Chapter IX:
Heavenward
The girl in red told no lie. Every book he opened jogged another memory. Some would remind him of times spent in previous lives. The very first book to grant him a lost memory was of a time in which he needed to detonate his black box to complete a mission. It was one of the few deaths he uncovered in which 2B had not been his murderer.
As alien as the place was, the library housed everything he needed to know, and absolutely nothing more. If it was relevant to his past experiences, then it was bound to be somewhere on the shelves. A library dedicated to his own history.
9S tore through the books at a remarkable pace. Information flooded in all at once. After only a few hours, the boy had barely scratched the surface, yet he knew just about everything. By a stroke of luck, he stumbled upon the section regarding his previous self so early. The other lives he lived were fascinating, though, tragic. Regardless, they were not his primary concern. He desired to know what happened after the Tower sprung from the earth, and learn he did.
Certain details were already retained by him. Information that 153 mistakenly left behind, yet without the proper context, said details may as well be considered useless. It was no longer something to worry over. His biggest questions were answered. A2 was 2B's killer. A2 was the one he hunted to the ends of the world. He dueled with her at the top of the Tower. He proved victorious only to slip and fall on her sword at the last possible second.
A humiliating death.
Excitement rose when he thought of how the twins might react to all of the stories he could tell them. That one, however, would likely have to be embellished or remain a secret.
The library was a miracle in his eyes. A gift from Heaven's generous cherubs.
With that curiosity sated, his obsession did not end. 9S found himself searching the other sections. He hunted down every last trace of reminiscence. Not a single memory, no matter how fleeting, pointless, or irrelevant it may seem would go without recall.
His red eyes lit up with child-like wonder. He was still unable to associate the emotional weight of each memory, but knowing them filled him with triumphant euphoria. Midway through one book, he broke down and sobbed. The tears were not produced by the admittedly sorrowful memory in question. They were tears of joy. A result of simply knowing this one memory truly transpired filled him with a sense of much-needed relief.
That life too led to a brutal end at the hands of 2B. His executioner. The E models were no myth. These books proved as much. It was nothing for him to concern himself over now. No executioner could sap these memories from him.
9S dropped to his knees. He gazed up at the thousands of leather-bound books. Tomes of recollection that all eagerly waited to be returned to their rightful home in the depths of his insatiable mind. The dates used to label each book did not span beyond the time of YoRHa's founding. He held out hope that there was more to it than that.
The android wondered just how far back these incarnations of himself went on. His mind raced as he thought of all the fantastical possibilities. Could he have existed in some form before YoRHa and all its designs came about? Was he human in a past life? Only the books he had yet to read would give him the answer, so he resumed his study.
As the boy moved to the next shelf, ready to be brought to another existence entirely, he heard an all too familiar voice call out to him.
"There you are… We searched everywhere for you."
9S jumped slightly. He turned to see who had come to visit him. The newcomer was a slender, tall man. Long white locks flowed down along his back. Red eyes akin to his own stared back at him. The man's lips curled into a serene smile.
"We missed you, don't you know? My brother misses his playtime. I miss the talks we used to have while staring out at the stars."
9S felt his legs grow weak at the sight of the man. The machine whose clothing and appearance were far too android-like for comfort. 9S beamed at him in bewilderment.
"A-Adam!? Is that you!?"
The machine waved. "We spent so much time on that ship. Then those pods stole you away. When will you return to us, 9S? One day, we will find a new world to call home. My only hope is that you will be there to help us take the first steps."
It all came flooding back in. 9S remembered that arc of light fired from the Tower. He remembered following Adam aboard it. He remembered the tranquility of a quiet, eternal journey through unexplored space. Seeing distant stars up close was the highlight of his time there.
"I don't know," 9S admitted. He averted his eyes to Adam's boots. "I know I can't leave this place now. Not when there's still so much more to learn."
Adam's grin grew wider. "I can relate. Just take a break from the reading, will you? Walk with me. Talk with me."
