The end of Spring

What was going on?

He could feel someone grabbing his hand, the warmth of it wasn't something he could feel neither the sweet voice that was drowned out by millions of others screaming.

Why am I here?

Everything around him was slowly turning gray as if the world was dying out, the hand now reached for his face calmly nestling it. This time around it was cold to the touch.

What is my purpose, does anyone still need me.

He looked to his left towards a piece of glass broken and cracked he could see his face, his expression wasn't something he could put to words a mix of sorrow and confusion… but that wasn't what filled him with dread, no most importantly of all his eyes… they were red.

He let out a raspy breath as he took a step back from the person trying to comfort him, whoever it was he didn't deserve it not with the amount of blood he had on his hands.

The truth kept ringing in his ears but he refused to listen.

If he did everything would end.

His purpose after all the hell he went through

Why did he always end up in failure…

That woman tried once again to reach through to him hugging him tightly, he didn't deserve it not as the one who always gets to survive, he grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her away gently trying his best not to hurt her he had driven enough people to despair already.

"Shirou…" he heard her voice again this time managing to make out the words, it was filled with little tremors of emotion she was hurting, was it because of him..? "Tell me how I can help… please."

"You can't…" he finally made out who it was that was talking to him, It was Popola. Right the sisters… he had helped them right? "… I'm alone aren't I?" the words kept coming out of his mouth without him thinking them.

The world that he was ignoring until now finally flipped on again as he heard the argument between his other two companions the third one, the one refusing to leave his side continued to look at him her mouth opening and closing trying to find the words.

He looked back at the broken glass once more finding only gold in his eyes this time. He grabbed his head in pain as the voices reached an impossible level.

Finding herself at a loss on what to do and utterly defeated Popola turned around and made headway towards the infighting duo for some help.

"There is no way… I… how?" Devola glared at the white-haired android as she grabbed her head, before shaking herself out of her stupor eyes still glaring in full force denial clear in them.

"I wouldn't lie not about this, Devola." the fierceness she had came back showing nothing but resolve making Devola snap back from her rage.

"I don't understand… why would they?"

"Because we would stop fighting, we need a reason some future to fight for well…"

"When did they…" she widened her eyes understanding clear in them, as she put her arms around herself "… that long ago huh, we fucked up that much?"

"I don't know the details I just know this mu…" A2 stopped talking as her eyes strained over to the only male in the group.

Devola still at her wit's ends grew more erratic with every second "What the hell are you just going to stop talking, I need to know…"

"Devola." she heard her sister call her out but ignored it.

"… there's no way this is actually true right…"

"Devola!"

"… I refuse…"

"DEVOLA!"

"WHAT!" Her eyes widened as she finally understood what her sister was frantically trying to tell her as she saw Shirou doubled down in pain, nodding to Popola she immediately left A2's side and went to try and help lift him up. He stepped up with a grunt his hand still on his head as he seemed to snap back in and out of reality after looking at the faces of the twins.

"Is it really true?" His voice was hollow to everyone.

She looked emotionlessly at him "I wouldn't lie about this… I'm sorry." she could see how much it had hit him.

"I see so I really am the last huh." he looked up at the ceiling closing his eyes and taking a deep breath "I need some time to think." he said as he turned around and left the library Popola running after him before he motioned for her to stop "I need to be alone."

Popola's eyes filled with rage "What the hell are you talking about you think we're leaving you alone when you're like this." she looked at her sister for help but only found someone who seemed to be overwhelmed with guilt.

Seeing as she was no help to her she tried running back towards Shirou leaving A2 and Devola alone.

"Oi…"

That sound snapped Devola from her thoughts as she turned towards her fellow android.

"What did he say…" A2's hair shadowed her face.

"What?"

"Last.. right? That's what he said… what the hell did he mean by that."

Devola's eyes widened in realization but before she could try to respond with some sort of excuse A2 barreled towards her pushing towards the wall. Devola grunted in pain as the other android's forearm was placed in her throat with force, A2's hair going wild as it shadowed her face. Her lone visible eye widened in surprise as she looked at herself as if she didn't understand what she just did.

