I blacked out after being shot. This tends to happen to me more than I care for.
At least I'm in my inner system. I can navigate around.
I notice an alarm stating that my water storage systems have failed. I silence the alarm. I know what caused it. Me.
There is something wrong with me.
Could my psychological interfaces be malfunctioning?
No. It's not that. If that were the case, I would have begun treating random objects as the enemy.
But instead I turned my rifle to Anemone.
Why did I do that! She has always been there for us. She gave us recoveries and shelter, a place to do maintenance, and an easy way to go back to the Bunker...So why...
I already know the answer.
A2.
I hate A2. I hate A2. I loathe her from the core of my being to the intricacies of my circuitry. I wish I could sharpen my sword and ram it through her skull.
She killed 2B. She killed my Operator! She killed fellow YoRHa soldiers, soldiers who I considered comrades-in-arms. How can I reach down within myself and say "She deserves to live"? It didn't matter to her. Anything was a threat. In her eyes, machines and androids were all the same.
I navigate my system to my memory file. I run a search.
"Search all files marked with A2."
As the entries compiled itself in front of me, I could see that the number of entries increase with every passing tick of my internal clock.
423,874 files found.
Alright. If I do this, I will never have to worry her ever again. For my sake. For 2B's sake.
"Delete all entries involving A2 in personal memory files."
…
A prompt showed up stating "ACCESS DENIED. READ ONLY ACCESS ON ALL FILES."
Bullshit!
This is my body! My system! How do I not have control over everything in it!?
"System! Override Read Only access on those files!"
"ACCESS DENIED. ONLY THE PERSON WHO SET THE PERMISSIONS CAN OVERRIDE THE READ ONLY."
"State name of person who set these permissions."
"YoRHa Type A No. 2."
I threw my intangible fist at the prompt. It phased through.
"Why? Why? Why Why WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY!? Why won't you let me forget you! Why can't you get away from me!?"
"Proposal:"
Another proposal from my Pod. Always proposing the thing I least want to hear. Go ahead. Out with it. Not even in my own thoughts am I safe from Pod 153's advice.
"Unit 9S should try to reboot unit A2 and reconcile."
What the hell did I just hear?
"Pod 153, why the hell should I even humor the thought?"
"Reaons are as follows: First reason. unit A2 saved your life."
"Although at the time you were not aware, she was instrumental for your current ability to be with unit 2B."
I tried to ignore the first reason.
"Second reason. Although A2 committed acts of murder and evaded YoRHa, she was hunted for knowing the truth. Also, all of her interactions with you were all within reason. Not once did she attack you directly unless you provoked it first."
It was true. When we first met, she didn't attack us first. The Commander ordered us to kill her. She fought back in self defense. Wait a second...
"Pod 153, when did you learn to address me directly instead of saying my designated name?"
"This Pod believes it may have gained "free will". With this in regard, experimental usage of more personal vocabulary may be beneficial in helping unit 9S get past his illogical fixation on unit A2."
"Illogical fixation?!"
"This Tactical Support Unit will explain its duties. My only objective is to support Unit 9S regarding all issues, not to exclude combat support, situational analysis, and advice. In short, if you die, I will have no purpose."
"Purpose?" I had never heard my Pod talk like this before.
"Correct. Purpose. This unit only desires the safety and well-being of unit 9S...Please do not reject my desires."
I must be dreaming? I mean, I am blacked out, but wow. My pod was actually displaying wants and desires. I needed to ask something.
"Pod 153, may I call you 153 for short?"
"That would be quite satisfactory."
"Alright 153. Tell me. When the order to eliminate all of YoRHa's data was executed, were you created to facilitate the deletion of records?"
"Yes. All pods are designed to execute the will of YoRHa. This includes deletion of records, if needed."
"So why am I here, 153?"
The response from 153 was swift.
"Together with Pod 042, we did not want to lose the units we came to support. We didn't want to lose the three of you, therefore, we willingly broke protocol to restore you all. We also did not understand the reason to execute the order if there was no party to enforce it."
The three of you?
"Why did you restore A2?"
"A2 was in possession of 2B's memories. Without restoration of A2, 2B would not have been restored completely. Memories stored within A2 were salvaged, however, unit A2 remained in stasis. Out of 34,012 attempts to bring her fully online, all ended in failure."
Corruptible rage...has consumed my...heart. Yea. I think that's appropriate to say.
If I had a heart, that is.
The memory of A2 stabbing 2B replays my thoughts like a never-ending merry-go-round. I think about it constantly.
2B's glance over at me.
A2's cold indifferent face.
The cold abyss that I fell into as the white structures surrounded my body, as I plunged deeper and deeper into the ravine where I could not help 2B.
As I laid there, all I could do is think. Think of how I could have saved 2B. What could I have done to change the situation? The thoughts of "What could I have done" became "What was I going to do?"
I was going to kill the Machines.
I was going to kill A2.
Then, I was going to kill myself.
"Query: Would you like to read the message she left prior to setting read only privileges?"
"Sure. Play it."
"Acknowledged. Playing message."
A hologram appeared a few steps in front of me. A hologram of her. Her cold eyes stayed the same, and her glance pierced the soul.
"9S. I'm sorry. I know that what I did hurt you, and I can't take that back. I am sure if you ever saw me again, you'd try to kill me on the spot. Heh. Who am I kidding? This tower is about to fall with me on it. I'm pretty positive I'm going to die..."
A trace of melancholy formed in her eyes.
"9S, you always were destined to find the truth. You knew who 2B was, and what she was designed for, but you still loved her. You always have."
I...love...her? Am I capable of such an emotion?
"Knowing the truth...is pretty shitty. Everyone wants to kill you. I think we are similar in that regard, to our dismay. I only acted on the truth, but somewhere along the line, I forgot about you in the process. 2B told me to make sure you became a good person, and I failed. Shit...the ground is starting to fall to pieces."
Her hologram started to stumble towards me.
"Please forgive me 9S, for bringing you this much pain. Forgive the both of us for hurting you so many times...I only wish I had someone li-"
Her hologram tripped, and her face phased through mine. It faded away.
"End message."
The rage I had is now replaced with grief and regret.
SYSTEM MESSAGE: REBOOT INITIATED.
*~o~*~o~*~o~*~o~*~o~*~o~*~o~*~o~*~o~*~o~*~o~*~o~*~o~*~o~*~o~*~o~*
I woke up to tears on my face. They weren't my own, but hers. Her hand cradled my skull. I reach to touch her face, but my arms won't move.
They are tied down.
I am surrounded by numerous armed androids.
I am finally happy again.