"Nothing strange in this sector either."
Leah's voice echoed through the sprawling ruins of the abandoned cityscape, bouncing off of the crumbling buildings with a reverberating echo as she exited another one of the long lines of forgotten stores, her green eyes, squinting slightly under the beating sun hanging overhead, darting down the street for any sign of her android companion. Resting her hand upon the sword sheathed at her hip, making sure to keep the machines lazily roaming up and down the street in the corner of her eye, the time-traveling human swept a stray strand of hair behind her ear as A2 strode out from the neighboring alley, the combat model having just finished her own sweep of the area.
"Yes, it seems that way. Let's move on to the next one." A2 nodded toward her girlfriend with a familiar firm expression on her face, her steel-blue gaze alert and ready, prepared to act at the first sign of trouble. Following after the former soldier as she toward the next block of buildings down the road, her hand never straying from the hilt of her sword, Leah felt an appreciative smile curl on her lip as she watched the silver-haired woman at work.
Despite at first feeling very intimidated by A2's natural grim resolve and stoic disposition while dealing with missions or when wandering through machine infested neighborhoods, her old training as a soldier coming to the forefront during these moments, the human girl came to admire this other side of the android she fell in love with. It filled her with a sense of security, that she was safe from harm, the fear of the unknown feeling a little less oppressive when A2 was by her side. Leah could only hope to reach that same level someday, to walk confidently at the combat models' side and to offer her the same level of support and comfort.
Until then, she was glad to have her protector at her side.
Pushing through some overgrown brush between two partially collapsed buildings, the pair immediately spotted a group of wandering machines, eyes glowing a cautionary yellow, their rotund head swiveling to stare questioningly at the unexpected intruders. Reaching for the sword at her hip, the blade sliding out of its sheath with a metallic whine, the duo readied themselves for battle as the dull yellow in their eyes flashed to a violent red.
With a horrific shriek that still managed to cause Leah's heart to jump in her chest, the group of machines charged toward the pair, arms raised high into the air, their intent clear as day despite the lack of any facial features. They were looking to kill, but Leah and A2 would not make it easy for them.
Jumping into the fray first, her immense speed causing her to momentarily disappear from Leah's view, A2 crisscrossed her way between the charging machines, pulling their attention toward herself as they swung wildly at her retreating form, the android managing to nimbly avoid their crushing blows. Zeroing in on the machine trailing at the far back, the hulking brute standing twice as tall as his brethren, the former soldier expertly skidded to a stop right as the robot's massive fist collided with the earth, firmly embedding it into the ground. Running up the length of its arm, the robot quickly tried to reach for the advancing android, but A2 was too fast for it, the silver-haired woman landing a swift and violent kick to its head, detaching it roughly from its body.
As their companion's lumbering form came crashing to the ground with a resounding thud, their angry stares turned to the silver-haired android landing on its lifeless body, they failed to notice the human girl charging at them from behind. Just as the duo had planned.
Detaching the sheath from her hip, holding it as a second weapon in her off-hand, Leah swung it violently against the leg joint of the closest machine, the robot letting out a cry of surprise as it fell onto its back only to be immediately silenced by a sword embedding itself firmly between its eyes. Placing the sheath back upon her hip, the brown-haired girl quickly pivoted to the side as another machine noticed her killing one of its companions, his wild swing missing her body by several inches.
Raising her sword, Leah quickly swung down with a vicious arc, metal slicing cleanly through metal as she severed its arm from its body. Turning away from the one-armed machine, Leah set her sights toward her next target as A2 rushed past her to eliminate the robot she had just disarmed with a precise strike to its core, its body exploding in a hail of metallic debris.
One by one the machines fell to the tandem offensive of the time-traveling human and her silver-haired companion, the pair ducking and weaving in and around each other like a flowing river, swords slicing through their opponents in an immaculate dance of death. As the last robot fell to the pair's assault, his body exploding in a blinding explosion, Leah gently rubbed the light sweat from her brow as she returned her sword to its sheath, her breathing remaining steady and even as she returned to the former soldier's side.