"Agh A2…" Devola tried to talk but the white-haired woman's resolve came back as she once again glared at her.

"Tell me the truth what is he."

Seeing no way out and already figuring out that A2 knew but was just in denial Devola decided it would be best to just tell her "He's human A2 but you already knew that." she spat out as A2's put more power into her hold before letting her down.

She lept back as Devola grunted and grabbed her throat in discomfort, she looked up and saw the familiar image of someone losing it. Seems it wasn't only their group that got caught up in revelations.

"How long has he been here, why only now DAMN IT."

"I keep asking myself that."

A2 glared at her, she had never seen such animosity before… but it wasn't aimed at anyone in this room that Devola could tell it seemed all-encompassing as if she was damning the entire world. Before she could talk back to her A2 had turned around and gone up the stairs, leaving Devola all alone on the ground floor of the library.

Her body hit the wall again as she slowly fell towards the ground sitting there in contemplation on what she was going to do next.

There was only one option really she had to find those two.

But she was afraid…

"Please Shirou.. don't hate me like everyone else." she whispered as she hugged herself.

Gathering back her courage she went out to find the two people who mattered the most to her.

(Popola)

There he was sitting cross-legged near the makeshift bridge connecting the castle to the forest, he looked pensive as he stared emotionlessly towards the world. She couldn't make out much but he almost seemed like a statue not moving at all, which frightened her.

She had come out of the castle fully prepared to storm him and try to take care of any emotional problem he had, but then it hit her… in her frantic taking care of Shirou mode the thought that humanity is gone hadn't quite gone by her mind yet but now…

It hit her… and she was scared. More than her guilt she was scared.

Scared that like all the others… Shirou would blame her, hate her for what she did.

She couldn't take that, not from him. So she stood there not knowing what to do and what the man she wanted to be happy was thinking of her.

She heard frantic footsteps behind her as someone was running towards the entrance of the castle.

It was her sister.

"How is he?" Devola asked as she finally reached her.

"I don't know, he didn't say anything he just sat down." Popola said her voice wavering slightly in worry before she looked at her sister "What happened, you just closed down on me we were supposed to take care of him right? Well, you did a good job just standing there."

Devola stepped back in surprise never having seen her sister talk to her like that "You…" she took a deep breath trying to calm herself down "… do know what this all means right?"

"The past won't come back to us Devola we have to look towards the futu…" she was interrupted as her sister walked in front of her.

"What future?" Devola laughed at the notion the sound utterly bitter "How much time do you think he has huh? Some 60 years we've been alive for thousands, everything we do with him is going to end in the blink of an eye. I thought that we could change something." she fell down to the ground her eyes shadowed behind a curtain of red hair.

"Devola…"

"We've finally been able to do what we were made for, more than anyone else you understand right there is no endgame after this, we'll go back to how it was. Just surviving not living."

"He's not a tool just to make us happy Devola."

She glared back at her sister "That's not what I was trying to say…"

"I know, and you're right." Popola looked up at the young man "… but do you really want to live in the present looking bitterly at the future that will happen regardless, or try to make the most out of the opportunity the world gave us. I would rather look at my memories happily rather than lamenting this last chance."

Devola stood there quietly, she understood her sisters meaning they were always in sync in some shape or form so she had felt that way too but it had been too much for too long. "He's going to hate us you know…" she whispered lowly though her voice reached the other android.

Still, her sister continued "Our Shirou... he may appear strong but he's quite fragile. He's been trying to do his best all alone but if he continues this way we might lose him forever, are you really willing to take that chance." She stared at Shirou's form for a second he was slightly hunched over now disfiguring the image she had of the tall strong man, this couldn't continue "Even if he does hate me, I'll say sorry… and I'll say it again and again until he forgives me. I'm not letting him get away, I won't be left behind." without another word she started walking towards him.

Devola stood there for a second surprised over her sister's resolve but encouraged by it. The past was full of pain and the future looked tumultuous but the present… there was still a chance for that.

Her legs started moving.

She wouldn't let it go.

