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After days of clear blue skies, grey clouds are beginning to close in. The flowers will be very happy about it, but it does mean that shelter must be found soon. M.O.O.N. reckons they have a few hours until the rain properly hits, but also that it is inevitable; Mia is perfectly happy to leave him and Sean to find shelter, leaving her free to let her eyes meander as they please.
The path they walk along is uneven, riddled with potholes much like many others. It winds its way through a more mountainous region, with sharp turns, thick undergrowth, and many blind corners. Once upon a time it might have been a road - Mia can still see occasional scraps of tarmac clinging to the mud - but you would be hard pressed to even get a bike down these days.
She spends her time looking for flowers, content to let the conversation merely accompany her. A few little pink ones catch her eyes. Making sure to keep at least her brother in visual range, she wanders to the side of the road, and kneels down to collect them.
A flash of bright red - bright enough to be a light of some sort - startles her.
Mia pauses, looks around, where did that...?
Another flash, dimmer this time, and the sound of something pushing itself into the knee-high plants.
"Hello?" She calls, gentle, squinting as she tries to see. "Is someone there? It's okay, we wont hurt you."
That draws attention, but not the attention that she wants; instead it is in M.O.O.N.'s footsteps coming over, and Sean calling back "Mia? Is everything alright?"
"I'm fine," she assures them both. "I just thought I saw..."
She trails off as she catches a glint of metal reflecting sunlight. Heedless of any danger she crawls in that direction, making sure to hurt as few of the plants as possible.
"Hello?" She tries again. "Are you alright?"
No reply again.
The small glints lead Mia to a section of broken plants. Skimming her eyes along that trail, Mia finds herself greeted by the prettiest red eyes. They seem to have dimmed since she first spotted them, though she is clearly being examined.
Busy smiling for the examination, it takes Mia a moment to register the rest. The eyes belong to an android, one shaped like a CANVAS bot, but lacking any skin. The dark clothes they wear are heavily torn, and the metal of their body is covered in both holes and rust. The metal shows signs of burning, and yet the ways dirt collects shows that that damage is old and unrepaired. Patches of melted, blackened plastic are fused in a few places, but that is not nearly as immediately worrying as the patches of rust so severe that she can see their internals through the holes, nor the holes that look more like puncture or bullet wounds than age. She winces a little at the damage; it is possible that the android is so damaged they can neither move nor understand, and all Mia can do is keep them company to the end.
"It's okay," she says, keeping her voice gentle. "It's okay, we won't hurt you. My brother and I- we just want to help."
Red eyes keep staring at her, ones now attached to a frozen form. The android is curled uncomfortably, legs bent to hide their feet, and crouched low so as to hide themself from seen from the path. They stay still even as Sean and M.O.O.N. make a less careful approach, vision fixed on Mia, entire form deadly still.
"Do you need help?" Mia asks, despite the state of the android implying a clear yes. "We all need a little help sometimes, it's okay. You're not alone any more."
Still no reply.
Maybe...
Maybe the android is already too far gone. Mia's heart aches, even as she settles to sit down properly. Whether they can be drawn out or not, she knows this will be a long afternoon.
… Hopefully they can just get this android somewhere safe and dry before the coming rain.
"Well... I'm Mia, this is my brother, Sean, and our friend, Moon. It's very nice to meet you."
She does not like to think that the android might be so broken that they cannot understand, so she tries a new route. With the introduction she offers out a red poppy, holding it between herself and the android.
"Here," she keeps smiling. "For you. It matches your eyes."
"Mia. Stop."
The poppy flutters to the floor as she turns to look at M.O.O.N., falling into the plants.
"Moon?" She asks, confused by just how terrified her friend sounds. "What's wrong?
"Don't- Just. Step away."
She ignores M.O.O.N.'s command, staying knelt in the undergrowth, but neither does she reach out again. Those big, red eyes continue staring into her, but no move has been made by either. The metal around them seems discoloured, but if that is reflections or in truth she cannot tell.
