"And my leader was super stern when I came back! Sure, I snuck out of the camp when I'm not supposed to and went exploring. But I came back fine and was only a few minutes late for my shift! And yet, she placed me on probation for a few days and even held onto my books until it was over!" The familiar short female android exclaimed, stomping her foot for emphasis.
I'm not sure how, but somehow, the same girl from before managed to find me again after about three days since we first encountered each other. This time we met in an old battlefield instead of a bookstore. With machine bodies and parts scattered all around. Which made for a good spot to scavenge.
"Uh-huh." I said absentmindedly, focusing on my current task. Which involved my right arm digging deep inside into the torso of what was left of a medium biped. With my fingers feeling around for something specific, a machine part that was a control system or something for the limbs. I can't remember exactly. All I know is that it is worth a lot of money, or G as it was called.
As for the girl? Instead of offering to help me, she had decided to talk my ear off. Telling me everything that had happened since we last saw each other. It did offer a nice distraction all things considered. Though even as she talked, she didn't let that get in the of distracting her. Her eyes occasionally looking at our surroundings.
"Though the probation part may have been because I snuck out when I'm not supposed to," She winced. "While also taking a rifle from the armory. It was still unfair." She idly kicked the round head of a machine, watching it roll away until it ran into a body with a clang and stopped.
"And you aren't worried about getting in trouble again?" I couldn't help but ask. She really was just risking getting herself in trouble a second time and possibly receiving a harsher punishment.
She just waved her hand in a flippant manner at me. "Eh, it'll be fine. Today's my day off anyway. So I won't have to worry about being late. That and she's always really busy, so I doubt she'll go looking for me."
Her words made me pause in my scavenging while an involuntary sigh left me. Just because her leader was busy didn't mean someone wouldn't report that she was missing. I eyed the rifle hanging from the strap around her shoulder. Or the missing gun from the armory.
Shaking my head, I started moving my arm around again, taking care not to get my fingers stuck or cut myself on something. "If you say so," I mumbled. Pushing my face against the torso as I reached in deeper. "So what did your probation entail?"
A pitiful sounding groan left her, her body slumping forward dramatically. "I had to help her go through reports and all kinds of other paperwork, while also doing errands for her. It was so boring." She then straightened up with a scowl on her face. "And then! To make matters worse! After my probation period was finally over. The head of our storage facilities showed up and messed up the organization of everything again!" She growled, kicking a loose machine arm and sending it flying, before crossing her arms with a huff.
"So I got stuck working with our quartermaster as he went through everything we had! Just to see what she had taken, which took forever! All because she can't even log what she took. I also had to move all those heavy crates and boxes the entire time. Setting them back in place so that it is possible to maneuver around in there. I was so sore afterwards." She moaned pitifully, rubbing her arms.
A chuckle left me at her dramatics. "Sounds like a difficult job." I grunted, my fingers grabbing onto what felt like the part I was looking for. I gave it a good pull. I had never done that kinda work myself. Mostly just sticking to small errands or whatever I could do to get supplies or new equipment to replace whatever needed replacing at the time.
She nodded her head with a pout, letting her arms flop to her sides as she looked around. "Yeah, it can be pretty hard sometimes. Especially with how heavy those boxes can be. But, well… everyone's gotta do their part, after all, you know?" She said with a shrug.
Nodding my head at that, I pushed myself away from the biped torso and inspected the piece I had pulled out of the torso. Holding it up in front of me, I squinted my eyes as I looked it over, turning it so I could the other side. I sighed when I realized it wasn't the part that I was looking for, and this thing wouldn't get me much in value I imagine. Chucking it over my shoulder, I shoved my arm back in.
The girl turned around and walked over to the body of a mostly intact stubby. She grabbed the grip of her rifle before giving the body a light kick before hopping back. Waiting for a few seconds before lowering her rifle and moving back to it again, and turning towards me again before plopping down on it. Her face suddenly took on a look of panic when it started to roll with her on it, her arms and legs flailing before she sug her boots into the dirt and stabilized herself.
Stopping in what I was doing for a moment, I turned to look at her. She bent down behind her slightly to the side, fiddling with something out of my view behind the stubby's body. There was a loud scraping noise that grated on my ears for a moment and then clank as her arm jerked forward. "Ah hah!" She cheered before she sat up with a smile, pushing her boots into the dirt and against the stubby torso. Nodding to herself in a pleased manner when it didn't slide back, she then looked up to see me staring at her.
