The three girls looked at Number 21 like she had grown a second head.
She… she said…
She couldn't possibly mean them, right?
But the Scanner was no liar.
Not with them at least.
"What… are you saying?" Number 16 managed to whisper, still holding the weakened woman in her arms, hearing those words made her grip tighten.
"It means what I said." it was the reply, the Scanner was still rather winded from the discovery. She had tried to reboot her systems as fast as possible, ignoring the numerous warnings telling her she should have rested more, so she could tell them.
She had to tell them.
She just had to convince them, but it seemed that the woman she just saved was the one that came to her aid.
"Rose-san told me about you."
2B watched their eyes widen at the mention of said name.
"Rose…" Number 4 whispered. That Rose? The Resistance Captain?
"I saw their faces in her memories." Number 21 spoke quietly, she saw them, she saw them all…
They were alive…
It felt… it felt like a huge weight had just been lifted from their shoulders.
Their friends…
Their family…
"So it wasn't all for nothing…" the words left Number 2's mouth in a quiet breath, voicing what had been their hope for all of these years.
They spent all this time thinking they were gone.
That their efforts had been for nothing.
But now…
"I am so glad…" a stray tear made its way on the Attacker's cheek, Number 4 scooted closer, holding Number 2 in an one armed hug.
Number 16 and Number 21 looked at them both, a fond smile on their faces, as the Scanner relaxed in the Gunner's grip, as the raven left a comforting squeeze on her shoulder.
9S however, looked at his partner with much confusion. "I thought they didn't know each other." he said, recalling how Rose denied to know these four, even though he never truly believed her, given the interest.
She had lied, and 2B aided her in covering said lie.
Why?
"She did it to protect them." and he didn't doubt it, even if he hadn't heard the story.
Maybe in the future.
"Rose-san didn't know they survived either, she discovered it when we asked them for information." much like these four.
2B's eyes softened, looking at the Scanner that saved her. "They miss you, a lot, I figured that for you it must be the same. I wanted to thank you for saving me, so I showed you those memories. I thought it would be the best thing I could do to repay your kindness."
She thought it would be the best way to tell them.
After all…
"If I only said so, you might have not believed me, but you would have believed your friend instead." and they did, she knew.
The trio hadn't doubted the Scanner's words, they had just been as shocked as she'd been.
2B didn't blame them, Rose and the others were the same.
She didn't know if she could have reacted any differently, she wouldn't.
She felt just the same way just a while ago, hadn't she? When the Bunker had fallen, and everyone she knew with it…
But at least… she still had 9S.
2B couldn't imagine being entirely alone in this situation, and it applied to them too.
For as hard as things were, at least having someone at their side, despite believing that their friends were dead, must have given some sort of relief.
But she didn't want to assume too much, she wasn't them, nor lived through what they did.
"Thank you." the redhead nodded.
And 2B noticed, they were smiling, their faces entirely different from the coldness they had when they met.
She was glad to have made the right choice.
For once.
Perhaps she too could do good.
It was then that an alert from the two Pods broke the moment of calm, and happiness.
"Alert: Goliath class machine lifeform detected." Pod 042 chimed in. Just what they needed…
"The machine lifeform seems to be heading in the direction of the Resistance's camp."
The Resistance camp?
No…
All but that place!
"We've got to stop it!" Number 2 shot up in a second, quickly followed by her friends, even though Number 21 stumbled a little as she did, Number 16 catching her quickly. "Are you sure you can manage?" the Gunner wouldn't ask her to stay, it was out of the question.
If Rose and the others were alive then she wouldn't stay behind for anything in the world.
The Scanner nodded. "I'm not the one you should worry about."
She could fight a bit longer.
As long as she knew that their friends were safe.
They wouldn't risk losing them now that they knew they were alive.
Not this nightmare again…
"We're going to warn them." 9S stated, and they should hurry, so they could act accordingly.
"We'll fight with you." 2B said, because they had to.
Rose and the Resistance were still their allies, and also pretty much all they had left to turn to, without YoRHa.
Losing them would be awful.
And they had a family to reunite with, now that both groups knew the other was alive, despite thinking the opposite for all this time.
They deserved to meet again.
Just…
Just like she promised to reunite every single time with 9S, no matter how many times she had to kill him.
She understood that they were as important to each other, like he was to her.
She wouldn't wish this curse upon anyone else.
And they all had been cursed long enough.
Besides, she still had a debt to pay.
