Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

She woke up alone, her mind focusing on the words that repeated within her head as she forced open the door to her cold enclosure was about how ‘something went wrong’. Muffled alarms blared in her ears as she fell onto the floor. She felt weak, cold, tired and confused. 

"Warning: Cryogenic sequence interrupted. Please evacuate all patients until further notice”

‘Something went wrong.’ The thought repeated as if it were an urgent reminder. She couldn’t think of anything else. The world around her spun as she attempted to lift herself off of the floor only to collapse back down. It was no use, her limbs were numb.

"Warning: Cryogenic sequence interrupted. Please evacuate all patients until further notice”

‘Something went wrong.’ Frost melted off her reddened fingers as they reached to grasp onto something. She knew she needed to get up, and that she needed to get out. Her thoughts were scrambled and her eyes couldn’t focus on any of her surroundings. 

‘Who am I?’

She sat on her knees, cradling her aching head in her hands as if that were to help her regain her train of thought. ‘Who am I?’ she couldn’t remember her own name. She didn’t even know what day it was. 

She glanced over her shoulder at the large chamber she had emerged from. She shivered at the cold air that had seeped out from the opening she left. Her bare shoulders were left defenseless against the vicious nip of the cold air, her hair and eyelashes dripping with tiny droplets of melted frost. Her clothes consisted of nothing other than a sleeveless white summer dress, one that she had no memory of ever putting on. 

“Warning: Cryogenic sequence interrupted. Please evacuate all patients until further notice.”

Her gaze traveled up toward the ceiling where the voice emitted. ‘…Cryogenic?’ That’s right. She remembered being cryogenically frozen, she just couldn’t remember for how long. Days? Weeks? Months? Years? She couldn’t recall at that moment, but things were starting to get clearer now that she were calmer.

‘What’s my name?’ Y/n. Her name is Y/n. She and her family were included in a project built to extend mankind’s efforts to survive back in the year 2017. Because of her father’s involvement with the government, the officials leading this project helped secure him and his family a place where they can outlive the ‘White Chlorination Syndrome’. Her family’s survival of the cryogenic process was not guaranteed, yet her father took the risk if it meant that his family could survive.

“Warning: Cryogenic sequence interrupted. Please evacuate all patients until further notice.”

How many years have passed since that day she and her family were put into a deep sleep? From the looks of the lab she were in, she’d have to say more than she was initially told. The once clean lab she remembered had now looked as if it had been reclaimed back by nature. Vines draped from gaping holes in the ceiling, grime and rust covered the walls. The tiled flooring had been coated with dirt and broken glass. Y/n was surprised that the chamber she slept away in had not been disturbed. It was almost odd how quiet the lab was, only the automated voice and the quiet humming of running energy seemed to fill in the void. 

Now that she were able to think straight, she rose up to her feet attempting to balance herself so that she wouldn’t end up back on the floor. She had to look for her mother and father, they had to have been awake if she were. Carefully, Y/n maneuvered herself around the room in order to avoid the broken glass that would prove to be dangerous against her bare feet. 

She remembered the layout of the lab when the scientists had given her and her family a tour right before they had put the three of them to sleep. From as much as she could remember, there weren’t any other participants. She figured they felt the risk of death was far too great for them to ignore, after all, cryogenic stasis was newly developed and hadn’t been perfected yet. There were tons of risks with participating in an experiment like the one her family took part in. Obviously, she overcame the biggest risk of all; death. 

The halls of the lab echoed with the patting of her feet. It worried her how silent it was. If her parents were awake, they would have been already looking for her. ‘Unless they’re…’ She shook her head at the thought. She wouldn't allow herself to think things like that. Not until she could see for herself. She almost wished there were windows for her to look out from, to distract herself from the troubling thoughts of her parents. The lab was located underground which meant she wouldn’t be able to see outside until she united with her parents. After that, she would then lead them to the elevator which would take them up toward the surface, and underneath an amusement park. From there, she knew where to go to get back home; if it still existed.

The lights that lined the hallway flickered as she grew closer toward her parent’s room, her heart picked up its pace and clenched at the thought of their demise. The automated door slid open as she approached, revealing to her the large chambers containing the bodies of he parents. 

“Warning: Cryogenic sequence unable to resume. Leakage detected within chamber. Evacuation advised.”

The glass surrounding the chamber, which was supposed to help protect her parents, was broken. Cold air rushed out from the various cracks left within the intact glass. ‘Why?’ Her father had suffocated, unable to escape his glass prison, his frozen face twisted in panic. ‘Why?’ Her mother shared a similar fate, Y/n could even see the frozen crystal tears stuck to her face. They must have woken up too early and had panicked. You could see the multitude of handprints where they had beat against the glass in hopes of escape.

“Warning: Cryogenic sequence unable to resume. Leakage detected within chamber. Evacuation advised.”

The air which seeped from their chambers made her cough. This wasn’t what she wanted when she agreed to put herself through this. She didn’t want to wake up to a future without her parents. 

“Why am I the one left alone?!”

Tears streamed from her eyes as she slumped down to the floor in front of their chambers. The air which attacked her earlier didn’t seem all that bad now. She didn’t care anymore. Her body racked with sobs as she thought about how much pain they had to have been in before their deaths. She heard from someone once that suffocation was one of the worst ways to go. Why God had chosen her to live on was beyond your imagination, was that his plan all along? To kill her parents and leave her alone? She gritted her teeth at the thought. She only hoped that her parents were at peace now.

Y/n sat up, wiping her tears with the back of her hand. Her mother wouldn’t have wanted her to sit here and cry. She didn’t know what the surface was like now that time has passed and it wasn’t doing her any good by staying here and breathing in all of these chemicals. Y/n rose up to her feet before she made her way closer toward her parents' chambers. She pushed a large red button she was sure could unseal the doors. The glass door lifted open, prompting her to step back a little. Her father’s head limply slid forward as she approached closer toward him. Taking his pale, cold hand into her own, She gave his wedding ring a gentle tug. 

Y/n removed the silver necklace around her neck, a cute silver star glittered as the light touched it. It was the last gift she had received from her parents, a gift she'd forever treasure. She slipped the silver necklace into her father’s ring, watching it collide with the silver star before settling into place. Moving over toward her mother’s chamber, she had done the same, taking her mother's hand into her own and slipping off her ring.

"I'll miss you guys."

The necklace, now adorned with two golden rings was around her neck and hidden beneath the collar of her dress. She left the room, briefly looking back at the two familiar corpses before continuing down the hall. She needed to take her mind off of things. So much had happened in a short amount of time that she couldn't help but think of this whole situation as some kind of bad dream. To distract herself, she wondered what happened to the other scientist in charge of overseeing the conditions of her family. Was he still alive? She doubted that. The way the lab appeared tells her of just how much time had passed. She could've been asleep for thousands of years and all that was left on earth could have been animals. It was a light hearted thought that didn’t fail to bring a small smile to her face. It was better than thinking of her parents.

Now that she implanted the subject of her parents in her thoughts, Y/n couldn’t help but think about the reasoning for their deaths. She didn’t understand why her own chamber was left undamaged while her parents looked as if they were broken into. The possibility of something happening while she was asleep haunted her thoughts. Intruders could have ransacked the building and had killed her parents in the process, but if that were the case why did they decide to keep her alive? She couldn’t put your finger on it, maybe it was better if she didn’t. Her discoveries could lead to horrible truths that she would then irresponsibly act on. The time wasn't now to overthink depressing thoughts, she needed to get back out onto the surface and see just how much the world had changed.

The lab wasn’t large. It was fairly small only containing five rooms; two for her family, and the rest for keeping supplies and chemicals needed to keep the cryogenic suspension going. After she had seen the amount of liquid nitrogen kept in one of these room, she concluded that the project was meant to go on for a lot longer than it had turned out to be. That was if the scientists continued to tend to herself and her parents. Something had to have went wrong since her parents had perished long before she had awoken and the scientists had long abandoned their lab. The only thing in this lab she had considered huge was the lengthy hall that connected the lab to the elevator which would take her directly toward the surface, or at least somewhat close.

When she had first arrived in the lab with her parents, she had believed they were going to take her to the local amusement park, but was quickly disappointed when she learned that she wasn't going to have any fun. By then, the White Chlorination Syndrome had already become rampant and highly contagious. Y/n remembered how cautious her parents were around people and how they had pulled her out of school once they first heard of the pandemic. Her father practically begged her to stay inside the house just to keep out of contact with anyone. Back then the death toll was high, after all the government couldn’t make a vaccine for people who turned into salt. If it weren’t for her father, she might have ended up sharing the same fate as many others. Because of his job and relation to the government, he was able to partake in a project that needed healthy people. One that came with a huge risk but if it was successful, it would have thrown the three of them into a time that was much more peaceful and less life threatening. But no one could tell the future for sure, so it could have been worse than it was back then. Her father took this deal knowing full well what could have happened. Death, or something far worse than the WCS.

Y/n wondered what he would have said if he were here now. Probably about how right he was. She smiled at the thought, her gaze lifting up from the ground as it met the dull sheer of the metal elevator. The buttons flickered with electricity, reassuring her that she had a way out. The small ding of the elevator brought a sense of relief after she had pushed the silver button. Through the silence she  were able to hear the elevator make its way down from the top floor. She was excited and afraid to see what the surface had in store for her. She didn’t know what to expect other than the life she had been used to. Y/n wondered how well she would be received by the people of the future once she came into contact with them. The possibility of them not even believing her story had briefly appeared in her mind.

She watched as the silver doors opened, revealing the interior of the elevator. She stepped in, pushing the small button that read the number ‘1’ as she backed yourself against the wall. The feeling of her body being pulled up seemed to catch her off guard. Her grip tightened around the metal pole attached to the elevator’s wall, as a small gasp emitted from her lips. It had been way too long since she had been on an elevator. Y/n laughed at herself, feeling the stress and anxiety die down for a little while. There was only one more other elevator to take then she'd officially arrive on the surface. 

Her ears perked at the sound of a ‘ding’. She peeked her head out as the elevator doors slid open. She was in another hallway below the amusement park’s stage. She remembered seeing a play on her way to the lab back when all of this had first started. She remembered the play was Romeo and Juliet, her nose crinkled at the memory. She had never really been a fan of Romeo and Juliet.

The walls of the hallway were caked in dust and rust, the floor was no better. Debris cluttered the narrow corridor and tattered posters lay scattered across the floor and wall. Making her way up further, she stopped in front of yet another elevator. Her hand was already hovering over the control panel when she noticed that the elevator was already coming down. She stepped back, her hands clutched at her chest as she began to feel the pounding of her own heart. Someone was on their way down and she wasn't even sure if these were normal people or something far worse.

Before she was put to sleep, there were a number of incidents involving people plagued with the WCS who turned into violent beings. They were dangerous and had killed a number of people before being put down. Y/n really hoped this wasn’t the case anymore, the last thing she needed was to be killed even before making it to the surface.

In nervousness, she bit down on her lower lip as anxiety clawed at her chest. She clutched her hands even closer to herself as the familiar ding of the elevator marked its arrival. Her hands were clammy and her mind racked for suggestions to ensure her survival. Was there somewhere to escape to? Somewhere to run? She knew this hallway had no other exit other than the one she was standing in front of.

“That’s why I was thinking we-“

Y/n's eyes widened at the two people standing in the elevator, their attention was on her but that was hard to tell with the black blindfolds that shrouded their eyes. She only knew they were gazing at her because of how the male had stopped his words mid-sentence, his hand slowly lowering to his side. The female on the other hand, had a cautious look as she quickly reached for her weapon. The both of them radiated an aura which made Y/n feel as if she were in danger. Maybe it was only the woman who gave it off. 

Her back made contact with the wall as her breath hitched. Y/n's eyes frantically glanced around the hall for anything to help her. The woman approached closer, her sword pointed right in Y/n's face. The woman's partner attempted calming her, yet she ignored him and snapped at the young girl in a dangerous tone.

“Who are you?”

Her voice was calm, yet it didn’t give Y/n any feeling of reassurance. She stuttered, her answer coming out in breaks as she tried to get a grip on herself. Her legs shook with fear before they finally gave out, causing her to collapse on the floor.

“My…name…”

Her sword came closer. She was pushing for an answer.

“2B!”

The male had once again attempted to pull the woman back, with ease she shook off his grip.

“Who are you?”

Y/n's lips quivered as she caught a breath she unknowingly held. She needed to answer and waiting any second longer could result in her own demise.

“Y/n…I-I’m Y/n.”

The woman’s grip on her sword hesitated for a minute, her brows scrunching as she tried to wrap her head around Y/n's answer. The male seeing his chance, pulled her back and away from the quivering girl. If it weren’t for the situation Y/n were in at this moment, she would’ve been completely mesmerized by the duo's beauty. The two of them sported the same silvery white hair, the male’s just reaching his ears while the female’s had just reached above her shoulders. They also wore some type of black uniform that gave Y/n the indication that they might be a part of the military or some organization. Right now really wasn’t the time to gawk at the strangers who were threatening her life just moments ago. 

“Y/n are you-“
       
She flinched as the male approached her, her hands flying up to protect her face. Through the opening of her fingers, she could see a small robot like device hovering over her.

“Alert: Human life form detected. Proposal: contact the commander and await further orders.”

Lowering her arms, she curiously peered at the small flying device with interest. Y/n knew that she had to have been very far into the future. Robotics weren’t even this advanced back in her own time. What it said didn’t bother her much, in fact it’s words had gone completely unnoticed by her. Yet it seemed to have taken the two strangers by surprise. The woman's stance softened as she lowered her sword, light glinting off the white blade.

“…Human?”

Chapter Text

"You're human?"

His voice was laced with disbelief. Y/n lowered her arms down from above her head as she gently nodded. She thought it was obvious. She looked nothing like the beings from back then; the ones infected with White Chlorination. She looked like them: human. At least she thought she did. She hadn't had the chance to look in a mirror, so her appearance was even unknown to herself.

Silence fell between the three of them, even the small robots didn't bother making a noise. Y/n thought it was because they didn't feel the need to. The two strangers in front of her seemed to have some kind of silent conversation as they would look towards her and then back to each other. She wondered if telepathy was possible now, since it looked as if words weren't needed to be spoken anymore. She decided during this time to gather the rest of her courage in order to straighten some things out. She needed to know what year it was and if she could receive some help from these two. Their obvious shock of her telling them she were human had somewhat frightened her. It meant a number of things, the biggest meaning that humanity may not be as common on earth as it once had. The thought had made her uneasy and she knew she wasn't going to relax until she found out herself.

"Um..." 

The two looked towards her once more, though their gaze refused to move away from hers. She understood that this meant they were curious as to what she wanted to say.

"...Can either of you by any chance tell me what year it is?"

She felt as if the shaking in her voice was a dead giveaway of how afraid she was. She was a bit embarrassed of how cowardly she was acting, yet she also felt these two knew what she were going through. The woman no longer held hostility in her voice, she seemed to have even a soft tone as if she were talking to someone she had deeply cared for. Y/n knew it to be impossible seeing as she had only met the woman a few minutes ago —no matter how informal it was— and she hadn't even known either of the strangers names. 

"11946 A.D."

Y/n's gaze shifted down toward the ground as the information the woman had given her processed within her mind. '11946? I've been asleep for that long...?' She had been asleep for 9,929 years. The duo looked down at her, perplexed by her prolonged silence. The male who stood in front of her crouched down before resting a hand on her shoulder which drew her attention back to him and the woman.

"Are you okay? Why did you ask what year it was?"

Y/n averted her gaze, the memories of her parents and the life she had lived before flashing rapidly in her mind. 

"I...I've been asleep since the year 2017."

After the words had left her mouth, silence had passed between the three. They were confused by her words and didn't understand how she managed to stay asleep for over 9,000 years. Y/n couldn't exactly blame them, her words were a little vague. Yet now wasn't the time to try and explain what she had recently went through. 

"If neither of you have any business with me, I really need to get going." She rose up to her feet after brushing off the male's hand from her shoulder. "I need to see how much the surface has changed."

Y/n moved past the woman, her shoulder brushing against the fabric of her sleeve as she passed. Just as Y/n's feet made contact with the cold metal flooring of the elevator the woman had spoke.

"We're required to accompany you. The surface is much too dangerous for you. Especially since you're unarmed."

The woman alongside her companion had joined her on the elevator, the both of them stood on either side of her. Y/n watched as the woman reached over and pressed the button to take the elevator up. The threat of WCS wasn't the only thing nagging at her, it was also the words the woman had said. 

"...Required? So you two are with the military."

"Negative." the robot hovering above the woman's shoulder started. "The units 2B and 9S belong to YoRHa and are now assigned to protect and escort the human known as Y/n."

Y/n blinked, the newly acquired information sinking into her mind. "Units? YoRHa? What's it talking about?"

"I know this may come as a surprise to you, Y/n" the male turned towards her. "But 2B and I are androids. We were originally-"

"Before we start telling her about us, we should first discuss things with the commander in a more safer place." The woman interrupted right as the elevator dinged, signaling that the three had made it to their desired floor. "We'll give proper introductions back at the resistance camp." 

As the three stepped off the elevator, the woman, who Y/n had now knew as 2B led her into the building she had recognized as the entrance to the amusement park's stage. This was where she had seen glimpses of the Romeo and Juliet play before heading into the lab with her parents. The building was darkened and piles of collapsed building laid strewn across the floor. The once vivid red carpet that led visitors from the entrance to the stage was dirtied and torn. It no longer looked anything close to the enchanting entryway she had remembered. If the theater had looked like a wreck, she couldn't imagine how the outside or any other familiar places like the city had looked. This building reminded her of how much time had passed.

"This place must look a lot different to you than us, right?"

9S slowed his pace in order to walk beside her. He must've noticed how spaced out and taken in she was with the building's appearance. His words easily blended in with the millions of thoughts running through her head that she almost didn't hear what he said. Y/n nodded, her eyes still dancing across the building's interior as she followed behind 2B.

"This theater used to be a lot more prettier back then. I know, hard to believe now." She laughed. "This was the last place I remember before going to sleep."

The entrance to the stage was more than just a remembrance of her last moments in her original time, it was a place that held the final memories of both her and her family. Even now, she could still hear the echoes of children's laughter and the muffled sounds of music playing throughout the hall.  

The tone in her voice must have given 9S the indication that the subject was sensitive and something she wasn't willing to talk about so quickly. The discussion of past memories brought on waves of sadness over the loss of her parents and if she were pressed to speak on it more, then she felt that it would be impossible to hold back her tears. Y/n could even feel the familiar clench of her throat as she bit down on her lip to keep a sob in. 

"It really surprised us to see a human here! We thought the rest of humanity was on the moon."

As much as she appreciated his attempt to lighten her mood his words jabbed her with confusion. The moon? Is that where everyone had left while she slept? A part of her felt hurt that she were easily forgotten, but that was only because the people who knew what had happened to her were her parents, and the team of scientists who asked her family to take part in their experiment. Y/n decided to ask 2B and 9S about the whole moon thing later.

Just as the three were about to pass the threshold of the large doors, 2B turned toward Y/n. The corners of her lips were turned down, showing her sincerity.

"9S, I'll take the lead. You make sure she doesn't get hurt. Don't allow any machines to get close, got it?"

