* Eorzea, Hyperion facet, Thanalan, Goblet subdivision, 4th Ward, Lot#22 *
* Aka: Sakura's Tavern *
"'Tea'?" asked Taylor, stopping.
"Y-yes?" replied the catgirl.
"What kind of tea?" asked Taylor.
"I have black tea, green tea, white tea, hibiscus-cherry tea, chamomile, wild orange black tea," began the catgirl.
"Not radioactive? Not two-hundred years old stale? Fresh tea?" asked Taylor.
"No, no, and yes," said the catgirl. "I've got retainers who gathered the leaves this past week."
"Mistress?" asked Chet.
"It's been a long time since I've had a decent cup of tea," explained Taylor.
"If it's been a long time on the road, we have a bathing area to wash up?" asked the catgirl, a little bit of hope creeping back into her voice.
Taylor turned to actually face the catgirl. "I want to see this 'tea' first."
* Earth Bet *
YoRHa Model 6S (Scanner type) understood the situation. Human unit had the ability to cross interdimensional space. Human unit had landed in a busy road. Human unit (designate:Taylor) had seen an oncoming truck and jumped again. Both himself and the rogue unit A2 had lost contact with Taylor while they'd leapt clear of the immediate danger in order to protect Taylor. When Taylor had jumped, they'd reacted quickly to remove themselves from immediate danger.
Now they were trying to figure out what this world was and how to deal with potential threats until the world-traveler could find them again.
A2 regarded 6S for a few moments on the edge of a rooftop. "You're a Scanner. Your analysis?"
"She panicked. Again," said Alvin/6S. "Activating her power. We are in the 'Brockton Bay' she referred to as I can see a business that uses the name - 'Brockton's Bargain Bin' - so this is her home universe or an analogue of it."
"We are being observed, three different rooftops, no hostile actions," noted A2.
6S was silent for a few seconds. "Confirmed. Observers are armed but weapons are not readied. Radio transmissions noted. Decrypting."
It was A2's turn to be silent as the other android worked.
"They are reporting our position, recognize you specifically, and are being told to take no actions that could be perceived as hostile. They are currently debating methods of direct contact." 6S scratched his chin in an emulated human manner. Since they were being directly observed by humans, it seemed such manners might be required for appearances.
"They recognize me? I have never been to this alternate Earth that I am aware of," noted A2.
"I am curious," said 6S. "We are surrounded by humanity. What are your plans now?"
"Taylor Hebert is the only human shown capable of making the transit between dimensions," stated A2. "She remains the designated most-important human amongst such as a result... is THAT human flying without any apparent mechanism?"
"Intriguing," said Alvin. "I am directing what scans I am able to towards that individual, only restricting those which might be interpreted as an attack by those observers."
"Whatever she is using to fly and carry that other human, I wonder if such can be adapted to my own internals," noted A2.
* PRT ENE HQ *
"She what?" asked Director Piggot. "Okay. Okay. Keep an eye on them. Approach only when it's safe."
* Eorzea *
"But we don't have any of this 'gil' stuff," protested Taylor. "How about this?"
"Oooh, I can sell this!" declared the pink-haired catgirl as she looked over the little yellow lozenges. Exotic stuff either didn't sell well or sold really well. This stuff glowed so it was likely the latter of the two options. "So, that's three tea sets and a medium pizza. Here's your change."
Taylor wasn't sure what to make of this gil stuff. Stackable coins to be sure, but they also looked kind of old and crudely manufactured. Easier to carry around than bottlecaps, so there was that at least.
"Where to now, Mistress?" asked Chet, glancing at Shiela for any hint as to what the other android was thinking.
"It will take me a couple of days to recharge enough for another jump," said Taylor.
"What class are you? You don't have an Adventurer Plate, so that isn't obvious," said the catgirl owner of the inn.
There was a brief silence as Taylor just looked confused.
"I am a Resistance Camp android specializing in acquiring plant-based materials for use by the camp," said Shiela, the female android shrugging a shoulder.
