End of All Meaning
Chapter XII-A: [A]n oath kept
On many different levels, this was a fight that A2 did not want to have this fight. For one, 2E was in clearly no condition to engage in this battle; she was missing an eye, a bloodied void beneath her hair while her left arm had been missing at the elbow. The order she gave Pod 042 only made this more worrisome, as the removed limiters would only cause more harm to her body in the long run, but from the way things were shaping up, A2 doubted that 2E was too considerate towards the long-term. By all accounts, A2 had every advantage she needed to finish this battle, and quickly, but as she went over these facts, she knew that 'winning' this fight would be an uphill battle for the simple reason that A2 did not want to kill 2E.
2E on the other hand, seemed like she had every intention of killing A2 until her fast breath, and she didn't know if 2E had picked up on that.
A energy wire suddenly shout out from Pod 042, with enough speed that it caught A2 by surprise, as it dug into her shoulder. It burned at her skin with a magnetic charge, and A2 had to quickly stab Cruel Oath to the ground just so she wouldn't fall forward as 2E grabbed Pod 042 by the arm and reeled herself in towards A2. With no time to react, A2 rolled out of the way, letting go of her own sword to allow herself to move out of the way of 2E's own sword as she propelled herself from Pod 042. With the miss on her part, 2E flew a short distance away from A2, so she took this moment to dash towards her discarded sword, taking it just in time to block 2E's oncoming attack.
She was not prepared for the force behind the sudden blow from Virtuous Contract, which caused her to fly back and roll to the ground in a heap. Pain was ringing up her arm as she tried to regain her footing, blocking the next blow that came at her with both hands, which while she was better able to stand her own ground, she still needed to struggle to keep 2E at bay. Thanks to the release of her physical limiters, 2E was able to hit her with much more power and speed than she should have been able to in her current state. 2E was quick to pull back before swinging her arm back, and while A2 made to defend herself from the next swing, she did not count of 2E slamming her knee into her side.
A2 stumbled back, nearly tripping on her own feet, but she took the imitative and non-verbally called to Pod 153, who quickly activated a shield around A2, and while the time it to took was the minimal needed charge, it was enough to protect her from the newly summoned Virtuous Treaty, the heavy sword slamming into the energy shield with enough force to make the panel shimmer under the strain. Not to be deterred by A2's sudden defense, 2E proceed with a second swing with her great sword, letting the blade fly loose into a spinning circle that flew right at her. She dodged at the very last moment, the large blade barely scratching her skin as she jumped out of the way, and upon landing, instantly she took hold of Pod 153 and countered with a sudden burst of energy that directly hit 2E and sent her flying backwards a fair distance away.
Immediately a shower of small missiles shot into the air, from Pod 042, the mid-flight directions curving at they homed in on A2 herself. She dashed to the side, leaving them to impact and detonate against the white and solid ground. There was no rest for her as the missiles bombarded without relent, and so A2 retaliated with a furry of Pod 153's rapid fire, concentrating it all on 2E's location. With the closing distance between them, 2E's missiles became less effective, unable to fire off fast enough to catch her, and was quick to close the gap between them. Sudden 2E's spear, Virtuous Dignity, appeared in her hand, and twirling the spear once, she pulled it back before letting it fly right at A2. With the sound of the air being pierced, A2 dodged the spear that was thrown at her, jumping to the side as she did so, only for 2E to jumped at her, one half of of Virtuous Grief secured to her remaining fist, aimed right for A2's skull.
A2's Type-40 sword flashed into her hand and she used that to block the strike from 2E, the blow enough to force her down, the large surface of the sword absorbing the brunt of the strike, enough so that she was able to push back against the weapon, forcing 2E to fall to the side.
"This won't solve anything!" A2 yelled out, as 2E recovered from her fall. "We can go at this all day, but there's no point to this. 2B, ple-"
"Whoever said there was a point?" 2E growled as she stood back to her feet. "Everything I ever fought for ended up being nothing, it was all for a cause that wasn't worth dying for. It only makes sense for the last of YoRHa to end their lives in a meaningless battle. There's nothing in our lives worth an continued existence, so why not just end our lives here?"
A2, frankly, did not know how to respond to that, to 2E's nihilism, and if she agreed with it, she wasn't certain, not anymore at least. For years she lived with the desire to kill machines, one after the other, until one day a machine managed to overpower her, to end her life in some futile attempt at revenge, because someone needed to pay, someone needed to suffer like she had. No. 4, No. 16, and No. 21 were were dead, their absences breaking something forever inside her, and she had to direct that pain and hurt somewhere.