9S nodded, the small smile he wore flattened out. Y/n wondered just how dangerous the world was now as she had heard 2B say something about machines. In a way, she felt assured that the White Chlorination Syndrome had not been a problem anymore, but the mention of these 'machines' brought on new anxiety. These machines had to have been the reason humanity fled to the moon.

Walking out of the stage building, brought over a wave of nostalgia. The amusement park wasn't as populated as she remembered, and almost seemed bare. From the long bridge that connected the main park to the theater she could see some lights and confetti being thrown into the air. In a way it was as if time had never stopped for this park, yet the absence of human life told her a different story.

As the three traversed down the bridge, Y/n busied herself with memories of the past. To her it felt odd how quiet the park was, without the laughter of children, the amusement park seemed almost creepy. Lying a hand on her chest, she could feel the rings of her parents through the fabric of her dress. The thought of them brought her the comfort and reassurance she needed. It was like their way of saying that it was okay to go on and to live as if they were still alive.

"Wait! 2B look! Up ahead!"

Y/n followed 9S's pointed finger, her eyes coming into contact with the a strange flying object. The thing was looking towards her and the two androids, a small white flag tucked into the back which barely peaked out over its head. She had briefly wondered if these were the machines 2B mentioned earlier.

2B immediately rushed over toward the machine after hearing 9S's warning, the both he and Y/n followed closely after. The young girl was lucky that the concrete of the bridge was smooth, otherwise her bare feet would have protested against her rushed movements. Just as 2B approached the machine, 9S stood protectively in front of Y/n. His stance was cautious as if he were anticipating the machine to make a move. 2B held the same positioning, her hand hovering toward her weapon as she watched the machine carefully. Y/n was sure the two were going to fight it, until the machine spoke.

"I am not hostile." 2B lowered her arm back down to her side as the machine continued. "You defeated the broken machine. You saved us. We repay you. Come to our village."

Y/n pondered the machine's words. Did 2B and 9S take care of some troublesome machine before they had met her? There were too many things that had confused her about the two of them. Returning back to the situation, she noticed that 9S seemed to relax at the machine's words despite his obvious distrust of them. He initially protested against the idea, yet caved in after realizing the amounts of data he could gather. 2B looked toward the human girl, despite not being able to see 2B's eyes, she could tell the android was conflicted. 

"If this is a trap, it'll be difficult to protect you and take care of them-"

"Don't worry, 2B. If it does end up being a trap, I'll take her somewhere safe."

Y/n felt like she were being a burden as there wasn't much she could do against these machines. Even after telling the two how she felt, the both of them reassured her that she wasn't a problem. After 2B had accepted the machine's request, it hovered off after telling the three to follow it.

Y/n didn't realize just how versatile her two companions were. Which after thinking about it, was a given seeing as she had only knew them for two or three hours. She was barely able to keep up and because of how long she had stayed asleep, her had felt a soreness in her legs that would painfully pulsate with every step she took. Her bare feet didn't impose a problem as long as she stayed away from obvious places that had rubble or rougher terrain. Just as the three had made it to the what Y/n presumed was the village, she nearly collapsed to the floor with fatigue. It took all of her strength to not fall onto the floor and allow the sweet embrace of sleep to envelop her.

"They must really not want to fight..."

Perking her head up, she looked over where 2B and 9S had their attention directed toward. Those who her two companions referred to as machines were waving large white flags, symbolizing their peace towards the androids. Y/n knew the white flags were directed toward them more than her as she couldn't pose a threat of any kind. 

Y/n followed closely behind 2B as she approached one of the near-by machines just across the bridge. Y/n could tell that 2B, despite her calm exterior, was extremely unnerved by the amount of 'harmless' machines. Even Y/n was nervous herself, these things after all were what she assumed drove out humanity. 

"Hello." Y/n watched as the machine put the white flag down next to itself. "Before we begin, there's something you must understand..."

The girl anticipated it's next words, hoping that it wasn't the mark of her end. 2B even seemed to tense at its odd pause in its sentence. She noticed how 2B moved a bit more in front of her as if to act as a shield for her against whatever they decided to throw her way.

"We are not your enemies."

Y/n released a breath she unconsciously held in. It's words came as more of a relief to her than she thought. From the corner of her eye, she could see 9S step forward, joining 2B's side. 

"2B, we can't trust anything the machines say!"

Despite having no facial expressions, the tone of the machine's voice seemed to display it's emotions. It was a bit hurt at 9S's aggressive distrust. Y/n was sympathetic with the machine, it probably didn't feel good to be treated as an enemy despite showing nothing but kindness towards strangers. Although, she wouldn't tell 2B and 9S about how she felt.

"I understand that you see us as the enemy, but..." The machine shook it's head. "Well, anyway. My name is Pascal. I'm the leader of this village." Pascal motioned toward the rest of the white flag waving villagers. "Those who reside here desire nothing more than to live a peaceful existence. Look around for yourself. You'll see that it's true."

2B nodded as she moved towards the innermost of the village with 9S following shortly after. Y/n lagged behind, finally able to see the full view of the machine before her, she tilted her head as she observed it. Pascal must have been in deep thought since he hadn't noticed her staring until a few moments of silence passed.

"Oh, I didn't notice there were three of you. Who might you be?"

"Y/n L/n." She averted her gaze. "Um, sorry about 9S. He's a bit..."

"Don't worry about, miss Y/n. I understand why he would act that way towards me. It'll be a long time before androids and machines can live together in harmony, but I have hope it'll happen someday." Pascal emitted a small laugh. "I'm glad to see at least one android can consider a machine's feelings."

"Ah, I'm not an android. I'm a hu-"

Just as the words were about to leave her lips, 2B had clamped a hand over the girl's mouth and dragged her away from Pascal. Y/n was a bit amazed at how fast the pair had rushed towards her before she had even noticed. As she were being taken away, 9S had busied himself with throwing glares toward the docile machine as the three had exited the village. Y/n struggled against 2B's grip which proved to be more difficult than she had thought. It wasn't until the three were a distance away from the village that 2B unhanded her.

"Y/n! Don't go telling machines that you're human!"

"It's our job to protect you, but you going around and saying unnecessary things makes things difficult."

Y/n never liked the feeling of getting scolded, especially by those who she barely knew. Sighing, she nodded her head. She had to listen, they were helping her and being friendly with the supposed enemy wasn't going to keep her alive. Dropping her gaze down to the ground, she apologized to the pair.

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize what I was doing."

Y/n still didn't fully understand why telling the machines she were human endangered her in anyway. It was obvious she didn't look like an android despite their close resemblance to humans, so what was the big deal exactly? A huff escaped 2B's lips as she murmured her reassurances that it was okay and warned to not make the same mistake twice. 9S on the other hand continued lightly scolding Y/n about the dangers of revealing her race to anyone other than fellow androids. The pair decided to take her to the resistance camp where she would be safer so they could resume their tasks without worrying about her.

After her first mistake, she noticed how more watchful the pair were over her during their journey toward the resistance camp. Either 2B or 9S were by her side while the other (mainly 2B) led the way. Even when she pointed this out, they claimed it was only to protect her better and helped keep 9S busy instead of bothering 2B with his antics. Along the way, she had also realized that the two had slowed down for her, probably after noticing how much trouble she had keeping up with them during their trip toward the machine village. Y/n was grateful for their consideration and even more for not pointing it out to her.

"Y/n, you remember the night time, right?"

His question had struck her odd. She had been tuning out most of everything he had said to her for the past twenty minutes and had only snapped back to reality when he had asked her a question directly. Y/n glanced toward him briefly before returning her attention towards the open fields in front of her. The city she had come to familiarize herself with for so many years, was now empty and reclaimed back by nature.

"Yeah, why do you ask?"

Speaking of night, Y/n wondered why she hadn't seen the sun go down at all. Did time escape along with humanity? Her face held a puzzled look as she rested her chin atop her hand. 9S, noticed her expression and laughed to himself.

"So you've noticed. Night never arrives here anymore."

Would that mean she'd have to sleep in the day time? Well, it was no different than a nap, right? 

"You mean it's daytime all the time?"

9S nodded his head as he folded his arms across his chest. He even looked to be in deep thought, yet Y/n couldn't fathom what it was that put him in such thought. 

"Was it...pretty?"

"You mean the night sky?" She asked as he nodded. "Extremely. Especially in the countryside. There you could see the sky filled with stars and the moon seemed as clear as day."

A smile tugged at 9S's lips as he heard her description of something he would never be able to see in his lifetime. In more ways than one, he felt extremely envious of her. 

Chapter Text

Traveling to the resistance camp proved to be more of a challenge than she had thought. There were tons of machines surrounding the area, leaving 2B to have to take care of them while 9S stuck as close to Y/n as he could. She still didn't know much about the two of them and were hoping that once the three had arrived to the resistance camp, they'd properly introduce themselves. 2B seemed to be resistant in telling Y/n why they decided to stick with her since she woke up. 2B would dodge the question with answers of how she would tell Y/n once they had made it to the resistance camp. It wasn't that Y/n didn't trust her words, she just hated being kept in the dark about things she felt like she needed to know.

"The resistance camp is nearby. Once we introduce Y/n to Anemone, we'll leave."

Y/n bit her lip as she stepped over one of the many machine corpses scattered across the paved road. Did 2B forget about having to explain things to her? She didn't even know if androids were capable of forgetting things. Shaking her head, she attempted to refocus on the situation at hand. 2B was purposely trying to avoid telling her things.

"Don't you two have some explaining to do? I still don't know what's going on..."

As the three entered the space between two crumbling buildings, 2B turned towards her. Her lips were pulled in a tight line as she looked slightly down at Y/n.

"I didn't forget. The truth is, our commander doesn't want us to tell you anything until she arrives. In fact, we're expecting another transmission once we get to the camp. I'm sure once she sees for herself that you're a real human, she'll fill you in on what you don't know."

Y/n nodded her head. She understood that 2B and 9S were under someone's command, so she didn't blame them for not being able to fill her in on their own. They had orders to follow and she wasn't going to compromise that for some information that might have been better to not know.

"The commander's coming here?!"

Both Y/n and 2B were a bit startled at the sudden excited rise of 9S's voice. He seemed to be flustered about the new information which gave the human girl a feeling that this commander doesn't really get out much. Well, that might have been obvious seeing as they are the commander.

"You weren't listening when the commander told us what to do with Y/n?"

2B's voice was as calm as ever, securely masking the annoyance she had felt. Crossing her arms over her chest, she waited for whatever silly reason 9S was going to give her. Y/n had another feeling that this seemed to happen a lot.

"...Well, no. I was a bit too distracted with coming into contact with a human that I kinda forgot to listen?"

2B turned back around as if she hadn't heard what he had said. Y/n sighed deeply before abandoning him to join 2B's side, both of the females ignored his protests for them to stop and wait for him.

Y/n followed 2B deeper into the alleyway-like passage before being greeted by the sight of what looked to be a camp. This had to have been the resistance camp 2B had been speaking of. Her curious e/c eyes glanced around her new surroundings taking in the small, yet charming patch of flowers that had grown in the middle of the camp. She even noticed the many shops within the camp and observed the people who who either tended to their shops or stood around talking to their friends. Y/n could feel the stare of those she and the androids had passed by, yet she paid no mind. It felt nice to see others beside herself and the two that accompanied her. It almost felt as if she were back in her own time. Almost.

2B stopped herself in front of a woman who wore a smile on her face as she greeted the two of them. Since Y/n was standing behind 2B, she was a little out of the woman's view.

"Is there something you needed?"

2B nodded as she stepped to the side, revealing Y/n to the raven haired woman. Green eyes met with e/c before she blinked and took in the girl's appearance. The woman's gaze briefly strayed on Y/n's bare feet before returning back to 2B.

"We need you to look after her while we're gone."

The woman tilted her head, confusion written in her eyes. Y/n briefly wondered if these people were apart of YoRHa, but since they didn't share the same uniform and blindfold as 2B and 9S she quickly waved that assumption away.

"Why? She's an android, isn't she? I'll have her-"

"She's a human." The woman's eyes widened as 2B revealed Y/n's race. "She's important. The commander ordered us to bring her here until she's able to arrive here herself."

The woman glanced towards Y/n before returning her attention back to 2B. She gave a quick nod to indicate she understood what she needed to do. Y/n approached her, a small smile on her face as she greeted the woman before her. Y/n introduced herself to the woman, who in turn offered her name as Anemone, the resistance leader.

"Y/n, we'll be back to greet the commander with you, just make sure you stay here where it's safe."

Y/n nodded at 2B's words as she waved goodbye to the two of them. It wasn't until she could see them disappear behind a building that she turned back around towards Anemone.

"Is there anything I can do to help out?"

Y/n hated having to be looked after. She knew she wasn't a child anymore and she didn't want to be babysat like one, but she also knew this was necessary. She saw the dangers out in the city for herself and the fact that she had no combat experience proved that this was all to make sure she didn't die. Sure, it wounded her pride, but she would rather have that than be dead. She also wanted to prove her worth by assisting Anemone, anything to not seem useless.

Anemone's smiled gently as she shook her head. She motioned toward a room across the camp behind the human girl.

"For now, why don't you rest?" She began to lead Y/n towards said room. "While you rest I'll find some shoes for you. I'm sure your feet hurt like hell."

She was right about both of those things. Y/n's feet burned against the concrete floor and she was sure she had a bruise or two from hitting her feet against things as she had ran to keep up along with 2B and 9S. She was extremely tired, her eyelids drooping when Anemone had mentioned rest. Y/n followed her into the room, the young girl's eyes coming into view of the two beds which she were more than appreciative of. The room was small but Y/n assumed that was only because this was probably a storage area before being turned into a makeshift room. A table stood in the middle of the area, surrounded by shelves containing various items and stacks of books.

Y/n never really considered herself a book person since other things tended to distract her from ever being able to pick one up. But now that electronics were gone, she considered picking one up sometime. She would need something to do after all if 2B and 9S were going to leave her alone like this. Turning around back toward Anemone, Y/n smiled kindly before thanking her for the room.

"Don't worry about it, Y/n. You're more than welcome here. In fact, I'm sure there are others here who want to meet you."

The girl tilted her head, as she nodded. Y/n wondered what kind of people the others at the camp were. They all looked at her with curiosity as if they'd never seen anything like her. She assumed it was because of her disheveled appearance. It wouldn't have been a surprise to her if she hadn't exactly looked the best. After all, she had been asleep for over 9,000 years. Of course, she knew her appearance shouldn't have been the only reason the others in the camp would have wanted to meet her personally.

"Why would they want to meet me?"

Crossing her arms over her chest, Anemone shifted her weight on to her other foot. She raised her eyebrows and her expression held a look as if the answer was obvious.

"Humans are something we've never met despite fighting so much for them. And I know there are people here who would really like to hear what life was like before the machines arrived." Anemone's words confirmed that the others outside, including herself, were androids. Tilting her head down and away from Y/n, Anemone mumbled to herself. "And I'm sure those two would be more than appreciative of your presence."

Y/n blinked in confusion as she asked Anemone to repeat what she had said. Anemone shook her head and replied that it wasn't anything to worry about. She wished Y/n a peaceful sleep before leaving the room and shutting the door behind herself. Y/n headed toward the bed against the wall wondering who the two were that Anemone were referring to, but decided that if the green eyed woman weren't going to tell her, it probably wasn't any of her business. Plopping onto the bed, Y/n snuggled herself under the covers as she felt her body slowly begin to relax into a deep sleep.

She didn't know when, but her sleep was gently ended by a hand who shook her awake. It wasn't a hard shake that would piss her off, it was more gentle and the voice that called her awake was soft. Y/n's eyes fluttered open slowly before glancing around the room until her gaze had met the two responsible for awakening her.

They mirrored each other in their looks. Both shared maroon-ish colored hair, the aqua hued eyes, the small flower in their hair, and even their attire matched each other. The only thing that differentiated between the two were the styles of their hair. One was styled straight while the other was wavy.

Sitting up, Y/n rubbed her eyes with the back of her hands before giving out a loud yawn. She slept well and felt much more energized than before. Despite sleeping for thousands of years, she was worn out from all the events that had taken place in those few hours. The twin with straight hair smiled down at her before taking a seat into one of the metal chairs placed directly next to her bed. Y/n wondered if these two had been sitting next to her, waiting for the exact moment she would awaken.

Her wavy haired twin stood behind her, arms crossed over her chest as she gave Y/n a small smile. "Good morning," she greeted. "I'm sure you're wondering who we are, right?"

The girl nodded as the last bits of sleep faded away. The twin with wavy hair sat down next to her sister, her hands folded in her lap as the two looked at each other before returning their attention back to the human girl.

"I'm Popola." The straight haired twin motioned to herself. "And this is my sister, Devola."

"Y/n." She introduced herself. "Why are you two in my room? Have you been watch-"

"We weren't watching you sleep." Devola interjected, her voice sharp. "We were waiting for you to wake up."

"Sorry if we startled you." Popola apologized. "We were waiting, but you didn't seem like you were going to get up anytime soon so I woke you up."

Y/n's cheeks dusted with red in embarrassment. She had unknowingly kept these two waiting and just thinking about how odd she might have looked when sleeping made her cheeks heat up. Y/n nervously laughed as she muttered out apologies and asked what they needed her for. The two of them looked back at each other once again as if they were hesitant with what was about to be said and was silently begging the other to speak for them.

The both of them rose up to their feet, their chairs squealing as the legs scrapped against the concrete floor. Y/n looked up at them, surprise and curiosity written on her face. With widened eyes she watched as tears streamed from Popola's eyes before the android lowered herself onto the ground and lied her head down on Y/n's bed. Devola on the other hand had turned her head away from the two, but Y/n could see the tears rolling off her cheek. She were unsure of what to do, their sudden tears made her fluster in movements. Y/n's hands hovered over Popola's head, unsure of whether to comfort her or to leave her be. She opted to take her chances with comforting the red-head, she couldn't just leave Popola alone like this.

"What's wrong, Popola?" Y/n gently stroked her head. "Did I say something?"

Popola shook her head, saying something into the mattress that Y/n couldn't understand. Just as she were about to ask Popola to repeat what she had said, Devola plopped back down into her seat as she quickly swiped at her tears.

"She's saying that she's sorry." Devola sniffed. "For being the reason humanity went extinct. We're sorry for leaving you all alone like this."

Devola's eyes refused to meet Y/n's and instead had stayed glued to the back of her sister's head. Y/n momentarily stopped stroking Popola's head, her expression twisting into one of confusion.

"Why would that be your fault? You weren't the ones who placed these machines here on earth."

Devola shook her head as she rubbed at more tears streaming down her face. This subject must've been hard for the two of them to speak of. Y/n looked down at Popola with pity as she continued comforting her as best she could, even gently rubbing her arm in hopes that her hysterical sobbing would calm a bit.

"Humanity ended long before the machines even arrived on earth. It was our fault that the project failed if only we-"

Y/n sadly smiled at Devola's attempt to apologize for something she and her sister weren't responsible for. Lying a hand atop of Devola's, Y/n shook her head.