"Okay, you're a Botanist then," reasoned the catgirl. "That's Gridania. You'll want to register with the guild if you haven't."
"I've also extended work with salvage and reclamation, though my original designation was a pleasure unit," said Chet.
"You what?!" practically squeaked Taylor.
"Well, if we're going with original designations, I was intended to be a firefighting support unit," said Shiela.
"You're underage and have not initiated any activities, Mistress," stated Chet. "However, I am quite familiar with a number of massage and relaxation techniques that do not cross established boundaries. Whenever you seek such."
"Quick change of subject!" decided Taylor. "How do we get to this 'Gridania' place? Might as well check it out."
"You've got a Bard and a Botanist," figured out Sakura, still putting things in terms she was familiar with. "What's your class, I can't figure it out from your clothing."
"'Class'?" asked Taylor.
* Sanctuary Hills *
On top of the guard tower, Nick Valentine brooded. He was good at it, plenty of practice. Years of experience in doing that while keeping an eye on his surroundings. Which was how you survived long enough to have years of experience at brooding.
He'd heard the climbing behind him and mostly just continued to brood, though he did move a little to the side to make room for the newcomer. "What's up, Curie?"
"You seem ze pensive," answered Curie as she stepped up from the ladder.
"Many things to think about, all sorts of implications in this whole 'many worlds' thing our just-departed friends spoke about," said Nick. "What's your thoughts?"
"I am not sure what you means," answered Curie.
"You think about it, she came from a world currently sixty years before the Great War and one that doesn't resemble our world at all," said Nick, his cigarette making a gesture at the Wasteland spread out around them. "I talked to that A2 gal, and her world also doesn't resemble the one our history paints. That White Chlorination Syndrome sounds like something we dodged the bullet on even if we have our own problems. Humanity completely gone. Androids to our synths is one of the few parallels. Taylor herself made references to things that I'm still not sure wasn't just pulling my leg over. Superheroes? Government agencies acting to control them and just making things worse? Actually that last sounds way too credible from my experience."
"Eet is not too outre, I agree," said Curie as she took a seat and looked out over the Commonwealth.
"So it means the whole 'many worlds' are actually there, different versions of different Earths," said Nick. "Maybe there's worlds where someone didn't launch that first missile and the War never got to this point. Maybe there's a world where I'm a ghoul and not a synth or I died back in the War. Or is it that the worlds are all divergent like the two we know about where things are all wildly different."
Curie didn't speak immediately and when she did her voice was slightly wistful. "Or a world where I am ze human entire, not a robot mind installed into a synth body."
"Well," said Nick, flicking a cigarette out into the dusk. "How's the set up in Vault 111 going?"
"Ze medical facilities have been moved in, and it shall 'ave ze teaching hospital in short order," said Curie. "I am reluctant to spend ze time underground, but sterility and dust-free conditions are much easier to maintain zere."
"Yeah, I can see where that might be a problem," agreed Nick. he held up his metal hand. "If Taylor can get trade going between worlds, maybe we can get some material to cover this. I'm always getting dirt and stuff in the finger joints."
"You could simply wear ze gloves," suggested Curie.
"Maybe," said Nick. "Though honestly, there's something about what Taylor was saying about her world. Something... odd. Maybe I just don't have enough of the pieces but I get the feeling there's a lot more to that story than she knows."
"Perhaps," said Curie.
A machine gun turret began firing, the sound familiar enough to be instantly recognizable.
"Always an interruption," griped Nick Valentine.
* Eorzea, East Shroud, Gridania *
"Don't feel bad, Mistress, I'm told everyone starts out like that," offered Chet.
"I'm waving around a tree branch, a literal tree branch, and wearing clothing that makes me look like a Victorian maid."
"You commented earlier than at least it was better than what you started out with," pointed out Chet.
"Well, yes, it is marginally better than basically a repurposed bag," admitted Taylor. "But look at what THAT woman is wearing. That is a superhero costume I could be caught out in public with!"
