The first thing Robin noticed when she awoke was that there was a lot of noise, a lot of people around her talking and moving, her eyes weren't open yet, but her hearing sensors were very much active.

She considered laying still, to not give indication that she was aware, for safety, because she had no idea where she was.

Surely she was not at the end of the ravine she willingly let herself fall into, whatever she was laying on felt way too soft to be cold and hard rocks, which told her something or someone found her.

And judging from the sounds, and the lack of metallic sounding steps that machines usually take, she hoped it was androids.

Who could be though?

"Look, she's waking up." a female voice of someone familiar that she couldn't quite place yet.

Finally she willed her eyes to open, sunlight flooded her senses, and the sight of the Resistance's camp laid before her. She was in its infirmary.

"Quite the nap you took there." Devola's face entered her vision, looking down at her with a grin. Popola was right next to her, and behind them there was Anemone.

"Some Resistance androids found you two down the ravine that takes you to the forest, the bridge was destroyed, luckily we were able to bring you here. You were both in pretty bad condition, but luckily the twins didn't find any traces of logic virus in either of you."

Just now Robin noticed there was someone else beside her, though not quite the android she wished to see.

9S was laying in the cot next to hers, still asleep, at least she hoped he was asleep.

Since he was a Scanner unit, with less armor and less sturdiness to his body, a fall like the one she took must have damaged him way more than what it did to her. If, like Anemone said, the bridge fell, then he must have gone down with it, for whatever reason. She was sure the thing was still standing when she let go of A2's arm.

Though even if 9S was here, there was no 2B in sight, and given what happened and all the possessed androids they had seen this could mean something bad.

Or maybe she was off to something else and there was no reason to worry.

Robin had no idea if, and how many other survivors there could be of YoRHa besides her, A2 and 9S here.

Because she was sure that A2 survived, she had to.

"We tried our best to fix you two, we were worried because you had a pretty big opening on your head. 9S was a bit more lucky." Popola explained.

Robin's hand rose to touch her forehead, feeling the stitching on it. She must have hit it at the bottom against something.

"Thanks." was the first thing she muttered. "I owe you a favor."

But the twins seemed contrary to the idea, shaking their heads at her with much vigor.

"Oh no, we owe you for saving us, and for defending us too." Devola told her.

"No one ever did that before, we're in debt for life." Popola continued.

Though she had said that she did so out of selfish reasons, did she not? That she did because she hated hearing people be called names, didn't they remember it?

She did however remember the story they told her though, about how they were abused and used as a scapegoat for thousands of years because another set of twins committed something horrible, that they didn't even remember.

And after all this time Robin doubted anyone truly did recall, but somehow the hate was still there.

Had androids no idea how to move on? To even care about how things went? To think that perhaps they had been assuming wrong? The twins didn't seem like bad people to her, just mistreated, as far as she knew.

The ignorance about the whole ordeal reminded her too much of her time at YoRHa, because she was certain her role, and the E types all, was made to keep androids unaware of something, if White was so hellbent on hiding information to everyone with any means necessary.

A2's story only reinforced that idea, her story had been kept entirely hidden too.

Robin's own origins were kept hidden as well.

This fear of knowledge also reminded her of Ohara, and what happened to her home, as the World Government forbade the study of the ancient stones, killing an entire population without blinking an eye, even civilians that had nothing to do with it just because they were Oharans.

No one had to survive because they had something to hide.

There was something deeply wrong about these things, both of them.

"Is there something wrong?" Anemone asked from behind her, noticing the silence.

She shook her head. "Nothing, I was… just thinking."

Thankfully, both her and the red-haired twins let go of the ordeal, but Anemone still wanted something apparently, as she placed a hand on her arm.

"I'd like to talk to you about something, in private."

She didn't need to specify, it was obvious what she wanted to speak of, or rather, who. No doubt Anemone wanted to know if A2 was okay.

But unfortunately Robin didn't know, and was eager to be out there again to find her.

"So what happened to you? Was Number 2 there too?"

"She was there, we found ourselves in the middle of the horde of infected YoRHa androids, and we got separated. I lowered my guard a second and I fell down in the ravine, I don't know where she is now, and I intend to find out."

Anemone nodded, staying silent for a bit, assimilating what she had just said. Robin had willingly omitted the part of her self suicide move to save A2, the Resistance leader didn't need to know about it.

And also had sort of lied about the whole being distracted part, but she wasn't willing to talk about her inner turmoil.

This had her wondering… was the curse of E types finally getting to her too?

Was she going mad with grief? She? That thought to be incapable of feeling such a thing?

"Well then, I suppose I'll leave you to search for her, certainly you're more expert than me."

"I'll do what I can, and hopefully return with good news." at least now she could walk back in the camp without the risk of YoRHa finding her, it was one remotely good thing, in the middle of thousands bad.

This meant A2 was free to come here too though, and see Anemone again.

