CHAPTER 3

To whoever's parsing this log, you have to understand, it wasn't his fault. It took us a while to understand that, but it wasn't. He was just a catalyst for a series of events that were centuries in the making. He nearly killed us, but… he probably saved us, in the end.

The two androids walked into the wide, rectangular room. At first glance, it appeared to be as empty and innocuous as everything else in this tower had been so far.

As 2B took a wary step forward, on the other side of the room there was a golden flash. Where previously there was nothing, a single figure had appeared on the far side of the room. Hidden by shadows, the only thing they could make out clearly was a vague humanoid shape.

"Who's there!?" demanded 2B as she drew her signature white katana into a defensive stance.

The figure didn't answer, but 2B's pod did, "Unknown. Enemy analysis unavailable."

2B kept her eyes on the figure and her arms held a ready stance as she directed her next question back to her pod. "Unavailable?"

The pod responded, "There's a highly aggressive firewall blocking access to the entity. Any attempt to bypass the enemy's security would risk irreversible system damage."

2B nodded, not altogether surprised at this assessment. This wouldn't be the first opponent she had faced without intel. She suspected that 9S would be able to disrupt the firewall if needed, but as for herself, she didn't need to understand something to kill it. She leveled her sword at the figure, who still hadn't moved from where it had first manifested.

"I'll ask you one more time," spoke 2B as she tightened her grip on her blade "Who are you? Identify yourself and surrender or on behalf of YoRHa I will use lethal force."

A voice cut through the room, so casual that it felt out of place, at the same time the figure stepped out into the open. "What, 2B, you don't recognize me? I'm hurt."

2B's voice caught in her throat, because the figure before her was the very likeness of the android at her back.

9S felt as if he'd just been dunked in ice water.

He feels a chill go through his whole body. His limbs feel heavy. His head feels blank and fuzzy. It's uncanny. Eerie. Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong -

The Thing that looked like 9S chuckled. It was a low, broken sound, which built into a maniacal guffaw. "Oh, 2B! 2B, it's so good to see you here!" The Thing gave a wide, toothy grin. It's eyes, uncovered by the blindfold that 9S sported, were curled upwards in apparent delight.

The thing that looked like 9S also sounded like 9S. And yet, it sounded nothing like him at all. 9S didn't speak like that. 9S didn't make those expressions. It was like someone had made a basic imitation, but gotten all the details wrong.

That was what it had to be. An imitation. An imposter, posing as an Android to catch them off guard.

It wasn't even convincing. How could anyone ever mistake this Thing to be 9S? What mockery of a play was this? As expected from Machines, they couldn't even imitate intelligent life correctly. Without empathy or complex thought, was this the best they could come up with? Was this what they saw 9S as? The thought is disturbing.

"Hey, you!" The Thing suddenly directed it's sharp gaze, which had not wavered from 2B, to look at 9S. "You don't mind if I take her, do you? We can share. You don't mind sharing, do you? You wouldn't deny me this, would you?" The Thing's voice grew louder and faster as it spoke, its grin equal parts manic and lecherous.

9S's stomach turned at what this Thing, which was wearing his face, was saying. Having presumptions towards 2B, treating her like an object to be taken, was repulsive.

And worse, it was saying this right in front of 2B. It was embarrassing. It was shameful.

This Thing wasn't him, but it wore his face and spoke in his voice and he couldn't stand it, couldn't stand for 2B to see him that way.

Yet he was also terrified, deep to his bones. His feet felt like they were glued to the floor, and his throat felt too dry for speech. Despite this, he managed to choke out a reply, "Hell no! What are you even talking about? Like hell a machine like you could have her!"

The Thing tilted its head, and if possible its grin got even wider. "A machine? Is that what you think I am?" The Thing looked down at its hands (one of which, 9S just noticed, was shaped like 2B's, and oh my god what the fuck?) "I suppose I might read that way on your sensors. Not that there's much difference between YoRHa and Machines anyway, at heart." It placed its hand over where its core would be, and cracked a wry grin, as if appreciating an inside joke.

"Are you implying you're YoRHa?" 2B interrogated from beside him.

That's right. 2B is here. He's not alone. The reminder centers something in him that had gone precariously off balance.

