Chapter XXII:

Vendetta

Devola's head pounded from an agonizing hangover. She awoke to an empty room. 9S likely retreated to his own room to do whatever it is that he does in his free time. She knew that Popola was in her office. Studying to find a method for curing their mutual lover.

Devola initially did not bother searching for them. Instead, she wandered the halls with all the grace of a shambling corpse recently reanimated. The android staggered into a small room. A place on the far side of the thirteenth floor she primarily ventured to for the scratched-up mirror half-dangling on the tiled walls.

Upon entry, she scanned the chamber with her flashlight. All was clear. She assumed it was an ancient bathing area of some sort. On the far side was a panel of sliding glass, clouded over to prevent transparency. Her boots clicked against the grimy tiles. She moved in front of the old mirror and peered into it. Bored, tired eyes glared back at her.

It was unpleasantly quiet. Water dripped from somewhere above and rhythmically hit the tiled floors. She rubbed her eyes. The blinding glow from her flashlight reflected back at her through the mirror. She could barely make out her own features among all the scratches, cracks, and dust.

For a split second, Devola looked away. The moment her eyes met the mirror, she heard a noise. An ominous disturbance from behind. The sound of nails scraping against glass. She faced the clouded glass on the other side of the old bathroom.

Naturally, her first instinct was to keep at a distance and shine a light on whatever was going on over there. She could see nothing apart from what vaguely resembled movement behind the glass panels. Her hooded, exhausted eyes shot open at the sight of a pair of arms slowly moving up and down.

Devola donned Cruel Oath. She cautiously advanced to the back of the room. Even as she, and likewise, her light drew closer, she still could not see through the textured glass. Upon reaching it, she took a deep breath and briefly lowered her flashlight. She hooked her fingers underneath one of the rusted handles. With her sword ready, she yanked open the sliding door.

The glass slid to the left and Devola instantly stepped back. She raised her light only to find nothing there.

She checked to her right and left but saw nothing. A chill ran down her spine. Her steady breathing increased its pace as her plastic heart raced in her chest. Her fingers tightened around Cruel Oath. Gold metal sparked against the black backdrop.

For all her paranoid searching, she failed to look down. An oversight that would cost a shred of her sanity as consequence. A hand jutted out of the empty bathtub from beneath a wall of darkness and grabbed her long shirt. A male voice called out to her from below.

"Boo!"

Devola shrieked at the top of her lungs. She raised her sword high over her head and braced to bring it down on whatever was lurking below.

"Wait! Devola, stop! It's me!"

At that, Devola lowered her sword. She pointed her light down at a familiar face lying in the tub. The black clothes and silver hair were all too recognizable. A pair of softly glowing red eyes looked back at her. His expression was a mix of fear and a visible struggle to contain an inevitable bout of laughter. Devola, on the other hand, was not laughing.

"You ass! I almost killed you!"

She twirled around just to avoid making eye contact with the boy. 9S picked himself up out of the tub. Leaving behind all the festering mold brought him much relief.

His smile softened. He wrapped his arms around her from behind, hoping to lighten her mood a bit after such a successful scare.

"Revenge is a nice feeling, wouldn't you agree?"

The statement caused Devola to wince in anger. She firmly crossed her arms and continued to avert her sour gaze.

"Should've hacked your head off while I had the chance."

9S laughed off her murderous remark. "What's wrong? You started it. I was just getting you back."

"How long were you waiting in here!?"

"Maybe about an hour or so. I have to say, it was kinda eerie to sit here in the dark. Lots of weird noises in this building when you're all alone. I'm glad you two are with me."

"Yeah. Yeah."

Devola rolled her eyes. He released her and took a step back. Devola turned to face him. Her icy glare never left her face yet 9S failed to see it under the cloak of darkness.

The scanner smiled with unusual sincerity. Devola kept her flashlight angled slightly away from his face to keep from outright blinding him but she could still make out his odd smirk. It was a far more welcome sight than the painfully neutral frown he normally expressed.

"Since you are here, I was hoping to ask you…"

He was swiftly cut off. "After what you just pulled, you're lucky to still have a head. But go ahead. Ask away if you dare."

