Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

    It had started small. At least, from what she remembers.

    After the incident in central Tokyo, things... Went badly. To say the least of it. Panic was saturated in the air, even after the massive explosion. After the terrible song that had filled the air, quietened. Hideki had been worried- terrified- and Sumomo nearly inconsolable from her panic. (Kotoko took up the job of trying to console her, though worried and confused, herself.) Ms. Hibiya- Chii's mother- had acted equally odd, requesting some odds and ends from Hideki before disappearing. A blood sample among them. She would not explain why.

   Even just a week after such a terrible event, things did not get better. Hideki had to get more food eventually, after all. He was also worried for his friends. For Ms. Hibiya. Ever the kind, selfless man, he had told Chii, Sumomo, and Kotoko to stay behind. He'd go out on his own to check up on everyone, as well as get groceries. Chii still remembered the haunted look in his eyes; a look that only sweetened when his hand cradled her cheek. Her hand pressing over his, able to easily pick up on his worries.

   "I'll be okay," he reassured. "But if I don't come back by tomorrow... You can look for me, okay? Just be careful." Chii had agreed, not realizing the full extent of what had happened.

Not realizing what letting him leave out that door meant.

   ...He was not back the next day. Or any day after that.

   Chii, true to his word and her need to find him, had gone searching in the early afternoon of the next day. Every day after that, as well. Sleeping restlessly, only able to keep going because of Sumomo and Kotoko. They were both horribly worried, and things continued to get worse outside of their home. Between the disappearance of humans, the growing population of unconscious persocoms... Tokyo looked far different than Chii remembered. In fact, it had started to look...scary. But she refused to not keep looking for Hideki. Every day that she was able to.

   Even as years passed and things got ever-worse, Chii went out to look for him. Noticing with growing dismay that so many of her dearly beloved friends were missing. Yuzuki had fallen to inoperation, so deep was her depression at the loss of Minoru. Chii found Yumi's phone persocom laying on the ground in the alleyway next to Yorokonde.

   It meant...something, but she couldn't really process it all very well. Not without help...and that is where the straw that broke the camel's back came into play.

   There is only so much a single, fairly uneducated persocom can do for her fellow persocoms. As the years wore by, Sumomo and Kotoko couldn't keep up operations...much less their motor functions. Something about the world as it was now made it difficult for them to thrive... Or maybe it was their bodies needing tune-ups? Chii didn't know. All she did know was that they eventually powered off, eyes falling shut as if to sleep. Chii couldn't handle the thought they might be offline forever, choosing instead to box them in the one plastic box Hideki had put his newfound funds into. (He had been so proud of it...) It held a few extra sheets and so she rolled one up to serve as a pillow, the upper sheet being used as a blanket. And so, they were gently placed to sleep in the closet. Together.

   Chii couldn't stand being alone. She tried, she tried to push on so she could find Hideki, tried to find it in herself to go it alone and find what was missing...but doing it alone was too much for her heart to bare. Unable to cope with the idea that she may just be horribly alone, with no people or Them in this city at all...

   So she used the one, final gift her mother-creator had left her.

   Down in the office-lab Hibiya had used to keep an eye on things was a new installation: a pod in the corner of the room. Ms. Hibiya, gently petting Chii's hair, had told her of its functions. It would keep her well-powered for as long as needed. The building- used to hoarding power and with a strong backup generator- would instead channel power to this pod once used; it would keep her safe for, hopefully, a very long time. Long enough that it should serve as a way for someone to find her and rescue her when the time came. So if need be...it was here. For Chii's use alone.

   How unfortunate that she needed it...

   Setting it up wasn't hard; just a button here, button there to pop open the hatch with a hiss, watching the doors push forward and rise to the sides to allow the persocom enter. Once her weight was registered and settled in, the doors closed automatically. The building powered down with a low hum, diverting everything to that airtight pod Chii started falling asleep in. Here... She would be safe. Here, she might be found again, by the people who needed her most. By the people...she needed most.

   To that thought, she blacked out.

11945

   Between missions, 2B had started taking some time to collect things. Not out of any sort of side mission or interest in such things...but because her weapons could use the upgrade, and she might as well get that done before stepping any deeper into the current problems she was dealing with. Machines are getting easy, at this point. But things would be a lot easier if her weapons got the boost needed from collecting whatever items she was told were needed for her gear. (In short? Some of them made sense, but picking up a machine leg... Well.)

