"Where the hell are you, Number 21?"

Despite the aid of the scope of her rifle to scout ahead, she had lost track of the Scanner, and had yet to see a glimpse of her too.

She just hoped she didn't go too far in the desert, again.

The Gunner didn't have the mental capacity to guess where someone as smart as the redhead could have gone, that was her job, to track things down, not the opposite.

But she had to know that Dahlia had said too much of something no one thought about.

Part of why she offered, more or less, to look for her, was that she hoped that if she heard it from her she'll believe it.

Well known was the dislike she had towards the Scanner, and if she heard it from someone she knew she was loved from, like Anemone, or Number 2, or Number 4, well anyone else she was sure she wouldn't believe it much.

It could sound like a kind lie.

That was not the intent.

So hopefully she'll listen, she was good at that, no?

Good in everything she had never been good at, but diversity or something…

Again Number 16 scanned her surroundings, but no traces of the Scanner, no glimpse of a black dress or red hair, and no chance of tracking down footprints with all this sand either.

Did she hide in the buildings? Perhaps.

She was known for walking away and hiding whenever something upset her, even someone as dumb as herself had noticed, along with the fact she rarely ever spoke about feelings.

Another thing they were complete opposites at.

Perhaps it was meant to be that way.

She doubted that Number 21 would adventure in the vast desert, again.

Maybe she should have asked for one of those flying boxes to help her track her down, before things got bad.

Yes, she was worried. It was right, it was legit.

She was about to go back and ask for one of those, since the search was taking too long, and with the passing of time the possibility of Number 21 getting even further away from them.

When sounds caught her ears.

She didn't really understand, but it was the voice of a woman, who was quite in obvious pain.

"What in the damn hell is she doing?" without wasting time she headed towards the source of the sound.

Coming to a stop in front of a broken building in a far corner, covered from rocks.

Of course she'd choose the most hidden one.

But she was indeed hiding just as Number 16 had suspected.

However she didn't like, when she entered the building, how some of the walls looked oddly dented, it didn't look old… which meant…

"That idiot…"

She climbed to the top as fast as she could, and matter of fact, there the Scanner was, facing away from her, probably didn't even hear her coming since she didn't turn, or didn't want to.

She raised a damaged and bloody hand, and as she did, her intentions were clear.

As were Number 16's ones.

Dashing as fast as she could she quite literally collided with Number 21's body, taking her by the waist and grabbing her hand, the motion making them lose their balance and they both fell down on their sides.

But the Gunner was quick to recover and hold the Scanner's arms down before she could attempt to hurt herself further.

"What the hell did you think you were doing!?" by hurting herself punching walls? Because she thought she was weak?

She was supposed to be the smart one here!

Only now that the hood she wore fell from her head she noticed the redhead's tearstained cheeks.

It was a look she'd never seen on Number 21, ever.

It didn't belong to her.

To think that Dahlia's words could cause so much grief to a person that could remain calm in any other situation…

Poor thing…

In the end, she understood this too, didn't she?

She wasn't good with feelings, or consoling people, or with words, but still, she let the unmoving and sobbing Scanner into her lap, pulling her so they were both sitting, and the other woman had her head on her shoulder. She needed it.

At least she wasn't hurting her hands anymore, she thought, as she glanced at them, grimacing at the state they were in. There was almost no trace of the white gloves she wore, and she even managed to tear through skin and metal, where blood was seeping through.

She held back from calling her dumb, it was the time to anger her any further, instead…

"I'm sorry…"

It took a bit for the Scanner to reply, and damn, Number 16 never thought she'd ever see so emotionally vulnerable…

"Sorry for what?" she asked between little sobs.

"Well you know… for everything." she could see the other woman being confused, so she continued. "Well I'm sorry for yelling at you, and for what Dahlia said, she's a dumb idiot."

"Is she wrong though?" how weak and small she was sounding…

"What? Of course she is!" it still baffled Number 16 how the Scanner could even think she was useless. "No one ever thought of you that way." she shook her head.

She didn't know why she insisted on this.

"Even you?"

"I never thought you were useless to anyone, Number 21." was this because…

"I thought you hated me." it had never been a secret, so then, why was she here trying to console her about this?

Someone that valued strength above all, was trying to convince that a mere Scanner with no combat abilities could be strong too. Quite strange.

"I… well… it's complicated…" Number 21 raised an eyebrow at the sudden shyness.

"Try me. Say the truth, whatever it will be." at this point there shouldn't be anything worse than how she was already feeling, no?

"Well I don't exactly hate you." the Gunner started, rubbing the back of her head.

She and Number 21 were sitting in front of one another now, with the Scanner comfortably resting against the wall she tried so hard to break before.

At least she stopped crying, that was positive, hopefully.

"You know, ever since we started training before we got deployed, I didn't really like you, but I've been thinking…" with that she stopped a second. "I was half expecting a remark on the fact I'm too dumb to have thoughts, Number 4 would have said it."

"I'm not Number 4, nor I ever thought you were dumb."

"You didn't? But you used to scold me all the time for putting myself in danger." and that was true. "The Commander always said it too, that I wasn't too brilliant, in here." she gestured to her head.