Now? She's not certain, but against all odds, she found out that she wanted to fight for tomorrow, whatever that meant. She just wished she knew how to properly vocalize this feeling inside her, and maybe she could convince 2B to stop fighting her.
Without being able to say anything else, A2 was forced to continue fighting as 2E charged her,
000
The fight continued, as much as A2 wished it had not. They went at one another with everything they had, neither failing to deliver their fullest, and it was clear that 2E was reaching her own limit.
2E screamed as A2 cut at her, sending her tumbling to the ground in a pained cry, while A2 stood to the side, one hand tightly gripping her sword tightly as she slowly approached her, keeping herself cautious as she did so. Right now, 2E was are her most dangerous, and her very life was in a very precarious balance, and she seemed to be pushing that balance into the abyss. With another roar 2E charged her, wildly swinging her sword at her, only for A2 to block or avoid each strike with ease, but suddenly, unexpectedly, 2E's sword flew from her hand, not that A2 had managed to force it out of 2E's hand, but rather like she had tossed it away.
Why had she done that, she had asked herself as her eyes followed the discarded sword fly through the air.
Her answer came in the form of 2E's stump striking in her in distraction, not with enough force to knock her back, but just enough to throw her off balance, making it easier for 2E to shoulder-tackle A2 to the ground, knocking the sword from A2's grasp. A2, too stunned to resist, was unable to resist 2E as she straddled her abdomen, and before she could even respond, brought her closed fist down with enough force to break something between the two of them. What it was, something in her own face or 2E's fist, she did not know, and she had no time to think about it before 2E wrapped in hand around A2's throat in a vice-like grip
Panicked, feeling her neck beginning to crush, A2 reached up and tried to pull 2E away, but the joints of her fingers seemed to be locked up, and the weight of 2E's form all pushing down on her made it impossible to remove her.
She could recall a weapon, and stab her. It would be too easy, but she can't do that.
Too dark...
It hurt...
Just gotta...
Focus…
Overclock... systems...
Red began to fill her vision as an unbearable heat began to build up inside her.
Then, in an explosion that erupted from her body, sending out a massive EMP outwards, A2 activated B Mode.
2E landed backwards from her, her body spasm as it it tried to recover from the pulse she had just sent through her, but A2 allowed her no time to recover as she jumped back to her feet, and with speed she had not used before, crossed the distance to 2E and kicked her in the gut and sent her sliding across the floor before she scrambled to her feet. There was little time to prepare herself as A2 came down on her; she swung her sword at her, but A2 quickly dodged it in a red, hazy trail, and curling her fist up and slamming it right into 2E's gut. Every part of A2 felt it was burning up, the power coursing through B Mode compelling her to move, and to move fast, giving her a feeling that she could not be defeated, that she was on top of the goddamn world. It was because of this feeling, that she did not hold back against 2E, and let loose a flurry of enraged blows against her, giving her not a single chance to defend herself.
Then it was gone, B Mode had deactivated, and A2 felt as through all the energy, that had only moments before filled her with an never-ending vitality, had completely drained out of her, leaving her as though each limb had felt as through it weighted a thousand pounds. Even the hair on her head, felt like a lead helmet, threatening to crack and bend her neck out of shape, and she felt herself fighting her only body just to stay slumped standing up. Before her, 2E struggled to her feet, using her sword as a crunch, and from the looks of it, she looked as though she would collapse at any moment.
"N-Ni-" she gasped, her eye going dull as she fell to the ground in a heap, where she laid there, for what felt like minutes, that passed like hours, and A2 held her breath, unsure how to proceed.
Thankfully, Pod 042 spoke up.
"Statement: Unit 2B has entered emergency shutdown mode."
"So, that means she out for the count then?" A2 asked, trying to ignore the aches and pains that she had begun to notice now that the battle was over.
"Statement: This is correct," Pod 153 said. "Unit 2B will remain in emergency shutdown mode until the necessary repairs are done. Suggestion: Please exit The Tower with unit 2B, and report to the Resistance Camp, so that necessary repairs can be carried out."
"Yeah, yeah I got that." Willing her sword away, A2 carefully stepped over to 2B's form, each step hesitant. "You sure she's out? That she's not just gonna jump up and stab me?"
Pod 042 answered, "Negative: Unit 2B is not responding to any prompts from this unit to begin start-up, and her black box is running on lower power mode."
"Right. Good. Just find a way out for us, okay?"
"Affirmative," both Pods answered at once.
