Chapter 4. A New Page
A2 stared at the truck that was supposed to be their moving base. It was massive, bigger than a goliath tank for sure, and it also carries a large container.
Impressive in appearance, she would give it that, but the capabilities need to be seen first.
"Right, let's do a small tour, shall we?" Doctor asked rhetorically. He walked to the container and it opened, revealing the content.
A2 narrowed her eyes as she saw it. Well, the inside is as impressive as the outside seems. It is kinda mixed with a personal room for sure but there are sections that are also separated and look like a small laboratory with a few devices and tools that are similar to the one she saw in some Resistance's camp except the Doctor's seems to be more advanced.
"A bit too small, don't you think?" She commented.
It is appealing, sure, and neat too but fusing what looks like a resting room and laboratory in a container seems kind of cramping it too much in her eyes.
"For one person this will be enough, you can sleep in here Miss A2, I assure you the bed will be comfortable." He replied.
"Just call me A2, no need for the miss." She stated, there is no need for formality for her. "Also this shit is still small, what if something in your lab explodes when I sleep?"
The Doctor smiled in amusement. "Well your worry does have some merit but rest assured I would know if something was about to explode in my lab. Also, this is only how it looks when it is in driving mode, in camping mode, however,"
There's a mechanical noise from the truck, suddenly the flooring of the container expands while the sidewall panels spread and plant themselves to the ground and also lengthen upward, extending the whole thing's size.
Now the truck almost looks like a house, small it is but can be counted as one for sure.
"Well, at least this will be good enough for three people." She muttered.
[Ah, you don't have to include me, A2.] Chloe spoke. [You and Father can sleep and rest without concern for space, I do not need one after all.]
She was about to ask what she meant by that but suddenly the blonde android's body began to melt on the spot and she jumped with a small yelp.
"What the fuck?!" She asked with wide eyes. "What the fuck was…" She trailed off when said the melted body began to slither in the ground and crawl to the truck, merging with it.
Okay she has seen a lot of weird and strange shits in the past – and they are fucked up too – but this one? It goes to her top lists in an instant!
"Right, I knew I forgot about something. A2, since you are part of us now you must know just what we used as the base of our techs." The Doctor started and he walked to the container's sidewall, his hand wiping the surface of it and much to A2 shock it sliced off.
There's no resistance, it is as if the Doctor is just scooping something liquid or soft instead of solid and hard structure, and in his hand now is a part of the container's side wall.
And said that part starts to wriggle before shifting into a small humanoid figure.
"We are using nanotechnology." He said, her eyes never turned to him but instead glued to the small figure that started to do a small stretching, flailing its limbs spectacularly. "Most of the things I built are based on them, and they are also what I used as weapons."
Nanotechnology. She isn't a stranger to that, the YoRHa did use them after all, and vaccines for Logic Virus also use nanotechnology but this?
For the first time since she arrived at their "base", she stopped and gave a real look to it. Her eyes zoomed in, focused and refocusing on each part of the truck and the container, trying to even catch the slightest twitch.
She didn't. No matter what or how she saw it she found nothing strange about it. It is a vehicle, a truck, and that's it.
Yet… if what the Doctor said is true then…
"Are you telling me… that… that this thing." She gestured to the vehicle and then to the dancing robot in his palm. "This thing is actually nanobots that are packed together?!" She almost shrieked, almost, she still managed to keep her voice level stable at least.
In the future, she will learn that she was indeed shrieking and the recording was held by Chloe who paraded it around for entertainment.
"Not exactly. More like, this thing is made and covered by one as you can see." Doctor corrected, "The main engines are real one but the same thing can't be said about the entire body though."
"How is that even supposed to work?!"
Judging from what she knows about nanobots there must be at least thousands of them, a hundred thousands or millions, and in the shape of a single truck nonetheless!
The Doctor opened his mouth, obviously about to explain but he faltered, his face scrunched into a thoughtful expression for a moment. "Errr…"
"What?" Don't tell her he doesn't know how?! Seriously?!
"I am thinking about how to explain it in a simple manner." He answered with a sheepish face and her eyebrow twitched in annoyance. Did he try to say she is stupid? "Right, here it goes. As you can see I am very, very specialized in Nanotechnology. This thing here," He patted the massive truck. "Is built from nanobots originally, a lot of them. The nanobots I built are special – this after a lot of modifications and study of course – since I can make them as small as subatomic and self replicating, and that is where the magic was born. As long as I know the composition of something, I can just make them from scratch through my nanobots, arranging the atom structures so they can be used.
"Steel, iron, diamond, gold, aluminum, copper, glass. You just need to name it and give their composition to me, I can make them even from the sand as long as I have my nanobots with me, and the materials that have been made can be reconstructed back into nanobots if I wanted to. A bit tricky in doing that but it is doable."
