Zero opened her eyes and found Popola in front of her. The red-haired woman was seated, watching her.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" the woman with the flower in her eye said, making Popola blink at the Intoner.
"Oh, you're awake. I was starting to get worried. The vomiting wouldn't stop—it was really strange…"
Vomiting? What is she…
Zero's memories gradually returned, making her recall the previous events. The Intoner just turned her head, staring at the wall with a desolate look on her face.
Screw it... I want this whole mess to go to hell.
"Zero, what happened? If you don't want to talk about it, that's fine, but…"
Zero clicked her tongue and abruptly stood up, making Popola shrink back a little.
"You want to know what the problem is? I'm stuck in this crap! I can't go back! I'm going to kill those bitches I call sisters! And I'm stuck here! Do you have any idea what kind of messed-up situation I'm in? Stuck in this pile of crap and vomit… now I know why they sent me here. Who would care about garbage like this…"
Zero, yelling in anger, advanced step by step toward the Android until she suddenly stopped her ranting and sat back on the bed with a foul mood.
Popola wasn't frightened—after all, any physical threat was insignificant—but even though Zero was only partially human, the Android had no intention of hurting her.
She's not okay… This doesn't seem like something Popola can handle alone.
What does she mean by "kill your sisters"?
While Popola was lost in thought, someone knocked softly on the open door. Both women turned to see a human carrying a tray of food.
"You're awake, huh? We were starting to worry—you gave everyone quite a scare."
A smile appeared on the face of the red-haired Android. She always seemed cheerful around the human.
A scowl formed on Zero's face. What did he want? It wasn't like they got along, anyway…
Zero wanted to complain, but her body betrayed her. Her stomach growled loudly in hunger.
"Seriously?! You've got to be kidding me," Zero growled at her stomach in frustration. Popola and the human chuckled softly, making Zero glare at the two in front of her.
The man offered the tray to Zero, who blinked in surprise before reluctantly accepting it.
She seems more defensive… the man thought.
Zero glanced at the food and then at the man, picking up the spoon and taking a bite.
"What do you want? If you think I'm going to sell out for so little, you're wrong. You should've taken my offer to screw when we first met—I'm not in the mood for this."
She spoke with food in her mouth, completely lacking manners at the "table," making Popola and the human flinch slightly.
"You eat like an animal," Popola whispered, but Zero just showed the middle finger to her.
"Look, Zero, I didn't come here for that…" The woman looked up, slowing her eating as she raised an eyebrow in doubt.
The man ignored everything the Intoner had said.
"Zero… I know we didn't meet under the best circumstances or terms, but I need to say… let's change that. Why don't we start over, go back to the beginning? What do you think?"
The Intoner looked at the man with a strange expression.
What does he want?
"And what's with this change of heart? You want something, don't you?" The woman was sharp, always pragmatic—if you had something and she had something, you'd trade.
But she was wrong in this case. The man shook his head.
"No, Zero… let me explain the situation better."
The man sat down beside her, making Zero place the tray of food on her lap. Popola found it amusing how clumsy the woman was with her arm in a cast.
"There's no one else left, Zero. It's just you and me—the last humans on Earth. Look, I don't know where you came from or what year you were born, but honestly, it doesn't matter… we're stuck here together, whether we like it or not."
Zero stared at the tray with a bitter mood, giving a faint, bitter smile.
"What do you expect to happen? Play house and make a bunch of babies? Don't make me laugh. Besides, I wasn't born for that… my place is in the trash anyway…"
Zero never fit in anywhere—not in a peaceful life, nor in a life of conflict. She belonged nowhere.
The man denied it again, "No, Zero… as I said, it's just the two of us left, and it would be quite lonely in a world like this. We didn't have the best introduction, but we can start over. What do you think? The right way."
The human offered a handshake as a gesture of friendship.
The Intoner looked at the man's hand, then blinked and raised her casted arm with a sour expression, which made the man chuckle a little, slightly embarrassed.
But the idea wasn't bad—starting over. And he wasn't talking about rebuilding humanity, but starting as if they hadn't met before. After all, the human and Zero were, at the very least, neutral toward each other.
Zero hadn't made the best first impression. The human was right; being alone in a world like this wasn't a good idea. She would probably go insane without other humans, even if she didn't like to admit it.
The Intoner accepted the handshake, her casted arm gripping awkwardly due to the cast. A genuine smile appeared on the man's face, and Zero offered a smile in return.
