By the time Robin awoke again, A2 was already gone. Not that she expected her to wake her up to say goodbye or anything, but she couldn't help but feel a tinge of worry for the woman.

All alone against the world, angry with the machines that took away everything from her, and furious towards YoRHa that created her only to abandon and hunt her down like a precious animal. Forced to defend herself in a world that didn't want her.

Much like Robin's own self and her own past.

Probably that was why she was so much worried, but, A2 was an android, not a human and certainly not a child, and she could take care of herself.

Deciding it wasn't necessary to dwell any longer, Robin left the commercial facility, once again headed towards the Resistance's camp to see if they had anything to offer. Hopefully nothing in the forest, she wouldn't want to end up close to A2, and risk that YoRHa could find her signal.

And having to forcefully fight her again, or at the very least, make up another lie she wasn't sure she could live through, the threat of a reset was always present.

White was suspecting enough of her already, she had to be even more careful of her actions, hoping she'll calm down and let her breathe again.

So for the time being she stayed in her little hideout and at the camp, taking as many missions as she could to keep herself distracted, and to show that she was still the helpful and loyal android as she's always been.

At least there was someone happy to see her linger around, that being the red haired twins. They still looked up to her as a savior. She noticed that after she had threatened that Resistance member, there were way less insults thrown at them whenever she was around.

Good to know.

But today it seemed she wasn't the only YoRHa around, as she could spot a couple she knew well as they sat near the jukebox, a peaceful and soothing melody coming from it.

After waving at the twins like she always did, she approached the two white haired YoRHas, just to know what they were up to.

And if she had to be honest, to keep tabs on at least another Executioner, because 9S was not always 2E's assignment. Often, but not all the time.

"Enjoying yourselves?" she asked with a small smile.

"Emotions are prohibited." classic reply 2E would give.

"We're just waiting for our weapons to be sharpened before heading out." 9S replied to her, motioning to the man of the Resistance that was holding his sword, Cruel Oath.

Robin didn't often ask for his services, she knew the man was rather creeped out from the glow of her blade, so she usually let the YoRHa maintenance team do the job. But right now Scarlet Despair was in good shape, checking it was the last thing she did before leaving the Bunker over a week ago.

She didn't do that much fighting either, if she had to be honest, she went mostly on fetch quests, and aside from the usual small pesky machines she didn't encounter any real threats.

"Where is your assignment taking you?"

"The Forest Kingdom."

Robin felt her black box skip a few beats, that was the last place an Executioner like 2E should have been, or perhaps the perfect one, depending on the point of view.

A2 could be in serious trouble if they found her, and Robin knew that was what White would have wanted. She couldn't act without exposing herself and drawing attention to herself, or to A2.

Or maybe that was the occasion she needed…

"I see. Well then, I wish you well in your quest." she turned away, spotting Anemone, she remembered what A2 told her yesterday, and still wondered if they knew each other.

Asking wouldn't hurt right? At this point, with all she knew about the first YoRHa mission, she had too much knowledge and she was sure that White would want to get rid of it if she knew, so then why not complete the puzzle and end this whole thing?

So she approached the Resistance's leader and demanded that they talked somewhere no one could hear them. She absolutely did not want anyone to hear, especially 2E and 9S, one of the two was too curious and she was sure that if he heard them he'd start digging.

And another of his resets would hurt him, 2E and 21O too. She was not going to chance that.

Once they were alone, Robin didn't waste time and went straight to the point.

"What do you know of the first YoRHa mission? The Pearl Harbor Descent?"

Anemone's expression went from neutral to completely shocked in a second, probably she didn't expect someone to know about it.

"How do you know about it?" she watched the woman back off, probably fearing an attack or something.

"I had the opportunity to encounter someone, and to talk with this person, she told me a lot of things, and mentioned someone with your name." she explained. "I want to know if you were the same Anemone."

The other android looked down, afraid. "And what if I said I was?"

"This person doesn't know you survived, thinks she's all alone."

"So did I, until you told me so right now." Anemone replied, wondering who it was. It was no Resistance member, she would have known. Maybe a YoRHa then? Couldn't have been Number 21, she had killed her herself, recalling very well how serene she looked even despite the hole in her head. She had smiled at her before she had pulled the trigger…

She had heard the explosion outside, so couldn't have been Number 16.

Maybe Number 4, or Number 2?

It had to be either of them, because there had been another explosion, meaning one of them had to have died in the process. She thought it had been both of them but…

She couldn't tell which of the two she would have liked to survive, she didn't know any of the YoRHas well, except Number 21. But she was somewhat relieved someone else survived regardless of who it was.

"This unit is wanted by YoRHa, so I would advise you to keep this to yourself." Robin crossed her arms.

"I thought that E types such as you went after those people." Anemone frowned, did she bait her into talking then?

