"No…"
A soft whisper drifted out from between A2's lips, despair and fear tinging her words as she stared at the crushed Luna Tear in her hands, the dying light from its petals illuminating her grief-stricken face, steel-blue eyes wide with horror. Getting back to her feet, stumbling slightly as she began pacing back and forth in a daze, her legs feeling weak as a cold sensation began pooling in her stomach before slowly overtaking her whole body.
"nononoNoNoNONONO! NO!"
Gripping her hair tightly, inadvertently crushing the flower between her fingers as she pulled roughly at the silvery locks, the Type-A model's anguished cries began rising in volume as she was overtaken by an all-consuming feeling of panic, leaving her mind dazed and distressed. This couldn't have happened! She was safe! Devola and Popola were with her! She was in the resistance camp, far away from any danger! She was supposed to be safe!
"Fucking Goddammit!" Lashing out with a violent kick, A2 let out a cry of unbridled rage, her heeled boot impacting with one of the barricades surrounding the camp's entrance, a deafening crash echoing through the area as the wood and steel exploded from the combat androids powerful kick.
"A2! Please! We're sorry! We're so sorry!" Whirling around with a sharp glare, a low growl rolling through her chest, A2 clenched her fist as she angrily stalked up to the twin model androids, wanting nothing more than to take all of her frustration and fury out on the pair of redheads. She had begged them! BEGGED THEM, to keep her safe. And now, now she was gone! Left in the hands of a madman, a machine no less, who was doing god knows what at this moment! And she wasn't there to stop him.
They had failed her, failed Leah. Someone had to be blamed for this. Someone had to take responsibility for this horrible feeling in A2's chest, that was threatening to drop her back into the pit of despair and the revenge-fueled nightmare that she had just managed to crawl out of. But, this time, Leah would not be there to help pull her out.
"We tried! We didn't want to lose her, please, we're so sorry!" Looking over the redheaded twins, A2 noted how their bodies were covered in dirt and deep purple bruises, Popola desperately applying pressure to a large gash on her sister's side, blood staining her hands and the ground a deep crimson. Despite the injury, Devola continued to beg and plead with her sister, her green eyes shining with desperation as she continued to try and get back to her feet, to get Leah back. To make things right.
Feeling the rising ire for the twins slowly subside, A2's steel-blue eyes softened as she looked into their anguished faces, knowing that her own surely mirrored theirs. A2 wasn't the only one who lost Leah, who felt that hollow ache in their chest at the prospect that they might never see her alive again.
Devola and Popola loved and cared for the human girl just as much as she did, Leah giving the twins a sense of happiness and meaning they had not felt in their life for what must have been centuries. A2 knew, without a doubt, that they had done everything possible to protect her, to keep Adam from stealing her away, the numerous injuries littering their bodies proof enough of that. Even still, with their own lives at stake, they were still trying to get her back, willing to die trying.
They were suffering, just as she was.
Walking forward, Popola holding her sister protectively as they looked up at the towering combat model, the two of them felt a strange sense of resignation, both of them prepared to die for what they had done. They were both surprised, letting out a couple of soft gasps when the silver-haired woman suddenly pulled the two of them into a gentle hug, her strong arms, used for killing and destruction, cradling the twins in a soft, warm embrace.
"It's going to be alright." Whispering softly into their ears, A2's voice was full of caring and affection as she gently soothed the pair of distraught twins. "I know you did everything you could. I'm just glad you two are alive. I wouldn't want to lose either of you."
Tears began falling from the twin's eyes, dropping like silent rainfall onto A2's shoulders, the pair wrapping their arms tightly around the silver-haired android, their fingers digging roughly into her skin as they let out all their pain and sorrow. A2 merely held them tighter, running her hands over their waves of red hair, cooing gentle reassurances into their ears.
"I will get her back. Trust me." Filled with renewed determination, A2 slowly extracted herself from the twins before getting back to her feet, her steel-blue eyes sharp with resolve. The combat android had to get her back. Not for anyone else but for Leah herself. The human girl deserved to live, to find a place in this world, to know just how much everyone loved and cared about her.
Leaping off the side of the cliff, landing in the flooded area with a great splash, A2 began rushing toward the city center at great speed, prepared to tear every last building and machine to pieces to find the lost human. Adam couldn't have gotten far, the twins wounds still too fresh and knowing them they would have rushed after him as soon as they could, meaning he would still have to be somewhere in the area.