The woman was very beautiful when she wasn't being utterly disgusting with her 'strong' personality. The man had to give her that.
"Nice to meet you. My name is Zero."
A small smile appeared on Popola's face. The only humans—well, human and half-human—were getting along.
The smile on the man's face was truly genuine.
"Nice to meet you, Zero. My name is…"
…
Time passed in the blink of an eye. With the discovery of a human on Earth, the Resistance base became closely monitored by YoRHa. A renovation of the area was necessary since the Resistance base had previously consisted only of shacks surrounded by ruined buildings.
Gradually, the two 'humans' began to adapt to life in this new world and familiarize themselves with the area. They didn't leave the base because it was too dangerous, even though Zero often complained about wanting to leave. The androids didn't care much if the woman went or not, but the human always convinced her to stay, especially since her arm was still in a cast.
The man concluded that the androids, especially those of YoRHa, didn't think much of the woman. Although the Intoner was part human, the idea of something contaminating human DNA irritated the androids—even if they hid it well. In the end, the woman was partly human, and YoRHa couldn't ignore that, though they didn't show as much concern compared to the human man.
Zero constantly complained to the man, but deep down, the Intoner liked having someone to annoy her—maybe even someone who cared about her health. However, she would rather die than admit it.
The Intoner found it strange that the androids of 'YoRHa,' as they called themselves, looked very similar to her. Some had different hair colors, but most were practically spitting images of the Intoner. It was odd, but over time, the woman got used to it.
The surroundings changed; instead of rubble, there were buildings constructed to house the two humans and the members of YoRHa and the Resistance. It was essentially a small condominium. The Intoner found the design strange and boring—just square constructions. Zero hated to admit it, but her 'sister' One had a sense of style in her designs.
And slowly, hours turned into days, days into weeks, and weeks into months. The woman had to admit, getting the cast off her arm was great. After all, she had already lost one arm, and having another unusable was a pain—even if it was partly her fault.
And the reason the Intoner knew what hours, days, and months were was simply because of a question: "What the hell are you talking about, months of the year?" With that, the twins and the human had a revelation—the woman had a very low level of education. She couldn't even read or write. At least, Zero claimed she couldn't read that line they showed her… and she barely knew how to count.
Zero had to admit it was a pain in the ass for the twins to teach her. It was very boring, and the Intoner got irritated easily when she felt stupid. "Why don't we skip all this crap, and you two teach me how to use magic?"
Devola and Popola looked at each other and firmly refused, "Absolutely not!"
That annoyed Zero, and the reason was something about her eventually turning to salt over time. To the Intoner, it was a load of nonsense.
And then there was the human. Their relationship had improved significantly, becoming more friendly. It was like a balance of personalities—Zero was very hot-headed, while the man was calm.
Zero laughed, recalling the time the man invited her to go fishing. The two went to the lake in front of the Resistance base, surrounded by androids as bodyguards. At one point, the woman lost patience, threw the fishing rod aside, and jumped into the lake to catch the fish with her bare hand.
It had been quite fun, Zero had to admit. Not being alone was so much better than being by herself.
It wasn't so bad… in fact, it was good…
Even if the Intoner didn't have the courage to admit it.
…
"Preparing for landing, please remain in your seats," the loud voice echoed from one of the YoRHa ships.
The door opened, revealing YoRHa androids carrying supplies intended for the Resistance camp.
"Let's move. The food needs to be delivered to the Resistance base," commanded the android leading the operation—A2, now clad in her old YoRHa combat uniform, with her Pod fully repaired.
"Yes, ma'am!" The response was short and prompt; after all, when it came to the human, YoRHa had no room for complaints.
A2 watched the YoRHa androids ascend the small hill with the crates. A few rogue machines wandered nearby, seemingly harmless and aimless. Still, A2 chose caution. If the machines didn't attack, there was no reason to fight them—especially not so close to the human.
"Transmission from the Bunker," her Pod notified, its tone now far less irritating since its complete restoration.
"A2, how is the supply delivery to the Resistance base progressing?" The voice on the other end of the transmission was none other than Commander White.
A2 adjusted her stance, turning to face the holographic image of the Commander, offering a curt salute. "Nothing significant to report. Everything is proceeding as planned. Once the supplies are delivered, we'll send the requested additional materials to the Bunker."
White nodded, satisfied. "That's good to hear. I assume there haven't been any complications with the androids under your command?"
A2 immediately understood the subtext of White's question—her history as a deserter still lingered in everyone's minds.
