Back again and a little earlier this week than usual too. I don't got anything in particular to say-oh wait I do. Can yall spare 5 minutes and listen to "Realize, Regret…Resolution" from Devil May Cry 2 OST and "Grandma" from Nier Replicant OST. And lemme know what you think thanks.
No-Named-Dude: Yup I just did the impossible. You can send me the noble prize to my mailbox anytime. I definitely got something cooking for the twins later on so don't worry. A2, her band of misfit girl friends, and Vergil? Oh yeah the world's fucked.
GameMax10: Dante finally seeing some action. Hell yeah. Eh that's just Adam doing Adam business.
Mikhail Sharon: Okie dokie!
935114daniellol: I'm so glad ppl are taking the romance so well thanks for your response.
Red Dusk 359: Hold on. You're gonna make fanfiction based off my fanfiction? Even if its just smut? I never imagined something like that happening. Fuck yeah! That's awesome! And I'm the first guy to ship Dante with androids? fuck yeah x2. I hope you didn't write anything yet because I think you're gonna appreciate a certain section of this chapter. Feel free to PM me for any questions though.
ZCWriter-344: My name's johnny knoxville and welcome to jackass. This is called "What's White, Black, and Red All Over?" Aims bazooka right at the twins. Jk. When you really think about it they really are going through something similar. Writers tend to just forgive the twins and there's nothing wrong with that but I wanted to have my take with a bit more substance. Luckily DMC's side material gave me what I needed.
francesco99: I get what you mean and I don't have a good counter point to that other than plot convenience. Sorry to disappoint ya.
[Flooded City]
2B's visuals reactivated. She waited as her UI rebooted, samples of memories raced her thoughts. Giving little informational tidbits for her succumbing consciousness. Darker figures brushed her still configuring vision. Hands taken ahold of her, creating alarm since she couldn't move. The reboot completed its routine, all those blurry squares blinked away. A group of female androids stared back with blind-folded gazes.
"Found another one. Looks like she's fine." A trio of healer units pried her off the ground. Staunching gel was applied to her skin, 2B hissed. Whilst she went under repair the battler examined the tall body of a machine in the horizon. Smoke fumed out of the unrecognizable stump that used to be a head. Amazing, even in the event of destruction the behemoth-class unit refused to fall down. All for a heavy price of forever remaining in an aquatic prison after death.
One of the healers lifted her off the ground. 2B found trouble in the first two steps but got the hang of it after the seventh. The behemoth decided to end their remaining life in a grand demonstration of light. Powerful enough to reach her presence from the deep depths. 2B knew this because the minor injuries she suffered told her she got thrown overboard. Standing on a jutting piece of submerged concrete the battler and healer units weren't the only YoRHa around. Command have dispatched rescue teams and by what the battler saw there was plenty of incapacitated YoRHa units.
"Core functionality remains intact. 2B right? Consider yourself lucky that you can still stand." One of the healers informed. Wasn't crazy to state such a claim. 2B was the furthest away from the explosion so any injuries stayed minor. The lucky ones who drifted ashore suffered from water damage. 11B, the battler who partook in the alien mission could be seen undergoing some sort of troubleshoot. The scanner attending her bore a worried face, the bluehead wasn't reacting to any of his responses. 2B also recognized the remains of captain 1D's flight unit. It was dented beyond recognition, she didn't know why the android who pulled 1D bothered doing so. Oil leaked from the exposed chest cavity, the squad leader gotten done in by her own equipment. For others their status varied from moderate to severe, only a handful of units appeared unblemished as 2B.
"What happened?"
"In regards to the machine lifeform, it ceased resistance hours ago following its destruction."
"Hours?"
The healer nodded. "The EMP blast knocked out all comms in the area. Command had worked overtime to get them back online. If you don't acquire further assistance than join us in our search for other missing YoRHa."
2B confirmed and looked at the ship she used to launch the missile. Enhancing her sights via her visor recognized a distinct green-caped woman in the talks with some YoRHa captains. Now that she realizes it there was a hefty amount of Anemone's personnel assisting in nursing her injured comrades.
Seeing her focused attention 2B's healer gave a short explanation. "Thanks to your report the local Resistance have been contacted. We're currently working with the sector leader to investigate the whereabouts of the missing crew." A smile perched on the girl's lips. "She's done us the courtesy in helping out. How nice of her."
2B than remembered something crucial.
"9S. Where is 9S?"
The healer shook her head. "No clue. Command hadn't gotten a response prior to the machine assault."
2B went rigid at the information. She looked around in a state of brief denial searching the available YoRHa boys in a futile attempt to spot her partner. Just as luck would entail 9S couldn't be found anywhere. It didn't make sense to her, 9S couldn't have reason to ignore Commander's distress call.
'Did he…no. Nothing suggests he did.'
"Greetings 2B." 042 announced. Seeing her support unit in the present actually eased the growing tension. Though she held back 2B felt the need to pet it.
"Pod, connect me to the Bunker please."
"Establishing connection to the Bunker."
It's light blinked and produced the familiar dullish-yellow hologram. Glad to see the explosion hadn't hindered 042 in the slightest. On the other side of the screen 2B's operator gasped. Almost not believing the person calling her. "Operator to-2B? 2B are you alright?" She leaned in close to make sure. Confirming that it wasn't a fluke she smiled sweetly behind her veil. Her bestie was alive and well.
"Affirmative 6O."
The blonde's eyes became glossy. "Oh 2B. When the connection severed I feared the worst. Thank goodness you're ok."
"Appreciated but there's more important matters at hand." Blinking away the incoming tears 6O awaited for what her bestie had to say.
"9S went MIA shortly before the attack. Any clue on his whereabouts?"
"Oh 9S. We've picked up on a faint black box reading but it wasn't enough to lock down on his position."
The battler's walking pace turned into a light jog.
"If you found him than that means he's still alive."
She passed numerous offline YoRHa units in various states of disarray. 2B bit down the thought of seeing 9S like them. Instead she used this as motivation to find him. She took off at a running speed.
"I would like to believe that. It's not any of my business to say but 21O's been acting different than her usual self." 6O glanced over to the lower levels to the operator of topic. Despite that veil of indifference typical for that woman she appeared directionless. 21O and her weren't all that close but she wasn't close to anyone really. It concerned the pig-tailed operator and trying to see what's on her screen from her spot was near impossible. Best she could make out were pictures of some sort. Maybe it's related to map coordinates or mission schematics.
"Is that so?" 2B questioned while traveling over pieces of highway and rock.
"Yeah. If you find 9S let me know ok?"
2B landed onto a familiar island. Not so long ago the YoRHa duo were shin deep in the shallow water. Where they both enjoyed the beauty of the ocean.
The sight of his visor-less face came to mind.
"I will find him."
The operator nodded. "6O out."
"Pod, any weak signals nearby?"
"Unable to answer. A dynamic scanner program is required to detect low black box readings."
"Never heard of it."
"Hypothesis: Past records in this unit's memory data suggests local Resistance are in possession of YoRHa equipment."