Carefully, A2 knelt down next to 2B, and slid her arms under the other android's legs and back, before hoisting them up, cradling her in her arms. She needed to get her out of here, and fast.
"Analysis: Scans indicate that there are several YoRHa flight units nearby that appear to be in functioning order," Pod 153 said, flying a short distance away from A2, leaving her to assume that all she had to do was follow the box.
So she did, making certain not to jostle 2B too much in her arms, and walked away from the battlefield, wanting to put everything about this behind her.
000
It did not take too long to find the flight units, going through a small series of hallways, down a flight of stairs before entering what looked like some kind of massive, open-aired hangar, with the transports sitting on their sides, near the edge of the ledge.
"These things will work?" she asked.
"Affirmative: Merely upright two of the units," Pod 153 explained. "Then secure unit 2B into one of the flight units, and Pod 042 will overwrite user rights under your name, and you will be able fly both unit 2B, and yourself, to safety."
"If you're sure this is safe." Gingerly, A2 lowered 2B to the ground, and began to upright the flight unit, something which proved to be more strenuous than she had initially expected it to be, but despite the effort she needed to put forth to move them into the proper position. She was halfway done with the second flight unit when something caught her ear; a distant maddened laughter and giggling, and turning her eyes to the doorway, she could see a small group of infected YoRHa units sprinting towards them.
"Shit, shit!" she cursed, pushing the flight unit to its feet. She was in no condition to deal with them right now, there was no way she could kill them while keeping 2B safe. The Pods instantly opened fire on the YoRHa, assaulting them with bullets and lasers, trying to hold them off while A2 hurried in her current task of trying to secure 2B inside her own flight unit. She struggled to get her body to stay in the harness, it was no easy task as she kept slumping forward on her, but eventually, she was able to snap everything in place and secure the cockpit around her. "Let's go!" she called out, jumping into her own flight unit, the harness closing around her and the control displays lighting up.
"Affirmative," both pods said in unison, their small frames immediately bee-lining it for the compartments on their respective units. It only took a moment to do so, but still A2 found herself dreading the second of defenselessness it meant for her and 2B; while they had done their job in slowing the YoRHa down, they were still coming for them, and every nanosecond was precious to their escape.
A2's black box loudly hummed in her chest as she the engines to her flight unit began to burn to life, lifting her into the air slowly, inch by agonizing inch, all while the infected androids launched themselves at them.
There!
There was enough clearance between her and the ground now, all systems were go, and A2 opened fire on the androids, cutting them down in the air, spreading their parts into bloodied pieces along the ground, leaving nothing left.
Except for the one that she missed, which jumped onto 2B's hovering flight unit, sending both of them tumbling into the white abyss below.
"Shitno!" A2 cried out, giving chase, seeing the infected pound and tear at the unit.
"Warning: Connection has been lost with Pod 042. Unable to establish connection with unit 2B's flight unit."
"Get that thing off of her!"
"Statement: Infected YoRHa unit is too close in proximity to unit 2B's flight unit, melee and ranged defensive options cannot be taken at the risk of causing collateral damage to unit 2B. Alternative measures must be taken."
It was already tearing at the cock pit.
"Then hack me into that thing!"
"Warning: Hacking into an android at this stage on infection is-"
"Just do it alright!"
"Affirmative."
A2's consciousness data was ripped from her skull and she found herself implanted into the mind of the infected android, the defenses that were created to protect itself from intrusions all but stripped away, and while A2 was no expert on hacking, it was not a difficult thing to do.
She had to save 2B, that was crackle all that mattered.
The android died before it could rip 2B out of the flight unit, and fell to the clouds below. With it gone, A2 let go of the breath she had been holding, and assumed control of 2B's flight unit, and with guidance from the Pods, flew off, in hopes of finding an exit.
000
One was found, near the pinnacle of The Tower, A2 lead 2B out and their flew from the structure, just as it began to shake and tremble, and something fired off from the top, launching off into space and leaving behind a massive vapor trail that streaked across the sky.
A2 wondered if they had managed to hit the moon, or if they had decided to do something else with it. She didn't know, and maybe she never would.
The Tower, in all its size and glory, truly a momentum in itself, then began to collapse. Giant slabs of white material began to crack and fall away from the structure, the central pillar dropping off from the supporting struts that held it up, dropping onto the city below. Soon, the whole structure was gone, leaving half the city covered in white rubble, and from her position high above it all in the sky, A2 watched on in amazement, and how something that massive, that advance, could be reduced to nothing so quickly.
There was no time to linger or wonder however, she needed to get 2B somewhere safe, so she made her descent, aiming to land somewhere untouched by the fall of The Tower.
