Chapter XIV:

Night of the Living Androids

Hanging from several wires were three android corpses. One was left eviscerated and strung up by its arms. The second was split completely in half. Only the upper torso of the body remained. It swung gently from side to side from a noose while synthetic entrails dangled from the victim's exposed ribcage. The third body looked as though it had been partially eaten. The android's face was caved inward, bludgeoned by a blunt object.

9S recalled Id claiming they would know the area when they reached it. He was not wrong. Crumbled barricades were left scattered along the roads. Some still stood. Others had been completely destroyed either by cyclonic winds or perhaps by the insane residents they were meant to contain.

Written on one of the nearby walls was the phrase, "Robert Neville was here." What it actually meant was anyone's guess. An ominous message that 9S opted to ignore.

"Talk about a cold reception," remarked Devola. "Can we go home, now?"

9S did not take his eyes off of the hanged trio dangling above him. "Not until I find those other twins. I told you two to stay behind."

"You did," Popola reaffirmed. "But we obviously were not about to allow you to wander in such a dangerous place without us."

As the three had their back and forth, Amos pulled his rifle and approached the bodies. He made no effort to cut them down. He only wanted a closer look. The wounds inflicted upon all three of them were gruesome. Wounds that could not have been done by any model of machine he was aware of nor would any sane android be willing to inflict such horror.

"I have a plan," 9S abruptly announced with makeshift confidence. "Amos? Do you know the quickest route to wherever those two are hiding?"

Amos turned and nodded at him.

"Id warned against using too much light or making a lot of noise. That means no firearms," he spoke, glaring at Amos in particular. The Legionnaire huffed and flung his rifle back over his shoulder.

"And no magic…"

Popola dropped her shoulders in disappointment. "Fair enough. I wish I thought to bring my sword along too."

She studied her staff as she took in the silence of her surroundings. Neither the constant rain nor obnoxious thunder could drown out the deathly quiet of this stretch of ruin. An unnatural, overwhelming bleakness lingered over the narrow labyrinth of debris-covered streets.

"If we start attracting a lot of attention then go ahead and use it," 9S continued. "Otherwise, I guess Amos and I will handle the fighting. With any luck, we can be in and out without too much of a hassle."

"What about me," inquired Devola. She held up the golden sword he gifted to her, ready to put it to use.

9S firmly shook his head. "In your condition, don't even think about it. You're in charge of the flashlight. You'll be the only one allowed to use any form of light. Just make sure to use it only when we absolutely need it, and be careful about where you aim it."

"Fine," she grumbled. "But it's gotten so damn dark lately. How are we gonna navigate without light?"

The clouds layered upon each other and blocked out even the narrowest slivers of sunlight. However, just as Devola asked her prudent question a flash of lightning lit up the sky, and likewise, their surroundings.

9S promptly pointed to the heavens. "That's how. Id was worried that the storm might have stirred up a lot of them, but I think it's been raging long enough to not phase them."

"Do we have to use the streets," asked Devola. "Wouldn't it be smarter to access the sewers or rooftops?"

"Only if you don't mind swimming," muttered Popola. "I'm sure the sewers are all flooded by now."

"And as for the roofs," 9S added with a slightly shaken sigh. He stepped back and looked around at the various structures looming over him and his group. "We have to climb up there first, and I don't know what's inside these buildings."

Amos rummaged through his backpack. He threw his flashlight inside as it would be no use to him here. In its place, he took out a pair of peculiar goggles. A mechanism 9S could only assume offered him night vision. He attached them to his helmet and lowered them over his eyes. A piece of equipment that was rarely useful in a place where the sun never set. Until that point, he almost forgot he had them at all.

The beast lumbered over to a nearby wall and leaped upward. He dug his claws into the concrete and stuck to the side of an old building as though he were a spider. Defiant of gravity, Amos was well on his way to scaling the structure when 9S noticed him.
"Amos? Where are you going?"

The soldier of salt looked back and pointed at his goggles. He then aimed his index fingers to the streets ahead before continuing his climb of the building. A cryptic message. One that went completely over 9S's head.

"Whatever," 9S sighed in defeat. "Let's just go. The sooner we get started, the sooner we can get out of here."