2B told them the truth because she saw it in the eyes of them all, how this hurt them, she felt S21's understanding when she was suffering too, when she'd been plagued from the virus.
A memory of Rose telling her that the Scanner had been previously infected surged forth.
Perhaps she understood more than she gave off.
Besides, thanks to 9S she understood that the people YoRHa wanted to execute were just victims, like him.
They were all victims.
She'd avoid killing, if she could.
And looking at how A2 acted, most likely her predecessor, and hearing how she wanted to protect people, she understood where the feeling came from.
If only she would have been as brave before…
Their kindness saved her life.
They could have left her to die, they were enemies after all.
Given what they had been through, she wouldn't have blamed them for growing cold, and yet… they still chose to be kind in the end.
That was why she was willing to help.
"We're going ahead then." from the tone A2 sounded like she was hoping they would come to their aid, after they warned Rose and the others, so at least they were aware.
"Pod, go with them, if anything happens we can communicate." 2B urged her companion, that thankfully agreed with her. "Understood, this Pod will now temporarily support unit A2, A4, G16 and S21."
None of them said more, as they just rushed out of the building, with 042 in tow.
Yes, they would help.
"We should get moving too." before the last allies they had ended up like YoRHa.
When 2B and 9S rushed into the camp, they found Rose pacing around it, restless. She visibly relaxed once she laid her eyes on them.
"2B, 9S, we thought we'd never hear from you again." she immediately walked over to them.
"What happened?"
9S however shook his head. "We can explain everything, but we have worse problems right now."
"There's a Goliath class machine headed for the camp."
Rose grit her teeth and the news, she could hear Dahlia nearby voicing the curse she only thought.
That thing could destroy everything they worked for.
As if the failure of the massive mission YoRHa was taking part of wasn't bad enough.
Well, she and the others assumed they failed entirely, after she watched the S types get taken and corrupted back in the desert. All they could do was to retire to the safety of the camp after that.
They didn't really know what happened, but they did hear the explosions, so it couldn't be anything too good.
At least 2B and 9S survived.
They weren't attached to them like she'd been to those girls but…
They'd still be sad if they died.
After all, they helped and saved them more than once.
They fought together too, against that humanoid looking machine Adam.
But they still cared, and those two had been nothing but kind to them. Hadn't it been for 2B then they may have never known Number 2 and the others were still alive.
Rose briefly wondered where they were now.
But there were more pressing matters.
"Then we've got to stop it." she stated, if they didn't survive now, then there would be no hope to see each other again.
And the rest of their new family they found here may die as well…
Why couldn't they finally have any kind of peace?
"We're heading there now." 2B stated, hoping A2 and her group of friends were keeping the thing busy enough so they could have time to warn them, and then get over there too.
They said they would be going there, to protect their family.
Same thing as Rose wanted to do.
They could see her giving orders to the people of the camp, so if they were to fail, at least they would hold down the fort, the last resemblance of a home they had.
Before she came back to them too.
"I'm coming with you." she said, weren't her friends going to tag along too?
They always did.
And they didn't seem to take the decision too well, as Dahlia stomped over. "What do you mean "you"? We are coming too!"
"You and the others should be staying here, Dahlia. It'll be safer." even though the tone was stern, Rose didn't sound all that convincing.
If there was something that both 2B and 9S saw while being here, it was that she and her group did everything together, every time it was possible, so of course they wouldn't agree if she were to leave them behind.
Especially someone as fierce as Dahlia.
Fierce, but also extremely loyal.
"Bullshit, and you know it too!" usually, Dahlia would never go against an order, but Rose was sounding ridiculous.
The last time she had doubted, was when they met those four…
But this was different.
No matter how dangerous, they had always stuck together, so she wouldn't take this whole safety thing as an excuse.
Anemone came to her aid.
"What happened to all or none? It was what we had decided in that mission!" the mission they were all ready to die, them and the four YoRHa units.
When they had been saved.
They had sworn to stick together, because they were all that was left, they did it for years.
Before finding out those girls were still out there.
Wasn't seeing them again the reason they should fight together even more?
"We want to fight!" Lily's voice made itself heard loud and clear over the others. She, the little lover model that wasn't even built for combat.
That experience made her much braver.
She no longer was afraid.
"Captain Rose, you said we would protect our family, then please let us."
"Number 2, what is the meaning of your life?"
"The meaning of my life is to protect everyone."
"I feel the same."
Lily's words made these memories surge forth in Rose's mind, matter of fact, Number 2, she did protect all of them.