"Popola, Devola." She started. Popola picked her head up, eyes red with tears. "The end of Project Gestalt was not your fault. Even my father realized that project was never going to succeed. If anything, I should be the one apologizing. It was cruel of mankind to lay such a task on the two of you. Besides, humanity isn't dead. I'm here, aren't I?"

Project Gestalt was an attempt to prolong humanity by transferring the soul of a human into a 'vessel' of sorts, while a copy of the human (known as a Replicant) would fight off the enemy referred to as the Legion. Replicants were replaceable copies of humans who were only created based off the information of a human who underwent Gestaltification. The only purpose for Replicants were to exterminate the Legion and create a safer place for human life, it was only then that the souls of the original humans would return to their Replicant bodies. In theory the project sounded perfect, but Y/n's father and even herself knew something was bound to go wrong. Making copies of humans and allowing them to have a life of their own only for it to get suddenly taken away from them was inhumane. Her father rejected the idea and looked for better ways to survive the threat of WCS and the Red eye disease. She had only known about Project Gestalt because she had read the files her father had of it, which had earned her a scolding when he had found out. Back then, the project seemed like a fairytale that was to never going to happen.

Popola and Devola both smiled at Y/n's kind words as they both wiped the rest of the tears that had stained their cheeks. The both of them explained to her of how long the two have been living with the guilt of ending the human race even when it was not them who had done the crime, but since all Devola and Popola models look the same, they felt as if they were just as guilty. Y/n wished there was something more that she could do to comfort them, but to them her words of reassurance were just enough.

The three talked of how the old world was, Y/n told them her most fondest memories and they asked her questions of how life used to be back then. Despite crying after only five minutes of meeting her, the two didn't show signs of embarrassment or hostility towards her. Y/n was human, the race they treasured and spent a part of their lives trying to protect. She might have been a stranger, someone they didn't know, but those kind eyes she possessed made them feel like she were closer to them than she actually were. With only one smile, she was able to break down their walls. The two of them relished in her human kindness and wondered if humanity still existed, would they be as kind as her?

A knock at Y/n's door, took the three out of their conversation. The girl glanced over at the opening door, which she was then greeted with the sight of Anemone followed by an intimidating woman dressed in white and gold. Her long blonde hair was drawn up in a high ponytail, some of her bangs obscured her face from Y/n's view but she was able to catch the sight of her vibrant green colored eyes. She stood tall as she placed her hands behind her back. Behind her, Y/n could see Anemone motioning toward Popola and Devola for them to leave. She bid them silent goodbyes as they turned to give her a quick wave and a promise to continue the conversation later.

The woman in white stepped forward and took a seat in the chair next to Y/n's bed, she crossed a leg over the other as she gave Anemone a nod which the girl assumed was a signal for her to leave. Only until she heard the door click shut is when her lips parted to speak.

"You may know that I'm the Commander for an organization known as YoRHa."

Chapter Text

"You already know don't you?"

Y/n nodded her head. "You mean about Project Gestalt?"

"Then you know about its end, do you not?"

Y/n nodded once more. "I don't know that much, but I know that apparently humanity had gone extinct long before the project was meant to end."

"Good, so you at least know the gist. That's really all you need to know." The commander tilted her head. "But now that you're here, humanity can be revived. Can you tell me how you woke up?"

Y/n shifted her position on the bed so that way she'd sit more comfortably. The commander's words were hard and she seemed like she didn't want to even speak to her, but she could see the underlying curiosity in the commander's eyes.

"I'm not even sure when I woke up, all I know is that I eventually found myself on the floor of the lab. At first I couldn't even remember my name let alone the reason why I was even asleep in the first place. I doubt that I can be of any help since most of my memories are a bit foggy at the moment. I can remember some things of the past, like the fact that my father is the one who decided we should all take part in that experiment."

The commander nodded as she crossed her arms over chest. "But you remember the old world, don't you?"

"Yeah, but anything relating to the experiment is just blacked out from my memory. I can only remember taking part in it and waking up, but nothing else."

The commander sighed. "Well, I'm hoping if we take you back to where you woke up, you'd remember something."

Y/n nodded. She was a bit hesitant in going back seeing as the bodies of her dead parents were there and it would only bring back that wave of emotion if she saw them again. Placing a hand over her necklace, she had only hoped she were going to be able to keep herself together. She was also curious as to why she were the only surviving member of what was thought to be a flawless experiment.

"Commander, do they know?" Y/n's eyebrows knitted together.

"By 'they' I'm assuming you mean 2B, and 9S?" Y/n nodded at her response. "They don't know that humanity has gone extinct. It wouldn't matter anymore since you're still alive, which means we still have hope."

The commander rose up from her seat as she flattened out her uniform. "Well, Y/n. It was nice to see a human in the flesh for the first time and I would be honored to see you again. For now, you'll stay here under the resistance's protection until I can make arrangements for you to join us in the Bunker."

Y/n tilted her head. "Bunker?"

"YoRHa's base of operations. Now, I must be going, I'll speak to 2B and 9S who are just outside and then I'll be off. Please, for the future of humanity, stay safe."

The young girl nodded as she watched the commander leave the room. In silence, she thought about the things the commander had said to her. The woman's words gave her an odd feeling, Y/n wasn't sure what it was, but she didn't like it. It almost felt as if something bad were going to happen, she just didn't know what. 

The door clicked open, taking Y/n out of her thoughts as her gaze settled on the pair that stood in front of the now opening door. Y/n blinked curiously at them before giving them a gentle smile. She noticed a pair of shoes 2B carried in her hands.

"Are you two leaving again?" 

They shook their heads at her question before approaching her. 2B dropped the pair of sandals onto her bed before motioning toward them.

"Here, Anemone told me to give them to you. You're coming with us." She said as she sat down into one of the chairs.

Y/n reached for the sandals, her fingers running over the smooth side of the straps and buckles of the shoe. They weren't like flip-flops and she was glad they weren't, it would make traveling a lot harder than it needed to be. Y/n slipped her foot into the shoe and was thoroughly surprised that they even fit as comfortably as they had. As she buckled the straps tightly onto her foot, she mindlessly listened to 9S talk to her about the odd things humans had done in the past.

"How come humans decided to live in one large building? Wouldn't that be difficult to keep your privacy?" He asked as Y/n finished fixing the strap of her sandal.

"Um, I think it's because apartments were a lot cheaper than houses." She looked toward him. "So a lot of people just decided that an apartment would be better than nothing."

"Did you live in an 'apartment'?" Y/n could see 9S's eyebrows knit together as the odd word had rolled off his tongue. She guessed he had never used or knew what that word was until now.

Shaking her head, Y/n rose up from her seat before turning to face him. "No, I lived in a house with my parents," She told him. "Houses are much smaller than an apartment building."

2B, who also stood up after Y/n was done putting on her shoes, placed a hand on Y/n's shoulder. "The commander had informed us that you were to return back to the place you came, so that's where we'll be taking you."

As the words left 2B's lips, Y/n's smile dropped as she gave 2B a curt nod. "Okay, just let me go say goodbye to Popola and Devola." Without waiting for a response, Y/n moved past her and out of the door.

As Y/n closed the door to her room, she turned around and her eyes glanced across the camp in search of two familiar maroon haired girls. There, sitting on two chairs was the twins she was looking for. Y/n waved her hand in the air as a wide smile spread across her lips.

"Popola! Devola!" She called as they turned their attention to her. Y/n quickly walked up to them as they greeted her enthusiasm with smiles of their own.

"The commander's done with you right, Y/n?" Popola asked as her head tilted curiously.

Y/n nodded. "Yeah, but she wants me to go back to the place where I woke up at."

"That's where your parents are, right?" Devola asked before noticing Y/n's crestfallen expression and almost immediately Devola regretted her words. "Sorry, I forgot..."

Popola gave her a side glance as if to tell her not to speak anymore. Despite Y/n's reassurances that she were okay and that it didn't bother her anymore, Popola and Devola still apologized. With flushed cheeks, she bid them both goodbye as she noticed 2B and 9S emerging from the other room.

"We'll see you later, Y/n." Devola waved.

"That's right, so get back safely, okay?" Popola smiled.

Nodding her head, Y/n joined up with the other two androids as they waited patiently for her to finish up. She followed the two of them out of the resistance camp and back into the ruined city. As her mind wandered toward the future confrontation of having to return where she had awoke, Y/n failed to notice the words that 2B had spoken to her.

"Are you listening?" 2B's voice broke through the young girl's thoughts.

Shaking her head, Y/n eyes widened with alert. "N-no, sorry. I got distracted."

2B crossed her arms over her chest as she shifted her weight onto one foot. "We need to drop off something Anemone gave us for Pascal, you mind coming along?"

Y/n nodded her head. "I don't mind! It'll be nice to see him again, anyway."

"More importantly," She turned her head toward 9S as he spoke. "Are you okay? You've been out of it ever since the commander spoke to you."

"I'm fine!" Y/n said as she averted her gaze from his and turned her attention back to the ruined city before her. "Let's get going, I'd hate to keep Pascal waiting."

2B hesitantly nodded at Y/n's request as the young girl joined her side in order to escape any conversation 9S would try and have with her about the subject she found herself wanting to avoid. Y/n had already accepted her parents' deaths, yet she couldn't bring herself to go back. It wasn't something easy to tell the pair who accompanied her, because she didn't think they'd be able to understand. Despite how human they looked, she couldn't forget that they lacked human emotions; or at least the understanding of them. Y/n already felt helpless without them, she didn't want them to think she was any weaker than they might have already thought.

Biting her lip, Y/n attempted to shake the troubling thoughts out from her head. She could feel 9S burning holes in the back of her head from how intense his stare was. No matter how much she thought about it, Y/n still couldn't wrap her head around the fact that he could do that with a blindfold covering his eyes.

Getting back to the machine village took a lot longer than it originally had. Y/n appreciated how the two had slowed down for her and had even took into account that she were human and not some high tech android like themselves. She had limitations and even the slightest misstep could cause her to fracture or twist something.

Y/n noticed that they had even found a shorter way into the village without having to go into the amusement park anymore, which made her a lot happier than they would have thought. As much as she tried to keep her mind off her parents, she'd always find that everything she thought about would trace back to them. Each and every time she thought about them, 9S would notice her distraction and would address her on it. Y/n would usually avoid his question with changing the subject and continuing ahead of the two androids.

"Pascal!" Y/n called as she crossed the familiar bridge.

Pascal, who perked at the sound of her voice, approached the edge of the second level of his village before he waved down at her approaching figure. Y/n rushed toward the ladder as her two companions followed closely behind her. Lifting herself up and onto the second level of the village, a smile grew across Y/n's lips as she happily greeted Pascal.

"Miss Y/n!" his voice rose in response to her excitement. "I didn't expect to see you back so soon."

"Well, we're here to deliver something to you." Y/n informed as 2B approached Pascal with the item he requested in her hands.

"Ah!" Despite his robotic voice, the young girl could still decipher his excitement. "This is exactly what I needed-"

A loud rumble caused the four to stagger slightly. Y/n whipped her head around in order to find the source of the earthquake like tremors, yet one wasn't in sight. 

"Wh-What's doing that?" She said as she felt 2B grab onto her shoulder in order to steady her.

"So, this was a trap!" 9S aggressively stepped forward toward Pascal, who in turn shook his head.

"N-no, this isn't our doing." 

Just as Y/n were about to step in to defend him, 2B had cut the argument off before it even started. "It doesn't matter right now, let's just go see what's going on. We'll deal with this later."

2B and 9S had turned away from Pascal before heading toward the village's exit. Y/n threw a worried glance toward the machine, before deciding it would be best to catch up with the two androids.

"It's a Goliath class." 2B murmured. "Command has sent us flight units, but we'll need to get to the coordinates without Y/n coming into harm's way."

The human girl tilted her head slightly at 2B's words. "Goliath? What's that?"

"It's a lot better if you see." 9S told her.

As the three were about enter the city ruins once more, 2B had turned to Y/n. Her mouth was set in a frown, expressing her seriousness and Y/n could tell that her next words were something she had put thought into.

"Get on my back." She turned her back to the young girl as she knelt down.

Y/n hesitated, 2B's words processing in her mind. Even 9S who stood next to her seemed to not know what to think of the female android's words. As moments of silence passed by, 2B sighed.

"It'll be faster, just get on."

Shaking the confusion off her face, Y/n heeded her words and wrapped her arms around 2B's neck as she lifted herself and Y/n off the ground.

"Won't I be too heavy?" She asked as 2B grabbed the underside of her legs and shifted her up.

"No, I was built to carry heavier things than you. I'm fine." 

Nodding her head, Y/n looked over her shoulder at 9S. "Maybe you should go ahead of us, I don't want you trying to look up my skirt."

9S, who seemed surprised that she would even accuse him of that, shook his head. "I-I wasn't planning on doing anything like that!"

Wind rushed through her hair as 2B sprinted across the fields. She quickly dashed past machines and vegetation as she traveled toward her destination. 9S led the group and kept up perfectly alongside 2B. It had been a very long time since Y/n had ridden on someone else's back. It felt nostalgic, and she could almost feel herself about to doze off. Almost. 

Y/n's eyes widened in horror at the sight of a ginormous foot in the middle of the city. She could feel the ground shake with its every step, and it made her afraid of what the rest of it had looked like. Were these were the machines that had wiped out humanity? It couldn't be since the twins had told her that the machines arrived a long time after the humans had gone extinct. So, who made them so massive?

Y/n lied her head onto 2B's shoulder as she and 9S cautiously made it past the Goliath's feet. The two of them briefly stopped inside a building so that 2B could inform 9S that the flight units was on the rooftop of the building next to the one they were in. 2B shifted Y/n up again as her hands readjusted to grip the underside of the girl's thighs. Y/n in turn held onto 2B tighter as she and 9S climbed up the stairs toward the highest point they could reach. 

"Be careful, 9S" 2B warned. "We don't know how many of these things there are." 

9S nodded at her words. "Same goes for you. Remember that you have precious cargo."

2B nodded as she and him continued toward the hole in the wall that led over to the next building. Just as the two were about to cross, the wall to their left had burst opened and revealed the large machine. Y/n looked on the sight with slight amazement as 2B swiftly dodged the swing of it's arm that was directed toward her.

"Hold on!" 2B commanded Y/n as she dodged yet another swing of saw blade like arms.

Y/n heeded 2B's words, her grip tightening around 2B's neck. The girl wrapped her legs around 2B's torso so that she wouldn't fall. 2B fired her pod at the large machine as she gave powerful kicks to the arms that had ended up on the building's floor. 9S swung his blade at the arms, cutting off the edges of the machine's limbs. Y/n bit her lip in anxiety for their safety as she cursed her own uselessness. Fear had clawed at her chest, tightening its grip on her heart. It was a painful feeling that mocked her as 2B gave more rapid kicks and 9S put more force into his cuts. Being human had never made her feel more ashamed.

After a long succession of 2B's kicks and swings of 9S's blade, the machine had been seemingly destroyed. 2B lowered herself down so that Y/n could easily get off and once she had 2B turned toward her.

"The flight units are over there." She pointed. "We'll take of the other one, just wait for us on that rooftop."

Y/n followed shortly behind them before watching as they entered into the strange vehicles she assumed were the flight units. She didn't even have time to wish them luck before the two had shot off toward where ever the other one of the massive machines was located.

Silently, she prayed to whatever higher being that looked over her, for their safety.

Chapter Text

The explosion was huge.

Y/n remembered seeing the giant machine machine fall to the ground before it's eyes glowed with an ominous red and it's body began to give off electrical waves that she noticed had greatly affected 2B and 9S. She wanted to scream out for them to move, and she did, yet her voice had been drowned out by the electrical crackling of the Goliath. 

The building she stood on had been relatively safe, it's distance had protected her from being touched by the machine's sudden explosion. White light that emitted from the machine had blinded Y/n briefly, her arms flying up to protect her eyes instinctively. Y/n blinked rapidly as her eyes tried re-adjusting to the lighting and search for her two android companions.

The two of them were hovering in the air and seemed to be distracted by something that was in front of them. Relief had flood through Y/n and she allowed a breath of air to pass through her lungs after thanking fate for allowing them to live through the whole ordeal. Just as she were about to call out to them, her eyes followed their line of sight and she realized what it was that distracted them. 

In the area where the Goliath had exploded, was a large gaping hole. Just from the building she stood on, Y/n could tell that the hole had stretched across a good part of the city. After the dust had settled a little more, she gasped at how deep the hole reached into the earth. 

"Y/n!"The girl's head shot up to the voice who had called her. "Are you alright?"

Y/n nodded at 9S's question, watching as he and 2B landed close to her and exited their flight units. She turned her attention back to the hole, her gaze dancing across every square inch of the cavern's flooring. There were several different things that had caught her eye about the fissure. Other than the hole the explosion made, there was a deeper one that seemed to lead to somewhere. Along the sides of the gap, Y/n could see other entrances of places she assumed she couldn't access above ground.

Both 2B and 9S joined her at either side. "There's something down there."

Y/n turned her gaze to 2B as the android pointed down at the cavern that led deeper into the earth. "What's down there? Do you know?"

2B nodded, returning her hand back to her side. "The Aliens."

Y/n raised an eyebrow at her statement. "Aliens? I didn't hear about this from the commander."

"The commander didn't mention them to you?" 9S asked as Y/n turned her head toward him.

"No, she didn't." Y/n confirmed. "Did they come here after humanity's extinction?"

"Extinct? No, they're the reason why humanity went into hiding."

Nodding at 2B's words, Y/n's mind wandered to the possibilities as to why the commander didn't mention Aliens to her. She assumed it was because the commander thought the subject would bring her pain. Whatever the case was, Y/n was going to see the Aliens for herself.

"Well, are we going down there?" Walking closer toward the edge of the building, Y/n placed her hands on her hips as she turned toward the two, a stern look in her eyes. "I am going with you."

2B shook her head. "No you're not. It's dangerous and we don't know if they're still in there."

"I'll stay out of your way! Just let me go with you." 

2B looked over toward 9S as if silently asking for help on the subject. He on the other hand, had either ignored her silent pleads or had been oblivious to them and turned toward 2B to agree with Y/n.

"I think it would be fine if she went." he nodded along with her. "I don't even think they're down there. They haven't even made a move against us, and they should know that we're here."

"Proposal: Bringing along the human known as Y/n will allow her to see the Aliens herself, thus making the commander's job explaining humanity's  situation easier." 2B's pod informed.

2B bit her lip. Y/n didn't even have to see her eyes to know her face held a troubled expression. Normally Y/n would comply with anything 2B had demanded of her, but this was something the female android would not push her out of. 2B deeply sighed before walking closer towards Y/n and with swift movements of her arms, she swept the young girl off her feet.

Panicked by the sudden loss of balance and the lack of feet touching ground, Y/n looped her arms around 2B's neck to keep herself from falling. One of 2B's gloved hands was tucked under Y/n's knees while the other had been placed firmly on the upper part of her back. 

Y/n's hold on 2B tightened when the edge of the building the three had stood on grew closer before disappearing completely. The young girl flinched as the impact of 2B's feet hitting the ground had shaken her.  

"Wait! 2B!" 9S had yelled before jumping down the building himself, his pod coming to his aid. 

