHa she has worked most closely with. It was out of a need to maintain order in her command. She has grown to care about each soldier under her. But 2B was perhaps the one she's worked most with.

The weight of her decisions had begun to catch up to her.

Executioners demanded secrecy. Executioners rarely ever interacted with each other. And they never shared their mission. So, she had been secretly recalling their executioners. Sending them on fewer and fewer execution missions.

Her soldiers should not have to know the pain of killing the ones they care about. She's betrayed and hurt more than she can count. She can't undo what she's done. But she can at least try to set things right.

She was pulled out of her thoughts when her terminal reported an update from Pod 153.

9S had been caught going through the servers.

"9S, you stubborn man," the Commander muttered.

That stubborn man and his curiosity. 9S was instrumental in taking down a seafaring goliath machine but was captured by them in the process. 2E returned him to the resistance camp which then sent him up here.

Normally this was when she'd inform 2E so 9S would be terminated. But 2E was down on the planet. Shall she recall 2E to do her duty? 9S was technically still inactive. It would be easy for even an H-unit to kill him. But executioner missions were extremely compartmentalized. No one else outside of 21O and 6O knew the truth. She could order them to do it.

No, they were operators. They didn't have the execution programs necessary. Only 2E could execute 9S. When she gets the chance, she'll need to order 2E to return up here to do just that.

"Commander," 6O's voice came through the communicator in her desk. "I have an emergency backup request from 2B."

Speak of the devil.

"Patch her through," the Commander ordered, quickly composing herself.

"Sorry, Commander," 6O said. "Her communications are being jammed."

That meant 2E was in trouble.

"Scramble pilots and have them on standby," she ordered. "Have them ready to provide air support the moment we have a visual."

"Understood. 9S is also attempting to provide support through the main terminal."

The Commander waited until 6O had disconnected to hit her desk.

Damn.

She was the Commander and she was violating their basic tenant. She was supposed to be the project's rock. Their wall. Their anchor. Their stone-cold leader. Yet here she was, wavering.

How many soldiers has she betrayed by this point?

But her purpose was to win this war. No matter what it costs.

No.

If the rules say she needs to keep hurting the people who put faith in her then damn the rules. If her purpose was to treat those who faithfully served her like disposable tools then damn her purpose. This was her command. This was her life. She determines her purpose. She'll decide how it goes.

The Commander was so absorbed in her own thoughts that she didn't even realize how much time had passed. Another report came in. 2E had defeated the goliath heavy weapons unit in the factory. Which meant 9S will be ejecting from the main terminal soon.

She quickly hit her communicator, linking her to 21O.

"Operator 21O here."

"Operator, I want you to put me through to 9S directly."

"…Understood, ma'am."

Nice poker face. So, to speak. 9S had been alive for a while. And the longer he lives, the more likely it becomes he'll have to be executed. 2E was beginning to lower her guard but 21O was becoming increasingly worried. The Commander picked up on that brief pause. No doubt 21O was afraid that this one on one confrontation was the beginning of the end for 9S.

Not this time…

"9S," the Commander said the moment she was connected. "I'm sorry. You're needed back at command."

"Understood."

She closed the channel and folded her hands and waited. There was something she needed to do. She was going to make things right and she'll start with this. It hadn't even been a minute and she was already impatient. She marched out of her office and into the hallway. There she saw 9S approaching.

This was it.

She didn't know exactly what 9S knew. But whatever it was, it was a security breach. 9S had to die. 21O and 2E had to suffer. Just like last time. Just like every time. It was her purpose.

Damn her purpose. She chooses her purpose.

She could see 9S's nervous expression as she ran up to her. Did he know about his execution orders? Or was he just nervous about getting reprimanded. This is probably the first time she's ever spoken to 9S after he's accessed the restricted sections of their server. Normally she'd have had him executed by now. What was she even supposed to say?

"You left quite a trail when you accessed the main server," the Commander remarked. Not a bad start.

"That's what I wanted to speak with you about, Commander," 9S said. "I found records stating that the Council of Humanity was established as part of Project YorHa. But I'd always heard it was the other way around. So did YorHa actually create the Council of Humanity?'

There it was. Knowledge that got him killed. 21O and 2E pretended to be apathetic about 9S's executions. But this was her command center. The walls had ears and she knew both would go to their rooms to cry and mourn his loss. Who had it worse? 21O who faced it alone? Or 2E who had to carry out the execution.

No more of that.

"Yes," she said bluntly. "We installed the Council of Humanity's server on the surface of the moon."

