Unknown voices flooded her senses first, actually no, some of them sounded familiar, like she heard them a lot of times before. Most of them were women she could tell.
Three different ones, yet robotic all the same, male, female, and a childish one.
Two of the others had an almost identical sound, one holding more smugness than the other though, while the other was calm and gentle.
A more serious and stern one, coupled with another she couldn't quite place, but sounded rough, almost as if the voice box was worn, there was a third one among them, similar to the previous, but softer, and without the weariness.
And then there were two more.
A woman with a soft tone yet quite mature and low pitched.
And then the only male voice she could hear, sounded young and boyish.
When her eyes finally opened, she had her answer, as she could see their faces, but the two she stopped looking at were the two she knew the most.
At the teen look of her boy 9S, and at the more serious and adult one with different eyes that 26E had.
So they were still alive then…
Next to them she could only recognize 2B, 9S' partner, and their respective Pods. No hints as to who the other people were, two red haired women that looked almost the same, probably twin models, a short woman with a long green cape…
But it was the last one that struck to her the most, she had the face of 2B, a face she knew well, and yet she wasn't, she had longer hair in a braid, and she could see from the state of her body that she must have been the one with the rougher voice.
However she could not recognize the place, she was lying on a bed in some kind of infirmary looking place, tall buildings all around them, but that was all she could guess.
9S and 26E exchanged worried looks and words, the Executioner asking the Scanner if she was okay, given the lack of response.
He didn't get to reply, words died in his mouth as she slowly sat up, taking the sight of this new place even more.
"Where am I?" she finally asked, deciding to trust her voice that she wasn't sure was working, but apparently it did. This solved one issue.
"The Resistance's Camp." the one with the cape answered. "I'm the Leader here, the name is Anemone."
Yes, now she recalled something about her, YoRHa and the Resistance were allies no? She definitely heard the name plenty of times, and said it too when she had to send her units down right at this place.
"How are you feeling, 21O?" came 9S' question.
Confused and somewhat sore were the first thing that came to her mind, her body felt heavier than usual too. She couldn't recall why she would be here at the moment either, but she could guess something important must have happened, if there were so many people around her.
Raking a hand through her hair, she gave the most honest answer she could.
"I'm not quite sure, I have many questions, and my body feels… different." she wasn't even wearing her regular uniform either, just normal clothing like the Resistance.
Just a plain pale yellow shirt and military pants and shoes.
With her eyes she took notice that 26E and also the long haired 2B didn't have uniforms either, the second one even had a mantle too.
"That's because you converted to a Battler model." he replied, explaining why she felt this way.
A sturdier and heavier body than the regular Operator one, as it wasn't made for fighting. Operators had weaker body types than Scanners and Healers, because unlike them, they weren't supposed to be field units.
Now she recalled something about thinking to change body at some point, for… some reason that felt important but she couldn't remember.
"What's the last thing you remember?" 26E was the one asking now, extending a hand so she'd take it, to see if she was able to move and walk.
A bit wobbly but she did manage to stay upright, and even if she didn't, the Executioner held her strong and steady. Reminded her of those times she'd come back wounded from field missions, and that 21O aided her to get to the maintenance room, only with roles reversed now.
And the fact that the taller woman still remained stronger than her. It must have been easier on her side rather than the other.
"I'm not too sure…" 21O held a hand to her head, trying to force herself to remember something useful.
"I think I recall something about wanting this conversion of body, and taking part on some kind of mission even. Everything is so fuzzy afterwards, I can't make sense of it."
That must have been the point she'd been infected alongside the rest of the other units, when the logic virus broke through the systems of the Bunker, infecting everyone connected to it.
Which was pretty much all units but the ones present here besides 21O.
"I think… I think I remember 9S' face at some point too." though it wasn't clear why, everything was red, she wasn't even sure it could have been him at all.
"I recall a lot of pain, like my head was about to explode." like everything hurt, and it wouldn't go away at all.
"The logic virus." was 9S' simple response. "For some reason the machines were using you against me."
A look of horror crossed 21O's features. She didn't… she did not…
"I didn't… I didn't harm you, right?"
"I had to fight you, you weren't yourself but I couldn't bring myself to kill you…" before 21O could feel even worse about the prospect of having harmed 9S, A2 spoke up first.
"I stepped in just in time." she said, remembering she arrived just before 21O's sword came crashing down on a cowering 9S.
The way she'd killed the woman had been rather brutal, but in that specific moment she had no time to be respectful or gentle, nor precise even. She did what she could so she wouldn't kill him instead.
"If you're truly going down there, then let me at least guide you from up here." she now remembered 6O's voice when she told her she would switch bodies, wanting to aid 9S, wanting to be there to protect him.