She didn't relish the thought of rejoining the organization, yet here she was, once again following YoRHa's orders.
But this time, it felt different. She had something—or someone—worth serving.
…
A2's gaze fell on the human standing before her, a look of fascination crossing her face.
"Kill her," White's voice snapped A2 out of her trance.
"What?" A2 stood up abruptly. Several Operators and 2E units readied themselves to attack her, but the human stepped in front of A2, blocking the others from advancing.
"Stop! What are you doing, sir?" White commanded quickly. The YoRHa androids halted immediately before carrying out their orders.
"Wait, what's going on here? I demand an explanation, now!" The man's authoritative voice filled the room, making the androids shrink back slightly, like children being scolded by their parents.
"She's a traitor, human. Android A2 is being hunted for desertion and treason," White stated coldly.
A2 clicked her tongue in irritation at White's words.
"Go to hell, White. I didn't betray anyone—you did. Want me to tell everyone what you did?"
White didn't flinch; she simply looked at A2 with her chin held high. A2 felt a pang of unease, not understanding the lack of reaction from the commander.
With the human alive and standing right there, it didn't matter what A2 said—no one would believe the fugitive android.
The man ran a hand through his hair in frustration, an action that caused visible worry among the YoRHa units.
"Sir?" White looked at him, but he raised a hand, signaling her to remain silent.
"Okay. I want everyone who isn't White or this new android out. Now!" His tone left no room for argument.
The Operators and 2E units exchanged confused glances but obeyed, reluctantly leaving the room. Despite their concerns about leaving the human with a supposed traitor, Devola and Popola stayed by his side, silent observers.
"Sit," the man said, pulling two chairs and placing them in front of him. Both White and A2 blinked in surprise. White complied without hesitation, but A2 hesitated, eyeing him warily.
"What are you waiting for?" he asked, his voice calm yet commanding.
A2 felt an unsettling sensation creep through her system, compelling her to sit in the chair despite her reluctance.
Now seated, the man leaned forward slightly, his gaze sharp and unyielding. "Good. Now I want to know what happened. Understood?"
Commander White, unaccustomed to being in such a vulnerable position, hesitated. As the highest-ranking member of YoRHa, she was rarely questioned. But this time, the circumstances were different.
A2, unsure of how to respond, merely sat silently. The sound of the human's steady heartbeat, calm and unwavering, brought her a fleeting sense of peace.
White and A2 looked at each other, then at the human. Both androids were nervous.
...
"Android Type.A, I hope you're not procrastinating on duty," White's voice brought A2 back to reality.
Since that incident, A2 had returned to YoRHa at the human's request.
"I get it, I get it. Everything will proceed as usual." Since then, White had been watching A2 constantly—it was exhausting.
There were also some suspicions within YoRHa, particularly about 2E. That android knew how to hold a grudge, even if she wouldn't admit it. YoRHa wouldn't defy the human's order, so they simply ignored such sentiments.
"That's good. I'll call later to check on how things are going," White said to A2, who merely nodded in acknowledgment.
"Goodbye, A2. Glory to Mankind." White made a gesture.
A2 mirrored the woman's gesture. "Glory to Mankind, Operator White." White blinked in surprise.
?!
"Wait, what did you just say...?" White stood up from her seat.
"Disconnect now, Pod!" A2 shouted.
The transmission was cut off. A2 had learned far more than YoRHa's Council of Humanity would have liked during her time as a former traitor.
Who would've thought that White had started as an Operator, only to be promoted to Commander after humanity's extinction?
Wait, did that make White a Type.O android? That would explain her appearance...
No, better get back to work. But first, I'm visiting the human. A2 started walking toward the Resistance base, but her Pod interrupted her.
"Android A2, this Pod has found something you might want to see."
If A2 hadn't been wearing her visor, the Pod would've seen her raised eyebrow.
"Sure, why not. Show me."
The Pod tilted forward and displayed an image, zooming in gradually.
The image became clearer and revealed something that piqued A2's interest.
"Okay, what the hell is that?" A2 said upon seeing a machine—a bit larger than the usual ones—as if it had been upgrading itself by scavenging parts. The machine was waving a white flag and looking in A2's direction.
"This Pod presumes that the machine is signaling surrender or peace," said the Pod.
"And it appears the Machine Lifeform is seeking your attention, Unit A2."
A2 looked at the Pod as if it had lost its mind, then scratched the top of her head and sighed.