Her face lit up in light blush as she narrowed her eyes at me. "What!?"
"...Nothing." I rolled my eyes and shook my head with a smile, pulling out another piece that wasn't what I was looking for. But I recognized it, so I set it down next to me. Shoving my arm back into the torso.
Her eyes narrowed further as she watched me before she huffed and planted her head on her hands. A thoughtful look on her face as she tapped her feet. "Say, why are you out here anyway?"
Grunting when my fingers brushed against a part, I felt it up a bit before grabbing ahold of it. "Finally found you..." I mumbled to myself. My boots dug into the dirt as I pulled, placing my free hand on the torso before I answered the girl's question. "Found this place yesterday, so I came back to gather some scrap so I could do some trading with your camp when I find it." That had hit me like a truck when I had woken up the next morning and realized I hadn't asked her where the camp was. Felt like an idiot for a good hour.
She perked up. "Really?" Her brow then furrowed. "Wait... Do you not know where the camp is?"
"I was kinda hoping you'd tell me." I said through gritted teeth as I pulled harder. The part slowly but surely coming loose.
"Oh, sure! Besides, it's not that far." She sat up and smiled. "Actually, I could show you the way to it if you want?"
"If it's not... too much trouble." I gritted out as my boots dug further into the slightly wet dirt for purchase.
The girl looked between me and the machine's torso with concern. "Uh, do you need- Ah!" Whatever she was about to say was cut off as she cried out in shock when I went flying backwards.
The part had come loose faster than I was expecting. And with how much I was pulling. I wasn't surprised that I was sent tumbling.
My vision was a blur as I rolled before I finally came to a stop on my back, facing up towards the dark cloudy sky as a groan left me. Taking a moment to get my bearings, I blinked my eyes before lifting my right arm, bringing the part into view. Thankfully in good condition. With just a little bit of dirt coating it.
"Phew." I lowered my arm with a flop and stayed on my back, waiting for the slight dizziness to go away.
Swift footsteps approached me. "H-Hey! You alright?" The android's young, almost pale face appeared in front of me, making me jump with how sudden it was and how close her face is to my own.
"Yeah, I'm alright. Just a bit dizzy is all." I waved my free hand at her. Also, a bit was a hell of an understatement. My damn eyes still felt like they were spinning.
She just nodded her head with a smile. "Oh, ok." She then frowned. "Uh... do you want me to help you up?" She made a gesture with her hands.
Grumbling, I brought my hand and rubbed my eyes. "Nah, I... Ah, just give me a minute." I told her with a sigh.
Her frown became one of confusion as she slowly nodded her head. "Uh, alright." She mumbled before leaning back and falling silent, rocking slightly back and forth on her knees. Her head was constantly moving while her hand rested on her rifle. Watching for any kind of movement. Thankfully there hadn't been much of a Machine presence here, with most of them sticking around on the outskirts of what amounted to a Machine graveyard. Maybe they thought they would meet their end too if they entered.
Around us, what must have been a normal open field before, had now become a partially flooded bog due to the massive amount of rain earlier from the storm. And judging by the dark looming clouds overhead, it was definitely only a matter of time until it started raining again. And I did not want to get stuck in that kind of hell.
A slightly irritated sigh left me. That meant I had to hurry up in my scavenging and get out of here, or, try my hand at scavenging in the pouring rain. Hell, I'd probably trip and break my neck on something in the process or something. "Hmph. Wouldn't that be a shit way to go after everything." I muttered quietly.
Not quietly enough though, since the girl turned to me and raised a brow. "Hmm? Did you say something?"
Blowing out a breath while shaking my head, I sat up, making her lean back to give me some room. "Don't mind me. Just thinking out loud." I winced when pop came from my back. Rubbing the spot as I stood up with a groan and slow movement. While she did the same, though with little noise and more finesse, that I couldn't help but feel a bit envious.
"So are you done now?" She asked suddenly with a pout. "I want us to go find some cool stuff, not dig around in scrap piles!" She whined, bouncing on her feet.