"Well, no," the Thing replied, still wearing the cocky, unhinged grin that looked so out of place on his face, "not any more."

At this, the Thing directs its gaze to 9S, meeting his eyes, and the Thing's eyes flash a brilliant red.

"But I used to be. After all, I am you," says the Thing that is definitely not 9S.

The words rang out in the chamber. 2B could feel moreso than see 9S flinch behind her in response, unable to rally a response.

She looks the imposter straight in the eyes. "You're insane," she grinds out.

"Ahaha, I might've gotten a bit overexcited there. I've just missed you so much, 2B." He offered her a puppy-like grin. In contrast to his earlier behavior, this expression was almost painfully familiar.

2B stands warily, and raises her sword a few more inches into a defensive position.

Seeing this, the machine pouts.

"I admit I'm gone through a few… changes," he says almost sheepishly, "but c'mon 2B, am I really that unrecognizable?"

The statement might have held more weight if his eyes weren't glowing red.

"It's okay, 2B, I understand," the Machine grins, "I don't blame you. I understand that you have to kill me. I've always understood. It's fine. As long as I can be by your side, I don't mind however many times you have to kill me. Here, go ahead, put your hands on my neck again." At this, he tilts his chin upwards in a sign of vulnerability, exposing his pale neck.

His uncovered eyes held an expression of utter rapture. It's madness.

"Ah, I may not die properly anymore, though," he muses with a familiar furrowed brow, "I'm connected to the network after all. So even if you kill this corpse or destroy my core, I'll probably survive." He sounded almost mournful as he pronounced this. His expression was apologetic. "So I guess that puts a damper on that plan. You can still do so if you like, though?" He shot her a hopeful expression at this.

"You said 'core'. So you are a machine." She'd suspected, but it's good to have confirmation.

"Core, black box, what's the difference? None, apparently. Isn't that funny? We were the same in the end. Completely the same! Isn't that hilarious?" the Machine's words grew increasingly maniacal until at last he burst out into uncontrollable guffaws.

He sounds… almost miserable.

2B has seen 9S in pain on so, so many occasions. More than she'd like to admit. And she can see it, underneath the veneer of madness, She sees her friend trying to bury his pain with wry humor, and she wonders if it's possible for a machine to imitate his traits so precisely.

Or, is it possible that somehow the enemy had made an actual copy of 9S? She had been so careful to destroy any remains of 9S every time his body was destroyed, she'd made sure to not leave anything behind, but what if she'd made a mistake? What if she'd missed some crucial part that had fallen into enemy hands?

If so, then the machine in front of her was her responsibility. No, the moment that he appeared wearing 9S's face he was already her responsibility.

2B narrows her eyes. "What are you?" 2B barked forcibly.

"I mean," the machine replied with a familiar grin on a familiar face. The words a hollow echo of what she'd heard earlier today, "I'd like for you to call me 'Nines'."

Her artificial blood ran cold.

"You're. Not. Him!" She charged forward, weapon in hand, and swung at the imposter-

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■ IFF: FRIENDLY ■

[X]

Attacks on allies prohibited

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2B's weapon swung harmlessly through the air, unable to make contact.

"What," growled 2B.

"2B!" 9S cried urgently, "It's forging a YoRHa energy signature. Your identification chip is reading it as a friendly unit."

2B jumped back away from the imposter, who hadn't moved an inch during the whole exchange. Her lips folded into a scowl as she assessed the situation.

"It seems like you might need some time to process all this," the fake 9S piped up, his calm voice indiscernible from 9S's own, "I have a few things I need to take care of myself, so how about I give you two some space for now, hm?"

"We're going to stop you," 2B said firmly, her voice as unyielding as steel.

The imposter looks on with a smile that doesn't reach his eyes. "I would like that very much." And with that, he vanishes in a golden glow.

Ending C: [C]lose encounters

# A/N: This scene takes place in the same room that 9S fought the 2B copies, and I think that's beautiful.

# A reminder that is a cross-post from ao3, so if you enjoyed, you can read ahead there (under the same title and author name).

If you enjoyed, you can Fav or Follow - or check out the continuation on ao3! Reviews are also very welcome, and I love reading any reactions or speculation you all have! :)