"I do dare."

The YoRHa boy spoke with a confidence not normally displayed by him. Once again, Devola was caught off guard by his behavior. Despite drinking a rather large bottle of booze by herself, she still remembered the depressing way he acted shortly after returning from his long trip. Yet suddenly, here he was smiling, laughing, and jumping out of dark corners to give her a fright.

The sudden shift was nothing short of jarring.

"I was wondering," 9S explained. "If you wanted to go on a date?"

Popola sat at her termite-infested desk in total silence. 153 hovered above her at the usual altitude, providing her with a small but needed cone of light. Circle after circle had been drawn and redrawn. She experimented with different symbols in an endless effort to find something that would work against the creature possessing 9S.

Upon waking up from an inebriated slumber, she retreated to this lonely corner of the complex and began working. The door was sealed shut. A habit of privacy she kept not due to her sister or 9S, but due to the constant feeling of being watched by someone or something. A sensation she could not shake.

A droplet of water fell from the ceiling and landed on the back of her palm. Another one followed and hit her head. Popola looked up. She pointed at the ceiling. In response, 153 situated herself to better illuminate whatever was going on up there. A dark spot accumulated in the tiles above her. A growing, black spot damp to the point of dripping rainwater.

The sight evoked a sense of unease. Popola repositioned herself to the left side of her rotting desk and out of the way of any dripping water. She resumed her work and remained undisturbed for the next half hour. She suddenly felt droplets gently pelt her from on high. Frustrated, Popola looked upward for a second time.

The dark spot had grown considerably in size. Multiple areas along the creases in the ceiling were dripping with water. The entire right side of her desk had been soaked before she realized what was happening.

"What the…?"

A knock came at her door. Her heart skipped a beat in the worst possible way. She clenched her chest and jumped, barely holding back a fearful gasp.

9S's voice came seeping through the walls. "Popola? Are you in there?"

Relief washed over her.

"Come in," she called out.

The door opened with a soft creek and 9S stepped inside. Devola moved in close behind him.

"What's going on," asked Popola.

Devola impatiently elbowed 9S. "Go on. You ask her."

Popola swiftly hid the pages of angelic circles underneath her arms. She leaned over the desk to further conceal her work.

"I was," 9S stammered. His tone was different. The usual irritability and sternness were completely gone. His odd change in behavior piqued her interest. "I was wondering if you wanted to go on a date."

"Date?"

"An old thing humans did. They used to…"

"I'm familiar with the concept," said Popola.

She hesitated and glanced down at the papers hidden beneath her arms. Her gaze immediately hardened. She gritted her teeth in bitter resentment. The top priority was clear. With a long, utterly defeated sigh, she shook her head.

"I'm sorry, Nines. I should stay here. I have things to tend to. Don't let me stop you, though. Take Devola and have fun."

"What," Devola blurted out in shock. "Just come with us. You can afford a break."

"I shouldn't. I have to…"

She was cut off. 9S stepped closer to the desk. It provoked her to make an even greater effort to hide her project. Allowing that creature inside him to see that she may very well have found an actual method for banishing it could not be allowed.

9S did not seem to notice her abrupt movements. She noticed the peculiar smile he wore as he drew nearer. A soft grin.

"I'd hate to leave you behind," he muttered. "We can make it a brief outing if you want. I was just hoping to spend some more time with you is all."

"And go where? With all this rain and wind. It's dangerous. Not to mention the cannibal that's been killing androids around these parts."

"Hasn't stopped us before," added Devola. "And that brain-eating lunatic is all the more reason for us to stick together. Come on, Sis. Ya know you want to. I'll help you when we get back. We'll make up for the lost time."

Popola finally relented. "Alright. You win. I will tag along. Yet one question still remains. Where are we going?"

"I have a place in mind," 9S reassured. "I almost forgot it existed until recently but I won't be spoiling the surprise."

Popola glanced from head down to his boots for any sign of an obvious change. He was acting rather odd. That she could not deny. The thought of her merely being paranoid over nothing soon occurred to her.

She brushed off the sense of unease. Popola stood out of her chair, making sure to keep those drawn circles out of his sight. She carefully tucked them away under her diary.