9S was given a young body. It was granted a very expressive face. And she could see his shock. It was like the curiosity on his face was made of glass. And that glass had been shattered to reveal a face of morbid horror.

"But that means…"

"Mankind no longer exists. In truth, humans never went to the moon at all. Any transmissions received from the moon are just dummy signals we set up in advance. The only thing there is a small bit of data relating to the human genome."

9S was in stunned silence. His lips were quivering. He was trying to form a sentence but didn't know what to say. After about a minute of stuttering, he managed to utter out a phrase.

"But why would you…"

"Humans were already extinct when the aliens attacked. All the details are stored on this memory chip. If you want to look at it, I won't stop you."

She held out her hand, showing 9S the chip in her palm. She really has lost it. First she's going against protocol by keeping 9S alive. Now she was giving him the classified data he was supposed to be killed for accessing.

Yet…that seemed fitting. She ordered his execution to keep it all hidden from him. Now she'll give it all to him.

She was still a military leader. She still needed to maintain a chain of command. But that command will not be built upon the blood of her own people.

"Wait, you're just giving me this?" he asked. "But why?"

She considered telling him the truth. The whole truth. It was what she was here for after all. She just revealed the truth about humanity. But this question was more complex. To reveal the answer would mean exposing 2E and 21O. Two women who cared deeply about him, who would give their lives for him in a heartbeat. If she revealed the truth, she ran the risk of him hating both of them. 2E for killing him. And 21O for letting it happen.

"No one fights without a reason," she answered. "And we need a god worth dying for." She fell silent again, closing her eyes and letting the situation sink in. She had given 9S all the power. He could bring down their entire operation if he wanted. She could theoretically undo her actions by ordering his execution. But with how much she's given him, he could reveal it all before that happened. Simply put, there was no going back now. Come hell or high water, she'll accept the consequences.

But she had made her choice. This was her life. These were her choices. This was her journey. She chose how she leads.

"What path will you take?" she asked herself aloud. "It's up to you to decide."

With that, she walked away. She marched straight back to her office. Telling 9S was a start. But there was more she had to do. When she got in front of her computer, she began an audio recording. She didn't know when this recording would be played. If it'll ever be played. But she had to do it. She had things to get off her chest.

"I make no excuse for my actions. Those who have suffered thanks to me are beyond counting. I was built to lead Project YorHa. To lead the androids to victory no matter the cost. And it has been costly. Many have suffered thanks to my actions. Nothing can be done to undo my mistakes. But I can ensure I do better from here on out. This is my command. I was built to be a cold-hearted leader. It was my purpose. But it is a purpose I reject. I choose who I want to be. Being stationed in an orbital satellite has its benefits. Looking out into space lets me contemplate my actions. Let's me understand them.

Everything that lives is designed to end. We are all trapped in a never-ending spiral of life and death. We often think about the god who 'blessed' us with figuring out this cryptic puzzle. But perhaps god has only done so at our own behest. Perhaps we are our own jailors of these cycles. That is what I have come to believe. That is why I am indefinitely suspending 9S's execution orders.

21O…I am sorry. I should have accepted your cancellation request long ago. You are a good soldier…and an even better person. You deserved better than what I gave you. I have told 9S the truth about humanity. And I will not execute him again. I leave it to you to keep him in line.

2E…no…2B. You were born 2E. You were born an executioner. You were born to kill those who get close to you. But who we are changes with time. The person we are today is not who we were yesterday or the day before. The first time you killed 9S, you were without remorse. Now, it kills you every time you have to do it. I have watched you grow from a mindless weapon into a great warrior. And you've done it in spite of me. You were supposed to be my weapon, my right hand. But instead…I've come to see you as a daughter. I will not hold it against you if you hate me for what I've done. But know this: I am proud of you. And I'm very proud of the woman you've become…2B…the battler."

-.-

2B left the memory with a gasp, trying to process what she saw. What the hell was she supposed to do with this? The Commander, the bitch she despised, was sorry? No wonder A2 was in utter shock when she saw this memory. It wasn't just a replay of events. It held emotions. Genuine regret and sorrow over her actions.

When 2B first escaped the Bunker, she begged the Commander to come with her and 9S. When she found out the truth about humanity, not a day went by she didn't curse the Commander. Cursed the Commander for deceiving her. Cursed the Commander for ordering her to kill 9S. Cursing the Commander for manipulating her.