As if to prove his point the rock not far from his position suddenly floated and landed on his hand. It began to shift, twitching and cracking, vibrating before it slowly started to shed, the gray rough texture smoothed into something like a piece of jewelry with transparent color, shining beautifully under the sunlight. Then it began to vibrate again, changing into something else, a golden color started to spread from its center and the entire thing into a gold colored orb.
A2 stared at the gold in his hand with an impassive face. On the inside, however, she was anything but impassive, frankly? Terrified doesn't even begin what she feels. The sheer magnitude that this android could do if he was honest… if what he said is true…
She is not a tech expert or something but even she is aware of just how… how impossible this thing should be! The nanobots don't function that way! Nanotechnology is not so… so unrestrained or versatile like this! There's no way things like this could exist! It is impossible! This is almost saying screw you to the physic!
"Unfortunately as amazing as it sounds, there's a problem with that." Doctor informed her in a rather tired voice. "The nanobots, the coding and AI program for them are far from done. Such versatility and capabilities can only be done when I am the one that controls them directly like this, and I also haven't made any breakthroughs on how to convert them into the organic matter yet."
Breakthroughs to convert them into organic?! Scratch that! What he achieved is already on another level! This is something that would make even Commander White gawk in awe.
"And how do you control them?" A2 asked, not even trying to keep her cautiousness inside her voice.
The Doctor taps his visor. "This." He answered. "It's connected to my… circuit directly, allowing my CPU to broadcast signals to them so they obey my order." He explained.
"That sounds very risky," She commented with a narrowed look. All that power and control, depends only on one device? "What would happen if it got destroyed?"
These nanobots, she is aware that they are not alive or sentient, however, the idea they could self replicate is terrifying and that seems to be the first reason they were made, it seems to be their original program. That means just a small error and then this World will have another faction of machine rose, one that would annihilate everything in their path to multiply.
"You don't need to worry the nanites will go on a rampage after that, they won't, they will go offline and no other signals can reactivate them. Besides, even if they did somehow, I still have control over them, limited but the versatility is the same, I can remake the device in less than a minute using them." He explained as if knowing what was inside her mind. "I am not going to create an apocalypse device, I am trying to change the World, not make it totally beyond changes so I am very careful with my stuff."
Not going to create an apocalypse device he said, the design itself is already close to one. Her eyes squinted sharper, forget dangerous, this man needed to be shoved to the observation room 24/7 with a group of androids that has the capacity of O units! Period!
But all observers he has is his assistant, said assistant also built by him, and that leaves only her to keep an eye on him.
She didn't know whether she should be happy or terrified of that. Happy because well, she doesn't know any other person she could trust to watch something at this level after knowing it and not going to screw it. Terrified because of YoRHa's shit! She is the one that has to watch over this doombot!
She will need help for this, no matter what kind of issues she has. Even she knows when she bites too much. She needs help to handle this.
Something to greatly consider in the future.
She needs to find a solution for that later, now though, she better dig her way deeper first to know just what she is dealing with.
"And the end result of this nanite is something that would be unleashed on the Machine?" She guessed.
"... in a way, however, they are not the main problem, as a platform and hardware machine can be destroyed but the program…" He trailed off here, shooting her a knowing look. "You understand how machines are connected to their own network, correct? And as long as it exists…"
"Then there will be no end to them." She continued after him, earning a nod from him and she crossed her arms. "I know, but you can overwhelm their production rate."
"At the cost of replacing the machine with my nanobots." He pointed back. "No, overwhelming firepower is good in battle but you cannot win the war with them." He shook his head. "There wouldn't be any World left if we did it through that."
Any World left? That statement made her chuckle bitterly. "The World is already fucked up, we might as well clean and raise it from zero."
She has seen many things. The endless desert that spread over the land, ruined cities and legacies, dead bodies of organic and synthetic lifeforms together, and the pollution of the sea and water that has been done by the waste materials from the byproduct of the war. There's nothing much this World can offer now, war truly has taken this planet's essence. Every place can be a battlefield and always has ruins of its own, every corner is a tomb and graveyard, a testimony of how devastating this war is.
"Then we have to make sure we won't fuck it up further." He rebuked calmly. "Anyway, we can talk about that matter later, for now, we should decide what to do. We can leave now if you want to, I plan to go to one of the Resistance camps for a supply."
Restocking supply does not sound bad but, "You stay here, and I will investigate that forest." She pointed to the forest behind them. She was about to do that before meeting them after all. "Unless you want to join me." She left it unsaid that he better not slow her down, she is sure she already made enough points for that part though.
"Unfortunately I won't since I need to do my research," He replied. "May I know why you investigated this place in the first place?"
"Killing machine, what else?"
"I know but is there any particular reason? A goal, a mission?"