"A2!" Whipping her head around at the sudden call of her name, the combat android was surprised to find the pair of YoRHa soldiers running toward her, A2 slowing down to a stop as they approached her, the two of them looking at their friend in confusion at the distressed look on her face.
"A2! What's wrong!?" 2B asked with great worry as she stared at the bloodstain on her combat brethren's single piece of clothing, knowing for a fact that it wasn't her own, a stray feeling of fear managing to creep its way into the usually reserved and stoic androids mind.
"Leah's been kidnapped." Stiffening at the Type-A androids words, 2B and 9S stared in shock at A2 as she clenched her fists tightly in rage, her seething words flowing out from between clenched teeth. "Adam attacked Devola and Popola and took her. She has to still be alive, she has to, and I'm getting her back."
"I'll help you look." Stepping up to stand by her silver-haired companion's side, 2B giving her a resolute stare that did not leave room for any argument, A2 simply gave the female soldier a thankful nod. "The two of us have a better chance of killing him once we find him."
"I'll scan the area for any abnormalities or traces of anything that he might have left behind." The male scanner android said, his usual cheery disposition completely absent as he brought up a series of displays, Pod 153 hanging close to his side to help correlate any data or info 9S might find with 21O. "I'll contact you if I find anything."
"Thank you. Both of you." Giving the soldiers a small, rare smile, one that they gladly returned, the two female androids quickly set out to scour the city for Adam, 9S making his way back toward the resistance camp, hoping to pick up the trail of the humanoid machine.
The two female androids scoured the city high and low for any sign of the silver-haired robot or the brown-haired human, searching areas with high machine activity, the pair trying to coax any information out of the rabid automatons before destroying them. Unfortunately, all of them simply attacked them in a blind rage, the battle android's words falling on deaf ears.
"Fuck!" Kicking a stray robot's head with all her might, the sphere-like appendage soaring far into the distance before landing with a dull thud, A2 let out a scream of frustration and despair that tore viciously at her throat. Punching a nearby wall, the weathered concrete crumbling beneath the android's violent outburst, A2 let out a series of anger-fueled expletives, each one punctuated with another strike until it came tumbling down at her feet.
2B watched on in worry as her long-haired friend let out all of her anger and frustration in a blind rage, the combat androids' eyes narrowed in a vicious glare, her shoulders trembling as the weight of her anger and anguish threatened to crush her.
The short-haired soldier couldn't say that she didn't understand her friend's plight, her own black box aching painfully in her chest as she thought of the possibility of Leah being injured, or worse dead. But, were they to lose the human girl, it would surely be the end of A2. A2 had known Leah much longer than the rest of them, having been there for her since the beginning, and during that time she had surely grown very attached to her, the way she acted around her being a dead giveaway.
The brown-haired girl managed to bring out a side of the former YoRHa soldier that no one else could, a softer, kinder side, but one that was wholly A2 to the core. While still rough around the edges, her bleak worldview still strong in her mind, Leah had managed to dig her way past the harsh and cold exterior to unearth the android that existed so long ago. One that was in danger of being buried once again.
Walking over to A2's side, the long-haired android breathing heavily as she tried to keep her rage in check, 2B softly placed her hand on her friend's shoulder, not flinching one bit when she turned to shoot a glare at the YoRHa soldier.
"This isn't your fault." Feeling the combat android stiffen at her words, her heavy breathing coming to a sudden stop, 2B pushed on while she still had A2's attention. "You did nothing wrong. You helped save all of us, especially her, by stopping that monster. We will get her back. I promise."
Shoulders slumping at 2B's words, all the anger and rage flowing out of her body, the former YoRHa soldier took a couple of deep breaths, A2 briefly wiping at the corner of her eyes with her hand before turning to her combat brethren with a soft, but thankful, smile.
"I'm sure she is ok. Like you said, Leah's tough." Giggling softly at the soldier's words, a light, breathy laugh escaping her, the pair of androids shared a brief moment of levity as they thought about their human companion.