"It's okay, Moon," she replies, keeping her voice gentle. "They won't hurt me."
A branch snaps, drawing the red eyes from her own. Seconds later, Sean drops to his knees at her side. He leans even closer than her, examining the silent android before them.
It is a bit strange, that the android has done nothing. Mia would think them asleep, if not for the way their head twists ever so slightly, shifting vision from one to the other. She picks the poppy back up, and places it against their hand. They do not move, not even to grab it, but she smiles anyway - a gift is a gift, after all.
"That is a C-series war unit," M.O.O.N. continues. "Their enemy recognition systems are designed to recognise civilians as potential threats. I really recommend stepping away."
"It's okay," Mia repeats, not even sure which android she is speaking to. "Nobody is hurting anybody. We just want to help."
"Right!" Sean agrees with her, a grin already wrapped around his lips. "I'm Sean, Mia's brother! Do you need anything? We've a few extra supplies."
Mia imagines M.O.O.N.'s objections to that as well. She does not hear them, however; rather she jumps as the red eyed android speaks.
"You should listen to your assistant," the pretty eyed android says. "Keep walking."
The voice is softer than she would expect, though pops slightly as though the android's speaker is not designed for the sound it makes. It is a funny sort of voice for a funny looking android; really she is just glad they can speak, given that they had not already.
"You could join us for dinner," Mia offers instead. "It must be lonely, travelling out here alone. I'm sure you have really exciting stories to tell."
"Negative."
"Oh..." the deflating is a physical thing, Mia feeling her shoulders bend. She is a little surprised that Sean is so quiet and M.O.O.N. not making a louder fuss at her offer, yet she still blinks gently at him. "That's really sad. You don't even want our stories?"
"It is a war model. It does not want." M.O.O.N. cuts in. "Come on. Leave it be."
Should she?
Mia glances to Sean, whose eyes are narrowed ever so slightly. He does not say anything, but neither does he moving; taking her brother's lead, Mia settles herself in for a long sitting still.
"At least come shelter with us?" Mia suggests. "M.O.O.N. says it will rain soon, and I'd hate for it to hurt you."
"No."
Well, that was rude and blunt. Mia goes to object, only to be cut off by Sean.
"You're hurt, aren't you?" Sean narrows his eyes at the android. "We have some supplies for M.O.O.N. - we might be able to help."
That gives the android pause. Their eyes flicker from Sean, to Mia, to M.O.O.N., to Sean again, before finally coming to rest tilted just slightly towards the floor.
"It's okay," Mia backs up her brother. "Sean is very gentle. If you're scared, you can hold my hand."
"I cannot be scared." The android replies, something odd in their voice. "I do not 'hurt or feel pain."
"You can be damaged," Sean quickly retorts. "What is your structural integrity?"
"Structural integrity is classified data," comes the very quick reply.
Sean gives the android a deeply unimpressed look.
Behind them, Mia hears M.O.O.N. shuffling closer. She can feel his displeasure prickling against her skin, and yet he does not call the pair away. Instead he looks the pretty eyed android up and down, before he addresses them.
"They will not let up until they are sure you are in a state to travel. I would suggest that you comply with their demands."
"I do not take suggestions."
"You may hold my hand instead of Mia's, if you wish. You will not be able to crush mine."
Mia does not think that M.O.O.N. is fully capable of sarcasm, but the words certainly seem close to it. She nods vigorously, doing her best welcoming smile as she does.
"Please! We can help you, and then we share food and news. It's the proper thing for travelers - always help each other, because someday you'll need help too."
"... Those are the rules of the road?"
"I mean..."
"Yes!" Sean cuts across her, nodding sharply. "The rules of the road demand we help you. We also share food and news, and camp for safety during night or storms."
"I can travel overnight."
"Then keep watch for us as payment for us helping you with repairs."
There is an intense standoff between Sean and the android, one that has Mia's full attention. It is the android who breaks first - of course - shifting in position until both she and Sean can see his legs.
