Chapter III:

Little Necromancer

The storm was unrelenting. Winds tore through the Resistance Camp. Lightning continued to flare up across the ever-blackening skies. Winds whistled through the alleyways. Even when surrounded by buildings, 9S was not completely spared the wrath of the storm. Nor was anyone else for that matter.

"It's all ruined," Devola muttered. Her voice was just barely heard over the sound of crashing rain.

9S observed from a distance as the two sisters dug through their possessions. That tarp alone was clearly not enough to fend off a storm of such magnitude. He watched as the twins desperately tried to salvage anything left undamaged. It was a hopeless endeavor. All that was left to do now was wait for them to realize it.

Their sorry excuse for a shelter was flooded. His ankles were completely submerged. The patchwork tarp they likely fashioned themselves held a worrying amount of rainwater. It bent and strained under the weight until the crude stitching finally broke. He watched it happen, yet there was no time to warn or pull them out of the way. Their tarp split open, dousing them.

For a while, neither of the twins moved. They made no effort to continue in their futile search. 9S walked past them and over to a spot that was given to him. He peered through the water to find the sleeping bag Devola had gifted him. He had yet to use it. The twins occasionally insisted on resting for whatever unnecessary reason.

Something floated in 9S's direction. He felt it tap his boots. Just beneath the surface of the water, he spotted a book. He leaned down and plucked it from the current. It had a leather binding and a small, heart-shaped lock that defended the book's contents from prying eyes.

"That was a diary of mine," Popola spoke in a soft, frail tone.

9S glanced her way.

"Our memories were scrubbed a very long time ago as part of our punishment for a crime we committed against humanity. That diary dates back way before then. I remember writing in it a lot."

From beneath his visor, his eyes widened. He turned back to the book in question. He tightened his grip around it. The diary was, of course, absolutely drenched. If only he had something like this.

"Did you never read over it!?"

Both twins shook their heads simultaneously.

"I lost the key a long time ago," Popola informed.

Devola was quick to chime in. "Besides. We can always make new memories. You should keep that in mind, Nines."

9S did not respond to her. His gaze lingered on the diary for a few seconds longer before he handed it back to its rightful owner.

"Thanks."

9S nodded and walked off. He waded through the water until he reached the entrance point of the camp.

He looked on as the members of the resistance hid their equipment beneath whatever shelter they could find or fashion. Anemone stayed beneath the tarp at the head of the camp. The computers had been moved elsewhere. The maintenance area had a few canopies sloppily thrown over it to defend the electronics. There must have been too many to move and too little time.

The cyclone raged on yet life still unfolded semi-normally. All the various shops were still open, albeit either moved to other locations or hidden away beneath tarps and whatever else could be scrounged together in the mere minutes it took for this unexpected storm to begin in earnest.

A massive bolt of lightning lit up the sky. Its close proximity was nerve-wracking. 9S did not have time to so much as look up before an obnoxiously loud clap of thunder sounded off. He was not the only one to jump from that display of elemental power.

The sound of his name being called across the clearing drew his attention back to ground level. He spotted the arms dealer waving him down. 9S's frown deepened as he approached the man.

The merchant held up a certain, faithful golden sword. Cruel Oath rested in the man's palms. It beckoned to its wielder. 9S could almost feel the weapon's thirst for blood. Or perhaps it was a mere projection of his own desires. The android reclaimed his weapon and examined it closely.

"All done," the arms dealer announced. He spoke loudly to compete with the ground-pounding rain. "It wasn't too bad but those were some weird wear patterns. You been doing a lot of jabbing with that thing?"

9S eyed the tip of the blade. It had indeed been thoroughly sharpened. He took a practice swing with the sword. Droplets of rainwater were sent flying as he sliced through the air.

"It was a handling error," 9S admitted. "But I've corrected it."

"I see. Well, anyway. Sorry if it took longer than you'd like. I took a break and stepped outside for a second. Wanted to see how bad the flooding was out there. You probably won't believe me when I say this. Anemone didn't. But I swear… I saw this huge pale guy standing out by the waterfall."