(A2)

How am I supposed to feel?

Her feet carried her along, deeper into the castle, as she stared at the ground not really looking at where she was going. The thoughts kept running through her mind, was she supposed to be happy, angry, or simply not care. She didn't know what to do.

Ever since her departure from Yorha and their betrayal over her team she fully immersed herself in vengeance and just killing, killing as many of those damned machines she could, she didn't have to think, and most importantly she had something she used to forget.

Fighting became her mantra.

It was the one thing she was good at, so she would use those abilities as best she could, the abilities they wanted to make more of her and with it, she removed all the nuance from her life.

Machines were her enemies so she would butcher them until not one was left standing, there was no time for emotions. But now… with this…

What the hell was she supposed to do.

She wanted to damn him… Damn him and his species for putting them here without guidance anger once again flowed through her but somehow it didn't have any fire in it almost as if she was trying to be angry instead of actually being. Most of all she felt confused at what she couldn't say.

So she decided.

Use the one way she knew how to resolve things.

Her feet touched the floor as she jumped from the broken bridge to the other side walking into the throne room with confidence now clear in her step. Yellow eyes peered through the doors as countless machines started crowding her, each one of them with a clear intent but that was lost to the woman in front of them as she let her emotions flare out in preparation for the event.

A battle to survive.

Just like everything in her life she would fight, machine… or otherwise.

(Shirou)

He watched the world around him, everything felt serene, even with the machines it didn't feel as unnatural as it should if anything he felt like the most unwelcomed in this new world. What was he doing here? A reminder of something once lost? maybe it was his own hell for failing the one thing left for him to do or maybe just irony that he was the one to survive when everyone died.

That's always how it works, he always watched as everyone fell but he continued moving stepping over their corpses to do so, as his sin kept growing and festering.

When the world kept changing but he remained the same steadfast unto a dream that he had no right to fight for.

He closed his eyes as his thoughts turned darker, though that did very little to assuage his mind from remembering.

The day everything changed was still something he revisited in his dreams everything happened suddenly and as he woke up into a new world he started noticing that he was the only person left standing.

Just like every other time, he survived when others couldn't.

This time though there had been no one there to save him with a smile.

So he started walking the winds howling around him, snow pooling around his body and mist shadowing his vision but he still kept walking, after a certain point even he started doubting over ever finding anything.

That's when he encountered them.

His red emotionless eyes as he peered unto him judging, mocking him for trying to save everyone.

But in the end…

...all he did was snuff out their flames for good.

And thus the snow turned red around him.

He let out a whimper as his eyes opened again not seeing the broken barren city nor the snow in front of him but a beautiful forest alive and growing.

He didn't belong here.

His thoughts were abruptly ended as two bodies collided with him making him fall fully into the ground.

He rubbed his head slightly before grunting as two arms embraced him with force "Devola Popola?"

His question was left ignored for a bit as the three of them stayed on the ground for a while, he couldn't really see their face as they buried themselves in his chest either they were trying to stop him or were hiding from him.

With a sigh, he got up as the other two put up a small fight against it though not being pushy enough to pull on their full strength. "What was that for?"

Devola said something but it was hard to tell due to her still hugging him muffling the sound. He grabbed both of their shoulders and gently pried them off him so that he could look at the twins.

Their eyes fell on the ground before he could meet them as they tried to once again talk to him though no actual sentences that he could make out. He looked at both of them fully now, their hair was disheveled especially Devola's as even her clothes seemed ruffled and cut in a few places, their flowers seemingly forgotten as their expression were downcast and fearful.

Seems he had forgotten…

He wasn't the only one hurting.

He grabbed their chins and pushed their heads gently up so that he could look at them properly, their eyes finding the courage to finally look at him as he tried his best to put on a smile "Are you two okay?"

Their eyes widened at hearing those words.

"You aren't angry? You don't hate us?" Devola asked as she grabbed the hand under her chin.

He gave her a confused look before remembering the level of guilt they had over something they didn't even remember or did. "No I don't, it didn't even cross my mind." If anything he had been too busy stewing in his own guilt and powerlessness.