Their boots hit the floor with a reverberating rhythm. They left lasting footsteps as they paced the library's bottom floor. 9S smiled so genuinely as he looked on to the various memories he had yet to uncover.
Adam kept his focus on the path ahead. He led the way around and around the library. Most of the trip was spent in silence, but Adam eventually shattered it like delicate china. His soothing voice consumed 9S like a caressing wave.
"What are you doing these days? Is there much left of our world anymore?"
"Life still goes on with or without us, I guess," 9S explained. "I was repaired by my pods, as you seem to already know. I guess my reactivation was what drove me off your ark. I met these twin androids. Well, I already knew them, but I found them dead by the Tower. I repaired them myself. I've mostly just been spending my time with them ever since."
Adam stopped in his tracks. "I see. So, you've gone and found yourself some new friends. That's lovely. Do you intend to stay with them?"
"I think I will. I don't want to leave them behind."
The enigmatic machine circled to the back of 9S. The android remained still as Adam placed his hands on 9S's shoulders.
"I'm jealous," Adam said with a calm, somewhat despairing chuckle. "And how much of this newfound time do you intend on spending here?"
"Until I've read everything," 9S confirmed. "Until I know every single detail about every life I've lived up to this point."
"Dear boy… Do you understand how long that will take?"
"I've made hasty progress so far. I suspect I can get through all of this in another day or two."
Adam drew closer to 9S. He wrapped his arms around the boy's neck and whispered a reply into his ear. "Take another look…"
Gently, Adam lifted the android's chin upward. 9S was struck by the sight before him. The library altered before his very eyes. The second story extended onward. A third, fourth, fifth, and sixth floor all sprung from thin air. The library kept climbing upward. It went on forever. He could no longer see the ceiling. Heavenly rays descended from above, illuminating the entire path down to him.
Glittering sparkles floated about in the air. The photons gathered and solidified into hovering crystals. Those crystals, in turn, reflected the light off of their shining surfaces. They sent golden beams in all directions, creating a breathtaking sight.
One of the little crystals drifted down closer to him. He reached out and captured it in both palms. The light it exuded simply shined through his hands as though they were fashioned from polished glass.
"What's happening," asked 9S. He had to choke out the question. The view of the lights and spiraling walls of books left him at a loss for words.
"Eternity does not end at a clear beginning," Adam elaborated. He held onto the boy firmly and ran a gloved finger along 9S's jawline. "Even as we stand here, more experiences are being added to this bank of information. This vault holds all your records. No matter how far back they may go. You persist in the past just as you continue to reside in the here and now."
The mere idea captured 9S's imagination. Every second, new books were being spawned as fresh memories were siphoned into the library's ethereal walls. There was no end to his beginning.
"Then I could stay here for an eternity," 9S admitted, smiling brightly as his eyes twinkled with innocent wonder.
Adam pulled away from 9S. "I cannot let that happen. You mustn't stay here. Either return to the ship with me or go back to the physical world."
9S turned his way. A puzzled expression caused his amazement to waiver. "Why? This is the most beautiful spot in all of existence! I want to bring the twins here. Yeah, that's what I have to do! Devola and Popola need to be here with me. We can stay here forever. No one would ever be able to abuse them again in this place! They deserve this paradise. They need to see this for themselves!"
"Looks can be deceiving. If you stay here forever, you will surely go mad. Nothing moves. Nothing changes apart from the number of books stored here. No one lives here because no one can live here."
"All the more reason why it's so perfect," exclaimed 9S. His tone became more and more fanatical with each spoken word. Every second spent staring at the architecture and impossibly gorgeous lights reaffirmed his belief.
"It's a place where no one will disturb us. A place that never devolves. Never erodes. Never deteriorates. It will stay beautiful. I know they'll smile when they see it. Smiles that will last for all eternity. Just like the grandeur of this library. Forever and ever…"
Adam stared at him for the longest time. It made no difference to 9S. He was too lost in the rapture which the library so easily provoked. He twirled around and around just as Devola and Popola had instructed, basking in the perfect scenery. It was a building so surreal and gorgeous that it could only have been built by angels. A masterpiece lit up by the breathtaking lights of the heavens.