And also with hope of seeing 26E again after she left months before.
6O had offered, more like imposed herself, on being her Operator and no one else, even though she already had 2B to guide.
"I know how much you desire to protect them, I won't judge you for it." right, 6O was the only one that would have never judged her for taking such an emotion driven decision, quite the opposite from how cold the number 21 personality was supposed to be.
Yes, she remembered now.
"The Commander called a huge operation to wipe out the machines, calling all YoRHas to it, however it was just a cover. The machines had a backdoor built in the Bunker's server, and used it to spread the virus to everyone that was synced to it."
That must have been how she got infected then, but why would they do that?
"Your obsolescence was planned from the start." Anemone stated, taking in this information for the first time too, reminded her of Number 2's old squadron.
Their deaths had been planned beforehand too after all, to make space for newer and better units. That was just the same thing again, did YoRHa never learn from the past?
"But no one expected the only two surviving units to actually manage to wipe out the main machine server." 9S gave a knowing look to A2, fully aware it had been her in the end.
"We did what we had to do." if only her old companions could see her now. Would they have been proud of their achievement? Because if 9S hadn't been there, if 2B hadn't aided her, then she wouldn't have been able to take the Tower down.
"So they would have sacrificed everyone?" just like that? With no care for anyone? Even… even a human?
21O's green eyes bore into different ones as she said so, and the sigh 26E gave her was one of acceptance.
"Yes." they would have had.
But there were still many more questions.
"And in all this, where were you?"
She'd been told about 9S, and about the long haired woman, but in all that where were the other two?
If they said only two of them had wiped the main server, then did it mean that 2B and 26E didn't make it that far?
"We were both killed from the virus too." 2B finally decided to speak up. "After the Bunker exploded, 9S and I escaped, we weren't synced to it, due to a precaution 9S took to protect us after Adam caught him. However when I landed I caught it again."
Her eyes met the ones of her older twin, sad and resigned as they had been that day.
She hadn't wanted to do that, but had no choice.
"I asked A2 to kill me, before it would have been too late. Left her everything I had, my knowledge, memory and weapons."
"It was quite weird to have a voice in my head." the one with long hair 21O now knew to be A2 replied, even if the tone was serious, the small smile she had was affectionate.
So, that was the deserter 26E left for then…
Another Number 2 as well, again, and an older one too. What did they have to their personality to be so charming for others?
It seemed absurd that both 9S and 26E as well, would fall for two people with the same number of personality. Yet, here it happened, though she wasn't sure if it would be entirely true for 26E yet, but A2 must have had some kind of thing to bring her to her side.
And waste years of loyalty to YoRHa.
Though recalling the more recent event before she left, she wasn't all that surprised she wanted out, given how the Commander treated her, especially after so much time of total devotion to her role and to androids.
21O knew there was something up the last time they spoke, she felt it deep in her chest, and wanted an explanation.
"And you must have caught it after you left us, didn't you?" fists clenched at her side, she held her gaze on the ex human.
"I wasn't synced because I deserted so…" the tall woman didn't get to say anything more to explain or defend herself…
… As a swift slap to the face from 21O made her stagger.
Immediately A2 ran at her side, holding her arm and glaring daggers at 21O. She'd been so damn close at drawing out her sword when Robin's hand stopped hers from reaching for it.
"What were you thinking you damn fool!?" harsh breaths left 21O's mouth, as she looked on, eyes glistening with unshed tears.
"Why didn't you tell me anything!? I would have helped you!"
Wasn't she mad because she left? Wasn't she angry that she ran away?
"As an Operator my duty is to aid and protect my assigned units, if you wanted to run I would have covered you! I…"
"I wasn't going to drag you into it!" it was Robin's turn to yell. "I wasn't going to let the Commander ruin you too."
Not the person that had been so important to her…
She watched the blonde stagger, holding her arm as she spoke.
"21O… you've been a guide to me, I never meant to hurt you, but at the same time I couldn't let you risk your life for me, we all know what would have happened if White found out."
Her eyes traveled to her pupil, and to her partner, 9S looking back with a nod. He was still the biggest proof of everything that was rotten within YoRHa, and the consequences it brought doing something wrong, and 21O knew it well too. She assisted him for way longer than she assisted her. He was already active when she was dragged into this world.
"I don't expect you to understand, or to forgive me for it, but please know I'm really grateful for everything you've done for me during these years."
Robin brought a hand to her chest as she told those words. She truly was so very thankful for all 21O did, and for being near her.
The blonde Operator was silent for a bit, it was hard to guess what she might have been thinking about, and as soon as she took a step closer to Robin, A2 was very tempted to step in the middle.