She only shrugged in response. Why the fuck she should care about them? Killing the Machine is all she needs to do. She did sometimes help the Resistance androids when she met one or heard they were in trouble though but that was… around months ago, almost a year.
"Right… since we are a team right now then obviously we need to consider group necessity." He started in a neutral voice. "While you kill the machine in there, Chloe will accompany you, she needs to do some tests for my newest model."
Oh great, her. Not like she hates the female android but well, actually she doesn't like her and the feeling is mutual, that is the problem.
Footsteps echoed and A2 turned to see a female android come from behind the truck, the face and hair were familiar to her, it was Chloe. Her ponytail hair was undone now and she was also clad in some kind of light brown and white outfit. Strapped in her waist is a pair of knives and there's also something like a spear on her back.
"She doesn't look different from before," A2 commented.
"Well obviously, I mean, does the Battle and Scan type of YoRHa's units look very different?" He asked in a dry voice. "Make no mistake, her interior is built using tougher materials despite how she looks."
"Hmm, and what can she do? Cause the last one was not impressive, mind you."
"The last model is not a fighting unit, rather it was a model composed of nanites." Chloe is the one who answered and her voice is no longer mechanical but smooth, just like an android.
A2 stiffened at that, the unit she fought wasn't a fighting model but actually nanobots? Well, shit. Now she knew just how dangerous those nanites were, no wonder this wench was so confident before.
"Indeed, and this is the Vanguard model, this is supposed to be one level above the complete model I just gave to YoRHa. It's a prototype model, and I want to see how effective it is." Doctor continued.
"As long as she doesn't slow me down," A2 grunted. "I will leave her behind if she does."
"Feel free to do that if you think so." Doctor agreed. "It will give a good comparison and data after all while trying to measure your standard."
"Right. Whatever you say. Now come on, I don't want to waste more time."
"Hold on, not so fast."
She let out an annoyed groan. "What else you nerd?"
"I need to conduct a proper checkup on you." He deadpanned. "A2, there's no way I will let you fight in that state, I can tell there will be a lot of things that need to be fixed."
"Don't need it, I can perform just fine."
"True but your performance could be better if you get maintenance, which means you can kill more machines faster."
Damn this nerd, he got a point though.
"There's tools and parts in there." Doctor pointed to a certain box that was filled with stuff. "All of them are not from nanites if you worry, those are the stuff from Resistance I collected to study. You can use them if you want to, or I can give you a proper fix to-"
"No thanks." She might be willing to work together with him and even live with him but to let him fix and do a deeper scan on her? Nope.
She walked to the box he mentioned and stared at the content. Indeed, she is familiar with most things here, often using them to do self maintenance.
Well, a little fix in here and there won't do any harm, and she also trusts these things enough since she knew them.
It didn't take more than 10 minutes for her to be done. She flexed her arms and stretched her legs, feeling the stiffness and rigidity that were there for quite some time no longer there. She even got to replace some of the filtering system and oil to improve her flexibility.
'Well, he is right, we do need to resupply, there's not much left.' She thought as she recalled all the tools and items she used.
She walked back to the Doctor and Chloe who appeared to discuss something, the former turned to her with a smile. "Well, I can tell you are better now for sure."
"Yeah, yeah, now I'm about to leave, is there anything else?" She asked with a glare, daring him to say yes.
Unfortunately, the glare must be missed by him as he nodded. "Two more things, first, weapons."
"My old weapon is fine." She grunted while gesturing to the sword she carries with her on her back.
"... I wouldn't call them fine. In any case, even if they are usable they are not in excellent condition. I can fix them back to their prime state but it will take some time so they will be unavailable for a while, however, I do have weapons for you."
He gestured to the object on the table, it was a sword, there were two of them, a twin. The design was different from her weapons and it looks a bit fragile. There's also another thing, something that is spherical in shape, it's almost as big as Small Stubby's head, its main color is metallic white with some parts in black encasing it almost in a protective manner, there is a glass and dot in the middle of it. It kinda reminds her of a pod but the size is bigger.
'A droid?' She wondered.
"Don't judge them because they look thin, trust me, they are very durable and sharp. These are high-frequency blades, they are reinforced by a powerful alternating current and resonating at extremely high vibration frequencies." He said. "Think of the edge as a micro sized chainsaw, these would be more than enough to cut the machine into two, even Goliath-class."
"We will see about that." She said offhandedly as she picked the blades and much to her small surprise, they are heavier than they look, almost as heavy as her previous weapon.
She gave them a few swings and for a second she could hear very faint vibration sounds after doing that. Her blue eyes observed the blade keenly, and she noted there were indeed a lot of tiny blades on it and they were vibrating whenever she swung it.
'Looks promising.' She noted.
"Truthfully, weapons are not my specialization, I can't make a very advanced one, that one just happens to have a similar concept to my nanobots which is why I can make it." He explained.
