An uncomfortable silence hung over the assembled group, an ominous wind blowing through the clearing just outside the forest's edge, the grass blowing serenely beneath their feet at odds with the tension in the air. The twin silver-haired women were locked in a heated staring contest, 2B glaring hotly at her combat model brethren.
"What the hell were you thinking?!" 2B roared in anger, her usually quiet and reserved voice replaced with an enraged holler, as she glared daggers at the long-haired android. A2 stared back at her with cool indifference, her steel-blue gaze as aloof as ever, unphased by the battle androids fury.
"What are you talking about?" The former YoRHa soldier responded coolly, her face remaining completely neutral, not batting a single eye at 2B's furious outburst. The only evidence she had been affected by 2B's hostile words was when she removed the bundle of clothes from her back and placed them safely on the ground, her body rigid and poised to retaliate should anything happen.
"Don't play dumb! You are a combat model! You should know better than to take a priority target into a hostile area!" 2B's arms flailed wildly as she stepped closer into A2's personal space, her fists clenched tightly as she glared hatefully at the long-haired woman, the material of her gloves creaking lightly from the pressure she was putting on it. "You endangered Leah's life!"
"I may not be as advanced as you new, prissy models are, but I know what I'm doing." Gesturing dismissively toward the YoRHa soldiers, her voice thick with annoyance, A2 slowly walked toward the silent human, Leah worriedly staring between the arguing women with wide green eyes. "I've been protecting Leah since the beginning and I will continue to do so."
Placing her hand onto the shorter girl's shoulder, A2 tried to give Leah a comforting smile, to let her know that everything was going to be ok. A tinge of worry filled the combat android's system when Leah gave her a quick glance, her emerald eyes shining with some kind of negative emotion, one A2 had not seen in her before, the human girl flittering her gaze uncomfortably between the congregated androids as she clenched the straps of her makeshift backpack tightly in her fist.
A2 stared concerned at the time-traveling girl as she refused to meet her gaze, Leah's head cast downward, her features obscured by her brown hair. Her current spat with the battle android completely forgotten, the former YoRHa soldier's attention was focused solely on the brown-haired girl, her black box aching painfully at Leah's casual rejection.
Raising her hand slightly to place it underneath Leah's chin, A2 gently began lifting the human girl's head, hoping to stare into those emerald eyes once more, to find out what was wrong.
"Not anymore." Whipping around to face the battle android, her hand flying away from the brown-haired girl's chin, A2 glared angrily at 2B, the YoRHa soldier standing defiantly with her arms crossed as her piercing blue eyes scowled at the long-haired woman.
"From here on out, Leah is under YoRHa's protection. Her well being and needs will be seen to by either me or 9S. You will relinquish her into our care without question. You are not in charge of her anymore."
A2 growled lowly in her chest as she stalked up to the stoic battle android, their roles now reversed as the former YoRHa soldier stared down 2B, her shoulders shaking with rage. How dare she! This was always what YoRHa did. Came in, playing the big hero's, purveyors of the greater good, but all they were were backstabbing and self-entitled monsters.
'There is no way I'm leaving Leah with them. I'm never leaving her side.' Clenching her fist, her steel-blue eyes shining with hate and desperation, A2 was prepared to fight for Leah, the fear coursing through her system making her mind a frantic mess. 'I can't lose her!'
"NO ONE IS IN CHARGE OF ME!"
The trio of android's whirled around to stare dumbfounded at Leah, the human girls usually calm and upbeat demeanor has completely melted away, her small shoulders bunched up rigidly as she glared hotly at the silver-haired females. Her emerald eyes, usually bright and cheerful, were radiating with hitherto unseen anger and annoyance.
"Do you think I'm some helpless child?! A possession to fight over?!" The twin combat androids took a nervous step backward as the time-traveling girl stomped over to them, Leah dropping her makeshift backpack roughly onto the ground as she came to a stop before the taller women, her glare piercing painfully into their black boxes.
"Do you know how embarrassing this is?! Fighting over what's best for me, without even asking me! As if I'm not there, that my opinion doesn't matter! That I can't take care of myself and need the big strong androids to monitor my every movement! Why not just lock me up and place a guard at the door so I can never leave?! That way you'll always know where your precious little human is!"
