The group found themselves once again at the camp, this time by making sure not to pass too close to the Tower remains now that those so-called guardians were active. Whatever they were.

But still better not to unintentionally trigger them.

At least not before they felt ready to face them, until Robin decided to do so, and she wouldn't dare risk anyone's life for anything.

But much like A2, none of them wanted her to face these trials alone.

They were so affectionate… and most of the new people here didn't even know her too well yet…

Or perhaps they knew more than they should have, they had seen her at her worst in that server because Adam and Eve brought that side of her out.

And yet, she was forgiven.

Again.

So much they all trusted A2's judgment.

The rogue was the needle of balance between not just her, but the entirety of the newer YoRHa and her old friends and companions, whether she knew about it or not.

She was what brought them all together, if she hadn't been here, they wouldn't have grown closer, or at least not as quickly as they did.

A2 had a thing for being in the middle of things, good and bad somehow.

And if it hadn't been for her and the presence of a friend of hers then maybe 6O would not have acquired her own weapon as fast.

Well, it was still in the making actually, but again, the idea would not have come as quickly as it did apparently. Or so White claimed.

"When we spoke about older projects regarding Scanners, and the fact they were supposed to hold handguns, I brought the idea to Jackass and see if it could fit for our Healer, since she claims not to like swords and similars."

"I don't think they would fit me." 6O admitted, too brutal for her liking, even though who was able to use them was good and if she had to admit, 2B and the others looked like they were dancing when they fought.

But blades spoke of too much pain for someone meant to heal people.

"The idea was to try and create a weapon that could heal even at a distance." White stated. "Or at least aid units in keeping damage contained, by shooting healing nanobots, but also to have the option to shoot normal bullets in case it's needed."

And those small handguns that were meant for older Scanner models looked perfect for the job, a rifle like Number 16's wouldn't fit someone like 6O much like swords.

Too tiny and too kind for her own good to hold such a big thing, even though Lily did but she had little choice in the matter, in fact, the Lover model did ask to learn, but again, back then they were different times.

And required different kinds of needs.

White didn't manage to explain more as Jackass dragged the young Operator by the arm to see the projects as soon as she stepped in the camp.

"So what do ya think?" White had shared with the woman the idea, and the data of those experimental weapons.

Just because they were never used it didn't mean they couldn't be useful now.

It was the best idea they could have for now.

6O took the prints in her hands, staring at them, the idea of being able to help her allies without needing to rush at them if or when she couldn't was looking promising, she, like Scanner models, wasn't very well physically resistant compared to combat ones.

If she were to be injured she wouldn't be able to do her job, literally speaking from a technical standpoint.

Even though she too like the others would sacrifice her own health for them, but again it would go against the whole Healer duty.

"I like it." she replied, her usual bright smile in place.

After all, like she said, she just wanted to be useful. She was still sad about sparking insecurity in Number 21 by saying that though, but she was looking more confident today.

So she could be confident too.

"I will need someone to help me learn how to shoot properly though." since she still had no data about it.

But…

"I will!" Number 16 literally put her hand in the air, as expected from the only YoRHa Gunner type present.

"Me too!" just as expected that Dahlia would react to it.

Those two were one and the same, it was odd that they weren't a couple, 6O thought.

Surely they went along and argued as if they were married, or so she read about humans being like that.

Or was it a saying?

Well it looked true though.

It was a bit like Robin and A2 who ended up as one after they found solace in the fact that their experience was similar, perhaps these two will understand in the future.

Or she will make them.

"Why does it have to be you? As a YoRHa Gunner type I'm more qualified."

"No way, you don't have the experience." the two were pretty much face to face, glaring in each other's eyes.

But something about these interactions felt… affectionate.

Yes, a couple indeed.

"Now, now, we surely aren't missing people that can shoot, why don't we let 6O decide who she wants?" Number 4 shrugged to herself, the solution was easy, and the blonde was the one that needed to learn.

So having her choose her teacher would be the best idea, no?

"I say there's no need to rush for now." Robin interjected. "6O has all the time she wants to choose who she wants to help her, while the weapon is being made."

There was no need to put unnecessary pressure on the Operator turned Healer.

She still had to adapt to the role, but she was doing her best. She'd been pretty helpful when they brought back A2's friends, even if she'd been learning.

Something told her that much like other support types 6O too loved to feel useful.

21O had it too but she was also a former Operator, so still made for support, and her personality came from a Scanner type that valued being helpful and aiding others in anything and everything above all else.

So much they both treasured their family.