Y/n peered over 2B's shoulder at him, her mouth twisted into a frown. "Hurry up!"

After the words left Y/n's lips, she was suddenly jerked back as 2B dodged an incoming laser aimed right at the both of them. 2B quickly put Y/n back on her feet as the biped machine charged towards her, eyes glowing red.

"9S! Stay with her. I'll take care of this." 

2B's swords materialized on her back as she interrupted a punch thrown at Y/n. The young girl was only able to watch momentarily before being roughly pulled to the side by 9S. She didn't even realize just how close to the fight she had been until the biped 2B was fighting had stomped on the ground where she had been moments ago. The ground cracked under it's weight and as the sound of it's kick and 2B's sword crashing into it rippled throughout the ruined city, Y/n realized that the machines had learned to target her.

Y/n had never seen them once aim an attack at her specifically and the recollection of the laser the same biped had fired at her and 2B only confirmed it. They had figured out that she was the one the two androids were protecting. 

The fight ended with 2B finally stabbing her sword right through the machine's head, it's body falling to the ground as it's eyes had dimmed before fading completely. 

"Y/n, are you hurt?" 2B approached Y/n as her swords disappeared off of her back. 

The girl shook her head, her mind tracing back to the conclusion she had made just moments ago. Y/n thought about telling the both of them, but now at this moment, it would only place an even greater burden on them and would only support 2B's demand to keep her at the Resistance Camp. Instead, she decided it would be best to just withhold the information until later. Y/n only hoped there wouldn't be anymore trouble.

"Let's go, Y/n." 2B said as she turned her back to the distracted girl and lowered herself down to one knee.

Y/n looped her arms around 2B's neck as she grabbed the back of Y/n's legs and lifted her off the ground. The girl hoped that the piggyback riding wouldn't last forever.

Peeking over her shoulder at 9S, Y/n gave him a knowing look. "You know what to do."

9S sighed as he went on ahead. "Yeah, yeah, I know."

Ahead of the three was the hole that had grabbed Y/n's attention for the longest. Once 2B jumped down from the pavement of the city's street and onto the ground of the hole, she could clearly see the deeper cavern that awaited ahead.

In the middle of the hole, there was various debris of collapsed buildings occupying the space. Machines were scattered here and there, but didn't seem to notice Y/n and her android companions. Cautiously the girl looked around, she didn't need anymore distractions that would keep her away from seeing those Aliens. 

As the three neared the cavern entrance, Y/n noticed how deep the cavern had actually been. It had reached so far into the earth that she weren't even sure that 2B could manage this fall, at least not with Y/n on her back.

"Y/n," 2B called as the said girl watched 9S jump in before the two. "hold up one of your arms and grab onto the pod."

Y/n nodded as she held up her hand and watched as the small pod fly towards it. She could feel the pod's arms form into a small handle under her grip and once she had given her 'okay' to 2B, the android jumped off the edge.

Y/n had never been one for roller coasters, neither did she like heights but she was able to tolerate some things. This moment happened to not be one of the things you could not tolerate. Despite having the pod slow 2B's fall, she still had gone fast enough that it had physically made Y/n sick to the stomach and fear heights even more than she once had. 

Y/n could feel 9S pat her back comfortingly as she puked out everything she had eaten back at the Resistance Camp. 2B watched in slight horror and amazement at a human's tolerance for odd things, and found herself relieved that androids weren't capable of such a thing. She didn't know heights were even capable of making a human sick until now.

Y/n stood up from her bent over position, wiping the excess vomit off of her lips as she moaned. "I don't ever want to do that again."

2B walked ahead of Y/n and 9S. "You won't have to. Command will send someone down to make a ladder or something... Probably." 

Y/n sighed in relief at 2B's words before thanking 9S for his earlier support. She wasn't sure how he knew what to do in the event of a human vomiting, but he had done a lot better than she expected. The three continued through deeper into the cavern, Y/n's hand resting on her stomach as she attempted to ease the nausea.

Y/n's relaxation was short-lived as 2B had spotted enemies roaming about in the tunnels of the cavern. The girl stepped back, allowing both 9S and 2B to have their space. Y/n could tell that the machines were still intent on getting to her, even taking fatal hits in order to get closer. She wondered whether her two companions had even noticed the change in fighting style the machines had acquired. 

The thought had worried her because it had meant that there was something or someone who wanted her dead.

Chapter Text

When they put her under at the age of fifteen, never did she expect to be faced with the events she had experienced so far. It was foggy, but she remembered having hope that the future would hold more brighter things, not a world overruled by machines or androids. Was she disappointed? No, but she sure as hell wasn't happy. Especially when the two responsible for directing millions of machines to kill her was right here in front of her. Ready to kill her themselves. 

"-they were wiped out centuries ago by us. The machines."

Despite 2B standing protectively in front of Y/n, the burning stare of Adam, the long haired machine, seemed to pierce right through her. It was obvious that whatever these two were planning, and from the looks of the aliens sitting lifeless around the chamber, it wouldn't end peacefully.

"Wiped out?" 2B slightly tilted her head, her stance tensing with every moment of silence passing.

"And who knows? Perhaps we'll wipe out the androids next."

2B stepped forwards toward Adam's look alike, Eve, her swords appeared at her back as 9S motioned for Y/n to stay back before taking his place in front of Adam. As much as Y/n wanted to intervene and help them out, she knew she was no match against those two. Her humanity has gotten in the way multiple times since she had met the two androids and no matter how many times they told her that her life is important, it didn't make up for how useless she felt. It didn't comfort her thoughts about how much of a burden she had become. Now all she could do is sit back and hope the two make it out okay.

"Machines are weapons capable of evolution. We can grow. We can become...aware."

The fighting began. Blows were exchanged, so much happened so fast it was hard for Y/n to even decipher who was even winning. Despite 2B's combat prowess, it seemed as though she met her match against Eve.

"Eventually, the intelligence within our network began to surpass that of our creators."

Adams words went unnoticed by Y/n. Her focus was entirely on the two androids, and her thoughts solely praying for their safety.

"You'd surprised at how quickly it happened."

"You destroyed your own creators?!" 9S said as he harshly swung his sword at Adam, who dodged it with ease.

"Oh, there's no need to fret about them."

The feeling of helplessness slowly crept up on her with each hit 2B or 9S would take. It physically hurt Y/n to see them stagger slightly before diving right back into the fight. Adam and Eve seemed so strong compared to them, and the thought of them losing nagged in the back of her mind.

"They were simple. Infantile. Almost like...plants. I'd guess you'd say. They held no value to us."

To hear a machine talk so poorly about the ones who had created them, deeply unsettled her. Y/n would have thought they would be grateful to even be given life, but apparently that gratefulness had worn off ages ago. 

"But the humans on the moon? Now they are interesting."

Y/n's heart stopped to a complete halt when Adam suddenly appeared in front of her, just arms-length away. A smile that filled her with dread slithered across his lips as he outreached a gloved hand to gently caress her cheek. 

"Thankfully, I don't have to go that far for one."

His touch was only short-lived as 9S quickly separated Adam from Y/n with a swing of his blade that Adam had once again dodged. 2B even seemed to have been a little distracted and in return for her moment of weakness she had taken a harsh jab of Eve's knee into her back. Y/n's knees buckled before giving out and forcing her down onto the floor. Her heart banged against her chest and her eyes watered as she struggled to catch the breath she had unintentionally held on to.

"Don't touch her." 

9S's warning was met with amused laughter. "Your precious human will stay safe, at least for now. I can see why androids hold them so dear. They killed uncountable numbers of their own kind, and yet loved in equal measure!"

The fighting resumed as if nothing had just happened, though 2B and 9S had fought with more vigor than they had previously. It was obvious from the upsurge of force the two of them used against Adam and Eve.

"It's fascinating, don't you think? What could possibly drive such behavior? We have dedicated ourselves to unraveling this riddle of humanity."

With clenched fists, Y/n watched as 2B and 9S dodged their attacks with much more ease than they had before. It was almost as if they had memorized the fighting patterns both Adam and Eve used. If it were any other time, Y/n would be a little more amazed. Right now all she seemed to care about was them getting out of this unscathed.

"And now we will allow you to assist us. You were made in their image, after all."

"Assist you with what?" 2B snapped.

"It's simple. We need you to locate the humans on the moon and bring them to us. We will then dissect and analyze them in order to drag their secrets into the light! Surely you see the attraction in this."

Y/n's eyes widened as Adam's words sunk in. She was the only one who knew that humanity no longer existed. She was the last of her kind and if they were planning on killing humans, then only God knows what they'd do to her. 

"Are you insane?! We'd never do that! Can you believe this, 2B? This guy's crazy!"

"Well. I suppose this concludes negotiations. The only remaining option...is to destroy you. The same way we destroyed these pathetic little aliens."

As if the fight was nothing for them, both Adam and Eve walked away before joining up at the front of the chamber. 2B and 9S seemed slightly confused by their sudden disinterest in fighting. 

"Time grows short. This here...this is the fate that befell our creators."

"As for your beloved humans..." Y/n could feel Eve's stare shift over to her as the words left his lips. "I guess we'll see, won't we?"

And like that, they were gone. The yellow light that had wisped them away trailed slightly in their wake and with them left Y/n's past fear. It felt as if a brick was lifted off her chest and the anxiety she once felt dissipated almost entirely. 2B and 9S stood where the other two had once been, looking as if they were expecting Adam and Eve to appear again.

With a deep breath, Y/n rose back up to her feet and started towards the other two. She contemplated whether or not to tell them that there were no humans on the moon, since it seemed what Adam and Eve said bothered them so deeply. 

"The aliens were already dead." 2B shook her head as her weapons disappeared. "He didn't do anything to Y/n, did he?"

9S shook his head, turning his attention towards Y/n as she slowly approached. The girl gently grabbed onto 2B's arm, feeling the chill of the android's skin as Y/n wrapped her arm around 2B's for support. If she was in the right state of mind she'd be embarrassed to be this close to someone she wasn't all that close with, but fear still had its hold over her and at the moment she wanted any kind of comfort she could get.

"I-I'm sorry, I just..." Y/n held onto 2B tighter. "need a minute."

"Don't worry, Y/n. We won't let anything happen to you."  9S reassured her along with 2B nodding in agreement. "Once we get you to the Bunker, Adam and Eve won't be able to touch you nor the other humans."

"Speaking of the Bunker," Y/n said as she unwrapped herself from 2B. "you guys have to go back, right?"

2B nodded, crouching down as a silent command for Y/n to board her ride. Piggybacking wasn't as fun anymore. Especially when her ride travels at what feels like 100 mph.

Travelling back to the camp was a lot easier than getting into the sunken part of the city. Machines no longer littered the tunnels or center cavern which was a relief since all Y/n wanted to do was get back to the Resistance camp and go to sleep. Even now her eyes were drooping with fatigue, despite not actually doing much. She blamed her drowsiness mainly on the excitement that had occurred, and it also didn't help that the 'night's' before rest wasn't all that great.

"2B, this Operator 6O." Y/n's ears perked at the voice which seemed to come from 2B's pod. "We now have an operational transporter in the city ruins. We're attempting to deploy them at other points as well."

"About time we had access to those!" 9S piqued up.

"Transporter? What is that?" Y/n turned her head towards 9S who was walking alongside 2B.

"They let you transfer your consciousness to a temporary body back in the Bunker. Well, at least 2B and I can."

"Y/n will stay at the Resistance camp." 2B tilted her head over her shoulder. "You need rest."

"Agreed." She yawned. "Just don't forget me, okay?"

Peering over 2B's shoulder, Y/n was delighted to see a ladder leading up the surface and a little confused as to who exactly was standing next to it. From the looks of it, they looked like another android and seeing as 2B nor 9S were giving any kind of reaction towards them, she guessed it was someone they knew.

"Hey. How's the human treatin' ya?"

Y/n blinked at the name the stranger had referred to her by. If she wasn't so tired, maybe she'd be even a little offended. Did 2B and 9S really know this person? 

"You again..." 2B shifted Y/n up more comfortably on her back.

"Your commander told me to build a new access point, so...here ya go. Oh and I got the stupid transporter up and running too." She jabbed her thumb towards the vending machine next to her.

"Um, thank you?" 9S's tone of voice seemed unsure, which Y/n wouldn't disagree that the person in front of her was a little off-putting.

"I've known the commander for a while now. She sure is good at pawning work off people. Wouldn't be surprised if she gives your human there some labor too. Next time you see her, give her some lip for me, will ya?"

Was the commander truly this hard on her allies? Last time Y/n checked, the Resistance wasn't technically under YoRHa's command. Y/n hopped off 2B's back before approaching the ladder since it would be much easier if she did this alone.

"There's a transporter back at the camp, so we can drop off Y/n before making our way to the Bunker." 2B nodded at 9S's words before joining Y/n at the ladder.

"Once we get back on the surface, you know you'll have to get back on my back, right?" 2B pointed out, watching as 9S started up the ladder first.

"Yeah, I know." Y/n sighed. "I know you can't help it, but please try not to give me whiplash."

"No complaining."
 

Y/n puffed out her cheeks as 2B followed 9S up the ladder with Y/n trailing shortly behind her. From the glimpse Y/n caught of the ladder from afar, she knew that her arms and legs would be tired by the time she made it to the top. She'd be in no shape to even argue against 2B.

"I know it hasn't been that long, but how are you holding up? It looked like Adam really scared you." 9S asked as both he and 2B stood in front of Y/n watching her attempt to stretch out her now sore arms.

"Um, I'm pretty much doing the same thing I did with my parents." Y/n groaned as a bone cracked. "I'm repressing it, pretty much."

"If you need someone to talk to, I'm- we're here for you, you know." 

Y/n nodded at 9S's words, giving him a reassuring grin. As much as she appreciated their kindness, there was no way she was going to be willing to tell them anything about how she felt. She would hate nothing more than to come off whiny. 

"Let's get going. Any minute longer, Y/n will knock out."

Chapter Text

When Y/n awoke in the Resistance camp, she found herself alone. 2B and 9S were nowhere to be seen, and she had figured the two had ran off on their own without her. For the best, she assumed since it seemed as though the two android-like machines had set out a mission to get their hands on her.

Y/n had no idea where the two androids were and she didn't have a clue how long she had been asleep. Although judging from the surprised looks she had received from both Popola and Devola, who had just walked through the door to the room she slept in, Y/n assumed it had been quite awhile. The twins immediately moved towards her, their faces expressing the worry they felt.

"Y/n!" Popola placed her the palm of her cold hand onto Y/n's forehead. "Are you feeling okay?"

The girl nodded at Popola's question, rubbing the sleep from her eyes as she removed the blankets off of her body. "...How long have I been asleep?"

It felt like déjà vu to be waking up feeling this horrible and not knowing what was going on. Excitement had never really gotten to Y/n the way it did after her encounter with Adam and Eve. Then again, she never had her life threatened before either, so she assumed that her sudden fatigue was caused from shock, or fear. Though she had a feeling it was a little bit of both.

Devola and Popola didn't answer her question immediately, instead they seemed to take a little more than a second glancing at each other as if they were urging the other to answer Y/n's question.

"You were out for a little more than a few hours." Popola sighed, giving a slight glare at her twin. "2B and 9S...left to go take care of stuff."

"Do you know where they went?"

The both of them shook their heads. Y/n dejectedly sighed, slumping her shoulders slightly as she fell back against the bed. She had no doubts that the two were never going to come back for her unless they absolutely had to.

"If you want, we have some errands to run and you can come along." Devola suggested, a smile curving at her lips. "Popola and I know how to fight, so you'll be safe!"

"I don't know about this, sis..." Popola warily glanced between both Y/n and her sister. "If she gets hurt..."

"She won't get hurt. We'll make sure of it!" Devola said as she held out a hand for Y/n to grasp. "She's been asleep in this room for hours, she needs to stretch her legs, right Y/n?"

The girl vigorously nodded, a reassuring smile spreading across her face as she turned to Popola. "Don't worry, Popola. I'll be fine."

Popola looked between her sister and Y/n, her face still held that hesitant worried look before she sighed and reluctantly nodded. Both Devola and Y/n looked at each other with a victorious grin as the young girl grabbed Devola's hand and lifted herself off the bed. After earlier's mildly busy activities, Y/n's dress was a bit stained with dirt and she could imagine it only getting dirtier once the three had set off for this little adventure.

Although Y/n was extremely excited to be able to go along with the twins to run errands, she was also dreading the thought of 2B and 9S finding out she had left without them. Y/n was mostly afraid of 2B, not so much of 9S. She hadn't truly gotten to know 2B, but from the little the android had shown Y/n of herself, the human girl could tell 2B was very protective of her. Y/n had thought it was because she was human, she had figured that 2B and the other androids were just programmed to feel that way, so the possibility of her scolding Y/n angrily was quite scary.

"Anemone wants us to go out and find some these random parts." Devola peered at the sheet within her hand. "She said most of it would come from the machines."

"Just the small ones, right? Nothing too dangerous?" Popola interlocked her fingers together. "We don't want to do anything too crazy with Y/n. "

"Stop worrying about me!" The girl said as she linked arms with the twins and pulled them towards the door. "Let's get going before something dangerous does decide to show up."

The both of them nodded, allowing Y/n to pull them along out of her room. It wasn't until the three had got to the middle of the camp that they stopped and unlinked arms to go and get their weapons. Y/n stood waiting for them in the small spot of sunlight that peeked through between the buildings. It was warm and brought a nice feeling to her cold skin. In a way, it had brought on waves of nostalgia that reminded her of her days in school.

"Y/n, how did you manage to beat my score?"

Y/n's eyes widened at the voice, her head snapping over her shoulder as she scanned for where the voice originated. The androids around her didn't seem to react to her strange behavior, most of them going on with their business as she glanced around with a confused expression. Y/n had thought she heard the voice behind her, yet it had come from nowhere other than the recesses of her own mind. She hadn't really thought of that memory since she awoke from her 9,000 year long nap and now that she did, the words she had remembered saying back to the voice had rolled off her tongue like butter.

"Because you didn't study." Y/n whispered, a small smile decorating her features. "Like usual."

The voice had belonged to her best friend, a girl she had remembered holding dear. She did everything with Y/n, shared memories with her; yet Y/n couldn't even remember her own best friend's name. The voice haunted Y/n, and reminded her of the good years before being placed in a post-apocalyptic world that she still didn't believe was real. Y/n couldn't tell if remembering the old days were a blessing or not.

It scared Y/n to remember; because she knew one of these days you'll forget all about her best friend, her parents, her home, her old life.

"Y/n, are you ready?"

The girl lightly gasped at the sudden appearance of the twin androids. She had been too sunk in her own thoughts to even realize they were done doing what they needed to.

"Y-Yeah." Y/n smiled. "I was just thinking about what kind of scolding we'd get from 2B when she finds out we've been up to no good."

"Keep talking like that and Popola will force me to leave you." Devola teasingly smiled. "Better yet, we'll leave you out there for boars!"

"Y-You wouldn't." The girl slightly cringed at the idea and cursed the fact that she told Devola of her irrational fear of the giant boars that inhabited her city. "Popola, you wouldn't let her, right?"

Popola shrugged, taking the lead ahead of the two. "I don't know...the offer's tempting."