"There's a difference between thinking that someone is being reckless, or if it's being stupid."

"Isn't it the same thing?" but Number 21 shook her head.

"Someone reckless puts themselves in danger without thinking at the consequences it can bring, someone stupid doesn't think about anything at all."

"See? This is what I never truly digested about you, the way you know everything, the way you're so smart you make me feel even more dumb than what I am." but just when the Scanner was about to apologize… "But that was in the past."

"When we were stuck in that server we had a lot of time to sit down and just think, didn't we? Well I did that too, and I believe mine is just jealousy, for something I do not possess. But that wasn't your fault, and I treated you badly over it."

She had changed ideas over time, and realized that things weren't in the way she saw them.

Much like now things weren't the way Number 21 believed they were.

And if even someone like her could understand this lesson…

"I've been an asshole for no reason." just like Dahlia did a little before with that mouth of hers.

"I have always trusted your judgment and your guidance. And I know I was correct, when you saved Lily, when you kept us alive all these years in that server, and even earlier today."

Again, they wouldn't be here right now hadn't it been for her quick thinking, and asking Lily for help, and the girl trusting her.

As everyone else would have.

"You don't need to fight to be strong." as gently as she could, she took the Scanner's injured hands. "You don't need to do this. There's no need to hurt yourself, you are strong, and you are useful."

"And even if it shouldn't be that way someday for some reason, it won't matter, because we're friends. Friends don't abandon each other."

Otherwise it wouldn't be called a friendship, at all.

"Even if I end up being just a dead weight?" she didn't want to be one, nor to be a damsel needing rescuing all the time either.

"You won't." the Gunner was surprised by her own stern tone, but she meant it.

For herself, and for the others too.

"How can you be certain? I can't protect myself, or anyone, I always need to rely on others…" maybe Dahlia was right, and she should learn to pull her own weight.

"You just saved this whole world just by using your head, Number 21!"

How damn stubborn she could be…

She should have known, shouldn't she?

"Your strength is your brain, it has always been, my strength has been my body and my weapons, we are different, but together we can complete each other." The Gunner took the Scanner by her shoulders.

"Me and the others can be your strength, and you can be our brain. I'm not smart but I trust you, give me an order and I will do it, I'll be your arms, you'll be my head, and work together as one. Just…" she shook her head.

"Just never think you'd be useless, or that we will abandon you, that will never happen, got it?" she would never let that happen, and neither would Number 2, or Number 4, or anyone else.

Heck, she had Anemone, who loved her more than anything else in the world.

But she wasn't about to let her jealousy get the best of her again. She made that mistake once and it dragged on too long.

Number 21 deserved happiness as much as everyone else did.

She was met with a small nod from the Scanner, it wasn't much but it was a start. She'd repeat it again and again if she had to.

She released a sigh of relief.

"You know… I understand, I think. I've been told to be so dumb so many times, I've put myself on the line, and offered my help all the time because I too didn't want to be left behind because I lacked a brain. Mine was just a brave facade, but I've been just as scared as you, I didn't learn that lesson until I died, and the others refused to let me die alone."

She understood? That was new, but for some reason not an unwelcome confession.

So Number 16 too had a soft side too.

"Again, I never thought you were dumb." she repeated.

"But I was too stuck in my jealousy to realize it, I thought you disliked me as much as I did to you, because I caused trouble all the time." but the Scanner never truly berated her for it, nor had shared the same feelings.

She had just accepted this impulsivity and went along with it, doing the rational part of the group instead. They wouldn't have gotten so far if it wasn't for the Scanner's knowledge, and calmness.

It was something she needed to understand.

Perhaps with time.

She too must be stuck in a mindset that didn't allow her to see the truth.

For now.

"You scared me, never thought I'd see you be so… vulnerable, you're always so calm, it's unreal to see you like this." and here Number 16 used to think that Number 21 didn't have feelings, at the beginning.

That had long changed.

"But you know, if you need anything, you need to vent, to cry or anything else, you just need to ask." again she took her damaged hands, looking at their sorry state.

Another thing she had never seen was to see any degree of grievous wounds on the Scanner's body, perhaps that was for the best though. So this situation was almost unreal.

There had been a lot of unreal things today actually.

"Even if I wanted to… learn?"

"To fight? Yes, of course. I'd be the first to teach you how if you want me to." the Gunner nodded eagerly. "But it still holds what that other Number 21 said to our Healer, you have to want it, all right?"

A nod.

She understood.

Good.

And actually…

"I have an idea. Close your eyes and extend one of your legs towards me, either is fine." a frown, but the Scanner complied, offering her the left one.

All she heard was shuffling of cloth, and it unnerved her a little, and then something wrapped around her leg, above her boot and slightly under her skirt. What was Number 16 doing?

"There, done."

And when she opened her eyes, around her thigh there was none other than the knife Number 16 kept at her side all the time. She had cut and adjusted the belt accordingly so it would stay on her leg and not slip.

"It looks good on you."

"I can't accept it… I…" she shook her head but the Gunner didn't let her remove it.

"Can't use it? Doesn't matter, want to learn how? I'll teach you, just keep it. It will protect you." even when she was far away.