"So...what do you think we're looking for?" Leah curiously questioned the silver-haired woman as they continued onward, the human girl letting out a sigh of relief as the harsh light of the sun fell away as they walked into the cooling shade of the highway overpass, their destination of the overgrown mall slowly coming into view in the distance.
Earlier that day, Anemone had approached the pair with a request, the slight apprehension in her voice causing A2 and Leah to regard the resistance leader with great worry and curiosity. There wasn't much that could phase the seasoned android, her many years of warfare and as well as leadership, having built a tough shell around the black-haired android, Anemone sharing the same trauma as A2. The pair knew something serious must have happened.
Anemone informed them about strange sightings happening all across the city, unknown people having been spotted attacking machines, YoRHa soldiers, and resistance members alike, each eliminated with deadly efficiency. As soon as news of these attacks started circulating, a wave of unrest began to travel through the resistance soldier's ranks, each one afraid to leave the safety of the camp for missions.
Feeling like this threat could debilitate their already thin supply chains and cause the looming threat of machines to grow, Anemone had turned to YoRHa for help, requesting aid to help eliminate this unknown threat. To the resistance leader's great surprise, YoRHa had outright refused to help, denying any and all of Anemone's requests with vague excuses and at times outright silence. Every time she did get to speak to an Operator, they would act very cagey and secretive as soon as the problem was brought up, disconnecting communication as soon as the request was denied by command.
A2 had a strong feeling that she knew exactly what was going on, a sense of worry and dread building up in her stomach as Anemone recounted all the information she had managed to gather so far, all of it pointing much to close to her own actions after YoRHa betrayed her and branded her a deserter. Blind rage, directed at anyone deemed a threat, the brutal efficiency of their executions, the seemingly random locations and times of attacks.
It was exactly how she had operated.
Coming to a sudden stop, her arm stretched out over Leah's chest to halt her movement, the human girl reflexively raising her defenses, A2's steel-blue eyes narrowed dangerously as she noticed two unknown humanoid figures in the distance, one with shoulder-length red hair while the other sported short, gray hair. And it seemed like they had spotted them too.
"Them."
Standing across from them, decked out in full military gear, were a couple of YoRHa soldiers, their body language exuding wary hostility as they slowly advanced toward them. Their weapons were floating ominously behind their backs, A2 recognizing them as standard issue armament for battle androids, each one poised and ready to strike at any moment, the combat model slowly lowering her stance in preparation of an attack. Standard issue blindfolds, eerily similar to the ones worn by 9S, covered their faces, hiding their eyes from view, but A2 could still feel their intent beneath the strip of cloth.
They were here to kill.
Pushing Leah back, A2 quickly raised her sword to swiftly block an attack from the gray-haired android, her blade violently clashing with her opponent's spear, a deafening clang of metal upon metal reverberating loudly off of the surrounding buildings. Digging in her heels, teeth gritting under the strain of her opponent's attack, the concrete crumbled beneath the pair of androids feet as they were locked in a violent stalemate, their strength evenly matched.
Stumbling momentarily after A2's unexpected shove, the human girl had merely a split second to roll out of the way before the red-haired soldier came crashing down where she once stood with an earthshaking crash, dirt and debris flying into the air as the android's immense greatsword embedded itself deeply into the concrete, Leah quickly removing her sword from its sheath and holding it protectively before her. Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, Leah tried to keep her training in mind, emerald eyes carefully scanning her opponent for any signs of impending attack as the red-haired android turned to face the human girl, the clash of A2 fighting ringing in her ears.
She wouldn't be able to rely on A2 this time.
"W-who are you?!" The red-haired android screamed out, her voice wavering slightly, a noticeable hint of nervous fear tinging every word as she raised her sword toward the time-traveling human. This struck Leah as odd, the tales of senseless murder and ruthless dispatching of opponents painted a picture in the human's mind of crazed lunatics or remorseless killers. But the red-haired android sounded fearful, almost terrified as she questioned her, a surprising lilt of ditziness prevalent in her manner of speech.