"I'd have a proposal, since we're at it, and we're going to be dealing with magical beings, shouldn't we think about making Emil a new body too? This way he can follow us without being carried if he needs to." though something told 9S he wouldn't mind being carried like he was holding him in his arms right now.

Well… who wouldn't?

It was a sign of affection, other than a need on Emil's side.

"I would really just need materials to form a decent enough body, with my magic I can attach the parts and just float." Emil explained. "My old body used to be made of bones, or whatever they used to make this head of mine, well… my sister's actually."

"They made her become this destructive weapon… but she absorbed me and we became one."

"So in a way she still lives through you." if Robin understood correctly.

This whole old world and magical dynamics were probably the strangest thing she ever heard about, even despite everything she saw in her home world.

She didn't feel like asking how it happened that one absorbed the other, however it was, it must not have been pleasant. As it wasn't the fact he and his sister were made into weapons, probably also children, given solely from the tone and the innocent way he spoke.

It wasn't just the whole war between androids and machines to be screwed up, from all they heard the conflict between Gestalts and Replicants also was the same way.

This world was… awful…

And Robin had literally seen hell as a child too.

Perhaps why she resonated with Emil too, and also, quite literally she was also made into a weapon.

Androids were weapons.

She had already been a weapon against the government and their lies, just for surviving.

But she didn't want to think about that right now, it was what it was, and now she was here, among people she could say were more similar to her than humans have ever been.

"I kind of want to ask Pascal about this." though the way she said it, A2 sounded unsure.

Or more likely, hurt.

She still hadn't recovered from the village's incident, how could she? She had lost Robin there, and then the children she wanted, she had promised to save…

All remained were corpses, and whatever was left of their cores residing in her friend's chests.

Even if it had been for them, it still hurt to know, and to ask him to use what was left for another purpose, even though Pascal saw it as honoring the dead.

And well…

"Like Robin said, they can live through others too." it had been what made her think about proposing this.

Also since they had already used the cores.

She was sure the machine wouldn't mind, he could even be happy at the thought.

"Well I have yet to ask him if he wants to follow us too." he was the only one that had yet to know about them leaving, and about the fact she would have liked him and his village to tag along in this adventure.

After all, this world had even less for the machines than androids anymore.

For how many of them were left now.

They hadn't even seen the village in a while, they didn't know if Pascal found more lost machines while trying to rebuild the place, make it full of people again.

Even if it would never be the way it was before, but him trying and giving those lonely machines a home was better than being alone, and being stuck reminiscing about the past and what could have changed.

As it did pretty much everyone.

Well, A2 had done her best to move on, also thanks to her, but her having her friends back was probably better, she was so much happier.

After all, it happened, for the longest time no one even knew they were still there.

It was really no one's fault if some had gotten their loved ones back and others didn't.

As much as Robin wished she too could bring back her mother, and the people she loved, as the others may want to bring back their companions that perished in the Bunker, and Pascal wanted his machine friends back too, best they could do was to just be happy it happened at least to a few of them.

It was too selfish to want everything in the right place for themselves.

"We should introduce ourselves too sometime." Rose mused. "I believe we still have to thank him for his help back in the server too."

"Now it would be the perfect time."

Thinking about it, yes, it would be.

"I suppose we should tell him to come here then, instead of heading over." Robin proposed, already turning to her Pod to ask him to do that. "Also too many androids could upset the machines, we don't know these new ones as well as we used to."

They didn't know if they were as friendly as the old ones.

But the indication that they didn't want to start fights so far was enough to not consider them as enemies anymore.

"Could be something to do if they mean to join us." Anemone pointed out. "Part of the reason I trusted Pascal was because the residents were friendly, and willing to speak with androids like civil people."

And the kids were kind of cute.

A shame they went out the way they did.

But the most hurt here about the whole thing had to be A2, and she still was today.

It was surprising how quickly she had changed, given her intense hate for machines, all because of those little kids and Robin that had been the one willing to give Pascal a chance.

"I will tell him to come here if he can." it was the better decision.

So through Pod 007 she did, and in a matter of a few minutes, they could hear the whirr of his flyer self, as he hovered over the buildings of the camp and landed where the group was standing moments after.

"I see you were successful in the restoration, I'm glad." it was the first thing he said, and truly he was happy for A2.

She truly did look so sad and hurt when she spoke to him about her friends, when she taught him the importance of remembering the fallen, just after she had lost Robin too…

"I suppose the cores were useful then." he turned to the three that stood besides A2, the YoRHas that he had yet to know. "I know we don't know each other, and that there's no obligation to, but please do take care of them, they are precious to me."