Not advanced her butt. "Your damn nanobots already weapon themselves." She commented in a snarky voice.
"That is the same as saying you are a weapon, not entirely wrong but not accurate as well." He replied in a flat voice. "Anyway, this little guy here." He gestured to the spherical object on the table. "Sphere 001, activate." He said.
There's a beeping sound from the object before the dot in the middle begins to glow.
[Voice recognition scan is complete.] A mechanical male voice came out from the robot.
It began to float slowly in the air, hovering and swiveling around, its "eye" looking at the Doctor.
[Doctor's presence is confirmed. Sphere 001 is online and ready to serve.]
"Hmmm, good, good there seems to be no error, and the AI also works perfectly." Doctor hummed. "Now to test its performance too. Sphere 001, from now on other than me, I want you to prioritize A2 here." He pointed to her and the Sphere swiveled to her.
[Scan… facial feature, memorized. Frequency signal… memorized. Data signature… memorized. Voice's scan… incomplete, please speak to this unit for completion of the scan.]
She turned to him. "The heck is this? A pod?"
[Voice's scan completed. Continuing further scan.]
"Not really but close to one." Doctor said and he smirked. "You see, I was able to get my hand on a fresh pod after years of searching. I managed to crack it and figure out its blueprint, and this guy is the result of that." He tapped the Sphere gently. "Make no mistake, Pod is more advanced from this thing. It cannot give you access to hacking programs or provide you with fire support, I haven't managed to finish the program for them yet, however, it is capable of checking on your vitality, providing medical attention, and geographic mapping like a pod."
"So a less useful pod." She deadpanned, ignoring the spherical robot that kept doing its scan on her.
"Hey, give me some credit! I just finished it a few hours ago and found the final piece yesterday! It's not easy to make them in that short time." He huffed. "Not to mention I rather not touch the stuff in there." He grumbled. "Seriously, they put that inside them?" He shuddered while making an unpleasant face. "My Gods, one only needs to connect the dots together, no wonder the S unit could crack the data open, is their security really just that shit or what?"
They put what inside of what? And what data? What kind of things could make someone who creates nanobots that could trigger an apocalypse to be worried? She was about to ask him but the Sphere chimed in.
[Scan and recognition complete. Familiarizing with Mistress A2's vital system.]
"A what?" She asked incredulously as she snapped back to the sphere. "The hell did it just call me?!"
[Analyzing: from Mistress A2's tone, this unit concludes Mistress A2 doesn't like the given address. Please state how Mistress A2 would like to be addressed.]
"Okay, I didn't install that function, maybe." Doctor said in a mirthful tone and he seemed to be holding a laugh.
"Fuck you." She glared at him and he snorted. "Less useful pod, just call me A2."
[Affirmative.]
"Oi, oi, don't just change its name like that, what did this poor Sphere do to you anyway?"
"Shut up, nerd." She put her weapons on her back and started to walk. "I am going hunting."
"Wait, wait! One last thing!"
Oh for the human's sake!
"What?!"
The Doctor pulled out something, it was a uniform, similar to Chloe's. "Here, put this on, this will give better protection for-"
She already walked away before he could even finish. Right eye twitching in annoyance, seriously, she starts to regret her decision to go with him.
"Oi! A2! I am serious! Lady! Do you even know just how small your clothing is?! A2!"
Chloe swings her spear, easily obliterating the small machines that surround her, she spun and stepped aside, just in time to avoid an attack from another machine, she countered it by kicking the alien's creation in the head, sending it away, crashing to the boulder and cracking it.
She moved at the maximum capacity of her current platform allowed her to, one hand flung forward, catching the arm of the Medium Biped that was about to strike her and she pull the machine down to her raised knee, smashing its head with her limb and then she let it go, allowing the machine to soar up.
Only for her spear to come down in time and slice the machine into two, killing it in an instant. The AI in the android's body then rotates and throws her spear with a force, eliciting a small wave from her strength and the projectile piercing another machine that is about to fire its gun, tearing the alien's creation apart.
She summoned back her spear through the magnetic field, grasping it, she swung the weapon and sent the dead machine corpse that was still stuck into it to the ground.
'And that's the last on my part.' She thought as she observed the corpse of the last machine that exploded by itself, an action that most machines did when they died to ensure no data about them remained.
A useless act though, Father already played with the machine for a very long time, and she is sure all the secrets the machine has already discovered by him. That is why perhaps he said the Machine will win in this war instead of YoRHa and android, he knows something that is vital about them.
Tilting her head, she saw A2 fighting against the Goliath Biped unit. The YoRHa's deserter is fast, very fast, and not just that, her movement is also smooth, controlled yet also wild.
The white haired android twisted and avoided a swing from the machine, then she raised her sword and plunged it into the joint of the giant's, she corked it and swung her hand.