"22B! You idiot!" An incensed roar bellowed out from the gray-haired android's chest as she roughly pushed her adversary away, A2 deftly dodging the follow-up attack, creating some much-needed separation between her and the unknown attacker. "They have to be with YoRHa! They're going to try and take us back!"
"R-right!" Cowering slightly beneath her partner's admonishment, her grip on her sword tightening, the redheaded woman quickly resumed her assault upon the human girl, Leah barely managing to dodge the wild swings of her opponent. As the android reared back for another swing, Leah sensed she wouldn't be able to get out of the way in time, the brown-haired girl just managing to lift her sword in front of her to block the attack.
The force of the androids blow sent her body flying, a grunt of pain rolling out from her chest as a sharp pain traveled up her arm, the human girl surprised they didn't break beneath the strength of the redhead's attack. Bracing herself for impact, Leah expertly rolled with the landing, her back screaming with pain as it met the concrete, the human girl afraid of what would have happened had she not done so much training, let alone taken the full brunt of the redheaded androids attack.
"I can't let them take her." Raising her head in surprise, Leah quickly pivoted to the side, a pained hiss seeping from between her teeth as the of 22B's blade sliced into her arm, leaving a shallow gash upon her skin. "YoRHa can't take more from me! I-I have to protect 64B!"
The pain, the sheer agony in her voice sent a jolt through the brown-haired girl's heart, her hand raising up to call out to her, to let her know they meant no harm. That they could help. But, before a single word could slip past her lips, Leah had to quickly move out of the way of another barrage of attacks, the redhead too intent on ending her life to listen.
Noticing the tight spot Leah was in, her steel-blue eyes flittering between her adversary and the brown-haired girl, A2 knew she had to get to her if nothing more than to lighten her burden, to give her a chance to get some breathing room. Unfortunately, the gray-haired android did not give her a moment of respite, 64B switching to a pair of bracers, her attacks hailing down upon A2 with immense speed.
"You lied!" 64B cried out furiously, her movements getting more and more desperate, the speed of her punches ringing painfully in A2's ear as she ducked and weaved in and around her attacks. "You all lied to us! They're dead! They have been dead this whole time and you never told us! Everything! Everything has been worthless! Our existence is WORTHLESS!"
With her final cry, full of rage-filled anguish and sorrowful despair, 64B reared back for an enormous overhead punch, the silver-haired android quickly dodging out of the way, knowing exactly what would happen were she to take the full strength of the deserter's attack. As her fist made contact with the ground, a dull rumble running through the ground, 64B quickly rushed after the back-peddling combat model, leaving a shallow crater in her wake.
She knew. A2 knew now what had happened to them. They knew. They knew all of it.
They had found out the exact same secret she had all those years ago. Humanity was dead, a lie perpetuated by YoRHa to keep them fighting, to continue this pointless war against the machines. Their existences a mere plaything to their whims, tools to be used and then discarded, nothing more than data for future models. Knowledge that had driven her to nothing but hate and vengeance, roaming the earth on a suicidal quest to rid the planet of all machines, to hopefully lose her life in her pursuit and be reunited with her fallen comrades in death.
But, it had broken them.
"I'm right here!" Leah's desperately shouted to the advancing redhead, Leah raising her sword to deflect another attack from 22B, small rivulets of blood slowly coating her arm a dark crimson. "I'm here! I'm human! I survived!"
"You're lying!" 64B screamed as she aimed another punch at the silver-haired androids head, A2 quickly dashing to Leah's side, delivering a swift kick to the redheaded android's midsection, 22B retreating to her partner's side. "Everybody always lies!"
"We can't reason with them like this." Leah whispered softly to her companion, the former YoRHa soldier nodding in affirmation, her steel-blue eye's worriedly staring at the wound on her lover's arm, her mind briefly flashing back to the day within the city all in white. She couldn't let that happen again.