While the group navigated the desolate streets, Amos kept a watchful eye from on high. He occasionally made gestures for alleyways or various other paths to avoid. What exactly he wanted them to avoid was unknown, but it was not difficult to make a reasonable guess.

The winding roads running through the city were completely devoid of life. 9S counted their blessings that they had yet to encounter anything. If his memory of Amos' map proved correct, he could not imagine their destination being much further. This did not bring him much relief. They were not quite out of the metaphorical woods.

He moved ahead of the twins and toward a separate road that veered off to the right. The boy advanced slowly, pressing his back against a nearby wall. He waited for the bright arcs of lightning to offer glimpses of the path ahead. Guided by the electric lights of the storm, 9S halted at the end of the wall and poked his head around the corner.

Another flash revealed the vague shape. 9S studied the darkness while waiting for another lightning strike. Infuriatingly, nothing struck close enough to reveal more of the road ahead. He searched the rooftops for Amos. It did not take long for 9S to find him, but he was not facing their direction. Something to the north captured his attention. Out of impatience to get the twins to a safer location, he opted to take a risk.

9S gestured for Devola. She stepped up and leaned around the corner. Careful not to make a sound, she pointed her flashlight down the path in question. The light was already switched on, but she used her palm to shield the bulb. Bracing herself, she moved her hand. Light flooded outward and into the darkness beyond.

That outline was suddenly revealed. It was an android. Devola immediately covered her light again, but that brief glimpse of illumination gave 9S a far better visual than he could have ever wanted.

By some miracle, the manic automaton was facing the opposite direction.. 9S noticed the odd breathing patterns. A female machine. Likely, she was once a YoRHa combat model. She rapidly inhaled and exhaled. Strained panting eased its way into his ears. The two waited and listened. After a few minutes, it was obvious that they had somehow gone unnoticed.

Amos finally noticed the route that drew their attention. He waved them away, gesturing for them to head left. 9S almost let out an annoyed groan, but Devola was swift to cover his mouth. Such a mistake would have been an embarrassing way to be discovered. It would prove to be a bothersome detour, but the group was given no choice.

The group reached a dead end and was forced to take yet another detour. They had to go through a crumbled building. There was no other way forward. The streets were too populated. It was the one thing 9S wished they could avoid as the lights of the storm did not reach them while inside. Turning every corner was a risk.

Deep within the concrete depths of a dilapidated structure, 9S was forced to make yet another dangerous decision. Hunched over in the middle of a tight corridor was another unidentifiable outline. Horrid noises filled the air. The uncomfortable sound of tearing and chewing.

More than likely, 9S already knew what he was seeing but he needed confirmation. A means of finding out exactly what was going on. He aimed his sword down the hall and signaled for Devola. The girl removed her palm from the head of the flashlight.

9S was greeted by the site of an android, sat near a partially eaten corpse. It was yet another YoRHa combat model. Some random scanner laid before her. While she was facing the opposite direction, their presence failed to go unnoticed. Devola did not have time to cover her light. The nameless android quickly turned her head. She bent it out of place just to get a look at them.

Red eyes glowed brightly in the dark. They were unlike 9S's. Only her pupils exuded a faint sliver of that hellish glow. Her face was covered in blood. Bits of flesh clung to her teeth. Her body occasionally contorted unnaturally. 9S was not given time to wonder why. She lunged at him. Her stomach was torn open. The wound suggested that she too had been recently munched on. Regardless of the grizzly injury that should have been incapacitating, she moved as though she felt no pain at all.

Devola kept her light trained on the crazed woman's face with hopes of keeping her disorientated. An attempt that failed miserably. She charged forward. 9S first impaled her through the chest. He pushed himself forward which caused the diseased android to stumble back. The boy pinned her to the ground but death did not come so easily. His sword must have gone straight through her heart yet she continued to claw at him.

Gurgled cries escaped her blood-soaked lips. To silence her before she managed to attract attention, 9S stomped on her throat. He pulled his blade out only to then bring it down on her forehead. The move nearly sliced her head in half.

Just as he reeled back from the encounter, Popola called out to him. "Look out!"

The scanner he wrongly assumed was dead rose from the ground during the struggle with the first infect android. He rushed 9S's position and tackled the unsuspecting boy. The android scratched wildly and tried repeatedly to bite down on 9S. During the confusion, 9S lost his blade.

