CHAPTER 7
"What do we do now?" asked 9S.
It felt like a lie as he said it. He's pretending things are normal, that there still is a "we", as if pretending will somehow make the events of the past day go away. Like maybe if he acted normal, 2B would act normal too.
(It won't work, he knows, 2B is too rational and level-headed to fall for such a petty distraction).
But it's all he has - this cheerful front is all that's protecting him from everything they've just learned, from the consequences thereof. Maybe if he can keep acting like nothings wrong, like this hasn't changed everything, he can buy himself a little more time to come up with a plan.
If he had more time, he could review and analyze everything that the machine-facsimile said, and cross reference it with the data he'd gathered in the library. He has it all recorded in his memory banks, and he's sure that he could piece everything together if he looks it over in detail. The machine was clearly insane and deluded, but he clearly knew more about that tower and library than they did. And it talked a lot - wouldn't shut up, is more like it. Surely there were hints and fragments of truths in all that nonsense. Maybe if 9S could piece them together he could make a plan, find a way out of this. That's what he does best: processing and analyzing information, but to do that he needs more time and he can't think right now with all his panic processes running nonstop like this -
But, if he waits too long, they'll take him and wipe his memories. Or kill him outright. And then he won't have the chance at all.
So he's waiting. Which was a stupid plan, except that for some reason, 2B doesn't want them to connect to the Bunker yet (even though they're finally free of the disruption the Tower caused, and could definitely get a strong connection to the Bunker from here). Which meant he still had time. Of course, it also meant that they don't have any backups of their data, which meant that if they were killed (or otherwise silenced) that the information would die with them.
So now they're in the Resistance camp, twiddling their thumbs until either he comes up with a plan or 2B becomes adequately convinced that they're not a threat to the bunker servers. He came up with absolutely no ideas so far while 2B's been inquiring with the Maintenance Shop owner, so he didn't like his odds.
"He says there's no one here who can perform a complex diagnostic like that. They said there's a pair of androids who might be qualified, but they're out right now. So either we go search for them, or we wait for them to come here." 2B seemed frustrated at the thought of waiting, but this was theoretically good news for 9S. It gave him more time.
Time to do what, he's not exactly sure, but he'll figure it out.
She continued, "Ideally, you could perform the diagnostics yourself, but..."
But she doesn't trust him right now. Not to do his assigned job of performing her maintenance. He doesn't blame her, but he's still bitter that he has to deal with this level of distrust thanks to that machine who decided to steal his face. No, it hurts, but he doesn't blame her.
He's not sure if he trusts himself fully, right now.
"It's fine," 9S said, "I get it." He pasted on a smile, and asked, "So, where are these androids at?"
2B gave him a long look. 9S hoped his smile wasn't coming off too stiff.
Finally, she answered, "They've apparently been sent to the Machine Village on some sort of diplomacy mission. We probably just missed them when we were there the other day."
"That's not far at all," 9S observed.
"No," agreed 2B. "But we will need to walk there. We can't use the Access Points, with things as they are."
Oh. Yeah. 9S hadn't thought of that - if they aren't syncing to the YoRHa servers, then they can't simply transmit their consciousness from one Access Point to another, like they're accustomed to.
"Well, we unblocked that shortcut in the city ruins, right? So we can go straight there."
2B nodded. "Right. Let's restock, and then depart."
As usual, 2B didn't wait for his reply before she turned on her heels and advanced towards one of the Resistance traders with long strides. 2B hung back while she haggled, too lost in the swarm of his thoughts to pay attention. It felt like no time at all before they were both walking away from the Resistance Camp, cutting through a handful of unfortunate machines as they made a beeline for the Machine Village.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, but you've just missed them!" Pascal chimed apologetically.
And to 9S's chagrin, he did sound sorry. It grates a bit how utterly sincere the machine sounds. If he were in a better mood, he'd find Pascal's machine community and their apparent fixation on peace a fascinating topic of study - but right now their friendly veneer was just irritating.
"Do you know which way they went?" asked 2B, "We're in a hurry."
"Well, they were attending to some of the children, and one of them mentioned some machines in the Forest were acting oddly. It's probably nothing, of course. Children can have such active imaginations! But one of the Twins offered to investigate." Pascal waved his hands around guiltily, "I tried to decline, but she was very insistent."
9S cut in, "So that's where they are now? The Forest?"
"Well," hedged Pascal, "I would assume so. Yes."
"Thank you," said 2B diplomatically, "you've been very helpful."
And with that, she turned and walked away.
9S jogged a bit to keep pace with her. "So that's it? We're going to the Forest now?"
"What choice do we have? If that's where the Twins are, then that's where we're going."
"Yeah," 9S said begrudgingly, "if we can take that weird machine at his word."
"Pascal has no reason to lie to us," chided 2B.
"Who ever said machines were reasonable," grumbled 9S. But he doesn't object further as they begin the long trek to the forest area.
Ending G: Into the [G]reen
# A/N: Double update! I will be posting two chapters at a time until this catches up with what I've published on ao3. You can read ahead there, or wait until next week for more chapters. :) Either way, thanks much for your support! :D