Since when was I supposed to take you shopping? I wiped off some dirt from my pants before I gave her an unamused stare. "Well, if a certain someone was helping me, then this would go much faster."
There was a huff from her, as she made a strange sound. Before her shoulders fell and she hung her head. "Fine." She groaned, dragging out the word exaggeratedly. Making me roll my eyes at her childish antics.
"Any kind of parts in specific?" She asked, turning her head while her eyes trailed over the dead Machines all around us.
I held up the part for her to look at. "Anything like this, or of high value in general." She eyed the part for a few seconds before nodding. Satisfied that she had a basic idea of what to look for, I shoved it into my pack. "Once my backpack is full, we'll be on our way."
As soon as those words left my mouth, she ran off. Bounding and leaping over rocks and Machine corpses with surprising agility and speed that I hadn't seen with most Resistance androids. The sudden movement had startled me before I was rolling my eyes in exasperation.
"Hmph, kids these days." I mumbled with a smile. Grabbing the other part off the ground before heading off towards a dead goliath biped.
(-)
(-)
My head was on a swivel as I carefully stepped over the body of a small biped while putting another part into my pack. Which was filling up much faster than when I had first started, thanks to girl. Who had been reluctant at first, until I had thanked her. Now she was bringing me plenty of parts to stuff into my pack, before she would disappear from my line of sight behind the piles of destroyed Machines and mounds of dirt, in search of more. A bright pleased smile on her face every time I thanked her.
I will admit, I did feel slight worry every time she went off. One of the main concerns about scavenging for machine parts like this was the risk of being attacked by a machine that was still functioning.
It has happened a few times in the past when I had gone out doing this. Where a machine would play dead, or just be offline until someone touched it, thinking it was dead.
The first time it happened to me, it had been a stubbie, seeing those red eyes light in the almost pitch black of night had scared the absolute hell out of me. Thankfully it couldn't do much since it was missing its arms. Though it did try to headbutt me to death. So I promptly unloaded an entire mag on it. Which left me feeling like an idiot afterwards at the waste of ammo.
And then there was another incident where a goliath biped was buried beneath some foliage and bursted out from it. Flattening an android who had been near it with its fist.
But as much of a high risk as it was. It was a necessity for the Resistance or any other groups in similar situations, if they were desperate for parts. Since they needed said parts to repair themselves and maintain their weapons. Especially so, since they didn't seem to receive regular resupply shipments like Army of Humanity units or vital locations.
A sudden cold gust of wind blew against me, forcibly interrupting my thoughts and ruffling my jacket, making me shiver and pull my jacket closer with a quiet grumble. The weather has been getting progressively worse in the city. While at first, it had been just gentle breezes that would only move the leaves on trees. It had gotten to the point where some trees were visibly swaying.
While I was all for the cold temperature over more warm or hot weather, that didn't mean I liked dealing with strong winds or being pelted by rain. The latter hasn't started yet, thankfully. Because when it does, it is going to be an absolute nightmare with this kind of wind.
Hiking up a small hill, I stopped just in time to avoid falling into a ditch I almost failed to see. Regaining my footing, I looked down into it. And froze when a pair of dark blue eyes and a face locked in a look of horror, stared up at me.
My brow furrowed and my eyes closed as a sigh left me. "Fucking hell." I breathed. Should've expected to find something like this. My posture loosened as I trailed my eyes over the dead android in the ditch, or now grave I suppose I should call it.
The woman, a Resistance member, wasn't in good shape to put it lightly. Her clothes were torn in a few places and covered in dirt, oil, and the red blood-like substance that all androids had. Along with a few deep lacerations along her arms and torso. The worst was her legs or lack of. Her lower body past her waist seemed to have been severed by a bladed weapon, and it wasn't a clean cut either. Making for a gruesome sight.
My lips twisted into a grimace as I swallowed the lump in my throat. Ignoring the churning feeling in my stomach as I turned away again. Reaching up, I massaged my eyes through my scarf with a sigh. It wasn't the first body I've ever seen during my travels. But the sight of a mutilated body always still made me uneasy even after all these years. And it most certainly wouldn't be the last I would see in this god awful war.
Glancing up, I could see the rain pouring down on buildings in the distance. Meaning it would only be a manner of time until the body was submerged beneath a flood of rainwater soon.