Popola stepped up and brought the crescent head of her staff down on the back of the scanner's head. She hit him again from the side, knocking him off of 9S. He immediately went for his sword and prepared to reengage the rabid android, but he soon found that there was no need to do so.

Popola repeatedly beat the scanner as he writhed on the floor. After a few well-placed hits, she caved his skull in. The android fell limp. She hit him several more times if for nothing else than good measure before finally backing off.

"Thanks," 9S muttered.

Before he could pick himself up off the ground, Devola rushed over and shined her light on him.

"You okay? Were ya bit?"

"No, I don't think so."

She checked him over but found no trace of a wound. Devola pulled him back onto his feet. "We don't have vaccines or any means of treatment. I don't know if your red eyes mean a regular Logic Virus won't affect you but don't count on it."

Devola then shifted her attention to the two bodies. She examined their wounds.

"Were they… taking turns eating each other?"

"Probably," Popola said grimly. "We should keep moving."

The pouring rain was a welcome sensation after they emerged from that dark building. Lightning illuminated their path once again. As they stepped out, something fell from the sky and landed at their feet. The group jumped out of impulse. A coil of nearby lightning exposed the object on the ground. The severed head of an android. The lower jaw had been ripped clean off.

Naturally, they looked up only to find Amos on the roof above them, waving at them. Devola was the first to address his actions. "He's like a cat. Dropping dead things at our feet without ever being asked."

"Shhh," Popola hissed at her sibling.

Devola narrowed her eyes at Popola. She spoke softly, but clearly not softly enough.

While they had their exchange, 9S took notice of something nearby. He did not have to wait long for more lightning to shed some light on it. Yet another android stood not too far from them.

Black clothes, blonde hair, and a feminine figure. She faced a wall opposite their direction. Her breathing was frantic and rushed as if labored despite her largely remaining motionless. She swayed from side to side, displaying an odd lack of balance.

Despite the low light conditions and the fact that he could not see her face, 9S could still recognize her. The clothes and hairstyle were distinct. The uniform of an operator model. Somehow, he forgot about the situation he dragged himself and his friends in. He forgot that what he was seeing was not actually a YoRHa android anymore.

"Operator," he asked aloud and somewhat sheepishly. "Operator 21O?"

His words immediately drew the ire of the twins. Devola and Popola were quick to notice the shambling automaton.

"The hell are you doing," Devola exclaimed in a whisper. "Shut up!"

9S ignored them. He took a few steps forward until both of the twins grabbed hold of him.

"Stay quiet," Popola demanded softly. "Please. Come to your senses. Whoever she is, she isn't the person you knew. We need to go. We have to get out of here."

It was too late. She heard his voice and slowly turned to face him. His eyes widened as an arc of lightning highlighted her familiar features. The dark veil that concealed her mouth was stained with dried blood. Her eyes glowed a vivid scarlet.

"It really is you," he confusedly murmured despite the twins' warnings. "I never did know what happened to you…"

She staggered forward without uttering a word. Her eyes twitched wildly. She examined him from head to toe as she approached. 9S did nothing. He was far too out of it to process what he was seeing.

"What are you doing all the way out here," he asked her.

"It's likely just the same model of android," Popola rationalized. "Please snap out of it."

He did not listen.

With 9S seemingly having lost his cybernetic marbles yet again, the twins took up positions in front of him. Their formation did not deter the insane operator from continuing her march for 9S. As they braced themselves for a fight, Amos leaped down from the roof. He landed a small distance behind the mindless android and gripped hold of her waist. In one smooth motion, his elongated claws split her clean in half.

Two sections of her body went flying in opposite directions. Her legs landed somewhere off to the side whereas her upper torso landed face-first into the flowing rainwater that flooded the streets.

Still barely clinging to life, 21O lifted her head and met 9S's mortified gaze. The swift and unexpected violence snapped him back to reality. She extended a hand towards him. Her lips moved from behind her veil. She tried to say something but could not form coherent speech. As Amos advanced to finish the miserable woman off, she abruptly let out a horrifying scream.