"...Are you serious?"

"Are we?" Devola passed Y/n, her grin beginning to irritate the younger girl.

There was no way in hell that she was going to meet her demise via giant boar. That would be the worst, if not, the most disappointing end. Popola's gentle scolds at Devola to not scare Y/n had gone unheard of by her as she continued reflecting on the possibility of death by enormous boar. In the past, she had been reassured by both 2B and 9S that the boars were harmless (as long as she kept her distance) and not man-eaters like Y/n had thought. Even after that, she continued to showcase her fear for them. There was a reason she called it an 'irrational fear'.

"I've noticed that you've been a bit out of it lately, are you feeling okay?" Popola asked as she and Devola slowed their pace and joined Y/n's side.

"Yeah," The girl nodded. "I've just been a little worried about 2B and 9S. I hope they're okay."

"2B can handle herself." Devola reassured. "9S...not so much."

"Devola!" Popola lightly hit her shoulder. "Stop making Y/n worry."

"Fine, fine! They can handle themselves, Y/n. That's why they're in YoRHa. They were built for stuff like this."

"I know. Just can't help but worry." Y/n rubbed at her hands, hoping to alleviate the nerves. "Especially when I'm so helpless."

"You're not helpless." Popola looked to her sister for help as she continued. "You were thrown alone into a world like this without a clue as to what's happening. I don't think anyone could be prepared for the things you've faced so far."

"But, you guys-"

"We're androids." Devola interrupted. "We aren't anything like humans. We can be rebuilt and resume our lives like nothing happened, while humans are irreplaceable. Why do you think you're treated like royalty by 2B and 9S?"

"If they thought you were a burden, they would have left you at the camp the minute you first arrived there." Popola smiled. "In a way, I think the both of them have grown attached to you."

Y/n nodded, feeling the sudden weight that had been placed in the middle of her chest lighten. To be reassured by the twins helped her accept her eternal role as the 'damsel in distress'. It was a title hard to swallow, but it was the truth and inadvertently, Popola had kindly pointed this out. The only thing that had really softened the blow to Y/n's pride was the fact that the twins had shared the idea that 2B and 9S thought of Y/n as a friend, and that was what mattered most. It felt like years ago when the young girl had met 2B and 9S, and she could still remember the fear she felt when 2B first threatened her with that elongated blade. Even now when Y/n saw 2B wield it against machines, she could still feel that same fear.

"Enough talking!" Devola said as she clutched the jagged sword in her hand, rushing ahead of both Y/n and Popola. "There are machines just right over there and they are calling my name."

Popola sighed, dashing off after her sister as Y/n lagged back to watch from afar. She contently watched as the two simultaneously fought the small group of machines, admiring how in sync they were with each other and yearned to be apart of that action. For some odd reason, seeing the androids fight had always brought on this wave of wanting to battle alongside them. It was probably an unsafe desire if she thought about it.

During her old life she had never actually learned how to properly defend herself, which was probably why her grandmother had constantly worried over her safety when she was walking to and from school. Before the White Chlorination Syndrome was an outbreak, there was still the threat of another person ending her life. The neighborhood she lived in wasn't bad, in fact it was quite good, but that didn't stop her grandmother from worrying. Right now, she'd do anything to hear her grandmother tell her about being careful when she was by yourself. Though, the threat of another human wasn't a problem anymore. Since Y/n was the last one and all.

She might have not known how to defend herself, but it would probably seem useless since the only threat to her lied in the metal machines, which didn't look all too pleasant to punch. She didn't have a doubt that if she choose to do so that she'd more than likely break some bones.

"Y/n!" Her head perked at Devola's call from down the little hill she stood on. "Hurry up or we're going to leave you!"

Y/n yelled back an answer and silently reassured herself that Devola wasn't being serious about her threat of leaving before walking after them. The city had been quite peaceful except for the distant explosions which Y/n had a feeling involved her two favorite androids. Even if this city at first had felt eerie because of its lack of human life, she couldn't deny the feeling of serenity the quiet had to offer. It was much better compared to the noisy and bustling city she had been so very familiar with.

Y/n hadn't even taken one step before her shoulders were roughly grabbed and she was forcefully spun around toward the cause of her sudden discourse in destinations. Her widened eyes had met with the sight of her two least favorite android-machine lookalikes and before she could even call out for Popola and Devola, her mouth was clamped shut by a gloved hand.

"Finally, we catch you alone."

Chapter Text

It was dark. Darker than anything she had ever seen. It was abyssal, almost consuming and she was astonished to feel her own fingers move in response to gaining consciousness. If it weren't for those signs of life, she would have thought herself dead. Her mind racked for an answer as to why her surroundings had been so dark and she had even considered the possibility of losing her sight. Though after she had guided her hand towards her eyes, she had realized she was blindfolded. The material was soft and felt silky under her touch, though she didn't understand the need to obscure her vision. Especially if her captors hadn't even bothered to bound her hands together. Y/n thought that they had figured she wasn't going to escape from them no matter if her hands were restrained or not.

Silence enveloped Y/n, the deafening sound of nothing had haunted her. Not a sound of chatter, or even the breeze of wind could be heard. She wondered if she was even alone. Once again her hands found themselves grasping at the blindfold obscuring her vision and she pondered why they even bothered with it if she had already known what they looked like. As if she had anyone to report them to anyway.

Y/n's fingers strained to pull the cloth away from her eyes. They felt heavy and the small muscles within her hands had given the sensation of fatigue. She hadn't noticed the feeling before, and had figured that was because adrenaline had still coursed through her veins after the event of being abducted.

"Oh, no, no." Y/n gasped at the feeling of another pair of hands prying hers away from her face. "It's better if you keep that on."

She almost wanted to scream--or cry, anything to relieve the helpless feeling that was slowly clawing at her chest yet nothing could manage to find its way out from her mouth. Y/n wasn't alone like she had previously thought, and the metal clattering she could hear just in front of her had done nothing to shake away the fear of what the two androids had in plan for her. Adam's voice had given her no insight of what he and Eve had in store for her. His voice was smooth and monotone and Y/n had wondered if he even had a grasp of emotions to convey what he felt. What she was sure of was that it was nothing innocent.

"I suspect your beloved androids won't find us here, at least I would hope so." Another sound of metal clashing against one another sounded. "Hopefully we'll be done before they even make it here."

Y/n could feel herself becoming rigid as seconds turned into minutes and the effects of the adrenaline died down. She could make no response to his words, not even a whimper could tremble from her lips. Fear had now made its home in her mind. The worst scenarios had played on repeat and with only the view of pitch black, these scenarios had almost seemed real.

"You don't seem so ecstatic about our experiment as I am."

How could she be? She was trapped somewhere she couldn't see with an android who wanted to cut her open. She remembered his words back on the alien ship, they had been imprinted on the inside of her mind and she could hear them each and every time it had become silent.

'We will then dissect and analyze them  in order to  drag their secrets into the light!  Surely  you see the attraction in this.'

"-I even drove Eve off so that we'd have time alone and you can't even spare me a few words?"

He instilled fear in Y/n. Nothing could overcome the immense feeling of dread nor the icy touch of death. To know she was going to die at the hands of someone else had been hard to swallow. She was fifteen, not even old enough to call herself an adult and now she was going to die with so much time ahead of her. The world had become a different place and she might have been the last to ever remember how it used to be and all of it--her memories, her feelings, her life was going to be ended here; in the most cruelest of ways.

"...are you going to k-kill me?"

It took all of her courage to even muster out those few words and although it was clear what his answer was. Just the sounds of metal clanking and the occasional feeling of something sharp running across her skin had already told her of her fate. Adam had been eager to find out what lied in a human, and now that he had one he wasn't going to hold back. She'd be the first and last of his 'experiment'.

"Well, we'll have to see about that, wouldn't we?"

Y/n could feel him place something around her hands, binding them together and the onset of panic began to erupt throughout her being. She had a feeling she already knew what was coming, the sharp knives he held onto weren't for scaring her, they were there to hurt her.

The first slice had stung. Y/n could almost equate the feeling to having a paper cut. It left her arm tingling and burning as the blade delved deeper into her flesh. Liquid had dribbled down the length of her arm, she could even feel it beginning to pool next to her thigh. Y/n struggled in his grasp, her teeth clenched as she hissed in pain.

"If you move around like this, I might mess up." He chuckled. "Don't want you to die too quickly."

Y/n felt a shiver chill down her spine as a dark laugh had escaped his lips. The sound had brought her uneasiness and had reminded her that she wasn't going to be saved in time. Deep down, she held hope that 2B and 9S were just a few seconds away from bursting in and saving her. Yet, no matter how long she waited, no one was coming. Y/n was alone, doomed to suffer this death by herself.

The tears that had streamed from her eyes had been immediately soaked up by the blindfold, though she could sometimes briefly feel the sensation of dampness rub against her burning cheeks. Thinking about smaller details had provided some kind of comfort against the pain of deepening cuts.

The numerous slices she had felt moments before had slowly faded into one numbing feeling. Y/n felt herself becoming colder, her skin no longer clinging to the warmth of her sweat or her cheeks. Y/n's body felt heavier, to the point that even breathing had started to put a strain on her.

'...am I dying?'

She didn't know. The world around her had already been pitch black, nothing would change if she drifted off now. Y/n didn't know when, but eventually Adam's almost maniacal cutting had ceased all together. Her ears perked at the sound of muffled chatter, yet she could not make out one word from the garbled mess.

'Is he mocking me?'

Why did she have to be human? Why couldn't she have been one of the many androids created after mankind's image? Why couldn't she defend herself from monsters like Adam and Eve?

'Why am I so useless?'

Light. It was blinding as it enveloped her in its embrace. The blindfold that had once obscured her vision had fell onto her lap, revealing the pure white scenery around her. Despite the lack of a blindfold, Y/n still could not see what ever was taking place in front of her. Her vision had looked as if it had been over layered with wavy glass and not a thing could be seen, though what she heard told of a different story. The muffled chatter had become noises, violent ones. The clashing of metal had no longer been soft, but harsh. It rung in her ears, mixing in with the loud voices who yelled in anger at each other. Y/n still clung to life, despite deciding to let go. What kept her here? Where nothing was left? She had no one. She was alone, yet she found herself unable to drift into the eternal sleep she yearned for.

Y/n's eyes were so heavy, it was a wonder how she was able to keep them open for so long. The lacerations that had once haunted her had felt like nothing after awhile and for that she was grateful. She wouldn't have wanted her last moments to be in pain. Thinking about Adam's work, Y/n wondered whether he had made a mess out of her. Had he cut her open like he said? Or was there nothing but a mess of blood? Either way, she had felt sad for whatever 2B and 9S were going to eventually stumble upon.

Y/n was beginning to edge towards the darkness she had desperately tried to avoid. With each breath she took, she felt yourself wanting to fall deeper and deeper in the sea of black that reached for her. Y/n felt herself move, not by her  own will, but someone else's. Her body had become numb, yet she could feel the gentle grasp of their hands and fingers situating themselves under her back legs. It reminded her of the time 2B had picked her up off her feet and she wondered whether this stranger was here to whisk her off somewhere safer than here. It was a far off dream, one that she hoped would become true, but she knew no one would have been able to find her. Y/n wasn't an android, she didn't emit some kind of tracking signal, she was human. Humans have always gone missing never to be seen again, she would become nothing more than another name to add to that list.

A shape had appeared in her field of view, one that she recognized to be someone's face. Y/n couldn't make out the fine details, but she knew someone had her in their arms. The black blindfold had given her hope that it was one of the two androids she had held dear.

"-Y/n?"

The voice wasn't clear, at least not in her ears. Though it was clear enough to tell that this stranger had been in distress. They said her name with urgency, as if their life depended on whether she answered or not. Y/n couldn't manage a word, it hurt too much. Her throat burned with dehydration, and no matter how much she willed herself to even groan, nothing had sounded.

"...Is she...?"

The voices were becoming clearer as their conversation continued. The stranger who held Y/n in their arms looked down at her with what she would have expected was worry. It had almost seem as if they were afraid to take their eyes off of her. She wasn't dead, yet she wasn't sure how to convey that. Not a muscle in her body listened to her desires and had instead hung limply at her sides.

"She's not...know she's not...!"

What was the stranger saying? Y/n could feel their chest heave with frustration. What was the other person saying to get the stranger so worked up?

"2B..."

The name had sent a jolt of electricity through her, the darkness that had once beckoned for her had disappeared completely. The thoughts of death had diminished and as if a cloud had lifted from over her head, the color in the world brightened. Y/n was once again filled with hope. Hope that she'd live another day, hope that she'd see the two androids again.

Y/n's arm which once hung limply at her side had twitched to life. Her fingers curled in response to her need to signal them and when that had not drawn their attention away from their argument, she mustered enough strength to lift her arm in order to graze the soft skin of 2B's cheek. The android's attention had immediately turned to her as her arm fell to her chest, much too worn out from the small movement. Blood had been smeared on 2B's cheek from Y/n's fingers and despite that, she wore a small grin on her face.

"I'm...here." Y/n whispered.

Chapter Text

At the age of six Y/n was told by her father that it was time for her to do things 'on her own'. He nor her mother was never around to tell her to 'do this' or 'stop that'. He was a 'busy man' as her mother described him and the same was said about her mother by her father. Y/n remembered how much trouble she caused as a child in order to get attention. She remembered how many times she had made her nannies cry out in frustration just so they'd call her parents. It wasn't like she enjoyed getting scolded, but it would finally make her parents pay attention to her.

Was she ever truly loved by anyone?

School had been her only solace. It had given her things to take her mind off the utter loneliness she had felt back home. At school, she had friends that showered her with the attention she sought, despite it only being out of necessity. She wasn't truly their friend, just someone their parents had urged them to cozy up to. It was obvious how different she was from them, they made her feel as if she were an alien; someone that could never understand them. She was the daughter of a government executive and many of her classmate's parents had believed she was their key to getting them and their family shelter from the then rumored pandemic.

She had always been alone.

Once Y/n had entered high school, nothing had changed. She was still being used as a means for refuge and her situation with her parents hadn't gotten better. She had been 'okay' with everything. Each disappointment life would bring it had always been just 'fine'. She had never considered herself unhappy. There were days when her parents had paid special attention to her, when her 'friends' had seemed a little more genuine than before. Y/n had happy days, but she was never truly happy. She was just content.

Y/n would sometimes wonder if things would have changed if she had spoken up more. Would her parents have realized her struggle if she had said something? Maybe her 'friends' would have truly become her friends if she had expressed her frustrations with them using her. The girl she had once remembered being the closest to what she could call a genuine friend had drifted so far back in her memories, that she couldn't even recall the girl's face. Everything was slipping away from her, the memories of dinner alone, school events without her supporting parents. Everything was fading from her mind.

"It's for the best, sweetie. I promise."

Y/n remembered those words. Their empty promises, that guaranteed a brighter future. Despite her disappointment with them, her anger, she still loved them. They were her parents, the ones she yearned for to look at her as much as they looked at their paperwork. She was their daughter, but she was treated like a guest in a home the three had shared. Y/n listened to her father's request, followed him to that underground lab and slept for over 9,000 years if it meant the both of them would finally acknowledge her.

Was she still alone?

Her heart clenched at this thought. Reawakening into a world that was nothing like the last had been...eventful. The amount of near-death experiences she had in such a short time had to have been record breaking. But that hadn't been what troubled her. For most of her life she had sought attention, love, something that could make her feel not so empty inside. Her parents had failed to provide that for her, the people she had met had failed too and now she was alone. The last of mankind.

Was that truly the case?

Being the last of her kind had been eye opening. She was careless in the thought of being the last of mankind, she took 2B's and 9S's protection for granted and in turn she was almost killed. Now that Adam had lied dead, she now realized just how important she truly was. She was the last connection these androids had to their creators. She may have not been around during their creation, but she knew the old world. She lived in it. For them, the information she had was envied by others. Only she knew what the night sky looked like, only she knew how a city looked before its destruction.

Y/n's body ached as she regained consciousness and the sound of quiet chattering could be heard off to the side. Her fingers had twitched to life, the small joints in them creaking as she curled them. Her vision had once again been obscured, but this time she wasn't alarmed by it. From the droplets of water sliding down the side of her face, she had known it was a damp cloth sitting over her eyes. Y/n's hand had slowly traveled up to her face, her fingers pinching at the corner of the cloth as she slid it down to her side where her hand once lied. It took her awhile to gain the strength to rise up into a seated position and once she had, she was gently touched on the shoulder by someone next to her. Y/n sluggishly turned her head towards the source of the sudden contact, her gaze rising up to meet the sight of 9S standing next to her. His lips had not worn the familiar smile she was used to and had instead lined flat.

"You should rest more."

His voice had been soft, yet had attracted the attention of 2B and Popola who were on the far side of the room. The two of them had stopped mid conversation in order to place their attention on her. Y/n shook her head, a sharp pain pinching the front of her skull in protest against her sudden movements. Her hand had moved its way to her forehead, cradling it as if that would stop the pain. She didn't want rest. Sleep made her think about things she didn't want to think about. It made her relive her abduction, it made her think about the pain she had went through. Sleep hadn't been a relief, it had been a nightmare.

"...water." Y/n muttered.

Her throat had felt parched and constricted of air. Her lips had been dry and cracked from the lack of water. Despite her voice sounding so quiet, 9S had heard her loud and clear. He nodded his head before taking off out the door of the room. Y/n could see 2B and Popola stare after him before returning their attention back to her. The two of them began walking towards her, a worried look painted on Popola's face.

"Are you feeling alright?" Popola asked, her hands clasped together at her abdomen.

Y/n nodded, her throat not allowing her to speak or even make a sound. The two of them had seemed to understand that she wasn't refusing to speak and had felt remorseful over her current state.

"You've been asleep for quite some time." 2B informed Y/n, her gloved hand gently grazing the side of the girl's face and combing through strands of hair as she lowered it back down to her side. "I'm glad we made it in time."

Y/n's cheeks flushed in embarrassment. She wasn't all too familiar with affection and so 2B's actions had been slightly unexpected. Y/n remembered how cold the android was towards her before finding out she were human, and it had almost been funny how much things have changed since then.

"It took us a while to figure out how to mend a human, but thankfully Devola and I knew there was an old world medical book around here somewhere and a relief that Anemone knew how to read it."

Popola's voice had cut through the brief silence that had fell between the three. Y/n nodded, glancing down at her arms that had been tightly bandaged with what looked like bed sheet. Blood had looked to have slightly leaked through, staining the white sheets a deep crimson. She had almost felt sorry for ruining such pristine sheets, hopefully she'd be able to make it up to Anemone later.

Just as Y/n were about to will herself to thank the both of them, footsteps had caught her attention. 9S stood in the doorway, clutching a sliver cylinder of what she assumed was water. He approached the three, glancing at Popola and 2B as if wondering what they were doing. He stopped in his tracks right next to 2B before handing Y/n the cylinder. She took it from his grasp, straining her lips into a grateful smile before uncapping the cylinder's black cap and allowing herself to indulge in the cool water inside.

The feeling of liquid running down her throat had been sorely missed. Even when she pulled her lips away for air, her throat had seemingly begged for more. It made her wonder how long she had truly been out for. As she drank, the three had watched silently, a bit off put by her desperation for water.

