castellae | Ongoing PSL - In-game setting

Ongoing PSL - In-game setting

"You say that you're no good for me, cause I'm always tugging at your sleeve--"

Sometimes I wonder if that might be better.

[ Her voice is low as his hand drops away, its warmth leaving her. 2B doesn't pull away, but she feels a certain distance wedge itself between the two of them, leaving her cold and feeling empty. She feels strange, having this conversation with the majority of her body exposed, but she supposes that it doesn't matter. 9S looks lost, and she wants desperately to be able to guide him somewhere, anywhere, but she's just as disjointed as he is and she knows it.

So instead, she drops her gaze somewhere over his shoulder, looking out the window of their shared room, towards the bright, blue sky that almost taunts her with its clarity. A few birds flit by the window, chirping happily. ]

Scanner models are also constantly connected to the Bunker. You may as well not be one anymore. Our designations don't mean anything now that that connection is severed.

[ 2B sighs. It's a weary sound, heavy with exhaustion and thought. ] If there are answers, I don't have them either. But what is it that you want, 9S? From me, specifically? [ She turns her gaze back to his face, looking just as lost as he is. ] What do you want me to do?

[ "You may as well not be one anymore..."

She's not wrong. But it hurts. 9S had so eagerly set his sights on freedom because it seemed like the best thing for them. It is, she isn't telling him anything he doesn't agree with but he just can't settle. His mind is full of nothing he can find use in, nothing he can take clarity or comfort from because they're living day to day not being at all aware of what lies ahead. 9S still has the top of the line features he'd been installed with, but they only go so far with their connection to the Bunker severed.

And because of that, he feels useless. That's just another drop in the bucket of all the feelings he has going on. It sends him in a million different directions and leaves him lost.

But he can tell it's the same for 2B. And that much is solidified in her question. While he wants to love her and hate her all at once, he sits between both options for he sake of just living and doing what's required. He can't slow down now. What's done is done. Somehow? That makes his tears stop. He sniffles, rubbing at his eyes and cursing the fact that this function even exists. It's a waste of fluids. But... he's well past the need to worry about that. Considering what they've done.

He hasn't at all paid attention to how exposed he is, but a cold draft has him idly reaching for his jeans. He flits his gaze back to her again, sighing. ]

It's like you said...

Everything will be okay, so long as we stick together.

It seems so arbitrary but, I'm not about to deny it. But honestly?

[ He pauses, looking to her. Just as pleadingly as he had before. ]

I'm... Scared.

[ 2B understands how 9S feels, primarily because it's the same as she does. They're devoid of purpose now that they've cut themselves off from the one thing that gave it to them, and for an android centered around their prime directives, the lack of purpose is devastating. By all means, they shouldn't be able to function. Knowing that their entire cause was false is enough to send any unit of YoRHa reeling, but to actively sever their connection to the Bunker because of it? It's inconceivable.

2B finds herself thinking back to their gods and whether or not she'll get the chance to kill them. Part of her knows that since they've finally escaped that neverending cycle of life and death that such an ideal is likely unnecessary, but she can't deny that she wants some sort of revenge. She knows that 9S' safety and happiness takes priority, but some dark, fearsome part of her wants nothing more than to tear down Command and everything it stands for, even though she knows that they aren't the ones to blame.

At his admission, all 2B can do is nod. ]

So am I.

[ Her tone is flat, losing the gentle tenderness that it had possessed not moments before. Sitting up properly, she pulls her shift over the rest of her body, her expression all business. In reality, she's terrified, but she can't let that show. 9S needs stability. Support. She can't give him that if she's scared. ]

I won't let anything happen to you.

[ She's said it before, and she's saying it again now. She'll say it over and over until it reassures him, even if things seem fairly bleak from their current standpoint. ]

[ It doesn't do much to quell the barrage of unhealthy thoughts that plague him, but... Her words at least slow those thoughts down. Any reprieve is appreciated. While 9S is completely uncertain of his purpose now, it seems different, at least, when he looks at 2B.

Hang on to that feeling, he decides. Because it seems to jump back and forth from his mind constantly. 9S finally ceases crying, finds comfort and shock in knowing she's scared, too. And 9S decides that his purpose is purely just 2B. Whatever that entails, what's done is done.

He nods, despite the way her admission brings pause. He isn't sure what to say to her promise, and so he settles on simply putting his pants and boots back on. They're burning through daylight, and they don't exactly have the luxury of sticking around. ]

We... Should probably prepare for leaving. Let Pascal know and everything.

I've taken the liberty of getting our things together while you were out. I'll let Pascal know while you do any last minute preparations, if you have any.

[ 2B's tone is businesslike, marked with a certain weariness as she stands and straightens herself out: pulling her shift down to its full length, straightening her stockings, and putting on her boots. She doesn't look to 9S' face as she does this, and she gives the room a quick once-over before making for the door.