One thing the Executioner Number 26 was notorious for, was that she was very smart compared to others of her type. Had she fallen in a trap?

"I chose to spare her in favor of finding out this information. Reason why many compare me to a Scanner is my ability to gather data. I have always known there had to be something rotten within YoRHa, starting with us E types, and now I want to see the end of it."

"You wish to desert them then." Anemone simply stated, and Robin nodded.

"White doesn't deserve my loyalty, and for what it's worth, I regret giving it to her this entire time."

She didn't deserve it before and she didn't now, but her habit of obeying for survival got the better of her, and in a world she didn't know, it had been the best thing she could have done, but it had dragged on too long.

And she hurt too many people in the process for someone that only kept lying and using them as tools.

"You don't fear YoRHa coming after you?" Anemone asked, a legit worry, though 26E was strong, no one was invincible.

Didn't matter if one had a spotless record of missions accomplished such as her. Everyone could fall, it had been something she learned the hard way during these 200 years of activity. She had seen too many victims of various things, even of just time itself.

"I am not afraid of being hunted, that is the least of my worries. What I fear is to hurt the people that look up to me, however that is something I can't avoid." Robin stated, and it was true, had she been still alone it would have been another matter, but she wasn't anymore.

"I'd ask to not reveal this information to YoRHa if possible, as for myself, you won't see me again, for safety measures, yours and mine."

Turning and looking around the camp, she spotted 2B and 9S leaving, so she took this as her own cue to leave too. She couldn't allow herself to lose track of them if they ever got to A2.

"I must take my leave now."

But it seemed that Anemone had one last question.

"At least tell me who it was that survived, please."

She longed to know who was still alive, even if she didn't know where she could have been at the moment, nor in what kind of state, if she was well, if she wasn't…

If she couldn't help at least she could wish this other android, and old friend, was doing well out there.

The Executioner didn't give a verbal response, however, even without turning she gave her answer, by holding up her hand with two fingers raised.

Two… Number 2 was alive…

The young inexperienced captain that loved her friends and teammates more than anything else in the world, who had been given a task way too big for her to shoulder, and then was mercilessly betrayed from the very people that created her.

What a cruel fate she had…

Anemone couldn't imagine how much pain she must have handled during these years, and all alone too. She joined her hands and closed her eyes, sending a prayer that someone, anyone, could and would help and protect her.

Maybe, just maybe she could allow herself to have a little bit of hope as she watched the black haired woman leave. Killer or not, that woman had a good heart.

"Pod, track down the black boxes of 2B and 9S." Robin ordered her companion.

"Understood. Displaying signals on the map."

With a nod she waited as the thing pulled up the holographic display of the map of the area, two red circles blinking on it heading towards the forest area like they said they would.

Time to put her knowledge to actual use. If she could track down deserters then she could track down them too without them finding her out.

She just had to follow at a safe enough distance so their own Pods wouldn't pick up her own signal. And she knew well those Pods could be quite intrusive and alert the two androids at the first occasion.

White specifically told her that Pod 007, her own one, had been made to be less intrusive in her decisions, it only served her as a guide and helper. To the Commander's saying, it didn't have to feel like she was being watched or controlled.

Not that it worked well, but it was not her Pod's doing.

Regardless, thanks to its help, she was able to keep track of where the androids went, she followed them and the devastation of machines they left behind them. But at least she wouldn't have to deal with pesky things that could reveal her presence.

But Robin's heart sank more and more the closer they got to the castle, she knew A2 had to be in there, and the more they got close the more the risk of them finding her increased.

"Pod, where's A2?" she whispered, hoping she wouldn't be in there, but if possible her worry increased even further, when her Pod showed her A2's signal being right on top of the castle.

At the moment 2B and 9S had just entered, while she lingered back on the bridge on the waterfall, maybe she had a bit of time, but if she wanted to try and avoid the encounter, she either had to get to A2 before they did, and the only way, was to climb up.

If she followed in she'd be spotted and she'd take too much time roaming in a castle she didn't know.

She felt a bit sorry for this old castle having to support her weight as she climbed and potentially damaging it, old and weary thing it was, but at the moment her priorities were others.

She tried to climb as fast as she could, but the thing was tall, and for how heavy she now was, the risk of falling down and not being able to get back up was quite high. So she had to be careful.

This cautiousness caused her to unfortunately realize she arrived too late, as her ears could pick up the sounds of a fight and of swords clashing, along with the voices of the three androids and their Pods.

But maybe, just maybe she could get there before it got to the worst, interrupt the fight, allow A2 to escape.

So she willed her two gauntlets to appear on her wrists, best to approach from a distance.

The scene she saw as she finally arrived was pretty ugly, as she watched A2 struggle against the two androids and their Pods alone, she could spot a rather large open wound from her left leg too.