"Then Shirou… are you okay?" Popola asked her eyes pleading for an answer.

Shirou turned solemn again as he tried to make up an answer. He didn't want their worry it was wasted on someone like him "I… don't worry okay."

He smiled at them once again, it was the fakest thing they had seen.

Popola looked at him in disbelief before her expression turned angry as she got up looking down at him "Shirou… I'm not…" she took short breaths trying to keep her emotions in check "After everything that happened between us you still don't let us in."

Devola looked at her sister as she straightened back though not letting go of his hand.

"And you know what I'm not letting this move forward." she took a step forward her body shadowing his "I know you've been alone for a long time and I understand that it's difficult to trust someone else with your feelings, but I'm not letting you leave me behind."

It hadn't been trust that stopped him but rather his own self-worth. His problems didn't deserve the worry of others.

"She's right." Devola spoke as her hands gripped his harder "I think I have an idea of what you're dealing with Shirou but even then I don't really know how to make it better. What I do know is that I'll be there to help you whenever you need it and no matter how hard you try I won't allow you to put up walls between us."

Shirou stared at the two dumbfounded "Why are you trying so hard for me."

"Because it's what makes us happy." they gave him a smile as they said it, the thoughts of humanity's demise gone right now as they tried their best to understand the one in front of them.

"Happy, huh." Shirou said as he got up pushing Devola with him "I don't really think I can be, I'm sorry."

The twins shared a look of worry but understanding that this wouldn't be something that they could resolve in one day. "Whenever you need us."

They stood there for a while the air around them heavy but they remained firm that is until a loud sound came from the castle as a machine was thrown from the hole in the wall.

Devola sighed "That must be from A2." she looked at both of them "She knows what you are Shirou."

Popola looked at her questioningly before shaking her head and turning back to Shirou "What do you intend to do?"

There was already so much in his mind that he felt overwhelmed but "We're going to talk to her."

"I don't think that's the best idea." Devola approached Shirou with a worried look "She didn't exactly look happy with that knowledge."

"Sorry, Devola I think I need to do this." Shirou said as he stepped back into the castle the twins closely following behind.

(Throne room)

"How pathetic, is this really it." A2 snarled as she looked at the crib. "No matter how many of you I kill I still can't understand." Bodies of broken-down machines littered the room, some of them still alive as they slowly did the equivalent of bleeding out.

She shook her head "Doesn't matter." she rose her weapon as she gave the little being an impassive look and without ceremony, without hesitation, she impaled it killing it in seconds. Scoffing towards its body still stuck on her blade she flicked it and sent the machine lifeform to the other side of the room without giving it a second glance.

This wasn't enough she needed something more to take her mind off things.

Her eyes widened as she heard footsteps, humanoid she knew what that meant. She slowly turned around as her eyes met with the form of that… thing making her thoughts go haywire. She started letting out quick shallow breaths as she looked unto was undoubtedly the most important thing an android could see. The trio stopped before they could reach her standing a fair distance away from A2.

Before they could meet each other's eyes she looked down towards her own weapon as she clenched her sword tighter.

"Why are you still here…" A2 said hair shadowing her expression.

"I don't really know to be honest." He said as he took one step trying to close the distance between the two but stopping soon after as the woman rose her blade "A2…"

"Not another step." she said quietly her voice wavering slightly "Turn back and leave this place."

"I can't do that." Shirou continued standing there impassively even as A2 started to snarl and glare at him.

"Why not?"

"Because if I do, I will fail you."

She growled her impassive mask fully getting destroyed leaving her only as a rage and hate-filled woman "You think I need you like those two over there." she slashed to the left the wind powerful enough to cut through the stone on the wall "A human… right? Fine then fight me."

The sisters who had remained quiet until now immediately leaped in front of Shirou grabbing their swords in preparation for an attack, glaring at their fellow android.

Shirou on the other hand simply patted their heads but stepped once again in front of them "Sorry Devola, Popola but this is something I think I need to do alone."

"Shirou…" Popola exclaimed before shaking her head and stepping away from the area grabbing her sister's hand "Good luck."