It was why they were still together.
Rose shook her head.
What a stupid decision she was trying to make, taken from the momentary fear to lose what was dear to her, to them, again.
"Thank you, Lily." she looked straight at the smaller girl. "For reminding me what matters."
She had been the first reason she wanted to protect the people she cared for.
All those years back then…
"Well then let's go. We'll protect our family!" including them. Especially them.
So one day they could see each other again.
2B and 9S watched the whole exchange, wondering if they should have just revealed that the rest of their family would also be there, but eventually decided against it.
There was no time for too many words.
And hopefully, despite how bad the situation was looking, it would also be the perfect way to let them meet again, hoping those four were okay, that was.
They had to be, they also desired to see each other again.
It was written on their faces.
It was evident in their words.
Everything had to be okay.
When the group arrived at the Flooded City, 2B and 9S noticed something was off. A2's group wasn't there.
Did they lie?
Unlikely.
Given how they reacted at the news of the rest of their friends being alive, those friends they desperately had wanted to save and live on, it was not possible that they could have been lying.
Something must have happened.
But neither of the two had the time to wonder about what or why, as ahead of them stood tall and menacing an Engels unit, its steps so heavy the ground shook.
They could hear Dahlia cursing loudly. "That thing looks like…"
"It looks like that giant machine we fought at Mt. Ka'ala, and that we couldn't defeat…" Gerbera grit her teeth as she spoke, not willing to relive the memory.
The memory of Number 16 begging them to leave and save themselves, her confident grin had been the last thing they had seen, before the explosion triggered from the YoRHa's reactor being shot like a bullet went off, and they had all been sent flying, everything going dark after that.
The fact they knew that she, and the others were still alive, didn't cancel the pain they felt through these years.
It wouldn't pass just because of words and pictures.
Not being there with her had been one of the group's biggest regrets.
But this time perhaps it would be different, that was, if 2B and 9S had any ideas to face this thing.
They both had drawn their sword, but there were doubts if they could get any close to do any damage with them.
"This would be much easier if we had a flying unit…" they heard the boy mutter.
The Resistance had never seen one of them before the day they met these two, even though they knew it was how Number 2's group descended down to Earth, but just because they knew just what happened to said units, they knew that those weapons weren't all that sturdy either.
Still their best bet, and yet, they had none.
They didn't have any weapon left from the massive assault they tried to launch in the desert not too many hours ago either.
No heavy artillery.
And that thing was approaching faster than they wanted to.
"I can try to slow it down." Lily spoke up, holding her hands out. "Lily, wait! The gravity wave won't work, you know that." as much as Gerbera didn't want to tell her, as much as she would like to tell her to try anyways.
But that ability was too much of a stress on the girl's tiny body, for the little effect it would make.
They had seen back then, it had been useless.
Just like everything they had tried.
But to sacrifice Number 16's reactor.
They thought her life would go with it, but somehow she was alive…
So they had to live too, so they could see her again and ask how she and the others survived situations that were self sacrifices.
No matter how grim this was looking.
"There isn't any other way!" Lily argued back. "If I can hold it still even for a little bit…"
Then maybe there would be enough time to do something, anything.
There wasn't more time to think, as the machine spotted them, as it did, it reared its massive chainsaw arm to strike.
"Gravity wave!"
Contrary to any indication, Lily unleashed her power at said arm, managing to slow it down, only for a little bit.
9S called his Pod to unleash its laser at it, only managing to make a dent on the appendage.
Daisy took Lily and held her tight to her body, as she collapsed from the strain of the machine ability, taking her away from danger as the Goliath's arm still attacked them even though the act was successful in changing the trajectory, narrowly missing the group, as they retreated back, so the debris wouldn't hit them.
"If only we could get close…" closer than this.
If he could manage to just touch it, he could attempt to render it defenseless through hacking.
But with a machine this size it was easy to get cleaved for trying.
Android bodies were resistant, but only to a certain point.
And without the safety the Bunker provided any longer…
How did the Resistance, and even A2 and her friends survive without a backup option? Were there ever one back then?
Perhaps this wasn't the time for questions as the Engels unit charged its own laser.
Suddenly they watched as Dahlia rushed forward, rifle drawn.
"What are you trying to do, idiot!? You're going to get killed!" Anemone reprimanded her, trying to drag her to safety.
"Dahlia!" Rose called out.
"I don't know, but we've got to do something!"
Like what? She already knew well how useless bullets were, and yet, she still shot at the machine with a desperate yell.
