Prologue: The Beginning of the End

"Darkness...

All I see is darkness.

Is this death?"

My voice echoes endlessly.

I'm floating.

There's no more pain.

This goes on for what feels like days now.

"Is this heaven?

Or is it hell?

I'm cold... and lonely.

Androids are not supposed to feel these.

Is this God's way of punishing me?

I deserve it anyway...

For killing machines and 9S over and over again.

9S... I..."

"2B!" A voice calls out to me, unclear who it is. It calls me again but this time, the voice becomes clearer.

A pinch of light breaks into the darkness. I see who it is now.

"Ngh... 9... S..."

I squint my right eye at him. His face looks blurry and all I can make out of his background are bright lights. I can hear the voices of our pods, busy discussing with him on what to do.

"2B, you're alive!" 9S screams in hopes and excitement. "Hang on there!"

He grips my right hand with both of his hands. I feel so relieved to feel him again.

"We're getting you fixed, 2B!" 9S continues in exasperation. "Just keep fighting!"

"Fight what exactly?" I think to myself.

Suddenly, a sting of pain plunges into my chest and flashbacks rush to my mind. I was infected with the red eye virus and A2 stabbed me as I requested. I close my eyes and 9S panics.

"2B! I'm going to save you! Just you wait... I... I love..."

I wish to continue listening to his sweet voice, the voice that I have always loved, but I shut down again.

I'm back to this dark abyss.

My stay here stretches for hours or days again. I can't tell the time. There seems to be no time in this dimension.

I should be dead now but my consciousness remains.

I'm still alive and 9S is waiting.

9S... He looked so sad and broken. I have to come back. I must.

Memories of me killing 9S in different ways suddenly start flashing around me. I break down on the floor watching the scenes. I try not to watch but this place leaves me no choice; no matter where I look I can see and hear them even when I close my eyes and ears. My heart feels crushed seeing them and remembering the good times we had before such scenes happened.

Why these of all memories?

I grab my head and scream.

"STOP IT!" I shout at whoever is showing these scenes. "I DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM ANYMORE."

In the scenes being flashed are how I brutally murdered 9S in every way possible. I can't bear to watch his facial expressions anymore or listen to his painful grunts and screams.

"GOD, PLEASE STOP IT!"

Everything stops and fades into pixels and disappears into thin air. It is dark again.

My head finally clears up and I slowly relax my arms on my sprawled legs on the ground.

"You had the choice not to kill him," a soft yet dignified man's voice reverberates around me.

"I had?" I respond sincerely. "But I was programmed to kill him... it was my mission if ever he dug too deeply."

"Still you had a choice."

"If I didn't follow, I would have been considered a traitor. I would have been cast out and I wouldn't have been with 9S anymore."

"So, you rather kill him many times just to be with him?"

"I... I was programmed that way."

"The moment you started feelings you became a deviant."

"A... deviant?"

"An android that deviates from what he or she is supposed to be doing and who starts having genuine feelings for something or someone."

I pause at that remark and realize I'm somewhat a human for such.

"Why hesitate when you already started?" The mysterious voice continues.

I keep quiet. I, too, was not sure of the answer.

"You have been in a state of denial, child. Embrace who you really are and what you really feel. If you want to keep living, own your identity."

I'm shocked at how this person understands me.

"Are... Are you God?" I ask the seemingly obvious.

"Oh, child, I have created everything, even you."

My android heart warms up, as if I am on the way home... I don't even know which way is home.

"I'm sorry for killing 9S so many times and I'm sorry for killing machines mercilessly... just please let me meet 9S one more time... please!"

"Don't you remember you were like this to me when you were still a human?"

"What?" I paused, trying to remember. "What are you saying? I am an android and I always was."

The voice chuckles softly.

"Go ask 9S. He surely must remember something. After all... he is the one who requested for the transfer of his DNA and memories."

I get confused even more. I scramble on my sea of memories, finding what he is saying.

"I... I really don't remember that," I say weakly, giving up on the guessing game.

The voice went quiet... but I feel like it is smiling at me now.

"In time, child... you will remember it all in time."

My background starts to light up and I saw half of the person's face. He really is smiling. The brightening hastens up that I can no longer see the other parts of the person's body.

I wake up and find myself on a bed in a wooden house. Sunlight peeps in through the glass behind me and flashes on the blanket on my body. I hear birds chirping outside.

"Where... am I?"

"Report: Android 2B is awake now," I hear my pod's voice outside the room. Pod 042 must still be connected to me and he must have received a notification that I'm awake.

"2B!" 9S shouts and barges into the room. He pauses at the doorway. We look at each other. My eyes are bare and his are still in a blindfold. He slowly removes his blindfold and shows me his tears.

"I can't believe it..." he tries to speak. He sits beside me.

"I... I don't know what to say..." I say as I look down on the bed, somewhat guilty to look at this guy I've killed so many times.

"It's okay!" 9S reassures me and holds my hand. "You just woke up." He smiles at me.

I plunge onto him and pull him in for a tight hug. We both fall on the bed with me on top. I start crying. I don't care anymore if I am. I am so relieved to see him.

He removes his glove and pats my head softly.

"It's alright now," he says. "Cry it all you want. I'm glad you're back."

The pods came in with a healer type Android.

"It appears that we came in at a wrong time," said Pod 153, 9S' pod. We look at them, bewildered, then we all broke into laughter. I sit straight up and wonder who is the other android. I haven't seen her before.

"By the way, this is 9H. We found her survive from the destruction of YoRHa and she helped us fix you."

"Ohh..." I look at her and slowly recognize. "Thank you," I said with a gentle smile.

She removes her mask and smiles back at me. "Don't mention it!" She says reassuringly. "We're just glad you're back."

"Where are we now?" I ask 9S.

"In Emil's house."

My eyes widen in shock. Emil comes in floating with that weird head mask and his skeleton body covered in a coat.

"Hi, 2B," he says. "Welcome to my home."

To be continued

Disclaimer: I do not own NieR:Automata. This is just my perspective of the continuation of Ending E. If you like it, let me know and I'll continue it!