"Yeah. She's definitely not giving him an easy time." Smiling fondly as she thought about the brown-haired girl, how stubborn and headstrong she could be, the way her emerald eyes would light up with a strong fire as she admonished you one second while pulling you in for a hug the very next. A2 took comfort from those thoughts, finding motivation from the human girl's loving smile, the combat android determined to see that sight again.
"2B! A2! I found something." Perking up at the sudden call, the scanner models face crackling to life before them through Pod 042's projection, his voice laden with urgency. "There's a new opening in the cave where we found the alien spaceship. A strange signal is coming from there. It must be Adam."
"Good job, 9S." Deactivating the call, 9S smiling slightly at his partner's praise before disappearing from view, 2B quickly turned to the Type-A android with a determined grin. "Let's go!"
Shooting off at great speed, their heavy footfalls kicking up dust in their wake, the two combat androids swiftly made their way to the giant crater in the city's center, any machine daring to get in their way being destroyed with deadly efficiency. Time was of the essence now, each second leading the countdown closer to something happening to Leah, and the pair of androids would not let the clock run down any more.
Jumping down into the large chasm, expertly avoiding the bits of debris and metal still sticking like small peaks out of the ground, A2 and 2B spared the roaming machines no second thought as they took the final leap down the crumbling cliffside leading to the cave's entrance.
And to where Adam was hiding Leah.
Rushing into the dimly lit cave, Pod 042 activating his flashlight as they were blanketed in darkness, the pair of androids carefully scoured the tight corridors for any change in the landscape or layout of the tunnels. Spotting a new opening in the cave wall, freshly carved out not too long ago, A2 and 2B carefully made their way through the new corridor, a look of surprise crossing their features as they spotted a pair of elevator doors at the other end.
"This must be the place." 2B commented as she pressed the button on side of the elevator, the heavy metal doors loudly sliding open with a grating screech before the two of them stepped into its dimly lit interior. Silence fell upon the pair of androids as the doors slid closed with the same unholy sound, the gentle whirring of the engine hovering over them as the elevator made its descent into the unknown.
Crossing her arms over her chest, her right leg bouncing with impatient energy, A2 felt the familiar panic rise in her black box as the metal contraption lowered into the depths at a snail's pace. Every second that ticked by brought Leah once step closer to death, every second she was spending at the hands of the maniacal machine, tortured and experimented on like some kind of animal.
It made A2 sick with worry, her whole system buzzing uncomfortably, a sense of hopelessness and anxiety gnawing a hole in her stomach. What if they were too late? What if he had already had his fun and disposed of her? Even if he hadn't, what kind of ordeals must Leah have gone through while she was with him? Would she still be the same after this? Will A2 have lost her? Did she fail again?
"You've done a wonderful job."
Snapping out of her downward spiral, A2 turned to the YoRHa soldier standing by her side with a questioning stare, 2B keeping her gaze on the set of metal doors in front of her as she expounded on what she meant.
"Keeping Leah safe, saving her. You've done an amazing job. She's stuck in a time she doesn't know, that she will never fit in, not truly." Frowning slightly at the soldier's words, a painful pang echoing from her black box as she remembered the moment amid the Lunar Tears, A2 was surprised when 2B turned to look at her, a small smile on the short-haired woman's lips.
"But, she's happy. She smiles so freely, so unburdened from rules and fears. She hurts, we've seen that, but she is strong, still caring about everyone around her even while she's in pain."
Placing her hand over her chest, 2B turned fully to face her combat brethren, gently removing her blindfold to stare at A2 with uncovered eyes, her blue orbs shining with nothing but kindness and understanding. A2 was stunned by the sight, the short-haired woman having never shared such an open display of emotion with anyone before, except for Leah.
"And I think it's because of you." Sucking in an unnecessary breath of air, A2 felt a small pull at her black box from the battle android's words, a small sting burning at the corner of her eye.
"We've seen the special connection you two share and I think that's what has kept her going. What's keeping you going. It truly is something very special. I don't think any of us quite share the same space in Leah's heart as you do. You've given us Leah, which I am eternally thankful for, but she has also given us you."
A brief silence fell over the pair as 2B finished her speech, the short-haired soldier carefully placing the blindfold back over her eyes, the warm smile still curling on the corner of her lips. A2 simply kept her eyes focused on the ground, her long, silver hair falling over her face like a curtain, obscuring her features from view.