"The Resistance?" At face value it didn't strike a cord for 2B that YoRHa equipment is being utilized by non-authorized personnel. Gazing at Anemone's distinctive green cape her mind recalled how they are in a vulnerable position. Anemone lacks the numbers, supplies, and equipment. Thinking on it 2B wasn't surprised they would salvage some of their own but she wasn't sure if that's probable cause for their factions' guidelines.
"Should I report this to Command?"
"Proposal: Unit 2B should investigate the matter first." The battler listened and made her way to the leader. A hint of red caught the corner of her eye. Freezing in her tracks 2B initially thought it was a simple malfunction. The healer must've done a poor maintenance check but the unique color among the greyish-blue environment failed to disappear. 2B hesitated to turn. The desire of confirmation won over her. Holding a breath as she inevitably sneaked a peek.
Red hair drifted along the soft wind. Kneeling down to an injured YoRHa unit, maintenance androids Devola and Popola held out balls of light.
"I'm surprised the water didn't short-circuit this little guy out." Devola commented. Closing the wound on their legs without appearing to use anything. The healer unit right beside them watched in silent awe at their unusual maintenance procedure.
"That's amazing. How did you do that?"
"We're built with a unique system in mind. Staunching gel and logic vaccine are still used but applied differently. Although we can heal more with less on hand." Devola explained.
"Almost like magic." The healer commented. Devola in turn waved her hands around but in a dry, unamused manner. She really didn't see the awe of her abilities yet the amazed look on the YoRHa girl proved otherwise.
"Still pretty cool." Flattered, Popola thanked her on their behalf.
"It's nothing." Devola got up to her feet and wiped her hands clean. Something itched on her back, she sighed having adapted a sort of sixth sense to when a person's staring at her. Turning on the spot the chary redhead was mildly surprised to see 2B.
"Haven't seen you in a while 2B. You need a maintenance check?"
"I'm fine. Devola and Popola correct?" The latter joined in the conversation.
"Yes and we appreciate the fact you remembered us." Something was different about their appearance. 2B lingered on the primroses nestled beautifully on their heads.
"Why is that?"
Not wanting to make it a big deal Devola skipped it over. "Most don't but that's irrelevant. Where's your partner?"
Getting reminded of her mission compelled 2B to ask them about her inquiry.
"He's missing and I've received report of the Resistance harboring YoRHa equipment that can help me track him down. Any idea on who they could be?"
Devola averted her eyes up to the sky while lulling her voice into a guilty hum.
"Hmm doesn't ring a bell. Better if you-ouch!"
"Sister!"
Popola quite righteously dug her elbow at her side. She wasn't gonna let her twin drive YoRHa into another direction. That could spell bad news for the both of them and Popola couldn't do that to an acquaintance.
Devola just rolled her eyes and crossed arms in defeat. "Fine. We got a Pod back in the maintenance bay. You can find it with my possessions."
"Noted. Mind explaining why you're harboring YoRHa equipment?"
The chary twin didn't wanna elaborate but for the sake being on good terms she did. "I was tinkering with it a while back. Little guy's too busted up. Wasn't up to anything nefarious in case you're wondering."
"I see, however equipment related to YoRHa is for YoRHa personnel only."
Devola rolled her eyes again. "I get it but FYI take better care of your stuff. I didn't exactly dug to the ends of Earth finding it."
"That Pod is going under salvage. I'll be filing this to Command but given our current predicament I don't think further actions will be necessary."
Devola dismissed it but Popola was the complete opposite. "Much appreciated. It serves no use to us anyhow."
She rested a palm against the flower nestled in her scarlet hair. A sincere smile grazed her. "And thank you for working with Dante."
"Pardon?"
Popola and Devola looked at each other before the chary one made a teasing smirk. An expression which made the timid sister blush. 2B ignored it, she had no clue what that exchange meant nor did she want to pry on their business.
"We know he can be a handful but he means well."
Thinking back on his weird behavior paired with Commander's reaction, 2B had a hard time seeing that. Either way she won't outwardly express it and simply nodded.
A frantic yell caught the attention of the android ladies. Not just them but every active unit in the vicinity. 2B saw 12H, aside from the damp clothes looks to be in stable condition, physically wise. Her behavior was a different story. A blood-curdling scream scared her nursing unit and provoked others to distance themselves. The pony-tailed healer gripped the sides of her head as her cries denounced into wet sobs.
"GET AWAY FROM ME!"
"GET AWAY!"
"WHY WON'T YOU GO AWAY!"
Nearby YoRHa swarmed in. Resistance androids had their firearms already pointing at her. 2B instinctively reached for her weapon handle. Devola and Popola already on guard. For the androids this behavior could only be associated to an incurable disease. 12H must've succumbed to the logic virus.
"Report: No signs of logic virus detected."
"Report: This support unit agrees."
"Report: This support unit seconds that."
The androids who were ready to put an infected unit out of their misery are left dumbfounded. 12H ripped off the visor in her panic. Eyes lacked the infamous red gaze further stupefying the soldiers of mankind. The healer continued in this demeanor, crumbling to her knees and crying out for whatever she saw to leave her alone. A display of open vulnerability and ditching any indication of crazed, psychopathic behavior.
"AHHH!" Another YoRHa survivor yelled. 36S wiped his eyes against his hands furiously. Almost like he wanted erase his thoughts.
"STOP IT! I DON'T WANNA SEE THIS!"
One by one the YoRHa survivors awoke and began acting the same. 2B, Devola, Popola and others watched as humanity's latest generation of androids crumbled down in fear and despair.
"PLEASE HELP ME!"
"GET THEM AWAY!"
"SCARY!"
"MONSTERS!"
"MONSTERS!"
"MONSTERS!"
Devola and Popola broke out of their trance and went to help the paranoid YoRHa as did others. 2B was at a loss for words. The lack of a logic virus made their behavior incomprehensible. Whatever their experiencing shattered the willpower ingrained to their black boxes. Crumbling up into balls their dreadful cries stayed on repeat as the androids went in to help.
2B watched a scanner in particular. He shared the same white hair as 9S. Like the rest he too broke down and pleaded for help. He collapsed to his knees, hands masking his face, shouting words without clear context.
A ghostly feeling overtook her hand.
"LEAVE ME ALONE! YOU MONSTER!"
2B gripped her fist and left the area. Determined on finding 9S.
Devola who was in the middle of trying to calm down a frightened defender had been shoved roughly to the ground. Said unit was quickly apprehended by a trio of YoRHa. Popola was already at her side.
"Are you ok?"
Devola wiped the dirt off her face. The push only caught her by surprise. Nothing serious but her hair did get a little dirty which kinda peeved her. As Popola assisted her fellow twin she found something odd.
"Is that yours?"
"Hmm?" Looking down to where she's pointing the chary twin saw a silver embroidered amulet, completed with a silver chain. Grabbing it she held it up to their faces in wonder.
"That fell out of your pocket."