Mia manages to swallow her hiss.
Sean does not.
What she had already seen of the android was battered and damaged. Their legs, however, look even worse. Both are peppered with bullet holes, and the one not covered by a trouser leg - the jeans ripped away part way down their thigh - has scorch marks across it. On the other the android wears no shoe, and it seems as though their ankle is attached only by a few, heavily strained, wires, the rest of the metal deformed and almost ripped apart.
It all looks extremely painful; Mia does not like to consider what could possibly do damage like that.
She looks at the damage a little longer, analysing it. Sean's eyes are glanced almost nervously towards her; Mia takes her time, before giving a nod.
"Change of plan!" Sean's attention snaps back to the android. "You hold my hand, and Mia will fix your ankle."
"I don't have exact parts," Mia follows up, already swinging her bag from her shoulder. "But I should have something? Walking might still be a bit tricky, but it should at least hold your weight..."
Not waiting for a reply, Mia turns her attention to her supplies. Sean is chatting to the android - or perhaps at is more accurate - giving her a little time. The spare pieces for M.O.O.N.'s specific model she ignores, settling instead on some scrap in about the right shape.
"Are your wires functional?" She asks the android, glancing up at them. "I can replace them, but... I know a lot of people don't like that."
"Wiring functionality is sufficient."
"Okay!"
Sufficient sounds like the poor android will still be in pain from them, and maybe struggle to manage to use everything, but Mia knows better than to push her luck. She might only have worked on M.O.O.N. before, but she knows wiring is sensitive and very easy to mess up. The pretty eyed android is likely incapable of caring, but Mia is not. She can care! And maybe... Maybe if they do defect, some day in the future, they will remember this. The idea of anyone - android or human - remembering her as hurting them makes Mia's heart curl deeply in on itself.
Everyone deserves a little bit of kindness in their lives.
"I'll start now, okay?"
Mia waits for the affirmative from both her brother and the android, not wanting to move too fast, but also wary of the clouds overhead. She smiles to see that Sean has convinced the android to hold his hands, though with the ratcheting on most of their fingers the hold is not exactly tight.
She smiles at them both before shuffling forward. Broken parts are removed as carefully as possible, and put aside - perhaps in the city, someone can either fix them, or use them as templates to make fresh parts - before replacements are screwed into place. It is a slow and shaky job - Mia is not a mechanic nor an engineer, she just knows how to make a sturdier patch job than Sean - but she thinks it works. The ankle no longer bends as much as it should, and the patches over the holes will still let a little water in, and some of the debris would just not come out, but... But it's better than before! At some point, the poppy has even been tucked into the strange metal placing reinforcing the android's jaw, flopping slightly to one side and a few shades too dark to truly match their eyes.
"There!" She smiles, once she has done all she can. "It is a bit shaky, but it should last until you can find a proper mechanic."
If Mia did not know better, she would say the android flinched at her comment. She does, however, know better, and that the movement is likely the android's systems adjusting to the new parts.
"And now you have to join us for dinner," Sean insists. "Mia fixed you a bit, and she'll be sad if you don't come."
"I must make my rendezvous."
"You've already lost how long? Another hour or two won't matter. And, it'll rain soon - I know you probably can withstand it, but I don't want you to hurt yourself again in it." Sean's voice is toned with perfect innocence.
Mia knows better - an android out here, alone, and that damaged? They have already been abandoned by their master, and even if they do somehow make the rendezvous... She knows exactly why Sean is trying to get them to stay - but nods along regardless.
"I am not to consort with civilians," the android tells them. "I do not eat."
"We're not civilians, we're friends!" Mia tries, folding her hands into her lap as she smiles. "I need to at least find you a flower before we leave. You can tell us the news while we eat, and we can tell you what we know. Just so nobody ends up on dangerous roads."
The android does not agree, but neither do they refuse. Mia takes that as a victory, and moves to clean up her supplies. As she does so, she discovers one of her spare boots.