000
The silence of the forest was ripped apart as the engines of the flight units roughly landed in the center of the running river, scaring off a small herd of moose back into the overgrowth. A2 paid no mind to them as she jumped out of her flight unit and freed 2B from hers, and after wading through the knee-deep water, gently placed her down in the shade at the base of a tree.
"She'll be alright, right?" she asked.
"Diagnostic runs must be tested to fully ascertain the level of damage unit 2B has sustained," Pod 153 said as it and Pod 042 hovered over 2B's form.
With a slow nod, A2 leaned against a nearby tree, feeling the weight of her body coming down on herself, barely supporting herself against the trunk. She was tried, badly hurt and exhausted, but she had gotten 2B to safety.
A2 cried out as static filled her head, feeling as though she was splitting open from the inside, before she collapsed to her hands and knees. The world momentarily spun out from around her, and when she regained her senses, the two Pods were floating over her, blaring alarms and warnings, so frantically that she was unable to parse what they were saying, but she didn't need to, they were all on the same page.
She had been infected with the logic virus.
Shit.
"It's fine," she said, pushing herself back up to her feet. "Its fine. Just focus on 2B right now."
"Analysis: Unit A2 is currently infected with a logic virus, removal of said virus is of the greatest importance at this moment," said Pod 153.
"No," A2 said, firmly, trying to appear stronger than how she felt. "I'll be okay, and knowing my luck, nothing we do will solve anything. I must have got infected just as we were leaving The Tower, so by now it's probably already deep into my system." She laughed, it sounded bitter to her. "Can't do anything, even if I wanted to."
Pod 153 floated in silent stillness, its manipulator arms retracting to its body. "Query: If unit A2 does not wish to attempt removing the virus, then what will you do?"
Standing tall, A2 looked down at the Pod, and allowed herself a small, and sad smile. "I think I'll just go for a walk now, try and clear my head a bit, you know, while I still can."
"…Understood."
"Just… watch over her, okay? She'll need it."
"Affirmative."
Clenching her fist, A2 raised her hand out, leveling it next to where Pod 153 hung in the air, to which Pod 153 responded by gently tapping one of its claws against her fist before it settled back. With that complete, A2 summoned Cruel Oath into her hand, the golden blade shimmering in the light that filtered trough the trees, and settled in next down to 2B's form.
There was a lot she could say at this moment, to 2B, to the Pods, about so much. But she didn't.
Turning away from them, A2 walked away, her legs somehow carrying her body through the forest, undisturbed, and in peace.
000
There were no machines on her path. Maybe they were all dead, or they had run, or gone to The Tower, but wherever they were, they were not in the same place as she, and she did not mind that. At the moment, she did not care to get into any fights with anyone, and for once she just wanted to enjoy the peace and quiet. As A2 walked on, she paid no mind to where she was going, she had no set destination in mind, and she did so at her own, slow and steady pace, an oddly calming sense of peace and calm fulfilling her as she did so. Even as the color faded from her vision, and the sound drained from her ears, she felt no panic or fear, not even when pain began to enter her body, causing strain in her joints and chest, causing what felt like a fire had begun in her chest. Nothing stopped A2 from her course.
How could she let such negative thoughts and emotions cloud her thoughts? She was finally going to meet with the people she had missed more than anything else in this world, it was only a matter of time.
When A2 did collapse to her knees, her body succumbing to its limits, she did it outside the Forest Kingdom, outside the commercial facility.
"I did what you said and kept her safe," A2 said aloud to the spot she killed 9S, those three weeks ago. "She didn't make it easy, and I almost killed her, but she lived in the end. What she does now though, that's up to her."
Almost tenderly, A2 reached out and carefully laid her hand down on the stone where she had last seen him. "You know, kinda wish things had been different, woulda liked to know you, and 2B better than I did. You knows, maybe… No, never mind. Not like it matters much now." It would have been nice to just end it there, to let the virus take her mind into digital oblivion, but damaged as her body was, it would still provide trouble some some Resistance android, or wandering machine. She didn't want to cause Anemone or Pascal any kind of trouble. "Well, latter, Nines."
Standing to her feet, A2 stumbled along to the ledge of the cliff, and allowed herself to look at, and take it, the city as it now was.
The world was beautiful, she realized now, and she wished she had only realized that sooner.
Taking one foot off the ground, A2 put it forward, and let herself fall into the comforting darkness below.
000
a solitary android
was amused how it all ended
in the deepest darkness
000
Please be well,
Mrfipp