"Weird. Didn't even notice. Guess that'd what happens when you go overboard with the hooch."
Squinting at it closely she could make out both of their reflections. It's very pristine to say the least. This would cute on them honestly. Though something on the back of her mind suggested the contrary.
Devola then remembered a shocking revelation. "Shoot! This is Dante's! My idiot self must've taken it while I was off the booze!"
Popola vaguely remembered said necklace in her foggy memories. It belonging to the man in red brewed substantial guilt. Stealing a possession, a valuable possession from a human would only spell a hard hitting karma for them both.
"Uhhhh if he wakes up and finds out?"
The chary twin quickly placed a finger over her sister's lips.
"He's drank enough to rival us in a drinking game. I doubt he's waking up anytime soon." Devola shot the bad possibilities out but on the inside she too worried.
The chary twin needed to hide her anxiety. What a bad situation to be in considering what's happening around them. They had to play it cool as to not arouse suspicion. If what she says is correct and hopefully she is Dante should be in a deep enough sleep for when they return. Until that point in time comes they should remain as they are now.
"Let's go help these YoRHa."
Popola while conflicted had come to the same conclusion. Reluctantly nodding the timid twin went to aid the nearest android. As Devola followed in pursuit she went to stuff the amulet back in her pocket. It slipped out of her grasp and she quickly snatched it before it could hit the ground. In her catch Devola noticed something on the back. They appeared to be an engraving of a name written in an incursive format. A pretty engraving, contrary to the person it belonged to. Devola couldn't help but smile at this.
'For a guy who wants to be cool 24/7 it's quite adorable.'
Amidst Devola's glee she realized a mistake on her part. The engraving was actually two names. She read it and read it again. Just like Dante's it wasn't a name associated with androids. Far too unique and at the same time wasn't recognizable to her memories with Dante. A question brewed on her mind that'll stay indefinitely until they get back to base.
'Who's Vergil?'
[Resistance Base]
Empty jugs sat near the bed. Dante eyed it while rubbing at the ache in his temple.
'How much did I have?' A question the devil hunter never really asks himself regarding drinking. His insane healing factor came in clutch when it comes to alcohol. Dante can down more booze than a sailor and his crew. He didn't need to worry about annoying hangovers.
Waking up it surprised him that he felt his noggin knocking at death's door.
There was a draft in the room, blowing against the surface of his muscles. Normal temperatures didn't faze him that much but never does he strip down to his birthday suit when it comes to shut eye. He remembered a couple of scarlet hotties curling their equally nude bodies against his. Man, those blouses really did cover up some sexy physiques. Their skin felt so soft and warm. Succulent boobs and asses that matched their body types perfectly. Not to mention their toned physiques, seeing the faint lining of their toned stomachs only enhanced their feminine beauty. And they're supposed to be androids?
The alcohol got brought up by Devola, reminding Dante of her special booze. Popola tried to shut the idea down but he was already on board. The chary twin had no problem bringing out large moonshine jugs. Each containing a blend of special ingredients respective to each sister's preference. Devola, the more outgoing twin happily offered the devil hunter a swig of hers. Much to the apprehension of her twin that ultimately went ignored. Dante downed a mouthful that reminded him of flowers and wine. Overall it was far better than he thought for something homemade. The girls knew their craft. When he reached for Popola's she snatched it away. Reason being she didn't wanna to get him sick because of the higher alcohol content.
Devola teased that she's only protecting her precious.
Confident in his experience Dante convinced the cautious girl to give him a little swig. What's a bolder drink to the Son of Sparda? That little swig turned into a hefty couple of swallows before Popola pried it off his lips. Concern evident on her face. The taste was different to say the least. Alcohol content was well-hidden underneath a formula of odd flavors he absolutely couldn't figure out for the life of him. Honestly the taste was in a league of its own. Dante truly never had anything like it. Asking Popola about it she intentionally avoided the question while devious chuckles ebbed from Devola. With a sly grin she waved him off, noting it wasn't important.
That was a fucking lie.
Even with an iron liver Dante wasn't prepared for the wave of drunkness to hit him like a sledgehammer to concrete. It usually took him bottles, shots, and sometimes crates to get him to feel loose. He expected a shy girl like Popola needing a lot of booze but even he was having a hard time staying awake. Android tolerance are leagues above a human.
Collapsing on his bed Dante mindlessly stared into the ceiling. In his peripheral Popola grasped his cheek. Making sure he was ok in terms of health but most notably having a face that practically said I told you so.
Next thing Dante remembered was Devola commenting how it wasn't fair for only him to get wasted and downed her jug. He vaguely recalled Popola's prominent defiance until she caved in by her sister's silvery tongue. Or was it his? He couldn't remember. Both girls downed their jugs and got if-not-more hammered than him. Popola's worry shaved off, making her straightforward and persuading. Against her usual timidness the alcohol tempted her to be more social. Their thighs rubbing against another as the timid twin spewed quiet ramblings of things Dante couldn't recall. Speech incoherent as she itched her hand slowly towards Dante's while he wasn't looking. She faked her shock when he noticed her touch.
They both looked at the other's hazy face. Admiring the features that they've always found pleasing ever since they've met each other.
Meanwhile Devola got jolly, a hazy smile on her flushed face. Her drunken mind must've been playing a tune for she started dancing around, tripping over herself in terrible timings. Dante who was drunk out of his mind at this point stood up and caught Devola in his arms. She wrapped her delicate arms around his back tightly. Making sure she really felt the hidden aspects of his well-built back. They both laughed before he offered a dance. She had no problem accepting and thus engaged in a drunken waltz. To be leveled with his evenly-sized pecs it took a lot of self-control for Devola to not bury her head in between them. Instead she rested along those muscle mounds called shoulders, a worthy second. This would offset their balance and the drunken human had to hold her tightly to continue their dance. Feeling his arms tighten around her in such a caring manner almost made the hazy Devola squeal in delight.
In the spectator's seat the tipsy Popola glared daggers at her twin. She recognized her sister's antics as nothing but a challenge. Hogging a human, a handsome human at that was almost backstabbing. Declaring war Popola opened her mouth to sing unknown syllables that flowed into a serene melody. In his drunkness the devil hunter took note of Popola's soothing voice. She didn't over project the volume nor did she speak at a low level. Captivating enough for Dante to end their little dance and just listen.
Devola, disappointed that it ended turned to her equal. Seeing her little sister act out like this would usually be humoring. However she knew what Popola was doing and she didn't like it. Not wanting Dante to leave her completely behind she fired back by adding her own vocal notes. Transforming the lullaby into a duet. Adding a layer of soothing thrill to the performance. Much like her younger sibling their voices complimented each other perfectly. Creating a tune so pleasing to the ears even bystanders foreign to their language would find pleasing. The hammered Dante listened to the pair in an unusual period of focus. Entranced by the surprisingly pleasant voices of the twin androids.