The giant's arms were sliced clean in an instant. The machine jerked back, as if in shock, to be disarmed so easily but that proved to be the wrong act as A2 was already on it, her other sword swung and its head came off.
Her heels slammed into the torso of the dead machine and she used it as a stepping ground for jumping. Her knee bends and she lands on the ground gracefully, just in time as the machine behind her explodes.
The former YoRHa's unit stood and extended her hand, eyes focusing on the sword and she smirked. "Well damn, it did cut through, I also only need to use less strength." She remarked as she playfully spun the sword.
"Father's creation commonly requires a few tests to ensure they work properly but if they do, the results are usually satisfying." She commented, her voice no longer carries echo as she has a proper vessel now.
"Hmph, yeah. Did he also offer these weapons for YoRHa?" A2 asked as she eyed the sharp edge.
"No, Father only gives them design for new models and the AI's program that is suited for those models. He didn't give them any weapons design." Chloe answered.
"Hmph." She grunted noncommittally. "Less useful Pod, show me the next direction." She ordered.
[Scanning… Machine lifeforms detected and have been marked in A2's map.]
"Hmm, the number is less than I thought," A2 muttered.
"Should we keep hunting them?" She asked. They have been doing this for 236 minutes or 3 hours 56 minutes in other words. "This seems to be a waste of energy resources, just killing them aimlessly."
A2 glanced at her briefly, her sharp blue eyes met her stoics. "Every time one machine dies it means less problems for everyone, it means a life potentially could be saved. You can go back to kiss your Father's ass if you want to, I will keep going until the last of the machines in this area is dead."
Irrational, reckless, and arrogant. That is how she would describe A2 and this just supports her statement. She wonders just why her Father brought her with them.
"No, Father ordered me to accompany you, and the more combat data I gain, the better it would be for Father's research."
"Hmph. Then shut up and keep up."
A2 started to run after that, and she followed her. This unit model thankfully is comparable to YoRHa's unit type B and so she only has a small problem in following the white haired android.
'It eats too much energy though, and some joints also could be fractured if I move this fast.' She thought as she did self-analysis. 'I see, so that is why Father told me to do whatever I like in this body.' The limit, he tried to find its limit. How much it can handle before it breaks. 'Then the next unit to be tested would be the Hunter model. If I apply this scenario to the future then he must mean I have to find a way to break Hunter's model limit too.'
Testing unit models while at the same time also making sure she gains experience, even if their action is restrained but he is still efficient as ever, as expected of Father.
She was stopped from further musing as her map caught sight of the enemies, they are near now, just a few seconds away-there!
A2 is the first one that moves, the moment the machine units are already in their sight she wastes no time jumping to one of them and cutting their head off. She followed her act, her spear already in mid-thrown when A2 finished and it pierced the Biped that carries the gun, preventing it from attacking A2.
She pulled her spear's magnetic field and called back her weapon, at the same time her other hand sneaked to her waist, pulling her dagger and she threw it to one of the machines, stabbing it in the head and stopping its advance.
'The numbers are not big though.' Only one Goliath and six – three now since they killed two – Medium Bipeds. Her spear came back and she immediately grasped it before zigzagging while making her way to the machine that was firing at her. She thrust her spear and pierce the machine, corking the pole, destroying the biped's internal circuits and parts, and freeing her weapon as well in the process.
She turned and just in time to see A2 cutting down the Goliath-class machine, tearing the metallic creature's body into two, then she delivered a kick to the torso part and sent the machine away from her.
"Not even a challenge, so much for Goliath-class." A2 remarked as she kicked the machine's fallen part. "Less useful pod, the next target."
[Calculating… no machine lifeforms detected in 15 kilometers around the area. A further scan is currently unavailable as this unit doesn't possess the capabilities to sense an area far more than 15 kilometers with 100% accuracy.]
"... yeah, definitely less useful than a pod." A2 commented in a flat and irritated voice.
[This unit apologizes for being incapable of fulfilling A2's request. This unit shall self-destruct as an apology.]
"Wow, wow, wow, hold on for a second!" A2 hastily said, turning to the floating sphere with a shocked face. "There's no need for you to self-destruct! The hell even that was for?"
[According to A2's words, if someone is incapable to keep up with A2's performance then she shall leave them behind. This unit's purpose is to serve A2 and if it is deemed to be useless then it has no longer function and thus it shall self-destruct.]
"That… that was…" A2 sputtered, clearly not expecting her word to be interpreted like that and Chloe internally smirked in amusement. "Look, you don't have to self-destruct you moron, if you can't keep up with me then become better."
[Negative. This unit is incapable of becoming "better" as there's no instruction or data that could provide an upgrade for this unit. The Doctor is the only one that could upgrade this unit.]