Mulling it over, I took a deep breath. "Just leave it, man, there's nothing you can do," I muttered to myself. Before I kicked a rock and groaned. "Ah, damn it…" Sighing wearily, I slipped off my pack and got ready to climb down when I heard the sound of a twig snapping, followed by the sounds of rapid footsteps.
I grimaced when I realized it was the girl coming back from a search. "Shit, can't let her see this." I murmured. Said android quickly came into view, a few bits and pieces held in her arms.
Her eyes brightened when she saw me, hopping over some Machines corpses she made a beeline for me. And just as she was about to make her way up the small hill, she stopped when I held out my hand in front of me, and facing towards her. Her smile faltered as she came to a slow halt, her head tilted to the side in confusion before I saw her jaw clench and her eyes narrow before they started flickering to the sides. Shifting a bunch of parts into her left arm, while her right hand slowly began reaching for her rifle.
Ah, damn it no. I winced, realizing she misinterpreted my gesture to just stay put and instead think there was danger. I shook my head and slid down to her. Making her fixate on me.
"What's wrong?" She whispered as I came to stop in front of her, her head turning constantly as she looked at the deceased Machines all around us. "Is there a live Machine here?"
I shook my head at her. "No, I…" I paused, doing a circular gesture with my hand as I tried to think up what to say. A sigh left me before I looked at her. "Look, it's nothing dangerous, but you need to stay here." I pointed to the ground while handing her my pack. She took it with uncertainty, her eyes flickering back up to me, a look of confusion in them.
"Uh, alright." She opened my pack and began stuffing the parts she gathered into it.
My gaze softened while my shoulders sagged. "Just stay put okay? It'll be quick, I promise." Turning around, I quickly made my way back up the hill. Trying not to slip on the mud and fall over.
Stopping near the ditch I looked at the body again for a moment before carefully lowering myself down, doing my best not to disturb the ground or the body. I winced when my boot almost slipped out from under me, though I managed to keep myself stable by grabbing a large branch and when my other foot touched down. Letting out a slow exhale, I knelt down next to the body. Slowly, I reached towards her face, gently closing her eyes and mouth. Giving her a more peaceful look than before. I then grabbed her hood and scarf, unraveling and removing both.
Bundling up the scarf, I placed it on the ground next to me before taking the hood in my hands, using it to cover the... "gash" on her lower body.
Damn it. I winced as I tried not to focus too closely on it. Which wasn't easy since I had to place my hand underneath and lift her waist enough to slide the cloth around. Once I had that out of the way, I was able to fold it and tie it all up.
I grimaced when I pulled my left hand back. My glove and exposed thumb and index finger slick with android blood. "Sorry about this." I whispered as I wiped my hand on her shirt, leaving a red hand stain.
Leaning back to take the chance to inspect my work, I gave the hood an experimental tug, to which it thankfully held.
"Alright." I pulled the front of my shawl down and wiped some sweat from my face and flicked my hand. "Now for the torso."
Grabbing the scarf, I pretty much did the same as I had done for her waist, but this time, all I had to do was wrap it tightly around. And just like the hood, it held. Making me sigh and sag in relief.
"Now what the hell do I do?" I mumbled, resting one hand on my knee while resting my face on the palm of the other. I could leave the body here, and it would probably be buried by the mud when the water came through. But… I don't know, it just didn't sit right with me for some reason. I guess maybe because of the lack of dignity of just being left in some ditch for a grave.
I don't really remember why I started burying deceased androids or doing… whatever the hell it is I'm doing, or what even caused me to start doing it in the first place. Hell, maybe It's a sign of poor mental health, that I've become slightly crazy. Maybe it's some kind of irrational guilt I'm feeling.
Maybe it was just my way of putting them to rest or… something.
"Oh, that's why…" A soft voice spoke up from behind, disrupting my inner turmoil.
My neck popped with how fast my head snapped to the side. Looking up and over my shoulder, I saw the girl on her knees leaning forward to look into the ditch. An emotionless expression on her face.
My eyes widened. "Damn it, kid!" I stood up a bit. "I told you to-"
"I remember her," She interrupted me, her tone making me pause. "She was always really nice to me." There was a glazed look in her eyes as she focused on the body. "I never really got to know her name, but we would talk sometimes. I always enjoyed it, more than I did with the other older models. She was always so understanding."