Shirou nodded as light appeared near his hands transforming into black and white blades soon after "Is this really what you want A2?"

A2 let out a large sigh of relief before her face broke into a grin seemingly battle-crazed "Yeah…"

"Then why is your arm trembling."

A2's eyes widened in surprise as she looked down snarling when she noticed "Damn it… what the hell." she grabbed her arm forcing it to stop "I want this… I do… I…"

"How exactly do you plan on resolving anything with this."

"Shut up." She looked back at him glaring into his emotionless eyes "What do you know… Fighting is all I can do, I can't protect worth a shit. All I know is this, so fight me damn it."

Shirou's expression changed at her words seeming surprised before breaking away to reveal a small smile something that just further angered the woman "What the hell are you doing."

"Sorry A2 but I don't think I can do this, strike me if you wish." his blades disappeared transforming into little particles of light.

"Why not?" she asked her voice almost pleading.

"Because you reminded me of something." He gave her a bigger smile "I've been thinking about humanity and my place here and I still don't fully know what I can do to make it better, that isn't really going to change for a long time." he looked down at his open hands "But right now I don't feel any of it, not the grief nor the guilt, right now all I feel…" he looked back at the woman who's single visible eye was widened as she looked down at him.

"A2 I really want…"

He gave her another smile this one different than the other ones more genuine, something about it made her feel at peace.

"… to save you."

This brought back her emotions full force.

"Do you think I need your kind to save me." she angrily said her voice lower no longer snarling but still managing to give out her state of mind.

"No honestly you don't." even saying those words his eyes remained resolute on what he said before "You're strong A2 I can see that now you passed through a lot, but you see I'm selfish like that I want to save you for my own sake."

A2 gave him an incredulous look at his words before letting out a little scream exhaustion and defeat clear in her face now as she turned around and started to leave "Don't follow me."

Before she could though.

"A2…"

One last promise.

"… we will meet again."

And thus she jumped out from the castle without looking back.

Shirou looked on as he started walking again the sisters rejoining him silently as they each grabbed one of his hands.

They stopped as they reached the broken-down wall and stared unto the world as if for the first time, the sun shined down on them and the cool breeze ran through their bodies the ambiance despite the earlier confrontations was quite peaceful. The sisters rested their heads on his shoulders as they remained quiet.

"This world is quite beautiful…"

Nothing had changed, humanity was still dead and he still felt the weight of the world on his shoulders.

"… but it's so empty."

He didn't know what he could do, everything seemed so far away now more than ever but… these two still believed in him right?

"Will you help me make it a little happier?"

He had finally reached out to them for help.

"Of course."

And they would answer it.

(Factory)

Two broken down androids dragged themselves to each other atop a destroyed machine. Their eyes met though it was hidden behind their visors, a decision was made at that very moment. Reaching for something as two black boxes appeared one for each.

Three giant machines started closing into their location, as the two androids made their choice. Tapping their boxes into each other.

Their world turned white as an explosion engulfed the two destroying them and the machine lifeforms together.

This wasn't quite the end of their lives however… you could see it from here.

Hello only been a week this time huh, well i couldn't keep you guys waiting for long. Anyhow i consider this the ending of part 1 of the story most of the stuff is set up and the character relationships are waiting to further themselves so allow me to talk a bit about my experience writing this. It's been mostly fun i had no idea it would get this big to be honest nearly 1k followers and stuff it's amazing and daunting i want to create something that when i finish people will read it back and still have fun i think nier doesn't get a lot of love in terms of fanfics so if I'm doing one i should do my best right? so that's been my mentality throughout this story. Writing has never been something that I've done before and i know it probably shows but i feel like I've been evolving each chapter so i hope by the end i show my true capabilities.

What can i say it's been a blast i hope i can continue to make everyone one of you enjoy what i write and... yeah hope you like this one.

I feel like due to the title people are going to ask if this is the end this isn't even close to it don't worry.

Thanks to Ivan Tridelan for being my beta reader, he's been a big help.

Edit: changed the title i feel like it would make people think the story ended