Chapter Text
Terra can't help it.
It's weird looking, always floating, making this buzzing sound and well, it seems intelligent. Like Mi-A? That's why she is having a conversation with the crab drone just out at the plain field in Astra.
"So you know how the Cocoa Pine drink is really good?"
Oh! And she's also at the moment following the drone- flying back to wherever it wants to. Terra knows, as she mentally groans to herself- stranger danger. Even if it happens to be a crabby drone. Don't follow a weird-ass drone that just stares at you until you follow them and all.
But, in Terra's personal defense, after passing through the same place a few times, the Wanderer can't help but be curious. Who on earth will create this ugly- she meant, 'unique' looking crab robot thingy? And when she asks,
"You... want me to follow you?"
The drone simply turns around, as if making the nudge for her to follow it.
It will be fine. She is strong after all.
And that's how she first met Jelle.
After following the drone for quite a while, they met a guy with dirty blond hair. His face seems to lighten up when the drone flew toward him. And with a swift movement, he held up a device that was immediately stored in the drone's back. He welcomes her with a smile as he says,
"It looks like the guidance function is working smoothly. I developed this virtual guidance myself, but! It still needs some debugging. Even so, it manages to lead you over to me just fine! I want to expand its application even more someday so that it can help more people"
Terra, who was bombarded with his project blinked her eyes in surprise. The guy then grin sheepishly when he held out his hand.
"Sorry, I got too excited just now. My name is Jelle, it's nice meeting you"
Terra smiled back.
"No worries. Call me Terra, I was curious about this crabby bot so I followed it. it seems to smoothly guide me to a safe location while avoiding the camp and aberrants. It's really awesome!"
Jelle beams his excitement.
"That's great! I'm still gathering the topography data for other regions but it should be completed soon. Oh, also, it's called Healbot crab"
Terra nodded.
"Healbot crab. Noted, if I ever saw it again, I will follow it then."
"Alright! Hopefully, we will see each other again soon!"
::~☆O☆~::
Terra is in a pinched. She needs to get to the Black market soon. But she is now stuck. She was sneaking around the area, right past the Banges Tech gate that leads to Bennar's corridor. However, from her quick scouting, she notices litters of Hyena's camp around the pathway. And just pass it will be the Black market. It was so close yet so far and Terra can't help but grumble at this predicament.
'Go through the Bennar's corridor they say. It will be a shortcut they say. A shortcut to her death is what is'
Sure, while Terra is strong, at her current level, facing over a few scouts of Hyena's with elites rank and commander rank among them is suicidal. But she is still pressed for time. All she needs to find a place she could climb or parkour her way while avoiding all of them.
Terra decided to look around again, perhaps to get some general idea to pass through when a familiar crab float not far from her. Terra's face immediately lighten up with joy as she chased the Healbot crab and give a short greeting.
"Hey, there crabby crab. You're probably the drone for this area right? Lead the way then!"
The drone only replies with its constant buzzing before slowly floating away, guiding Terra through terrain just behind the corridor. A bit of parkour here and there but nothing to hard. Then, just passing by the last camp, she saw him again.
She cheers.
"We meet again! How's it going?"
Silence. Terra's smiles falter albeit so slightly. Was there any problem? She just observed as the crab disappear again using the device he held- though his face remains emotionless. Perhaps just registering her presence, he just nodded.
"Hello, I never thought you could see me, and thank you for looking out for my drone."
"I... why are you acting so unfamiliar? Haven't we met before, and had this long-ass conversation just recently in Astra?" Terra questioned, her gaze unwavering as she faced him, with eyes blazed with question and curiosity. The guy tilted his head.
"We have..?"
"Yeah, your name is Jelle right?"
Then, his eyes light flicker at the mention of Jelle before it returns to emotionless again. He shook his head as he reply.
"Then you've got the wrong person. I'm his older brother - Reid. It's nice meeting you"
"Oh- oH! Ah, I'm so sorry, it's just that you both look so similar and...I was excited to see that Healbot crab flying here, thinking you already expand your reach to banges now."
Jelle clone- or perhaps Reid now just nodded his head as he explained.
"It's fine, people mistook us before as we look so similar to each other. You don't have to worry. Also, here's a black nucleus as thanks. Do continue helping my brother if you ever could."
"I see...I mean, sure, I will if I ever saw another one. It was fun after all and.."
As Terra tried to get her head around the matter, while simultaneously curious as to the existence of a brother that was not mentioned before, her comms beeped. She snapped out of her daze as she glazed through the message. Remembering her mission, she immediately takes off to the Black market.
"Nice meeting you Reid! Thanks for the guide and hope to see you again someday! Bye!"
She run off, leaving behind the guy as he stared into the distance and whispered to himself.