In the end for them it might have been just mere items that have been useful for those three to live again, but they were still the remains of those people of his village that he still cared about.

"They will, Pascal." A2 responded, given the other three seemed too uncomfortable with the topic to say anything, but she too was attached to those villagers too, and they knew it.

"Also because I won't let anyone die before me ever again." not them, not anyone.

Never again.

"Never again." she repeated.

As she did, the others moved closer to her, with Number 4 placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Do not worry, Number 2, none of us is going anywhere."

And this was a promise.

Because they left her alone for far too long, in the end, she had paid the highest price even though death should have been it.

But this was proof that there were fates worse than that.

"We should probably introduce ourselves." thankfully Rose took over, and she always knew what to say. "My name is Rose, and I would like to formally thank you for your help, in the server but also in providing the necessary materials for our friends."

She extended a hand towards the machine, to show that she no longer distrusted him, but she was still surprised when he took it.

"It was my pleasure." he replied. "2B and 9S often aided my village, Anemone allowed us to trade supplies as a sign of trust, and A2 and Robin did all they could for us too, the little kids loved them."

So sad it ended up the way it did.

"We machines caused so much pain upon you, but these people have shown us nothing but kindness, it was only right that I'd do the same for them."

"There was once an old human symbol I read about…" Number 21 pulled a screen before her, where a circular icon in black and white could be seen, both parts had a smaller circle within them of the opposite color.

"It's supposed to say that in good, there can be evil." she pointed to the white part. "As it can be that in evil there can be good." she motioned to the other side. "I feel that this represents us very well."

"In the end, both parts were at fault for the other, but at the same time, they were both innocent, but only a few of us were able to be these little circles in the good and evil, the exception between many." just as Robin always said. "It's not always just black or white, and this happens simply because people are different, even within the same type, or race."

But there was more to it.

"I also believe that, given how both machines and androids were dependent from a network, or a system guided by one, this means that we all had the ability to change and develop our own thought process, and decide with our own heads what kind of future we wanted. That is why we are all here today, standing side by side."

Even though they were different, and guided from people as corrupted as the other.

And no, White was not between said people.

She too was a victim like them, put in a position she had to be, that she tried her best to absolve, and if it hadn't been for her, who knows what could have happened if there would have been someone worse? Someone that never questioned an order? Someone that didn't regret a thing? Someone that didn't care about the lives of the androids they lead?

Robin did not want to think about that.

Even though she might have the answer. It would have been like Ohara all over again.

But on a much larger scale.

Somehow.

"Not to be rude, but what did you want to talk about?" right, the parts for Emil.

"Well, we might need your aid again, for a similar reason as the one before."

"More cores?" Robin shook her head however.

She was the one talking because she felt that A2 wouldn't be able to. And even if she did, better to take this weight off her shoulders.

She felt bad enough about the ordeal already.

"Not exactly, just parts of machines, since you are one I suppose you know how to build one too, right?"

"I'd say so, I can modify myself so it shouldn't be too hard to build something." he mused. He could change between his usual self and his lower half into a flyer so he could move easily.

"It doesn't need to be the stuff of the villagers, I'll take anything." even machine corpses if he had to. Not the first time Emil used them, if he had to be honest.

"I can attach anything with my magic, so as long as it's a decent body I can work with it." he explained. "Might also be worth have a cloth or two to cover it though, I used to have one."

"That is something that can be managed easily, maybe a colored mantle like our Resistance friends?" Emil nodded in 9S' arm. "Yes please, oh and thank you, Robin."

"You're so nice, and I can't believe the humans of your planet have given you so many bad names." it honestly upset him.

Just like it did with Kainè back then.

Robin was truly so very similar to her, though the personalities were different, they were all so caring but people hated them and called them bad names for no reason.

It was sad.

"It doesn't matter anymore. Their words can't hurt me." for a variety of reasons.

With time she'd grown not to care about them, and had built thick skin against them.

She didn't care what they said, because she knew where the truth lied.

And she was here now, and she wasn't alone, and the people around her balanced the bad with their good.

And destroyed it.

Only a glance at them was enough to cleanse her doubts.

"Robin is so very nice, as all of you are." Pascal nodded. "I spoke about you guys to the new people of the village, it ain't the same, but they would also like to meet you."

"They're curious to see if there are truly nice androids out there."

"Well then I think we should not disappoint them." Rose motioned for the others to follow her. "What are we waiting for? To the village, we can make all the proper introductions there."