"I can't believe this…" 9S breathed as he and 2B descended the castle, finding A2 and 26E already long gone.

"This is absurd, impossible even." he kept ranting, voicing every thought 2B could not.

26E had left YoRHa, she deserted, right in front of them, without any second thought, without fear of being chased, attacked… all to protect another deserter she was not supposed to look after, A2.

And 2B just stood there, even when she'd been ordered to kill, she didn't.

It was like 26E said, she understood why of her actions, because she too had someone she wished to protect, 9S.

Though it was somewhat different, he wasn't a deserter, though he had the habit of sticking his nose in forbidden things way too often, and so just as often she was called to action.

"You care about 9S, don't you?" 26E had asked her one day out of the blue, as if she had known something she didn't.

That was all the woman was about, her knowledge came before her mastery with the blade she carried. 2B often felt like she knew everything.

She was nice and caring with her and the other students too, though often severe with those who got too aggressive or eager on the prospect of killing. She always said to not take pride in their duty.

2B wanted to live by those words, and she'd never been proud of what her role consisted of. The best she could do was to make sure 9S didn't suffer at the hands of no one else, 26E made her promise that she would.

And 2B couldn't help but feel like the other Executioner was trying to make sure she didn't forget something she couldn't recall saying. But it felt just as important.

So she understood why the other woman had the urge to protect A2, though she didn't know what the deserter did or said to convince her to be on her side, she was quite sure that this time at the castle hadn't been their first meeting.

Actually the total opposite, they already seemed quite close, from the way A2 was trusting 26E to help her, and allowed her to carry her away to safety.

A rogue Unit, and an Executioner that was bound to kill her, running away together…

That was quite the unlikely situation, and yet, it happened, right in front of their eyes.

And the Commander's of course, which must have been furious beyond recognition to have lost a Unit as efficient as 26E, and honestly 2B was glad they were not in the Bunker at the moment to witness that happening.

She heard 9S report to his Operator, which had also been 26E's one. 2B listened as the woman kept a straight face, but her voice wavered, just a little, from time to time, and she was sure 9S also noticed the woman's struggle, so he filed his report quickly without adding any of his remarks to not worsen the situation.

He sighed as the call closed. "Poor 21O… she won't say it, but she too was attached to her…"

"This must be hard for you both."

"She was just my teacher, nothing else." she responded, she couldn't allow herself to show emotion.

"Next time we cross paths we will be enemies."

"That's harsh, don't you care? Even a little?" she could tell then 9S was frowning from behind his visor.

"She took this path, she has to face the consequences." and 2B was sure 26E knew well what this implied, yet she still went through with it.

As a E Unit she should know well what she would go against, it should have been enough to have her desists, but it didn't. 2B wondered if A2 had something to do with it more than she thought.

Were they friends or were there other feelings implied?

"We should return to the Resistance's Camp."

They could ask Anemone, and also they should warn her about 26E being a danger now, and to tell her to take notice if she should walk in the camp and alert YoRHa if that happened.

Though 2B doubted 26E would ever expose herself that way, she was too smart for that.

Regardless, the possibility was still there and they had a duty to attend to.

Once they arrived at the camp, looking for Anemone was the first thing they did, wishing to inform her about 26E, but also to ask if she knew anything about A2.

They were a bit disappointed when the only thing she revealed was that the two had been on a mission together long ago, but that she believed A2 was dead all along. Still, she gave them an assignment to find possible information on her old companion.

Neither YoRHa asked why, maybe she wanted to know how she survived, or maybe she'd just been worried.

For now the best thing was to do that and also, under suggestion of 9S, to see if Pascal and the machines knew anything of her. The rogue was a mystery, someone neither of them knew about until today except the name, and the fact she was on the top list of wanted people from YoRHa.

No one knew why though.

Or perhaps… someone did, and decided to leave because of it.

26E was also a damn mystery, but for as cold and emotionless she appeared to be, she was hardly heartless, and also, 2B knew she was curious just as much as 9S was.

Had she found something from A2 that was too hard even for her to handle?

Or did A2 somehow trick her into believing something and having her change sides?

There was no way to know for now, if ever, unless they met again.

2B longed for an explanation, and from 26E's earlier words, it seemed she had some qualms with the Commander, just like A2 did, but she knew well that asking White was not an option. She may even decide to not like the question and even have her forget this ordeal, and the bond she shared with her teacher.