Eyeballing the size of the pretty eyed android's feet, Mia thinks the boot will fit... it is a bit more tattered than her current ones, but still stiff enough to provide some ankle support. The android only has a shoe on their left damaged foot, and even that one full of tears.
"Here," the offers them the spare pair of boots. "These should help too."
The android takes them, and says nothing.
After a thorough examination, they swap out the damaged boot for Mia's and then - more carefully - put the second on the other foot. Putting it on the foot being a key detail; the android hands Mia their damaged boot, and then sits, laces still untied. The bright pink boots and purple laces clash with the blue and black rags the android wears, in a way that Mia could believe Sean would dress.
Mia blinks at the laces, then the android, and then back to the laces. To Sean. To the android. To the laces. To- To she is not sure where, but anywhere.
"You can't tie them?" Sean asks.
The android offers their hands out, clenching and unclenching them. After a few rotations Mia sees - or rather hears - the problem. Only one finger on each hand is calibrated to fully close.
"I've got you," Sean grins to the android, finally letting go of their hand to help tie the shoes. "MOON, how's dinner coming along?"
"The campsite is prepared, and a meal is cooking," M.O.O.N. replies as he returns. "Will there be anything else?"
"I think... Actually, hey, can you stand?"
The android with the pretty eyes takes a moment, but does manage to creak to their feet. Mia desperately wants to oil some of their joints, but little, little steps.
"We should be fine," she tells M.O.O.N.. "Thank you for getting everything sorted."
"It is my function to assist."
Mia gives him a quick hug regardless, and grabs his wrist to tug him towards the camp.
M.O.O.N. found a good place for it, their tent tucked just inside one of the more stable ruins, and the fire positioned to both be shielded from rain and to let the smoke escape. Camping chairs provided three places to sit; Mia cheerfully plops herself on the floor rather than make a damaged android get up and down.
It also puts her in the worst position to handle any food; she does fill a cup of water for both Sean and herself, but that is the end of the dinner chores when she is on floor duty!
M.O.O.N. arrives next, and starts quietly serving up the food. He does, however, keep glancing to where Sean and the android are approaching. Sean has to loop his steps a bit, the android being slow on their fragile ankle, but he seems content to regale their new friend with stories of their travels thus far.
Said new friend does not say anything as they approach camp, Sean happily taking his seat and the cup Mia passes over.
They then freeze.
"Are you good?" Sean asks, when the length of a mouthful has them still frozen.
The android looks to the chair, then to Mia on the floor, and then back to the chair.
"Why is Mia on the floor?" They ask.
It is the first time the android has addressed any of them by name. Mia takes it as a victory that it is her they decided to address first, grinning even wider than before.
"So you can use my chair," she smiles at them. "I don't want you damaging your ankle more."
"I can stand."
"She's already on the floor, just sit in the chair and join us."
Sean beckons as he speaks, nearly spilling his water as he does. The cup is caught; by the time Mia has finished laughing at her brother bring clumsy, for once, the android is hesitantly perched on the edge of the chair.
She simply smiles reassuringly, and turns to get her plate from M.O.O.N..
Hers and Sean's go smoothly; she already has a large fork of mashed potato in her mouth when she looks up to see M.O.O.N. and the new android in a standoff. Sean is watching both, fidgeting with his fork but silent.
"Take it." M.O.O.N. insists, holding the plate across the fire.
The new android seems very hesitant to take it, eyeing it with suspicion.
"The rain will block the moonlight; it is better to recharge by alternative means." M.O.O.N. is saying.
The android keeps staring, until they very hesitantly take the plate. M.O.O.N. huffs, then moves to eat his own.
Mia turns to her food, picking at it while Sean and M.O.O.N. lead the conversation. The worry of seeing the pretty eyed android's ankle so mangled makes it tricky to eat, but she forces her way through a few mouthfuls as her body calms.