"Thank you…2B." A2 soft voice drifted over the din of noisy gears and struggling engine like a whisper of wind within a raging inferno, barely reaching the short-haired woman's ears, the gentle sincerity in her words bringing a bright smile to 2B's lips. "I'm glad you're here with me."
2B simply remained silent, both of the combat androids staring at the metallic doors with steely resolve, no more words necessary to understand each other. They were in this together, till the end, both of them prepared to lay their lives down to save Leah from Adam's clutches. They may have begun as bitter enemies, separated by a different ideology instilled by them, and destroyed, from their place of birth.
But right now, with the most precious life in the world at stake, they were sisters.
Coming to a halt with a rough jolt, the pair of androids remaining poised and ready, determination set on their features, the elevator doors slowly slid open, the pair stepping out into a world bathed in white.
"What is this?" 2B whispered softly as she and A2 exited the elevator, the doors closing ominously behind them, their surroundings completely devoid of color and life. Nothing but plain, white buildings, intricate in their design but lacking in any kind of warmth or passion, stretched out before the two androids like an unfinished piece of art, seemingly abandoned by its creator.
"I don't know," the Type-A model responded absently as she scanned the area for any sign of their target or for any possible enemies lying in wait, "but we have no time to find out. We have to find Leah."
Nodding in agreement, the two of them quickly sprinted down the narrow streets, the plain vastness of the city causing their senses to get disoriented, every building bleeding directly into its surroundings and getting lost within the soulless sky. Rounding corner after corner, their footsteps echoing down the quiet, seemingly lifeless streets, the combat androids came to a sudden abrupt stop, shock etched onto their faces at the sight that lay before them.
Strewn about the narrow street, clad in YoRHa gear, were several android corpses, their dark clothing contrasting with the pure white surroundings of their final resting place. Their bodies were placed in such a way so that they would not block the main pathway, deliberately put on display for them to find. To infuriate them or simply to taunt them, they did not know.
"My god...is she...?" 2B was hesitant to ask the unspoken fear between them, her heads up display scanning the corpses for any signs of life, her black box feeling heavy when she found none.
"No, Leah isn't here." The long-haired woman replied with a small bit of relief in her voice, a feeling of shame washing over her that she felt glad that it was only deceased androids they had found, A2 clenching her fist in anger at her own horrible thoughts. "Adam surely has her close to him. Wherever he is, that's where we'll find her."
'Hopefully alive.' A2 thought as the pair moved on, following the trail of bodies like some sick waypoint, hoping to find the man responsible and make him pay thrice-fold for every life lost that day. The combat android silently prayed Leah would not be one of them.
They eventually came upon a large, open square, a large tower rising like a beacon above every other building in the city, little, white cubes haphazardly strewn across the floor. A feeling of warning and danger passed through both of the androids systems as they carefully made their way into the abandoned plaza, no sign of Adam or Leah to be found in their immediate vicinity. A strange prickling in the back of their necks let them know that this had to be a trap as they spotted no other streets leading out of the square, safe for the one they had just entered from.
"Where is that bastard?! He has to be here!" Growling in anger, A2's furious steel-blue eyes darted about the square, desperately searching every corner for a sign of the humanoid machine. Feeling something bump against her shoe, the combat android curiously lowered her gaze to watch the cubes littering the ground slowly converge into a single spot at the center of the square, little rhythmic tapping filling the silent air within the alabaster city.
Stacking atop of each other until they reached a specific height, the cubes began floating in small circles around a singular spot, picking up speed until they burst apart with a grand flurry. As the square blocks slowly floated apart, they revealed a man wearing a white shirt and black trousers, his long, silver hair falling past his shoulders as he kept his back turned toward the pair of combat androids.
"Adam!" Screaming with unbridled rage, A2 immediately lunged at the humanoid machine, her greatsword manifesting in her hand as she dashed toward Adam, her face contorted into a look of pure hate and anger. Leaping into the air, the ground cracking from where she pushed off, the Type-A android brought her sword down with crushing force, intent to demolish Adam with a single swing.
With a resounding crash, the combat android looked up in surprise as her sword made contact with something solid, not whatever human-like material Adam had been made out of. The floating cubes had constructed a protective wall in front of the humanoid machine, her heavy blade stuck several inches deep within its thick surface, unable to completely break through the solid object.