"…Utrashain aforenje kurasol,
Towaii hatasei mic'hatasei tsufrallai"
"…Utrashain aforenje kurasol,
Towaii hatasei mic'hatasei tsufrallai ilja…"
Devola and Popola sang, backs against each other. Making sure their performance reached the ears they've wanted. Supporting the other with their weight literally. They continued their private performance solely to the most important person they'll ever know. Bringing a sensation of comfort similar to his mother's nursery rhymes. When their tune came to an end Dante didn't hesitate to offer a round of applause. For a pair of non-humans this meant allot. The twins blushed quite easily, their alcohol-fueled minds too focused on the sharp aspects of his face. Especially his dashing smile.
They thanked him with a hug.
That hug lingered for far longer than usual.
Dante's hands drifted away from the small of their backs. Down below through the parting of their blouses and resting on their jean-covered butts.
The twins smiled at this initiative and returned their feelings by rubbing themselves against his sculpted abs. Each took a hand to his pants and provoked different sections of his hardening girth.
One thing led to the next.
Blouses got removed.
A leather coat tossed to the side.
A bed shared by a pair of sisters and a guy drunk out of their minds.
Dante rubbed his forehead more, his liver finally kicking into full gear and destroying the pain once and for all. The devil hunter didn't think things would go this far. While the sex itself was fun afterwards Dante's having a hard time judging if he really should've done it. And that wasn't an easy question to answer surprisingly. Rising out of bed the devil hunter spotted his clothes neatly folded with a note on top.
Be back soon. -P
Stay handsome. -D
He flashed a smile at their sweet gesture.
Only to crumble it.
Drunkness subsided and late teenage hormones mellowing out gave his mind a clear space to think. Dante went ahead and got dressed. Noting how the sisters went the extra mile to stitch the holes of his clothes back together. In reality he only delayed his progress for some sex but saying that was the only reason would be wrong.
Having someone by your side for once didn't sound too bad.
Dante was only kidding himself with that line of thinking. This wasn't his home so he couldn't treat it like so. He left the confides of his room to get a breath of fresh air.
A couple steps outside and the devil hunter noticed the very low android populace in the plaza. Odd since there was already a thin spread of units mucking about.
"Hey are you interested for an enhanced modification?"
Dante resisted the urge to roll his eye. Why did sellers gotta be so damn annoying? Not playing with the act of persuasion Dante walked away from the center plaza. He could hear the vendor stammering over himself with other offers, no doubt trying to reel him back in. On the devil hunter's agenda he speculated around Vergil's out of character departure. Back in the forest it wasn't like him to leave his younger brother hanging. Especially since their last bout ended with a gotcha moment from Dante. There's no way in hell Vergil would ditch out on getting some payback. A very good outlier needed to be at play for that to happen. Overworking his brain for answers Dante seemed to have forgotten an important detail.
Pulling out the purple diamond Dante contemplated on the possibility.
They were brothers.
If Dante had managed to stumble upon some ancient magic by chance then Vergil would have no issue himself.
On the topic of the enchanted object Dante hadn't made any progress into finding the history behind it. He didn't even know where to start. Getting some help from the blondie of YoRHa was a potential lead. She was confident that she'd might find something since apparently YoRHa houses a shit ton of world data. Dante wanted to believe that but he was already on the fence about having the YoRHa leader in on this. Surprise, surprise the blondie came back with nothing. For a supposed high-elite faction of humanity she sure was in over her head.
The only people he's can 100% say was involved would be the twins. Their voices matched with the ones he's heard during that illusion. However after learning about their history they just couldn't help him unfortunately.
He sucked his teeth.
What's Dante supposed to do now?
A loud clang reached his ears. It came from the maintenance bay. Dante gave it a thought and once again found himself thinking about the twins. After a few seconds he sighed and went inside. The beds were empty. Sourcing the sounds from a pair of curtains he pulled them back, expecting to find the twins or at least one of the two. To his mild surprise 2B froze when she saw him.
"Hello Dante. I hope I didn't cause any disturbance."
"You didn't. I thought the girls came back early from their trip. Seen them?"
2B traced her fingers around the frame of a deactivated pod. Feeling a little slip in the back she pressed it and to her surprise out came a couple of chips.
"The Resistance were called south at the shoreline. They won't be back for a while." She answered, trying to brush off the worrying situation as nothing but a regular call.
Dante made a low "hmph."
042 hovered at 2B's level where she extracted the previous chip and inserted the new one. Peeking his curiosity she was questioned on the matter.
"I'm switching out Pod's program chip." 2B kept her words short and simple. She really didn't wanna engage with him in verbal talk. 042 extended its chassis out, putting 9S' black box signal as the primary target.
2B picked up a signal.
A black box signal.
9S was still alive.
"I have some important matters to deal with. If you excuse me Dante." The battler politely announced her departure. Out of her obligated respect and partly because he was standing in her way.
"Be my guest." The human granted her wish. Passing him by 2B wouldn't look back. 9S was out there somewhere and she couldn't have any distractions. Pod's ringtone cut her short of the bay's exit. Lighting up the hologram she decided to turn down the volume to avoid any eavesdropping.
An operator that wasn't 6O made an important announcement. "This broadcast goes out to all YoRHa units." Soon enough her image flickered out and replaced with the Commander.
"Attention YoRHa, hours ago our strike team went against one of the most deadliest machine weapons to date. Victory came to us but the end result caused a strong delay in our operations. Search and rescue teams were dispatched and remains ongoing. We've received numerous reports about an alarming discovery within our search. A new type of illogical behavior has infected the survivors." Commander than played a short video.
It was 12H in a more subdued state than last seen. Lacking a visor showcased the dried up tears staining the facial area. Her eyes quiet and mute.
"Let's try this again. 12H, are you there?" An offscreen unit inquired. Visibly shaken by the voice 12H started to fidget but her restrainers prevented that from escalating.
"Yes. Yes. I am." She eventually answered but the tone of her voice dripped in trepidation.
"Can you tell us what's on your mind?"
12H closed her eyes. A sniffle and some whimpers poured over the speakers.
"It's hideous. Everytime I close my eyes…I just see monsters. Scaly, horrific, monsters."
"Do they resemble the aliens?"
The healer shook her head no.
"Could it be another species of extraterrestrials?"
12H began to cry. "I…I don't know. I just want them off my mind." Her behavior became more erratic and the spectating units enacted. She wailed and struggled in the midst of it. Eyes balling but no red light evident in her vision. A scanner forced his way into her systems to activate rest mode and afterwards the screen went black.
The video ended and Commander took up the screen again.
"Our teams have confirmed this isn't the work of the logic virus. We believe the machines have concocted a new tactic that drives fear within androids. Currently we are still working on how to approach this problem and the potential spread beyond this small group. For now find our missing numbers and put them to rest mode. Be advised, their emotions can make them unpredictable. Something strictly prohibited within YoRHa. That is all, Glory To Mankind."
The hologram closed. 2B shook her head, just an announcement of what she already knows.
A hand clasped her shoulder, causing a wave of agitation for the battler. Peaking her head 2B looked at Dante.