Not wanting to linger any longer, she left the area, stepping outside the camp and into the clearing outside of it. As soon as she stepped in the water, she could see her reflection just as awful as before.

Her clothing was still entirely dirty, looking more red than black now.

She could have asked the Resistance if they had anything, but would it have helped? No, it wouldn't…

No matter how many clothes she changed or cleaned, her hands and soul were forever stained with the blood of the people she killed.

Change all you knew, and yet, she'd never changed at all.

Once a murderer always a murderer.

The people around her always died, always, because she existed and kept existing. She knew she didn't have a choice, that ending the lives of those infected androids would have ended their suffering too, but it did not make things any better knowing.

How long would people die by her hands? Both directly and not?

"Pod, where's A2?" she whispered, still staring in the water.

She asked it so she could have something else to think about, someone else that was out there and that still gave her some kind of importance to her life.

Pod showed her the ping of A2's black box in the desert, active but unmoving, and wondered why she'd be there of all places, and if she was fine.

She voiced these concerns to her floating companion.

"Up until approximately 3 days ago this Pod was unable to locate signals and communicate with other units due to jamming activity from a large machine. Hypothesis, unit A2 must have destroyed the source of the problem in an attempt to locate unit 26E's whereabouts."

She must not have found her in the ravine anymore, and went looking for her…

Robin felt an odd pang in her chest, A2 put herself in a dangerous situation to find her…

She had to get to her, immediately.

"I already told you, we are not the same!" with a snarl on her face A2 stared at her clone in the white space that was her inner self. She was so damn tired of 2B, 2E, whatever one wanted to call her, defining them the same being.

They weren't, sharing a number didn't mean being the same thing.

2B was claiming that they both were alone in their suffering, for the most part, she was correct, hadn't it not been for one person. Robin had taken her by the hand and quite literally understood everything about her even when A2 had yet to tell her anything, just by looking and assuming.

She'd shared her tale, and A2 had done it too, telling each other that they didn't have to be alone with their pain any longer.

She was no longer alone.

"I have her." and the rogue android was sure that 2B also knew such a thing, so then why did she insist?

Had there been another reason perhaps? Something else? The way the younger Number 2 stood before her, trying to appear cold but with both of her fists clenched told her there was more to this than she said.

"Why?" 2B held her head low. "Why did she choose you over us?"

So that's where the problem was, jealousy, or perhaps it was just knowing that a unit that 2B cared about had the guts to break free from YoRHa, while she hadn't, despite all the suffering it caused to both her and 9S.

Yes, A2 had seen those memories first, before witnessing the ones 2B had shared with Robin instead. She knew the whole ordeal.

"Because unlike you she is still capable of choosing what she wants to be." A2 replied without half terms.

"You of all people should understand why she decided to leave, you're a damn Executioner too, but you and the rest were too busy admiring her for her so-called perfection, and wanting to be like her, that never bothered knowing her for who she truly was."

2B's silence and even lower head told her she hit the mark.

"She was a good person, but White… she ruins everything all the time…"

Another thing that 2B could not argue with, just looking at 9S was enough proof, but she felt that there was more to it, the way A2 spoke with so much hate made her wonder just how much White hurt her.

But she kept away from her memories, she left her own to A2 so she may have had all she needed to get even stronger, and perhaps to want to aid 9S, if she showed her that he was also a good person, and that he didn't deserve all the pain she had caused him.

It felt wrong to intrude. A2 didn't have a choice when she accepted to receive the data other than seeing it, but 2B did, and she chose to not watch, for as much as she wanted to know, she felt that looking at A2's memories would just anger her.

As if she hadn't been annoying her enough already…

Besides, A2 had been correct in her statements, all of them. She'd been so caught up in wanting to be like her teacher, to be a good soldier that never messed up, that never showed emotion, that was the most efficient at any job given, that she never bothered trying to actually know the woman.

And she never wondered if she was hurting just as much as the rest of E types, or perhaps, even more.

Then, all the words 26E told her… about being tired of killing, about not hiding emotions, and about not taking her as an example… she was trying to dissuade her and the others from suffering like her?

And she'd even accused her of not caring…

It all made sense now.

"Look… maybe you'll manage to talk with her and fix things when we find her." A2 offered, unnerved from the long silence. She felt kind of bad for putting the other through this, but the truth was the truth, no matter how much it hurt.

Better knowing something concrete even if it was painful than living a lie.

Lies hurt even more when the truth came out, didn't they? Why hadn't she known back then when her squad was deployed then?

"You'd tell her? About me being here?"

"I'm sure she'd ask questions anyways, she'll notice something is off, she's too smart for her own good." A2 shrugged. "We'll look for her as soon as my body recovers, I didn't kill that bloody machine and got myself in this situation for nothing, so hopefully that flying toaster of yours can tell me where she is."

"Always assuming Robin doesn't find us first."

She watched 2B nod, still she looked rather perplexed. "I must ask, why the name?"

Right, no one knew of Robin's true identity but A2 herself, not that either of them had anyone to tell this. But YoRHa was gone now, no reason to keep secrets anymore.