About six spoons of canned ravioli in, she looks up to find the android watching her. Sean and M.O.O.N.'s conversation has grown a little more intense; she scooches closer to the android, forcing a tired smile.
"Did you need something?" She asks.
"I am unfamiliar with this form of biomass." They confess, eyes now fixed on the ravioli. "How do I recharge using it?"
"Most androids can put it in their mouth and chew it, just like a human. It will reach a combustion chamber, and be burnt as fuel, then the ashes can be cleared out a few hours later." She explains, tilting her head to the side. "Do you not know food?"
"... An android?"
... What?
"Yes! Like you, and M.O.O.N.. you're really cool; your joint work is like early CANVAS models, but you don't have the pseudo-skin."
"My rainproof layer was burnt off in an incendiary attack four years ago." The android says, then pauses. "I am unfamiliar with the terms CANVAS and android."
What. What. What. Distantly Mia is aware of the conversation between M.O.O.N. and Sean falling silent, and two more pairs of eyes their way. She forces herself to keep smiling, however, trying not to even begin to comprehend the horror of their skin being burnt off, nor the other damage such an attack must have caused. And then to be left without full repairs for years, for something as important as waterproofing... Mia can feel Sean fuming, and can feel it strangling her too. That is damage too severe for her to fix, and her patches are only patches not a complete replacement, but the idea of his skin being burnt - or more likely melted - away...
Mia shudders.
She is not allowing this android back to their owner. No matter what.
For now, though, she has to keep smiling, keep happy, keep gentle; if the android leaves, there is nothing any of them can do to protect them."An android is anyone like you, a person of metal and wires, instead of a human like me, made of blood and neurons," Mia can recite it well enough, though the fact she needs to makes the worry swell up again. "CANVAS is a design type. It refers to androids built with joints in the same places as humans."
"Interesting." A long pause, and then "I understood us to be called bots."
"That's also right, but android is more polite. Not that bot is rude! It's just slang." Mia's smile is cracking, but she is under examination. "Did you need anything else?"
"Combat Units do not come with mouths installed." The android tells her. "If I insert this directly into my biomass processor, will it break me? I am... unfamiliar with this composition."
Mia is moving on from more implications, and resolves to just be happy that this bot is safely with her, Sean, and M.O.O.N. right now. Maybe think about how the reinforcement must be to protect the delicate parts of an android's brain from shock damage, rather than how it prevents an action as simple as eating. Look at the poppy still hanging there, even. At least this android has a biomass processor; some older models lack them, and it makes travel very difficult. Fueling is not really her specialty, but if it works how she thinks it does, the android should be fine? Perhaps? At worst, she'll need to help the android clean the processor, and she has done that often enough before.
"I..." She still hesitates a little, double checks her thinking, makes sure she will not hurt the android with the pretty eyes. "It should be? You might want to cut it smaller first, though."
"I see."
The android pauses again. For a moment Mia remembers the shoelaces, and worries they will not be able to manage cutlery either. Her concerns seem partly correct - the android takes a nasty looking knife with a much wider handle from a holster beneath their jacket, and uses that to cut the food instead. It gets cleaned on the grass, before the android pulls open a hatch near where the top of a human's lungs would be, and pours the food in.
"It's good, right? MOON is very good at this," she tries.
"I do not have preferences." The android replies. "I am not equipped to taste, or feel. I can only identify hazards by gas composition, not other things, but you could say I have a limited sense of smell."
Mia tries not to think about that, either. As she struggles to form a suitable reply, Sean cuts in and to her rescue - allowing her to eat before her food is truly cold.
"So... what's your name? Where did you come from? Where are you going?" Sean asks, leaning close to the android as he distracts them with questions.
"You mean you didn't-" M.O.O.N. cuts in, the closest to disproval he can manage in his posture and tome.
"M.O.O.N.." Mia cuts across with a slight shake of her head; M.O.O.N. should leave her brother to his magic. It always works out for the better.