"Is there something you need?"
"Yeah. Lead the way."
2B's visor scrunched at the middle. She had the volume turned all the way down. There was no way this human's hearing was that good.
"You're coming along with me?"
"That's the plan."
She got out of his grab and fully turned.
"I advise that you stay here where you're safe."
"So?"
2B flexed a hidden fist.
"Dante I'm speaking on your behalf. I'm one of the top performers and more than capable of-"
"Bore me with the speech. Chop chop." Dante walked past her and to the entrance of the bay.
2B perfectly prevented a rising frown from showing. Placing a hand behind her back she squeezed to her upmost ability. After the battler's termination threat from Commander she had to restrain her want to argue. Bitterness grew in her gaze, luckily he couldn't see through her visor.
"Lead the way Pod."
[Amusement Park]
Vergil stepped inside of the theater. Front of the house appeared just as he expected it to be, old and barren of any sort of fancy decor. A wreck but at least it wasn't plagued by that god awful noise from outside. Vergil hardened his grasp on Yamato, seeing those brightly lavender machines pouncing around reminded him of that pathetic leech Arkham. Even now he could still remember that obnoxious laughter. He's glad to finally bring an end to that naive fool. After that experience Vergil's had enough with clowns for the next lifetime.
"It's close." The devil within him is reacting. Same way back at the courtyard Vergil could sense a magical energy in the very depths of this theater. He walked up the rounded stairway, putting him up to the next level and in front of a huge opening that wasn't suited for ordinary doors. Vergil entered, determined to acquire the next piece for the grimoire.
His last foe gave him a nice workout. Certainly a better use of his skills than these useless machines. To think he wouldn't find a reason to learn more about the history of this world. Vergil gave a sarcastic laugh. Where his father's footprint lied he would do everything in his power to uncover those tracks. Vergil reflected back on those voices he'd heard. Speaking of a blade of some sort but his intuition could only think about one sword in mind. It wasn't the Sparda but rather the very weapon of the dragon rider. Never has he seen it in search for his father's past back in his home world. It has ties to father given the corresponding color they were illustrated with.
Rebellion and Yamato are manifestations of the Dark Knight's power.
The Force Edge is the dormant form of his father's trademark weapon. His most powerful weapon.
Could there…be a sword to rival the Sparda itself?
One that remains hidden in a world untouched by Mundus' influence?
He must acquire it.
No matter what.
Vergil exited from the other end. His mood dipped slightly at the sight of machines. Stepping onto the gallery floor the darkslayer was already reaching for his blade's handle. One of the units turned in his direction, it was a small stubby accompanied by another with longer limbs. They locked eyes briefly until the machine averted away.
Overlooking the units who were facing away made the darkslayer set his eyes to the stage.
'A play?'
The very idea of machines partaking in such an activity scratched a part of his brain. Vergil questioning if the machines could partake in one of humanities' oldest forms of entertainment held back and observed. On stage he could make out two characters. A machine dressed in armor reminiscent to the ones of the forest but more proper and pronounced. Guessing he's supposed to be the hero. The setting was amateurish but given who controls the park Vergil didn't shed surprise. Trees were depicted burning to a crisp, coloring the sky in a dreadful black. Given the design of the prince character it was only fitting that he would be fighting a dragon. Flimsy purple tubes and paper mache made up the body of the supposed beast. Head itself was barely recognizable, the dragon looked absolutely horrendous.
Opening it's mouth orange confetti spilled out, being the fire that consumed the trees. The machines made an audible gasp while Vergil started to lose interest.
"Foul witch! Placing a curse on my beloved beauty! You shall pay with your life!" The hero declared, shielding himself from the fire.
The dragon itself spoke. "Your beloved won't wake up again! I shall burn you asunder so she may never wake up-"
The hero took this chance to stab the dragon at the heart. The machine crowd cheered at it's demise before a curtain appeared over it. Gone was the dragon and in place the corpse of a machine that once terrorized the park. In the goal of achieving beauty for one's affection now served as nothing more than a set piece. It sat unmoving with the sword inserted to the chest. As the hero began their speech and the crowd continued to revel in the happy outcome Vergil's attention settled on the pristine blue diamond on the corpse.
It ebbed a magical energy.
A series of ghostly swords were summoned.
After killing off the audience and the hero himself Vergil stepped onto Simone's corpse. There he saw the reflection of himself in lapis shaded colors. Vergil reached out, his past experience readying his mindset for what's to come.
[?]
Daylight waned as the moon casts a haunting, lunar glow. In the middle of the forest lied a playground. A lone child, kicking against one of the riding horses at the middle of the sandbox. His youthful face scrunched in childish rage, baring his teeth. He kicked against the rocking seat again and again. The ivory white of his swept back hair frolicked into a mess. Getting more angrier the boy stopped with the kicks and pulled. His goal of wrenching it out from the ground may be impossible given his age but the boy was far from ordinary. The metal coil leaned, sounds of rustic metal giving way. Blood rushing to his face and veins popping out. The not-so-normal child didn't relent, taking a deep breath he took huge steps back.
The riding hose tore from the spring and the boy fell back. Dropping it overhead he lied arms spread out, panting tirelessly whilst staring into the night sky.
"Take…that Dante…" Feeling more level-headed the Vergil rose to his feet. He stumbled onto his own rocking horse, one sitting parallel to the broken spring. The young Vergil wiped off the dirt staining his clothes. Now paying attention to the moon he always liked how it looked. There was just something so mesmerizing that touched his soul the same way his mother views the stars.
"Mother…" The young child bite down as he mentioned her. Hugging himself tight Vergil's mind got haunted by her voice.
Not even the night of his 8th birthday he and his twin brother managed to get into another fight.
…Dante come here what happened…
…Vergil did this…
…He started it…I just wanted to read my book…
…Dante stop messing with your brother…
…Yeah you heard mother…
…You aren't off the hook either mister…
…W-what…
…Don't give me that look…Act like the older brother and say sorry…
…Yeah you heard mom…
…Shut up mudboy…
…No you shut up bookworm…
…Tattle tail…
…Scaredy cat…
…Boys…
…At least I don't stink…
…BOYS…
…Oh yeah well I didn't ruin mom's favorite painting…
…Vergil you did what…
…DANTE…
…Whoops it slipped…
…YOU IDIOT…
Vergil wiped the dried blood from his nose. Not too shortly after he and his twin got into another fight. It wasn't strange for them, as siblings it's natural to pick on each other but it got really violent this time around. Dante gave him a nasty headbutt to the nose, breaking it. Vergil tackled him to the floor. Fracturing Dante's knee in the process. Due to their mixed heritage they can heal from these injuries but to say their mother's ok with this is false. The younger twin did an attempt to push him off but Vergil still fueled in rage went crazy with his nails. Scratching Dante to the point his face bled like a tattered tomato.
Their mother intervened. Dante was in her arms with a broken knee and a face half raw.