The damn thing that took Number 16 away from her, from them, for all these years…
It had to disappear!
This thought clouded her mind, but she was never one able to think very well.
She just wanted it gone, somehow…
Who knows… who knows if the Gunner was here if she would have known what to do now…
She hadn't hesitated to sacrifice herself back then, so why should she hesitate, again?
She promised she wouldn't do it anymore, that she wouldn't leave anyone behind at the cost of her life.
Not anymore…
Not again…
Dahlia heard her name being called out as the thing shot its laser at her.
Maybe she should have run like she was told to…
But she was done running away.
For once, she'll take the consequences of her own stupidity.
All she had wanted was to see her dear raven again…
What a fool she was…
The heat was becoming unbearable, soon it won't be anymore…
"It's not time to die yet!" how weird… she could almost hear her voice again…
Was this how dying felt? How you'd see your loved ones when the end came? Humans used to say so.
Almost poetic.
It happened too quickly to realize it, she could still feel the heat of the laser close to her body, but something pulled her away with a hand on her shoulder, and the next thing Dahlia knew was that she and that person were tumbling on the ground.
But she was… alive?
When Dahlia opened her eyes, she felt that she could cry.
On top of her there was her… Number 16… with a bright grin. "Fancy seeing you here."
Oh girl…
She watched the Gunner turn to another of those Pods, and only now she realized it was the same one 2B had with her. "Thanks little guy."
When Number 16 had seen Dahlia get shot, she knew she had to act fast, and the Pod offered its help, using its program to launch herself with a light cable, she threw herself in rescue of the woman.
No time to think.
While the others went to aid the rest.
Number 21 stood in front of Anemone, crouched on one knee as she held the woman down with one hand, and with the left she projected a shield in front of them so the debris of the explosion wouldn't harm her, since she was also far out compared to the others.
"Number 21…" a whisper in shock, to which the Scanner replied with a smile when she turned around.
"Number 2! Number 4!" Rose called out the other two, as with their swords cleaved through the remaining pieces of walls flying towards them.
So they did come, why were they so late? Was the question the other two YoRHa had.
"Sorry, a horde of machines was in our way." Number 2 told them the answer.
Did the machines not want them to reunite?
"They've been dealt with though." Number 4 placed her sword on the ground, leaning against it. "That's one big guy huh?"
She diverted the attention towards the Goliath again, there would be time to catch up after.
"Looks like the one I destroyed with my reactor." immediately upon hearing these words, Dahlia took the Gunner's arm. "Please tell me you won't do that again."
Not her, not the others.
Not again…
Not now…
She didn't want to go through it another time.
Yet Number 16 smiled. "Nah, we have a better idea."
They had found out about this not too long after the first execution attempt, when Number 21 insisted to do a thorough examination of all of them, even though she'd been the one hurt most.
The Commander had kept more things hidden from them.
Including their full potential.
If they had known, perhaps things would have gone better back then…
Or at least, differently…
"9S, we could be needing that Pod of yours for a moment, alongside 2B's one." A2 stated, motioning to the Scanner's black companion.
"Sure." he nodded, and so did 2B.
Whatever got them out of this mess.
If they had a plan, they might as well put it into action.
"The use of said mode to increase performance may cause consistent damage to unit A2, A4, G16 and S21's bodies, it is inadvisable." Pod 042 seemed to already know what the four were thinking about.
Was it worrying?
Certainly other people were worried.
"Then we just have to get this over quickly." Number 4 readied her sword again.
Getting things done fast before their bodies would collapse on themselves, were the reason why they needed the aid of the Pods.
Despite never using them, they did know the potential by having them as enemies before.
Number 21 took her time to analyze even them, when she had the chance, they were not short of information on them, or anything they met.
Perhaps too overly safe, but they would let her so she would worry less.
And a Scanner was still a Scanner, this was what they did.
"Number 21, whenever you want." Number 2 called out to her and she nodded, screens in hand.
They could all use that mode on their own, but it was easier if she had control over the activation herself, especially when multiple people needed it all at once.
"Number 21…" Anemone whispered her name at her side. "Don't worry, we won't die." it was the Scanner's reply, already knowing she was going in that direction with her words.
"Activating Berserker Mode!"
The bodies of the four YoRHa prototypes began glowing red from the intense heat, as they overclocked their systems, sparks of electricity circling them as they did.
Eyes changing color to red, with an intense blue glow.
Almost the opposite of a logic virus, in a way.