The strange story caught 9S's attention. "You sure it wasn't just some weird machine?"

"I'm positive," the man declared. "Looked nothing like a machine! He had the body of an android, but he was way too tall. He honestly looked like a ghost. When I said he was pale, I mean he was solid white. His arms looked like they were made of marble or something. He was dressed up in all this tactical gear too."

9S did not react at all. It was an interesting tale, but it had nothing to do with him. He shrugged his shoulders all while giving the distressed man a deadpan stare. "Did you introduce yourself?"

"Hell no! Not that I could even if I wanted to. The minute I looked his way, the guy disappeared. I blinked and he was gone."

"Hmm." 9S entertained the description if only because it sounded vaguely familiar. Then it hit him. "I think I saw something similar back at the Flooded City. Only a glimpse, though."

"You should tell Anemone," the resistance member warned. "Hearing more than one report, she might take it seriously."

"Well, whatever it is, here's hoping it winds up being someone else's problem."

9S walked off. He stopped after only taking a few steps. Out of the corner of his peripherals, he noticed something. Far to his right was a door. He completely forgot about the room that lied beyond it. He immediately changed course and approached Anemone's desk, though, not to describe some ghost.

He stepped beneath the canopy and immediately felt the relief of not being directly in the path of a violent downpour. Droplets formed along the lines of his bangs and dripped downward almost rhythmically.

Anemone eventually looked up from whatever she was working on and met his emotionless gaze. "Can I help you?"

9S nodded. "You can. That room over there. Who owns it now?"

"You still do, technically. We had to throw some equipment in there to keep it out of the rain, but it's still yours."

9S glared at the door from over his shoulder in brief silence. He relinquished a sigh that dissipated beneath the onslaught of rain and thunder. "Then I'd like to give it to Devola and Popola."

"Give it to them? Look, I know you've been spending a lot of time with those twins, but you should be careful."

"Whatever."

Anemone's puzzled look began to shift into one of annoyance. "I'm just trying to give you a friendly warning. I allowed them to stay here because I felt bad for them, but I don't fully trust them. Still, it's your room. You can do whatever you want. Just so long as you're not hurting my people, that is…"

9S smirked at her. A smug smile that caused her mood to visibly sour more than it already had. "Keep your people away from those twins and we won't have anything to worry about. I spent too long repairing them to see some rabid dog come along and cause trouble for them."

"I remember you working on those two for a solid couple of months," she explained. "I was surprised you managed it. Even recovering a decent amount of their memories. Why, though? I thought you wanted to find your memories. The first thing you asked me after your pod revived you was what I remembered. Nothing about those twins, though. Why spend so much time on them?"

"That's for me to know and them to never find out."

It was a cryptic choice of words, but Anemone either did not care or simply did not want to know. Regardless of the motive, she was quick to change the subject. "Anyway, I already spoke to everyone here after your last outburst. Notice how nobody's approached you three yet. Just keep in mind that my patience has its limits."

9S was content to leave it at that. He took a single step away from the desk but Anemone beckoned him back.

"Oh, before you go. I got a communication from our forest outpost. Apparently, someone there claimed to be a friend of yours. He said he had something you might be interested in. Didn't specify anything beyond that."

9S tilted his head in bewilderment. As far as he knew, he had no friends. Certainly none dwelling in the Forest Kingdom.

"Friend," he asked. "Who?"

"I think he said his name was 4S. Ring any bells?"

9S thought for a moment. He raced through his own memories in search of anything that would shed some light on such a name, but his mind turned up nothing apart from blanks. After giving up his futile attempt, he shook his head.

"He's been at the outpost helping the people there for some time. I'm sure you can find him there after the storm has lifted."

She barely had time to finish before 9S set off for the city ruins.

"Wait! Don't tell me you're going out there in this!"

9S chuckled but left without uttering a word.