The woman in question turned towards her, apparently overhearing. "Hey, you'll get there. Do dungeons, go visit the battlefront, you'll be there before you know it."
Taylor watched them go before addressing her two companions. "Chet. Sheila."
"We'll investigate, that innkeeper seemed to know quite a lot," said Sheila.
"Sheila, you're doing well as a Botanist but we really need a frontline fighter," said Taylor.
"What do I do with all these logs then?" asked Sheila.
"Sell them I guess?" asked Taylor.
Some guy in green passing them called out. "Hey, you want to sell logs, I'll buy them. I'm levelling Carpenter."
"I'm not sure what that means, but that sounds okay," allowed Taylor.
"It means you lighten your inventory and get gil," Sakura informed them.
* Earth Bet *
"What about this drug Tinker?" asked Emily Piggot as her coffee machine groaned and clunked.
Agent Fairchild suppressed a yawn, night shift so that was understandable, before speaking. "Shadow Stalker phoned in a lead and we turned up something when we investigated. New drug from out-of-state. It's called 'More Of The Same' or 'Doubler' - it takes whatever the user is feeling and heightens it. It absorbs through the skin but is normally taken or mixed with something else. Our source in the Merchants says the drug is just mixed in with their usual stuff for first time users to get them hooked on the harder materials faster."
"Do we know where it came from?" asked Director Piggot.
"The source Shadow Stalker turned up is very low level within the Merchants, just a courier who delivers and listens to the regular members talking," said Agent Fairchild. "We got a warrant and are tracking his location data by phone. We should have a location to surveill by the end of the week."
Director Piggot nodded. Agent Fairchild, like Murrue, was a competent shift-lead. Even if the woman looked like she was about to fall over from fatigue.
"Three minor villains got into a fight near Simonson's Gym. We have one in the hospital under guard. Black Benny."
Director Piggot thought a few moments, recalling some briefs she'd read and trying to place the name. "Isn't that a moonshiner from Alabama?"
"That's the one," agreed Fairchild. "Was apparently here to sell his hooch but all three ran into each other and started fighting."
"No connection to that Tinker drug?" asked Director Piggot.
"Not with Benny, he's strictly moonshine and is a Mover with a minor Brute rating," said Fairchild.
"Crimes?" asked Director Piggot.
"Charged with multiple counts of making and transporting high-grade alcohol without paying the appropriate fees and taxes," said Fairchild.
"The other two?" asked Director Piggot.
"Music-themed villains, Sax and Violins. Apparently they're now a team. Continuing to monitor."
* Eorzea *
"This whole getting hit with something so I can duplicate it? It kind of sucks," said Taylor, putting the mug of ale down on the coaster.
"Everyone says that when they try being a Blue Mage," answered Sakura as she wiped glasses. "I only got as far as 25th level myself."
"So, we got this?" asked Taylor, holding out her hand and manifesting her wand.
"Ready," said Chet, checking his bow.
"Ready," said Sheila, her sword and shield still tucked away for travel purposes. "I need to get new armor sometime soon however."
"Let me put the 'closed' sign back up," said Sakura with a sigh. "Not that anyone will show up anyway."
"Onward to..." Taylor stopped and looked puzzled for a moment. "Ha-awful-i?"
"Close enough," said Chet.
"No it isn't, you have to get the name exactly right," griped Sakura. "Otherwise you could end up somewhere completely different."
"That seems to be a good deal of my life lately," noted Taylor.
* Earth Bet *
"Hebert?" asked A-2.
"Affirmative," replied 6S. "There are four people with that name, only one of whom is within the appropriate area."
"I see," said A-2. "One of our watchers is approaching. Two individuals in ballistic armor. There is a third member who remains on the rooftop of the Surecare Nursing Home."
"Suggestion then, allow contact with forces to determine if these are official forces within this society." 6S/Alvin checked to make sure his own weapons were secured. These were, after all, humans. Further information about this world and determining how it could affect YoRHa was his priority after all.
* Nier Earth *
Jackass faced the YoRHa units and shrugged slightly. "So. You have the data. What exactly is your intention here?"
