An unfamiliar sound, in the form of a grumble, had echoed throughout the city ruins as the Hunter and A2 made their trek, immediately placing the duo upon high alert of any potential dangers lurking by to ambush them. However, there was no source of danger upon them. Understandably, the pair were confused in the lacking adversaries.

Once the sound had echoed again, only then did the Hunter realise the grumbling noise came from his own stomach. He could not help but to chuckle silently to himself, it had been so long (relatively for him) since he had heard this sound, that it had become unfamiliar to him. He supposed the earlier skirmish with the countless adversaries had worked up an appetite in him.

The Dream had always maintained and sustained the Hunter's needs for him to maintain his peak, resulting in his lacking need for both sustenance and rest. Yet now that his ties to the Dream were cut, he made the realisation that he must procure his own necessities. This would likely prove difficult due to the apparent lack of civilisation on this waking world if they were to be on the moon.

"Perhaps a break would be beneficial, Miss A2." The Hunter suggested.

"... What was that sound just now?" A2 asked with a confused expression upon her face, wondering why the grumbling noise lead to calling for a break.

"...? The sound originated from my stomach."

"Your... 'stomach'?"

"Yes? I must attain sustenance, or else I may succumb to starvation." The Hunter answered without pause. Perhaps A2 was much like the Doll after all, especially in terms of aspects regarding the lacking need of human necessities. But it was best not to assume, the Hunter concluded, even if the lines on her 'skin' around the joints was already evident of her non-human biology.

"...! Then we better get going."


The forest was decidedly the most suitable location to hunt for prey, with its trees serving as cover from any potential pursuers who may have chased after them. Silently, both the Hunter and A2 navigated throughout the forest in search for suitable sources of food.

During the stroll throughout the ruins, the first detail the Hunter had concluded from observations was that wild game, in the form of large hogs (the Hunter instinctively twitched whenever he saw them) and large moose were an abundance within this strange waking world. A clear sign of the long collapse of civilisation for such large game to roam undisturbed within these ruins, he supposed the remaining vestige of humanity truly had indeed relocated onto the moon, but that did not however help his current situation.

However, because of their large popular number, these wild game were also an abundance located within the forest. Another observation made by the Hunter, was that the swine he encountered in Yharnam had certainly both outweigh (according to online calculators, the Bloodborne pigs probably weigh at minimum 5 tons), and outsize the hogs within this waking world, yet the sole noticeable similarity was that they both tend to be solitary animals. And the pair had eventually encountered one of such hog, which was preoccupied with its consumption of the surrounding vegetation to notice the incoming duo. When they were at a close enough distance, A2 had postured herself to rush in and attack the hog before it could be able to detect them and escape, her hand upon the handle of her large blade and ready to strike.

"Please wait, Miss A2." The Hunter whispered, stopping A2 in her tracks.

"What?" A2 whispered back harshly. "We just need to kill it before it knows we're here."

"Yes indeed, however." The Hunter pulled out the stolen sniper rifle. "I must familiarise myself with this firearm."

"... Why did you bring that with you anyways? Don't you already have a gun?"

"The potency of my Evelyn is better suited for close range encounters, which would prove less effective to hunt in this scenario. For now, please allow me."

Eventually A2 relented to the Hunter's request, staying still for the former to begin his practise. Holding the very same sniper rifle earlier used to wound him and loading it with a blood bullet, made within the skirmish due to his quicksilver bullets also having gone missing upon awakening, the Hunter took aim at the hog through the scope. With considerations to all the conditions, the trigger was pulled. And it had been a quick kill, the hog was immediately felled by a shot to the head. A perfect shot, unlike the mechanical adversary who tried to shoot him earlier.

Now for another problem, the carcass would likely prove too massive to carry on his lonesome, even if the swine in Yharnam were significantly heavier than the recently killed hog, it was still considerably massive. Of course, it would have been more efficient to hunt smaller game, such as a rabbit or another of similar size, however the hog had also possessed material the Hunter required.

Strolling up to the carcass, the Hunter tested a practise push to observe whether it had been possible to move its sheer mass, seeing it was indeed possible to push the carcass across the dirt, but only at the cost of time. A few moments after he begun pushing the carcass with only minimal, but not insignificant progress, it had suddenly became more effortless to move. Out of curiosity to the sudden ease, the Hunter glanced next to him, noticing A2 had took the initiative to push the carcass alongside him.

"You possess considerable strength, Miss A2." The Hunter praised.

"Flattery won't get you anywhere, where did you want to bring the pig to?"

"For now, let us find a nearby river. There I can also fill up on freshwater, and possibly hunt for seafood."

"You need water too?"

The Hunter nodded. "Water is a necessity, I can partially hear a river within this direction."