"Well then just go and tell that nerd to upgrade you after we get back," A2 replied. "No self-destruct when you are with me, understand?" She asked in a strict voice.
[Affirmative. This unit shall not self-destruct and ask the Doctor for an upgrade in order to serve A2 better. Query: is this unit useful for A2?]
A2's face scrunched to a surprised expression for a moment. She didn't answer and remained silent before letting out a grunt. "You are adequate."
The Sphere's eye began to blip and it was hovering erratically for a moment. [This Sphere expresses its gratitude.]
"Hmph. Don't get used to it." A2 commented nonchalantly.
So she does have a heart, or at least something like that, even if it is not very expressive. She is not someone who will let another just die in front of her if she could.
She will need more data to support this hypothesis but for now, this is already quite informative, and in a way, amusing too.
A2 must finally notice her observation as she turns to her with a glare. "The fuck you looking at?"
"So what should we do now? Do we search for another machine or are we done for today?" She asked, ignoring the white haired android's question.
"Of course we keep going, Sphere, show me our current area and our previous track."
"Seven hours, I know you guys are exploring the forest but damn, seven hours." Doctor commented, and he shook his head. "Well, at least you all return safely, welcome back."
A2 simply grunted and walked to the nearest chair that was set, Sphere 001 hovering above her. Seven hours, that is all it took for her to clean this forest, sure it wasn't big but it is still quite fast in her opinion. Usually, it would take a day or a few since she travels blind but with guidance for direction…
"Well, it was finished too fast for my taste." She sat on the chair, legs dangling on the table casually. "Can't say I didn't enjoy it though. I like these toys you gave to me." She said as she gestured to the weapon she carries. "Also this little guy here needs some upgrade." She added while gesturing to the floating sphere.
[Affirmative, Sphere 001 asks for an upgrade in order to be able to serve A2 better.] Sphere said as it floated over to the Doctor.
"Oh you don't have to worry about that, I will give you one, as I said, you are currently on a test, after all, I need you to gather more data so I know what to upgrade and implement to your program." The Doctor replied. He then turned to A2 and gestured to her weapons. "I take it they worked perfectly?"
"They damn well are good for slicing." A2 allows a smirk to grace her face and gives him a praising look. He deserves it at least, for all his motormouth and annoying perk so far, his tools indeed show a promise.
"Definitely, they are made for cutting and slicing. Though I forgot to mention this, those swords don't do well in the heat. Sure it can hold against fire and laser but hit it above 1000° C and it will break. It is durable in strength but not so much against heat, mainly because it is actually made of multiple materials that bond together. Sure each of them is strong and durable but the heat would tear the binding, thus breaking the whole sword apart."
A2 gave him a look, a blank and dull look, it quickly turned into a dangerous one, and judging from how the Doctor made a sheepish face then her point must be received very well. "Next time, inform me that too, moron!" She hissed. If that happens in the middle of fighting…
"Sorry!" He immediately apologized. "I tend to be forgetful sometimes."
"How the fuck you can forget about that?!" Was his CPU based on primitive technology or what?!
"Errr… rather than forgetting I didn't get the chance to explain actually since you left before I finished."
A2 glares harder at him, oh he wants to play that ball now? "I wouldn't leave if you just stop your incessant rambling and stupid suggestions!"
"My suggestion is perfectly valid, A2, you need to put some clothes on. They will offer you better protection, surely you have seen how they protect Chloe in combat?"
Her eyes briefly narrowed to the mentioned AI in the android body before focusing back on him. He wasn't wrong. Unlike her, who almost did not get hit Chloe did, she wasn't as fast or as strong as her, thus she received a lot of hits.
Yet there are only a few signs of injuries on her, and her performance is still good, and also there's not much damage to her clothes. Sure there are a few tatters in here and there but a large gash or tear? No. She even remembers the AI got hit in the stomach by an energy bullet directly yet there's only a small tinge in there.
The clothes are durable, it is good, as good as YoRHa's clothing, something that is rare.
"They would restrict me." She commented. It was a weak argument, she was just leaving to piss him off for being annoying and-ehh, why the hell not? "Also your rambling makes me want to piss you off." She added bluntly.
The Doctor's nose twitched, indicating his eyes under the visor as well, and she didn't even try to hide her amusement as she put on a smug face to show it.
"Are you sure you're an android? You are clearly behaving unlike one." He grumbled.
"What the heck do you mean by that?!"
"Nevertheless, please, A2, put these clothes on."
"Why the fuck did you want me to put it on anyway?!" She snapped at him, patience finally running out. Seriously while she can see the logic behind it and just what it can offer but why was he so damn pushy about it?! It was fucking suspicious and-
"Woman, are you even aware of how small your clothing is?!" He snapped back.
"And why the heck is that even becoming a problem?!" Her actual clothes are only her pants and corset, her chest part is in reality burned skin. So she is almost naked but there's nothing wrong with it!