9S stepped over a fallen tree. Part of it still stood defiant, yet the trunk had been split apart. He examined the smoldering wood that laid at his feet. It decorated the overgrown concrete. Was it a lightning strike that wrought this destruction? He was left scratching his head at the remains.

The android grew bored of examining the dead tree and moved on. A few streets ahead and he could hear a machine shouting. He cautiously followed the automated yells until he reached a dark alleyway. Two figures slumped over one another in the shadows beyond. A pair of small machines. One was on the ground, lying on its back. The other loomed over it, consuming its victim's body.

"Mo…ther… Mother…"

The helpless machine kept repeating the same line at varying volumes. Bright red eyes reflected off the surface of nearby puddles. The sound of metallic crunching filled 9S's ears. The scanner pulled his sword and slowly approached them. He was not entirely certain of the story here, but he also did not entirely care.

He closed the distance without being noticed. Standing over the berserk machine, he aimed Cruel Oath above its head. He then plunged the weapon downward, impaling both the cannibalistic assailant and its half-eaten victim. In one smooth motion, both tales of misery were ended.

A sensation came over him. A fleeting period of recollection. He found himself looking up to the gray, lightning-infested heavens in search of its source. Something about this mercy killing felt familiar. Perhaps it was the simple act of slaying a couple of machines that stirred remembrance. Memories that were so frustratingly just out of his reach. His own attempts to focus on them inevitably drove the thoughts from his mind. Inevitably, he forgot what he was trying to recall in the first place. 9S yanked his sword free from the corpses and shambled back the way he came.

Another interruption kept him from moving on. The moment he stepped back out into the open, he heard a voice call his name. He turned in the direction of the camp. The twins came running. Devola waved him down frantically as she trailed behind her sibling.

"There you are," exclaimed Devola. "The hell are ya doing out here?"

"Someone living in the forest wanted to see me in."

"They can wait," she snarled.

"Going out in such a violent storm is dangerous," Popola interjected. "We should wait until it passes."

The scanner glinted to the dark skies for as long as the ever-harassing rain would allow. He lowered his head, shielding his face from the elements.

"I have a feeling this storm is going to be sticking around for a while. Besides, patience is not one of my strengths anymore."

Devola looked on with a deadpan scowl. "Ya know, it's gonna be a boneheaded move like this that gets you killed."

"Won't that be ironic?"

9S started toward the forest. The twins were quick to pursue him.

"Wait up," Popola pleaded. "Anemone said that you gave us your old room. Why would you do that? Did they not set that up for you and 2B?"

"Yeah," 9S confirmed. There was a trace of annoyance in his otherwise monotone voice. "But one of us is dead and the other has no use for it. I assumed you did so it's yours."

Devola's eyes narrowed with skepticism. "I find it weird that you've been doing all this for us," she blurted out.

"Sister," the opposing twin warned.

"I'm starting to think he has an ulterior motive."

"Devola!"

Through all the commotion, 9S temporarily ceased his advance. He locked eyes with her. Lightning flashed wildly above, offering brief glimpses of each other's stern visages.

"Well, regardless of your motive, thanks, I guess... But I've got my eye on you."

9S shrugged his shoulders and carried on without any further hassle. Devola followed behind.

Popola simply stood in place and watched the two. She shook her head and wondered if this would be the last time such a confrontation would unfold, or if it would merely be the first of many.

The forest outpost was no better off than Anemone's camp. People struggled to keep their valuable terminals and supplies from being ruined by the elements. The forest canopy did provide some relief, but it was raining far too hard to make a significant difference. The trees and rocky terrain worked in tandem to fend off those wretched winds.

9S had no idea who he was looking for. He scanned the clusters of resistance fighters for anyone dressed in obvious YoRHa attire. Nobody stood out among the crowd. He walked through the entire camp but saw nothing of interest. A return trip to Anemone was up for mental debate when someone tapped his shoulder. 9S assumed it was one of the twins. He peered over his shoulder to find that was not the case at all.