In the meantime, as they powered themselves, the Goliath moved to attack again, swinging its arm yet another time, now in the direction of Anemone and Number 21, faster than they expected, much to the Resistance woman's horror.
The Scanner summoned her Type 4O Lance as Anemone called out for her to move away while she could.
She didn't.
Watching in wonder, as the arm never hit either of them.
Number 21 blocked it with her weapon, using just brute force, unmoving, despite the arm that looked like it would crush her body underneath.
But she stood in place, unwavering.
One surprise after another, she had a weapon and was so strong…
Was it this mode they heard her mention?
Number 2 quickly jumped in the action, using the arm as leverage, using her Type 4O Sword to cut it down in one swift strike, as if it was made of nothing.
"Let's go." Number 16 called out to Number 4, as they both reached for the two Pods, as they deployed a long rope, so they could use it to swing in the air.
The Attacker vaulted in the air with elegance, and with her blade, she made quick work of the remaining arm, much like Number 2 did with the first.
The Gunner hovered even higher in the air, she had launched herself even further up than the machine itself, aiming down with her rifle, Berserker Mode overcharging the weapon much like her body.
She shot bullets full of energy at the head, before the Goliath could recover from the damage her companions caused.
With the corner of her eyes, she could see both Number 2 and Number 21 doing the same thing she and Number 4 did with the Pods, coming to their aid should they need it.
The bullets hit their mark with precision, the charge given from B Mode rendering them explosive, as the face broke down to pieces, Number 16 grinned.
Stupid machine, that was what it deserved for almost killing Dahlia.
If only it wasn't so big to need an augment of power, she could have done worse, taking her time with it out of revenge.
But Berserker Mode required fights to be over quickly.
Their Scanner had been very adamant about this, the usage had to be rare and for as little as possible.
Just when they watched the Goliath fall, they readied for the final strike, when they heard their friend's voices calling them out in alarm.
The machine sizzled with electricity, and before they could get to safety, the explosion hit all of them at once.
As their bodies flew in the air like leaves in the wind, everything went black.
If only we could have done more…
We shouldn't have let them sacrifice themselves for us…
If we were stronger…
If we were better…
Voices flooded 9S' mind as he woke up, from the darkness around him, he could recognize that he must have been in a hacking space.
"What happened?" 2B's voice came from next to him, tired and confused as she raised herself in a sitting position.
Thankfully their two Pods came to their aid to clear the confusion.
"The Goliath class machine released an EMP blast upon its destruction, as a result the consciousness of all androids present have merged together." Pod 042 explained.
So then…
"What we are hearing are presumably thoughts and memories." he assumed.
"Proposal: Find the Goliath's core and destroy it." Pod 153 instructed them. Of course, the machine was keeping them locked here unless they got rid of what caused it.
"Let's go then." 2B got up and extended a hand to him.
Somehow she had the feeling that the journey towards the core wouldn't be pleasant.
As it mustn't have been pleasant the journey S21 had in her own broken mind, for some reason she felt this could be a similar occurrence.
With years of pain and regret pouring out outside of their control.
She knew well the tone of those words they just heard.
She… she had them too…
And knew exactly how all of this felt…
If she could help them out of this…
She'd done it already by telling each group about the other being alive, this should be easy.
2B has seen how much their eyes full of sadness had gotten back a spark of hope, that she was sure wasn't there before they heard of their friends.
Now that they were all here again, she wouldn't let a machine ruin their reunion.
For once she had the chance to do something good…
As she and 9S progressed further, more voices and even images seen from the eyes of those androids assaulted their senses.
They watched and heard the panic that unveiled in the sky, as the YoRHa squadron was descending down to Earth, how those four witnessed the death of many of them.
A2, put in the role of captain that she didn't want, and how she decided that despite everything, she still wanted to try and save those comrades on the verge of death.
Her wishes weren't answered, the girl she was carrying died right in her arms.
As did the other two in the arms of her comrades.
Despite that, A2 looked like she didn't want to give up.
Even if she knew…
They knew…
G16 and A4 called her out, yet she marched on, until an explosion nearby cut them off, and promptly came S21's notice on the approaching machine horde.
"We need to prepare to return fire, hurry up and set her down!" the Gunner laid a hand on A2's shoulder, before rushing forward, as did the other Attacker.
When A2 tried to argue, A4 cut her off. "We couldn't save any of the three, you understand, don't you?"
She knew it already, she didn't want to give up.
"That's not true. We couldn't repair them in our current state." S21 clarified.