It echoed throughout the once quiet ghost town. Out of desperation to shut her up, Devola rushed forward. She slid across the semi-flooded pavement and plunged Cruel Oath straight through the android's skull.

Everyone froze. Roars and psychotic cries sounded off all around them. That one scream drew a lot of attention. Amos took up his rifle as there was no point in keeping quiet. He spotted movement down the road. An android previously lying on the ground, seemingly dead, twitched to life. Amos fired several well-placed rounds into the ill automaton's torso, putting it back down.

The soldier turned back and handed Popola his map. With that done, he charged in the opposite direction, tossing hand grenades into nearby buildings and gunning down anything that moved. He created as much noise as possible all while traveling further away from his companions.

"He's creating a diversion," Popola informed.

Frantically, she unfolded the map. Rain immediately dampened the parchment but it made no difference. Popola found their destination. The only challenge remaining was to get there, preferably, in one piece.

9S started off in Amos' direction but was stopped by Devola. She took hold of his arm and pulled him back.

"Where do ya think you're going!? We've gotta go, now!"

"We can't leave him behind," 9S exclaimed.

"Those freaks won't be able to touch him without magic," Devola reminded. Gripping his wrist firmly, she yanked him forward.

"Now, let's go!"

The group found refuge inside a near-collapsed apartment complex. Pod 153 pushed the door shut after ensuring they had not been followed. The location seemed reasonably empty. Any crazed androids that may have been inhabiting it likely went chasing after Amos after hearing the explosions.

A comfortable distance away, the group could hear the echoes of screams and gunfire. The occasional grenade sounded off every once in a while. Devola cracked an uneasy smirk at the faraway noises.

"Sounds like he's having fun."

"Good for him," murmured Popola. "But we still need to find those twins 9S is looking for. More importantly, we need to find a way back home. Hopefully without being followed."

153 floated to Popola and pointed at the drenched map in her arms. "Infected androids will likely continue to swarm the vicinity we used to gain access to this area. Recommendation: Once the objective is secured we should utilize an alternate route to evacuate."

Rapid footsteps and splashing from outside caused all conversation to reach an abrupt end. Everyone ducked down. Devola crawled to a nearby window and peeked outside. Several androids ran down the road in pursuit of Amos. Their movements were wild and without any form of bodily coordination. They growled, hissed, and babbled incoherent phrases. The behavior left Devola somewhat mystified.

"Hey," she whispered softly. "What do ya reckon they're thinking about? What goes on in their heads after they get infected and go all crazy like that?"

"Probably nothing," 9S dismissed.

"It can't be that simple. Maybe they're fully aware of everything happening but have no control over their bodies. Or maybe it's something completely different."

"The thought patterns of infected androids are currently unknown," Pod 153 interjected. "It is a concept this support unit has not considered until now. There has been research done on the Logic Virus but not much is known about what goes on inside the mind of an infected unit."

"Something else I'm curious about," Devola continued. "The ruins back home were getting really loud. I'm guessing some major trouble has been stirred up there."

9S ducked his head and looked away from her. Nervously, he scratched at his neck. "Crazy, right? I wonder what could be causing it…"

"These androids are gonna be drawn to that area of all the racket keeps up."

"We are really far from home, sister," reminded Popola. "I doubt they will hear it."

"I hope you're right."

It was high time for a change of subject. 9S stood up and approached Popola. He peered over her shoulder and to the red circle on the map that marked their destination.

"No sense in sticking around here."

After so much running and hiding, the group managed to shake their pursuers and return to the proper course. They followed the map, what was left of it, and reached a more rural area.

Upon a hill stood an old manor. One long since left to fend for itself against time and the elements alike. Amos stood at the entrance, leaning against the wall as if waiting on them. 9S was amazed at the Legionnaire's speed. From creating a series of diversions to beating them to their goal with time to spare. The boy was impressed, to say the least.

"It's all quiet up here," Devola groaned. "Those two better be alive. If this was all for nothing, I'll lose my damn mind."

Amos stepped up to the door only to find it locked. Beneath his feet was a doormat. He lifted it up and pulled a small key out from underneath.

"Interesting hiding spot. A bit obvious, though," said Popola.