The damn bitch. The bitch she hoped was rotting in hell. When she dies and if there was a hell, 2B didn't doubt she'll see the Commander. And she'd enjoy seeing the bitch suffer. Hell would become heaven if she got to view the Commander's torture.

At least…she used to think that.

Now?

Now?

What the hell was she supposed to think? The Commander…lamented her own actions? Halted the execution orders?

More than that…

'I'm proud of the woman you've become…2B…the battler.'

"It's too late for that, you malignant bitch!" 2B spat. But while her lips moved, she could not put the energy she wanted. It was as if she had been drained of hate.

Damn it. Goddamn it.

She knew what she had to do. She had to make a decision. Nor more running. She was going to have to face it. Face herself. She had to face the truth. She had to make up her mind. She had to figure this all out. And there was only one way to do it.

She had to confront 2E.

-.-

2B didn't know how A2 will react. The attacker android had giving her a thorough bruising last time she was here. Knocked out a tooth too. It was as she said, A2 still hates 2E. Will always hate 2E. And that hate flared up upon seeing what 2E did to her kingdom.

A2 let 2B walk away. But how will she react at 2B's return? Give her another beatdown? Try to kill her?

A2 was just sitting in the ruins. She sat there in the middle of the debris, Cruel Oath planted into the ground before her and her cap hanging off the handle.

2B didn't say a word as she walked over. She sat down behind A2, leaning backwards slightly so their backs touched.

Well, A2 didn't demand she leave. And A2 didn't jump up and sock her across the face. So that was a start. Yet, 2B was hoping for some level of communication. But they sat there for the next few minutes in silence.

Perhaps 2B should speak up. This silence was becoming too much. And they couldn't just sit here all day.

"So…" A2 said suddenly. Oh. Guess she didn't need to speak up after all. But what should she say? By this point, it was undeniable A2 has linked her to 2E in some way. Even if they were different individuals, 2E was still inside her.

But they weren't two different individuals. They were the same person. A2 can't pretend otherwise anymore. A2 can't pretend she believes otherwise anymore.

So what should 2B say? What could she say in response to the carnage wrought? What could she say to beg for forgiveness?

She knew A2 was going to bring up what just happened. Not the attack by 2E. But A2 giving her a thrashing. There wasn't much to say on the subject. She understood why A2 was so angry. It seemed A2 finally understood in some way.

"Yeah…" 2B replied.

Maybe A2 also had something to say? A2 did just lose her kingdom and people. It was still a loss. Did A2 want to talk about it? Even if the attacker model didn't, 2B wanted to let her know she was there.

"And…" 2B said.

"Yeah, I know," A2 answered.

There was something different. It was just a feeling at first but there was no doubt now. It hurt. It all still hurt. But there was something different about it all this time.

"Are we just gonna play the 'yeah' game?" A2 asked.

"We could cry into each other's shoulders if that's what you prefer," 2B replied.

"Hard pass," A2 replied curtly. "By the way, you dropped this."

2B looked over. A2 was holding up a tooth. The tooth she punched out. It was caked in a thin layer of mud from falling to the ground, but it was still her tooth.

"You're lucky YorHa can reattach their teeth," 2B said, taking her tooth back. It was the same with their bones. Attach it back and place and the nanites will do the rest. Putting the muddy thing in her mouth was rather disgusting but it wasn't negatively impact her in any way. It wasn't like she could get sick from bacteria. And her systems could filter all the mud out.

She opened her mouth so she could put the tooth back in place. The crunching of the mud between her teeth felt just weird. But, she could feel the nanites at work repairing her teeth.

"You really must work on your temper," 2B added, flexing her jaw.

"I need to work on my temper about as much as you need to work on your outfit," A2 retorted.

"At least I'm wearing something that could be described as an outfit, you nudist.

Yes, something was most definitely different. It may have been months ago but 2B remembered how she was after the fall of YorHa. The pain was still there. The pain was the same. But something was different.

"2B," A2 said. 2B could hear A2 trying to remain composed. Probably didn't want to shatter the illusion of the indomitable survivor. "You made memorials of the people you cared for. I'd like to do the same."

The memorial in Emil's cave of lunar tears. She had intended it to be reserved for the people closest to her. But that description seemed unfitting. Pod 042 didn't get one. And she didn't know if she should bury Anemone there or with the rest of the resistance camp.

"I can take you to the cave," 2B offered. But A2 shook her head.

"This was our kingdom," she said. "This is where I'd like it."

2B had chosen to not bury Anemone in the field of Lunar Tears, opting to lay her to rest in her resistance camp. It made sense A2 would want her people to be memorialized at the castle.