The human girl on the other hand paid it no heed, the dull throb of the cut fading into the background as she tightened her grip upon her sword, her focus placed squarely upon the pair of YoRHa deserters. They needed to help them. Leah wanted to help them, to free them from this destructive path, the human girl wanting nothing more than to show them just how much there is to live for. How important their existences were.
"We need them to listen. We have to help them." A small smile tugged at A2's lips as she nodded toward her human companion, a swell of pride and joy glowing in her black box as she stared into Leah's emerald orbs, her eyes set with resolute determination. Despite what Leah might say, that she wasn't special or important, the human girl would still go above and beyond for others, even a species completely unlike her own.
And it was one of the many reasons she loved her.
Letting her sword fade away, the blade vanishing in a shower of golden light, A2 bounced lazily on her feet as Leah strode in front of the combat android, the pair of YoRHa deserters looking at them with a momentary look of perplexed confusion. Raising her hand, blood dripping off of her fingers, Leah gestured for them to come at them, a cocky smirk pulling on the corner of her lips.
A2 had taught her many things during their time training and there was one lesson, one crucial instruction given to her by the combat model that was distinctly her own.
An angered opponent is prone to mistakes.
Shocked at the brown-haired girl's brazen taunt, mouths hanging open slightly in surprise, the hotheaded 64B let out a cry of anger as she dashed toward the pair, her arm reared back for a devastating punch. With surprising speed, Leah quickly placed her hand back onto her hilt, the human girl angling the blade slightly as 64B's fist came flying toward her. In her blind rage, the gray-haired android had telegraphed her punch too openly, giving the human girl a chance to right her footing and deflect 64's body past her own and toward the waiting A2.
Gasping in shock at the deft deflection, the gray-haired android turning her head to glare at the human girl as she tried to right her body to throw another punch at her, 64B, so blinded with her anger, failed to notice a pair of hands reaching out toward her.
Wrapping her arms tightly around the gray-haired androids' arm, 64B could only get out a single strangled cry of surprise before feeling her body weight shift downward, pain shooting through her as she landed face-first on the ground. Moving quickly, before 64B had a chance to recover, A2 landed a swift kick to the deserter's head, momentarily leaving her stunned, the silver-haired combat model taking the chance to remove her opponent's bracers.
"64B!" 22B screamed out in a furious rage, the redhead flinging her short sword at the human girl before rushing her with her greatsword clenched tightly in her hand, teeth grit with seething anger. Leah easily parried the projectile weapon away, the brown-haired girl waiting for just the right moment to strike, her emerald eyes watching 22B approach with a steely gaze. She couldn't afford to make a mistake here.
Sweeping her greatsword in a wide arc, intent on cleaving the human girl in half, 22B let out a guttural cry, placing all her strength behind the attack. With deft swiftness, Leah quickly dropped to her knees, her upper body leaning as far back as possible, the enormous weapon sailing harmlessly overhead, her visage reflecting clearly within the immaculately polished blade. The second Leah fell to the ground, A2 leapt high into the air toward the redheaded android, the silver-haired woman sailing safely over the massive weapon, 22B watching the former YoRHa soldier approach in slack-jawed surprise.
Wrapping her arms around 22B's neck, the redhead unable to stop the combat model in time, the momentum of her blade pulling her helplessly along, A2 swung around her opponent's back with astonishing grace. Lifting her legs high into the air, A2 pulled them in with ferocious speed, planting her knees firmly into 22B's back, the redheaded android collapsing to the ground with a strangled cry of agony, landing directly next to her gray-haired companion.
"Look! Please look!" Rushing to stand before the pair of deserters, arms held out in a desperate gesture, Leah tried to show them what she was, that what they had been looking for, longing for, was standing right in front of them. "I'm human! I'm bleeding! I have scars! My heart is beating and I am breathing! I am human! I'm alive!"