Whipping her head to the side, A2 quickly pushed herself off of the wall, just as two large slabs crashed together with crushing force where she had been mere moments ago. Flipping in mid-air, summoning her smaller katana, the long-haired woman landed gracefully back on her feet, 2B quickly rushing to her side, Virtuous Contract held tightly in her gloved hand.
"Welcome, to my lovely city." Spinning around with a grand flourish, Adam bowed gracefully toward the pair of female androids, a condescending smirk curling at the corner of his mouth. "Glad to see that my bait worked perfectly."
"Where the fuck is Leah?!" A2 snarled ferociously as she stepped menacingly forward, her sword pointed threateningly at the smug man before her, her steel-blue eyes alight with burning desire to kill the silver-haired man. Glaring into his soulless red eyes, the Type-A model curiously noted that Adam's glasses seemed strangely broken, one of the lenses badly cracked, the frame crooked and sitting unevenly upon his nose.
"It's fascinating, isn't it? Humans, I mean." Pointedly ignoring the incensed woman's demands, Adam began languidly pacing back and forth, exuding a calm air of confidence as he spoke to the pair of androids. He was completely unphased by their hateful glares and threatening stances, continuing his monologue as if he was speaking to an enraptured audience.
"Machines and Androids. We are both fascinated, enamored even, with humans, their strange emotions, and all the majestic things they have created. Love. Life. Birth. War. We obsess over it, want to be so much like them, to understand them. We see them as such mythical creatures, as something for us to aspire to. We worship them."
Turning to face both of them, a domineering sneer on his face, Adam began floating into the air, the androids quickly rushing forward, weapons drawn, ready to defend themselves if he decided to attack. Adam simply remained suspended in the air, stopping halfway up the tower, his red eyes never drifting from the combat androids below him.
"And yet," placing his hand under his chin, Adam floated a little closer to the tower, his back practically leaning against its white exterior, "they are so weak, so fragile. Their lives are over in an instant, their bodies decomposing and becoming one with the earth while we would merely continue on, unchanged, completely unaffected by the ravages of time. We are superior to them in every way. Stronger, smarter, not bound by the restrictions of a fleeting lifetime!"
"Then why do we still want to be like them. What must we do to obtain what humans call a soul?"
"Then why do we still want to be like them. What must we do to obtain what humans call a soul?" Waving his arms about animatedly, his words getting more frantic and crazed as he went, his red eyes darting wildly between the two androids, desperately seeking an answer but finding none.
"You're crazy!" 2B shouted at the humanoid machine, her words laced with anger and disgust at Adam's insane rambling, her hand gripping Virtuous Contract tighter as she fought the urge to lunge at him. He still hadn't revealed Leah's location and killing him might lead to that information being lost for good.
"I am merely free from the clutches of my programming! I will not be left in the same darkness and ignorance of my creators, my brethren! I am above them! I am above you!" Howling in anger at the pair of androids, his clawed finger pointing menacingly at 2B and A2, Adam took a deep breath before straightening his posture, trying to reign in his rising emotions.
"I just need that last piece. I need to be above humans." Tapping the side of the building, the combat androids looked on in surprise as the wall slowly began crumbling before their eyes, little white cubes falling silently to the ground below. As the cubes fell away, they began revealing a small hole within the tower's interior, a small gasp escaping 2B's mouth as she spotted a familiar person hung up within.
"LEAH!" Letting out a wretched cry of anguish, A2 felt tears prickle at the corner of her eyes as she looked upon the human girl's blood-soaked form, Leah's arms and legs held in a vice-like grip by pieces of jagged white rocks jutting out of the building, keeping her body suspended by clamping down roughly on her wrists and feet.
The silver-haired woman looked over Leah's body with fearful blue eyes, a cold dread circulating through her body as she noted the copious amount of cuts covering her exposed skin, her clothes having been torn and frayed, several incisions running up and down her body with surgical precision. A noticeably severe-looking cut ran along Leah's cheek to the side of the head, her brown hair sliced off from where the blade had run through her skin, dried red blood caked to her ears and neck as it stained her clothes a sickly crimson.