A new voice spoke out to them. A tone that drew 9S an inch closer to a more grounded reality.
"Brother? Look what I found."
They both looked for the source of the voice. Leaning over the railing of the second story just above them was a man whose likeness was no mystery to 9S. A machine with similar features to that of Adam. His hair was shorter in length and far more reserved. His eyes were the same shade of red. Tattoos covered his left arm.
In his dominant hand was a long staff. At the top of the weapon was a crescent-shaped mesh of gold.
"Eve," 9S greeted.
"Interesting find, brother. I'm afraid our detour was for not, though. Our friend here wishes to stay behind this time."
Eve turned to 9S with an accusing gaze. His features contorted in offense. "Why? Why not?"
9S failed to answer him. Adam wound up speaking in his stead. "He's already made his reasons apparent to me. For now, we shall send him away from here."
"Stop," 9S pleaded. "I don't want to leave! I don't ever want to leave! I just need to find the twins! We can stay here forever!"
Adam gave a firm shake of his head. "Not possible. This place is nothing more than an evil dream. You've had your fun, but now it's time to wake up."
The long-haired machine held out his hand. Without needing to be asked, Eve dropped his staff from the catwalk above. The weapon fell straight into Adam's clutches. He aimed the crescent staff directly at the helpless scanner.
A black sphere spawned from the air surrounding him. The circular abyss almost resembled that of a black hole. It rapidly grew in size until it threatened to consume all three of them.
"No, wait," 9S cried out. He charged Adam A last desperate attempt to interrupt the dark manifestation. A final effort to remain right where he was. In a state of utter bliss that could be found nowhere else.
"Farewell," Adam called out. "And good luck."
With that last utterance, 9S was torn from the heavenly library and plunged back into the depths of a cyclonic abyss.
A lonely tune called 9S back to a proper state of consciousness. A slow, sorrowful lute struggling to be heard over a wrathful typhoon. The boy's eyes fluttered open. He laid on his back in a gloomy, poorly lit room.
9S did not bother attempting to pick himself up. His first sight was a predictably depressing one. Devola sat hunched over near a window. Rain flew in from outside, but it did not appear to bother her. She held onto her lute, plucking away at the strings. An oppressed, hopeless song radiated throughout the room. Her head hung low. From his angle, she almost looked like a corpse.
Fear began to set in. He could see and hear her playing the instrument, but it did not change how utterly lifeless she looked. Just as he was on the verge of outright asking her, he saw her head rise ever so slightly.
"Back already? Did ya find anything?"
From somewhere across the room 9S heard a growl. The boy did not exert the effort needed to turn his head. The person's identity was obvious from the start. He only knew one individual who communicated in such a bestial manner.
"Okay. Thanks, anyway."
Another growl pierced the gloom that draped over the room like an intangible curtain.
"Nah, he hasn't stirred. He was talking in his sleep earlier. Something about paradise. Know anything about that?"
Amos hissed at her.
"Interesting," the twin muttered as though she could understand him.
That response alone provoked another monstrous noise.
"I know you can't talk," Devola admitted. "But pretending like you can makes this place a hell of a lot less lonely, so get over it!"
Her eternally annoyed tone soothed 9S. It helped return him to a sense of normalcy. He heard heavy footsteps march down the hall. Devola lowered her head and resumed her performance.
9S listened to it for a bit longer. He felt a peculiar excitement about seeing his companions again, but he was not in any rush to greet them. He was at a loss for words. Never did he think his journey would actually come to an end. 9S could not hold back his smile.
The boy sat upright. He beamed at Devola with uncharacteristic satisfaction. There was no need to resurrect No.9 with his memories having been returned to him. He was content to declare this job "over." Fully prepared to keep his promise and forgive his pod. Prepared to disappear with those enigmatic twins to whatever dark corner of the globe they wished to visit next. Whether it be to a tropical paradise or some blasted desert made no difference anymore.