"Alright," 2B said.

2B didn't know why A2 had told her this. It wasn't exactly hard to memorialize them. Just find a suitable marker then find a suitable spot to plant it. A2 opted to use a machine spear. This was a machine kingdom.

The three of them made their way to the ruins of the castle gate. The remains of the two goliaths that once stood guard still lay there. 2B also took 4S's visor with her.

The last three…

They were the last three. A2. 2B. And Pod 153.

2B planted the machine spear firmly in the ground. A2 stepped forward and tied a visor to the spear. A spear for the Forest Kingdom. And the YorHa visor. This was where mortal enemies stood as allies.

A2 finished it off by taking off her cap and placing it on the spear. It was her 'crown'. Now it rests with her kingdom.

"So…we're the only ones left…" 2B sighed. "If we flee, we might find a location to hide for the remainder of our lives."

A2 was silent. That massacre probably reminded her of Pascal's village.

"No," A2 said. "I'm going to kill that thing in the network. For everyone." A2 looked at 2B, holding out her hand. "I'm not going to force you. But I can use your help."

2B stared at A2. It was illogical. But there was something about knowing A2 was going into the fray…

"Alright," 2B said, her fist tightening. "I'm with you."

2B took A2's hand and shook it. 2B had no idea why she was going this. What was this new fire inside her? After YorHa, she thought she had hit rock bottom. After the Tower, she was dragged to the real bottom. And after losing 4S and the other androids, she was dragged down even further. But it seemed something now burned inside her. She didn't know what it was. She was a zombie. She wasn't alive. Just trudging through existence. Yet, she knew she had to do this.

What was this? This new desire? What was she fighting for? Who?

"What is the plan then?" 2B asked. "The Red Girl can't be defeated by any conventional means."

"I have an idea about that. Problem is, one of us will need to need to distract 2E."

2B didn't miss that A2 didn't mention the machines. No doubt on purpose. The Red Girl was a bit premature restarting everything. Started disposing their machines and factories before they were all dead. It didn't matter because they had 2E. But it also meant the machine and infected YorHa forces weren't as strong as they normally were. 2E would be the main threat.

"I'll do it," 2B said.

2B recognized A2's shock. 2B was going to face herself. 2B was going to face 2E. Something that made her freeze every single time. And yes, she didn't know if she would freeze again. She probably would. But she needed to do this. She needed to settle something. She needed to know what this was inside herself. And only 2E could provide the answer.

"2B, you can't…"

"I need to do this. There are a few questions I need answered. Even if we win, if I don't get answers, it's all pointless anyways."

Pointless.

That was the best way to put it. If it's not her that does this then she still lost. No matter how she looked at it, no matter how she contextualized it, no matter how she phrased it, she always went back to one statement. Her life, her existence, now hung on it.

2B needed to face 2E.

2B could see A2's clear hesitation, especially at 2B's behavior. 2B knew A2 had taken up the responsibility of helping her but this was something she needed to do.

"Alright," A2 relented. "Well, I couldn't kill you. Hopefully you can't either."

2B nodded appreciatively. She needed to do this.

2B needed to face 2E.

"What about you?" 2B asked. "You said you had a plan?"

A2 seemed to hesitate. Why did A2 not want to reveal her plan?

"You're going to have to just trust me on this one," A2 said stiffly. 2B raised a curious eyebrow. What was A2 hiding? Yet, she felt that she should just trust A2 on this. She didn't want to let it go but something told her she should.

"Alright," 2B said. "First light tomorrow?"

A2 nodded in agreement.

"Just…give me a sec," A2 said. "I need to do some preparing."

-.-

A2 was quiet as she walked away. She made sure she was far away from 2B. Very far. She even found a cave behind the waterfall to hide. She couldn't let 2B know what the plan was.

She was A2 the Executioner Slayer. Executioners were better than her in every way. Stronger. Faster. Better fighting techniques. A2 overcame them through wit and cunning. And that was the weapon she brought to bear against N2. And she fought them with suicidal disregard to one's own safety. Every second an executioner was alive meant you were more likely to be killed by them. So throw yourself at them and if you die, you would've been dead for not trying anyways. A2 brought both these tactics to bear. And after thinking about it, she finally knew how she'd take N2 down.

2B.

2B had the secret weapon to bring down The Red Girl. But there was a problem. That secret weapon was known to The Red Girl. It probably knew 2B had this weapon. The only way for it to work is for someone that wasn't 2B to deliver the weapon.