She was not going to watch her lover getting slapped the hell away.
It had been further reinforced as the woman raised her hand towards the ex-human's face again, even Robin closed her eyes, bracing herself for it, but still holding an arm out in front of A2, not wanting her to do anything rash.
She deserved this, she hurt 21O and this was her punishment, and she'll take it.
However, she'd expected the sting of another hit, when instead she just felt a gentle pressure on the same cheek that had been offended before.
Opening her eyes she met green ones, still shining with unshed tears, yet sweeter than before.
"That was for being stupid." 21O caressed her cheek, referring to the slap of before, mentally recalling all the times she told her not to be reckless in her decisions.
"And this…" suddenly Robin found herself with the arms of her Operator around her. "Is for remembering me." the blonde's hands held tight on Robin's shirt.
"I'm glad to see you both safe." turning around, she motioned for 9S to join them, and as he did she wrapped an arm around them both.
Her proteges, her children…
As she watched the trio hold each other, A2 felt to be too much, like she was overstepping something, so she used this moment of distraction to get to Anemone's side, a hand unconsciously going to hold her chest.
The Resistance's Leader wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and 2B came closer too, shoulders touching, knowing her older sister needed comfort.
"This hurts…" why did it see them find each other again hurt? Wasn't she supposed to be happy that Robin got her Operator back? Someone she cared for? Why was wishing for her partner to be happy hurting her this much?
It passed such a long time, it should have been easy to just let go.
Was this… jealousy? Was this how it felt?
"It's because we can't have what they have…" Anemone spoke quietly, not to disturb the three. "Our friends are long gone, and won't come back."
That was the worst, because weren't they all androids too? But the fact that they never had even a similar treatment, a safety net in being able to store and upload their consciousness in the Bunker like newer models could, then there was no way for them to come back, ever.
And it happened just what both the rogue and the Resistance Leader were afraid of…
This woman was way too similar to Number 21.
Which didn't help them in the slightest. The whole talk about wanting to protect people, even converting herself into a Battler model, and joining a dangerous mission just for Robin and 9S was way too close to something Number 21 would have done too.
Despite not being a fighter she was protective to the extreme, even sacrificing her life for them, and all of this sounded no different, even if it wasn't the same kind of situation back that day in that damned server.
2B remained silent, quietly seething to herself, because she too desired 6O at her side again too, talking her ear off again and again like she used to.
But she didn't voice the thought out loud, not wanting to worsen A2's pain.
It seemed that they weren't the only ones that had noticed though, as Robin threw a glance at the rogue android, worry evident in her mismatched eyes.
"21O, this may surprise you, but it wasn't me finding you, I hadn't known where you died or how, before A2 led me to you, and for getting the twins involved too." Robin explained, hoping that seeing A2 suffer was not because she was jealous of the bond she had with 21O.
They were close, but the affection she felt for her Operator was way different than what she felt for her, entirely different. But she loved them both.
And also, better to say the truth, she had sworn she'd try to be honest.
"I see." 21O acknowledged the information with a nod, before turning in the direction of the one she now knew to be the infamous rogue no one could kill, and also to the red haired sisters.
Bringing a hand to her chest, the blonde bowed slightly. "You all have my sincerest gratitude, for taking me back where you believed I was needed."
A2 felt a little uncomfortable at the gesture, she wasn't used to seeing this kind of thing, much less receiving, at all. The only one she wanted to bow down before her was the Commander, if she were to be honest.
While the twins simply exchanged a nod with each other. "It was no big deal." it was Devola that replied.
"We owe 26E our life, and YoRHa soldiers have been kind to us, so anything we can help with we will." Popola once again nodded. "I believe we haven't introduced ourselves yet, I'm Popola, and this is my sister Devola."
"I believe I read something about your models somewhere." though 21O couldn't recall if it was good or bad, surely the names were familiar.
"Devola and Popola are medical androids and repair experts, and they are very reliable." Anemone looked at them, admitting that, despite all the evils that were said about the twins, they were efficient at their job.
And also, they weren't that bad but she wouldn't admit it in front of the comrades of the Resistance, they wouldn't agree.
They were just mistreated and misunderstood… as it was about anyone as far as she could hear and tell. Sometimes it made her wonder where the good things of this world were, but upon watching the group of people before her, she may know pretty well where it was.
"If you'd allow me, I'd like to know more about the partner my assisted unit chose." 21O spoke again, this time directly to A2.
The rogue felt the hair at the base of her neck stand in alarm, she didn't know why, but this woman's protectiveness sounded a bit threatening at the moment. For her of course.
And for the relationship she managed and worked so hard to build with Robin.
But hell if she was going to let that stop her from being with the woman she loved.