A/N: This is...a weird idea for a story but I rolled with it. I'll probably explain it more in the end author's note. Just know that this is a...mostly humor story not to be taken too seriously. I'll let this first chapter speak for itself. I hope you guys enjoy it! Best wishes and God bless you all!
Disclaimer: The NieR/Drakengard franchise belongs to Yoko Taro, Square Enix, and other affiliates involved with the production of this series. This work is merely a Fanfiction made for entertainment purposes.
Warnings: AU. And a weird one at that. This chapter should set everything up simply enough. Many thanks for reading!
Gaming With YoRHa Unit 9S: A Tale of Automatons
The following data is from the personal records of the YoRHa Actors Guild, established by Mr. Emil Taro at the tender age of ten after meeting and spending way too much time with a young woman named Kainé [last name unknown]. Together they crafted a severely convoluted franchise of stories people ended up flocking to for some reason.
For anyone asking, I'm an Accord Model, unaffiliated with YoRHa, but I assist from time to time. The organization I work for is mostly tasked with making prop weapons. It was nice of Mr. Emil to feature our organization in Drakengard 3, though it's unfortunate the rest of the production was so rushed.
At any rate, you the viewer are not here to listen to me ramble about the foundations of the YoRHa Actors Guild. You're here about YoRHa Unit 9S, right?
Well, several years after the first NieR was released, Emil and Kainé, along with the actor who inspired the title, Nier, decided to contact an android-based modeling agency and get some of them to sign on as actors. After all, they needed some people who could do more of their own stunts.
This was how 9S, his wife A2, and their best friend 2B, entered the scene.
And these three were the basis of NieR Automata, the biggest hit yet! The original game is even set to receive an animation! Truly, this is an exciting time for Mr. Emil and everyone involved in the production of the game.
Of course...while all of this is very exciting, there have been a few PR issues.
Most of them have to do with 9S in some shape or form.
You see, the humans, androids, and machines that played NieR Automata really got attached to the 2B/9S dynamic. They're both such phenomenal actors that everyone believed they were together off-screen.
But as mentioned earlier, 9S is happily married to Unit A2...and has been for years.
For whatever reason, during the casting, Mr. Emil thought it'd be more fun for the couple to play roles in opposition to one another.
The more fanatical fans haven't taken too well to reality.
And those more accepting of the A2/9S dynamic have been calling poor 2B a homewrecker. It really is quite a debacle.
Though the role called for her to be stoic and cold, 2B is, in actuality, a really bubbly person. The most girly girl you've ever seen. Those tears during the choking scene were real. The YoRHa Actors Guild does not believe in special effects or stunt doubles, so they had to make sure 9S' memory data was thoroughly backed up before the scene.
And because 9S so thoroughly excelled in his role, well...
His wife was stalked a great deal upon the game's initial release, but...A2 has ways of making people back off. She's very feisty...and ruthless. Pretty much exactly how she is in the game, except even more sarcastic.
And so, to alleviate some of the backlash and shipping drama, the YoRHa Actors Guild gave 9S a new assignment to improve PR and increase downloads for the phone games such as SINoALICE and NieR: Reincarnation.
However...
"They want me to do what?"
"Why must you always make me repeat myself?" 21O, 9S' manager asked. "The board directors all agreed that you are the main source of contention with our consumers due to what has been dubbed 'shipping wars'. To alleviate the drama, you are to play through NieR Automata in a series of live-streams. It may also be a good idea to play through the original NieR as well."
"But why!?"
"I just told you why, 9S."
"Yeah...but..." the android stuttered for a few seconds, certain he had a loose circuit in his brain that needed fixing. "This just seems a bit...weird."
"We have a weird fan-base. Deal with it."
His manager hung up, and all 9S could do was listen to the dial tone in abject horror at what was sure to come from this insane venture. Truth be told, he had always been wary of watching…or in this case playing any of the media he was in. In the case of NieR: Automata, he was especially hesitant simply because he didn't really want to watch himself…lose it.
Elements of Automata's story were closely related to their reality. Androids were incapable of dying in the traditional sense, humans were a dwindling population even with the success of eliminating the virus the fictional White Chlorination Syndrome was based on thanks to the help of the Machine Lifeforms that "invaded" Earth around two centuries earlier. Though the Earth was essentially back to normal, there had been some substantial growing pains which facilitated the need for entertainment, hence the creation of the YoRHa Actors Guild.
9S, thrown into a prepubescent body, was mostly meant to partake in children's media as an older brother type character, a school bully, a young assistant tagging along on a dangerous adventure, and so on. However, because of his natural inquisitiveness, intelligence, and ability to convey complex emotions in a raw fashion, his break-out role was in a piece of media grounded in themes concerning existentialism…among other things.