…No more books…
…What…
…No more outside…
…B-but he…
…No more playtime…
…I don't wanna hear it…Go to your room now…You are both in trouble but especially you Vergil…
…T-that's not f-fair Mom…Dante started this…I didn't mean to do it…
…Don't make me repeat myself…look at what you've done…go to your room we'll talk about this later…
…No…
…What…
…NO…
…Vergil…
…LET GO…
…Stop fussing little boy-OUCH…VERGIL COME BACK HERE…VERGIL…
In his fit of rage Vergil left a bite mark on her arm. It always ended with her coming to Dante's side. Each and every single time something like this happens she always finds a way to put the blame on him. Since he's the oldest he has to act better than his younger brother. It didn't make sense to him, he never asked to be the older brother. They shared the same face, the same room, the same birthday and still she places the responsibilities onto him. Dante's probably snacking on mother's cookies while she reads him a bedtime story. The younger twin always brags about being the favorite.
Maybe it's true.
Vergil doesn't hate Dante but he sure does annoy him every chance he gets. Today wouldn't have gone the way that it did if the younger sibling would've left him alone for once. They've already played swords earlier but Dante just loves to be the most annoying brother ever. He just can't go one afternoon playing by himself. Vergil tried to get him off his back but Dante wouldn't stop following him. The breaking point happened when he tried to take Vergil's new book. There's no way the older twin would let him have it, that book was his and his alone. He even wrote a huge V on it. A game of tug-of-war ensued. Dante laughing like a spoiled brat. Vergil trying everything in his power to not let his book get ruined. In the heat of the moment he grabbed one of their play swords and viciously stabbed the younger sibling in the chest.
It happened to be the moment their mother walked in and from there…you already know.
"It's always him! It's always about him! I didn't wanna do it! IT'S ALL DANTE'S FAULT!" The boy screamed his heart out, grabbing his head and letting himself do a hissy fit. Kicking his feet up childishly Vergil thrashed around. Making a huge mess out of the sandbox.
In the child's fit of rage something fell outta his pocket.
Feeling the emptiness he stopped his little tantrum to retrieve it.
The gemstone shined brilliantly from the moonlight.
A golden chain wrapped around it.
All the anger in the boy washed away once he held it.
His mother gave him a very special present. It was a gift from their father whom he dearly missed. Wherever he is Vergil hoped he would come back. Flipping the golden amulet over she read the names engraved on the back.
Vergil sighed.
Today was just a bad day.
Tomorrow will be different.
It's getting late.
His mother must be worried sick.
The young child stood up and mentally prepared himself for the eventual scolding.
His night wouldn't go as planned for an itching feeling crossed his mind. No it wasn't an itch. He sensed something terrible behind him. Listening to this instinct Vergil hit the ground. A dull, chipped sword had destroyed the rocking horse. Vergil turned back to see the culprit. Horror plagued the youth for all he saw were unholy skeletal creatures. Dead skin shriveled up like rotten fruit and the white of bones poking out from decaying muscular tissue. Their eye sockets shined a terrifying gaze, illuminated by the unholy thirst for blood. Vergil was already running away. Fear taking control.
Sharp inhales of the warm summer night turned cold in his lungs. Vergil didn't dare look back. His killers were hot on his trail.
'Demons? They have to be. Why are they here?'
"Spaaaaaardaaaaa." The hellish creatures whispered in haunted treachery.
Ringing loudly in his ears Vergil's heart rate skyrocketed. This couldn't be happening. His father made sure the demons wouldn't come back. A fallen tree had fell over on the path. Vergil dragged his legs forward, letting his clothes rub against the coarse dirt. Staining his shorts and scraping the skin of his legs. He didn't care, he bought himself an extra second of space.
"Spaaardaaa."
The raspy voices of the undead sunk into his skin like parasites. It was unnerving to hear but at the same time fueled him with adrenaline. Not once did the hold on his amulet lessen. Feet kicked harder, clomps of dirt flying behind him.
"MOTHER!"
Vergil cried.
A demon waited in the shadows. Striking out at his plea, Vergil's instincts made him duck without thinking. Though a streak of his own blood drifted from the cut on his arm. A wound that felt a hundred times worse than Dante could ever inflict.
"MOM!"
The distance between the playground and his home was only two minutes apart. Vergil swarmed through the forest as fast as he can. He wanted his mother, he wanted be in her warm embrace now more than ever.
Vergil felt a sudden draft of wind on his back. His attackers had begun throwing their swords. One of them managed to nick his shirt, luckily it only cut the fabric. His skin grew goosebumps, mixing a bone chilling cold to the rush of blood coursing through his pounding heart. Vergil took in a deep breath and pushed his legs farther to the limit, doing everything he can to stay ahead. He took back everything he said about Dante. He'll play with him everyday. He'll be a good son and be the best brother his mother wants him to be. He'll apologize for everything. He won't leave his family ever again.
"HELP! MOMMA!" Vergil screamed, making out the last row of trees. The young child felt his hopes soar. He broke through the forest and onto the path leading to home. He didn't notice the demons have stopped their pursuit but he just wanted to see his mother again more than anything else.
"MOMMA! THE DEMONS! THERE-" Approaching his front door the child noticed something was off. The entire place was casted in blackened ash. Everything still felt hot, a fire must've gone out. It didn't make sense to young Vergil though. He wasn't gone for long and should've spotted the embers over the horizon. Vergil's mind held the worst fear imaginable for a child.
"No…NOOO!" Entering the destroyed doorway Vergil called out for his mother. Silence answered him, leaving the dreadful boy with a million unanswered questions.
Whimpers.
His mother's whimpers.
Vergil made it into the living room and found her. Knees on the ground, head downcasted. Clothes were caked in a heavy layer of ash. Quietly she led out soft sounds of mourning. Pure sadness drenched through him seeing her like this. What happened while he was gone? Calling out for his mom the boy beelined straight to her. Oblivious to the trap he stepped into. A demon came out from the corner, stabbing a sharp blade into Vergil's back. Like a pebble through water it rippled his spinal cord, tearing apart the discs sending excruciating pain to the nervous system.
The heart ripped apart in a similar fashion. Vergil didn't need to look down to see the tip sticking out his chest. Confusion lasted momentarily as unimaginable pain settled in. Before he could even scream Vergil's suffering doubled. Another sword skewered him annihilating his ribs and damaging his left lung. A third demon marked murderous intent onto the boy's very guts. Killing his liver while scrambling the intestines. An overwhelming sense of nausea reached Vergil's throat. Mixture of blood and birthday cake threatened to rise out.
Powerless and overwhelmed from the unforgiving evils. What could the Son of Sparda do in this situation?
"AAAAAHHHHH!"
Only thing he can do was let out his pain. The swords releasing out in a flash.
"Sparda."
Vergil felt the swords re-enter.
A demon carved it's weapon deep into his little arms.
"Sparda."
He could feel his throat opening up. Blood dribbling down like a never-ending faucet. Making Vergil choke over his struggling cries.
"Spardaaaaaaa."
