The next morning, A2 found Number 16 on the roof of a building sitting down all alone, and her instinct was to join her, remembering the events of the previous day, and how she unlocked her own Berserk Mode on her own.
Well… they did almost lose Number 21 twice, she herself had been so close to just snapping right there both times.
She probably would have, hadn't it been for Robin saving her, and then the Gunner doing just that in her place, unexpectedly.
But even if she didn't show it, Number 16 cared deeply for her friends too.
"Are you all right?" she asked, sitting next to her.
She knew very well how stressful B Mode could be on one's body, she too had been so very tired and struggling to move the very first time it happened.
Also an explosion of emotions held back too long, after she lost them…
Perhaps it was loss, or the fear of it that triggered that augment of power driven by feelings.
"Yeah, I think so." Number 16 still sighed.
It was hard to explain the feeling that coursed through her when she activated that power.
"It was just…"
"Strong? Powerful? Overwhelming? Like you can shatter the Earth with a finger? Yes, I know." the Gunner gave her a small laugh, affectionately ruffling her white hair.
"Of course you would. You're strong now."
"I wish I was this strong when we were deployed, maybe things would have gone differently…" maybe they would have…
But no one could tell.
"Don't be so hard on yourself, Number 2." Number 4 had been listening for a bit, before deciding to sit with them too. "If all of us would have been stronger, maybe more of us would have been saved, or maybe it would have gone even worse."
They could have never met the Resistance, or they could have antagonized them.
"After all you heard those things in red, us dying was the plan all along, and White confirmed it, hadn't you kept on living we probably wouldn't be here now."
Number 2 just looked down at the camp below. "I know… I just wish I had been better…"
"We all do." Number 4 wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
"For what it counts, we also wished we could have been at your side, facing whatever was coming at us together."
Of course they would have, and A2 felt stupid she hadn't been thinking about it, that she hadn't been thinking at what they desired, instead of her own desires.
"But now we're all here." another clacking of heels, another person joining at Number 16's side, Number 21. "In a way, we've all changed, and grown. Believe it or not, this made us grow closer than we've ever been before."
There had never been too much synergy and closure when they were training, Number 2 and Number 4 had always been close, but her and Number 16 never were, actually, she and the Gunner hadn't been too close to anyone at all, she hadn't even been too much of a friend to the other Scanner there was.
And even when they landed, most they did was to argue, think for themselves…
The Resistance taught them the meaning of friendship, and family.
And now they had even more friends, and an even bigger group to love, protect, and that loved and would protect them too.
They learned to care for one another.
And speaking of caring…
"What did 21O want?" though from the tone, the Scanner had the feeling that Number 4 already knew.
But she didn't know all of it.
And she promised not to tell, for now.
Even though something was already quite obvious.
"Nothing you should worry about."
"Oh I'm not worried." the Attacker grinned at her. "What are you talking about?" Number 16 frowned.
"Well Number 21 is a big sis now, just like Number 2."
It took the Gunner a moment to realize what Number 4 meant. "Oh… because they too share the same number."
"But well, Number 21 always acted like a big sister anyways." with the way she took care of them, and patched them up, and worried about their well being always before theirs.
"Technically speaking I'm the youngest one of us four, by order of number and activation." still the Scanner gave a soft smile.
"Always too serious." Number 16 grinned at her, poking her arm a little.
But it was true, even though she'd been the second last by activation and number, her personality had always made her act and look like the older sister, or even mother figure of the group, or whatever had remained back then.
"In a way, since we're prototypes we are older sisters for the younger units."
Even without sharing numbers or personalities.
"Except for Robin I guess." Number 4 shrugged.
"Robin is… an odd case, as she defines herself. She's older than us, but she's the youngest android at the same time." A2 specified, and it was true, Robin herself said so multiple times.
"Speaking of, I thought you'd be with her." the other Attacker said so not to appear jealous.
She wasn't, she was more worried than jealous, but was it good for Number 2 to be in her company so much too? Did Robin trust them? Did she trust her not to make a move that much?
Well, it wasn't bad, but Number 4 sometimes did have these questions floating in her mind.
Perhaps she'd talk to her sometime.