But they didn't seem to have noticed her yet.

"Alert: ally signal detected."

Enough of this.

"Shut your mouth, 042!"

She threw the chains, controlling them with her NFCS systems she launched one to 9S' wrist, latching onto him and pulling him down onto the ground, while the other was thrown in 2B's direction to do the same.

The white haired android moved out of the way but not in time for her to not lose her sword, as Robin hit it off her hands.

She could always retrieve it, but she used the moment of confusion to reach A2, who was staggering on her feet, but still standing.

Robin used a hand to support A2, holding her waist, while with the other she summoned Scarlet Despair and pointed it at the two androids. Surprisingly A2 didn't refuse the help.

Their reaction, as it was the Commander's, was immediate.

"Unit 26E, what is the meaning of this?" the face of the blonde woman appeared on 042's screen.

"It means exactly what you see."

"Unit 26E, I gave you the order to execute Unit A2, not to have mercy on her. You lied to me and failed your mission on purpose." both Robin and A2 glared at the woman.

"You dare to speak of lies to me? Aren't you the first one that uses us E types to cover yourself and whatever secrets you hold?" she watched as 2B visibly flinched at this affirmation.

"Whatever A2 told you isn't true, she is a deserter, and as such she should be put down." but Robin's hold on the white haired didn't falter and only tightened, telling her that she was here for her.

"I should have imagined you would have been scheming against me the moment you started to hide your signal from us. But if you come back to the Bunker taking her with you I will forgive this rebellious behavior."

Instead, Robin whispered to A2 to undo her blindfold, not visor, she couldn't call it that way anymore knowing what it represented, she wanted White to look at her straight in the eyes as she confronted her word for word.

With the help of A2's deft fingers reaching the back of her head, the black cloth came undone, mismatched eyes holding a furious glare.

"No. I refuse." her eyes looking straight at White's green ones, watching them falter for a second.

"What's the matter Commander? Upset that this loyal unit had the guts to oppose your wishes? Didn't expect me to be able to deny something? You thought you could control me like a puppet and get away with it?"

The last sentence was directed in a way that hinted at her former humanity, and for believing that she could be just like any other soldier, an android should have known better than to try and control someone that she was supposed to admire and worship instead.

Perhaps, it had been Robin's fault, and her habit to obey for survival, that made White too confident in her ability to hold her in her grasp, to the point she even straight up abused her.

But she was so very wrong.

She was a human, an archeologist and a pirate, and pirates lived free. She should have sought her freedom back sooner.

"I don't quite know what you are hiding yet, but I am sure there is something rotten within YoRHa, I have always been convinced of it, and I will find out what it is." the blade she was pointing at the other androids shone brightly, as if agreeing with her.

White gave an audible sigh. "Perhaps I have underestimated your analytical capabilities."

Robin resisted the urge to roll her eyes at the comment, but she could spot A2 doing so for her.

"Very well then, if you insist on this course of action, I shall deem you a deserter too. From now on all of your privileges and ability to access and transfer data to the Bunker will be removed."

But the grip on Scarlet Despair only tightened. "I am not afraid of what you will throw at me."

She had way more experience that all the Executioners combined in killing and running, she was not afraid of them, home planet or not. And besides, her hideout was still a safe place to stay.

"2B, 9S, your orders are to kill them both, right here right now."

Words of protest came from 9S, demanding to know why this had to happen, but 2B remained unmoving, the only thing she did was grit her teeth.

Tentatively, the short white haired woman raised Virtuous Contract at her, and Robin's glare only intensified.

"Watch it 2B, if you attack me I won't have mercy on you."

She hated putting her pupil through this, but it was necessary, and Robin wondered if she truly did intend to attack and follow orders or if she would think with her own head for once.

"You don't want to attack me, after all, you understand too, don't you?"

Robin had A2 she was protecting, just like 2E had 9S all along, and she knew the other woman was smart enough to make sense of her words. If she didn't she would have already attacked, 2E was not someone that hesitated to do her duty, unless someone she cared for was involved.

Right now she was playing on 2E's feelings for her as mentor, cruel, but she too didn't want to get in a fight with her if possible, it would hurt her, and would risk leaving A2 exposed too.

She could barely restrain a smile when her pupil finally decided to lower her weapon.

"Good girl." she commented as she finally could allow herself to lower her own too.

"Let's get out of here." with a gentle hand she nudged A2 to follow, she turned around with her without any resistance, but Robin had more to say.

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

But he was unfortunately having none of it.

"Why? Why did you betray us?"

"Command is the one that betrayed you." it was A2 that answered this time, she'd been silent the entire time until now.

With this last comment she took A2 in her arms and jumped down the ledge with her, disappearing from their sight.