   A soft, quiet sigh, adding it to her collection and turning to move... Only to notice 9S seemed somewhat distracted.

   "Focus on the mission, 9S." She hoped that would've been enough to get him back onto task, but his lips frowned a little deeper.

   "I know, I know, it's just... I think I'm picking something up on my scanners. Pod?" Both androids glanced at Pod-153, 2B unable to deny a slight interest in what they could have potentially found. The Pod whirs for a moment, seeming to check for itself...

   "Signal located," it chimes, 9S perking up noticeably. "There is an old-world signal northeast to our current location." He turned to face 2B, an undeniable look of eager excitement on his face...and she nodded, granting her silent permission to chase the lead down. In a rare turn of events, following 9S and his Pod through the city, to where skyscrapers were less common, but the signal grew ever stronger. Right to a crumbled, but decently well-held together building, entering through a collapsed wall on the right. Just neighboring what was likely the entrance...

   2B armed up, cautious, but 9S seemed determined to shove his nose into everything, wandering out into the hall and down, following whatever beacon had alerted him to come here to begin with.

   "I wonder-" 9S started, before being almost immediately cut off by Pod-153. "Signal is beneath us. We will have to head below ground to continue."

   "Below ground...?" 9S looked around at the floor, 2B giving it a hardy stare...but nothing popped out. No enemies to carve through, no greater problem to face... What now? She warily tried to figure out what was going on, nearly missing 9S peek into a room nearby. "Oh, here! It's in here!"

   What had once been a lived-in room was now a certified mess. Ancient tatami mats broken and messy... However, it meant they exposed the concrete floor below, and the room just a foot or so below that.

   "Humans sure are interesting," 9S noted, hopping down and in. 2B frowned, but otherwise followed after with a silently growing curiosity. This was a housing unit, right? One of the few solo ones in what was likely a residential district...or so reports said. What in the world was a whole lab doing down here then? Or...whatever this room was; certainly had a lot more screens than they've ever seen before in a human-owned home.

   As her eyes took in the view, she eventually noted what 9S and Pod-153 must have noted earlier: a large container off to the side, hard to miss, but sitting in a corner so dark that one would be forgiven for missing it on a first glance. The only thing that made it eye-catching was the tiny glow of lights on the hull and- when the light hit it right- the shine it cast on a domed viewport. Inside, lay what seemed to be an android not unlike them...but far older, and dormant.

   2B stepped closer, quietly staring at her as 9S further explored the room. She didn't seem damaged at all, at least, from here. There were some form of ears on each side of her head, barely hidden by the long strands of platinum-blonde hair that framed her delicate face and moved down and out of sight from the viewport. And her outfit... From what era was that?

   "Seems like she's the only one here," 9S mused, walking back to 2B's side, head tilting as he stared at the android within the capsule. "Even the electricity of the building sources back to here. Seems like whoever left her here, they made sure this android would be safe."

   "Correction: the being within the capsule is not a modern android," corrected Pod-153. "This robot is an older form of android, known as a persocom."

   "A persocom...?" 9S hummed, head tilting the other way. "That...makes her extremely old, doesn't it? I wonder if she's met humans, then..." With a nod to himself, 9S straightened up, seeming determined. "Alright, then. I'm going to open it."

   ...And yet, he paused for a good moment, slowly turning to look at 2B. What was he waiting for...? 2B glanced his way.

   "What?"

   "You're not going to stop me or anything?"

   "I don't see a reason why not," she hummed, doing her best to squash down any personal interest slowly bubbling in her chest. If this worked out... "If things go bad, I'm here. If things go well, this will be an interesting report for you. Right?"

   9S seemed to not believe his own ears. "Y-Yeah!"

   "So open it already." With a casual shrug from 2B, he quickly sent to work hacking away at the processes keeping the persocom protected and at sleep. It took...a surprisingly long moment to do, 2B even humming softly to herself in thought. What a firewall, huh...? Guess this persocom must've been pretty important to someone, at some time. Gotta wonder what kind of person they were. What happened to them, and if-

   9S sucked in a breath, but didn't seem hurt, assuring that he'd likely gotten the job done. Not a second after the thought was processed, the capsule whirred to life, room momentarily lighting up blue before power centralized fully on the pod. Air hissed out in visible steam, the gears creaking and groaning as it opened up, but otherwise held up quite well, all things considered. It exposed the persocom to the world for the first time in who knows how many years...

