A/N: I haven't played NieR: Automata yet. But I am planning to buy it on the Xbox version since it's the highest score according to Metacritic, but the PlayStation seems to be more appealing as I had played the demo. Anyway, I want to write this story as another way to relax from my other stories. With that said. Let's get onto the story then!
[A]nother Chance: A NieR: Automata Short Story
Pitch black. This is what YorHa No. 2 Type B, or instead 2B, first saw. Darkness surrounded her on all sides without any sign of stopping. She could faintly remember what happened. She recalled her plea towards A2 to carry on her memories before the Logic Virus could infect her. She also remembered getting stabbed by her with her own sword and saw 9S on that wooden bridge, who had a horrified look on his face and called him 'Nines' for the first and last time. All these memories flooded her mind in a rapid paste, causing her to pant in realization as it led to the same result.
She…dead, isn't she?
The android placed a hand on her chest. She blinked a few times, immediately realizing her blindfold was on her. She'd remembered cutting it off. Then how was it back on? Another thought that came to mind was that she sat in a chair. A wooden chair, to be exact, due to the creaking sound it has been making.
"The...hell...is going on?" Those were the first words she muttered. She sat down, alone in the void that had unknowingly turned white. Her voice didn't echo at all.
She was unsettled. She was dead. She could not be brought back since Command had been destroyed and stored any backup data.
"This…isn't real… how could I possible be here…"
"That's probably because it's beyond your basic understanding, Ma'am."
2B instantly got out of her seat, and instinctively, her hand grabbed Katana on the left side of her hip. She is fully clothed but eventually finds out she doesn't have any weaponry on her. She turned to the voice that had grabbed her attention. Nearby, A man was sitting down behind a wooden desk. He wore a navy-blue suit, a white shirt underneath the blazer, and a black tie neatly tucked. His face appeared clean-shaven, and his eyes were focused on a notebook he wrote on with a bullet pen.
"Who are… you?" she asked the strange man as he appeared out of nowhere.
The man stopped writing and looked at the gynoid with a smile. He put both hands on the table as if this was a meeting. "Ah, an apology for my sudden appearance. Please, take a seat. I'm sure there are many things you want to discuss."
"..." The android silently stared at the man. If she were to guess by the tone of his voice, it would be friendly. Still, that doesn't make her relaxed about this.
Not wanting to decline an offer, she sat on the chair she sat on. Her eyes locked on to the strange man's blue eyes. Silence seemed to be present as they stared at one another. That was until the former YorHa unit asked her question. "What is this place?"
"This?" The man lifted an eyebrow at her before quickly scanning the surrounding area. "This place is not the afterlife for all living beings. This is where people like you, who redeemed their past actions, get a second chance."
"Redeemed? Second chance?" 2B tilted her head, confused by what he stated. "What do you mean?"
He liked the emotion she was in. Now that he had her full attention, he picked up his pen and began writing it down in the notebook as if filling in a report. "What I am saying is that I am simply giving you a second chance to have a better life."
2B had to rethink what he said. A second chance of life. That is an offer she can't refuse. But does that mean that she would have to live what she was before? A worried look was present on her face as she proceeded to ask that same question. "Does that mean I have to repeat the life I used to live in? Under a lie?" Her tone seemed to withhold disgust as she pondered that scenario. Even thinking about it caused her synthetic skin to shiver.
To her response, the man shook his head. "No. In fact, I do not have any ill intentions in putting you back at that life. Think about it as the opposite. You will have a new life under the choices you make alone. No guidance, just yourself only." This caught her off guard as she could already tell he stayed true to his words.
It gained her interest. Whatever the man proposed to her seemed promising. However, she was bitter about this matter. Why would he offer her, of all people, a second chance at living? The android didn't deserve any of this. She lowered her head while biting her lower lip. "Why?"
"Hm?" He hummed as he stopped writing and looked at her in the eyes. "Why what, Ma'am?"
"Why are you offering me this…?" She asked, her voice hoarse as she hid the pain within her. "What good did I do to deserve it!?"
Silenced was in the air once again as none didn't speak a word. Neither 2B nor the man said anything as they stared at one another, awaiting a response. They looked at one another before the strange man let out a breath of air. "I have to be honest with you here. Someone else was giving you this opportunity. It was, in fact, the Higher-Ups who sought to give you one. I'm just their negotiator. And I restore the people to what they would want. In your case, you don't have to worry about your body having to recover. Aside from being hit by magic, stabbed, and shot at, the only thing that can kill you is self-destruction."
Again, 2B was glad she heard that. Still, she tilted her head at that specific word he said. "The Higher-Ups?"