Amos unlocked the door and pushed it open. He stepped aside, and with a nervous shudder, gestured for his companions to enter first. The idea of meeting this peculiar pair of androids consistently gave Amos visible apprehension. It diminished any confidence 9S had about confronting them. For a moment, he hesitated. He was almost tempted to turn back, but the thought of going through all this trouble only to not see their goal through was downright sickening.

He gulped and took the first step inside. Pod 153 floated beside him.

"Does Unit 9S require light?"

"Go ahead, 153," 9S confirmed. "We should be well away from the infected out here."

She promptly switched her spotlight on. The entrance hall was covered in dust. The interior of the structure was just as neglected as the exterior. A fact that did not go unnoticed by the twins.

"Are we sure somebody lives here," asked Devola. "It looks like it's been abandoned for a really long time."

Just as she asked the obvious question they heard a frail voice call out to them. It seeped in from the walls. The resonance was haunting.

"Has someone come to visit?"

9S listened for a moment. Briefly, he looked to Popola believing that she was the one speaking. Her confused frown eliminated that possibility.

Relief washed over him. Given what he had seen on his way to this eerie manor, 9S was fully bracing himself to find a pair of corpses somewhere inside. Somehow, they were still alive. He considered it nothing short of a miracle. Perhaps the cherubs, as silent as they had been lately, still watched over him with fondness.

"It's me! 9S. I'm of the same line of android as No.9. Do you remember him?"

"Nine," two feminine voices exclaimed in unison. "Come inside!"

The source of the voices became easier to find. They both sounded as though they were coming from a large chamber at the end of the hall. 9S took a few steps forward before he noticed Amos out of the corner of his eye. Everyone else started moving with him, but Amos stayed behind. He sulked in the shadows as if trying not to be seen.

"Amos," he asked loudly. "Aren't you coming?"

The sound of his name being called caused the beast to hiss and sneer at him.

"Amos," one of the twins called from afar. "Amos is here with you!? It's been so long! Come show us how much you've changed over the years!"

Amos lowered his head.

"Come on, they wanna see you too," 9S whispered. "How bad can it be? They sound just like my Devola and Popola."

Amos gave 9S the strangest look. Never before did 9S see such vivid expression in his statue-like visage. Shocked, 9S did not say anything else. He quietly followed the voices. Amos walked with him. The supposedly fearless Legionnaire dragged his heels the whole way.

The room ahead was enormous. Dual staircases led to an upper floor. An archaic chandelier dangled from above. It was wrapped in cobwebs. Those same webs blanketed every surface in the room. Layers upon layers of dust acted as proof of the eon's worth of neglect the structure has endured.

153 did a sweep with her light. She revealed many of the old pictures and furniture that decorated this forsaken place. 9S managed to find the twins long before she did. He saw them sitting on an old sofa. They sat rather close together. Side by side. He saw the outline of their heads in the dark.

He found himself searching for a means to spark conversation. For the life of him, 9S could not think of something appropriate to say to either of them. He shuddered at the thought of them waiting in this dark room for his return for the past decade.

"Hello, Devola. Popola," he spoke out. He made a mental note that 'his' Devola and Popola were keeping to the shadows behind him. The boy put special emphasis on this other pair of twins to avoid confusion.

"Step into the light," the Popola sitting before him requested. Her voice was weak. Even the act of speaking apparently caused her a level of discomfort.

"Yeah," Devola agreed. Her voice was stricken with no less agony than her sister's. "Let's get a good look at you."

9S obeyed the request. He stepped forward and there was no need to repeat the request for 153. She shined her light on him. He stared into the darkness, observing their figures. The longer time went on, the more curious he became about their appearance. Surely, they were no different than his identical friends.

"Handsome as ever," Devola complemented with a pained snicker. "And you too Amos. Show yourself. Pretty please."

Reluctantly, Amos stepped into the throw of the spotlight.

"You haven't changed at all," spoke Popola. "I'm so glad you chose to help out after all. I know you and No.9 really got at each other's throats towards the end, but we always hoped you did not hate him. Whether you believe it or not, I'm certain he cared for all three of us. He wasn't just using us. I know it."

Amos bit down on his salty tongue. Not that he could speak even if he wanted to. 9S saw the manner in which he tightly curled his hands into fists. He stepped away from the light and retreated to another corner of the room.