It was another scanner. He had dark hair and eyes concealed behind a YoRHa issued visor. His uniform was identical to that of 9S's own. Nothing about the android was familiar, but that only proved to further intrigue 9S.

"I was thinking you weren't going to show," the stranger announced. He adopted a friendly grin. "I contacted Anemone days ago. Not the most ideal weather for a meeting like this, but I'm glad you're here."

"Who are you?"

The boy seemed taken aback by the question, or maybe it was 9S's cold inflection that caught him off guard. "You don't remember me? I'm 4S. You helped me collect some data for my mission shortly after YoRHa fell."

9S tilted his head. "Sorry, but I don't remember. My memories from around that time were stolen from me. I've been trying to get them back."

"I see. Beyond that simple run-in we had, I can't say I knew very much about you. What exactly do you still remember?"

His lips parted. He was fully prepared to answer. Devola's unexpected intervention caused 9S to fall silent. She stepped forward, staring daggers at the dark-haired android.

"Hold on a minute. Why do you wanna know that?"

4S seemed visibly confused if not a little intimidating. He took a few steps back. "W-what do you mean? I was just…"

Devola was prepared to grill him further, but she was not given that chance. She felt Popola's hand rest on her shoulder.

"Ignore us. It's been a stressful day." Popola's eyes shifted to her ill-tempered sister. "Come on, Devola. Why don't we let them talk for a bit?"

Popola led her sister away. 9S watched as they found some quiet corner out of the rain to claim as their own for the time being.

"I see you've made some new friends," said 4S.

"They've made this journey bearable. Now, to answer your question…"

9S searched the sky as he struggled to recall. As usual, the rain relentless rain only allowed him to scry into the heavens for but a second before he was forced to avert his eyes downward.

"Everything up until the collapse of the bunker is mostly clear. My pod specifically stole the memories I gained after the fact. Though, I don't think she was entirely successful. I recall a dear friend of mine being murdered. I can't remember who did it. I remember chasing that someone to the ends of the earth to claim vengeance. I know of an executioner who chased me just as relentlessly, yet their identity is just as much a mystery to me."

"You never mentioned any of that stuff to me. I wish I knew more but you looked so sad when we met. I decided not to ask. I do have something that might help you, though."

The amnesiac perked an ear with renewed interest. A sliver of hope shined through a sea of darkening thoughts. 9S dared not interrupt. He listened to every word as though his life depended on it, or more importantly, his recollection.

4S's tone suddenly lifted with excitement. The shift to such a joyous attitude over such a melancholic conversation almost offended 9S. "I was out exploring the ruins recently. I came across a storage chip containing memory data. I took a look at the contents and I assumed they were yours. Of course, I could be wrong, but I thought you should take a look."

"Are you saying you randomly stumbled upon a couple backed-up memories of mine," asked 9S. "That's… a pretty strange coincidence."

"Well, I suspect it was left there deliberately," 4S corrected. "They belonged to an android called No.9. An android that looked pretty much identical to you. "

"No one's ever referred to me as No.9."

"Maybe you're not the same person," 4S added. "The thing is, I checked the dates for when the files were created. They were apparently recorded back in the same year YoRHa was originally founded. They could belong to some prototype version of you. Maybe this guy is completely unrelated. Hard for me to say but I wanted you to take a look at it."

9S hesitated. He crossed his arms, gripping his sleeves tightly. Even if the likelihood of these memories being his was extremely low, it was no less alluring. "I suppose it's worth a shot. Show them to me."

"Right this way!"

4S guided him to a tent where several computers had been hidden away from the rain. Sitting on the ground was a rustic chest. 4S unlocked it and pulled out a single storage chip. He handed it off to 9S.

"There it is. The formats aren't really used anymore, but any support pod should be able to read and play it back for you. Certain terminals may also be able to recognize them, but not all. Otherwise, I guess you could install it directly to your own memory, but I wouldn't advise doing that."