The same spot where he broke Dante's knee happened to him. Vergil fell onto the floor his injuries colored the wood panels in a shallow crimson. The demons didn't stop. In barbarous and inhumane fashion they stabbed, jabbed, and delivered excruciating pain onto the 8 year old. He may have suffered injuries in the past but that didn't mean he was immune to pain. Vergil's eye glued to his mother, weakly lifting a hand desperate to reach out to the source of comfort.
Only for his hand to suffer the same fate as the rest of him.
"M-momma…help m-me…"
She remained silent throughout it all. Even when the demons savagely ruined her son she'd yet to move a single muscle. Only when he called out to her did the mother finally moved. She craned her neck, allowing the child to get a glimpse of her face. Eyes drained of motherly love. As if on queue the demons stopped attacking. Holding her hands together she got up to get closer, all the while he struggled to keep his eyes open.
"Vergil my sweet little devil. Why do you want my help? Can't you bite through the pain as you did with me?"
The 8 year old stilled. All the remaining blood in him somehow felt colder than the pool drowning him. Moonlight shined through the burnt holes of the roof. Glimmering onto the sharp dagger in his mother's hands. Vergil stared in shock, all of his hope sank until it weeped away at the depths of his soul. His mother had given up on him. Something he'd never ever wanted to happen. Tears dripped from his eyes, all the pain and now this he couldn't hold it down anymore.
"I'm sorry…momma…please…I love-"
"You're sorry? You're supposed to be stronger than this."
Vergil whimpered. Not having the energy in him to argue anymore.
"Weak, scared, and dying. You brought this upon yourself but momma's here to help. Close your eyes and I'll take it all away."
He didn't wanna feel the tears.
He didn't wanna feel her shame.
He didn't wanna feel weak.
As Vergil's vision got darker and darker a thought sprung on his mind.
Where was Dante?
It was followed by another question.
Why did this feel familiar?
Vergil opened his eyes.
He did get into an argument with his mom.
He did get attacked.
He did cry out for help.
"I can take away your pain. I can take away your weakness. I can give you bliss. Rest now dear." Looking up to his mother she didn't have that sweetness he remembered.
A boost of energy coursed through his body, eliminating all the previous feelings from before. He found his strength. The pool of blood he was previously drowning faded away like figments of imagination as did his injuries. The charred remnants of his childhood home started to steam up as if they were evaporating.
He was no longer 8 years old.
His mother's dead.
That night didn't end him.
For if he didn't wanna feel this pain again…
…he must gain power.
"Vergil?" Blinking out of his thoughts Vergil looked at this being impersonating his mother. She too had this mist coming from her. When she reached out to grab him Vergil retaliated with vengeance. The imposter flew by his punch, obscuring her image into the mist.
Sunlight shined down as the setting revealed itself from the dissipating fog. Patches of grassy weeds brushed softly against his feet. Surrounding Vergil on all sides would be mountainous walls, circling him off should he try to escape. The mist faded, showing the imposter's true form hanging off the wall. A combination of grotesque limbs joined together reminiscent of a demonology experiment gone horribly wrong. Bearing the face of a shark with bulbous sacks hanging under the chin. Connecting to a body of disproportionate mass with a mutated hand for a tail and webbed feet similar to frogs. The crowned antlers behind its face really completed a hideous picture. Sharing the same grey color as the guardians with the only standout factor being the blue energy highlighting the limbs and lapis eyes.
"Hahahahahaha."
Vergil didn't say a thing. He waved his arms around letting the Beowulf devil arm converge at the ready. His own blue orbs brimming in divine hate.
[City Ruins]
Pod beeped, hovering above an opening in the ground. 2B walked on the edge of the small sinkhole. Peering her eyes in she couldn't make out a single thing save for the darkness. The support unit led her ways off the routes she and 9S normally took. Weight of her heels sunk in the dirt, the excavation must've been fresh.
"Here?"
"Affirmative: Dynamic scanner is picking up on a weak black box signal."
"What's the matter? Scared of heights?" 2B's demeanor hardened. She momentarily forgot about Dante's tag along. He stood at her peripheral. Along his little provocation was a coy face. It bugged her already that he invaded her private matters and constantly berated her with comments she had little to no understanding of. When she asked for clarification on those things he just chuckled to himself and said it didn't matter. 9S always talked in useless banter but the scanner never tried to get a rise out of her. 2B was out of her power to shut him up, she didn't wanna suffer the wrath of Commander. That one mess up really made her think twice. In the event of her missing partner the battler wished she could have a moment of peace.
"Negative. I'm only looking ahead of us."
"Says the girl who's looking down."
2B glanced at the devil hunter. She bite the inner corner of her lip. "Logically speaking, yes."
Dante flashed a smirk.
"Alert: Humans are more prone to heights. A fall of this caliber could potentially lead to fatal results. Suggestion: This unit will assist in transporting the human while unit 2B finds an alternate route."
That's right. Humans are fragile creatures compared to their android counterparts. 2B could push a junk box 4 times her size. She also had a near infinite amount of stamina in order to outrun the enemy without a second of rest. And she was made of literal harder stuff compared to Dante so she can survive falls with sustainable damage and keep on moving.
"No thanks Buster. I can handle a fall."
Both of them caught his arrogant statement.
"Dante now's not the time to fool around. Take Pod's advice and prepare for descent."
The devil hunter proceeded to ignore 2B and walked dangerously close to the edge. Before she or 042 reacted he spun around, gave her a two-fingered salute and let gravity guide him down.
'Son of a…' Leaping off 2B dived into the abyss below. Her body illuminated into night mode and after not seeing him halfway down reached for her pod's arm bar. The ground met her feet and she spotted a red coat in the darkness.
From the looks of it Dante appeared unaffected by the fall. A quick scan of his body and 042 concluded he didn't even break his ankle. Surprised was 2B, for a moment she thought the worse had absolutely come to bite her. Commander at minimum would revoke her of duties if she got informed of the human breaking his bones while under supervision. She made sure to hide her shock well.
"What you did was absolutely reckless." 2B rightfully chided.
"Relax."
She crossed her arms at him. "Are you going to continue this behavior?" If he was going to keep acting like this than they're not gonna make any progress in finding 9S.
"I know when the mood calls for it. For now lighten up. We haven't even made it to the main event."
"Your safety could compromise the mission."
"Take it from a guy who dived straight into hell. This ain't nothing."
Here he goes again with his nonsensical replies. Why out of all the YoRHa units did she get stuck with him? Silently the battler walked past the human figuring best to drop it. 042 beeped again and in front of her was the recognizable image of elevator doors.
'9S made it all the way down here?' 2B reached for the button and the panels opened without a creak. Revealing an elevator that was clean and well-maintained. Her suspicions grew as she entered with Dante joining her. The ride was silent which was weird, you could usually hear the winding of gears and machinery moving the car down. 2B stared ahead, the only thing that broke the silence was the tapping of Dante's boot. A disruption in the small window of calm but for the battler it was better than hearing his mindless chatter.