With Pascal notified, she and 9S depart the machine village with little fanfare, making for the coast. The Flooded City is next on the list of places where they can potentially settle for a time, as little to no android activity has been reported in the area for quite a while. It's when they're entering through the sewage tunnel that the familiar sound of flight units reaches 2B's ears, her Pod simultaneously making an announcement: ]

Alert: YoRHa reconnaissance units closing in on current position. Proposal: Eliminate hostiles before they can report back to Command.

[ 2B wastes no time in drawing her weapon, holding out an arm to keep 9S behind her. As they inch towards the mouth of the tunnel, the steady whir of YoRHa flight suits becomes unmistakable, hovering just above their current location. With hardly a verbal warning to her partner, 2B lunges out of the tunnel, vaulting herself upwards towards their would-be assailants-- only to be repelled backwards by a fierce forward thrust from one of the flight units.

2B grunts, tumbling backwards. The wind is knocked out of her lungs as she collides with some debris scattered on the ground. She manages to gasp out a warning as she rolls back onto her feet. ]

9S, these aren't normal recon units! Be careful!

[ He hates the start of their relocating. Always. He hates it because he's horrified of being caught. While they had yet to run into any YoRHa androinds up until now, it never stopped being a dreadful possibility. 9S always keeps himself prepared, or... At least he tries to be. He's not a combat model, and while he can hold his own to a point? Facing off androids is a completely different story. Up until her Pod issues a warning of flight units above them, 9S had stayed extremely close to 2B, practically flush against her once they're told they've been located.

He grits his teeth, summoning his own blade, meager as it is, as precaution. His pulse rate flares, body initiating defensive preparations as it had normally before their desertion. That doesn't remove the fear, but it stabilizes his resolve. He reaches out when 2B makes a run to attack first, opening his mouth and reaching out but words don't make it before she's thrown back. ]

2B!

[ He rushes to her side. There's no sense in running off on his own, and the temptation to do so doesn't exist. Quickly, he grabs her arm, helping as best as he can while his gaze is set in the units land just before the end of the tunnel. His nose wrinkles, brow furrowed as he initiates a scan on their pursuers. Two of them, both ridiculously souped up combat models that waste no time in removing themselves from their units and coming for them. The numbers are sky-high, functionalities deadly enough for him to exhale a shocked sort of sound. ]

Shit, we can't stick around, they're too strong!

[ 9S turns around, staring down the tunnels to discover that two more units have dropped down on the other side. He can hear them land from the distance, his Pod hovering in that direction. ]

Analysis: All potential exits blocked off.

Pod! Switch to aggressive, long range combat support! Scan for any weak points, don't--

[ A missile flies through from where they came, programmed specifically for following a path until it reaches its target. 9S shouts as he works to pull he and 2B behind the pile of debris, where the missile detonates at a nearby wall. Flames licking at their cover, burning debris just barley close enough to have done damage.

He's terrified. Completely terrified. They're cornered. ]

Edited 2017-04-24 21:43 (UTC)

[ 9S' strengths lie in hacking, which, in many cases, is far more devastating than anything 2B can do with her blade. She nods in thanks as he helps her up, and she puts her back to his as they face opposite ends of the tunnel. At what he says next, she replies, calm and cool. ]

Running away isn't ever going to be an option from here on out. YoRHa isn't going to stop. You've terminated deserters with me before... You know this firsthand. [ 2B scans the battlefield, her lack of a visor only a slight handicap as she registers that all their possible exits are blocked. ]

We need to disable their flight units, [ She says even as he yanks her behind the debris, the fallen concrete weathering the blow of the missile fired at them. ] We don't stand a chance so long as they're in the air. Do you think you can hack the ones flying around outside? [ She looks to 9S, her expression hard. It's a seemingly hopeless situation, but... Failure isn't an option. ]

I've got the ones in here. Pod, provide cover support for Unit 9S. [ She knows he's scared, and she knows it's likely because of everything that's led up to this point. But 2B also knows that panicking isn't going to help either of them.

She doesn't wait for him to answer as she leaps over the debris, moving to engage the flight units approaching them from the other end of the tunnel. The confined space works in her favor, and while it takes some maneuvering, 2B manages to knock down the flight units, engaging the androids that fall from them on foot. She moves with grace and elegance, as she always has, almost artful in her avoidance of their attacks. This isn't to say that she's unharmed; a wayward blow causes her to stagger, the wind knocked out of her and giving her opponents an opening.

With a grunt, 2B raises her blade to parry their attacks, shooting 9S a glance over her shoulder. She isn't sure if he's even able to hack these new, improved models, but it's worth a shot. ]

[ 9S has never been short on ideas that may benefit them on the bsffledield. While he isn't a combat model, tactics and keen observation makes him a valuable asset. Without his combat visor, however, it's significantly harder to work efficiently. That's not to say it's impossible, but his nerves seem on fire when realizing it.