"...if we meet again."
::~☆O☆~::
At the Crown, midday. Terra has just delivered a Fiddlehead pie to a strange scientist hiding in the Fiendish swamp. After getting the token needed to activate the machine and blast open some crystal mine, she decided to take a stroll. Perhaps hunt down some of the apex predators and collect the loots to retrieve rewards from the local Bounty mission. it was then that she was met with a familiar sight again.
Another healbot!
The Healbot was on of the ledge just on top of her. Terra decided to stretch herself for a bit before making the jump, and promptly reach the cliff where the healbot was. She gently pats the drone as she says.
"Heyya buddy, lead the way!"
Then as per usual routine, it floats, guiding her through the safest path as she promptly reaches Area 4, where a familiar guy was waiting. He excitedly waved his hand towards her before promptly storing his drone.
"Yes, another success! It's great to see you again, Terra"
"Yep, nice to meet you again. I've just delivered a fiddlehead pie to old man Stock that's living by the fiendish swamp. That's when I saw your drone. by the way, how's the progress so far?"
"Well, have covered quite the map. This is the last one for the crown region. Then I can assimilate the data and perhaps release them soon"
Terra nodded. This is indeed good news. She is happy for him- or them. There are 2 people working on this project after all. Crossing off the main area, she asked,
"Nice, so you will head to warren next?"
Suddenly, at the mention of warren, his face shadowed for a bit. Terra noticed and immediately worried if she has accidentally touched a sore spot. He raised his hand, trying to placate her panic before he hesitantly add.
"Well, Warren is a little... difficult. of course, I will still do it. but just by myself is going to take time and I ..."
"Wait? by yourself? don't you have a twin and he is helping you too?"
His face morphs into shock and confusion.
"H-how did you know about him? I never tell you about."
Terra puzzled. Why does Jelle look so shocked? She tried to explain.
"What? Oh yes, you didn't tell me. Jeez, and I only know that you guys were twins from him y'know. Reid says that he is your brother, your twin."
Jelle then turned red, slightly angered as he shout.
"You're lying! There's no way you can meet him"
Terra does not take kindly to people who shout at her, especially calling her a liar when she tells the truth. She shouted back.
"Why are you like this? I'm not?? I literally met him in Banges last week! He helps me go through Bennar's corridor to get to the Black market. Why will I lie about that? I even know his name for god sake!"
"There's no way-" he replied weakly, as he sat down, seemingly tired. His face in his palm, his hand shaking. Terra let up her anger as she noticed that there was probably more to this matter. She soften her voice and asked,
"What's wrong?"
Jelle looked up and stared at her. He replied.
"It's just that.. he is, dead."
Heart drops.
"No, I just, I talked to him. And he, I mean..."
She gulped back her words. Those weird things he says, she recalls. It all makes sense if he's... dead.
Silence.
"I'm sorry, Jelle. I really didn't know..."
He sighs, "No, it's fine. I... have not told anyone about this after all. I guess I will tell you a bit about ourselves- seeming that you can contact him, for whatever reason."
As long as I could remember, we only have... had each other. Surviving a world with Aberrant, death, and pain is a constant presence. It was difficult- as you know. Especially more so for orphans that move around from place to place, seeking refuge in whichever camp that willing to take them in. But my brother was different. Rather than being drowned in despair, he thinks of ways to help people, to improve the life we are in.
The Healbot project- This project was pioneered by my brother. I remember it was when there was an increase in the number of missing people, never to be found again. Funded by Hykros, he set out to start his project, aiming to garner as much data as he could to help with the creation of the drone. it was never easy and it requires him to go down the field more often. It was during one of these field surveys when the incident happen.
It should be easy and quick. Scouting, release, and wait for it to hover back. But, by then, heirs of Aida have already occupied part of the region- including the main Omnium tower. Hykros was not alerted by their movement due to a lack of personnel sent there. Even more, the information was hidden by the mole among their ranks*. He was caught by them, suspected of spying on them. But he managed to run away, hiding. He then tried to find a way back against the blizzard to the main Warren camp.
And was never heard from again.
The dispatched personnel from the Warren camp traced his last signal. They said the only remains they found were his suppressor, broken.
"And so I took his mantle and continue this project- so that no one will be lost again. So that his legacy remains- and maybe secretly I hope, the Healbot will guide my brother back home..."
He looks away, throwing his gaze down the canyon by Area 4. It was deep, complicated, and dark. She placed her hand on her shoulder, giving him a reassuring grip.
"I bet he's proud of you. During that time, he sounds really proud when talking about you even though he was apathetic over everything else. And, I can help you."
"You?"
"I'm an inspector from Hykros, and well, I am pretty strong if you ever need anymore help or data, just call me."
"Its a promise then"
"Sure"