I couldn't help but wince and shift uneasily. The sudden change from her seemingly usual mood was a little more than jarring for me. I absently rubbed my shoulder as she continued.
"She once told me how she wished to become something called a musician. So she could play in… concerts, for the humans. When we finally won the war." She trailed off quietly after that. Her fingers digging into the dirt below her.
There was a tight feeling in my chest as I turned my gaze back down to the body. If it weren't for the damage to her body. I'd probably have just assumed that she was asleep.
Rubbing my face with both hands. I let out a loud tired sigh before I stood up and walked over so that I was standing above the dead android's head. Bending down, I hooked my arms under her armpits and lifted her. Grunting as I gritted my teeth and I strained my sore arms and shoulders, lifting the upper part of the body up with all my strength, and carefully started dragging it out.
The girl stared at me with silent curious and confused eyes before a look of understanding entered them and she stood up, jumping down in the ditch and lending me a hand by grabbing and lifting the deceased android's waist so that it wasn't dragging in the mud. I sent her a grateful look as we carefully maneuvered ourselves out of the ditch.
Once we were out of it I looked around the field. Stopping when I saw a nice big tree that was standing in the middle of a small hill, with no dead machines near it.
I got the girl's attention and gestured with my head over towards the tree. She looked at it before looking back at me and nodding her head, sticking her tongue out in concentration as we started making our way over to it. With her giving me the occasional warning to avoid tripping on a piece of machine or weapon on the ground I couldn't see. Stepping around a large rock, we finally got to the tree.
Groaning from the soreness from my arms, I shifted my hold on the body so I could prop it up against the tree. Crouching down, I nodded at the girl, making her give a quick nod in return as she eased the android's waist onto the ground before sliding her hands out and hastily stepping away. An uncomfortable look on her face as she stared at her bloody hands before bending down and wiping them off on the grass.
An exhausted sigh left me as I leaned the woman against the tree before taking my chance to catch my breath. Placing my left arm against the tree, I rested my head against it while holding my jacket open to let the cold air cool me off.
My arms and shoulders throbbed from the mini workout I had just endured. Though, I probably had more trouble due to all the scavenging I've been doing for the past hour or so.
Once I shivered, I let go of my jacket and leaned back. Turning my eyes to the body again. Her form slumped against the tree. I gently grabbed her head and tilted it back so it was resting against the tree bark, before grabbing her hands and folding them together on her lap. Giving the deceased android an almost serene look.
Emphasis on almost, as it didn't do much to detract from the grisly state of her body was still in.
"Is…" The girl spoke up from behind me, catching my attention. "Is this any better than before?" She asked timidly. I looked over my shoulder to see her arms hugging her waist as she shifted from one foot to the other. A gloomy expression on her face as she looked at the body.
Pressing my lips into a thin line, I turned my head back, gently brushing a few locks of dirt covered black hair from the dead woman's face before standing up with a sigh and walked over to her. "Probably not," I replied, running a hand down my face. "Honestly, If I had the time and a shovel, I would dig a grave so we could at least give her a proper burial." I told her. Placing my hands on my hips and chewing on my lip as I stared at the ground.
She let out a quiet grunt and turned to me with an odd look. "Burial?"
"Ah, it basically means to bury someone in the ground."
The girl quickly gained a look of alarm at my description, her arms falling to her sides. I didn't miss how her right hand reached towards her holster as she took a step back from me. "Bury!? Why would we bury her!?"
"It was a human custom or... tradition, one that could have many different reasons for it. One was to give closure to family members or others. Some believed it was the next step to the afterlife. Or so that the dead may finally rest and know peace." My explanation got a wide eyed look from her before she looked away biting her lip.
"To know peace? Huh…" She whispered, so quietly that I almost missed it.
I gave her a worried look as she walked past me and knelt down next to the body. She reached over to her left and plucked a blue flower that was next to the tree. And placed it in the other android's hair. She stayed there for a few moments, I thought I heard her whisper something before she stood up and walked back to me. Her posture stiff.
My gaze softened as I gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, but we should get going." She nodded silently in response as I gently took my pack from her.