Leah grabbed her hair roughly, bitter tears running down her cheeks as she yelled at the shocked androids, the female combat models having the decency to look ashamed at what she was saying. The fact that they couldn't really deny her words made it all the more painful.
They all truly had her best interest at heart, only wanting to keep the last-surviving human safe, but in doing so they had failed to take her feelings into account. They had treated her as some inferior being, one to be coddled and locked away from the world, unable to make her own decisions. Like a bird in a gilded cage.
Taking a tentative step toward the incensed girl, A2 wanted to apologize, to tell her she was wrong and that Leah mattered more than anything in the world. Leah shot her gaze toward the approaching android, the silver-haired woman flinching back when she saw the pained look in the human girl's eyes, the apology getting stuck and burning in her throat like a series of red hot daggers.
"Am I that pathetic to you?" Leah's words came out softly, the brown-haired girl's voice strained with emotion, but they hit the androids harder than if she had yelled them at the top of her lungs. A2 hung her head shamefully, her silver-hair obscuring her features like a curtain, while 2B turned her head away from the human's anguish as she painfully bit her lower lip.
Silence, aching and stifling, fell over the trio of androids and the sole surviving human, their hearts and minds weighed down heavily as the anger they felt slowly ebbed away, leaving behind only bitterness and regret.
"We should head back to camp." Picking up her discarded pack of clothes, securing it safely on her back, Leah slowly began walking toward the ruined cityscape, her head hanging low as she passed the stunned 9S who immediately took point, the male android gesturing rapidly for 2B to follow him.
2B gave her combat twin one last look, her blue eyes shining with remorse, before reattaching her blindfold and rushing to her partner's side, leaving A2 alone at the forest's entrance. The former YoRHa soldier stood rooted to the spot for several seconds, her mind yelling madly at her, chastising her for her failure and for hurting Leah.
Lowering her head, A2 spotted the abandoned pack of clothes she had dropped earlier, the memory of their earlier outing replaying in her mind. Mere hours ago, the two of them had been smiling and laughing, enjoying each other's company as Leah excitedly modeled her new outfit for A2, her face flushed a gentle pink as she flashed the combat android a brilliant smile.
Now, all she could see was those emerald orbs dulled with pain and betrayal.
Lifting the makeshift backpack off of the ground, her steel-blue eyes dull and lifeless, A2 slung it over her shoulder before following after the retreating group, keeping a safe distance from the rest. There was nothing A2 wanted to do more than rush up to Leah's side, grab the brown-haired girl in her arms, and apologize for hours, even days if she had to, for what she has done.
But, remembering the time-traveling girl's words, the disappointment and anger as she yelled in a straining voice at the androids, made A2 feel this was not an issue a simple 'I'm sorry' could fix.
Emotions have never been A2's strong point, fear, anger, and revenge were the only ones she had any familiarity with, her short years of life being fraught with a singular focus: To defeat the machines and avenge her fallen comrades.
But now…
A2 ran her hand delicately over her chest, the ache emanating from within causing her to screw her face up in pain, the combat android lagging behind the rest of the group as she stared longingly at the brown-haired girl walking several paces ahead of her. Now, she had so many emotions running through her system that it was overwhelming her, veritably drowning her in a mass of confusion and pain, all because of a single human girl.
And yet, A2 couldn't find it in herself to see it as a bad thing. Even if these emotions were painful, they were something, not an empty void in a sea of hate, leaving her alone and hurting, unable to let go of the past
In their short time together, Leah had opened her heart to the world, easing the pain that had ensnared her life up until that point. The combat android truly felt like she could be something more than just a tool for YoRHa or a revenge-fueled outcast, to wander the world alone until she inevitably perished at the hands of a soulless machine. She could be A2. She didn't have to be alone.
At least, until she had messed everything up. Right now, with Leah's back turned toward her as they walked in the shade of a ruined building, A2 felt like a large chasm had opened up between them, separating them both physically and emotionally.
Ever since her outburst, after piercing A2 with those soulful, anguished eyes, the human girl had refused to look at her, keeping her gaze pointedly fixed on the ground beneath her feet. Leah would only lift her head occasionally to make sure she had not strayed too far from the YoRHa soldiers, to make sure they were still heading toward the Resistance camp, before returning to stare at the ground below.