   And even 2B felt a tad breathless as the distinct sound of a computer booting up sounded in the room- now quiet with the capsule wide open- and her eyes fluttered open. Dark eyes that were brown as the light hit them, looking first to 2B...and then around the room, barely seeming to process that she wasn't waking up alone. The more she took in, the more awake and aware she seemed to be, eventually stepping out of the pod entirely.

   She was...really dressed in an interesting way, huh? Frills and a puffy skirt with-

   "Ow..." 2B's head turned sharply to the side, noting 9S rubbing his head.

   "What happened?"

   "I...I tried to scan her, but something's up. I couldn't get a clear read." He shook his head, giving an oddly shuddering sigh, and straightened up. "From the best of my ability she seems...fine, though. Are you...?" The persocom suddenly seemed to remember them in that moment, turning and refocusing on the two androids in the room. She then proceeded to say the word that would set the tone for the rest of their adventures together...

   "...chi?" She tilted her head, blinking in confusion.

   "Oh boy," 9S muttered, the both of them suddenly wondering what they just stumbled into.

Chapter Text

     "That's...odd. Her speech is off, but... I swear she seemed alright? Maybe I missed something. If I scan her again, perhaps-"

     "Don't hurt yourself," 2B snapped, arms crossing. "Something about her messed with your scanner the first time. Maybe it's for the best that you don't try again." It was sound enough logic, but 9S still frowned at the idea. Certainly another scan couldn't hurt their chances to ensure she was- officially- fully functional--

     "Scan complete," Pod-153 reported, having completed a scan of its own, much to 9S' open, shocked dismay. (So he couldn't scan her, but his Pod got away with it? Somehow?!) "No obvious malfunctions detected. Android is in optimal condition."

     That seemed to catch the persocom's attention, head tilting up towards the Pod. "Chii is not an android," she corrected, in a soft tone. "Chii is a Chobit- a persocom."

     The two stood there a moment in stunned silence, Chii moving forward- once again ignoring the other two androids in the room- to stand closer to Pod-153. Reaching up cautiously to try and grab the arms with her fingers. Delicately and with much caution, attempting to satisfy her own curiosity of what she was currently looking at. It was then 9S remembered there was much to discuss and no time to waste, shaking his head.

     "Oh, uh... A persocom, huh?" A pause. "Wait, a persocom?! Those are most certainly from...the last days of humanity on Earth!" Or something like that? The timeline was blurry, but record still held that persocoms were a close companion of humans thousands of years in the past. Helpers of their daily lives, and even romantic or familial companions to some others. It had been something 9S had studied eagerly when he first found out...but given how little data was given- lost over the years- and how new data was hard to come by, he had eventually outgrown the topic, to put it one way. To meet one now...! 

     "I've never heard of a Chobit, though... Pod, run a full-access search for me? Using "Chobits" as a keyword." A quick, "Acknowledged," was given, but from there... What did that mean? Persocoms already had so little data on them, but whatever a Chobit was... This was definitely going to give him new data to study for years to come!

      "Chii wants to know...what the year is," she said suddenly, turning to the androids. Once again, that dreamy face turned laser-focused on those around her, eyes glancing unsurely between 2B and 9S. The two even slyly exchanged a look of their own, uncertain. "Chii knows it is approximately 1:36 PM, but not what the date is anymore."

     "Well, about that... The year is 11945." She's an older model, right? So for her, what year would she have? 9S couldn't help but inch a little closer out of curiosity as her eyes moved off of him, processors running as she took in the information he gave.

     "Chii has been asleep...a long time," she mused softly, hands falling to her sides. Suddenly, her mother's lab looking this way made sense. The way things were so broken and dusty made sense. It was all because... "The last date Chii has saved is from 2006." She had been awake a short time longer, but self-maintenance and updates had stopped at some point during her ever-growing depression. However, an internal, sad reverie missed out on 9S' reaction, mouth falling open in shock as he immediately began crunching numbers at a breakneck pace.