Or for emergency.

The Gunner gently took one of Number 21's hands, the one she believed less damaged, and one by one, she closed her fingers to form a fist, then equally gently she bumped her own against it with a grin on her face.

"Friends?"

A tiny smile formed on the Scanner's lips, and she was unable to stop it.

"Friends." she repeated.

"Now let's get you back to the others, Anemone will have my head on a stick if I were to return alone." she was probably going to throw a fuss about the hands already, so much she worried for her Scanner.

Rightfully so.

But just like a brash Gunner unit like Number 16 could have a gentle side, a calm and smart Scanner one like Number 21 could have her moment of craziness too.

This one wasn't the best, but it gave an example.

"I should probably carry you down, since you can't climb with these." again she gestured to the hands, and even took off her own long gloves, so the redhead could wear them to not let sand get into the joints.

"Silly woman." but she still smiled as she said that. "Don't hurt yourself like this again, idiot."

It was meant to be affectionate.

Without a word the Scanner allowed the smaller woman to lift and carry her down, and even after she set her back on the sand, she still held a hand around her waist.

Perhaps she was still a little afraid she'd try to run off on her own again, so she wanted to keep her close.

There was just one more thing.

"Please don't tell Dahlia or the others I've been soft with you, I'd never hear the end of it."

"My lips are sealed." it was a secret meant between the two of them, and even so, she owed her for… well everything she had said during this time.

It did help, a lot.

"Now go back to your woman, she must be worried sick." Anemone must have been waiting ever since they had left.

Something told Number 21 that she was in for a round of apologies.

"I must say… it must be nice to have someone that loves you so much."

"Are you jealous of me again?" she asked, out of instinct, she loved Anemone, but didn't want her relationship to be the reason for hate between them again.

"No… I'm not actually sure…" the Gunner shrugged. "I guess I too would like to know how it feels."

"If it makes you feel better, I have no idea how it happened, it just did, one night, and I found myself waiting for her for years, while she cried my absence at her side."

"Maybe this made your feelings even stronger." even she had noticed then. "Perhaps."

"I know little about love, but I know it's something you're not supposed to be able to control." and of things to control she was an expert.

Again, she had no idea what had sparked between her and Anemone, and what had driven her to accept to spend the night with her in the first place. She was supposed to be rational, but for her she let everything go, and threw it all to the wind.

She couldn't say she regretted it though.

Anemone had been the most gentle thing that had ever happened to her before.

She could still feel her heart race a little every time she thought about that one time.

"I'm positive that there will be someone for you too."

Wasn't it supposed to be for everyone?

"I'll take your word for it." Number 16 gave a chuckle, but if the redhead said so, and even someone as troubled as her found love, she knew there was hope for her too.

What the Gunner didn't know was that perhaps that someone was closer to her than she expected, and that she unceremoniously slapped just a while ago to take her defenses. After all, arguing with each other was supposed to be a sign of affection too, as far as she had learned.

And despite everything, she and Dahlia were a good duo, when time and circumstances called for it.

Even if they didn't realize it yet.

Maybe one day.

They had a lot of time to figure it out after all.

Just as expected, when they returned, Anemone was just outside the door waiting, she rushed over as she spotted them, giving a tight hug to the Scanner.

"I was so worried…"

Then she noticed the blood seeping through the gloves and Number 16 not wearing her own ones. "What did you do?"

Number 21 looked away, ashamed and unable to answer, but a hand on her shoulder calmed her down.

"Just a moment of weakness, but she's fine now, right?" she pushed her a little. "Go get them fixed."

She could feel eyes staring as she entered, mostly relieved looks and smiles, and even words on how glad they were she was back.

Yes, Number 16 had been right, and she felt so stupid for not seeing it sooner.

And here she believed she was dumb, when she was being the dumber one here right now.

Wordlessly the twins patted the space near them, and had her sit between them so they could assess the damage she had done to herself. At least no one questioned a thing.

Perhaps it was too self-explanatory already, and there wasn't a need to.

She was glad for the lack of questions though.

"I uhm…" she saw Dahlia approach with the corner of her eyes, so she turned to look at her.

She looked the same awkward self as Number 16 did when sensitive stuff arose, yes, they were very similar.

"I just wanted to say I went too far earlier… I didn't want to make you feel bad or have anything against you… I just want my friends to feel safe… so uh…"

"It's all right, I understand, it's in the past now." she honestly didn't feel like talking about it again, though she appreciated the apology.

"It's just… well whatever you decide just do your best too, okay?"

"That's the worst apology I have ever heard." Number 16 gave them a grin from the other side of the room, an assist when she heard Number 21's rather cold answer, signaling she was done speaking about the topic.

"Why you…"

Yes, they would make a fine couple.

As the Scanner quietly chuckled to herself, she was joined by the couple of Attackers, one of which had noticed that new addiction.

"Nice little dagger you got there." Number 4 gave her one of her signature smiles, as Number 2 pulled her close, her silent way to show that she had been worried, and that she supported her.

The Scanner's eyes wandered over to where Number 16 was busy arguing with Dahlia.

"It's a gift from a friend."