The room that the twins had was nothing special, just a cot for each of them, a spare table and a couple of chairs, medical equipment and few clothes strewn around. That had been all that Anemone could give them.
She would have given more, but she didn't want to risk that the other androids started disagreeing with her, or bullying the two women even harder than they already were, for giving them a nicer treatment that to their saying, they didn't deserve.
Fools acting on old rules and orders given so long ago none of them even remembered why, but didn't question either.
She'd taken both androids here, where they wouldn't have been disturbed. Both because she absolutely had forbidden anyone to disrespect them further, at least in death, and because people usually didn't come around their place anyways, most people that weren't interested in causing trouble avoided the twins altogether, unless they needed treatments.
"I want to take a quick look at Popola before awakening Devola, so I could possibly give her good news about her sister." 9S told them, as he sat close to the straight haired twin.
The trio of women watching him, with 2B wearing a small smile on her face, A2 just remained silent instead, as did Anemone.
At least it was good to see 9S so dedicated to helping out people again, like he used to be.
Crossing her arms, A2 narrowed her eyes as she watched 9S examine Popola's body through the screens before him, the sight reminding her of when Number 21 used to do the same for them too.
Was he really that determined to save them all like he claimed? Could he do it?
Also… would he do that for her? The person that took away the woman he loved from him, and didn't even bother to tell him she'd been with her all along in fear of retaliation?
What if he was just screwing with her? What if he was going to change Robin in some way so she didn't recognize her, or that didn't remember all that they went through?
Scanners were too much of a danger, because they could manipulate all they wanted…
And his whole renewed calmness unnerved her to no end.
Even before this whole ordeal, when she met others of his model, they never were acting serious, actually making fun of her, and then being all pissed and screaming when she defeated them. A bit how he turned mad later on, only that he kept on living that time around instead of dying as he usually would have, because of 2B's wish.
Speaking of her younger model, she seemed to sense her uneasiness, as she came to put a hand on her shoulder for comfort. Almost as if she could feel her emotions like she used to.
Perhaps something remained from being connected so long, though it was only a hypothesis.
Maybe it was 2B's way to tell her things would be fine, but she wouldn't be convinced until she saw Robin back on her feet with all her memories intact. At least she could hope that her Pod would do something to prevent manipulation, didn't he say he was made to store them after all?
Also, didn't he help her fix his owner's body on his own accord, after Adam almost killed her too?
If Pods truly developed feelings, then she was sure that 007 held a lot of affection towards Robin to the point of wanting to try and take her back, even if he had failed. But somehow it made things a little better to know he'd protect Robin as much as she would, even if differently.
A2 felt 2B's hand give a gentle squeeze when she got lost in thought again, out of instinct, her own hand rose over 2B's one, as her younger twin gave her a small nod.
She trusted 9S, and knew him better than she did too, so perhaps she should have faith too.
But something still made her hesitate.
Probably she wouldn't believe him until he would give her confirmation that he wouldn't hurt Robin, at all in any way. As for herself, she didn't care.
She felt she deserved to be punished for what she did to him, even if she had no choice, should he decide to harm her, then so be it. Even if she had the feeling that 2B would prevent that, just from how quickly she stopped her from hurting him just before.
She wouldn't have, but she didn't know that.
Also there was no telling if 9S would have reacted negatively to her charging at him that way, but she assumed that if 2B hadn't intervened, many things would have gone wrong.
She hadn't been thinking straight, if she had to admit.
Finally after what felt like forever, they watched 9S dispatch the screen he was using, and walk back to them. He was smiling, a good sign, hopefully.
"Good news, I can repair the damaged circuitry of Popola's body, most of them were burned away from the intense voltage, but they can be changed with newer ones. And if Devola would be wanting to assist me with it, we could get it done even faster, since she knows their model better than I could."
He left out the part of their model being very well out of commission for too much of a long time, and with it the lack of knowledge on it, because it seemed obvious.
Though he was happy, he regretted that they had to aid him to open that door of the Tower, and then he had to leave them behind that way. At least he hoped that Popola's body shut down quickly enough to not let her suffer even more.
He had to repay them back somehow, and that would be by bringing Popola back to life.
"Which means we should brace ourselves for whatever reaction Devola may have, upon being awakened again." Anemone spoke, casting a glance towards Number 2.
If her reaction had been bad, how much worse could it be the one of a person finding herself alone, after spending ten thousands of years with only her own sister at her side that she could trust?
"I'm ready to restrain her, if needed." 2B looked over to A2, which also nodded, signaling she was ready too.
Even if she supposed that there wouldn't be the need to use the strength of two YoRHa combat models, to keep down a non-YoRHa one. Especially not a healer such as Devola, they tended not to be very strong physically.
Even H types weren't.