"Thank you." Y/n said as she screwed the cap back onto the bottle and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "For saving me, for patching me up and for everything."

Popola smile, nodding her head at Y/n's gratitude before excusing herself to attend other things. Now that she was awake, she figured that Popola felt she had nothing more to do. 2B and 9S had stayed silent, their emotions hidden behind the blindfolds they wore. Y/n had wondered what had left such an awkward air between the three, and she hoped that they weren't mad at her for not listening to instructions that day. Maybe if she had, then she wouldn't have been in that mess to begin with.

"You shouldn't thank us." 9S started, his head turning from Y/n's view as his fists clenched at his sides. "We were too late, if only we got there qu-"

His words were stopped with the rise of Y/n's hand that slowly neared him. He watched her cautiously as she leaned slightly towards him and poked his forehead with her index finger. He staggered back slightly, his hand rubbing at the spot she had touched.

"I'm alive, aren't I?" Y/n gently smiled as her arm lowered back down to her side. "That's all that matters."

He nodded, biting his bottom lip as if he were trying to keep his thoughts from becoming words. It was obvious he had still felt partially responsible for her injuries, but Y/n knew it wasn't their fault. Adam and Eve were going to get her eventually, it was just unlucky it had been right when 2B and 9S weren't there. Y/n turned her attention to 2B who for now had been a silent observer. She was more stoic than 9S so Y/n could never decipher how she felt unless the girl asked her plainly. If the android had guilt eating away at her, Y/n wanted nothing more than to extinguish it. This wasn't their fault and there would be no way they could convince her otherwise.

"2B," Y/n called. "You don't feel the same, do you?"

"I did." She answered. "Seeing you lie there behind him so broken had made me...angry. I thought if I killed him I wouldn't feel so guilty, but when I picked you up I-"

2B stopped herself, her shoulders were slightly shaking and the lower half of her jaw had visibly clenched. She was angry. It had been another moment of silence between the three as she situated herself and once a deep breath had escaped her lips, she continued.

"I felt even angrier. We thought he killed you, Y/n."

The girl nodded her head. She had thought the same, but it had been the both of them who brought her back. "You don't have to continue, I understand."

2B nodded, tucking a strand of silver hair behind her ear before abruptly leaving the room. Even after Adam's death she had still felt rage. Y/n's gaze had fallen down to her hands that lied on her lap, the top of her hand had been bandaged to hide the scars underneath them and the rope burns around her wrist had brought back painful memories.

She knew 2B's anger wasn't directed at her. Y/n was important to her- important to them, that much was clear. She had felt guilty for never putting them in mind when she had thought about her loneliness. Y/n wasn't alone anymore, the two people that had cared for her the most were in arms reach, yet she had acted as if they didn't exist.

A gentle pat to her shoulder had snapped her out of her stupor. Y/n's head turned toward 9S who had still stood next to her and she was greeted by a smile that had been so familiar to her.

"Nothing like that will ever happen again, Y/n." 9S assured, a comfort that she needed now more than ever. "Not with us around."

Chapter Text

"Do you remember what the city looked like before?"

Devola's question had been sudden. The three had sat in silence for the longest as they watched Y/n replace her bandages. There had been little to no chatter between the three and when there had been it had only been on the subject of Y/n's well-being. 

The girl paused momentarily, glancing at Devola with a curious expression before returning her attention back to tightening the bandages around her arm. "Um, it was...crowded."

It had been awhile since she had remembered what the city had looked before, so her memory of it was starting to slowly slip away as time passed on. Y/n racked her mind as she tried remembering what her city had once looked. She tried remembering the endless sound of people talking, the footsteps of a crowd and the laughter of children as they walked alongside their parents. Y/n tried recalling the sound of cars, birds chirping in trees that lined busy streets and smell of fast food restaurants wafting in the air.

"There used to be thousands of humans walking around and living in those tall buildings outside. There used to be stores and restaurants in the smaller buildings where people would come and eat together." Her eyes lit up as newer things had started to slowly come back to her. "Those hunks of metal you see out there, they used to move and transport people around instead of walking! Oh, but not everyone had one, so there would be some people who would ride buses to get to where they needed to go."

"Anemone told us about those! A lot of humans would ride them together, right?" Popola smiled, her hands clasping together in excitement as Y/n nodded her head.

"Though, I think it's nicer to hear it from someone that actually seen it themselves." Devola said, leaning back further in her chair. Her lips had dropped the soft smile as she parted them to ask another question. "It's fine if you don't want to talk about it, but do you mind telling us about your parents?"

Y/n dropped her gaze down to her hands which were laced together at her lap. She wasn't all too sore about the subject now. In fact, after all that has happened, the memory of her parent's death had almost faded into non-existence. With a soft nod of her head, her eyes rejoined back up with Devola's.

"What do you wanna know?"

"Well," Devola peered at her sister, the two of them sharing a look before Popola had decided to take over the question.

"We never had parents before, so we were wondering what's it like?"

The two of them had seemed genuinely serious with their question, which Y/n couldn't and probably never would be able to understand. She was human and they were androids. They had known nothing of the old world that you had called home for the longest. They've never even met their creators, while she had spent 15 years with her own. The differences between her and them were so great, that she could possibly never understand their internal struggle.

As much as she wished she could be truthful with them, she knew it would only shatter their image of humanity they had kept so far. Y/n didn't want to be the cause of that. How could she tell them that her parents ignored her? That they handed off parenting to hired nannies and boarding schools? She couldn't. Y/n might have not had much experience with being loved by parental figures, but she had dreamt of it in her younger days, so that's what she decided to tell them. The hopes she held for her parents and not the truth.

"My parents were...strict, but in a good way." Y/n smiled as she gazed up at the ceiling trying to recall certain memories of her parents on one of their nicer days. "My mom used to expect a lot from me, they both wanted me to pursue the same job they did and to do that I needed to do well in school."

"Didn't really sound good." Devola commented. "Did you truly want to follow in their footsteps?"

Y/n paused, her brows raising as if she were caught off guard by the question. She had never thought of her mother's wishes as her trying to force anything on Y/n. The young girl wanted to make her mother proud and it seemed as if going into politics was the only way. Besides, once she entered high school, it wasn't like she had any dreams to pursue another career.

"Y-Yeah, of course I did!" Y/n's smile had faltered slightly. "Anyway, the point is my parents weren't all that strict! I had a pretty normal childhood."

"...Childhood." Popola muttered, her words just barely picked up by both Y/n and Devola. "What did children do back then?"

The girl tilted her head slightly as her thoughts began tracing back far into the past. It had been a while since she had tried remembering her childhood and most of the memories she had kept had completely faded from her mind. Y/n could recall major events like the death of her grandfather and the bitter taste of coffee when she had sneaked a sip from her mother's cup, but she was unable to recall how exactly she spent her days.

"I spent most of my days playing around the house. My parents hated being bothered, and I was an only child so I used my imagination a lot." Y/n admitted. "Our neighbors didn't have children, so I couldn't play with others until I started going to school."

"Were you ever lonely?"

Y/n shook her head at Popola's question. Of course she truly did feel lonely, but Popola didn't need to know that. She wasn't here to give them a sob story, only to tell them what they wanted to hear. "My parent's kept me company most of the time, so I was alright."

"Do you ever want to see them again?"

"My parents?"

Devola nodded. Y/n had forgotten about the little trip back to the lab after she had met with the commander for the first time. After everything that had happened, it kind of just was thrown out of the way. A part of her did want to return in order to find the missing pieces of her memory. But without 2B and 9S she didn't think it was possible.

"I do." She glanced up at the pair. "I want to see them again, but-"

"Well, let's go." Devola said as she and Popola rose up from their seats. "We may not be 2B and 9S, but we can protect you just as well as they could."

"I don't doubt it," Y/n reassured. "I just don't want you two to get hurt because of me."

"Don't worry about us." Popola said as she helped Y/n out of the bed. "It had to have been hard to leave your parents the first time, so hopefully this trip back will give you some closure."

It had been hard. The day she had discovered their bodies after waking up had been hard and leaving them there in that lab had been even harder. When 2B and 9S had first told her about revisiting the lab, she had been scared to go back but now she wasn't. She wanted to see them now that she felt her life had come so close to an end.

The cool air of the room had felt refreshing against her skin. Under the bed sheets, she had worn nothing other than her undergarments and the layers of bandages wrapped around her body. When she was rescued, her dress had been too bloodied and tattered to be worn again, so Anemone had done her a favor by providing her with clothes which sat just at the end of her bed. During her healing process, the lack of clothes at the time hadn't even bothered her. Embarrassment wasn't on her mind when the pain of what felt like a thousand cuts littered her body. She was just glad that she was tended mostly by Devola and Popola and if 9S was around he was mindful of her appearance.

Y/n carefully slipped her legs into the black pants given to her, weary of accidentally pushing on the more deeper cuts on her thighs. The pants had fit her just right and she wondered if it were mere coincidence that they were just her size or if someone had made them just for her. The gray long sleeved shirt on the other hand was obviously not her size. It had fit baggily around her figure and had stretched over her mid thighs. You was sure that it could stretch over both of your legs if she had curled herself into a ball. Lastly, the boots Anemone had provided her had been a comfortable fit, they weren't too big or too small and hadn't felt as if they'd blister her feet anytime soon.

You was thankful the twins was here to help her, as she was sure there would be no way she could have clothed herself. It had only been at least a week since her rescue and her body had still felt as if it had just happened yesterday. The pain hadn't been as great as it was before, but she was sore and her skin had stung at the slightest of touches.

"Are you ready?"

Y/n nodded at Devola's words, following her out of the door with Popola trailing shortly behind. To see the resistance camp again after so long of being confined in one room, had been invigorating. The smiles of the androids as Y/n walked by had been kind. They greeted her and talked of their relief at her recovery to which she had thanked them for keeping her in their thoughts. She hasn't ever really had the time to meet with each and every android, but it was surprising to see that they had been worried for her even if she didn't know them all too well.

"Anemone," Devola's voice had brought Y/n's attention away from the sight of working androids and onto the twins and Anemone who stood just in front of them. "We'll be taking Y/n back to the place she woke up and will be back in a few hours."

Anemone shook her head, her green eyes filled with concern. "I don't think that's a good idea. The last time you two took her somewhere, she was almost killed."

"This time we'll protect her, we won't be letting her out of our sight."

Popola's words had caused Anemone to sigh. She glanced over towards Y/n as if she were silently asking the girl's opinion on this.

"I trust them, Anemone. I know they're more than capable of keeping me well protected."

Her words had prompted a gentle nod of Anemone's head. The soft smile the resistance leader had once worn had returned and once she had fully given her permission for the three to leave, the twins had not wasted time to express their gratitude before leaving Y/n's side to retrieve their weapons.

"Wouldn't 2B and 9S get upset with you if you go through with this?"

Y/n shrugged at Anemone's question. "Maybe. But this is something I have to do. I've already caused enough problems for them, I can do this myself with the twins' help."

Anemone nodded, a bit more reassured by her words. Like the twins', she was worried for Y/n's safety, but she had also realized how important going back to her parents had to have been for her. Of course, Y/n was still worried that the past events would repeat once more, but she had faith that the twins' would be able to save her. She didn't want to think about what would happen if they couldn't.

"Y/n!" Popola had called from behind her, prompting Y/n to turn towards them. "You ready?"

The girl smiled, slowly walking over towards them as they patiently waited for her by the entrance of the camp. It would be a while before 2B and 9S would return from wherever they had went, and she was sure that she would be back before they even noticed she was gone. As much as she hated keeping things from them, she also didn't want to be robbed of the opportunity to see her parents once more before the chance slips by her again. Though the sickening feeling she had felt within the recesses of her stomach had begged to differ. She had a feeling something was going to happen, and it frightened her to even think about the possibilities of what it could be.

Chapter Text

Y/n wasn't sure if she'd ever be ready to face her parents again. The turmoil she had felt in her heart had been painful and she couldn't bear the thought of seeing them again after so long. Did she even remember their faces? She knew she was already starting to forget the past life she had once lived with them. Her each and every memory of her old life was fading and slowly being replaced by new memories of the new world.

It was a bittersweet feeling. There was a part of her who wanted to forever cling on to what she had remembered, the people she had come to know, but now it was gone. Everything she had once known had disappeared and instead she had become familiar with what had replaced the old. Despite the lack of human life, the world had never been more beautiful. Green surrounded her and even though the broken and crumbled buildings had once scared her, she had never felt more comfortable with them than now. She had become accustomed to the world around her and in some ways, even preferred it to the old one. Y/n remembered when she had first seen the remnants of the old world it had devastated her to realize that everything she had come to know was gone, and even now she can't believe that she's the only surviving human in the world.

"Are you having second thoughts? We can always go back to camp."

Y/n blinked, a bit surprised at the sound of Popola's voice. She hadn't noticed that the twins' slowed their pace in order to match her own and if it weren't for her intruding thoughts, she might have even realized how close the three were to the amusement park.

"N-No." Y/n shook her head. "I'm going to have to do this eventually, might as well get it done with now."

Popola had nodded at the girl's words, her eyes falling away from the profile of Y/n's face and had instead focused back on the crumbled road before her. "As long as you feel comfortable doing so."

Surprisingly during the course of the whole trip, the three hadn't once been bothered by machines. Both Devola and Popola had kept Y/n well distanced from wandering bipeds, and avoided encounters with enemies that crossed their path. If she hadn't been soaked up in her own thoughts, she might have been able to see how they had guided her so well through the city. They had been careful to avoid the routes that possessed more idle machines and opted to go through the backroads. The pathing took longer to get to their main destination, but it was well worth it if it meant Y/n's safety.

The sun's rays had soaked through her clothes and the layers of bandages wrapped around her body. The heat had been refreshing in a way, but after stepping in the shade of the buildings that surrounded the entrance of the sewers, she no longer missed it.

"This way leads to the park, right?" Devola asked as she and Popola walked closer towards the hole, with Y/n following close behind.

The young girl nodded at Devola's question, moving around them so that she could head in first. "I'm surprised you two have never been there."

"Sometimes I could hear fireworks when we pass by, but they were so faint I couldn't clearly make them out."

Y/n hummed at Popola's words as she descended down the ladder and deeper into the sewers. She was at least glad that the sewers no longer smelled of death itself and had instead only smelled dank. The sound of her boots making contact with the smooth concrete had echoed within the tunnels. She moved slightly away from the ladder, turning towards the main tunnel that had seemed to run on forever, but Y/n knew it had an end. She remembered when she had passed by the entrance to the sewers for the first time with 9S and 2B, their informative words of how the underground tunnel was now the only way to access the amusement park. It was quite different than how she had remembered it, but the change wasn't all too unwelcome. Y/n had a sort of knack for adventuring, and back then she wasn't able to live up to it, but now was a different story.

The smell of stagnant water hadn't been too strong much to her pleasure and she had tried her hardest to avoid dipping her foot into the water that flowed through the tunnel. Both of the twins didn't mind the water and had thankfully provided a helping hand in her mission to balance herself on the thin concrete that ran on either side of the tunnel. Devola had lend Y/n shoulder for her to grab on as she walked alongside them and she had made a mental note to thank Devola in someway once the three had gotten back to camp.

The twins had chattered away in her ear as the three traversed down the echo-y tunnel. Y/n's mind had been quite preoccupied with other things, like what 2B and 9S would have in store for her when she returned. The thought of the two of them angry with her had been a bit frightening, but most of all was something she wanted to avoid. Since she had been awake, they've acted as her caregivers. They provided protection, fed her, and even had kept her company. Y/n had grown a lot more closer to them as time passed, but she still had felt some kind of disconnection. She cared for them immensely, there was no doubt about that, but she had felt a necessity to not show them everything. Even Devola and Popola who had befriended her through their kindness and regret of what they had thought they'd been responsible for in the past, had been treated the same. Y/n had cared for the twins, yet she couldn't trust them enough to tell the truth about her recollection of her parents. She wondered if she had always been this untrusting. It was difficult to say since her past memories were fleeting and even just trying to recall any friends she had made had been a pain. In all honesty, she hoped that maybe revisiting the lab would help her regain some kind of insight into herself. Though that could have only been wishful thinking, after almost 9,000 years she knew there couldn't be anything more about her that she didn't already know.

"Would we have time to explore?" Devola asked, curiosity seeping into her tone.

"Um, probably not." Popola answered as the three stepped on the platform that led to the exiting ladder. "2B and 9S will already be upset that we took Y/n without them knowing..."

"You'll see a lot of the park on the way to the lab." Y/n said as she started up the ladder. "Although there isn't much to see other than machines."

"Machines?"

Y/n nodded at Popola's comment as she climbed up the last steps. "They're harmless as long as you don't attack them."

She slightly struggled with lifting herself up from the ladder since her body had still felt quite sore. The activities she had done before hadn't bothered her as much as this did and she wondered if she were close to hitting her limit.

"Do you know where to go from here?" Devola asked as she and Popola joined Y/n's side. "I know it must have been overwhelming to wake up to a world like this."

"Don't worry, I know how to get back. This park is actually pretty easy to navigate."

Her reassurance had helped ease the twins' worry, and as the three had continued towards the park she felt a bit excited to see their reaction. In a way, she felt as if the park had been quite the sight even if it couldn't live up to its former glory.

Popola and Devola had been a few steps ahead of her, admiring the fireworks and the large castle that loomed in the background. The sight of the dancing machines beyond the entrance had filled her with a sense of nostalgia. She felt anxious at what lied within that lab she had woken up in. She was scared of what she was going to find, of what had truly taken place all those years ago.

Chapter Text

The lab had looked more or less the same. Glass had crunched under the soles of her feet as she stepped off the elevator and on to the rusted ceramic tiling of both the floors and wall, which had looked as if it had degraded further. Small puddles of stagnant water had sprinkled the sides of the long hall the three had stood in, filling the corridor with a damp odor. Y/n scrunched her nose at the scent, wishing that the fresher air she had breathed could return. Unlike the twins, who once again took the lead, she felt uncomfortable in this setting. The open world she had grown used to was now reduced to nothing but a hall and some cramped rooms.

The nostalgia she had once felt had no longer lingered within her chest. Instead, a knot had formed in her stomach and her chest tightened out of nervousness. The feeling had been uncanny as there was nothing to feel such an unease about. Y/n was in the safety of Popola and Devola, and from their past promise, they wouldn't let anything happen to her again. She trusted the twins to keep to that promise, besides no one else knows about this lab except her and now the twins.

"Which one should we go into first?" Popola asked as she motioned towards the nearest door and the one that had lied even further down the hall.

Y/n knew where both doors led and one of them had been one she was dreading to revisit. Her answer was obvious and to Popola's surprise, quicker than the android twin anticipated.

"Let's go into this one first." Y/n smiled as she took the lead.

The twins had spoken nothing of protest and followed her down the rest of the hall. They were quick to see her discomfort being here and even if they did not know all the details, they had at least known this place wasn't one of Y/n's favorites. Though neither of them could find any words of comfort and instead had only exchanged a worried look.