"Combat units are not assigned names or call-signs. I have been designated as Number 4 when differentiation is required." The android - Number 4? 4? Number? Mia does not really like how they say it, but keeps quiet; she can think of a better name for them later. For now, anything like a name is progress. "I am travelling from the battle at Nine Kilo Station, to my rendezvous at the West Nest City. Do not travel south. The war fields have spread."
Mia sees how M.O.O.N.'s eyes flicker, committing that to memory.
"Thank you, that's very helpful!" Mia tilts her head and smiles. "Would you like for us to call you 4, or something else?"
"I do not have preferences."
"4 for now, but I'll come up with something better, and if you like it, it can change!"
Sean nods in agreement, even as 4 remains indifferent.
"M.O.O.N.?" Sean asks, that task complete. "Where is West Nest City? Is it on our route?"
As if they have a route; Mia knows what Sean means, though. He is asking M.O.O.N. to chart them a route which does go that way, so they can go with 4. Mia very much doubts that their rendezvous will still be there, so... It would be better, if 4 is forced to face that around people who care.
And if the rendezvous somehow is still there, then she is sure Sean would like to yell at them while she cries and makes the staff feel bad.
"... Affirmative." M.O.O.N. eventually says, significantly less cheerful about it than usual. "Though, Sean, Mia, I would recommend against this. A rendezvous for a combat unit is likely to be in or near a war-zone."
"We can take it slow," Sean says, not even thinking. "And slowly! If we travel slower, there is more time to pick flowers and learn things."
"I am required to make good time. I cannot 'go slow'. I must continue travel after the rain."
"You can surely stay a bit longer?" Mia begs. "Travelling in a group is much safer - what happens if your foot breaks again?"
4 stares at Mia for a few seconds, then turns ti gaze into the fire. Red eyes seek the flames for nearly ten seconds before 4 replies.
"I will be terminated."
Something seems... off about those words. Too quiet. Too reflective. Almost... despairing. Mia files away the though, and shuffles close enough to place her chin on the arm of their picnic chair. She stares up at 4, eyes wide, as she tucks her elbows in and makes herself seem small - a foolproof tactic, a little bit silly to distract herself from how horrible that potential is.
"Then stay with us. And I can fix your foot if it breaks again. We can look after you, and you can help with any bandits or infected - MOON is not very good with a gun."
"Right!" Sean quickly joins in, abandoning his chair to approach from the other side. "You can't just leave us to the bandits."
"No part of my directives require me to assist civilians. My only directive is to rendezvous. My only purpose is to kill." 4 replies, still looking at the fire.
"Do your directives prevent it, though?" Sean continues to dig. "Why not try it? And, it is more efficient to travel as a group."
"And we're not civilians, we're friends now! And friends help each other," Mia insists.
4 stares into the fire a while longer, before their head tilts just ever, ever so slightly to the side. "… Friends?"
"Yes, friends!" They might not be looking at her, but Mia still smiles brighter and bounces a little.
"Define friends."
… Oh.
"Friends are people who care about and look after one another. They protect each other, and they spend time together, and they make each other happy."
"… Interesting."
No more words come from 4. They continue to stare into the flames, solid and immobile despite the rust and wounds covering their chassis. Mia goes to continue and press it, but Sean presses a finger to his lips and drags her away.
"Let them process," Sean whispers, once they are over by the tent. "Get ready for bed."
"But what if they leave?" Mia whispers back. "They're so hurt! And you heard their orders. If they go back…"
Sean grabs her hands, squeezing them tight, firm where tears are forming in his eyes. "Then we track them back down. We know where they're going, and we're faster."
"Okay…" Mia pulls her hands away, brushing at her eyes as she tries to dispel the tears. "Okay, but Sean…"
His face falls.
"I know," he replies. "I know."
He pulls Mia into his arms, holding her close. Mia clings to him back, trying not to think of the pain poor 4 must know. To one side M.O.O.N. cleans up the remains of dinner, and 4 remains sat, staring into the depths of the fire.