The anger she had felt earlier had simmered down considerably, a feeling of regret and shame worming it's way into her brain making her feel horrible for what she had said, Leah's heart aching when she remembered the look of shock on the android's faces.
But, she couldn't regret what she had said as they were her true feelings. Ever since she woke up in that underground laboratory, in a world she no longer knew, she has been reliant on someone else.
That didn't mean Leah was ungrateful or hated the androids. The time-traveling girl was genuinely fond of everyone she had met so far, each one etching out a special place in her heart in the short time they have known each other. She did not hate them, not even a little.
Especially A2. Leah owed the silver-haired woman a debt of gratitude that she could never hope to repay and the human girl was sure that A2 would just shake her head at her if she brought it up, telling her she never expected nor believed she had to make it up to her. Everything A2 did, she did because she was a wonderful, caring person.
The combat android had been with her this entire time, watching over her and comforting her when this new, dangerous world became too much. As it threatened to swallow her whole. When the memories of the past would weigh her down, A2 was there to pick her up and support her. A2 truly was her savior.
But, with that support, came the danger of dependence and loss of autonomy. Leah always prided herself as a very independent person, having lived alone since leaving for college and fending for herself after her parent's untimely demise. The brown-haired girl always wanted to prove herself, to let everyone know she could do it on her own. She was not above asking for help when she needed it, knowing no one can truly do everything on their own, but Leah did not want to become overly reliant on another person, to lose all Independence and remove all sense of self.
In this new world, fraught with horrors and danger, Leah felt truly helpless for the first time in her life. The time-traveling girl was completely ignorant of everything that had changed in her 9000-year slumber, new revelations and distressing information revealing themselves every day, sending her back to square one. She was truly a stranger on her own planet.
The threat of the machines, with their programming to eliminate all human life from the planet, was ever-present and Leah was ill-equipped to deal with them. The androids were the only way for her to feel safe, their combat prowess and supernatural strength being the only thing between her and death. Leah's survival rested solely in the hands of another.
And she hated it.
Leah had made a promise back in that laboratory, surrounded by the lost remnants of humanity, that she would be strong, for them and the android that had saved her. She had made a vow to no longer be a burden for the silver-haired android, to stand tall next to her and carry on humanity's legacy with pride.
And she was failing miserably.
Intentional or not, the androids over-protectiveness only brought that shame closer to the forefront. Every time Leah had to cower in fear behind them as they dealt with the threats, incapable of helping in any way. Clutching herself like a child to their chest, crying pitifully while they soothed her worries, as the others risked their lives to keep her safe.
Every time she felt she was taking a step forward, that she was finally etching a place for herself in this new world, the cruel reality of her uselessness would drag her back down.
What hurts the human girl the most was how seemingly little the androids thought of her, how pathetic they must think she is. Leah knows she can't fight for herself, she lacks the strength and know-how to fight the machines at the same level A2 does, but that doesn't mean she is some helpless little girl incapable of self-thought.
All Leah wanted was to be considered, to know what she does and thinks matter, to know she can do and be somebody of use. Instead, all the human girl was, was a trophy, a symbol for an entire race's motivation and reason for life.
Leah couldn't be that. She wasn't anything special, just a regular girl who got unnaturally lucky. Her existence in this time was unimaginable, but it was not a miracle. She may be the last surviving human, but what difference does it make if she's not allowed to live.
All Leah wanted, truly wanted, was to live with the androids, especially A2, as equals. But, even if they might not think so themselves, the androids were more superior than she ever had the hope of being.
That's what hurt the most.
The light splashing of water, the sun reflecting blindingly off of its rippling surface, signaled to the time-traveling girl that they were close to the entrance of the resistance camp. Shaking her head, Leah chastised herself for getting so lost in her thoughts. Just because it angered her how the androids had treated her, Leah's heart aching painfully at the memory, that did not negate how dangerous this new time was.
Climbing up the gentle incline that led to the barricaded entrance, Leah silently rejecting 2B's offered hand, the trio entered the safety of the resistance camp, the surrounding buildings casting a solemn shadow over the dejected group.