"You have me intrigued. Lead on."

Pod 153 was the only one to stay behind. She chose to give the group a bit of privacy. The trio departed despite Popola's concerns over leaving the little pod all by herself.

9S led the twins through an extremely roundabout route to the old shopping center positioned across the ravine. A structure all three of them were well acquainted with as it provided a quick entrance into the Forest Kingdom.

He was careful to keep them away from wandering in the middle of the war zone that he played no small part in inciting. All along the way, they heard shouting and explosions rippling throughout the ruins.

By nothing short of a miracle, they did not encounter any threats. Neither crazed androids nor red-eyed machines. It was an easy, almost peaceful stroll in spite of the sounds of war and death echoing in the background.

The storm was the primary obstacle. The wind had kicked up to an absurd degree. Even more so than normal. Multiple times, 9S was nearly blown off of his feet. The constant rain hammered them every step of the way. They darted from alleyway to alleyway, trying to evade the elements as best as they could.

The shopping center provided some shelter. Anything was better than nothing but the enormous opening in the ceiling was not exactly helpful. The trio kept near the entrance where they found some respite from the rain.

After reaching the other side of the ravine, 9S turned to his identical companions. "We're here."

"This is what you wanted to show us," asked Devola. She folded her arms and countered his smirk with a disappointed frown. "We've been here on our own a thousand times before. What's so special about this place?"

He spun around and pointed to the flight of steps partially hidden beneath the massive roots of a towering tree. An elevator sat at the top of those concrete stairs

"True," conceded the scanner. "But have you been below it?"

"Below," asked Popola.

"There's a very strange place just beneath our feet."

"You're acting weird," Devola blurted out. Her blunt observation caused Popola to flinch.

"Devola!"

The curly-haired twin shrugged. "What!? He is!"

She then faced the android in question. "Nines, is something wrong? You were actin' more gloomy than usual when you got back and now you're being abnormally affectionate. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind the attention but it's still a weird change."

Popola stepped in front of her sister. With a warm smile, she gave 9S a dismissive wave. "Don't mind her. We both really appreciate all this."

9S nodded. His smile returned after having been saved by Popola. He had not the slightest clue about how to respond to Devola otherwise.

Eager to change the subject, 9S pointed to the upper levels of the structure.

"You know… Humans used to run shops here. From what I was told, at least. I think it'd be great if the Legion came back. They could restore these shops and sell all sorts of trinkets."

"Legion," asked Devola. She nearly choked when she heard his bizarre statement. "The hell are you on about? The Legion are genocidal freaks. They'd burn these shops to the ground and stomp on the ashes just to spite the humans that built them."

Popola interjected for a second time. "Don't wish for such things. And what do the Legion have to do with anything?"

9S took a few steps away from them. The boy nervously scratched his head and attempted to laugh it off.

"Uh. Nothing. Just random thoughts. Ignore me."

Silence laid claim to their exchange. The twins stood idly and gawked at him in shock. Observing his actions and waiting for him to do or say something. Anything.

"Still," he finally continued. "If these stores were open, I'd wanna buy you both something nice."

Popola giggled at him. "That's very considerate…"

"No, really. I'd buy you… uh… t-shirts."

"T-shirts," inquired Devola.

He nodded. His uncharacteristic cheeriness was starting to cause even Popola to take more serious notice. He either ignored the curious looks they were giving him or simply did not care.

"Yeah. Matching t-shirts. Something that would look good on you."

Neither of the twins could formulate a decent response so both of them remained silent. 9S soon wandered off in the direction of the stairs. He ducked his head to shield his face from the downpour.

The moment he was out of earshot, Devola leaned closer to her sister and whispered. The storm was more than enough to prevent 9S from overhearing them but she still made the effort to hold her hand over her mouth to ensure the security of her words.

"Is this part of the possession."

At that, Popola laughed. "No, I have the feeling that's not the case. The day he does start to lose control, I doubt he will be so nice to us."

"Then what is it? Seeing him be so… upbeat. It's weird. He's normally all depressed and irritable. And always rambling on about memories and No.9. That's another thing, I haven't heard him talk about No.9 at all since we collected all those memories."