Popola's meek voice shifted slightly in pitch as she prepared to change the subject. "So, you said your name was 9S? I take it you're here to learn more about your past self."

"Yes, ma'am. I stumbled across all of this by pure chance. I met Amos and he's been helping me reclaim everything No.9 left behind."

Popola giggled at him. "No need to be so formal. And you have your sword too! May we see it?"

9S did not argue. He stepped closer to them. Two hands were extended his way. While he still could not see very well, it looked as though they both offered a hand with which to receive the weapon. 9S gently placed the blade in their arms.

"Do you know the weapon's name yet," asked Devola.

"No. No, I do not."

"Skald's Song," they recited in unison. They spoke with charming pride.

Devola then fell silent, allowing her sister to explain.

"We moved to this place a few hundred years ago. We found it abandoned out in one of the flooded buildings. We also unearthed a bit of information on it while digging around. It was just so pretty. Neither of us wanted to leave it behind. Later on, we gave it to you. It was a token of our appreciation for your companionship as well as a demonstration of our affection. We never had any friends like you or Amos."

Unsure as to how to respond, 9S remained quiet. He stared down at the weapon, smiling awkwardly.

"How much do you remember of those days? Anything at all?"

"Nothing," 9S admitted. "Nothing at all. I've viewed some of No.9's memories, though. I know he had some plan grand for YoRHa. Other than that, I know nothing."

Devola spoke up in Popola's stead. "That's fine. You'll know everything soon enough."

As much as 9S wanted to pry for information, there was something more pressing on his mind. He needed to know what this different pair of twins truly looked like. Amos' reactions thus far were a compelling enough reason for him to find out.

"Pod? Bring that light over here. I've yet to actually get a good look at them yet."

Amos immediately perked up, slightly panicking.

153 thought nothing of it and motioned herself towards the mysterious twins.

"Oh," Popola said apprehensively. "Tha-that won't be necessary."

It was too late.

153 illuminated them both.

At first, all seemed normal. They sat oddly close to each other on that dusty, old sofa. Their wardrobe was comprised of nothing more than tattered rags crudely sewn together, but as 9S studied them further, he noticed certain details.

They most certainly looked like his Devola and Popola. Red hair, green eyes, and matching youthful faces. Then he noticed their limbs. Collectively, they had only two arms and two legs. Initially, 9S assumed he just could not see the missing limbs. Other details soon captured his attention.

The twins appeared to be wrapped in the same rags rather than wearing individual clothes. The collar of their wretched outfit wrapped around both of their necks. In between their heads, about where Popola's left and Devola's right shoulders should have been was a large line of gruesome stitches.

Stitches that connected their skin.

9S felt his heart sink. It all started to make sense. Their endless internal and external pain. Their stammering tones which lacked any semblance of confidence. 9S wanted to address it somehow, but he opted to act as though he did not notice anything. Unfortunately, he was not the only one staring at them.

From behind, he heard his Devola speak out in abject horror.

"You're… c-conjoined!?"

Popola kept hold of her weak smile. "Oh, Nine. It seems you brought other visitors as well. Please show yourselves."

Remaining completely mute, 153 aimed her light at the other pair of twins situated at the back of the room well behind 9S.

They both looked on with the perfect mix of fear and sorrow. Their eyes went wide at the sight of the two androids who were identical to them. The sight of seeing those miserable faces so much like their own, with such a freakishly mutilated body did not sit well with either of them. Popola held her dominant hand over her mouth to forcefully muffle her urge to scream.

"Look at that," announced the mutilated Devola. "To think ya found another pair of twin models just like us. What a coincidence."

"We are conjoined," Popola admitted, steering the conversation back on track. "When that betrayal happened, some of the Devola and Popola models were destroyed. Others were given memory wipes and a new protocol was installed to ensure that they would forever fear guilt for the sins of the past. My sister and I were told that this was also to be our fate. But when we woke up, we were like this."

"They sawed off matching chunks of our bodies," Devola explained. "Then sewed and welded us back together. The pain never went away. We were never told why this had to happen."

As much as 9S wanted to avert his eyes, he kept them firmly locked on the conjoined twins lest he follow in No.9's cold footsteps. For once, he did not want to act like the one android he grew to admire.