"Why not?"

4S leaned back. He scratched his head as if searching for a way to explain. "Well, I'm not entirely sure if those memories belong to you or not. I can't imagine it would be a good idea to start installing random memory files that aren't your own."

There was no time for him to elaborate further. It was as though 4S's warning went in one synthetic ear and out the other. 9S knelt and began the simple process of manual installation.

"Wait," 4S pleaded. "Were you not listening!? Don't do that!"

4S went totally ignored. 9S receded into the depths of his own OS. A beige geometric plane overlapped his view of the world before replacing it entirely.

He navigated to the directory where his memories would normally be stored. Sorted by date, he searched through the entire list. Only at the very top did he find the newly added files.

Both files were considerably older than any of his own memories. 4S did not appear to be lying about the age of these memories. Between them and 9S's earliest file, there was a sizable gap in time that spanned a little over a decade. His curiosity reached an all-time peak. He installed the first file without further delay. The information came flooding in like a digital tidal wave.

Once again, the scenery around him changed as the memory was played out before his very eyes as if it were his own. 9S knew he had never seen this location before, yet it still somehow felt all too familiar. An area likely in the city ruins that he had yet to venture to.

A massive wall of concrete towered overhead. It looked positively ancient. It seemed significantly older than the neighboring buildings. A gloved hand, not too dissimilar to his own, pressed against it.

A voice filled 9S's ears. It sounded much like his own, though, in a much more jovial tone than he was accustomed to using.

"No.9 to Zinnia."

A male voice chimed in, likely from a nearby pod or other communications device. It was not a voice 9S could recognize.

"This is Zinnia."

"So I was on my way to the objective, but there's this massive wall in the way. It's not blocking my way. A lot of it has been destroyed, but I was curious about it. This wasn't mentioned in the briefing. What exactly is this thing?"

"I'm aware of the wall," the other voice informed. "As far as I know, it was constructed by humans a really long time ago. It once wrapped all around that area your in. I suspect it was built to contain something but I have no idea what that something was..."

The memory ended just as 9S was getting settled into the new environment. It was infuriating, but 9S remembered the other file that was in his possession. He installed the final memory. Just like before, a wave of experience not his own overtook him. A new set of surroundings hijacked his peripherals.

The second setting was drastically different than the last. It resembled the Bunker. The curved walls and a tinted window granting him a view of the stars. While the architecture was similar, 9S could not recall an area of the Bunker that looked quite like this.

In the reflection of the glass, 9S could see what he initially assumed was his own reflection. He was swift to realize that he was staring at the vague details of his precursor's face. A blank frown was reflected from the glass. A frown that 9S could feel as though it were his own. His eyes contradicted his frown. There was a sense of wonder in them that had long drained from 9S's.

A figure appeared in the reflection behind the android.

"There you are, No.9."

It was the same male voice 9S had encountered in the previous file.

No.9 kept his eyes on the window. "Oh. Hello. Didn't see you there."

"The lecture is about to start soon."

The tinted reflection showed No.9's eyes lower slightly. His lips moved as though he were about to respond but the other android interrupted him.

"We'll be learning more about ice hazards today. You and No.2 are assigned to an area free of these features, but I think you should come. You never know when this sort of information can be handy."

No.9's gaze focused on a structure just barely in view. Floating out there in the abyss was a handful of blinking lights. Beacons marking some large structure, though, the construct itself was practically invisible against the black, starry backdrop.

"You say that like I have a choice," muttered No.9.

"I won't force you to come this time. Is… Is something wrong?"

"No. Nothing."

"Ah. Great," Zinnia exclaimed with no small amount of relief. "Wanna help me track down No.2, then? I can't seem to find her."

"Sure."

The sound of steady rain gradually came into focus. Bellowing thunder helped guide him back to a proper state of consciousness. The closer he came, the more it drowned out 9S's scattered contemplation.