"Ahhh, fine, whatever. I'll check it out. But if I see anything moving that isn't this weird machine—a bug, leaves... I'm blowing the whole place to bits."
The Pod didn't reply, unsure whether she was talking to herself or to it.
A2 headed toward the strange machine with the white flag.
The machine noticed A2 approaching, stopped waving the flag, and waited for her to arrive.
"Please don't kill me when you get here," the machine said softly. It had a childlike voice, though it sounded like someone on the verge of adolescence.
…
What the heck is this? thought the Intoner.
"What the heck is this?!" Zero exclaimed aloud.
One of the operators flinched at the tone in her voice. Why does she have to be so mean? I'm just doing my job, thought the android.
The android in question was 6O. Some androids had remained on Earth, while others stayed aboard the Bunker. When Commander White announced that a few androids would be stationed on the planet's surface, 6O had eagerly volunteered alongside others.
It was a win for her. After all, 6O was deeply curious about Earth and everything related to it.
"Ah, I-I'm just following orders, ma'am," 6O stammered as she extended her arm to hand over a uniform provided by YoRHa.
Zero raised an eyebrow at the android. "And why does my new outfit have to look like those weirdos with the headbands?"
"Hey!" protested one of the two androids accompanying 6O. The speaker was 5E, while the other was 2E, who turned her head slightly in Zero's direction at the remark.
Zero ignored them both.
She pinched the outfit between her fingertips and inspected it more closely. It was identical to the ones worn by the white-haired androids.
Why do I have to wear this?
"Because we don't have any spare outfits, Zero," came a voice that startled her.
He read my thoughts?
"No, Zero, I didn't read your thoughts. It's just easy to tell what you're thinking." Zero stuck her tongue out at the human leaning against the doorway, who rolled his eyes with a half-smile.
The androids smiled at the sight of the human. Meanwhile, 6O was mumbling something under her breath.
"You could just keep wearing the twins' clothes, then," the man teased. A scowl crossed Zero's face, her frustration evident. She scratched her head in defeat.
"Fine! I'll wear these weird clothes," she relented, prompting the Type-E androids to glare at her in mild offense.
One of the androids with short hair approached the human. "Can I help you with anything, sir?"
She handed the uniform to the man, who blinked in surprise. "Oh, I see. This one's mine too?"
Zero laughed darkly from the background, causing the man to sigh and ignore her.
As he took the outfit, his pinky brushed against the android's finger, causing her to flinch slightly.
"Thank you, 2E, right?" The android froze for a moment before nodding silently in confirmation.
Zero watched from the corner of her eye, scowling. She walked over, tossed her uniform onto the table, and caused 6O to reach for it, only to end up sprawling across the surface.
Zero slung her arm around the human's neck. "Well, if they've delivered what they needed, you know where the door is."
The YoRHa androids frowned but decided to leave without a word. The human gave Zero a look of disapproval.
6O opened her mouth as if to say something, but 5E grabbed her arm and ushered her out.
"Wait! I wanted to take a picture with the human!" 6O complained as 5E dragged her along. "Maybe you'll get another chance," 5E replied.
2E hesitated by the door. Everyone turned to look as she paused, turned around, and faced the human. Her fingers trembled slightly, perhaps out of nervousness.
"Sir! I'm going on a mission today, and… maybe…" she trailed off, too nervous to finish her sentence. The human, noticing her unease, gently removed Zero's arm from his neck and walked over to 2E.
He ruffled the android's hair gently. "Good luck on your mission, 2E. I hope you come back safely."
Her eyes widened beneath her visor, and a smile spread across her face. She nodded before leaving, dragging the others with her.
Even as they left, the voices of 5E and 6O could still be heard, teasing 2E about what the human's touch felt like.
When the man turned back, he found Zero pouting.
The Intoner grabbed her uniform off the table and stormed out.
"Hi, Zero, how—hey!" Popola barely avoided being knocked over as Zero brushed past her angrily.
Popola turned to the human in confusion, but he only shrugged.
"I have no idea," he said.
I'll never understand women. Not that he understood them to begin with.
But one thought lingered in his mind:
Why does Zero have that flower in her eye?
…
Author's Note:
The Nier and Drakengard franchises do not belong to me.
...
To answer the question: yes, I made a mistake with Mikhail's name. Sorry about that.
...
Sorry for the delay, but I've been very busy lately. Originally, I planned to post once a week.
Even if it takes a little while, don't worry—I'll keep posting.
Well, I don't have much else to say. Enjoy the reading!