She remained silent, her eyes locked onto the ground, her hair swaying in the wind. A somber and tired look on her face, one that I have seen too many times on the androids.
My mouth opened as I tried to think of something to say, maybe something comforting but... nothing came out. I closed my mouth and slowly breathed out through my nose as I slipped on my pack, and pulled up my scarf back over my face.
There was suddenly a quiet plop next to us and then another. I turned my head and saw ripples in a small puddle. Looking around, I noticed the area had turned considerably darker. My eyes widened in realization.
Quickly zipping up my jacket, I grabbed the android by the arm as the rain slowly began to fall. "We need to find shelter, now!" I shouted, dragging her away. She didn't protest as she stumbled slightly before she managed to right herself, making me let go of her as we started running. The rain already beginning to pour down on us.
(-)
(-)
The android shook herself like a wet dog after a bath, sending water everywhere. I didn't blame her, the rain was pouring heavily outside and she had run straight through a mini waterfall when she wasn't looking. Leaving herself and her clothes completely drenched.
I was a bit better off than her, though not by much. My red scarf was soaked thoroughly, but the jacket and pants I had taken all those years ago were thankfully made with this kind of weather in mind. So they had somewhat helped prevent me from being entirely soaked. Though my jacket was feeling a little damp so I tore off my backpack so I could get my jacket off. The last thing I needed right now was to get hypothermia. My pack landed with a loud thud and other loud sounds from all the scrap in it, as I gave my jacket a good shake before dropping it into a bundle on the floor.
Thankfully the building we had run into had a gigantic tree growing inside it, like many others. So I had used its branches and leaves to start a fire. To help me and the girl stay warm and so our clothes dried faster.
Quickly unraveling my shawl, I grimaced as the cloth slightly clung to my head before finally coming free. A shiver running down my spine as some water ran down my back. And soaking my shirt somewhat. Holding it in front of me, I twisted it, wringing out most of the water. The water splashed onto the concrete floor. Making me step back before giving it another twist until I was sure there wasn't any excess water left. I then laid it down next to the fire when I was done.
The girl removed her hood from her shoulders with stiff movements. Not even bothering to wring it out as she simply dropped it down next to my scarf with a wet plop, before walking away and picking up a large slab of loose concrete and placing it down in front of the fire as a seat.
I did the same, though dragging mine instead of picking it up. She ignored me as she sat down on hers, drawing her legs close to her chest and hugging them with her arms. Before resting her head on her knees with a quiet and drawn out sigh as she stared into the fire. Water still dripping from her hair and clothes. I glanced at her, but she just continued to ignore me. Sighing, I pushed the concrete slab a bit closer before walking back over to my backpack. The whole thing with the dead android was still weighing down on us. And had left us both feeling… Well, like crap to put it lightly. Her especially from what I could tell.
And I was never really good at helping others when it comes to emotional stuff, let alone someone who might have PTSD. Especially someone I had only just met. That was something unfortunate I had discovered in all the years I've been stuck here, just about every single android I've met seemed to have it in some shape or form. All with varying ways of coping with it.
Some would just busy themselves with their work, drink until they couldn't even walk straight, go out more to fight the Machines in an almost blind rage. Or even pick up hobbies and try to learn more about humanity. But more often than not, it just wasn't enough to ease the pain some androids held. The pain of losing their friends or being stuck in a constant battle for survival. Causing a few to fall into madness, some deleting their memories or the few who would wander off so they could die.
So they could be free, as one android once told me.
Shaking my head, I reached down to grab my pack and jacket and carried both over to my seat and placed them next to me as I sat down, running a hand through my slightly long and now wet hair with a sigh.
"Hmm, gonna have to cut it soon." I mumbled, pinching a short strand of slightly dark brown hair between my fingers. Water dripping off the end.
Just another reason to find the Resistance camp, so I could hopefully buy some new scissors if they even had them. Seeing as how the current ones I bought about a year or two ago have slightly become rusted. And I am certainly not gonna try and cut my hair with them. Just trying to shave is enough risk of self harm in my life. Maybe they'll have someone at the camp who tries their hand at being a barber.
Pulling my hand away, I flicked a bit of water off it, before stretching my arms above my head, letting out a quiet yawn. Lowering them, I leaned down to open my pack and start idly rummaging through it.