No, best to keep this to herself. Don't even tell 9S, or if he starts digging then he will…

Be silent 2B.

"Information about A2 is indeed in our archives, but I do not know why." it was all Pascal could tell them.

"What about the other one?" 9S asked, as 2B stayed close as he questioned Pascal about A2 and if 26E had ever been here. Pod 153 and 042 conveniently displaying images of the two androids.

"I am afraid I do not have any data on her, and I would surely remember if an android as scary as her ever walked in here." Pascal tilted his head sideways as if to take a better look. "She looks tall too."

"Heh yeah, she towers over everyone, even the Commander."

2B gives him a disapproving look, Pascal is not supposed to know such things.

"She's very dangerous, so I would advise you to be careful." she tells the machine.

While she knew that 26E was not one of the extremely hateful androids, the village was still full of machines and they were still enemies, and she was an expert killer of both kinds that roamed Earth.

And that made her even more menacing than most regular YoRHa androids.

"We will, thank you 2B."

With a nod she just left the village, 9S in tow, even more disappointed they didn't find anything useful. They weren't all that surprised the machines knew A2, after all she was supposed to have been active way before them.

She was by far the only prototype unit on the wanted list, and that was known from everyone at the Bunker.

"Why did you ask Pascal about A2?" she asked 9S, truly hoping he wasn't digging into things he shouldn't be.

"I don't know, I was just curious."

Why was she so interested too? But, if 2B had to admit, she felt rather unnerved to see her exact face on someone else, much less on a deserter, whose eyes spoke of anger and sorrow.

What secrets was she hiding? Why did it feel like the deserter knew her? No, them, because from the way she fought she was able to avoid and counter both her and 9S too.

Had they met before?

And where did 26E fit in all this ordeal? Had she known all along? Had A2 told her something that completely changed her ideals and shattered all the loyalty she had for YoRHa?

2B was positive this might start something big, if even a unit as faithful as 26E could rebel, then who was to say that others couldn't?

Maybe she could follow the example…

No… she shouldn't even think about it.

"Say 2B, don't tell me you're worried about Pascal." 9S' question broke her train of thoughts.

"I was merely warning him. Command wants him alive so we can know more about machines." she just stated, though was he right? Was she worried like he claimed?

Machines were enemies, and yet Pascal had done nothing to them, nor did any of the villagers. Actually they had been kind and welcoming.

Regardless, she was just doing her job.

"That is true, and 26E was one of YoRHa's top units, quite a legend to be honest, and with A2 at her side there is no telling what could happen to the village if they should find it. I don't know 26E well, but A2 seems pretty brutal about killing machines, just remember what she did to the baby."

Also correct, how could they forget how mercilessly she had stabbed that thing when it was causing no harm at all?

2B wondered, what happened that made her so resentful?

Maybe if they could find more information like Anemone asked they could find an answer.

White stared at the screen before her, one hand clutching tightly her riding crop, the other clenching and unclenching at her side at a steady rhythm.

The human betrayed them…

She desperately wanted to seek another reason, to blame A2 like always every time something involving her went wrong, perhaps she had her part in this, but, truly all the blame had to go on herself.

She had pushed the woman too far, she knew she could have, and yet she kept going.

All because she never had any willpower to oppose orders from the council. She never did before, nothing ever changed.

Make sure she remembers where her place is.

They told her, and showed her ways humans used to humiliate females. Not that she already didn't know, but she never thought she would ever have to do such a thing.

She had tried, she truly did, but they threatened to proceed with erasing the human's personality, and she didn't want that to happen. So she went through with the punishment.

She had made sure to just give orders, to try and not humiliate her as badly, keeping her own hands to herself and off her body, letting the former human do the work as she told her to, and she did, she answered every order with utmost respect and diligence as always, even in that situation.

But White knew this was bound to come back to punish her, and it did.

Now YoRHa's best unit was gone, and nothing more remained than pure and utter shame.

Perhaps, this had been for the best, so she couldn't hurt a human any longer.

White was no human but if she could indulge herself, then she could dare to join her hands together, close her eyes, and pray for only one thing to happen.

Number 2… please protect her…

A2 hated her, she knew that much, and with more than a good reason to, but right now she was the only one she could direct her hopes towards.