"So…"
2B internally groaned.
"…where's the kid?" Dante asked. There was only one person that came to mind. 2B should've expected this question to pop up sooner or later.
"He's MIA. I'm tracking his approximate location."
"So the nosy little runt got himself lost? Well this should be fun."
2B hoped that would keep his mouth shut. On the contrary Dante wasn't done. Craning his neck he eyed her from head-to-toe. Feeling his gaze 2B took in a deep breath and forced out her politeness.
"Is there something you need?"
Dante led up with the stare.
"Not really. Just wondering about the huge chip on your shoulder."
His assessment prompted her to look at the human.
"Come again?"
No longer did his gaze held that playful feeling.
"Wanna play dumb? Fine I'll spit it out for ya 2B. You hate my guts."
Her visor-covered eyes enlarged at once. The battler's mastered the art of indifference and could hide herself away from 9S who's curious in nature. She's spent a longer time with 9S compared to Dante but the man was able to see through her mask. Fear started to creep up on her, humanity forbid to have an android outed for that. 2B calmed down to a degree, thinking of the worst wouldn't save herself from digging out this hole. She doubled-down on the ignorance.
"You're wrong Dante. I'm only acting out of concern for your safety."
Dante made an obnoxious vibrating sound with his mouth. "And I got a nice, clean shop waiting for me back home. I know when someone gives me that look. I got so good at it I can see through your blindfold."
2B felt her stomach churn, something she was unfamiliar with. The elevator ride prolonged far longer than she expected. 2B stood silent as dread coursed through her wires. He may have read her very well but he lacked any supporting evidence. She could work with that.
"Dante you're making a very serious claim based off a mere gaze."
"Am I? Because I swore I remembered a certain 2B whispering bad faith to my name."
2B didn't even know how to respond to that. When did she-
"Here's something to jog your memory. You got upset when you hanged up on your friend and she decided to join the twerp's phone call."
Realization hit 2B. She could feel her jaw lowering, recalling such a minor thing that happened some time back proved she vastly underestimated him. The battler didn't have the will to look away from the man whom she actively avoided.
"You knew this whole time?"
"Ah so she finally spills it. Had a feeling back than. Glad we're now on the same page."
2B didn't feel the descending flight of the elevator anymore. Dante's far more sharper than she initially thought. He's caught onto her since the very beginning. Her black box skipped a pulse not even 9S noticed this and he's her partner for crying out loud.
"Why? Why didn't you say anything?"
"Cuz I got a-lot on my plate."
At the end of the day Dante's the human and 2B's the android. Her work took less priority compared to his. The battler understood that just as much as every other android fighting in this blasted machine war. It surprised her, YoRHa's war cry paid respects to humanity in glorious fervor. The Council offers their gratitude with positive messages of encouragement every single month. Her design is unsurprisingly influenced by the humans of the moon colony. YoRHa is pretty much the most passionate faction out of the android hierarchy. No one holds them in higher regard than Commander's own soldiers. Hearing Dante figure her out from the get-go made her question the potential punishment. He's in every right to condemn her now that she's openly acknowledging it.
2B closed her hanging mouth.
"After I find 9S am I…to be rehabilitated?" Stopping the mission for this reason would be dumb. She knows it and most likely so does he but afterwards…
2B, one of the top rankers within YoRHa didn't want to argue against a superior a second time. 9S went out of her way to defend her but what he doesn't know is her true line of work. This job has shifted and molded the battler into someone she couldn't understand herself. Rehabilitation maybe too light now that her viewpoints are out in the open. Perhaps she does deserve termination.
"That's not my call."
Her eyes blinked crazily underneath the fabric of black. Not his call? By his nature alone Dante should. A simple order to her pod is the only action he needed to take. Speaking of which she turned to 042 floating above her head. It has remained silent throughout, was it recording this for evidence later?
"2B I don't know why you got it out for me but frankly I don't care. You got secrets you wanna keep to yourself so be it. Not any of my biz but I'm not an idiot."
Once again this human had continued to utterly confuse 2B. His lack of taking action would've been questioned if it was spoken by android authority. Possibly even punished but a human letting a subject like this go certainly didn't align with what she envisioned the Council to be like. Than again Dante didn't fit her initial depiction of humans. Circling around the topic in mind 2B recalled memories that she buried deep inside her psyche. The sound of coughs sickened her, something hitting the ground followed by painful after thoughts. 2B in no way was an open person, some secrets she must keep to her grave. Admission to it must never come to light.
For that she silently thanked him.
There was a small window on the side. Running walls of brown dirt changed to marble white. Seconds ticked by like a cricket's chirp. The human figured her silence ended their conversation and waited for the monotonous ride to draw its end.
"Dante…why did you tell everyone I killed that goliath?" He must've been the guy to defeat the goliath. The thought of a human taking down a machine that size sounded like insanity but the circumstances said otherwise. No one else was around except for Dante. It was a crazy pill to swallow and it only drove her curiosity harder when Dante painted the lie that she took it down.
"As much as I would've love to take the credit you can pull off some insane tricks yourself 2B."
A genuine compliment, she was taken aback. She didn't know how to feel about it coming from this man.
"Yes but you insisted that I was the one who saved you."
Dante nodded. "Guess I didn't wanna raise heads."
Vague but she'll take it. He didn't seem to elaborate any further on it.
Another question brewing in her mind regarded her pursuit of A2. Back at the castle she thought she spotted the fugitive in one of the rooms. 2B remembers that red light flashing off the hallway. With the impression of it being the attacker she rolled in blade first. Only to find Dante who at the time had gone missing. A2 was nowhere to be found and he made no mention of seeing her. The topic of the light left her mind as her priorities shifted but now it came back.
It couldn't have been a mere flashlight.
Dante had no gadgets of any sort.
What was that red light?
She asked him about it and Dante dismissed it.
2B could see he really didn't wanna dive into that.
Well she didn't wanna dive into her own personal story either.
Maybe it's best to leave some topics unanswered.
The elevator had reached their destination. The pull on gravity settled and doors opened to reveal a stark white environment waiting for them underneath an artificial construction of sunlight. Before Dante took a step out 2B asked her final question.
"Dante why have you decided to accompany me?"
The devil hunter knew the answer. Back at the base when he eavesdropped on 2B's call with his heightened hearing.
…Scaly…horrific…monsters…
'If that dumbass machine isn't lying about the invitation than this is something worth checking out.'
Dante nodded his head up-and-down. "Guess we'll see won't we." 2B by now growing used to his vague responses didn't show any grudge. Accepting his response at face value she moved on.
Pod 042 hovered into her sight.
"Alert: Detecting Pod's 153 radio frequency."
A new development, a positive one. "How recent?"
"This Pod unit had been attempting to reach out for the past 60 seconds. Current whereabouts regarding unit 9S are unknown at this moment."
'So that's why you were quiet. Did you catch our conversation?' 2B wasn't gonna ask that. On the off chance it didn't she would leave it at that.
"Noted."