"Well, here it goes… something…" with a single swipe at his screen 9S activated Devola's restarting sequence, backing up from her and taking place at 2B's other side should she get violent.
It took a moment, but eventually, Devola's green eyes opened. She blinked, slowly, then those blinks became faster and more erratic.
Lastly, she placed her furious gaze upon the group of androids before her.
"You… what have you done!?" though angry, she didn't seem to want to leave her sister's side, as she didn't do more than sitting up in the cot, holding her own body in front of Popola's one, she wanted to protect her.
Anemone had been the first to step in, trying to appear as calm as possible. "Please calm down, we can explain everything. This is not as bad as it looks."
"Don't tell me what to do." Devola's hands clenched the sheets, and if possible, her eyes narrowed even harder, but she didn't move away from her sister.
"How could you all even think to wake me up again, without my sister…" even if on wobbly legs, she got up from the cot, to face the androids at full height.
"You have no idea for how long it has been just us two, taking on our shoulders all the insults, looks of disgust and even beating us up to your liking… my sister is already dead, and you still want to inflict even more pain!?"
9S held out his hands in defense. "What? No, you got it all wrong…"
"You… you specifically." she pointed at him, but generally at all the YoRHas. "I thought that at least we could have trusted you, but I get it… you're just like every other android." she gave a bitter laugh.
"In the end you're all the same."
"Devola…" 9S started again, trying to walk closer, but something or rather, someone, stopped him, but raising an arm in front of him.
He thought it would have been 2B being protective, but the black plating told him it was A2 instead.
She looked back at him. "This is my problem to solve." she whispered loud enough so only the people around her could hear.
Without any more words, the long haired woman approached the still seething Devola. 2B, 9S and Anemone had offered what they could, but it was her that was desperate to have her companion back at her side again, it was her that needed the aid of the twins the most.
So she'll convince Devola.
She had convinced Rose back then, after all.
"What?" Devola spat at her, still shielding Popola's body with her own.
"We… I need your help…" she looked at the still form of the other twin. "Of both of you."
"Are you deaf or something? Popola's dead!"
"I know!" she yelled back, catching Devola off guard. "9S says she can be repaired. That he wants to repair her."
In a second, Devola's expression changed from anger to a mixture of shock and confusion, as her eyes darted back and forth between all the androids in front of her. Finally landing on 9S at the end.
"A2 is saying the truth, Popola can be saved, if you'd be willing to aid me." he then awkwardly scratched the back of his head. "And I do owe you for your help at the Tower. I shouldn't have left you behind." a small sigh left his lips.
There was silence for a while, as Devola turned away from them, and crouched next to her twin, taking her hand in hers. The sight made A2's chest hurt, Robin's body was so damaged that she couldn't even do this simple gesture, because she had no hands anymore, hardly any arms even.
"Can I be honest for a moment?" a rhetorical question, Devola wasn't truly expecting any answers. "I knew Popola could have been repaired."
Of course she would have, being a medic she knew this even better than 9S.
"Then why just give up?" the Scanner asked, incredulous.
"We didn't want to feel any more pain…" she turned back to them. "It had been something we had decided when we came to aid you, thinking that none of us would have probably survived, neither us, nor you two." her gaze moved from 9S to A2.
"You both had lost a person important to you, and what reason is there to live alone? That was what I thought when I lost Popola… without her, I'm nothing, we had always been together." something they all could relate to, some more than others here.
"Other androids always mistreated us, and we had enough of it. The only ones that never did, but that even aided us, were you all, but without you either being friendly towards us, there was even less of a reason to try to keep living on, if it was going to be just us two against the world once again."
She gave a small laugh. "Of course I never expected to see you all here again, offering your aid once more."
"To be honest, neither did we." 9S added with a shrug.
"But… it is not all of us… not yet at least." A2 finally found her voice again, to tell the true reason they were here, the reason why she was here.
"Isn't there someone still missing?"
Someone that they both seemed fond of?
Only then, when A2 spoke, Devola seemed to realize that indeed one android from the YoRHa group she'd come to know was indeed not there, 2B and 9S both had their partner back but… A2 did not.
Because she was sure that said person would not have missed being here when she was awakened, being the kind person she'd been with them, often sitting at their little place, and just listening to their stories and complaints even, and getting protective and defensive whenever someone with bad intentions approached.
So that meant…
She'd known that 26E, or Robin, whatever she wanted to be called, was gone when A2 approached her at the Tower's base, alone, and had confirmed it.
What she hadn't expected was for A2 to bow her head, and even getting down to her knees before her.
"Please… once Popola is back… please bring her back to me…" I don't want to be alone anymore.
Anemone was about to approach them, but stopped once she saw Devola place a hand on A2's shoulder, a bittersweet smile on her face.
"Get up, silly. Of course we will take her back to you." she looked at everyone in the room. "And to us all."