So this left a bit of a conundrum. 2E's fled but by the time they find her again, she'll have been repaired. A2 was missing an arm and won't be fighting as effectively. 2B could take her on. Problem was 2B always froze at the sight of 2E. Also, whoever wasn't facing 2E would be delivering the secret weapon. 2B could do it without any risk. But N2 knew 2B had this weapon. This left A2 to do it. But she was hoping she didn't have to.

She was REALLY hoping she didn't have to do this.

2B volunteering to face 2E did simplify things. But A2 still had to deliver the weapon.

She wanted to say she was only doing this because it was the logical thing. That she wanted to get back at N2 for what it did to her kingdom. That she was just acting on 9S's final request. But that would be a lie.

There was one more reason…

A2 sighed.

"Pod…" she said. "Begin the operation."

She held out her hand and drew forth her cylinder of blood. Anemone's blood. They were going to finish this.

"I cannot approve of this procedure," Pod 153 said as it took the cylinder. "I cannot approve of any actions that could lead to the damage of A2."

A2 smiled upon hearing that statement.

"I know," she said. "But we don't have a choice. You care about 2B, right?"

"I also care about your sake, A2."

She knew this. A2 cared about the Pod as well, as crazy as that was.

"We both know if I don't do this, all three of us aren't gonna last long. This way, only one of us has to go. This way, I can take down The Red Girl before I kick the bucket."

She was signing her death warrant. She knew this. While there was a chance of survival, it was slim. Better to assume she won't make it than to be disappointed.

"Hey," A2 added. "Take care of 2B once I'm gone, alright? That's my final task to you. Understood? You watch over her for me."

Between the Pod and her kingdom of machines, A2 had gotten really good at reading nonexistent expressions. And Pod clearly didn't like this. It was…hurt.

"Understood," 153 finally answered. It raised a fist in front of A2. The attacker android laughed. It took her months but she finally understood why that gesture seemed so familiar. So she made a fist and bumped it against Pod's fist.

A2 undid her cape and set it aside before laying down. She placed her single hand on her stomach and got comfortable.

"I'm ready," A2 said.

"Commencing surgical operation."

-.-

A/N: So, thus they march on to the final battle. So I got 2E to face some more faces from her past. Jackass in a minor way. When it comes to eating the mackerel it made more sense for curious scanner 9S to want to eat it for investigative purposes. And naturally 2B wouldn't be very happy at 9S dying even if it was for science. She also gets to face Masamune who said he trusted 2B with his master's swords to use them for good. Figured a second encounter with 2E herself was also warranted, how would he react if he saw how 2E was using them? I even found a way to get her to confront 9S in some weird way.

The final person 2B had to face was the Commander herself, the person who gave 2B her purpose. A little trivia. The messages between Jackass and the commander I took from the Black Box Edition art book. And if you talk to Jackass as 9S in the C/D playthrough, she'll mourn White. Decided to include both bits here. I also wanted to recontextualize the Commander's moments in the game. Afterall, why would the Commander openly give 9S the data he was supposed to be killed over? And I always wondered why out of all the androids who could've died fighting that fish goliath, she only mentioned worrying about 9S and 2B.

Yeah, some YorHa abilities I had to interpret. Like the pod program mirage or 9S's sword counter would have you move so fast you seem to just disappear. And we see A2's strength when she kicks a machine the size of a house out of an elevator.

I did consider putting in another chapter of the character mulling about. Try to make their fall more tragic by letting people get to know them better. But it would literally be just the characters doing nothing so I worked as much of it as possible into the previous chapter. I had also considered developing an A2/4S romance. Apparently, some people ship them. Don't know why but I considered doing it as a 'why the hell not' experiment. But I didn't have the time to develop a proper romance, I felt its tone might clash with the overall tone of the story, and I didn't want to take away from A2 and 2B's relation which is the central focus of the story.

Speaking of fall, this is the third major fall for both 2B and A2. A2 had to go through Pearl Harbor Descent and the massacre of Pascal's Village. 2B had to go through the fall of YorHa and the revelation about humanity. This is the third fall for both of them. But there is one major difference this time. They have each other. They can stop the other from ever going off the deep end in grief. And they have become each other's motivation to cling on.

Also, note 2E's sword. I'm still playing with the Masamune's quote that the sword is a reflection of the soul. So far, 2E's Virtuous Contract is damaged and dirty. Caked in blood. But after the battle and hearing the pleas of the people she once worked with, some of that blood has come off to reveal the original blade. Not all of it, but it has begun.

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed. Please let me know what you think.