No one came to our aid from the moon…
They didn't answer our cries…
The machines spotted them, and they couldn't even lay their dead comrades to rest, as their lasers destroyed everything and their bodies burned to ashes.
Left on the run with nowhere to go.
Until they crossed paths with Rose and the others.
They saved us…
Despite the initial attrition, and even attempts to kill each other, with Anemone aiming to hurt S21 first, and the others reacting in kind to her move, with Dahlia and G16 ending up nothing short than shooting each other, hadn't it been for A2's intervention.
And her desperate plea to join forces, that Rose decided to accept.
They were our hope…
What followed were quiet moments of bonding, the two feisty women of each group took every occasion to challenge one another, when not long before they had been just holding each other at gunpoint, like nothing happened.
Rose's promise to give them names, and wanting them to become part of their family.
"A name means being a family."
S21 on her own side found similarities with Lily, seeking to aid her.
And help her she did.
Eliminating the logic virus plaguing her.
"I told you I'd help you." the Scanner spoke softly, held in the arms of A2, just as Lily was being held by Rose, as they both recovered from the traumatic event.
S21 wasn't wearing her visor, and her eyes were so kind from Lily's own ones, as she shed tears of gratitude.
"I wasn't made to fight, so everyone is stuck protecting me. I wish I could save everyone for once."
Lily had been crying in the throes of the virus.
We were just the same, her and I…
All of us…
"Uh… will we… will we stay together forever?" it was Lily again that asked with a timid voice, looking at the rest of the group, while they traveled up the mountain.
Her words were met with a general hilarity.
"I'm already sick of looking at her face."
"Same goes for me."
Dahlia and G16 grinned at each other, touching their foreheads as a sign of challenge, but they were smiling. There was affection behind those games.
"It's only been a week, you know?" Daisy panicked from next to them.
"To be precise, 6 days, 12 hours and 48 seconds." S21 clarified, earning a look from Anemone at her side. "That's not what she meant."
Though she sighed, her eyes as she looked at the Scanner were soft.
Lily pouted. "I'm just saying that it looks that way! Sheesh!"
We have seen all our other friends die before us…
Rose however smiled at the smaller girl. "I hope it'll be like that."
We just wanted to be together with them…
"Rose-san, the meaning of my life is to protect everyone." A2 stated, replying to a previous question.
"We'll definitely stay together!"
She smiled so bright as she said that, they all did.
We wanted to protect them…
Our friends…
Our family…
More images passed quickly, of quiet moments, of friendly conversations about mindless things, of times of rest sleeping next to each other, against one another, holding each other close.
Of laughs, hugs, and smiles shared, that spoke of affection and encouragement.
And our lovers…
A4 laying a comforting hand on A2's shoulder. "You're doing great, captain." the long haired Attacker pulled the other in her lap, holding her close. "I'm proud of you."
Dahlia taking G16 by the hand. "Come help me carry some things." the Gunner didn't reply with any snarky remarks, nor tried to pull her hand away from the other woman's one.
If anything she looked like she wanted it, as her fingers interlaced with Dahlia.
This was just an excuse to be alone together.
"I was thinking about whether there was a meaning in the life of a doll with no role." S21 held her arm, barely managing to look at Anemone.
"We will never understand the meaning of life fulfilling a mission." it was the reply.
Shortly after, with tentative steps, the woman pulled the Scanner in a heartfelt hug, which the redhead tentatively accepted, seemingly not knowing how to react to it at first.
They taught us what it means to live…
To be alive…
There was G16, together with Dahlia, Gerbera, Daisy and Lily in front of the same Goliath type they had just fought, the Gunner holding her black box in her hand.
"You can't use that, you'll die!" Dahlia grabbed her arm but the YoRHa pulled herself out of the hold.
"I know! But as long as Number 2 and the others make it to the server then so be it." she turned to the group.
"You guys run!"
The girls tried to argue, but they were cut off, and they had no time left.
"Allow us to save you this time, now go!"
We were always alone…
In front of an elevator, there was the trembling body of S21, taken from the virus, as her eyes glowed brightly, Anemone in front of her, on the verge of tears, pointed her gun at her, struggling to hold her hand steady.
"Don't worry, I will join you soon."
But with the last of her energy and sanity, the Scanner shook her head.
"Please… don't die for me…" she wheezed. "If you don't live… there will be no one to remember us…"
She was pleading Anemone to live on, the woman sniffled, but she nodded. "Okay…" she barely choked out, not managing to say any more words.