2B's resolve immediately steels him. She's not one for planning, but she takes the matter at hand head-on, and he has no time at all to question her. Despite the fear in his gut, his expression hardens. ]

Y-Yeah. I can give it a shot.

[ He has no choice.

Before he can even say another word, 2B has taken off to face the units that drop down. With both Pods acting as protection, they fire at ready. Delivering a rain of bullets as 9S quickly runs his way towards his personal target. His focus locks on, mind directed at only his task. He's good at that. Good at this, and they'll make it out of here alive because they have to. Because they promised each other nothing bad will happen so long as they have each other.

He takes on the flight units, hacking in and marveled immediately by the complicated systems that greet him. The security protocol on it is almost made angry. Deliberate where Command knew what he would do. He hisses, feeling a tinge of pain when contingency programs block him at every turn, attempt to overload him with malware-like files. It's like dodging a barrage of bullets, and taking them out one by one serves as a challenge. He's distracted, and it's only a matter of time before units seek to surround him. He doesn't run nearly as fast as they do. ]

[ 2B doesn't have time to think when she sees the remainder of their pursuers closing in on 9S, and she shouts his name. She knows he's in the middle of hacking and that she promised to protect him, but fighting in such close quarters is taking its toll on her. Having successfully incapacitated one of the androids, her body lying broken and twitching next to her flight unit, 2B jumps into the fray, grabbing 9S and throwing him as far as she possibly can to the safest end of the tunnel.

As the YoRHa units close in, 2B acts quickly, activating her self-destruct sequence. Warning dialogues burst forth in front of her eyes as her systems begin to overclock, her body going rigid as she curls in on herself. With a scream, 2B's body releases the energy it generates in the form of an explosion, effectively disabling the YoRHa pursuers in a radius around her and leaving 2B to fall to the ground, her sensory drivers momentarily going offline as she gasps for breath.

She can't see, can barely think; her clothing is effectively destroyed, small scraps clinging to her frame as her NFCS reboots, her equilibrium thrown off from the blast. Struggling to stand, 2B stumbles, leaning against the wall of the tunnel for support. ]

N... 9S... [ She manages to gasp, struggling to see him as her visual drivers stutter back to life. 2B can still hardly see as she trips over to where she thinks she last saw him, her vitals at critical. ]

[ They've faced off YoRHa androids before, but those they pursued were in their current position. 9S can't help but feel completely helpless, recalling very, very well how their connection to the Bunker left them at the best advantage. They're the targets now, and the likelihood of them getting out of this is extremely slim.

He takes down two flight units, but hardly with ease. Their contingency programs wrack terror on his own processors, flooding his entire system with fragmented files that pile on weight, slowing down his efficiency. His visuals glitch in and out, the effectiveness of their security taking its toll on him. Once he gets to the last one, he's yanked into a corner by an android fast enough to break his focus. ]

Gh--!

[ 9S is grasped hard, the pursuer seeking to take him by the arm with clear intentions on pulling him away. Whether or not it's for termination or simply to capture him, he can't be sure. He's willing to debate on the second assumption, because they start to break out restraints. In the scuffle, he tries to pry himself away, the grip on his arm far too tight for him to simply pull away and run. Command has clearly sent the best of the best, knowing what they're up against.

His gaze falls over to 2B, frantic and horrified when he sees that she's fighting by the skin of her teeth. He opens his mouth to scream for her, but is immediately interrupted when the one trying to capture him strikes him hard. He grits his teeth, realizing the Pods are barely doing enough damage, and the further 2B is away from him, the worse this gets.

He makes a decision quick. Without thought. Without debating with the consequences. With a swift strike of the hand that holds his blade, 9S hacks off his arm with precision, thankful for its sharpness but immediately greeted with incredible pain. Sparks fly as the chords and supports are disconnected, but it's as if the dire situation has him able to ignore it.

It's then that 2B is able to get close, just as 9S breaks away where she physically tosses him far off. He lands against the wall with a loud clang, head coming into contact with the metal surface where his visuals immediately clock out. The impact is hard, enough to knock him unconscious where he doesn't witness her self-destructing for the sake of saving the two of them.