"I am not sure but I'm also not complaining," Popola explained calmly. "He was worrying me with that. Try not to bring up No.9 if you can help it. I'd rather not risk reviving his interest in that horrible idea."

"Got it. But what do ya think's going on? And what's with all that stuff about the Legion?. That came outta nowhere."

Popola shrugged her shoulders. She gave some thought to the scene that had just transpired. She observed his movements. The way he inspected various corners and darker areas of the ruins. An act that his body language indicated was done out of simple curiosity rather than paranoia or fear.

Her smile widened ever so slightly. "I think we're on the right track is all," she announced with a small trace of pride in her words.

The remark confused Devola.

"Huh?"

"Finding all of No.9's memories was nothing short of a traumatic experience for all of us. We had our confession not too long ago as well. It must be changing his mind. It's the only explanation I can think of. As for the Legion part, I have no idea. He's probably been spending too much time with Amos."

Devola huffed. "It'll all be for nothing if we can't yank that thing out of his head. Last I checked, those eyes are still blood red."

"True but it's good that…"

9S called out to them, cutting Popola's optimistic statements short.

"Are you coming," he shouted from across the decimated structure.

The sisters darted across the open space and up the stairs. He activated the elevator. Much to his surprise, a flood of rainwater did not come pouring out. The three moved inside. With the push of a single button, the elevator closed.

He turned around just before the door was sealed shut. Devola still held up her flashlight. Its cone of illumination just barely reached the other side of the shopping center. A figure suddenly bolted out from behind one pillar, into the light, and hid behind the next. The distinct shape of an android with long hair but it was impossible to make out more specific details.

He had no time to so much as mention it before the elevator sealed and began its descent. He curiously cocked his head at the sight. "Did either of you see that?"

"See what," asked Popola.

"There was a girl running around out there. I just saw her."

"That doesn't surprise me," she darkly informed. "We should just be careful when we return. Vagrants could be lurking anywhere out here."

The elevator came to a stop and the doors reopened. The area was dark but drastically more well lit than what they were used to. An ethereal blue glow forced 9S to instinctively close his eyes. They were ill-adjusted to even the slightest bit of proper lighting.

Radiant flowers covered the ground. Luminescent Lunar Tears exuded a blinding light that filled the underground hollow. Across the field was a small shack poorly built but somehow still standing after an unknowable amount of time.

"Here it is," announced 9S.

Devola let out a sharp gasp. "Woah. How'd ya find this place?"

"I helped someone back when YoRHa was still active. I discovered this along the way."

He wished to say more. He led them across the war-torn ruins only to just then realize that he did not have much to say at all. As the twins emerged to get a better look at their surroundings, he turned around and walked off.

"Feel free to explore," he nervously suggested. "I'll just be over there."

9S wandered well away from them. He moved closer to the hut on the far side of the cavern and stopped in front of a wooden pole jutting out from the ground. A YoRHa visor was tied to the top. He was expecting to simply visit that post and see nothing else of interest but that idea proved incorrect when he nearly fell face-first into an open grave.

At the foot of the pole was a rectangular hole. A pit just deep enough to accommodate the lone body lying within it. A corpse dressed in YoRHa garb. A female body with short, white hair. Eyes sealed shut. Several spots along her torso were marked by gaping wounds where internals had been removed. Wires and coils stuck out of her form.

9S knelt down for a closer look. Despite the multiple missing components as well as the large stab wound in her stomach, the woman's familiar visage indicated a look of serenity in eternal rest.

A few minutes of idle staring passed. Empty thoughts came and went. Suddenly, her once motionless eyes flew open. 9S jolted back. Before he could react. Before he could so much as scream, he blinked only to then realize that the corpse's eyelids were still shut.

A simple trick of his imagination. It must have been.

His hands trembled. His breathing was uneasy.

Still lost in a partial daze, 9S failed to hear footsteps close in on him from behind. When Popola's gentle tone was heard, he nearly jumped out of his skin.

"What's all this?"

9S twisted around and looked up. Popola stared down at him. Her emerald irises filled with concern and dark curiosity. Devola stood behind her, likely unable to see the body from that angle.