She'd live for her, because it was her last wish.
The Scanner managed to smile despite no longer having control over her body.
"Thank you… for having given me real memories…"
We were only weapons…
"Rose-san, please save yourself." A2 told the woman, as she held a wounded Margaret in her arms. Machine corpses around them, signs of a recent fight on them.
The girl had been wanting them to run.
When the Resistance Captain tried to argue, A4 came to her own Captain's aid. "We decided that your lives aren't worth sacrificing for the whims of our Command."
"We're grateful for all you've done for us, but now we will end this." A2 continued, she had a soft yet sad smile. "If we survive this, let's meet again someday."
And then, they went separate ways.
In the server room, two entities dressed in red stood in the middle of a horde of infected androids.
"This is a truth we obtained by hacking into your servers, so listen well." they said.
"A harsher, crueler battlefield will nurture a warrior. That's what Command thought." as they spoke, they sent the androids they were controlling against the two YoRHa.
"They had planned unplanned battles and harsh situations in advance, for their new experimental weapon, the YoRHa soldiers. And the results were just what Command planned! Even on the brink of annihilation, you survived and arrived at this location! Using this experimental data, they can create even more perfect automatic infantry dolls."
Even though they knew they were just sacrifices, they still had believed their Commander gave them a mission worth something.
"This is humanity's objective."
In the end, it was all for nothing, but at least they would live.
But they gave our existence a meaning…
On the elevator going down, A4 held A2 back with a hug from rejoining the rest of their friends, after finding out about G16's sacrifice and S21's virus.
"We can't help them." the long haired Attacker whispered in the other's shoulder. "We'll be with them soon, it's what we wanted."
Didn't matter how it happened.
We had to save them…
As the two Attackers' black boxes touched one another, down in the server room, a massive explosion occurred, but as they did, they were smiling.
Hopeful.
But naive.
Because they were the only people that cared for us…
They saw us as people, instead of items…
"Please go back!" Rose pleaded, taking by the shoulders a man from the local camp that 2B and 9S had known too.
She and the others appeared hurt, with bandages and loose parts.
It must not have been much after the events.
"There were more of us!"
The girls didn't want to give up to the evidence of their friends being dead.
Rose pleaded and pleaded again and again.
But every single time she was met with the same results.
There was no one left at Mt. Ka'ala.
We should have been with them…
We ran like cowards…
In those memories, 2B saw herself now, of an occurrence she had no memory of.
She was trying to kill S21, claiming she was a traitor.
It must have been how the girls found out they were wanted for deletion, and she'd been the one handling orders…
And not only her.
9S saw himself too.
Then other times it'd be someone else, other people 2B knew being of her same type.
"No wonder they attacked us at the castle." she heard 9S say.
They recognized them as enemies.
And yet, despite that attempt to kill her, S21 saved her life. Perhaps after this she could ask her why.
We got rid of everything in our path, so we could hope to be together again…
But we were too stuck in our own hell to even try…
If we were stronger…
Time passed, and of each other no trace…
In their minds, just one thought.
They are dead…
And it's all our fault…
2B's hand tightened on her sword, sparing a glance to 9S.
How she understood…
Stupid cowards…
The voices of the Resistance said.
Useless weaklings…
The other voices of the four YoRHa said.
"These people had such a pure friendship." 9S spoke through gritted teeth. "They spent all these years thinking each other dead…"
Even now, even if their friends from the Bunker were gone, at least… at least they had one another.
But he understood the thought.
The loneliness.
2B did too.
She understood their wishes to save those who mattered in their lives too.
She was just the same.
It wasn't a surprise that being the same number, she and A2 were much more similar that either of them knew, beyond just the way the Attacker used to look like.
The times she just wished she could save 9S…
That she could be better…
At least they had courage.
"YoRHa and the machines tried to destroy all of this…" she said, looking ahead, she could spot the core of the machine causing all of this.
"This ends today."
With a swipe of her sword, the core was destroyed and she and the others were pulled back in the real world. An unpleasant experience, but…
Now the girls could be together again.
Somehow, 2B felt proud.
This was right.
It felt right.
What wasn't right though, was the fact that despite getting them out of the hacking space, the four YoRHa girls were still lying on the ground, unconscious.
Why?
They watched Anemone crawl towards S21 first thing as she woke up, holding the woman's head in her lap. The visor had fallen off in the fight it seemed, exposing the wound on her head she herself made.
Dahlia did the same, holding G16, A2 and A4 were held by Rose and Margaret respectively.