Feeling her body heave with barely restrained sobs, A2 felt a wave of nausea hit her at the sight of the bloodied and abused human girls body, every new cut, every puncture of perfectly pale skin, making the silver-haired androids stomach roll uncomfortably, her black box feeling like it was pierced by a million ice-cold daggers. Disturbing thoughts ran through her mind as her steel-blue eyes remained fixed on the horrifying sight, everywhere her gaze fell there was just more blood, more evidence of the torture Leah must have gone through while in this madman's captivity.
What kind of horrors did she have to endure? How much pain did she feel? Did she scream out for help as he cut her up? Feel despair overtake her when she finally grasped that no one was coming to save her this time? That she was all alone?
"I learned so much experimenting on her. She was truly an invaluable subject. She will help me reach it. My ultimate goal." Floating to the suspended bodies side, a malicious sneer contorting his features, Adam gently caressed Leah's blood-stained cheek with his clawed hand, leaving long, crimson streaks across her face as he brought his mouth close to hers, a look of longing in his dark gaze as he looked at her pale, pink lips.
"Raaaaaaaaaaaagh!" A howl of unfathomable hate tore from A2's throat, like a beast roaring at its prey, her steel-blue eyes burning with nothing but loathing for the detestable man who had put the human girl through such pain, who had used her for his own sick gain. Who had dared touch HER Leah!
The combat android's whole body shook and contorted unnaturally as she tapped into the deepest, most dangerous programming in her system, forcing every last part of her into overdrive as she activated her Berserk mode. A2's internal core reached a boiling hot temperature, her whole body feeling like it was about to burst into flames, before it exploded outwards with violent force, blasting off the last remnant of clothing still clinging to her after all these years.
The force of the blast caused 2B to momentarily lose her balance, her hand coming up to shield her face from the extreme heat coming off of A2's body, the battle android looking at her long, haired companion in stunned silence. Was this what they had put into the earlier models? Or had A2 simply found a way to circumvent her own limiters and push them into overdrive? No matter what the explanation was, the fact of the matter was that A2 was currently operating at over 100% capacity.
This however came with the risk of burnout, being a combat model it could take A2 less than a minute to completely run out of energy, leaving her on the brink of death. And once A2 dies, she would be gone, her status as a deserter meaning her backup's had been completely purged from YoRHa's data banks. A2 was betting on an all or nothing gambit, her very life on the line. All in order to save Leah.
Adam pulled his focus away from the human girl at the enraged scream from the long-haired android, his red eyes looking upon A2 in surprise, her body completely enveloped in a swirling red mass of energy, the usually calm and collected machine shocked by the desperate measures the combat android was willing to go through for the human's sake. Was the programming to love humans that deeply ingrained within the androids? Or was there something more, something stronger, driving her to such lengths?
Adam and A2 stared at each other in tense silence, eye locked in a fierce standoff as energy crackled off of the combat android's body, when A2 suddenly disappeared from view, deep cracks resembling footprints appearing where she once stood.
"What?!" Whipping his arms up, Adam just managed to create a protective wall of cubes in front of him before A2's sword collided violently with the white squares, smashing them to pieces with a single swing, the force of the attack knocking the humanoid machine away. With the added power-up afforded to her by her Berserk mode, A2's speed and strength had increased to an unprecedented amount, making the combat android capable of greater feats than any other android or machine alike could possibly hope to keep up with.
"You fucker! I'm going to kill you!" Not giving the man a chance to recuperate, A2 planted her feet against the side of the building, her heels digging deep trenches into the stone structure as she ran after her airborne opponent, her steel-blue eyes blazing with hatred. Pushing off of the building, creating a small crater from where she jumped off, A2 aimed a wide, arcing strike at Adam's head, the silver-haired man managing to just barely dodge the deadly blade by creating a series of blocks to redirect him toward the ground.
Landing with a loud thud, cracks running across the floor where he landed, Adam had to quickly erect another wall as 2B rushed toward him with a flurry of attacks, each one thrown with deadly accuracy and skill, each blow intending to end his life. Creating a platform underneath him to create some distance between himself and the enraged androids, Adam was thrown off balance when a tremor ran through the base of his makeshift tower, A2 throwing her body through the stone structure with all her might, bursting out of the other side in a hail of stone and debris.