The silence that had accompanied the three had been heavy and one that allowed Y/n to reflect on too much. Her facade of enthusiasm had quickly disappeared, leaving her footsteps to slow and the small smile to fall off. The closer she got to the room she had awoken in, the more she had felt a sense of heavy dread. A part of her had begged to turn around and return back to camp, but her curiosity of what happened before she was put to sleep had outweighed that. 

The door had immediately slid open just as she stood in front of it, allowing the three to pass through. The room looked just the way she had left it. The large chamber she had once been contained in still leaked the cold substance which had layered the ground before it with thin ice. The papers that had scattered the floor had been damp and the words printed on them had been smeared. It was impossible to read them, but she could make out some of the words the papers near her held. Her name had been repeated numerous times throughout all of the sheets, but nothing else that could be read was important. 

Devola and Popola had separated from her side, the two of them curiously wandering around the room. Their faces had held the look of wonder and their hands couldn't help but run across the many 'old world' artifacts Y/n recognized as computers. She stepped forward, her eyes never leaving the large chamber as she planted herself in front of it.

The cold the chamber seeped hadn't in the least bothered her. It was almost as if she were numb to the feeling, the bitter pinch of cold had gone completely ignored by her. She didn't feel a sense of nostalgia or anything for that matter. The nervousness that had once burdened her had no longer been present, but she did not even feel a sense of relief. She was unsure of how she felt being back within this room once again. Her feelings and thoughts were muddled and could not be correctly identified. 

"Y/n!" The human girl jumped at the sound of her own name. Popola, who had been flicking through a stack of papers which sat on a counter near the cryogenic chamber, had approached her with excitement. "Isn't this you?"

Y/n glanced down at the photograph Popola held within her hands. Dust had collected on it's surface and the corners had slightly been crinkled from the moisture that had seeped in, but the picture itself was in somewhat decent condition. The photograph had been looked to be captured just before she was put into an eternal slumber. Her appearance had been relatively the same, your hair might have been a little shorter than its length now, but it was undeniably her. An unfamiliar warm smile had been pasted onto her face, her eyes had gleamed brightly with a happiness she hadn't felt in a while. Next to her head, her left hand had formed a peace sign. The photo had only captured her waist up, but she had recognized the white dress she awoke in. Her posed position had suggested that this picture had not been taken by any of the scientists. Y/n remembered specifically that she was not on friendly terms with any of them mostly because she had not spoken to any of the scientist personally, but her memories of the past had been hazy and she couldn't be quite sure. 

"Yeah...that's me." Y/n gently took the photo into her own hands as Devola joined her other side. 

The two had conversed over the photo as she turned the picture around. Her eyes had immediately landed on the neat, cursive writing which had been slightly faded but she was still able to read it. 

I love you and I'll miss you, Y/n!

Always and forever-- A.

Y/n's mind had gone blank for a moment as she tried processing the small message left for her. Who did the initial 'A' belong to? Her mother's name had started with an E, and her father's started with a D. 

"'Always and forever...A'?" Devola repeated. "Who is that?"

Y/n briefly glanced at Devola before returning her gaze back down to the writing. "I don't remember."

Chapter Text

Their silence had felt somewhat uncalled for. She had already seen what stood before her. The sight had flooded different emotions into her and the feelings weren't all too new. Sorrow and grief had been what stood out among the millions of thoughts that had ran through her head as she beheld the sight of her parents. Their bodies had stayed in perfect condition despite the amount of time that had passed, it was as if she had never left the underground lab to begin with. Y/n stepped closer to them, Devola and Popola following her movements. Unlike her, they hadn't been unadjusted to the sight of death. They had seen it many times before, their concerns had lied with the young girl more than they cared for the bodies before them. 

Tears had pricked that the edges of her eyes, her heart heavy with an emotion she hadn't felt in the longest. Y/n had been so close to forgetting her parents' faces that the thought of even doing so had made her upset with herself. Despite all that had happened in her past life, despite their failure to pay attention to her, she still loved them. She still wished it had been her instead. Y/n placed her hand onto her mother's, her cold hand giving Y/n no sense of comfort. With a sniffle accompanied by a sigh, Y/n's hand fell back to her side. Nothing had been here for her anymore, she hadn't even remembered a thing before waking up and this place only contained the bodies of her parents. Nothing more.

"There isn't anything here. I can't remember a thing." 

Popola had been the first to speak, her voice soft and carried a tone of patience. "We'll leave then. We could always come back later, when you're ready."

Y/n nodded, turning heel away from the sight of her parents as the twins had followed close behind her. Other than the small picture that had intrigued her, there wasn't anything here that had even elicited a memory. No thoughts had ran through her head it was all clouded with grief for her parents. No matter how much time she had spent away from them along with the many events that had happened between her awakening and now, had prepared her to see them once again. 

The sound of the twins' idle conversing had helped get her mind off the subject of her parents which had been a relief and as she continued mindlessly nodding along to their words, she had briefly thought of 2B and 9S. Along with the twins, they were the only things keeping her grounded. Without them she was sure that she'd either go insane from the loneliness, or even do something drastic that would place her in the same fate as her parents. She was thankful for them and she wished she knew how to convey that into more than just words.

The sight of the amusement park still had brought a smile to her face. Despite the decrepit condition it was left in, it was the only thing that could ever manage to bring about the feelings of nostalgia. When she was younger she had always liked going to the amusement park like any other child. It was the rare times that her parents had been off of work and had paid special attention to her. Y/n remembered cherishing each and every moment she spent with them here. 

When the three had entered the amusement park at first, Y/n  had wasted no time in looking around. She had thought it would have been best to just get everything over with and so she along with Devola, and Popola had rushed to the underground lab and gave them no time to look at the amusement park themselves. Now, things were different. She wasn't in a rush to go anywhere and so the three had walked back towards the exit in a bit of a slow pace. Popola's eyes had lit up at the sight of fireworks, a bit startled by the close proximity of their sound. Devola had too shared the same excited expression, her eyes glancing rapidly around in order to absorb as much as she could. Y/n smiled at their expressions, feeling a bit guilty that she hadn't allowed them the chance to explore after she had entered the place. It might have not been the first time for her, but for them it was. They're amazed expressions had looked the same as hers after her first visit to the park. 

Y/n wished that she would have been able to show them the rides that were scattered about the park, but too much time had passed from when they were last ridden and she wouldn't trust herself to even get near one. The idea had still appealed to her though, it would have been a cheerful distraction from the thoughts that plagued her mind occasionally.

The group of docile machines that danced around the central fountain had somewhat reminded her of how the park had once been. She didn't have the chance to see them after her first awakening, but they had been quite endearing to her. Y/n giggled at the flying machines who wore jester hats. Just for a brief moment everything had seemed okay, nothing had been wrong and she had felt as if her worries were lifted. 

Confetti had sprinkled down on her from above, showering her in a multi colored mess as she followed the twins closely behind. They were ahead of her, their heads turning towards the different noises and sights that would catch their attention. Other than the small gathering before her, the amusement park held nothing else. Y/n had remembered seeing broken down rides and carousels when she had first met with 2B and 9S. None of it would have given Devola and Popola the same wonder as this, so she didn't even want to bother with showing them something that didn't live up to its former glory. 

"Did the amusement park look anything like this in the old world?"

Devola peered at Y/n with curious eyes, her gaze lying over the girl for a minute before returning to the sights before her. She turned around, facing the large castle that loomed in the background, admiring the fireworks that lit up the heart carved into it. Y/n glanced at it along with her, sharing the same admiration she did for the large structure.

"Yeah, it looked a little something like this. It was noiser though, and there were so many people that would sit around the fountain and wait behind those bars just to get in." Y/n said as she pointed over towards the entrance gates. "It was always busy here, no matter what time of year it was."

"Even in winter?" 

Y/n raised a brow at Popola's question, somewhat surprised that she even knew what winter was. "You've been reading a lot, I see."

She nodded, a smile slipping onto her lips. "The old world is interesting and we try our best to understand it."

"Yeah, to answer your question this place was busy even in the winter. They usually held a winter event here, I went to them sometimes and they were pretty fun."

"Did it look like this?" Devola asked. "It had to have, right?"

Y/n shook her head. "During the winter event, they had fake snow all over the ground and the employees were dressed up as elves. Sometimes they'd have a parade right through the middle of the park and it would always get the kids excited."

Y/n turned back around towards the entrance, leading Popola and Devola along with her. They both looked as if they had more questions to ask and she didn't mind as it had been something she felt the need to indulge them in. They never seen the things that she had and she'd hate to be the one to deny them of that privilege. They walked on either side of Y/n, somewhat excited to be given an opportunity to ask her the things that they had wondered about human entertainment back then.

"Did they have anything else?"

Y/n nodded to Popola's question. "They sometimes had someone dressed up as Santa and he'd come and ask the kids what they wanted for christmas."

"Santa? Who's that?" Devola tilted her head. "Is he God?"

"No.." Y/n tapped her finger against her arm, trying to think of a way to explain Santa to someone who hadn't had a clue about him. "Um, he's an old man who comes into people's houses when they slept to deliver presents."

"Isn't that a crime?! He can't just break into human's houses!"

Y/n nervously laughed at Popola's response to her definition of Santa. In a way Popola was right, but once again Y/n was surprised at her knowledge of the old world. What ever books they had must have been teeming with information she wasn't even aware of.

"I mean, you're right, it's a crime but it wasn't like he was taking anything. He's like breaking in to give us presents." Y/n assured. "Besides, it's not like he's real..."

"He isn't?" Devola's confusion only deepend. "Humans are odd."

Popola agreed. "Making up an imaginary person, for what?"

Y/n wasn't sure if she were meant to answer that question and luckily for her the approaching manhole had meant that the subject had been dropped. She wasn't against sharing information on the old world, but there were some things that even she couldn't explain, like the reason Santa was even thought up. She had always figured it was just for the younger kids to have something to believe in, but what was wrong with the notion that their parents brought everything for them?

"Well," Y/n turned around, facing them as she lowered herself down to the ladder. "Is there anything other than Santa Claus that you're curious about? We have a little bit of a journey before we get back to the camp and I don't mind answering questions."

The twins had followed her actions shortly as she waited below for them to join her. Devola had huffed, while Popola carried as look of wonder. The two of them had stayed silent momentarily as they thought of a question to ask. For centuries they had often wondered what the old world was like and now that they had someone next to them who knew almost everything about it, they couldn't think of a thing.

"Oh!" Popola's face lit up as she turned her attention towards Y/n. "How do humans choose their friends?"

The girl took a moment to think, a bubble forming in her mouth as she tried recalling the last friend she had made. Most of everything from her past life had become hazy, but technically she had been friends with 2B and 9S, at least she considered them to be. Who knows what they felt about her.

"I like to choose the people who I spend the most time with, the ones I see everyday. Knowing that they'll always be there makes it more comforting for me to approach them." Y/n responded. "Although, sometimes I would make friends with people who I met by chance. Ones that I rarely see, yet I could call them a friend."

"How do you know that they feel the same towards you?" Devola added. "Don't you ever feel scared that they may not feel the same?"

"I do." Y/n admitted. "There's always that fear that another person may not feel the same as you, but I never dwell on it too much. I think you'll know when someone may not feel the same, it's hard to ignore."

Y/n laughed, her cheeks flushing in embarrassment. "Sorry, I know I'm not very good at explaining things."

Popola shook her head, her brows furrowing. "It's not that you're bad at explaining, but it's hard for us to understand. We have no idea what it feels like to worry about what another person thinks about us. I think emotions in general are hard to understand and that isn't your fault. It's just what we are."

"Do you consider us friends?" Devola asked as Y/n glanced over towards her. "Because we consider you a friend of ours."

Y/n nodded, grinning. "Of course I do! I can't imagine a world without the two of you in it."

Both Popola and Devola seemed to be relieved at her words, their smiles brightening as the three continued down the underground tunnel. The sound of water dripping had reverberated throughout the stretch of concrete. Y/n was somewhat relaxed at the sudden silence that befell the three, the only noise being the running water and the sounds of her shoes colliding with the smooth concrete below.

"What do friends do?" 

Popola's question would have gone unheard of by Y/n if she weren't so focused on paying attention. Devola even seemed to perk her head at the question, a bit eager to hear the girl's response. Y/n pursed her lips, her eyes focused on the path before her as she sidestepped a rock that partially blocked the road. 

"They talk with each other, and hang out. Just generally be around each other." Y/n answered. "They share their worries with each other and even secrets they wouldn't ever tell another soul."

For once, Y/n felt confident in her answer. From the very few genuine friends she did have experience with, these things were true. Unlike most of the kids who attended her high school, there were some who weren't interested in what your father could offer and had been intrigued by her. She was their reason for approaching with an offer to be friends and she was glad that in those few times she never refused them. 

Y/n was the first to climb up the ladder to the surface, her mind sometimes tracing back to the pigtailed girl who approached her so many years ago. Y/n couldn't remember a thing about the girl's face, but she did remember that the girl said something that somewhat confused her during their first meeting.

"In time you'll realize just how important you are, Y/n. Your existence matters."

Chapter Text

Y/n was never one to think about the future. Her life was centered more in the past, rather than looking ahead. When her life had held more normalcy, she was often stuck in a fantasy world filled with the things that could have been. There hadn't ever been much time for her to think about what was lying in wait for her and so she never paid any attention to it. 

Her classmates had often thought her lack of awareness had been a feat of its own. She had always been a distracted child, one that never involved herself in things that would deem far more interesting than staring out a window for hours on end. The window seat in most classes had been her desired place to sit and she was never met with disagreements, especially in her first year of high school before the WCS pandemic. Y/n's life had been filled with regrets and things she had wished she done. She spent most of her time thinking about those regrets and the different scenarios that would have unfolded if she only had the bravery to demand what she wanted. She was passive with her parents, allowing them to neglect her in terms of affection and attention. She was passive with her 'friends', allowing them to walk over her with all of those requests for favors and the hurtful words they would say when she wasn't there.

Y/n was a passive person, one that was 'okay' with everything that had come her way only to cry about it later. She has always wished to do something about how the world had treated her, yet she never once decided to do anything about it. Y/n had thought of herself as a helpless person that had nothing but bad luck, but in truth she wasn't helpless. Opportunities would present themselves right in her face, yet she never lifted a finger to take it. Y/n labeled herself as a passive person only because she knew that the truth of it was that she was weak. Her inability to stand up for herself, to take a stand against those who had wronged her, or even cry out for the attention of her parents, had allowed these things to happen. She was weak, and even in the new world where no one knew her name or even the history of her passivity, she still had stuck to her old ways. Because of this, the world continues to rain its bad luck on her and she continues to excuse herself as only a victim of its cruel ways.

Her name was Accord, Y/n remembered it clearly as it had struck her as an extremely odd name. When Accord approached her at her desk that day, a smile on the raven haired girl's face, Y/n didn't know she was going to be the one to open her eyes to all of her own shortcomings. Compared to Y/n, she was outspoken and never took less than what she deserved. 

"You don't think much of yourself do you?" Y/n remembered her saying, her gray eyes staring down and into her own. "It's a shame, really."

Y/n glanced up from her notebook, her hand freezing in its motion. "And how would you know what I think of myself?"

"That's not important, now is it? It's the truth." She smiled innocently. "Luckily, I have good news for you."

Y/n blinked at Accord, her brow raising as she waited for another one of her snarky responses. Y/n wasn't so used to people being as brash with her as the girl in front of her was. Most had been suckups and had only either showered her in compliments or even friendly conversation, so Accord's words had intrigued her a bit.

"You may not know it now — maybe you'll never think about it — but in time you'll realize just how important you are, Y/n. Your existence matters."

Those words had seemed so crystal clear now, with the photo clutched in her hands and her eyes staring down at her own happy expression. Not everything from the past had come back to her, but there were things that were starting to make an appearance again, memories she had cherished so deeply back then. Despite the sarcasm and playfulness Accord had shown her, she was the closest thing Y/n had to an actual friend and she had found her heart aching at the thought of her. Like the rest of Y/n's life, she had been left behind and the young girl regretted never being able to show Accord just how much she appreciated her presence.

"Don't you think she's a pushover?" Y/n's ears perked at the sound of laughter from around the corner. "Yesterday she lent me like fifty bucks just because I asked!"

Y/n hated herself for indulging in hearing their blatant gossip. She was well aware of the things they would take advantage of from her. To them, she was nothing but a spoiled rich girl, one that they wouldn't mind asking for cash from. Y/n wasn't even sure why she couldn't even say no, though she guessed it to be an unconscious need to be liked by her so called 'friends'. Her back had gently pressed against the wall of the hall as she continued overhearing their conversation. 

"Eh? That's all you could get outta her?" A males voice had spoke, one Y/n hadn't recognized. "You would think she'd have more seeing as she's the daughter of a government official. Do you think her daddy is running out of money?"

"I wouldn't be surprised if he wasted it all on those escorts I heard he gets." Another voice added. "I guess her mom can't get the job done anymore!"

Y/n bit her lip at the sound of laughter ringing out from the group. She didn't mind too much when they had spoke about her like that, but she hated when they had brought her parents up. Unlike the times she had let it go, she wouldn't this time. Her fists had clenched in anger, her brows furrowed as her heartbeat quickened in anticipation. Today was the day she was going to stand up for herself no matter the consequence. Just as she was about to step out from behind the wall, another voice, one she hadn't expected, spoke.

"Is this what you all do after school?" The girl's voice had held the tone Y/n wished she carried more often, one filled with irritation and clear with confidence. "Sit on the stairs and gossip about someone who isn't here like elementary school children?"

"Oh, come on, new girl." A female voice had replied, groaning at Accord's words. "Don't tell me you actually feel sorry for her. The girl walks around like she's superior than the rest of us..."

Accord scoffed, her footsteps echoing in the hall as she walked down the stairs between them and making sure to hit them lightly with her feet on her way down. "Either you have the observational skills of a blind idiot, or you're just that caught up in your own shortcomings to notice that she doesn't prefer your presence either... In fact,"

Y/n's eyes had slightly widened as she felt fingers wrap around her hand, pulling her into their view. Accord had swiftly forced her to look at them, their faces plastered with an astonished expression. 

"Why don't you all say it to her face," Accord had tilted her head slightly as she had feigned curiosity. She let go of Y/n's hand, tapping her index finger against her chin. "Well, I guess it wouldn't be needed as she has already heard everything you had to say."

Y/n's lips had been turned down into a scowl as she gazed upon the three before her. "I don't care if you talk about me behind my back, just leave my parents out of it."

They all nodded, their eyes refusing to meet her own out of shame from being caught. She was mildly surprised that the situation hadn't escalated further than it did. Being assertive had never been her strongest suit, but she was glad to have at least made herself clear. Despite the fact that she had finally stood up for herself, she felt as if she owed it only to Accord who had dragged her into it. Without her, Y/n was sure that she'd probably never even step out from behind that wall.

"You should say what you feel more often." Accord said, her hand dropping from Y/n's shoulder. "You've been listening to them talk about you for months now and you've just barely confronted them on it..."

"I-" Y/n furrowed your brows before looking back down to the hall she and Accord walked. "I don't have much courage to do things like that. It's never been something that comes as easily to me as it does to you."

"Well, you better start working on that!" Accord laughed, walking before Y/n as she turned, her hands clasped behind her. "In the near future, you'll need courage in order to gain the happiest future you could imagine!"