A deafening silence fell over the battlefield after Leah's desperate declaration, the pair of battle androids looking at the brown-haired girl's arms in mute disbelief, their eyes roaming across the multitude of scars marring her body in fascinated horror. They watched how her chest moved up and down with her breaths, saw the blood slowly pump out of the gash on her arm in a steady rhythm with her heartbeat, watched the light dance within her emerald gaze.
She was real. She was human.
Feeling their bodies go limp beneath her grip, the fight draining from their systems, A2 slowly released her hold upon the pair of YoRHa deserters, moving to stand next to her brown-haired lover. Pushing themselves to their knees, the pair removed their blindfolds with trembling hands, letting their eyes stare at the miraculous sight before them completely uncovered. Tentatively reaching out toward Leah's outstretched hands, palms facing up in a welcoming gesture, 22B and 64B gently placed their hands in hers, afraid that she might disappear at any moment. That they would just phase right through her, like a taunting mirage in a desert when all you needed was water.
But she didn't disappear, her hands gently wrapping around theirs in a soft embrace, the heat from her skin practically burning theirs. Tears began falling from their eyes as they felt the softness of her skin, a thin layer of callous building up on her palms, their black boxes burning painfully in their chest as they basked in the gentle warmth of her touch. Leah merely smiled warmly at them, her emerald gaze holding nothing but care and affection for the pair of battle androids, for ones who had been her enemies mere moments ago.
Dropping their head, tears falling like raindrops from their eyes, 22B and 64B let out heartrending wails and cries of pure shame and unbearable sorrow, all of their pain, all of their joy tearing from their chests as they cried. Leah merely held their hands tighter, gently dropping to her knees, patiently waiting as they cried, allowing them to free themselves of all the heartache. Just as her friends had done for her in the field of Lunar Tears.
"It's ok now." Leah whispered softly as she felt A2 step up to her side, the combat android gently placing her hand on the back of the brown-haired girl's head, silently supporting her. "You don't have to suffer anymore."
"We're sorry!" 64B cried, her grip upon the human girl's hand tightening, the android afraid that she would hate her, that she had ruined any chance of making her dream come true. "We're so sorry! All we…all we ever wanted was to be with the humans! To help them!"
"We thought it was all gone! That the ones we loved so much were gone! We're sorry! We didn't mean to hurt you!" 22B desperately gripped Leah's hand between her clenched fists, bringing them to rest against her lips, teardrops falling silently upon the human's skin as she spilled out all of her sorrow and remorse.
"I'm all that's left." Leah whispered sadly, her heart aching for them, the human girl wishing nothing more than to be what they needed, to carry all their burden for them. "But you don't have to live for me. I want you to be happy for yourselves, to find love and comfort with each other. With other androids."
22B and 64B merely continued to cry, their hands desperately clinging to Leah, their hands clawing for any lifeline to hold on to, to pull them out of their seas of despair. And Leah held them. She would be their rock, something to anchor them, if even for just a moment.
"There's another." 22B whispered as the pairs tears began to ebb, the android's voice thick and hoarse from crying, Leah and A2 perking up slightly at the sudden confession. "8B, our captain. She…she deserves to know. She has to know!"
"We'll find her. Don't worry." Leah gave each of their hands another quick squeeze before getting back to her feet, the pair of deserters quickly following after, a small bit of desperation shining in their eyes. They didn't want her to go. They didn't want this to possibly be the last time that they saw each other. They wanted to be with her. They wanted to protect her.
"You have to hide." A2 pushed herself between the pair of deserters and the human girl, her steel-blue eyes sharp with a protective fire, her stance rigid and strong. But it was not for Leah. It was for them. "Protect yourselves. Keep each other safe. We'll handle the rest."
Nodding stiffly at the combat model's commands, swayed by the air of authority hovering over the silver-haired woman, a light hand on their shoulders pulled the pair's attention toward the human, Leah shooting them a reassuring smile.