"Do you even know just how attractive you are?!"
That made A2's mind halt for a second.
"I'm a what?" She blinked, and shock was evident on her face.
Of all the answers she expected from him, that is not one of them.
The Doctor seems to have caught what he just said and closed his mouth, his cheeks reddened a bit. "I… I… oh by Aphrodite and Venus!" He groaned and palmed his face. "Look, A2, I am telling you this for real. You are a beautiful, cute, and hot woman. Please be more self aware of that at least and put some clothes on, don't you know how distracting it was?! I am trying to give you some respect here!"
Well… well… she doesn't know how to respond to that, honestly. This… kinda explains his weird behavior now she recalled as she put them together, he always looked at her, twice, then he got distracted and lost focus, then the stutter and nervousness came.
He is attracted to her.
She let out a sigh. Well, she never had this problem and frankly, she doesn't care or give a shit, but she did start to see his point, some android just like that after all. Still…
"You are kinda weirdo, you know that?" She asked with a quirked eyebrow. "I mean, you can build an android, so you must know the structure of their bodies and all. So why the hell does this bother you anyway?" For someone who has seen a lot of naked or... attractive designed models – and he could design one as well for sure – why did he find her... attractive?
"Designing one and looking at one that is not familiar to you is different!" He snapped. "And personality actually plays a major factor here since most of you were built that way, to be attractive." He mused before shaking his head "In any case, please mind your clothing when around me at least." He nearly begged in here much to her amusement.
She is tempted just to refuse his offer and let it be, seriously, it's not like it matters. However, she knew that he would always nag her about this and it also could affect him negatively in the future, which will make their journey together to be unpleasant, more than it already is.
"Fine, just toss it at me next time I leave." She grunted. The cloth's design isn't bad but... "Made a black one for me, just model it after my outfit." She wants to keep the change as small as possible, for the sake of her fallen comrades, to always remember them.
The Doctor let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you A2, and I will do that." He said. His face suddenly curled into a beaming expression. "Now, I believe we have some celebration to do!"
"Celebration?" She asked with a quirked eyebrow.
"Why, to welcome you of course! Chloe! Bring out that beef and patty! We are having a barbecue today!"
"Right away, Father, should I bring out the simulator as well?"
"Please do! We should show A2 our best, I am sure she will like it."
Beef and patty? Simulator? A food then but what is the simulator for? She scowled a bit and crossed her arms. "I don't need food." Waste of time in her opinion, the time to eat or something like that can be used for something else.
"True but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy it."
"There's nothing much to enjoy from it." She snorted, she had food once and it just tasted normal. Oh sure it is good and all but it's just that, there's nothing special about it.
"That is because you never have a proper one, mind you, I've been in Resistance's camp, and honestly? Most of their food is basic, just salt and pepper. True you can't go wrong with the basics but you need to be creative and daring to enjoy food for real!" He declared.
"Pfft whatever," She rolled her eyes in a dismissive manner. "Look, just get us out of here, we better spend our time searching for another machine's base, that is more productive than this."
"We will but this is our first day, let it be celebrated, humans tend to do something like this after all. Tomorrow, we can hunt them for real."
The first day… yet it is already filled with an incessant rant and unnecessary activities. Somehow A2 just knows this won't be the first time this kind of thing will occur and it made her rethink their deal. Why the fuck did she accept it again?
She brought out her musing when she noticed something shifting from the corner of her vision, it was something that was like a snake, they were crawling in the ground and it made her stand in an instant, her hands went to her weapon. "Oi, nerd." She called warily.
"Oh don't worry, those are nanobots for simulation." He reassures her.
That did make her less tense as she lowered her stance a bit, her eyes still glued to the thing that was now crawling out from the ground, her sharp vision allowed her to catch countless of something small that bonded and intertwined to each other and seriously, it was quite creepy.
The nanobots finally merged and formed what looks like a glowing pillar or something. A2 noted there was another pillar in another corner, she counted there five of them, encasing them and the truck.
"Normally, a sunny day is good for barbecue but I believe we already see too many of them, so let's see the moon and stars tonight."
See what?
Before she could ask, suddenly the pillar began to make a beeping sound, and A2's world plunged into darkness. It was a short one though, she didn't get a chance to react before suddenly a dim light came above her and she turned up on reflex then she gasped.
It was… it was…
"Is that the moon? And stars?" She murmured in wonder.
They spread above her, vast darkness that is endless, like a sea of the abyss, yet there glitters among them, sparkles that shine and illuminate the darkness. A pillar of starlights tracing a line among the glowing stars, like a painting that is drawn, brightens the land with their conjoined small gleams. And stood alone on the back of the pillar and sparkles in the blackness, dwarfing the stars and even casting its shadow over them all, the full moon, shining its reflected light to the World.