He got what he wanted. It was time to make that fact known.
"Devola," he exclaimed.
She jolted with a fright. Her head snapped to his location. For a moment, she was taken completely aback by the sight of him. That apprehension faded after a few seconds.
"Mornin', Nines. Are you… smiling? You can do that!?"
9S wasted no time in explaining himself. "I remember everything! The library! It has all my memories from every life I've lived so far! If only you could've seen it. It was the most beautiful place I've ever seen! Where's your sister? I want to tell her about it too…"
Devola evaded eye contact to further conceal a sour glare that spawned the very moment Popola was mentioned. "Ugh… I dunno. We haven't spoken much recently."
"I have my memories," 9S repeated, paying her troubled inflection no mind. "I remember the Tower. I remember A2! She…"
He paused. Devola patiently waited for him to continue. His smile faltered. Crimson eyes darted in every which way as if he were trying to search the humid air for an answer. It was as if he was trying to remember.
"A2 was… And 2B…"
A horrifying revelation descended upon him like a swarm of flies to a bloated corpse. He could not remember any of it. He knew full well that, for a moment, everything was crystal clear. The library showed him every minute detail of his past. Details he knew were correct. Details he could so vividly recall. Then, within the blink of an eye, it was all taken back.
There was at least one memory that crept into the back of his thoughts. Something he completely forgot about until then. The last thing he could remember before fainting. The reason behind that wave of exhaustion. The cherubs were not happy with him. Their intent to punish him was still as clear as day, and he did not have to look far to find the results of their divine retribution.
It was only when his cheerful mood reached its dramatic end did Devola realized how genuine the boy was. Instantly, the android's mood shifted for the worse. His abnormal yet joyous smile twisted into one of pure, unadulterated hatred. Those red eyes lit up with rage as uncharacteristic as his short-lived bout of child-like glee.
Something needed to die. Something needed to feel pain. Someone or something needed to suffer for this, and with no potential victims available to him, 9S repeatedly slammed his fists into the floor.
"Give them back," he shouted. "Give them all back! They're mine! MINE! TAKE ME TO THE LIBRARY!"
The violent outburst caught Devola off guard. Calming Popola down was something she occasionally had to do in the past and was nothing new to her. However, seeing such an unnerving tantrum left her far too disturbed to try and stop him.
Her choice to simply let him blow off some steam would be challenged the minute she saw blood spurt from his fingers. How he managed to continue this act without so much as flinching despite how painful it looked was beyond her.
The enraged android kept screaming out his demands. He continuously punched the cold, uncaring floor until something caught his eye. The flower in his hair finally came loose. It drifted downward, directly in line with his fists. 9S froze upon seeing it. He came extremely close to smashing it into the cracks of the floor. A move that would utterly ruin such a pleasant gift.
His posture loosened. 9S reached down and plucked the flower off the surface. He rolled his fingers together, twirling the pedals around and around. With a begrudging groan, he placed it back in his hair. 9S came to his senses. The look in his eyes was as murderous as ever, but he did settle down.
Devola took the opportunity to slowly, cautiously approach him. Breaking the quiet atmosphere took no small amount of courage on her part.
"Must've been some fever dream. So, what are you going to do, now? I already know the answer, but I still feel the need to ask."
It was not a difficult question for him to answer. 9S gritted his teeth. He extended his dominant hand out to his side and held open his palm. Shards of radiant light accumulated in the air and solidified into the form of a certain golden sword. He wrapped his fingers tightly around it. Blood seeped into the creases of his gloves and onto the sword. A mess that would need to be cleaned later as per his promise to Popola.
"Same plan as before. No more distractions. I'm going to get them back. All of them! And along the way, I'll resurrect No.9. Provided Amos stops lying to me then this can all be done relatively quickly."
"About that," Devola added. "I get the feeling Sodium Boy had a damn good reason for keeping that under wraps. I'll let him mime up an explanation on his own, though. Not my place to say much else."
"Whatever the case, it doesn't matter. No.9 will walk this earth again. By any means necessary."