"Once this is over, we'll do whatever we can to keep you all safe from YoRHa." For the first time, in what felt forever, 22B and 64B could feel true, joyous smiles curl on their lips as they whispered a silent thank you to the human girl and her combat android companion.
"They said their rendezvous point would be atop the defeated Engel."
Staring up at the hulking beast of a machine, its upper body sticking like a lost relic out of the ground, A2 felt a strange sense of unease bubble up within her system. It hadn't been too long since this monstrosity had threatened their lives, the trio of androids having managed to subdue it with relative ease, not an inkling of worry or fear ever finding its way into her head. Leah's safety was her only concern then.
But standing before it now, its dead eyes staring upon the yawning chasm it had created, A2 couldn't help but worry. As the pair made their ascent toward the top, Leah wincing slightly as she pulled herself up the ladder, the wound on her arm straining slightly beneath the burden of climbing this metallic abomination, the former YoRHa soldier was dreading what they were heading toward.
Atop this beast, waiting for a sign of her companions, was 8B, the final deserter. One of her own, an android sent to the breaking point from the forbidden knowledge she had obtained. All she wanted was to protect her comrades, her friends, prepared to take out anything and anyone that seemed like a threat. So very much like herself all those years ago. A cornered beast, ready to snap at the first sign of danger.
A2 knew for sure that once they reached the top, when they stood across from the former captain, that she will not listen, that her first instinct will be to attack. To eliminate them with swift and remorseless efficiency. It would be kill or be killed, something A2 could just not let happen.
Not to Leah, but also not to 8B.
"I'll go first." Stopping in mid-ascent, her hand gripping the ladder tightly, Leah whipped her head over to her android companion in shock, emerald eyes wide and fearful. "I want to try talking to her."
Biting her lip, doubt and worry plainly evident on her face, Leah reluctantly nodded in agreement before moving out of the way to let A2 climb the final ladder to the top, the human girl giving her girlfriend's hand one last reassuring squeeze, silently urging her to come back safe. Returning the squeeze with one of her own, A2 stole a quick kiss from the brown-haired girl, their lips briefly brushing together in a loving caress before making her way to the top.
As she watched the silver-haired woman ascend the ladder, her body disappearing over the edge as she reached the top, Leah wondered if she had made the right decision in letting her go.
She didn't want to let A2 go alone, far from it, a deep ugly pit of concern starting to settle heavily in her stomach at the prospect of her girlfriend fighting an elite soldier all on her own. She knew A2 was strong, the strongest person she had ever seen and that she was more than capable of handling it on her own.
A2 was the best one to handle this situation. The combat android is the only one who could relate to the deserter, her past echoing that of 8B's very closely. It was a shared pain, a strange sense of kinship, that bonded the two. Leah knew it was the best way to get 8B to listen.
But, like any human, Leah couldn't help but worry about the one she loved.
Stepping onto the large platform atop the hulking machine, A2's eyes immediately fell upon the stoic form of the former YoRHa captain, her shoulder-length silver hair blowing gently in the breeze, her gaze locked firmly upon the unexpected intruder, four weapons hovering ominously behind her back. Unlike her companions, 8B had completely forgone her standard-issue blindfold, her piercing eyes, a familiar shade of blue, watching A2 approach without a hint of acknowledgment or sign of hostility.
8B merely stared at her with a dead look in her eyes, seemingly unaware of the combat androids approach, the only hint that she knew A2 was even there was with how intently she was studying the long-haired woman, watching each one of her moves carefully. Stepping closer, the clacking of her heels upon the metal platform echoing loudly in her ears, A2 tried to make her moves as slow and deliberate as possible, trying to convey to the silent woman that she was no threat, that she was not here to fight.
Taking another step forward, A2 inching ever closer to the YoRHa deserter, 8B's head suddenly snapped to attention the second the combat model's foot made contact with the floor, anger suddenly flashing within her icy gaze. With split-second reaction, A2 conjured up her blade right as 8B's sword collided with her own, the horrific cry of metal ringing painfully in her ears.