She had seen them of course, the moon, the milky way, and stars, she had seen them from space, she had seen how barren the natural satellite is, just a piece of a giant rock in her opinion, that's it.
But from here.
Beautiful…
She had never seen something so beautiful... How? The moon and the stars… since when did they become so… entrancing like this?
They never looked like this, they are merely objects that-
'No, it's always there,' She concluded as she recall the brief time she spent staring outside through the Bunker's window. 'I just… I just never realized. How beautiful they are.' She thought as she extended her hand above to reach the sky, the cloud above her, to touch the light that shone on her.
For a moment she forgot about her fight, she forgot about Pearl Harbor, she forgot about YoRHa, she forgot about her friends, she forgot about the machine, she forgot about the rage and anger that resides inside her for so long, the wild and uncontrollable emotions that haunt her very being, she forgot all of them. Only the feeling of admiration and awe of the cosmos in her sight dwell inside her mind.
Is this what humans felt before they reached the stars? Before this World was knocked out of its original orbit? Before this planet turned into a barren land? Before they are forced to flee from Earth? Before this Hell began?
Is this how the World is supposed to be?
"This is only a simulation."
The Doctor's voice snapped her out of her daze and she turned to him. He, like her, also looks up to the moon and stars. Except there's something different, he didn't wear his visor, it was held in his left hand, allowing her to see his face fully, a plain looking one, neither ugly nor handsome, a normal one.
"But I will make it a reality, I will fix this planet, so everyone will know." He whispered as he also extended his right hand to the sky, palm opened. "That this ugly and damned World is not a World. The World is supposed to be beautiful, and it is ours, it belongs to everyone, every single android on this planet and space." He closed his palm into a fist as if trying to capture the sky itself with a determined look. He turned to her, his black eyes met her light blue. There are intense emotions coloring those plain eyes of his, something that burns with undiluted fire. "And until that time comes, please, help me A2." He asked softly.
A2 stared at him, face impassive, yet, inside she was… Well, she must admit, part of her was enamored. The guy knows how to talk and do presentations alright.
She allowed a small smile to grace her face. "As long as I can kill the machine whenever I want, you will get my assistance." She stated her agreement to his offer.
"Then we have an agreement." Doctor replied with a smile of his own. His gaze then returned back to the black sky above them, and for a moment, A2 thought he looked wistful.
For a man that behaves incorrigible and weird, he actually looks quite... estoric.
"Soon, this entire thing will end, Doctor."
Hm? Did he just say something? Her hearing sense isn't that bad so-
A scent invaded her nose suddenly and cut her line of thought, a pleasant, delicious yet foreign smell. She turned to the source and found a certain blonde android standing in front of some tool, where a faint sizzling noise could be heard.
"Father, I detect the steaks have reached 120° Fahrenheit." She reported. "It is safe for consumption, should I serve them now?"
"Aaah don't put them out! Wait for a minute or two! Medium or medium-well is the best taste for steak!" The Doctor hastily runs to his AI. "Also the butter! Prepare the butter, garlic, and herbs for basting it!"
"Right away Father."
A2 stared at the nerd who was now panicking over his food while his assistant also looked very serious in conversing with him despite just how silly the topic was.
'To be so nonchalant so quickly... Is this guy have some kind of error in his CPU or what?' She wondered briefly while sighing.
She sniffed again on reflex as the delicious scent enter her nose somehow it made her feel... well, not hungry but curious since it is smell quite good.
Damn, she must admit, she had never smelled food this good, and she starts to look forward to it.
She approached the duo at a slow pace, her eyes briefly wandering to the simulation of the moon and stars above her.
Beautiful.
Well… she takes back what she thought before. This first day is actually not so bad, hopefully, it stays like this.
The note below is the same one I posted on QQ:
And lo behold, another chapter is finished. There is not much to edit here but the problem is the time doing it since I barely have one, my schedule in the last and next week is tight, and I am also barely able to write "Re:Zero Why Me?" (My other SI fanfic, Fate x Re:Zero crossovers, check it out in FF guys if you are interested in Fate and Re Zero! No lewd sadly.) my main fanfic due to this.
The next one possibly could come out longer, a week perhaps, I need to finish my thesis, after all, wish me luck on it!
In any case, we see here a glimpse of how A2, Chloe, and Doctor's interactions would be in the future. It was... ehh, a mix of love and annoyance... somewhat. I hope I am able to portray A2's character well enough since seriously, she is one of my favorites, both in personality and looks. Girl really could use some break, really.
The next chapter will show more of how their interaction would be, after that, we will focus on some action for a bit (assuming this will follow the draft I already wrote of course) before going to some character development, a tiny drama, and so on.
As always, active discussion and comments are always welcome, they made me feel happy and my writing is appreciated, thank you very much!