"It is not my place to tell, if she wishes she'll tell you. She doesn't have to keep secrets anymore."

2B didn't reply but seemed to understand the reasoning.

"Just don't use her Executioner name again in our presence."

A few hours later, finally Robin stepped into the desert area, thankfully she had a waypoint to follow, this place was huge and hard to navigate. If she had to be honest she wasn't a fan of the sand blowing in her face and on her clothing all the time, even more annoying now that she was no longer covering her eyes even.

And it was way too hot too, it made her body heat up uncomfortably.

But finding A2 was the priority, so dashing and sliding on the dunes she was, towards the direction of the ping of her black box. It still hadn't moved which made her even more concerned.

Soon enough she'll find out eventually.

Pod 007 said that she could have fought against a Goliath machine, so hopefully the fight just tired her out that her systems shut down to prevent further damage and nothing more.

Took a bit but finally she spotted something in the middle of all the sand, a mix of black and white, no doubt it had to be A2 lying face down on the sand. She'd recognize that unfortunately broken body of hers between thousands.

Though something didn't feel right as soon as she got a better look. She did not have long hair anymore, and a Pod keeping watch next to her? And… was that 2B's white sword laying in the sand close by?

No doubt the Pod was 042, 2B's Pod, and thinking about it, no one had seen her with 9S and Pods didn't change owners so…

Had she… died?

Only one way to know.

Thankfully 042 didn't shoot at her when she approached, recognizing her as an ally, a shame if she would have had to put it down.

"042, why are you with A2?" she decided to take a direct approach, no beating around the bush here.

"It was the last order given to this Pod from Unit 2B."

From 2B huh? So then…

"What happened to her?" she didn't want to think about possibilities, best to hear actual facts. A2 did tell her that what she found she took from corpses, but she refused to accept the idea that she could have killed her superior model and taken her weapon as a trophy, and that it was it, for no other reason.

"Unit A2 had to dispose of Unit 2B due to a logic virus infection."

"I see…" she sighed, lowering herself next to A2 and sitting down, taking the other android she placed her so she was lying on her legs.

"Is A2 okay?"

"Affirmative. Unit A2 was hit from an EMP blast from the Goliath machine, as such, her body had to forcefully shut down as a safety measure. Scans indicate that her systems repaired themselves successfully. Would Unit 26E like this Pod to initiate the restarting sequence?"

She nodded. "Please do."

At least she was fine, she just got knocked out from the blast, but if 042 wouldn't have been here watching over… She didn't want to think about the possibilities, they didn't happen, she shouldn't bother with them.

She couldn't help a sigh of relief once A2's blue eyes opened.

"Good morning." she chuckled. "How are you feeling?"

"Better, now that I can see you again. You have a thing for finding me just when I need it." well, so did she though.

She watched A2 grasp at the sand under her. "But the sand is pissing me off."

Robin wanted to laugh at the comment, if it wasn't that as soon as A2 sat up she broke down in a coughing fit. She put her hand on A2's back, gently stroking it until it passed.

When the white haired android finally removed her hand from her mouth they could see grains of sand flying and mixing themselves with the ones the wind was blowing around them.

"What's wrong?" Robin looked at the two Pods for an answer.

"It seems that fine particle matter has entered Unit A2's fuel filter. Suggestion, replace it."

"Do we even have one at our place?" she questioned her own Pod, since it had helped file all the things they collected in its inventory.

"Negative." she almost growled at the answer, if it wasn't for 042 coming to their aid.

"Said part was last known to be found at the Resistance's Camp."

"Perfect then." Robin did want to take A2 there to see Anemone now that she could, but the other woman seemed concerned at the idea.

"The Resistance's Camp huh…"

"She asked me about you, you know?" she tried to be sweet about it, but she could guess where her worries were lying.

Probably A2 was afraid Anemone would blame her for what happened years ago, as far as Robin knew, but the Resistance Leader hadn't seemed angry about the fact that A2 was alive, she asked for her wellbeing too, looking genuinely worried.

She refused to think Anemone would dare to point fingers, she was better than that.

"It'll be fine, okay?" she took A2's hand and helped her up, the movement causing her to cough again.

She held her close as she heaved.

"Let's make this quick." A2 breathed, leaning against Robin.

Maybe it was indeed time to go see Anemone after all these years that she didn't even know she was alive, and see how she was doing, she owed her at least that. And if things went wrong, at least she could count on Robin now.

With an arm on her back, she allowed the taller woman to support her as they walked back, and away from this damn desert.

She'd hold on to her, for the time being.

"She seems like a different person in your company." A2 heard 2B comment, and for a minute she forgot she was there too. "She's softer, more emotional."

"So you noticed too then?"

It was when she watched Robin frown at her that A2 realized she said it out loud, instead of replying to 2B through thoughts.

Guess she'd have to spill the secret before her companion got even more worried.

"Well… there's someone that would like to say something."