"I know I mentioned her name once or twice but this was my old partner. 2B. She was buried at some point or another. I was told that I was the one who dug it out."

"Did ya never fill up the grave," asked Devola.

"Pretty sure I did. Her pod cane back through here and dug her up. He was responsible for repairing her while 153 revived me. He used a different body but still took some parts from this one. Don't ask me why."

Popola moved closer to the defiled grave. She peered at the motionless body. "Why don't you visit her sometime? I'm sure she would wish to see you again."

"Ugh," Devola groaned. Envy haunted her disgusted exhale. "Sounds like a fantastic waste of time to me."

The comment earned her a sharp scowl from her sibling. 9S, on the other hand, nodded in agreement.

"Don't think that's necessary. She'll be just fine without me."

"I was just suggesting you visit her once," corrected Popola. "She probably still remembers you. I'm certain she would want to see you one last…"

Devola interjected again. Her resonance was bitter even by her own standards. "Just let it go. If he doesn't want to see her then that's the end of the discussion."

9S bowed his head. He stared at their boots. The heavy illumination gave him a better view of his two companions. More than he was accustomed to. A simple flashlight could only do so much for him.

The desire to change the subject was overpowering. In an attempt to do exactly that, he blurted out the first thing that came to his mind.

"You're very pretty."

He immediately wished he could have thought of something better to say. Something more creative.

The debate among the sisters ended abruptly. He could feel their piercing stares fall upon him. He gulped and turned to face them.

"Both of you."

"Uhhh," Popola stammered. "Quite the charmer all of a sudden."

"I say that because I almost forgot what you looked like," added 9S. "It's rare that I get to see either of you under decent lighting anymore. It's always so dark these days."

Neither of them had a decent response. Devola nervously tugged at her hair while Popola awkwardly smiled back at him. She leaned forward and pulled him into a gentle embrace. She then mustered the courage to speak up.

"Hearing things like that will still take some getting used to," she spoke softly.

"I'm not sure what's gotten into you lately," admitted Devola. "But I like it."

Hesitant to initially do anything, 9S eventually returned the hug, pulling Popola closer. All the while, he stared at the swirling darkness above them. The top of the cave was shrouded in darkness. The light of the flowers could not quite reach up there.

Thoughts raced through his mind. He debated on whether or not he should simply explain what was on the verge of transpiring. To admit that there was an entire army of Legionnaires likely amassing staggering numbers of troops at that very minute.

An unstoppable force of undead soldiers. An army led by a skeletal Dragon who exuded so much raw hatred, he could practically feel it rolling off her tongue with every spoken word. Every breath of enchanted fire.

Her undying armies were fully prepared to assault the entire planet at any moment.

He reassured himself that he and those closest to him were in no danger. Together, they were on the Legion's side. He helped rescue the Dragon, after all. A favor she was bound to remember for a long time to come. He reminded himself of his dear friend Amos. Yet another strong connection to the Legion.

Despite reaching all of these conclusions, he could not extinguish a rouge part of himself. A segment of his conscious pleaded for an escape. To flee from the apocalyptic destruction that was to inevitably descend on this city at any moment. To yank Devola and Popola by the wrists, grab his pod along the way, and lead them all far away from these doomed ruins.

"Run away and never look back!"

He tightened his possessive grip around Popola.

The mental debate ended without a conclusion and 9S said nothing about it.

After taking a long look around the subterranean field of flowers, 9S led the twins back up to the surface. They stepped out of the elevator.

9S braced himself for a long journey home.

"Nice change of pace," Devola yelled over the roaring storm. "What do you wanna do now!?"

Popola looked his way with equal intrigue. Her hand was clasped tightly with his. She had no objections to prolonging this outing. 9S was surprised to hear the question. He had not thought of anything else to do apart from returning to the coast. He mulled over the severe lack of options, desperately combing through his recollections for a decent idea. Something to keep them entertained that was preferably far removed from the typhoon's wrath.

Visiting the Amusement Park came to mind. While it was probably just as abandoned and haunted as everywhere else, 9S still thought it worth mentioning. As he parted his lips to announce his suggestion, a voice spoke up in his stead.