It was an easy and fun role at first. Working alongside his wife, a veteran of the profession, was exciting for him when the production team put together that first encounter in the Forest Kingdom. 2B quickly became a good friend for both of them simply because her energy and enthusiasm made the longer days all the sweeter. Her talent was also something to admire. She could switch so easily between the stoic character assigned to her and her true personality when the cameras weren't rolling.
Filming the early parts of Route A and B were a phenomenal experience. Adam and Eve were the class clowns of the cast, Mr. Emil was an easy-going director, Devola and Popola always had stories to tell, and everyone else came to work each day with passion and energy that fueled the story coming to life.
However, filming the ending of what would play for Route A and B…changed him.
The rest of the YoRHa Androids on set, 2B and A2 included, had all…died…before.
On some level, the existential nature of the story was true.
Even though his memory was backed up to the very last possible second…he still lost something.
His fellow actor choked him to death.
And after that was the show-stopping City Ruins battle scene in which the machines on set purposely infected the assigned actor units with a mania-inducing virus that compelled them to fight with lethal force.
Each battle…each struggle had been real to him.
The Machine Lifeforms that died on set were built again within seconds. Their previous personalities remained perfectly intact.
Caught up as he was in acting his part, 9S felt legitimate hatred for the lifeforms at times, especially when the script called for 2B's infection.
Watching his wife kill her was unsettling.
And he heard himself vow to kill her to avenge 2B.
In that moment...
"What a day…"
The creak of the door and A2's voice breaks 9S out of his thoughts. He clicks off his cell phone and sets it down on the coffee table just as she enters the living room with her fingers yanking the hair tie holding her messy bun in place. Without a word she tosses her purse on the table next to his phone, kicks off her heels, and climbs onto the couch next to him while burying her face against his shoulder before he can utter a word.
"That's better," she mutters in a monotone, wrapping her arms around his stomach. "How was your day off?"
A faint smile lifts the corners of his mouth as he presses one of his hands against hers. "Not as restful as I would have liked. My manager dished out some orders again."
"I never did like that hussy," A2 drones, her voice muffled by the thick fabric of his sweatshirt. "She'd like to steal you away from me."
He laughs. "As if anyone could do that."
"I suppose no one can if 2B can't," his wife muses, pulling back a bit. "Her backside alone has become the stuff of legend."
9S knows better than to say anything to that, and after a few seconds A2 releases him in order to grab the remote to the TV.
"So what did that manager of yours want?"
"Apparently…" He pauses for a moment to watch her flick through channels, "…the company seems to think I'm the reason for the PR problems."
Settling on a documentary about jellyfish, A2 sets the remote down and wordlessly snuggles against her husband, her expression blank as she waits for him to keep going with his story.
"The higher-ups think that the best way to smooth things over is for me to…do live-streams of Automata."
A2 immediately raises a brow at this. "Why?"
"That's what I said."
"No, seriously. Why?"
9S exhales a sigh, "Board Director White thinks it'll allow the public to see parts of my life with you and alleviate the harassment you and 2B have been getting. It'll also give extra exposure to the upcoming animation…" He stops speaking. "A2…how did your recording session go today?"
Her answer is a moan of absolute aggravation.
"That bad?"
"Sometimes I hate my job," she whispers, tightening her loose hold on him in a silent command.
With a soft chuckle, he plants a quick kiss on her forehead. "We can talk about my work issues later. You look like you need to initiate a sleep mode soon."
She nods. "Yeah, I might."
He glances at the TV and quickly examines the footage of the coral reefs the jellyfish floated around. "Why is marine life so fascinating for you?"
"You know why."
Weaving his fingers through her hair, he presses another kiss along her forehead and smiles at the soft sigh that leaves her lips.
"Do you need me to run any maintenance while you rest?"
She smirks, eyes closing. "Nah. Last time you hacked in it led to some nefarious things. Nice try though."
"May as well rest myself then," he murmurs, leaning his head against hers. "This streaming business is going to take a lot of preparation."
"You'll be fine. What's the worse that could happen anyway, 9S?"
You would think that highly advanced AI programmed with human emotion would know not to say that famous last line.
A/N: That's the end of this first chapter. Consider it a sort of pilot chapter I might expand on later when I have more time to. This story is kinda inspired by the actual live-streams Kyle McCarley (the voice of 9S) did for NieR Automata and the other games released by Yoko Taro the featured his wife (who is also a voice actor that filled in for A2's role when he recorded an English translation for the Automata concert from way back when) and Kira Buckland (who plays 2B). Yep, that's pretty much what led to this. This is a sort of fictional, embellished take on that. Let me know what you guys think with a review! Thanks for reading! Best wishes and God bless you!