True to word, a river was eventually found as the pair continued their push. Once they had reached their destination, the duo ceased their pushing.

"I give my thanks, Miss A2." The Hunter thanked, giving a one armed bow. "Please take a moment to rest, I will not take much time."

"What are you planning to do? Aren't you just going to eat the pig now?"

"No, I must carve the portions suitable for consumption first." The Hunter stated, pulling out the knife. With the knife in hand, its design still unfamiliar but yet was on his person along his Evelyn upon awakening, the Hunter dissected the deceased hog. Removed the internal organs as well as drain the blood, filling his empty blood vials in the process and injecting himself with one to recover from his wounds, although the reason why they had been empty were beyond him also, as he swore he recalled at the very least being fully stocked upon blood vials when he chose to submit to Gehrman. Once finished, the Hunter begun skinning off the hide and fur to allow easier access to its meat content. A meticulous, and lengthy process, but one which he did without complaint.

A2 had been watching the Hunter's actions through the entire process, although she had questioned internally why the Hunter had injected himself with the pig's blood, she had came to the conclusion that food was definitely important.

"I'm gonna go hunt more pigs." A2 declared, as she begun to walk deeper into the forest in search for more hogs.

"That will not be necessary, Miss A2." The Hunter replied, turning away from the carcass to face the android.

"Why?" A2 asked, her confusion presented clearly to the Hunter, it seemed she had either grown tired of waiting for him to finish skinning the hog, or had genuinely wished to acquire more food. "Wouldn't it be better to have more food?"

"To hunt more than necessary would in time become detrimental to the ecosystem should a predator's accessible food source decline in number," The Hunter explained. "Only beasts hunt more than they can consume."

"A pain in my ass..." A2 replied with annoyance, not towards the Hunter he felt, but to the concept of maintaining the balance of nature. Then again, humanity has presumably migrated to the moon long ago that perhaps the population of wildlife was no longer of concern.

"Perhaps you may obtain firewood instead?" The Hunter suggested before returning his attention to his task. "Roasting the meat would be beneficial in having the meat more suitable for consumption."

A2 complied with the request upon hearing the reasoning, quickly cutting up and gathering the branches of the surrounding trees. Once gathered, she returned to the Hunter with a large bundle. "Here's your sticks, what now?"

"Quite speedy in your task at hand are you? Then it would be much appreciated if they were arranged closely together."

"And start a fire too?" A2 asked, receiving a nod as an answer.

A2 bundled the firewood together, lighting a spark with her blade and a rock to start a fire, her years of lone survival proving itself useful.

"I thank you once again Miss A2." The Hunter thanked once again, in his arms was an abundance of freshly skinned meat.

"Didn't you say you shouldn't eat too much?" A2 asked, her eyes squinting at the Hunter.

"I do not plan to consume everything at once."

"Then...?"

"I plan to smoke some of the meat, it would allow for a longer preservation period through the removal of moisture, providing essential rations for the upcoming journey ahead."

"Yeah got it." A2 said, having at one point finally deciding it best to leave the Hunter to his own devices.

Placing the meat next to the fire, and as it begun to cook, the Hunter turned his attention to another task he must attend to. The hide and leather were the primary reason the Hunter had chose to hunt the hog, as it would serve as material to create a sack and a waterskin. Once made, he noticed his uniform to be considerably sweaty. He decided a quick wash in the river would also be beneficial, having also worked up a sweat along with the appetite. After the quick wash, the roasting of the meat was finished. The smell was sure enough sign for the Hunter to indicate it was ripe for consumption, so he picked up two of the hind legs while leaving the rest to smoke.

The Hunter glanced at his current company who acted as surveillance, possibly for the mechanical sentient beings from earlier. As she kept her sharp vigilance, the Hunter could not help but to notice how... beautiful, for the lack of better terms, to the degree that it was an unnatural beauty (much like the Doll), even despite the partial damage she had attained. At a second glance, only now did he realise her weaponry somehow... 'floated', for another lack of better terms, from behind her back. A curiosity, but one which will go unanswered for now, at the moment he must begin.

"Miss A2." The Hunter called out, grabbing A2's attention.

"What is it?" A2 asked.

"It is your portion." The Hunter answered without pause, offering one of the hind legs to A2.

A2 took a silent glance at the offered meat.

"I don't need to eat." A2 replied, androids did not require food to survive like humans do after all, although there were some who ate as a hobby, with the food consumed becoming converted into biofuel, not like the Hunter would know this tidbit though.

"Ah, is that so?" The Hunter gave A2 an apologetic bow, unaware this act created discomfort to the young woman. "My apologies, I was under the assumption you had become famished after the long wait."

"I didn't say I wouldn't eat." A2 emphasised, holding her hand out to the Hunter.