"She said she had to speak with 9S and 2B of something, so I came to spend some time with you, to make up for all these years."
Of lost time.
"Has she told you anything about the people she wants to take with her?" Number 16 asked the big question. "Besides you of course." and White.
Because they were sure that Robin would take Number 2 along with no question at all.
"No, nothing at all." she replied with a frown. "I don't like when she keeps secrets to me." from her experience, it usually was nothing good.
Even if she knew this time wasn't the case she couldn't help but worry.
"I have the feeling that she's not saying anything to not create favoritisms, and risk us antagonizing each other to earn her approval." Number 21 explained. "After all, we all want to go with her, and see this other world with our own eyes as soon as possible."
With the Exception of Number 16 and 6O that expressed their will to stay here, but they were as curious as the rest of them, so she understood why Robin didn't tell names yet.
"Or maybe she just doesn't know yet." Number 16 pointed out, that could also have been an explanation.
Still there was another issue.
"Are you sure you won't stand out too much, Number 2?" Number 21 came closer to her, softly touching the seams of her arms and legs. "Are you sure you still don't want repairs?"
But the Attacker shook her head, much to the Scanner's disappointment.
Even though she understood her vision, a bit.
Had they been in her position, Number 4, Number 16 and herself, probably they would have done the same, bearing the scars of a time where they suffered, as a memento of the time they lost their loved ones.
And a reminder that they did not want to separate that way ever again.
"Robin said we'll be going dressed with Resistance clothes, to resemble more human as possible and to blend in."
So probably she already had a plan to have her dress up to cover the seams.
"She's resourceful."
"She's a wanted person, Number 4. She probably needs to hide more than I do." it was something Robin pointed out to her often.
That if there was a possible target in the group, whatever it would end up being, it would be her, not them.
Though A2 knew she was afraid to drag them into trouble.
But they were used to trouble anyways.
And speaking of trouble, Pod 007 floated over to where they were, under orders of its owner. It was time to take yet another trip in the desert, and take down the remaining two guardians residing there.
"I thought this Berserk Mode was exclusive to A2, or at least an Attacker's thing." Robin mused, given yesterday's happenings. "It seems more of a close rage thing."
Since it seemed to augment an android's physical power way beyond its normal limits.
"We all have it, and it seems that Number 16's weapon has been made to support it." Number 21 explained. "Though I'm unsure how much use this power can have on a Scanner like me."
Since again, she couldn't fight.
"Maybe that's what it's been made for, to help you if you found yourself cornered and alone." Number 4 mused. "So you could protect yourself if we failed."
"I suppose…"
Though Number 21 wasn't too convinced of this, perhaps another thing to ask White about, if she knew the reason. Looking at 9S maybe Scanners were supposed to eventually gain battle data.
But she didn't know other S types but him, and she didn't know if they too had weapons or not, or if he was a singular case.
Also another thing worth asking.
And well… Number 21 supposed that, judging from what she'd seen from Number 2 and Number 16, activating Berserk Mode was triggered from an intense wave of emotion.
Anger, sorrow, pain…
And she doubted she'd ever be able to feel as much as they did to ever trigger that power. Strong emotions were something she still struggled to express, or sometimes any emotion at all.
Perhaps she wasn't made for this…
Well, her personality wasn't like that, she knew, so then why give her B Mode too?
"So where are we going now? Back to the temple or that other place in the desert?" 9S asked, recalling that there were two signals there.
"The temple first, since we're more familiar with the place, and we've got to go to both locations anyways, doesn't matter the order." or well there was no order required in the message Robin unlocked.
And neither that tree guardian at the Tower told her there was one either, just that she was supposed to defeat them all, didn't matter when or how.
Or with who.
Because the others were here to stay, and now that White expressed the will of wanting to make them into a proper squadron, with the new and old units alike, Robin didn't feel like she wanted to separate from them again.
She'd been reluctant at first, not wanting them to get into a task meant for her, but their help had been useful.
Still, Number 21 had gotten hurt too much for her tastes.
And not only hers.
A2 told her she'd get reckless when it came to protecting those she cared for, she saw it first hand, and yet, she still thought herself weak…
Perhaps with time she would understand, just like Robin herself understood many things. After all, smart people often struggled with understanding emotions, she would know.