Without saying a single word, 21O left her post. She didn't bother asking the Commander to allow her to, she didn't even want to see the woman's face right now nor ever again.

It wasn't enough what she did and kept doing to 9S through all these years, now she also had 26E leave because despite all her services she still had to completely humiliate and take her dignity away.

It was her fault, her fault, her fault… damn her, damn White…

21O had guessed there was something wrong since 26E returned from her first very loss at the hands of A2. And then that had happened because of White…

She had seen her protected unit fall and break down in front of her, asking for moral support for the first time ever, and she had granted it, not wanting to see the woman so vulnerable, she knew she had a lot on her mind, and perhaps she had already been planning to leave at that point.

Then… that must have been the reason why that hug they had shared felt so much like a goodbye…

Without thinking, her legs carried her to that room, her room, 21O lightly caressed the insignia that read 26E, knowing that probably soon it would be replaced from someone else's, and whatever was in the room, thrown away.

No… she could still save something.

26E didn't own much, her very own belongings had been taken to a place on Earth that not even 21O knew where it was, but she had always assured her that they were safe.

The only things left were just copies of her uniform, with that strange design and its long skirt that always trailed behind her, and fluttered around so much whenever she was fighting.

"It's the most elegant thing I have ever had to wear."

The memory fluttered in her mind as 21O took one of the many dresses off its hanger and held it close to her chest. That day had just been after when she had woken up, and after the one they had met.

She had seen her grow and become an actual soldier day by day, adapting to her new role and the fact she no longer was a human but an android.

She despised what the role of E types consisted of, but she couldn't help but feel a tinge of happiness each time she returned victorious and safe from a mission.

26E never took pride in what she did, she had never been eager to shed blood, eager to kill like some other Executioners were, which made her still likable. That despite all, she still held humanity in her.

Had it been this humanity of hers to have her take the decision to leave then?

21O had seen the picture from the feed of Pod 153 as 9S sent them to her, the way she held herself at A2's side, protecting her, steadying her, as at the same time she held her ground against the Commander's words and talked back to her.

A2 was a deserter, and yet, 26E felt the need to be at her side. Was this for something she knew? Was it true that White was being a liar like she claimed? No, like both 26E and A2 had claimed.

"9S, take care of 21O for me, will you?"

And despite everything, she still thought about her too…

Would 26E miss her like she was doing now?

Distracted, she didn't even hear the door open, nor the uncharacteristically slow clacking of heels on the floor of the other person.

"I knew I'd find you here." the sweet voice of 6O reached her ears, lacking the usual happy tone she always held.

21O was the only one that ever got to see 6O this serious, and 6O was the only one allowed to ever see her break down like this. Whenever something bad happened, they both would find each other in either room of theirs, and consoled each other for hours.

A repeating cycle of shared sorrow and pain.

Usually, it would involve both of them, about the unfortunate consequences that followed 2E's orders and yet another of 9S' executions. But this time it was different, the pain was one sided.

For the most part…

21O let 6O take her arm and drag her to the bed, the same bed she had sat on with 26E just some time ago, only that this time she was the one being held, while at the same time she was still clutching 26E's black vest to her chest.

Her fellow Operator hadn't said another word since she entered, but she knew just what was needed, as she wrapped her arms tightly around 21O, gently pulling her head so it would lie on her shoulder.

Rarely words were ever needed in these moments, and neither were tears. They simply allowed one another to speak through gestures of mute understanding.

Raising a hand, 21O pulled a screen in front of her, 6O stared at it too with wide eyes, but did nothing more.

She pulled over some old conversations 26E sent her through her Pod, things she had found scavenging in places 21O would have loved to have accompanied her, but wasn't allowed to go.

"Look 21O, this is a book of a collection of stories for young kids." the screen replaying when the black haired woman showed the colorful item in front of her Pod's screen for her to see.

"Do you want me to read something to you sometime?" the other woman was smiling in the picture, knowing full well how 21O loved to know about human cultures, especially for kids. 26E also loved to read, to herself or out loud didn't matter, she had told her so.

"Why are you looking at these?" 6O asked her, worried she'd get lost in old memories, and risk hurting herself even further.

"It's nothing…" 21O sighed, pausing the screen on 26E's bright smile, a smile she had given to her only.

"I just want to remember her like this… smiling and happy…"