The humanoid machine leapt off of the tower at the last second, just before it came crumbling down in a mass of white squares, Adam landing several feet away from the two female androids, A2 and 2B standing across from him, blades pointed threateningly at him as they both glared hatefully at the silver-haired man.
"Yes! Yes! There it is! That anger, that raw emotion! That's what it means to truly feel!" Cackling madly, his hands running over his face as waves of pleasure and excitement ran through his body, Adam threw his arms wide open, inviting the two androids to come and attack him. They were more than happy to oblige.
Dashing toward him, A2 quickly outpacing her combat brethren, the former YoRHa soldier managed to avoid a series of Adam's attacks, makeshift spears whizzing past her head as she honed in on her opponent, katana held tightly in her fist. Circling around him, the combat android slid underneath a large barrier of cubes that Adam shot at her, the tip of her blade managing to sever the tendons in his ankle, causing him to fall to his knees in pain. Closing the distance during this momentary chance afforded to her by her companion, 2B sliced Adam's throat wide open with a single well-placed swipe, dark, red blood spewing out of the wound like a hose, splattering onto the alabaster ground like crimson rain.
The pair of androids stood before his bleeding out corpse in silence, A2's Berserk mode still active, knowing this victory was not going to be so easy. They were proven right when a bright glow began emitting from Adam's neck, the large gash over his throat slowly closing until it was completely healed, no trace of any damage to be found.
Running his hand along his new healed throat, Adam mockingly grinned toward the pair of androids as he casually fixed his messed up hair. Growling angrily, A2 lunged at the cocky machine once more, obliterating every wall he conjures up with single blows, slowly getting closer and closer to his stationary form. Gnashing her teeth viciously at him as she destroyed the last barrier, A2 brought her greatsword down in a deadly arc onto his shoulder, splitting his body in half.
Roughly extracting her sword from his mangled corpse, A2 kicked his lifeless body away from her as jolts of pain shot through her body, the use of Berserk mode slowly damaging her body as long as she kept it active. But A2 pushed through it, forcing Berserk mode into overdrive, elongating the time to previously unseen lengths because she knew it wasn't over.
A bright light briefly blinded the two androids as Adam was brought back to life once more, his mutilated body fusing back together, leaving him no worse for wear. Gripping their weapons tightly, A2 and 2B were prepared to kill him over and over again until he finally stayed down, but a low growl from the humanoid machine gave them pause, both of them surprised to find his usually calm and collected smile completely absent, replaced instead by a demented gleam in his eyes.
"No…no this is all wrong." Howling in dismay, Adam pulled roughly at his hair as he pointed toward the androids with sweeping gestures, his crazed red eyes glaring angrily at the silver-haired women.
"This isn't what humans were like. I'm missing a key component that drove them to climb to such incredible heights, ones that were far beyond their reach. That pushed them that last bit further."
Letting out a series of grunts and wails of anger and distress, the pair of androids watching on with disturbed looks as the humanoid machine twisted and contorted his body in despair, his hands pulling roughly at his long hair. Adam's writhing came to an abrupt stop as realization suddenly dawned upon him, his red eyes going wide with wonder as he got back into an upright position.
"The fear of death. That's what is missing! The thrill of combat is dulled if there aren't any true consequences for losing! Putting everything you have, your very life, on the line! The rush of terror as every breath might just be your last! That is what it means to live!"
Smiling joyously, Adam let his eyes slide shut, a serene look crossing his features as the cubes floating around him came to a sudden stop before falling lifelessly to the ground. Opening his eyes, the humanoid machine gave them a gentle smile as he held his hand over his chest.
"I have severed my connection to the network. Now it's a fight to the death. Or, at least, between you and me it is, A2."
"Perfect." A2 responded simply as she rushed toward the silver-haired man again, intent on ending his life for good this time, her blade swinging wildly at the machine's body, the steel clanging loudly as Adam deftly deflected it with his clawed hand. The two exchanged blow for blow with unseen ferocity, each attack thrown with the express intent to kill, the city echoing with the sounds of a battle to the death.
Jumping back to create distance between her and Adam, the long-haired android quickly ducked down as a large blast flew overhead, directly aimed at the humanoid machine, the silver-haired man just managing to avoid the deadly laser at the last minute.