"Hey." The android suddenly broke the silence, making me pause and look up at her. "Can I ask you something?" She asked, the fire reflecting off her tired eyes as she looked at me.
I pulled my arm out of my pack and sat up, giving her my full attention. "Sure, what is it?"
"Are…" She paused, chewing on her lip as she thought about something. "Are you from the Night Kingdom?"
I blinked in surprise before chuckling. "What gave me away?" I asked, leaning back down and pulling a part out of the pack to inspect it, wiping some dirt off it before setting it down on the floor and grabbing another.
She nodded at my jacket and pants. "Your uniform, specifically the colors. No one around here wears dark blue. A few years ago I saw a picture of some Resistance members from the Night Kingdom. They all wore darker colors just like you." She then smiled. "It's also how I found you in the field. I had been walking past when I saw something red and blue moving around and realized it was you."
I huffed at her last sentence. And she wasn't wrong about the colors. A lot of the Resistance groups over in North and South America tended to favor darker colors for their clothes since that whole side of the planet was stuck perpetually in nighttime thanks to some tidal lock stuff. Though there were a few who still wore the more earth-colored tone outfits like everyone on the dayside of the earth did. Whether that was a supply issue or not, I couldn't say.
As for why I still had the outfit. I'm a bit stubborn about getting rid of stuff I like, and the clothes sorta grew on me over the years. So unless it's nothing more than shredded cloth, I ain't trading it in for anything.
"Can you tell me about it?" My thoughts were interrupted by her voice.
"Hmm?" Setting down another part I raised my head towards her again.
She shuffled in her spot. "The Night Kingdom. I... Is it true you can see the stars in the sky?"
I smiled and let out a wistful sigh. "Sure can, as long as there are no clouds blocking the view. You can see thousands of them, all across the sky."
That was something I kind of missed about my time in North America. Besides it being where I had been born. Being able to look up into the night sky and get lost in the stars was something I had started taking particular enjoyment in. I remember also inadvertently causing a small group of androids I encountered to start doing it as well.
That and well… It was easier for me to fall asleep and stay asleep without the constant sunlight bearing down on me.
There was that bit of spark of curiosity in the android's eyes again from the other day, seemingly alleviating her somber mood somewhat as she leaned forward in anticipation. "What else!?"
I leaned back, working my jaw as I thought about it. "Well, there's the shooting stars."
"Eh!?" Her head shot up, her mouth agape in shock. "S-Shooting stars? What? Do you mean like... stars that shoot at you or something?" She mumbled.
I paused for a moment as my brain caught up with what she had said before I smiled and shook my head with a chuckle. Making her sink with an embarrassed expression. "No, no, no! Kid, that's not-" I chuckled again before taking a deep breath. "No, a shooting star isn't a star that well… shoots at you. A shooting star is just a small meteor that's burning up in the Earth's atmosphere."
"O-Oh, yeah. That makes more sense." She stuttered, scratching her cheek and turning her head away.
I leaned forward with a hum. "There's also a legend saying if you wish upon a shooting star. Your wish will come true."
A gasp left as her eyes widened as she grabbed the sides of the concrete she was sitting on. Leaning so far forward, that I actually got worried that she might fall face first into the fire. "Really? How does that work? No wait! Did you ever make a wish?"
More than I can remember. I thought bitterly to myself, though I held back my frown and gave her a weary smile. "A few," I answered with a shrug, glancing to the side. "But well, it is just a legend. Whether or not a wish will come true…" I trailed off. But she seemed to get the idea.
Nodding her head, she leaned back onto her seat and brought her knees up again. "Did you ever see dawn over there?" She asked, brushing some hair out of her face. "I've only ever seen a picture of it and I think the closest thing we have over here to it over here is dusk. I remember seeing it a long time ago."
Scratching my chin. A wistful smile made its way onto my face. "Hmm, dawn. I saw it alright. You could see it if you were on the west coast of North America. I spent a while there. It was beautiful." Closing my eyes, I felt a bit of nostalgia as I remembered it. "It was almost enough to make me forget there was even a war going on."
"Mhm, I get the feeling." She murmured in agreement. "Oh!" She gasped suddenly, making me open my eyes and look at her. She sat up, letting go of her legs and grasping the edge of her seat. "What about the dragons? I've only ever heard they exist, but I don't know anything else besides rumors!"