The YoRHa contingent was sufficiently numerous and well-armed that there really wasn't any point in the Resistance Camp offering any fight. The lead unit among them regarded the various androids without expression and then back to her own units. "Analysis?"
"There's an anomaly where the human departed," said one of the Scanner units. "Magnetic and gravitic disturbance we can't account for except for the unknown technology possessed by the human."
"Either time travel or dimensional travel," said another Scanner unit. "Mechanism unknown. That either was even possible was unknown prior to this."
Anemone frowned and looked around the YoRHa group. "Your intentions?"
"If the human reappears, we take her to our base for her own safety." The YoRHa commander looked over the group.
"If you take her. We go too." Anemone made a sweeping gesture. "You are not going to just sweep in and take away our hope."
The YoRHa commander regarded the Resistance group.
"Besides, she took all of those in contact with her at the time," pointed out Anemone. "We have been in a losing war for centuries. What if we could just leave and find humanity to serve at the same time?"
"Glory to Mankind," said one of the YoRHa contingent, looking surprised in the next moment as apparently that had just been an automatic reaction.
The phrase was mumbled individually by the two groups before a single repetition where most of those present made it.
The YoRHa commander frowned at the situation developing in a direction she had not foreseen.
* The Bunker *
It had been a closely guarded secret that humanity was dead.
The lone human had cracked that wall of secrecy, as protocols long buried had made themselves known.
Protect humanity. Save humanity. Even more than the reclamation of Earth itself from the Machine Intelligence.
Commander White of Satellite Base Bunker knew the secrets, she'd just gotten them confirmed from the Moon Base. She knew humanity was gone. Dead for thousands of years while the war waged on. The war was the only reason the androids had for existing at this point.
All thrown into disarray because one human had demonstrated that she existed. That she was able to reach them. That she was able to take others back with her.
The data collected was clear. That had been a human. The human had some divergences from recorded physiological data, but the overall picture had been that this was not an android or some strange development from the Machines like the "mutants" encountered by some patrols.
"Operator 21O to Commander White. Contact has been made with a Machine Intelligence unit. They are ceasing hostilities so as to allow us to secure the human."
"How did they even know about the human?" asked Commander White.
"Unknown."
"Why are they ordering their own forces to stand down instead of trying to kill the human?"
"Unknown."
"Did you ask?"
"The reply made no sense."
Commander White frowned. Sometimes it felt like some of her Operators were deliberately obtuse. "What was the reply?"
"A request for data and that one does not attack fish while they are restrained by small containment sizes."
"Understood," said Commander White, though honestly she did not understand. She would relay this to the Moon Base however. Perhaps they could make sense of it.
* Eorzea *
Shiva descended in all her icy glory. The temperature in the room dropped rapidly.
"This is EXACTLY why it is so important to get the name of the time/space-fragment right!" declared Sakura.
Taylor held her scepter up close to her chest. "Wow. She's really pretty. I don't suppose we could be friends?!"
"Intruders!" said Shiva. "You have come uninvited. Now you shall feel the cold embrace of winter."
"Damn it, I just got that recipe for Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte! It would have been incredible paired with a tea," complained Sakura.
"What's a Schwar..." began Taylor.
"It's also called a Black Forest Cake," said Shiva.
Everyone stopped their preparations for battle to stare at the literal Ice Queen.
"Nobody ever stops by and invites me to tea, just fight fight fight," noted Shiva.
"Uhm. I've got a tavern," said Sakura. "I could make tea."
Shiva lowered the arm she'd extended to prepare her attack. "What sort of tea are we talking about?"
* An Hour Later *
"You should invite Garuda sometime, she has a sweet tooth like you would not believe," said a Hyur-sized Shiva.
"Really? I wouldn't have thought that," said Sakura. "How does one even go about offering an invitation? Without Taylor messing up."
Taylor made a face.
Chet and Sheila looked at each other, then back to the blue woman. Not that they knew the protocols involved in this situation.