"It is alright Miss A2. You do not need to force yourself if you must."

"Did I say I don't want to eat? Just give it here."

It seemed A2 had believed he was disheartened by her dismissal, how strange of the young woman the Hunter thought. But regardless, he handed over her portion.

A moment of silence as the pair ate. The first thing the Hunter noticed was that the fat contents vastly empowered the lean portions of the meat, meaning he would also have to worry of nutritional balance as well. The Hunter examined at the half-processed hog carcass in thought, if as he could recall, in the eastern lands, there were cuisine with broth made from the distillation of bones with natural produce, along with its blood becoming coagulated to a consumable state. Perhaps he could experiment with these ideas, but that was for another time. For now, he believed it would be best to commence small talk with the young woman to gain information from her about this strange waking world.

"Miss A2. How are y-"

"Drop the 'miss'." A2 interrupted mid-sentence. "Just call me A2."

"Then... A2. How are you enjoying the meal?"

"... It's fine."

The mood returned to awkward silence. The small talk did not go to plan, admittedly the Hunter had never been much of a socialite, preferring to be in his own company during his time in Yharnam, since it was uncertain whether any person he spoke to had malicious intentions against him or not, therefore he had not much opportunity to converse with others. Thankfully, he did not need to make another attempt.

"What were you doing in the ruins?" A2 asked, breaking the second awkward silence. "You should've known it's infested with Machines there."

''Machines'?' It had been the first time the Hunter had ever heard of such a term, yet judging by the use of 'infested', the only objects he had seen in this waking world which fit the criteria of an unknown yet high in numbers were those metallic adversaries whom tried to outnumber him. "Is that what those mechanical beings are called? 'Machines'?"

"The goal of the machines is to wipe out humanity. So you being there at that time was suicidal."

'With this new information in mind, I suppose it was understandable for Miss A2's concern.' The Hunter thought. "You refer to me as a 'human' in our introductory meeting."

"It's obvious that you're human isn't it?"

"Then I must ask, are you not human also? Those 'Machines' should also be aiming for you as well, would they not?" The Hunter asked, eyeing A2's tattered... 'clothing'?

"No." A2 answered without hesitation. "I'm an android."

'...! I suppose it would explain your lacking knowledge on human necessities.' That was the confirmation the Hunter needed to verify A2 was indeed non-human. However, the term was not one he had heard before. And so the Hunter decided to ask, "What is an 'Android', A2?"

"...? Androids like me were made by humanity to serve them. Do you really not know that?"

'Is that the sole reason you have offered me aide?" The Hunter internally questioned. "I did not. What exactly constitutes an 'android'? At first glance, I would have mistook you as human."

"Probably easier to show it to you than to explain it." A2 said, offering up her arm to the Hunter.

The Hunter was doubtless confused at A2's action, yet her staring at his hand seemed to have told him what she wanted him to do, so the Hunter removed his glove and gauntlet. A quick glance at A2's unchanging expression told him it was indeed her intention. The Hunter placed his grip upon A2's arm, but instead of the warmth he had expected to feel from a human body, instead it was an unexplainable coldness. The 'flesh' was noticeably more robust and solid, as if it were made of a metal, yet it felt it was also covered in a material simulating human skin. It told the Hunter that A2 was indeed a synthesized humanoid, one which was almost indistinguishable from a human, an 'Android'.

"... I see. It is quite a curiosity." The Hunter admitted, removing himself from A2 and reequipping his gauntlet. "In other words, 'androids' are artificially created from steel instead of flesh."

A2 made a slight nod to confirm. "Still, it doesn't explain though why you didn't know all this."

"One could say I have lived a... nomadic lifestyle." The Hunter half-lied. "One freed from those... 'Machines' and 'Androids'. You could say my travels has lead me to this land."

"Then you should've gone somewhere else, it was a mistake for you to come here."

"Perhaps so, it is too late to change course now however." The Hunter stated. "In that regard, were those 'Machines' responsible for your... unruly appearance?"

"... No, something else was." A2 answered with a hint of anger in a voice. "And they're the reason why you have to come with me."

"Was it this 'Command' that had wronged you?" The Hunter asked, recalling A2's bitterness at the mention of 'Command' during their first meeting.

"..." A2 did not answer, acting as silent confirmation to the Hunter.

"Then I shall follow your guide from now."

A2 raised an eyebrow at the statement.

"I am a stranger to these lands, yet you have provided me aide in that encounter despite your own situation, that is reason enough for me to do the same."


Both the Hunter and A2 finished consuming their respective hind legs, now they were preparing to leave. The remaining hog meat which had finished smoking were placed into the Hunter's newly made sack, now filled with rations for their incoming venture.

"Let's go." A2 said. "We don't have much time left to waste."