"Leah!" A joyful shout rang out through camp in stereo as Devola and Popola spotted the returning group, the twin androids excitedly running to Leah's side, their crimson hair trailing like wisps of fire behind them.
All Leah could muster was a strained smile, her emerald eyes fraught with heavy emotion as she stared dully at the approaching twins. The brown-haired girl truly wished she could greet them as joyfully as they did, to pull them into a hug and show off the cool clothes she had found, but her heart just would not let her.
And it hurt her to see their bright smiles slowly fade as they looked at the somber expression on her face, the twin girls glancing worriedly at each other as they noticed the tense atmosphere hanging over the group.
The two YoRHa soldiers refused to meet anybody's eyes, their heads hung low in what seemed to be quiet shame. A2 on the other hand was staring at the human girl with a forlorn gaze, her steel-blue eyes dulled and lifeless as if the spark had been removed from them completely.
"Hey, Devola? Popola?" The red-headed twins turned to face Leah, sadness and worry gripping them at how small and weak, almost melancholic, her voice sounded. It was a far cry from the confident and caring girl they had first met when she had given them a reason to live, to cast off their guilt forever.
"Can I stay with you guys for tonight?" A soft, pained gasp reached the human girl's ears, one that tore painfully at her heart, causing her body to jolt ever so slightly. But Leah refused to turn around because she knew if she did, once she looked into those steel-blue eyes, she would forgive A2 right then and there. She would pull the silver-haired android into a bone-crushing hug and apologize for hours for hurting her.
But right now, Leah was upset and hurt. And she felt she deserved to be. She needed some time away from the former YoRHa soldier, so she could take stock of her life and her increasing dependence on A2. Leah did not want to grow to resent the silver-haired woman.
Devola and Popola were hesitant to agree to Leah's request, staring at the forlorn human with concern shining within their crystalline depths as they gripped each other's hands tightly. They knew something bad must have happened to affect all of them so strongly and that it had formed a rift between Leah and the androids. One that would only grow wider depending on what decision the redheaded twins made right now.
"Of course." Stepping forward, Devola gently grabbed a hold of Leah's hand, her lips pulling down in a concerned frown when she noticed the slight tremble going through brown-haired girl's body. Giving it a light squeeze, the wild-haired android began pulling her to the room she shared with her sister.
Leah followed the taller android without a word, the weight of the day's happenings resting heavily on her shoulders, the human girl wanting nothing more than to close her eyes and sleep, hoping when she awoke that everything will have just been a bad dream.
Activity in the camp had slowed to crawl as A2 made her way through the once bustling marketplace, many of the android soldiers having retired to their rooms for the day, her heeled footsteps clacking loudly off of the buildings encircling the empty courtyard.
A2 had spent hours in the room she had once shared with the brown-haired girl, wandering around the confined space in a daze as she tried to work through the mess of thoughts and emotions running through her mind. She wanted to apologize. She had to. She just didn't know what she would say once she saw her.
Breathing in deeply, the combat android's destination slowly came into view, her shoulders pulled tight, her black box beating uncomfortably in her chest as she approached the duo seated outside the door to her destination, their twin green eyes staring at her with apprehension and displeasure. Leah must have told them what happened.
"Can I see Leah?" A2's voice came out soft and unsure, the question passing her lips with much effort as her gray-blue eyes flittered between the red-headed pair, unsure if they will be willing to let her talk to the last-surviving human. A2 was not going to start a fight. She would respect Leah's wishes, even if the thought of rejection hurt her more than she had ever thought it would.
"Huh?! Why would she want to see you?!" Devola pointed heatedly at the former YoRHa soldier, words slurred and cheeks flushed a deep crimson as she stood up to glare at the shorter android.
Devola's eyebrows furrowed with anger as she took another swig from her bottle, the smell of alcohol rolling off of her breath in a sickly sweet scent, causing A2 to wrinkle her nose in disgust. Swaying slightly in place, the wild-haired twin collapsed heavily into her chair, bits of alcohol swishing out of the bottle clenched tightly in Devola's fist. Definitively drunk.
"Leah asked us to not let anyone in." Popola's response was much calmer than her sisters, but there was an underlying tone of anger in her voice, her green eyes flashing with contempt for the silver-haired woman. "You really hurt her."