After all they had time, and people willing to help them doing just that.
The rest of the trip was spent chatting about frivolous and meaningless stuff, but it was good to see everyone getting along, just like White desired. She'd seen far on this, Robin gave her credit for that.
And she did show that she truly believed in this project, and their future. Also, she was showing that she was willing to change her ways.
Or rather, she was just trying to be the person she'd never been allowed to be while she was taking orders from the council. She cared for her soldiers, in her own way, but couldn't show it, or even had to deny it.
It must have been painful not having been able to do a thing but sit and watch as Number 2's friends died one after the other, and then the ordeals she had to put her soldiers through, like her, 2B, 9S, their Operators, and literally everyone…
And the hate towards her that followed…
It was still very much prominent in some people.
But perhaps with time and patience things will change, once they would see White actually making concrete progress. Robin believed she could, and that she would.
After all they all did, and she was no different.
They just had to believe in themselves and the people around them a bit more.
Just like they had to believe to make it through this quest, as between one chat and one complaint about sand and others, they got back to the temple of the other day, heading down where Emil had instructed her to activate the guardians.
Where there was that wall with the writings, now there was a hole, with stairs heading further below inside the place. Or well, what remained of them, it was more of a set of rocks jumbled together that formed somewhat of a path.
Which meant that there was something waiting for them already, since the wall had been activated beforehand.
Robin summoned her sword before they reached the guardian, in case it tried to attack them as they entered, and she could see the others following her example.
But no such thing happened.
What was before them seemed like a mass of ancient looking cubes, for the time being inactive.
But not for long, as moments later, probably sensing the presence of magic, the guardian became active, rising up and forming a being that somewhat resembled a totem with two arms.
"Any idea how to face this one?" Number 16 asked, as she readied her weapon.
"If I were to make a guess, those glowing cubes seem interesting." Robin pointed out, and as she did, the machine swung an arm at her.
Using her strength and her aerial systems, she dodged by jumping over it.
"Something tells me our Captain got it right, and the machine got mad." Captain…
Robin was not used to being called that, not even if it was A2 doing that.
She, that unlike the people she met in the past, only called her pleasant names, instead of mean ones. Robin hadn't been used to them either, undeserving even, no matter who told them, if it was A2 or anyone else.
And now they have become normality.
But Captain? She didn't even know if she had what it took to be one, even despite what White and Rose claimed.
Perhaps even if she did, she'd never stop doubting.
She hasn't been able to do that even after almost a year since she'd known the woman she loved, and the rest of their friends and allies.
Bad habits died hard.
If at all.
"I think you're right." Number 4 grinned at Number 2, as the machine tried to swat at her and the other Attacker, with no avail.
"Well then easy." if possible, Emil's smile became even bigger, as he shot magic orbs at a glowing cube, but as he did the machine rotated and changed its position.
"It's never that easy." 9S sighed. It hadn't been with the others either.
If only…
"I'm afraid that this time us close ranged fighters are rather useless." well, 2B could use her Pod, and same could 9S, Robin had her own one too, and magic.
Then they had both 6O and Number 16 able to shoot too.
Actually, being honest, the Gunner had pretty much clutched both fights, and the previous one she literally saved it with the power of her own anger, though sadly at the cost of Number 21's and Dahlia's health.
In this one though, whoever could only use a sword would be not useful at all, unless maybe they got on the arms…
Something told her another Number 2 would try.
"Speak for yourself, sis." there it was, A2's snarky remark.
She'd never back down from a fight now.
Hard to believe she used to hate battling and killing years ago.
"I'll analyze the pattern." Number 21 declared, already working on it, since she didn't want to fall behind the other Scanner present in the room.
She asked herself why would the Commander have such a small squadron with two S Types, when one could provide for them all…
Why would she keep her when the boy was clearly superior?
Was it because Number 2, Number 4 and Number 16 would get mad at her if she excluded her, because she was their friend? Well get more mad than they already were.
Perhaps…
Still, she felt that she had to prove her worth.
"We're in your hands then, sister." though being called like that was… nice, as 21O nodded at her.
Though… would 9S be mad or jealous she said that?