"Why would I need courage for that?"

"Because the future you dream of, the one that includes all of the people you hold dear, will require a sacrifice you may not be willing to make. A sacrifice that wouldn't even include you in that wonderful future."

Y/n was left perplexed by her words. During the short time she had known her, Accord had always said things that confused Y/n and her obsession with what was to come had instilled an odd sense of fear. "Why would I sacrifice something of mine in order to achieve a future I wouldn't even be in?"

"Because you'd do anything for the people you love the most, right?"

Chapter Text

The time given to Y/n to process everything that had happened since her awakening hadn't been much. She was unaware of how dangerous the life she now led had been and even had found herself feeling uneasy when it was peaceful. When she agreed that day to be put to sleep, she never did once expect to wake to a future where mankind no longer existed, neither did she think the earth was going to be taken over by machines. The idea of androids had even been father from the realm of reality in her mind, yet she now hung out with them on a daily basis. They looked human, they acted like humans, but they were far from ever being one. Their flesh was cold compared to her and the strength they possessed could easily surpass that of the strongest human. That wasn't even mentioning their intelligence. 

In all honesty, she would even say they were far more capable than any regular human and she dreaded to think what would happen to them if mankind still existed. There hadn't been a doubt in her mind that they would have been used to fight in the many wars that humanity had involved themselves with. As if they weren't already heavily involved in a war that was pointless anyway. They might have believed humanity existed, but only she and the commander had known that wasn't true. She was the last, the only person left in the entire world.

Shortly after arriving back into the resistance camp, Devola and Popola had left her alone in the room she had now considered to be her second home. Y/n clutched the photo of herself in her hands, staring down at the message written for her on the back. She never thought herself as a sentimental person, yet she wished for nothing more than to reflect on her own past. Accord had stuck out the most among her reflecting of memories and a part of her wondered if Accord really was just that important to her. Just as Y/n were about to delve deeper into her own mind, her thoughts had been interrupted by the sound of the door opening.

She glanced up from the photo, her eyes meeting with the sight of 2B standing in the door's frame. She looked a bit stern, but Y/n had figured that was just how she normally looked and didn't bother even worrying if she had incurred 2B's wrath. Although she were here and nothing immediately stood out to Y/n as odd, she had still felt as if something were off and as she stared at 2B with a blank expression, she answered Y/n's unsaid question.

"9S went in for maintenance." She said, her arms crossing over her chest. "He's been out here a lot longer than I have and I doubt he's had it done in a while."

"I see." Y/n replied, her gaze falling back down to the picture in her hand.

2B sighed, her own attention being captured by the stained bandages that were wrapped around Y/n's arms. Even after she had rescued the girl and constant reassurances from both Y/n and 9S, she still felt as if the incident with Adam had been her fault. She was normally attentive towards Y/n and had always been cautious of the worst happening, yet the second she had let her guard down, Y/n was taken from right under her nose. She blamed herself for her carelessness and cursed her own inability to not have found Y/n sooner. She suffered enough in that little time 2B had spent panicking and she paid for it in the worst way possible. If 2B had been a second too late, Y/n would have been dead and a human's life would have been lost because of the androids incompetence.

"Does it still hurt?"

2B's voice had come suddenly, stirring Y/n from her thoughts. The girl glanced over towards her, watching as 2B slowly approached. Y/n shook her head as she tucked the photo under the pillow of her bed. She already knew what 2B was referring to and she could tell that the event with Adam had still deeply bothered the android. Y/n didn't blame 2B much for hanging onto her guilt as the girl knew it couldn't have been easy for her nor 9S to see the human in such a state. If anything, it might have meant that they had held the same affection for Y/n as she had for them.

"It does sometimes, but it's nothing I can't handle..." Y/n's hands glided over the bandages. "I try not to think about the pain too much, it doesn't change the fact of what happened."

Y/n glanced at 2B once more, seeing how obviously discomforted she was with her answer. Y/n didn't expect 2B to showcase her guilt as much as she was now. 2B was a relatively calm android and her ability to stay composed in even the most intense situations had gained Y/n's admiration. 

"You shouldn't blame yourself either. What Adam did to me was going to happen no matter if you were there to stop him or not." The girl assured. "I think it would have turned out worse for the both of us if you were there. He could have killed you, or 9S and I couldn't live with myself if he had. Please, don't go so hard on yourself. You're the strongest android I know and if you break, I don't think I could hold on much longer."

2B nodded, her mood lightening slightly. Y/n wasn't the best to come to for comfort, but she had only said what she felt. She appreciated all of the androids she had met over the few weeks since her awakening and to see them fretting over her so much had made her feel even more terrible about dragging them into such a situation. If Y/n truly had anyone to blame it would have been herself. If she had stuck more closely to Devola and Popola, she might have not even been abducted as easily as she was.

"You're the same for us too, Y/n. Don't think you're anything less than important to us"

The girl nodded at 2B's words, smiling lightly at her as Y/n lifted herself off the bed. She was grateful for 2B's words and in a way had felt they were the assurance she needed. The affirmation of affection had always been required for Y/n even when she lived with her parents in the old world. She constantly needed to know whether she was loved just as much as she had given and her parents had never really been the ones to satisfy that need. It wasn't as if they never said it all, they did, just only in rare times.

"2B, I l-"

"Command to 2B."

Y/n slightly jumped at the sudden voice emitting from 2B's pod, blushing a bit in embarrassment of what she was so close to blurting out. Averting her gaze from 2B, Y/n glanced over towards the image of the commander's face, her smile growing brighter as she threw the the commander a tiny wave.

"Good evening, Commander!"

"It's good to see you moving around, Y/n. Are your wounds healing nicely?"

Y/n nodded at her question. "They are! Sorry for worrying you."

"Commander," 2B's voice called for her attention. "When do you think that Y/n could be ready to leave for the Bunker? I don't believe it's safe for her here anymore."

The commander had fell silent for a few seconds, a thoughtful expression clouding her face as she thought. "After talking with the council, they've decided she should stay down on Earth with you and 9S until further notice. They've yet to reach a unanimous decision and so the safest option for her at the moment is to stay with you."

"But-"

"I know that you don't think that's true, but there isn't a possibility of her coming up here anytime soon." The commander's tone of voice held an authoritative inflection. 2B backed down from her argument, solemnly nodding her head. "Now, after analyzing the combat data you've sent us, we've discovered that the machine —codenamed Adam— was responsible for managing half of their entire network."

Y/n remembered hearing 2B tell her that she had killed Adam, but hearing it from the commander herself, had placed some reality in that statement. It wasn't as if Y/n didn't believe 2B could do it, she had seen the android kill hundreds of machines, but she had felt a fear of seeing him again even after knowing he was truly gone. The commanders words were more of a assurance for Y/n than the two could possibly imagine. It was foolish of her to even think that 2B would allow Adam to live after what state he left her in, but Y/n's fears were never rational.

"A disruption of this magnitude to their network should weaken the machines significantly." The commander finished.

"How's 9S?" Y/n asked, a smile still spread across her lips. 

"He's still undergoing some updates." She informed. "Assuming we don't run into any problems, we're planning on partnering him with 2B again, so rest easy."

Both Y/n and 2B were eased by this information. She had known maintenance wasn't exactly dangerous, but she had still worried for him and 2B without having a reason to. Besides, 9S's curious nature had always led him into trouble, so there was some justification for Y/n's concern.

"In the meantime, I have another mission for you." The commander continued. "I've mailed you the briefing, go ahead and take a look."

With a nod of her head, 2B affirmed the commander's instructions before the transmission between the two had closed. 2B turned to Y/n, her mouth turned up into a small smile. "Thank you, Y/n."

"For what? Earlier?" The girl flushed. "I'm not too good with comforting others, but I wanted you to know that I don't blame you."

"Well, it's exactly what I needed to hear."

"S-Shouldn't we see what the commander sent you?" 

Y/n was a bit flustered at the sudden gratitude 2B had shown her. It was obvious compared to their first meeting, that she had grown softer towards Y/n. It was nicer to see her not as serious as she usually was, but the change had been sudden and the girl's poor heart hadn't been ready for such a thing to happen. 

Y/n led the way towards the door, opening it so that the two could exit the dimly lit room. The sunlight had been a bit too bright for Y/n and her eyes had squinted in reaction to its harsh rays. 2B had walked out in front of her, making a beeline towards the transporter located near the room. Y/n remembered how she didn't even know what to call it before 9S had told her about them after their first encounter with Adam and Eve, it was refreshing to be more informed on android technology. Despite the state of the world, there still had been so many advancements in other areas. In the old world, Y/n would have never imagined a day where androids would walk alongside humans and now she lived in it.

"'Analyze current trends among machines?'...Huh." Y/n glanced over at 2B who seemed to be preoccupied with her thoughts. "Something tells me this is going to involve a lot of killing."

"Proposal: Procure information from the machine lifeform known as Pascal." 

"Oh, that's a good idea! I'm sure Pascal has to know something. I'm pretty sure he was apart of the machine network at one point." Y/n pointed out.

2B nodded. "I suppose he might know something."

Her pod had hovered in front of her, another transmission screen appearing as she called Pascal. It had only took seconds before his face had appeared in the small screen. 

"Pascal, can you hear me?"

"Oh, hello, 2B. Do you need something?"

2B glanced over at Y/n as the girl approached closer to her, peering over her shoulder. "I need to know if you seen any new trends or behaviors among the machines."

"New ...trends?" He hummed in thought. "Well, two days ago I was contacted by some machines that disconnected themselves from the network. They wanted to discuss a peace treaty."

2B scoffed. "No kidding."

"Apparently they're seeking to form an alliance of some kind with our village." Pascal explained, Y/n's curiosity in the odd machines grew with each word he spoke. She had a sudden urge to see these so called 'friendly' machines.

"If that's what they want, why don't they move in?"

"I believe they're working on building a colony of their own." He said.

"You don't say."

"Indeed. From what I heard, they're located in the abandoned factory." Pascal informed. "If you'd like I can give you the coordinates."

2B nodded her head. "Please, it would make things easier."

"I was actually planning on speaking to them myself, you know. Maybe we can meet up over there?"

"Sounds good."

"By the way, how's Y/n doing? Is she coming along?"

2B glanced over towards the said girl, watching as she clasped her hands together in a silent attempt to beg 2B into letting her go. There's nothing more that she wanted to do than to get her mind off the subject of her past and being around 2B would help her. 2B stared at Y/n for a moment longer as her silent pleads had gotten more desperate. Finally, the female android sighed.

"She's coming."

2B had quickly ended the transmission after she and Pascal had exchanged their goodbyes. She had spoiled you a bit too much, that was something Y/n had already known, but her insatiable need to stray away from the camp had outweighed any guilt she felt for 'persuading' 2B to agree to Y/n's request. 2B had also seemed to be aware of what she was doing and the sigh that followed up her last was probably directed more at herself for giving into Y/n so easily. The girl watched as 2B lowered herself on the ground, the androids back facing towards Y/n. She peered over her shoulder, beckoning Y/n closer.

"You already know what to do."

Chapter Text

It didn't take her long to notice that the machines demeanor had drastically changed from how they were before Adam's death. When she was out with Devola and Popola, the three had tried their best to avoid any of the hostile machines and were fairly successful, but with 2B that was a different story. She was far more aggressive than the twins, so she provoked more fights with machines that strayed a bit too close to the two. She didn't seem to mind fighting despite the fact that Y/n was on her back and instead it seemed as though she enjoyed the challenge. Y/n could feel the strength in each kick 2B delivered to the smaller machines and had even found herself feeling almost sorry for them. 

Unlike the many times before that she rode on 2B's back, the android hadn't ran at an inhuman speed with her. It was a pleasant walk, one that Y/n was sure she could have strolled herself, but 2B's insisting that she stay on her back was the only thing that kept her from doing so. 2B had still been worried about her reopening her wounds so she did her best to keep Y/n off her feet and out of danger. The girl was appreciative of 2B's concern over her, but the feeling of someone being that worried about her well-being had been odd. Y/n's parents never doted on her half as much as 2B did, not that she hated it. It just was something she needed to get used to because it didn't seem that 2B would stop anytime soon. Even her patience with Y/n seemed to be everlasting, but she assumed that was also due to the spoiling she'd provide the young girl with. What Y/n had truly expected was 2B's refusal of her begging and the order of staying cooped up in that room to heal properly, but instead she had given into Y/n a lot more easily than she had expected.

"Sorry, 2B I know that it's probably not a good idea for me to be going with you." 

"At least you know how much danger you're putting yourself in." Her words had incited another feeling of guilt. Y/n knew she must have finally noticed how much the machines had grown aggressive. "But it's not like I can blame you. You're curious about everything and I can't stop you from feeling that."

"So you're okay with me coming along?"

"Of course not. I wouldn't approve of anything that puts you in danger, but at least if I'm with you I can protect you." She said as she shifted the girl up her back. "With the other one running around, I don't want to leave you by yourself anymore."

Y/n assumed that 2B was talking about Eve. She didn't know whether he had blamed her for the death of his brother, and if he did she didn't want to imagine what he could do to her. What she did know was that she definitely wasn't going to survive the next encounter with him if he got her alone and away from 2B.

When she wasn't fighting, Y/n had actually enjoyed the peaceful walk. 2B wasn't much of a conversationalist and would only speak when spoken to. Y/n was the same in that regard and because of that she had often found herself being lulled to sleep by the sound of silence. If it weren't for 2B's gentle taps against the underside of her leg, she wouldn't have even bothered with staying awake. Y/n wasn't at all upset with 2B keeping her up as she knew the android must have only done it to keep her alert. Out in the field she was never sure of what was going to happen and so it was better if she had been awake and prepared for the worst. If 2B needed her to get off her back, Y/n couldn't afford being caught asleep. 

"I'm going to have to jump up, so hang on tight."

Y/n nodded, her arms tightening around 2B's neck as she clutched her hands securely around Y/n's legs. The young girl slightly gasped at 2B's sudden movements and had glanced over the android's shoulder to see that there was still another jump left to go. Thankfully the jumps weren't as terrible as the one she had experienced on the way to the caverns. That drop had still haunted her and thinking about it only made her stomach twist. 2B had given Y/n another word of warning before making the second jump onto the broken highway and she was thankful she had.

Unlike how it had been in the fields before the highway, there had only been a few machines in their way. Most of them had been the smaller kind, so they hadn't given 2B as much trouble as the larger bipeds had. With them, 2B had made sure to carefully maneuver around them to avoid getting hit by two bipeds. Their attacks had massive amounts of strength behind them and from the sight of the cracked asphalt caused from their attempted attacks on 2B, Y/n had understood why the android had paid special attention to them. If 2B had made any mistakes, no matter how small, it could mean the end for you.

"Hang on tight, Y/n."

The young girl heeded 2B's words and tightened her grip on her own arms. Y/n had half expected 2B to return an attack against the two bipeds, but instead she had done the opposite. She had ran away from them. The sound of her heels clacking against the asphalt of the old highway had been the only thing you could hear. She hadn't gone at an extremely fast pace, but it was faster than the speed 2B used only moments before the fighting began. Oddly enough, the bipeds had only followed after 2B for a moment or two before completely losing interest. It was almost laughable at how one moment the machines are desperate to harm both 2B and Y/n as well and the next, they seem as if they couldn't care less about them.

"Well, that was anticlimactic." Y/n mumbled as 2B slowed to a walk. "I thought they'd put up more of a fight..."

"Just be glad that they won't be causing us any problems." 2B replied. "So, stop complaining."

Y/n sighed at her words, saying nothing in response as she lied her head against 2B's back. The abandoned factory had not lied much farther from the broken highway. Y/n could see parts of the silos sticking up over the trees and the distinct smell of smoke had given her the notice of she and 2B's approach towards the place Pascal had awaited them. 2B's hold on Y/n had tightened as she skipped up the steps leading to the entrance of the factory. Along with the noise the factory would make, there had also been the sound of waves. Y/n hadn't seen the ocean since she was young, despite living somewhat close to it. It had been one of the many things she had thought to see at a later time with her parents, yet the day had never came and soon enough Y/n was taking her 9,000 year long nap. Just as 2B had set foot onto the concrete of the large lot that acted as the entrance for the factory, Y/n spoke. 

"2B," The girl called, causing the android to stop in her tracks and hum in response. "can you let me down? I want to see something."

2B glanced around, looking for anything that could prove to be a danger to the younger girl. When she had saw nothing in sight other than the many steel boxes and debris that littered the lot, she had lowered herself on the ground and allowed Y/n free. The girl had practically hopped off of 2B's back and before the android could even give her word of warning to be careful, Y/n had made her way towards the sound of crashing waves. Murky ocean water had spread out in front of her and ran under the broken bridge she and 2B had stood on. In the distance, she could hear the sound of seagulls and the noise which could have once bothered her had now given her an odd sense of comfort.

"Do you like the ocean?"

Y/n glanced back at 2B's approaching figure, a smile on her face as she nodded. "I do. I just wished I went more back then, but it's better than never going at all, right?"

2B had silently joined the girl's side. She couldn't find it in herself to relate to the feelings Y/n had towards the ocean that expanded before the two. Y/n had felt somewhat saddened by the sight before her, she had never seen the ocean so devoid of color. The smoke that rose from the factory had done a well enough job of covering the sun's bright rays from ever reaching the waters below. Back when Y/n had still lived in her own time, the ocean had been brighter, much more bluer than the now greyish water. Still, even in its current state it retained its salty smell and the same sound of calming waves Y/n had sorely missed. It was not beach, but it was close enough.

"When I was really young, my parents had once taken me to a beach. I don't remember much of it, but I do remember the sound of waves and since then I've always wanted to revisit the ocean." Y/n smiled as she continued watching the water below the bridge passby in an almost rhythmic motion. Her fingers had mindlessly played with her necklace as she had reflected back on the past. 

"What was stopping you?"

Y/n glanced at 2B, somewhat unable to formulate an answer. She wasn't even sure why she never went by herself. It wasn't like she had to have one of her parents take her, she could have easily asked one of the many family drivers to drive her there, yet she never did. 

Shrugging at 2B's question, Y/n sighed. "I don't know. I guess I always thought I could go some other time, until I realized I didn't have much time to work with anymore."

2B had felt slightly concerned over the human girl's sudden somber tone and a part of her had wished she could say something to comfort her, but she knew there couldn't be much done. Y/n had missed a world that she had grew up in and cherished. The world now was something that had looked like her old world, but it was far from being anything close to it. All 2B could think to do was promise something that she would be sure to fulfill in the future when it was safer.

"Once this is all over, I'll take you to the beach."

Y/n raised a brow at 2B's statement, an excited smile curving onto her lips. "Just you and me?"

"It could be..." She smiled. "Or maybe we should invite others."

"Oh! Popola and Devola would love the beach!" Y/n suggested, following alongside 2B as the two turned their backs to the ocean and continued up towards the entrance of the factory. "We should probably take 9S along too, so that way he doesn't feel left out..."

2B slightly winced at the proposition of 9S coming along with them, knowing exactly the fate she and him were doomed to. Nevertheless, 2B hestantly nodded along with Y/n's suggestion. "...He'd like that."