"Pardon?"

The trio jumped in horrified unison. They whipped around, halfway expecting to find a ghost standing there or perhaps nobody at all. Both of these assumptions were soon invalidated. A woman they had never encountered before stood off to their right.

An android dressed in a ragged uniform reminiscent of the militaristic garb worn by the Resistance. Long, dark hair clung to her damp clothes and pale flesh. A pair of red eyes stared at them. No less radiant than 9S's.

The eyes alone were more than enough cause for concern yet neither 9S nor his twin allies reacted to them. At least not overtly. Popola was the only one to say anything to her.

"Can we help you?"

She turned to face the scanner. "You're 9S, right? I know you from Anemone's camp. Don't think we ever met before."

The entire time she spoke, Devola kept a close eye on her hands. Her left fingers kept fidgeting as if stroking an object that was strapped to her hip. The darkness rendered Devola unable to determine what it was.

Under normal circumstances, she would have greeted this stranger with her usual hostilities. This encounter, however, left her too intimidated to do so. Instead, she chose to silently observe rather than escalate the situation.

"I am," 9S hesitantly muttered. "What of it?"

To encounter one of Anemone's grunts evoked a mix of paranoia and rage. He wanted to split her open right then and there but the ire it would inevitably draw from the twins left him unwilling to act on his violent impulse.

While he stayed his hand, he kept looking for even the slightest justification to kill her and be done with it. If for no other reason than to prevent his date from being ruined.

"I heard about you. The camp fell into chaos after you left. I know why it happened."

He could only guess as to what she meant. His mind started racing. Something was terribly wrong with this woman but he could not quite figure out what.

"The Resistance," asked Popola. "What do you mean? Has the storm been rough on you?"

"One day, some of our people were killed. We thought it was machines at first. We were fooled."

The way she spoke made Popola feel as though two separate conversations were transpiring simultaneously.

"That explains all the gunfire we've heard as of late," said Popola.

Popola briefly paused. Her body language indicated that she was just as perplexed as 9S. "Um… If I may be so blunt. Who are you and why are you speaking with us? We aren't exactly on good terms with anyone from Anemone's camp anymore."

9S fidgeted. A terrible weight rested in his gut. He was on the verge of forgetting all about that. It felt as though it happened so long ago. When he and Amos descended upon the androids and machines alike, pitting them against each other after only a single day and a handful of careful murders.

The way she kept looking his way was not sitting well at all with him. She knew something. That much was as clear as polished glass.

The woman spoke in an increasingly shaky tone of voice. Her eyes lowered. She stared at 9S's left hand. His fingers were still intertwined with Popola's.

"Because of this battle, I've lost someone very close to me. All because of them."

There was no question in his mind. Something had to be done. She somehow knew what he and Amos did and tracked him down. It was the only possible explanation. By the time he finally reached this inevitable conclusion, however, his time had run out and his body refused to respond. He could not move his limbs. A force unseen prevented him from acting. The laughter of cherubs filled his ears. Mocking giggles.

Her gaze then lifted. Her eyes suddenly met 9S's. Her lips twisted into a terrible grin.

"You'll know my pain…"

There was no time to react. No time to do anything. She lunged forth. The red-eyed stranger yanked a knife from the holster strapped to her leg. Despite being the one responsible for her grief, the unnamed android never once pointed the knife at 9S.

It was intended for another target.

He turned his head. His scarlet eyes widened in abject horror. He caught sight of the knife just in time to see it impale Popola. She let out an agonizing gasp. The air was knocked clean out of her synthetic lungs.

Devola drew Cruel Oath and with one single, sparkling slash of her golden sword, cut the woman down before she could cause any more damage.

Popola staggered away. The dagger remained buried in her side. 9S grabbed hold of her to ensure she would not fall.

Only after the assailant fell dead on the pavement did Devola get a proper look at her sister.

Initially, all she saw was a knife and a need to intervene. The instant she ended the encounter, her eyes fell upon the knife stuck into her sister's abdomen. Popola's blood glittered under faraway lightning.

Devola screamed.

Note: Apologies for the hiatus. I'm hoping to get back to a more regular schedule with these chapters.