He seemed like the type he would, as far as Number 21 had been told, and had seen from the blonde's memories.
But sparing a glance to the boy he didn't look angry, at all.
Or so it seemed.
If anything, he joined her in analyzing, just like she had aided him previously with the machine at the factory, when they hacked the rockets.
Working together seemed the best thing to do though.
And besides, it was quicker, better, nicer.
It reminded her a bit when she and Number 22 worked to plan how to lead the squad to victory back at the Bunker, though she'd never been close with the other girl. Or anyone for that matter.
Not until everything they worked for was thrown to the wind, with the lives of their comrades, besides the ones standing here today with her.
And the Resistance.
She wondered if she'd ever manage to grow close with the new people too.
21O had been a good start, but sharing a personality made it easy, and all the rest too.
As it would be seeing her hurt.
The machine broke down its arms into its many cubes, and threw them at the group, as they scrambled to dodge, one of the cubes was about to fall on 21O's head.
It would have hadn't it been caught from a huge hand made of magical energy, as it extended from Robin's shoulder. Using her sword as a wand, she threw the cube back to its owner, as the machine accused the hit.
"This is the spell I'm most familiar with." the human smiled at 21O, happy to have saved her.
"Looks like it."
She was quite the life saver lately, first her predecessor now her.
21O knew her well, had seen her grow from the solitary woman she was, had seen the way she helped her teammates when needed, and now her friends. With the way she was always alert, keeping a watchful eye on the people at her side, she'd be an excellent captain, she was sure.
She just had to believe.
And keep being herself.
Regardless, she'd be at her side.
Even if in this moment she didn't have much of a use except being a bait, she was one of the people that didn't have a long ranged weapon.
She still felt bad for it, even though there was nothing she could do about it.
Most the machine could do was to throw them orbs and cubes, agitating its hands and flailing them around in a desperate attempt to hit any of them.
They held their own, slashing and shooting down the orbs allowing the two Scanners to do their job, and find out the order of the glowing cubes so the Gunner together with the Pods could destroy them.
"The cubes seem to be moving clockwise, there doesn't seem to be a more complicated pattern, as far as we could see." 9S stated, making sure to include Number 21 so she wouldn't feel bad that he had given out the information.
Robin had been pretty clear about it when she spoke to him about this.
And other things…
He would have to keep his pride toned down, not to hurt the redhead.
Actually, he'd make it his duty to help her out, if possible, just like with the barrier.
After all, she was another Number 21, just like 21O she was nice and caring, he could not hurt her even if he wanted to.
It'd be cruel of him to be mean to the person that, because she existed, had been the reason both his Operator and S types like him had been created in the first place.
"Well then, my turn to settle the score." Number 16 grinned, as she pointed her rifle to the machine.
One by one, the cubes swiftly exploded under her well placed shots, and the Pods' powerful lasers.
So much for G types being discarded and merged with B ones…
The Gunner had been the key to all three battles so far, perhaps she was just that special.
As the guardian collapsed, Robin collected the spell through her sword.
"This battle was… much easier than expected…" it could have easily been cleared from a single person, the human was sure.
"I guess not all guardians are meant to be strong." A2 shrugged. For her it didn't matter, whatever got the job done was the best solution.
It had always been this way.
She didn't care much about strategy while dealing with machines, though she could apply it with YoRHas, but if she could destroy them easily then better that way. As long as they died.
Though she did share the feeling of uselessness her fellow close ranged specialists had felt.
At least Number 16 had fun.
"We're only missing one now, aren't we?" Number 4 asked, looking at Number 21. "It would seem so."
"Do you want to do this immediately or should we rest a little?" Robin asked. They technically didn't fight too much, besides running and some shooting, but she still had to ask.
She didn't manage to get any response, as stubby machines swarmed the place, chanting about a "chosen one".
"Chosen one, the last trial awaits you." at least they didn't seem hostile, good.
They were also wearing masks, for some odd reason.
"You know something about this?"
The machine speaking to her nodded eagerly. "They have been waiting for their challenger in our arena so you may take their trial, please follow us."
Robin looked at the machines and then at the others, receiving nods and shrugs from them.
Well, not like they had to do something else.
So they followed.