Looking over her shoulder, A2 shot her combat brethren a quick smile, 2B giving one in return as Pod 042 returned back to normal, the two of them deciding to attack Adam in tandem, their heels clacking loudly on the ground as they ran toward the smiling machine.
A2 and 2B rained down blow after blow upon the humanoid machine, a panicked look crossing Adam's face as he feebly tried to counter their attacks, slowly getting overwhelmed by the pairs fierce attack. The pair of androids fluidly ducked and weaved in and around each other as they continued their relentless onslaught upon the humanoid machine, the silver-haired women performing a perfectly choreographed dance of death.
Ducking underneath a wild swing from the silver-haired man, A2 quickly switched to her bracers, before landing a heavy punch to the back of Adam's head. Stumbling forward, his vision swimming from the heavy blow, Adam let out a gurgling gasp as he felt a white-hot burning sensation in his abdomen, the human-like machine fearfully lowering his gaze, his red eyes growing wide as he saw 2B's Virtuous Contract stuck up to its hilt through his stomach.
"Grugh…ah….oh….Is this dea-"
Adam never got to finish his sentence as another sword embedded itself into his forehead, the color completely draining from his eyes as his life came to an abrupt end. Ripping their blades out of his body, red blood spraying across the pure, white ground, the combat androids took in deep ragged breaths, the emotional and physical toll the battle took on them finally catching up to them.
"Leah!" Dropping her bloodied sword to the ground, the glow of Berserk mode dispersing from around her, A2 quickly ran toward the tower, jumping up to the opening in a single leap, her steel-blue eyes worriedly scanning her injured body as she checked her neck for a pulse. Panic coursed through A2's system as she struggled to find any signs of life from the brown-haired girl, the silver-haired android letting out a quiet gasp when she felt the barest hint of a pulse beneath her fingers.
"You're going to be ok. I promise. I got you. I got you." Breaking off the rocks holding her body up, A2 carefully cradled her blood-soaked body in her arms, trying her best to avoid any of the major injuries as she jumped off of the tower, landing on the ground as safely as possible, making sure not to jostle Leah's body too much.
"I'm sorry…I'm so sorry, Leah." Looking over her damaged body, the former YoRHa soldier felt a lump form in her throat as she saw the multitude of cuts riddling her body, leaving her clothes an unrecognizable mess, forever stained red with dried blood. Leah's blood.
"I'm so sorry. I should have been there, I should have stopped him before he could hurt you. Oh, Leah." Pulling Leah closer, the damp wetness of blood smearing against her chest, A2 softly cradled the brown-haired girl's head against her shoulder as she cried, the unconscious human remaining oblivious to the androids suffering.
"Please don't leave me…..I need you, Leah….I love you. I love you so much."
Holding the unconscious girl close, Leah's soft, ragged breath barely gliding over her skin, feeling the girl's heart beat weakly in her chest, A2 was finally able to place the mysterious feelings she had been harboring for the last surviving human. The happiness she felt when she smiled, the fire that would burn in her chest when they touched, her undying want to always be by her side, how empty and cold she felt when she thought she had lost her.
A2 was in love with Leah.
The soft clack of heels on stone slowly came up behind the distraught android, A2 turning her head when a gentle, caring hand was placed on her shoulder, tears flowing out from her steel-blue eyes as she stared up at her short-haired companion.
"I'll keep you safe, so you should just hold on to Leah for now, ok?" Giving her a sympathetic smile, 2B took a step back to give A2 enough room to get to her feet, the Type-A android carefully holding Leah in her arms, burying her nose in the girl's brown hair as silent tears fell from her steel-blue eyes.
"Thank you, 2B." The short-haired woman simply gave her friend a small smile before the two of them turned around and made their way toward the exit, Adam's lifeless corpse remaining motionless in a pool of his own blood, his beautiful city reflected in his glassy red eyes.
A/N: A Life for a Life.
Leah has been saved, A2 confessed her love, but not all is right with the world. Leah suffered greatly at Adam's hand and A2 will have to live with her failure to keep her safe. The two of them will need time to heal, for Leah both physically and emotionally.
Next chapter: Healing.
Thank you again for all of your support! It makes me so happy to hear from you and to see so many people give my story a chance! I will continue to do my best and there are still a lot of chapters to come so stay tuned! Love you all and have a wonderful day!