He thought back to the sensations felt after installing those files. Even the memories 153 had left behind did not stir such emotion. He started to wonder if she did more than simply remove certain files. It was an infuriating thought.

The memories themselves were mundane, but the mere idea of uncovering more of them enthralled him. He was almost positive that android was not him, yet the similarities in voice and appearance were undeniable.

"I was going to say…," 4S announced rather loudly. His words liberated 9S from his reverie. "There's a terminal at Anemone's camp that can display the contents of the files. That's how I displayed them. Seriously, don't go installing random memories like that. They're more than just recordings as you are probably fully aware by now."

A hand gently rested on his back.

"Are you okay," Popola's voice came softly.

He only then noticed her sitting to his right while Devola stood nearby. Did those two not go to some other area of the camp? 9S looped his newly received memories repeatedly, but he was certain that he was not gone for too terribly long.

"Don't coddle him, sis. Especially if he's gonna do something so stupid."

9S forced himself back onto his feet. "Where did you find these?"

"I was doing some reconnaissance in the city ruins," 4S explained. "I wanted to see what was beyond Anemone's immediate vicinity. I went towards the old factory and kept going. I found this massive wall. I have no idea how long it goes on for, but it looked ancient. It was significantly older than any of the nearby buildings. I found those particular files in a small facility beneath the ground. The entrance was not too far from that stretch of wall I discovered. I'll relay the exact coordinates."

"Great. I'll head over there. I want to find out more about this person..."

"Hold on a minute," Popola ordered. She spoke a bit more sternly than 9S was used to. Naturally, his attention was firmly captured. "I know the wall he's talking about and I'm afraid it is not exactly close. Traveling from the main Resistance Camp to here in this weather is one thing, but that wall is an entirely different story."

"You don't have to come."

The comment did not seem to put her at ease. Her eyes narrowed at him. "I won't let you travel all that way by yourself."

A loud clap of thunder nearly caused 9S to jump. Just another reminder that the current conditions were anything but ideal yet it did not dissuade him. "I'm going. We'll return to the camp after I've checked the location out."

Devola was no more convinced than her sister. She folded her arms. An unreceptive gesture to match her cynical glare. "You there," she exclaimed, eying 4S. "You've already been there. Are we even gonna find anything or did you see everything that needed to be seen?"

"No idea, ma'am," 4S replied with a nervous scratch of his head. "I found that chip in a locked chest. I had to hack it just to gain access. That's the only reason I suspect that chip was left there intentionally. Most of the facility, I didn't have time to explore."

"Why not," both twins asked in unison.

"That place was creepy and I'm pretty sure someone was living there. I found a room filled with pictures, maps, and… You'll see what I mean if you go there. There were a lot of dead machines out that way too. I didn't see anyone out there, but I also didn't want to stick around for too long."

Popola turned to 9S. "I really don't like the sound of this."

"Yeah," Devola agreed. "And what's the point of going at all? I thought you wanted to find your own memories, not somebody else's. Even if he really is an earlier version of you, what difference does it make?"

"I want to resurrect him," 9S proclaimed. "This… No.9. I think I can do it. I can do it the same way I revived you two. I just need more of his memories. And if 4S found these memories by accident, then there shouldn't be any reason why we can't find more. I can use a copy of my own OS chip as well. The only other thing I'll need is a vessel."

"Vessel," inquired 4S. "You mean like a body?"

9S nodded.

"I'm sure you can find an S-type android around here somewhere. There are probably plenty of bodies all over the place now that YoRHa has fallen."

"Excellent idea. This should take no time at all. I can have this No.9 repaired and who knows what sort of information he may have? I could learn so much from him."

None of what was being said sat well with either of the twins. They glanced each other's way, searching for an answer to this obvious problem.

Devola was the first to speak up. She met 9S's determined frown with a nervous, wavering smile.

"Whatever you say, little necromancer."

Note: This chapter turned out to be a little chunkier than I would've liked. Probably won't be the last time but my goal is to at least keep most of them down in the 2-3,000 word range.