     "2006?! That's almost 10,000 years!" His delight was unmistakable, despite the constant reminder to control his emotions... Although to be fair, 2B could hardly contain her surprise, either. To have lived amongst humans, huh? "Then you were made by humans! Lived among them, right?"

     "That is right." Chii nodded, though still seemed quite uncertain and perhaps uncomfortable with the situation...? "Chii lived here- in Gabu Jougasaki- with Ms. Hibiya and Hideki. Ms. Hibiya helped make Chii a long time ago, to be Hibiya's daughter. Chii even had an older sister. Chii's sister is long gone, but Chii still got to live near Ms. Hibiya, since Ms. Hibiya owned Gabu Jougasaki. Hideki...found Chii. Lived here with friends. Made new memories.

     "But then, an explosion happened. Hideki had to leave to get groceries, and try to help other people. Chii...never saw Hideki again. Even though Chii looked for Hideki every day." Her gaze moved back to the pod in the room, the air now thicker with sadness than it had been before. History comes with a caveat, after all. "Hideki not coming back... Chii didn't know what else to do. Ms. Hibiya made that pod for Chii to go into, so Chii could be safe and wait. So Chii did. Waiting for someone to find Chii..."

     Her gaze fell to the floor, both androids silent; feeling her pain as if it was their own. Nine thousand years ago, Chii had lived here among humans. Obviously had a close relationship to one of them, as well as a familial relationship to another. And yet... She awoke to a world without any of them, much less any human at all. Those who had survived long since left for the moon and who knows what could be done about that. (Aside from entirely nothing. It was a pointless endeavor, anyways.)

     "O-Oh... I'm sorry to hear that," 9S spoke up, voice gentle. "I... I don't know, but if it helps any... 2B and I have lost quite a lot, too..." He floundered for something more to say, then his mouth dropped open, eyes wide under his bandana as he gasped softly. "Oh-! Our names! I never told you our names! Geez, what a backwards way to-! A-Anyways, I'm 9S. This is 2B. There's also our Pods; mine is designation 153, while 2B has Pod-042."

     Chii's eyes followed each wave of his hand, processors running noticeably as she registered the information. It was odd to think that this was their origin point, as far as "servants of humanity" went. Hearing her register information so loudly, the ears alongside her head that defined her as separate from humans... Yet, in the same breath, it was so exciting to have someone like that around. Unlike the whole of YoRHA, she knew what it was like to be around humans; lived alongside them, during the era where they lived on this planet. There was so much to learn from her...! He ever-so-greedily wanted every last drop of information she had to give!

     "It is a pleasure to meet you, 2B, Pod-042, 9S and Pod-153." There was a lot of greeting bows to be had, but it truly only enhanced the experience for 9S. Old-fashioned greetings, too! But no, he really had to try to not get too distracted. There were (slightly) more important things to do, here. For example...

     "Same here. But I guess that leads into what I meant to ask to begin with... You could travel with us, if you'd like. Since there's not...much here..." That kinda felt terrible to say. It was a little terrible, right? She just lost a whole lot being woken up like this- in this time- but since there really wasn't a lot she could do here...it would be better to come with them, right? Instead of hiding out in here, where machines could possibly find her... And what if they were mean machines!! That would be even worse!

     Suddenly remembering there was another party to consider, 9S turned to 2B hurriedly, eyes widening slightly under his blindfold. "Th-That is, if you're okay with it 2-"

     "It's fine," she said shortly. Right to the point, as always. It was a surprise, to be sure, but a welcome one; to be able to pick at Chii's mind and learn more of the rich history of humans...! It'd be invaluable data, without a doubt. 9S nodded, a small smile rising up on his lips.

     "Well... There you have it. If there's a way we can help out, we'd want to do it. Right, 2B?" She only gave a grunt, that time, but Chii once more seemed to remember something in their words, eyes lighting up.

     "Chii...has friends that need help. Chii's friends need help!" And without a word more, she raced past the androids with unexpected speed, taking the first few, remaining steps on kitten heels before hopping up to the ground floor with unnatural ease, and continuing on her way without pause. 2B sighed, but equally left without a word; she didn't need to be a Scanner to see Chii wasn't combat-capable. Leaving her to her own devices, especially without a thorough check of this building... Might as well not risk it. That left 9S in the dust, giving a sideways glance to his Pod, before hurrying after 2B.