"May we ask you a question," inquired Popola.

She gazed at him with a warm smile. Her facial muscles occasionally twitched wildly as though she were malfunctioning, or perhaps, fighting back the urge to cry out in pain.

"Sure," he said in helpless defeat. "Anything."

"You seem to have found a new Devola and Popola to help you. Not all that surprising that more of our model types traveled to this area. It is a significant region for us. What I want to know is, what do you feel for them?"

9S froze. He turned back to face the twins that accompanied him all this way. They stared back at him. 153 had already moved her light back to the conjoined pair. That action left it far too dark for him to get a read of their expressions. Regardless, he could still feel them watching him intently and listening closely.

The hope was to simply avoid saying anything on the matter. He was fully content with never addressing the issue. Briefly, he was tempted to ask them both to leave the room, or to whisper his answer so that they could not hear it. The boy gave up before attempting either of these ideas. After all he had seen, he felt compelled to let them know.

"They're very special to me," 9S confirmed. "Both of them. And they're more important than any of the memories I've been chasing."

Popola gave an approving nod. "That's wonderful to hear."

Her sorrowful smile did not go unnoticed. 9S flinched at the sight of it. "I never intended to replace you! I never remembered anything about No.9 or his life. I only know him through the data he left behind. I had no idea…"

"We know," they simultaneously dismissed.

"Now, I have a question," Devola stated more sternly. She leaned forward slightly. That meager action caused both of them to recoil in agony. She was quick to return to her previous posture.

"You've probably seen several of No.9's memories. Including the one we left for you. No.9 intended for Amos to find you, guide you to the Festhall, then to us. Is that how it happened?"

"That's exactly how it happened."

"Then tell us. Did you care at all for us back then?"

"Devola, don't ask such…"

Popola's interjection was cut off. Her sister grew more agitated. The behavior was so familiar. It amazed 9S how similar they were to the twins he knew.

"No! I… ow… I need to know! Were we really just being used or did he really care? And be honest! We've been waiting around for a decade. I don't care if the truth hurts, it's not like either of us are strangers to pain. So, tell us!"

A moment of silence passed. 9S carefully weighed his options. The answer was obvious to him, but actually telling them was bound to break the hearts of all three of them. The alternative was a white lie that may or may not ease their misery. With a long sigh, his lips parted. His mind was made up.

"No. He didn't care about either of you."

9S watched in horror as the small hope they clung to shattered in an instant. Their smiles, the life in their eyes, that shred of past delusional joy were all obliterated by his words. Regret descended upon him. Would it have been so hard to simply lie to them? Suddenly, he doubled back.

"Not from what I can gather, at least. Maybe there's still a memory that proves…"

"No need to keep our hopes up," said Popola. "You saw the memory we left for you, did you not? The promise No.9 made to us."

"It cut off before I could hear it."

The twins lowered their heads in shame.

"Guess we should've paid closer attention," said Devola. "You promised that when we finally met again, you'd put us out of our misery."

The boy was left completely mortified.

"No… No! NO! Why would he say that!?"

Popola met his horrified gaze with a look of total emptiness. "We've been in this pain for thousands of years. We just wanted to make up for the misery our betrayal and mistakes caused for the world. We wandered the earth seeking forgiveness for what those other models did. When we first met, you found us lying near dead at the base of a sand dune. You gave us something to live for and someone to love even if you didn't reciprocate those feelings. I think helping you for these years has left us both satisfied. We no longer care what others think. We atoned for our sins. We are ready to leave this world."

"We did good, didn't we, Nine," Devola asked, desperately seeking approval.

"Yeah. Yeah, you did."

Popola forced a frail grin. "We don't want to suffer anymore."

Together, they held up Skald's Song. The golden hilt glistened. Sparkles shined from the polished emerald embedded in the perfectly crafted metal. They resembled twinkling stars in an ocean of pristine green.

"Take the sword we gave you, and kill us."

9S took it from their grasp, but he made no effort to raise it against them.

At that point, Amos had his fill of this tragic scene that was about to unfold. He turned and prepared to make his exit. He stopped when he heard Popola call out to him.

"Are you leaving, Amos?"

He refused to face them. The soldier lowered his head. His helmet slumped over his pale, expressionless eyes.