Flinching as if struck, A2 crossed her arms protectively across her chest as her black box throbbed painfully at Popola's words, averting her eyes from the twin android's sharp glares. Her silver-hair fell over her face like a curtain of snow as she lowered her gaze to the ground, pain rolling through her system as what Popola said kept repeating in her mind like a torturous film, reminding her of her failure.
The redheaded twin's glares lessened as they watched A2's reaction to their words, the pain flaring in those once strong steel-blue eyes softening their harsh opinion of the former YoRHa soldier. A2 had hurt Leah, that much was true. But, in the end, only A2 could heal her.
"Go ahead." Standing up from her seat, Popola momentarily fished inside her pocket before retrieving a simple-looking key, quietly unlocking the door before stepping aside, signaling for A2 to enter. "Please, help her."
A look of shock momentarily crossed A2's features at the straight-haired android's kind gesture, the combat android giving the twins an affirmative nod before gripping the door handle tight, steeling her nerves one last time before pressing down gently and entering the room.
Gray-blue eyes blinked rapidly as they adjusted to the all-encompassing darkness within, her enhanced vision noticing the lump laying on one of the beds at the far end of the room, the blankets draped over it rising and falling from the human girls gentle breathing.
"Leah." Calling out to the brown-haired girl, A2's voice echoing softly within the confined space of the room, the silver-haired android took a couple of tentative steps toward the bed Leah was resting on. Leah did not respond to the combat android's inquiry, her body remaining motionless as she kept her back to A2.
A2 had a feeling the human girl was awake, the rhythmic pattern of her breaths proving her hypothesis correct, but was choosing to ignore the silver-haired android at all cost. This was probably for the best for the Type-A model android as she walked over to the girl's bedside, taking a seat on the ground before resting her back against the bed's metal frame, just like she had done the day they first arrived at the resistance camp.
"I'm sorry." Staring up at the ceiling, A2 let everything pour out, everything around her fading away as she focused solely on the heartbeat of the girl lying in the bed behind her. The former YoRHa soldier took comfort in that sound, using the proof of Leah's existence to fuel her courage for what she was about to say.
"I wanted to apologize sooner, as soon as what we, I, have done to you became clear. But I didn't want it to ring hollow, for it to seem like I'm just apologizing so that you wouldn't be mad at me anymore. But I am, I am truly sorry."
Lolling her head slightly to the side, listening for any reaction from the human girl, but finding none, A2 decided to continue on.
"I was, am, afraid that if I am not there, not perpetually on guard, that something horrible will happen to you or that everything will turn out to not have been real. YoRHa has taken so much from me, if they took you too, I would have nothing. I acted to how I felt at that moment."
Placing her hand gently over her chest, feeling her black box burn agonizingly in her chest, A2 tried to calm the rise of emotion in her system. She had to get through this, for both their sake.
"That is not an excuse for how I treated you. I should not have let my fears and worries blind me to how you were feeling, that how I and the rest were acting was demeaning and robbing you of your own thoughts and feelings. Though I didn't show it, I care a lot about how you feel and what worries you may have. I don't think you are anything less than amazing, please believe me."
Gripping her legs tightly, as she pulled her knees into her chest, A2 was about to delve into some memories and emotions she would much rather forget, but she needed to tell Leah. She deserved to know.
"They called it the Pearl Harbor Descent mission." Hesitating slightly, her fingers pressing firmly into her leg, A2 steeled her nerves before continuing on. "Me, and 11 of my comrades, were deployed to destroy a machine server located in Mt. Ka'ala on Oahu Island. It was all of our first mission, sadly it would also be their last."
"The intel they had given us was wrong, or maybe they knew all along and refused to tell us, and we encountered heavy machine defenses during our descent, taking the lives of many of my comrades, including our leader, No. 1. Because of this, due to our numbering, I was left in charge. It was my job to make sure they survived….I failed them all."
Taking in a deep breath, her eyes stinging from unshed tears, A2 grit her teeth, her voice thick with emotion as she continued on.
"We tried to contact YoRHa, to request an evac, but they refused, told us to continue the mission before cutting us off completely. They left us to die. The mission needed all 12 members of the troop alive to be successful. There were only 4 of us. Luckily, we met some of the early members of the resistance group, who agreed to help us finish the mission. One by one, I lost them too."