     No results to report about yet, huh... Whatever a Chobit is, it's either something lost to time or otherwise deeply buried. Something that only makes his curiosity burn all the brighter, despite the struggles ahead.

     Four flights of stairs later, and he spots 2B standing in a doorway down the right hall, second from the last. Catching up to the duo, 2B casting him a glance as Chii- from within the room- opened up a dirty, bent door into a- Oh! It's a closet! The inner wall had seemingly collapsed with most of the room next door, but despite that, most of the things within were still intact. Likely sitting in about the same place as they were left, if elements had been kind. 9S was able to spot a dirty (potentially useable) blanket or two, a rotted, cardboard box, and what appeared to be a sneak peek of a folded up futon...? Wonder if that's useable...

     Chii ignored all those things, instead pulling out a solitary, plastic box from the floor level. Firstly checking it over for any signs of damage- of which there wasn't any, aside from plenty of dust and debris- and then popping the lid open to check inside. A small, relieved smile showed on her face, carefully closing it back up. Scans showed...two smaller persocoms within the box? So... Were those the aforementioned friends, then?

     "Sumomo and Kotoko are in here," Chii announced, grabbing the sides and lifting the box up, as if to show 2B and 9S the proof of her words. "Sumomo and Kotoko could not function for as long as Chii did... So Chii kept them safe in Hideki's box. 2B and 9S...can help Sumomo and Kotoko?"

     "Well, we can't, but we know some people who just might be able to," 9S mused, openly surveying the rest of the room while he spoke. Chii had booked it up here without a second thought, right? So... Had she lived here or in the room downstairs? Granted, she mentioned a "Ms. Hibiya" a lot- her mother figure/creator- so that must've been her room, right? Did Hideki live here, then? Had Chii lived with him? (The thought has a certain feeling wiggling in his body... Can't tell what it is, though. Excitement? Envy? Emotions can occasionally be hard to parse through.) "Y'know, these rooms... They're kind of like our rooms on the bunker, huh, 2B?"

     "I suppose," was her short, clipped response, but... Her eyes silently took in the room, wondering what it must've looked like in their heyday. Though 9S was probably right- perhaps a little smaller than the bunker's rooms- it wasn't much the same at all, either. The closet off to the side, a broken television, that wide window...a kitchenette near the front door; this room seems like it would've been far more cozy than their rooms were. Homey, was the word.

     Not that she'd announce such thoughts.

     "Anyways, we'd want to head to the Resistance Camp," 9S continued, head turning back towards Chii. "That's where the people are who can help your friends." The persocom perked up once more, nodding hard enough to send her hair flopping around her body like large wings about to take off.

     "Chii will follow 9S and 2B to the Resistance Camp," she parroted, smiling happily. It seemed like a settled deal, 2B stepping back as 9S returned to her, both staring to leave the room, when... "Chii... Chii can also help?" Once they turned around again, she continued, "9S is studying humans? Chii used to live here with Hideki, Sumomo, and Kotoko. Chii knows about Gabu Jougasaki Apartments best, but maybe...Chii can also help 9S learn about humans?"

     Were it possible, 9S would likely feel his throat fill up with hefty emotion, overwhelmed at the idea of learning about humanity directly from a source who'd personally lived among them. And while his android senses couldn't recreate such a feeling, the rush of heightened emotions that flooded his systems at the offer was a fair replacement. He couldn't stop the awed, hopeful smile on his face if he had put actual effort into it. "Y-Yes! I... Wow, I really appreciate that, Chii! Ah, but first... Resistance Camp!"

     Something had to keep his head on straight, and thankfully, their current objective served such a purpose. Honestly, 2B could be a little proud of him for that, watching him hurry ahead while waiting for Chii to exit the room. Once she had gotten close, 2B nudged her, looking over with a tilted head.

     "You'll be safe with us. Just keep close, Chii." After receiving an understanding nod, 2B headed out, making sure to keep Chii close as they both left the apartment building shortly after 9S. He might have his wires frying off right now, but Chii was also carrying a box with more important, potentially helpful persocoms with her... Given that she hadn't proven herself to be fully there, it seemed for the better that 2B would allow herself some wiggle room to be protective.

     All that leaves now...is to get to the Resistance Camp. Everything else can be figured out after the fact. And that's a damned good start.