Ah, the dragons. That… That was definitely something I couldn't answer. Simply because I never got to see one of those 'dragons' up close. I had only once caught glimpses of them in the night sky years and years ago. Right outside the outskirts of a city that had been turned into a warzone. I had only managed to see them because of the Machine searchlights or anti-aircraft fire filling the air.
There were explosions in the sky that would go off and just briefly highlight their forms before they disappeared from sight again. Destroying any Machines in their way with deadly efficiency.
After such a display, I had promptly decided to just go parallel to the city and kept going that way, not wanting to go anywhere near whatever weird magical shit was happening in there. Which could be said a lot for my time spent in what used to be the US. And all I really knew about them is that they're some kind of weapons or something that had been first used against the aliens supposedly. At least from what I had overheard from a few conversing androids during my short stay in a small camp.
"Hmm… Sorry kid," I apologized, scratching the back of my head. "But I never got a chance to see those things up close, so I can't really tell you anything concrete about them. I probably only know as much as you do."
I could tell she was disappointed, her from slumping slightly with a frown on her face before she looked at me and gave me a smile. "It's okay, I imagine that the details about them might be classified for grunts like us."
I nodded my head in agreement before we both fell silent, my finger scraping off some dirt on my glove, while she stared off into the corner, resting her cheek on her knee.
The only sounds in the room were the crackling pops from the fire. Along with the storm that was still going strong outside, as strong gusts of wind practically slammed into the building we were in. There was of course the rain, which also limited visibility quite a bit, and the constant thunder.
The android then lifted her head, a thoughtful look on her face. "Hey, about the uh…" She paused and blew out a breath. "About us going to find some cool stuff like I said a while ago. Is it alright if we do that another time?" She asked quietly.
I chuckled and tossed a few bundles of sticks into the fire, making sure it kept going. "Sure kid, we'll do a rain check for that." I told her. Zipping my backpack close.
She squinted her eyes and gave me a confused look before just nodding her head. "Thanks" Scooting herself up further onto the slab of concrete, she laid down onto her side, resting her head on her arm. "I'm... gonna get some sleep if that's alright." She mumbled, curling up as she blinked in a slow, tired manner.
I nodded my head, feeling extremely tired myself while grabbing my jacket, which should be dry now. "Alright. Sleep tight kid. I'll keep watch." I told her while slipping on my now slightly dry and warm jacket.
"Mmm, names… not, kid," She murmured. 'It's... Lilac." With those final mumbled words, her eyes closed shut and her breathing became quiet. The android already fast asleep.
Wish it was that easy for me. I thought with a smile before it turned into a frown and I heaved out a tired and exhausted sigh. "What a day…" Turning my head and looking out of our shelter and into the rain. I couldn't see much because of the rain, but I did see the yellow eyes of aimless Machines moving around occasionally.
"Hm… Nice to meet you Lilac." I whispered.
(-)
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I'm really sorry for the late update everyone. Life ended up hitting me with a bit of good old family drama and trauma, the day after I had posted the first chapter, so that kind of threw everything pretty much into a tornado for me.
After that, I spent some time doing some lore research so I can try and be as accurate as I can with small details about the androids, the planet and whatever else for later on. Which was a pain in the ass, since Taro essentially threw a lot of worldbuilding stuff and extra bits of lore into a giant turbine, and scattered it everywhere. And led to me finding stuff I had never even heard about.
So yeah, I'll try my best to make sure not to make any changes to the already well known lore. While also trying to fill in the blanks for stuff that either has no information whatsoever, or it's there but I just can't find it for the life of me, or there's barely any info for it.
Ultimately for me, the story comes first. So I'll make minor changes to small intricate details if it means the story can work in some places and is enjoyable.
And I suppose I should clarify this to just avoid any possible confusion later on. But for the city ruins and maybe the forest kingdom, I'm going off what's seen in the concept art for the game, so they'll be much larger than what is seen in the game. Since I think the map in the game was condensed for gameplay purposes, so it didn't take long to get from one place to the other.
() Did some re-editing for this chapter, mostly just fixing some of the formatting and adding a few more details to some sentences, and whatnot.