"Then this is goodbye. We'll see you in the next life."

Amos held up a solitary fist. A muted means of offering them his strength in their final moments. He then left the room altogether.

With him gone, all eyes fell on 9S. Skald's Song rattled in his trembling hands. Employing it was the absolute last thing he wanted to do, but the twins were unwavering in their determination to die.

"That reminds me," said Devola. "There's a table on the left side of the room. On it is all that No.9 left us. A single storage chip. It has his final recorded memories. Things he felt were too important to trust with Id or Amos. And speaking of Amos. Well… see for yourself."

153 offered her light. She scanned the area until a table came into view. An old, decrepit piece of furniture with something shiny sat atop it.

Cautiously, 9S dragged himself over the table. There he found a necklace. Attached to the chain were five metal plates. Dog tags. He picked them up and examined the names inscribed on each of them.

Jubal, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Obidiah, and Ezekiel.

The sight of the names and the tags were identical to the one worn proudly displayed Amos' neck. Already wracked with grief over the mercy killing he was about to commit, this was just another tragedy to deal with. Initially, 9S refused to accept the obvious explanation behind what he was holding.

"Please," 9S begged in defeated monotone. "Please tell me this isn't…"

"That," Devola explained. "Is all that remains of Amos' team. I'm not sure how Nine found those things, but I'm sure the answers are on that chip. He never told Amos for whatever reason."

9S hid both the tags and the chip inside the satchel strapped to his back. He would simply have to deal with that later. "I'll find a way to tell him later."

"Recommendation," 153 announced. "Unit 9S should not withhold this information from Unit Amos. If he were to find out, he would likely be enraged at..."

"Just shut up! I'll hand them over later."

Devola's softly spoken words put an end to their brief bout of bickering.

"Come back over here. It's time."

There must have been another way. 9S tried to assure himself of it. He dragged his sword as he approached them. An act he had not done in quite some time. The misery written on their faces conveyed a single message to him. They truly wanted to die.

"Make the pain stop, Nine," Popola quietly demanded. "We want you to do it."

United, they repeated their final request.

"Kill us!"

He made one last attempt to reason with them. "You don't have to die. You can join us and I can find a way to repair…"

Popola waved him away. "Your concern means more to us than you will ever know. But there's no fixing us. We won't be leaving with you this time. You gave us your word. We did all we care to do in this life, now please, end us. Take care of your friends. Keep us in your memory. Think of us from time to time and we will live on."

There was no arguing with them. That fact was obvious. If there was a way to make up for the decade of longing and waiting his previous self put them through, this would be it. No.9 set this event up. An undeniable reality that caused 9S to question why he was so dead set on resurrecting that psychopath in the first place.

He saw two options before him. Leave them and let them eventually be discovered by some infected android where they would surely be eaten and torn apart, or he could kill them swiftly. Allowing them to go out in exactly the fashion they desired.

Ultimately, and without hope of a better alternative, he relented. At first, he was not certain how to kill them mercifully. Their conjoined bodies ensured that this was to be a gruesome execution.

Whispers seeped into his ears. The whispers of dead souls who spawned from the shadows to mock him. Their voices gradually grew in intensity.

He lifted Skald's Song high in the air. The duel emeralds on either side glowed brilliantly.

The sight of 9S lifting his sword prompted both of the connected twins to close their eyes. They braced themselves for the end they so craved.

They spoke their final words simultaneously.

"We love you!"

For the sake of making their last memory of this life a pleasant one, 9S responded in kind.

"I love you too. Both of you…"

He saw them smile and slightly lift their heads, yet their time for talk had run out. Silently, 9S brought Skald's Song down upon them with all the might his cybernetic arms could muster.

In one smooth swing of his sword, he separated them.

Note: This chapter was the result of an idea I had a long time ago that revolved around two Devola and Popola models that were completely unrelated to the ones in Automata and OG NieR. The idea I toyed with at the time was a 1-3 chapter work that describes their miserable lives and ends with the revelation that they were conjoined. I wound up just reusing that plotline throughout this story.

Hopefully, the last scene wasn't too confusing. I originally planned to leave the main Devola and Popola back at the coast, but I thought bringing them along and having them witness the madness would make for some decent character development in upcoming chapters.