"Is there something of concern to so hasty?"

"Command has surveillance everywhere. They've probably already sent someone to the pit."

"Then I suppose haste is of the essence. Although, just before we leave."

"What now?"

"Are you in need of clothing?" The Hunter asked, holding up a makeshift sleeveless coat made from leftover leather and adorned with fur. "I took the liberty to wash and dry the material for better presentabilty and sanitation."

"..." An incredulous expression upon A2's face.

"Is it not to your liking? I apologise, I only had so much material to work with. It should still suffice in covering your modesty."

A2 sighed slightly, reaching out an arm to the Hunter. "Give it here."

The Hunter obliged, handing over the coat to A2, who wore it immediately. The coat hugged A2's slender frame slightly loosely, allowing for unrestrained movement, the contrast between the fur and her black... 'stockings...?', also allowed her to appear more eye-catching, even if she had already been a sight to behold before.

"How does it fit?"

"It's fine, let's just go."

"One more thing."

"What it is now?"

"There is no need to be subservient towards me." The Hunter stated, strolling past A2 and further into the forest, referring to the statement of androids serving humanity. "Be true to yourself, not to me."

"..." A2 could not respond, her expression showing great confusion at the statement as she observed the Hunter trekked deeper into the woods.


In the middle of the city ruins, 2B and 9S could be found sprinting at full speed, having took the initiative ahead of Command to trail behind the blood trail, which most likely originated from the presumed male human. A noticeable detail was that the blood trail had been significantly longer than expected, such grievous wounds from the bullet wound would've meant for a human eventually collapsing, yet there were no signs of such event happening. However, the trail eventually ceased in a sudden stop. Bordering around the center of the ruins.

"The blood trail ends here." 9S stated to his partner.

"I can see that, but where would he have gone without leaving a clue?" 2B questioned.

"Hypothesis: suspected human has likely retreated to the forest."Pod 042 stated.

"The forest? Is there a reason for that?"

"Lack of nutrients to be found within the city ruins. Contrarily, the forest possesses a bountiful amount of accessible food sources suitable for human consumption. Unlike androids who may voluntarily enact in consumption as a hobby, humans require nutrients to survive."

"I suppose the lack of Machines would also a good reason to go there." 9S reasoned. "He did take care of them in the pit, so there should be significantly less Machines for now."

"Wasn't the Resistance Camp nearby? Wouldn't food be located there as well?"

"But that would mean leading the Machines straight to the camp."

"What about the 'black box signal' Command spoke about though? Maybe it has something to do with the disappearance?"

"We still have no idea what that signal was about. We need to wait for details from Command."

The YoRHa pair were at a slump on what they had to do next. The blood trail gone cold, no signs of the human anywhere, and no lead on where to begin their search.

"Proposal: Unit 2B and Unit 9S should enter the forest and investigate the nearby river for sign of suspected human." Pod 042 proposed.

"The river? Would there something to attract him?"

"I suppose he could eat the fish if he could catch any. But it sounds like there's another reason to suggest the river isn't there?"

"Humans also require water to survive, even more so than food." Pod 153 answered.

"Guess we better go to see if he might be there."

When the YoRHa pair arrived at the river, they were met with a gruesome sight.

They saw the remains of a boar carcass which had been dissected cleanly, most of its meat and hide had been extracted, and its blood seeped into the river, leaving mostly its skeletal remains to be eaten by potential scavengers. All right next to the remains of a bonfire. All of which being signs that the human had been here earlier.

"He must've been pretty hungry to have ate most of the boar." 9S mentioned, examining the boar's skeletal remains.

"Its skin and fur is missing too." 2B followed up. "Pod, can the boar's skin be eaten?"

"The hide and fur of the boar is unsuitable for human consumption. Hypothesis: suspected human has likely used the hide as material to produce a portable storage, otherwise known as a backpack. Second hypothesis: suspected human has likely cooked the boar's meat to be used as rations, meat such as pork is a hazard for humans to consume raw."

"Rations? Then you're saying he's preparing for a long travel?"

"Affirmative."

"But his trail has definitely gone cold now." 9S stated.

"Wait 9S." 2B said. "The tree branches are cut too cleanly."

"The tree branches?" 9S asked, glancing at the direction of the tree branches his partner had mentioned. "You're right! The Machine's weapons are too blunt to make such clean cuts."

"And the human only had the Machine's spear on him when he fled."

"Then that begs the question, who was he with to make such cuts? Maybe that 'black box signal'?"

"Who we still don't know whose signal it is..."

Another slump, the YoRHa pair had finally reached the signs and last location of the human, but now they had more questions than verifiable answers. For now, it was best to assume the tracks leading to him has definitely gone cold, it was now best to wait for the next course of actions from Command.