She'd be a hypocrite, if Devola said that she didn't know the pain about being separated from the person that was your reason to live, hadn't she just said this after all? Little changed from her situation and A2's one.
Both had someone that they desired back at their side, but also, they both would make sure that happened, with their own hands.
"Really?" A2 hated herself for how desperate she sounded, but in this moment she couldn't care less of what others may think of her.
She just wanted Robin back, as much as she was sure Devola wanted Popola back too.
"Of course. We owe her a lot, including our own life. She's always been so very kind to us, and I am entirely sure that Popola would only agree with me." Devola nodded with utmost conviction. "And also you love her a lot."
A2 had stopped questioning herself about how obvious it was that she was utterly smitten for the Executioner a while ago, she just wished she'd told her while she still could. No matter what the reaction would have been.
"Then, may I?" A2 gestured at Popola's body, as much as she knew Devola was capable too, she was much stronger and carrying her sister would have been easier for her.
With a small nod, Devola moved aside, allowing the long haired android to pick up Popola, surprised at how gentle she was being. She had known combat models being rather lacking in that department.
The others allowed A2 to leave the room first, tailed by Devola, and then themselves, all the while as the rogue took the body towards the infirmary, 9S had already begun to chat away and share information as to how to repair both Popola herself and Robin too.
His excitement was… rather contagious, as 2B, and even A2 herself found her own lips unconsciously curving upwards a little bit.
Been a while since she smiled, Anemone thought. Pleased to see her friend possibly and finally beginning to think for the best, and not for the worst, for a change.
Once A2 left Popola to rest next to Robin's body, she left the tent, but not before leaving a gentle caress to whatever was left of the human's cheek. It didn't feel smooth as it used to be, adding even more to her disappointment.
Meanwhile she watched 9S and Devola swarm around Popola's body, and occasionally to Robin's too. Pod 153 and 007 doing the same, sharing information with the newly awakened twin with their robotic voices, as 2B kept guard in case someone tried to harm Devola.
She truly was Robin's student, A2 found herself thinking, as she looked over from her place, sitting on Anemone's desk, until her friend decided to join her too.
"Those two hadn't arrived too long before 26E saved their lives, I had given them an assignment no one else in the Resistance wanted." she sighed, cruel of her, but she couldn't do much else at the time, and she had yet to trust the twins fully back then.
"They had found themselves in the middle of the attack in the city, when that Goliath made that giant hole. I saw it happen from a distance, a smaller Goliath approached them, Devola was hurt and they couldn't run, I saw her rush to their air, and then expertly take that thing down in mere seconds, as I called the twins to safety." A2 only nodded.
"26E had been caught in the explosion, she came flying into that building." Anemone pointed at the building at the front to the camp, which had a sizable chunk of missing pieces. "I helped them take her to the infirmary, she didn't even want us to. They repaired her as a thank you, but then an android told her that she should have let the twins die. You should have seen how angry she got."
"Certainly not fun to be threatened by an Executioner unit. The guy ran away like a coward as soon as she told him that he'd be next on the list of confirmed kills." Anemone smiled a little at the memory, but if she was honest, he did deserve it.
Too many people were mistreating the twins freely, and whenever they desired, and there was little she could do about it. Didn't want anyone to cause trouble, or worse, a mutiny.
"Certainly an interesting person you found to fall for." she looked at her friend, green eyes into blue. "And I really do hope you'll finally find happiness."
But at A2 didn't seem convinced. "And if they don't succeed?"
Anemone placed a hand over A2's one. "I know it is hard, but you need to have faith, and for everything else, you can come to me anytime, okay?"
Anything for a friend. Her only remaining friend.
"Be strong, Number 2." I know you can be, because I know you well.
"And you?" Anemone raised an eyebrow at the question. "How did you meet them? What convinced you to trust them, unlike anyone else?"
Besides the fact that she was a good person, even if a bit cold from the outside sometimes. But A2 knew Anemone better than what she showed to others.
"Well, they needed a shelter. I knew people didn't trust them, I didn't either, but we don't abandon people in need, don't we?"
We, as in the Resistance.
"They reminded me of you and your companions a little, alone and lost. I just thought that if Rose would have been here, she would have done the right thing, like she did with you all."
A2 just nodded. "I see."
Certainly there were similarities in the two stories at least, she admitted.
Then, not wanting to linger more, she got up from the desk.
"Where are you going?" Anemone's tone betrayed the fact that she still didn't trust her alone with herself.
"I just need to think… but I'll be back." wouldn't want to make her worry even further.
Anemone sat in silence for a moment, then sighed. There was no changing Number 2's mind when she made something up. "Fine, but be careful."
And do come back for real.
Without any more words, A2 left the camp, the wait was being too painful, and sitting still with nothing to do was even worse.
She needed time to settle, and time to think… alone.