"Me and No. 4 managed to make it to the server room, it's there where we learned a harsh truth. YoRHa had planned it. Planned all of it. We were meant to die, from the very beginning. We would be used to destroy the server in an explosion that would leave no trace of our existence behind, so they could use our data to build newer, better, models. No. 4….No. 4 sacrificed herself, so I could live."
Punching the ground harshly, her hand throbbing momentarily as she lightly cracked the concrete from her heavy blow, A2 pawed angrily at her face, trying to rid herself of the tears that were rolling down her cheeks.
"I'm afraid. I'm afraid of losing any more people I care about. To be left in this world, all alone once more."
Running her hand roughly though her long, silver hair, blue eyes wide with emotion, A2 couldn't stop her feelings anymore.
"I never should have treated you that way. I should have never made you feel so small and useless because I have been there and I am so sorry. I just…I just didn't want to lose you."
A2's last words came out in a breathless whisper, as she hung her head sadly, letting the feelings she had locked away for so long wash over her like a cleansing rain. Everything she had said may have just fallen on deaf ears, but at least she had taken the first step toward confronting her past demons.
A2's eyes widened in surprise when a familiar warmth pressed into her side, a pair of slender arms wrapping securely around her necks as gentle teardrops fell onto her exposed shoulder.
"I'm sorry." Leah's words came out with a choked sob as she hugged the silver-haired woman tightly, tears rolling unbidden down her cheeks as she pressed her face into the side of A2's neck. "Y-you should never have suffered like that!"
A rough pair of hands were placed softly onto Leah's arms, the ones she had wrapped securely around the combat androids neck, the brown-haired girl pulling A2 closer into her chest as tears continued to pour from her eyes.
She didn't know, couldn't have known, that something so horrific could have happened to someone as kind and caring as A2. The thought of what the silver-haired android had gone through made Leah's stomach roll uncomfortably in her stomach. No one should have gone through something like that. It just wasn't right.
"I promise I will never leave." Her words were muffled slightly as buried her face in A2's long mane of silver hair, holding the android so tight, never wanting to let go. She wanted A2 to know that she would always be by her side. "I won't leave you alone."
Small pearls of joyful laughter rolled out of A2's chest as she wrapped her arms securely around Leah's waist, her voice still thick with emotion as she held the human girl close.
"I don't protect you out of obligation from my programming or that I think you're weak." Leah listened intently as A2 spoke, running her fingers soothingly through the combat android's hair when she heard the slight warble in her voice. "I protect you because I want to. Because I want to be with you at all times."
A small blush dusted Leah's cheeks, her ears burning at the sweet words coming from A2's lips, her grip on the combat android tightening momentarily. The memory of A2's unaware confession the night before ringing like a siren in her mind.
"I know android's don't have real emotions," A2 said sadly, her grip on the human girl loosening as she let out a small defeated chuckle, "but that's how I feel."
"NO!" Pulling back roughly, a frigid chill occupying the space that separated their bodies, Leah grabbed a hold of the combat android's face, A2's gray-blue eyes wide with surprise at the human girl's sudden resolute tone.
"You are wrong! Androids do have emotions! You have emotions and they are real! You understand! You, and the other androids, are real! Ok?!"
A brilliant smile broke out on the silver-haired androids face, small droplets of tears running down her cheek as she pulled Leah back into a hug, a small 'thank you' flowing passed the brown-haired girl's ear before both fell into a comfortable, happy silence.
A/N: Everyone hug A2 now!
Whoo, a big emotional chapter we have here. Leah's frustrations and fears finally come to light as everyone's bonds are tested for the first time. Not everything is always fine for the last surviving human, no matter how much she tries to be strong for everyone else.
We also get A2 finally confronting her past and the emotions she so long has kept buried in hate and revenge. I believe this should help her move on and truly be happy one day.
Next chapter: something about a snake and an apple.
Thank you to every single person taking the time to read my story. I can never express just how thankful I am to all of you but I will keep trying to do so with every new chapter! And there are many more to come I guarantee that! Everyone have a wonderful day and I love you!