"Why aren't they waking up?" Lily almost panicked, seeing that they woke up, and their friends didn't.
They couldn't be dead now, right?
They had to be fine.
They had to be.
"The usage of Berserker Mode causes an intense stress and damage to the unit's bodies, currently they are forced in rest mode." thankfully Pod 042 explained it.
So they were just tired?
Good.
Very good.
"Let's take them to the camp." as Rose took A2 in her arms to carry her, she smiled fondly looking down at her.
The others doing the same with the rest of them.
"I'll have a look at them when we get there." 9S stated, hoping to help them out.
He too really would like them to be happy again.
He was okay as long as he had 2B at his side.
Now they deserved to have their beloved at their side too.
The years of sadness, of blaming, of torment, that they had seen, were over.
It was time to start anew.
Just like 9S said, he took a look at the four girls, their bodies were tattered with missing pieces, with evident signs of weariness and exhaustion from within, but he had to admit, despite having no aid from anyone, S21 did a great job with the supplies she had to keep them running.
Well he assumed it must have been her, seeing that she saved 2B, and given her designation of Scanner.
She seemed to know her own.
Inwardly he wondered if her data had been the one used for his Operator, it was obvious that A2's one was used for 2B.
He did notice the similarities in the Attacker's memories.
She used to be kind like her.
They all used to be kinder back then, but he supposed he couldn't blame them seeing what they had been through.
They were enemies, and yet they helped them.
So he, much like 2B, wanted to return the favor.
If she'd been gone…
He didn't want to think about it…
"So how are they doing?" Gerbera asked, she'd tried to help but she couldn't do too much, so she stood by and watched, occasionally helping them passing items.
At some point Devola and Popola joined in too, making the process faster.
The twins let the boy do the explanation.
"We performed minor repairs, their systems were put under a massive physical stress, but we managed to speed up the recovery. They might still be tired but they should be okay."
Or as good as they could be in that physical state.
But if they needed it then they could ask for help now.
No more picking up for themselves.
How stressful it must have been, all of this… for years…
He was surprised they even let him in their systems for repairs, especially with how strong their hacking barriers seemed to be.
But he supposed they wanted the help too, now that they could have it.
"I can wake them up whenever you want." 9S he looked at Rose, which nodded. "Go ahead."
Though she tried to keep neutral, her tone betrayed eagerness.
They had all been waiting for this far too long.
Might as well not let them wait any longer.
When the girls woke up, not many words were spared, in fact none at all, as immediately they were pulled into someone's arms, for long and heartfelt hugs.
"We missed you…" were spoken from both sides, through tears and sniffles.
They certainly did.
It had been so long…
"You look like shit." Dahlia told Number 16 though she was smiling brightly. "Geez, this is how you greet me? Not even a thank you for saving me before?" but the Gunner was laughing.
She didn't care one bit.
Besides they weren't looking great anyways, so she expected the comment coming from Dahlia.
It was her own way to say she cared.
The moment of long awaited closure was suddenly disrupted from Number 21, as she noticed that the visor she wore was off.
"Please don't look at me." she shook herself out of Anemone's hold, and covered her eyes with her hands.
She didn't want her to see her eyes.
Not her…
She didn't want her to have regrets for what she had to do…
Anemone laid a hand on her cheek. "It's okay, I already saw them." she did, and it didn't matter.
All that mattered was that her dear Scanner was here, with her.
Besides, she survived a damn logic virus, she couldn't care less for her eyes to be a different color if it meant that she was alive.
"I'm sorry… the virus…" finally Number 21 let go, and opened her red eyes for everyone to see. "It left traces…"
She must be looking so ugly now. Those, and the marks on her neck and arm…
And yet, Anemone smiled, taking her left hand in hers.
"You're as beautiful as the day I met you." slowly she pulled the woman towards her, letting her cry into her shoulder.
How painful it must have been to bear…
"I just want you to stay at my side."
"Oh my lord, what a sap." Dahlia from the other side laughed, yet she herself looked unwilling to let go of Number 16.
"Shut up, Dahlia."
Anemone's remark sparked more laughs and joy.
It was…
It was as if nothing ever happened…
2B and 9S watched from the side, feeling proud of themselves, the boy took the opportunity to sneak his hand in hers. Nearby, the twins were watching too, smiling brightly like they have never done before.
In the middle of this long awaited reunion, eventually, Rose had to make the question no one wanted to ask.
"So, what happened to you?"