"8B!" Pushing back against the short-haired woman's assault, their strength evenly matched as their swords remained crossed, A2 desperately tried to call out to the former YoRHa captain. "I'm not here to fight!"
8B simply remained silent, her blue eyes alight with burning hatred, a dull glassy shine blanketing the flickering flame within as she pushed the combat android away before immediately continuing her onslaught. Rage and emptiness were warring like a storm within the deserter's eyes, deafening her to A2's words, her mind too overcome with grief to listen to her words. All she saw was something to fight, an enemy to conquer.
A reason to keep going.
"I was like you once! It doesn't have to be like this!" Deflecting a series of 8B's attacks, each one thrown with expert precision and deadly accuracy, a testament to her designation of captain, A2 continued to try and call out to her, to get her to listen to reason, the only thing keeping her safe being her own years of training and survival upon the planet's surface.
"There is more out there!" Twisting 8B's weapon out of her grip, the blade landing with a noisy clang several feet away, A2 refused to go on the offensive, trying to show the former captain that she meant no harm, that what she was saying was true. A2 needed her to listen!
"SHUT UP!" Roaring with unrestrained anger and despair, her voice cracking as she strained her vocals from the harsh scream, 8B reared back and punched A2 in the jaw with vicious force, sending the combat model stumbling backward, her own sword clattering noisily to the ground. Shaking her head, mind abuzz with pain, A2 barely had time to regain her bearings before seeing the flash of the edge of a blade in the corner of her eye.
Ducking underneath the wild swing, 8B's attacks getting wilder, more ferocious as she let her anger take over, a feral growl rolling out from within her chest as she looked to eliminate the long-haired android, A2 knew she had to be quick. Sidestepping another attack, A2 quickly closed the distance between her and the short-haired android, grasping 8B's wrists tightly, the former captain grunting in anger as she tried to push her blade toward the combat model's exposed stomach.
"All this anger, this resentment inside you! This horrible pain! Believe me! It doesn't lead anywhere! It's not a way to live!" Twisting the blade away from her stomach, A2 swung her leg up with blinding speed, sending 8B's sword hurtling into the distance, the deserter letting out a grunt of pain as the weapon was forcefully removed from her grip.
"There is always something more!" 8B didn't give A2 a time to rest, to try and plead her case as she quickly recovered, the pair of androids exchanging vicious blows, having completely abandoned their weapons. "Something worth living for!"
"What!? What could there possibly be!" Roaring with anger, 8B sidestepped one of A2's punches, wrapping her arm tightly across the former soldier's neck before forcefully dragging her to the ground. Placing herself above the prone combat model, 8B began raining heavy blows upon A2's body and head, the long-haired android doing her best to block the barrage of punches from the frenzied woman.
"What do we have without humanity?! What was the point of living?! What was the point of all of our sacrifices!? What was the point?!" Each word, every pain-stricken word, was followed by another crushing blow upon A2's body, the former YoRHa soldier managing to get a momentary breather as she landed a vicious elbow upon 8B's brow, splitting it wide open.
"You don't know anything!" With blood running down her face, streaks of red staining her pale skin, 8B's horrific scowl was turned into a visage of demented anguish, the pain in her icy blue eyes shining brightly within the shadows covering her features. She had lost herself in her misery.
"We have each other!" A2 hollered as 8B's fist connected with her mouth, cutting a deep gash across her lip, the synthetic taste of artificial blood landing upon her tongue. But A2 pressed on, the brief flash in the 8B's eyes letting her know she was getting through, that there was still hope for her.
"You have 22B and 64B!"
Fist hanging in mid-air, the heavy blows upon A2's body coming to an abrupt stop, 8B stared at the long-haired android in shock, her words resonating with something deep within her black box. A pair of androids, one gray and one crimson darting within her mind's eye, their smiling faces burning brightly within her chest.