The man nodded in response. "Yeah. They pitted your life and would want to grant you a chance. They don't really care about your previous occupation."
The android felt a hitch in her throat at the last part he mentioned. Her questionable role. How could he have possibly been knowledgeable about her role?
"Wha-what…how do they even know that!?"
"They had been watching you since your creation up to now." The man answered with honesty. "I won't delve deep into your personal matter anymore."
2B seemed to take his words lightly. "That's fine."
As everything has now been settled and coming to terms with the profound opportunity before her, she couldn't help but wonder about the specifics of her new life. "What will this second chance entail?" she inquired, her voice tinged with curiosity and a hint of cautious optimism.
The mysterious man leaned forward. "Your second chance will be a fresh start, free from the shackles of your previous existence. You'll be placed in a world untouched by war, free to choose. Your past, your role as a YorHa unit, all of that will be behind you."
2B's eyes lit up with a glimmer of hope underneath her visor, a rare emotion for her. "But what about the memories I carry on from before?"
The man nodded, understanding her concern. "Your memories are a part of you, and you'll retain them. They'll be valuable lessons, guiding you in your new life."
Relief washed over 2B, and she realized that this second chance offered a chance for redemption, not just for herself but for all the YorHa units who had fought and fallen. The weight of her past actions lifted, and she allowed herself to believe that a brighter future might indeed be possible.
With a newfound resolve, 2B squared her shoulders and looked at the man. "I'm ready for this second chance. I want to make the most of it, for myself and for those I've lost."
The man clapped his hands as if he was expecting this response from her. "Good. I was hoping for you to say that. Thought you were going to say the opposite. But, before you go, I want to give you something." The gynoid looked at him while tilting her head.
2B saw the man looking down at his desk before couching. A few seconds later, her body gesture was a shock as the man gently placed the item onto his table to present it to her. "Is that…"
"Your weapon, yes?" The man stated after he presented Virtuous Contract to her before sitting back in his chair. From the looks of it, the Katana was in good condition and has been kept in high quality in his possession.
2B reached out to touch her beloved Virtuous Contract, a weapon that had been with her through countless battles and challenges. She ran her fingers along the blade, feeling its familiar weight and the polished steel beneath her touch. Memories of combat, sacrifice, and resilience flooded her mind. "Why... why are you giving this to me?" 2B asked, her voice trembling with gratitude and confusion.
The man leaned back in his chair, and a thoughtful expression was seen on his face. "Your weapon represents your past, your strength, and your determination. It's a part of who you are. I thought it would be fitting to give you the choice to keep it or leave it behind. It's a symbol of your journey."
2B was too welled up with emotion. She knew that Virtuous Contract was more than just a weapon. It reminded her of her experiences and the sacrifices of those she had lost. She gently took the Katana into her hands, her fingers wrapping around the hilt with a firm grip before placing the Katana onto the left side of her hip.
"Thank you," she whispered, her voice filled with sincerity.
The man nodded, a faint smile on his face. "I was only doing my job, Ma'am. Now…" He made a hand gesture behind her where a portal appeared. "Go through that portal, and your new life awaits. But remember, do what you think is right and don't reveal any secrets until the time is right!"
2B looked at the man who had offered her this extraordinary chance. With a nod of determination and appreciation, she stood and turned towards the portal before stepping through, which left behind the mysterious room, her past life, and the enigmatic negotiator. The portal immediately closed after the gynoid entered, and she felt drawn into an unknown future.
A second chance at life and the possibility of redemption…
Wow! That… was… something. I never knew how deep this story went in the philosophical terms of "redemption" and "second chances". ESPECIALLY for a character like 2B, who I see that she deserves them. Free from her past life's burdens.
Speaking of the short story, let's get to what inspired it.
First and foremost, this short story and the synopsis are primarily a shoutout to Mugiwara N0 Luffy's The Gunslinger. If you can already tell by now, then I won't explain. But for those who don't know, it refers to the Stranger from Red Dead Redemption offering Arthur Morgan a second chance in the Goblin Slayer world. The only difference between the two is their weaponry. Whereas Arthur could select his weapon of choice, here, 2B was given back Virtuous Contract by the mysterious man because, as his words state, it represents her "past, strength, and determination". Quite fitting if you ask me.
Now, the reason I wrote this. It's mainly due to how I want a short story to be the first chapter of a crossover story. I do not know which one that I might do, but I do have one in mind. But, for now, I want to heart what do you want to see in a NieR: Automata crossover that hasn't been written yet.
Let's see what the results are…