"They are safe now, but they need you. They will need your protection, your guidance. You need each other." A2 pushed on, making no move to push the former captain off of her, trying to prove that this was no trick to have her lower her guard, that she wasn't here to eliminate her. She needed 8B to recognize that life is not about what you have been programmed for, that what YoRHa said was not true.
That there was always something more.
A pregnant silence permeated between the two as A2's words slowly sank in, the former captain's arms falling limply to her sides, the long-haired androids' blood dripping silently off of her knuckles. Slowly, 8B pushed herself off of the prone combat model and back to her feet, her icy blue gaze staring off into the distance, as if looking for something, or someone, she could not see.
Pushing herself back onto her feet, the former YoRHa soldier wincing slightly as pain shot through her ribs, 8B's punches having done a number on her, A2 locked eyes with the short-haired android across from her. Turning to face the combat android, blue locked on blue, blood running freely from their wounds, the pair shared a silent moment of understanding. They had both felt each other's pain.
"A2!" Turning at the sudden shout, A2 was immediately pulled into a strong embrace, Leah wrapping her arms tightly around the combat androids' waist. The former YoRHa soldier had no chance to return the tender gesture before Leah removed her hands from around the androids waist, her emerald eyes worriedly inspecting the gash upon A2's lip.
"A2! Are you ok?" Leah asked as she gingerly prodded at the deep cut on the silver-haired woman's lip, A2 unable to hold back the small smile as the human girl fretted over her, a warm feeling spreading in her chest as she watched her carefully clean off the blood.
"They didn't lie…" 8B softly muttered to herself as she stared at the brown-haired girl in disbelief, the pair turning to stare at the short-haired android as tears started to pool in the corner of her eyes. "They didn't lie…they're still alive. Humans are still alive."
"YoRHa did lie to you. The humans are gone. I'm the only one." Shaking her head sadly, Leah turned to regard the former captain with a grim expression, her emerald eyes awash with sadness.
"But, what A2 said was true." Leah continued on, her fingers absently curling around A2's hand, the silver-haired android instinctively clasping it tightly, the human girl giving the deserter a comforting smile. "You still have each other. You have your lives. You are free to live however you want."
As 8B watched the two interact, saw the gentle smile on A2's lip, how tenderly the human girl held her, how sweetly she talked to her, it made the former YoRHa captain truly believe that there was more for them out there. If a human could grow so close to one of her own, to come to care for her so, it could only mean that they were something more than just tools. They weren't just mindless weapons, built for a neverending war.
They could be themselves.
"I'm happy for you, A2." Smiling warmly at the loving pair, a new sense of meaning budding within her chest, 8B slowly made her way to the edge of the platform, her gaze sweeping out across the vast cityscape with a brand new appreciation. "I'm glad you found your place in the world."
As A2 watched the former captain jump off of the side of the platform, with Leah's hand gently clasped within her own, the silver-haired android knew that what 8B had said was true. Her place was here, with the Leah by her side.
A/N: Three lives saved, free to build their own future.
A bit more of an action-heavy chapter this time around as Leah and A2 come into conflict with the YoRHa betrayers. Leah's fighting ability is still not up to par with the highly trained androids, but improvement has been made, her teamwork with A2 on full display during their clash with 22B and 64B.
A2 in this chapter was allowed to show some of her growth as she deals with a situation hitting much too close to home. The trio of deserters are a painful mirror of just what she had been like, how much pain and anger she had carried after her betrayal. If she hadn't found Leah, she very well could still have been just like them, something that was not lost on her.
Next chapter: Reunion and God
On the 14th of January, this story will officially celebrate its 1 year anniversary. I never would have thought that this story would have ever come this far. It's a story I came to love very much, being the first ever fanfiction that I published. I definitely wouldn't have thought I would have written 25 chapters and god-knows how many words, let alone that anyone would ever read it.
So, with that in mind, I want to give each and every one of you a big and heartfelt thank you. Your continued support has meant the world to me and has made this past year a joy to experience. I will continue to do my best to keep giving you more tales of Leah and A2.
Take care of yourselves and I love you all!