His arm had fallen to the ground, burned to a crisp as they fall into the debris previously lit ablaze. 9S isn't capable of feeling pain, at least, when he's forcibly powered down as his systems struggle to log back on. ]

[ The more 2B moves, the easier it becomes. She recovers after a period, her vision refocusing as she takes in the sight of their pursuers, laid low and broken. She feels a surge of satisfaction at the sight; it isn't the entirety of Command, but it'll have to do. Her steps are slow and labored, and when she comes upon 9S, the first thing she notices is his arm, severed at the elbow. Her expression of tired satisfaction gives way to one of immediate concern, barking orders at Pod 042. ]

Pod. Administer logic antivirus to Unit 9S. [ She breathes, slumping down next to his prone form in order to assess the damage. He's unconscious, likely from both his injuries and from when she threw him, and she knows she has to act quickly... even if her reaction times are sluggish from her recent self-destruction. Ignoring the incessant beeping of her systems announcing their critical state, 2B obtains field bandages from her Pod, kneeling in front of 9S and binding the stump where his arm had been previously connected.

2B can hear the whir of his internal processes, and she breathes a sigh of relief. Now she just has to wait. With her clothing in tatters and her skin smudged and charred in places, she allows herself to sag against his front, her forehead pressing into his chest. ]

[ His systems slowly but surely reboot, black visuals peppered with white letters as his operating system begins to load. It fires off plenty of messages regarding his physical state, built-in scans troubleshooting and repairing what they can as he begins to restart and fire up. His visuals kick in abruptly, his eyes prying open as he gasps for air. The sudden thrust back into consciousness both shocks and confuses him, and it takes him a moment to even realize where he is.

9S coughs, the impact having caused damage to his internals where fluid flies from his lips. He's alive, but injured, though he isn't necessarily hanging by a thread. 2B is likely worse off than he is.

He doesn't forget the state of his arm; the warnings firing off in his peripheral doesn't let him. Nor does the pain that immediately kicks in. His nerve receptors are damaged at the elbow, sparking and dripping with vital fluid that bleeds through the bandage 2B had administered. He feels her at his chest, and she'll definitely hear the sudden increase of his pulse-rate as it struggles to go back to normal.

He hisses in pain, teeth grit as he grunts and struggles to regain control of himself. The idea of sitting up seems impossible, but he at least manages to reach his good arm towards her, cupping the back of her head. ]

Ah--Hnk.

[ His eyes frantically search around, gathering a detail of the area. ]

We...

Did we make it?

2B--

[ He tries to sit up, but he can't. A warning firing off in his visuals advises him that his motor functions have yet to fully restart. They protest in agony, pulling a pained sound from his lips. ]

Agh, crap.

[ 2B hears him start up, though she doesn't move immediately. She still feels woozy and heavy, her head falling slack against 9S as she struggles to keep herself upright. She's worried about his arm, about him, but now that the immediate danger has passed, her sense of urgency takes a back seat to the all-encompassing pain that wracks her systems.

When 9S' hand warms against the back of her head, 2B lifts it, looking at him. She follows his line of vision as he glances around, taking stock of the area. At his question, she finally speaks. ]

Barely. We need to find a replacement for your arm.

[ 2B doesn't know what happened, but she knows what needs to be done; she gently settles him back down into a seated position as she winces, hauling herself to her feet. Though she sways slightly once she's upright, her Pod helpfully offers her a Medium Recovery, which she gladly takes. She instantly feels a difference, her equilibrium stabilizing and her visuals returning to full functionality.

Walking over to the pile of android corpses, 2B nudges one of them with the tip of her boot. ] These are new models. I don't know who any of these are. [ She kneels down, taking stock of what they have to work with. The majority of their bodies have been badly charred and broken by her self-destruction sequence, but she finds a few whose arms have remained relatively untouched.

Without further ado, 2B grabs three of the corpses, dragging them over to where 9S is and drawing her blade. She still feels a bit heady, but not enough to keep her off her feet. ]

Well... You have choices.

[ 9S isn't sure if his systems are just overclocked, or if he hasn't fully loaded. Because focusing is difficult, and he nearly fades in and out, enough to hardly notice 2B dragging his body against a support so he can sit upright. He can, however, feel plenty of pain. Pod 153 is attentive as always, doing much the same as Pod 042 to 2B. She delivers a Medium Recovery, which alleviates a good bout of the discomfort. He grunts, nose wrinkling while the world continues to spin.

It doesn't take much to realize that 2B is absolutely right. They barely made it. His pants are burnt, some of his flesh having been nipped by flames and debris. Not enough to require a replacement like his arm, but enough to be a severe issue if it's not attended to soon. He tries to bend them, realizing that his motor functions are slowly returning to him, and at least he can feel them.

That's a relief. What's better is that they're alive. And 9S hangs on to the fact that fear and dismay haven't quite hit him yet. Mentality-wise? He's... Better. That's likely due to the mission-ready part of him that's still ingrained in his programming.

2B drags the corpses to him, laying them out as if it's some neat presentation of choice. Like they're shopping. It's almost comical, but 9S can't help the way that his eyes glaze over from it. How many times has he lost his limbs by now? Nonetheless, he grunts as he tries to lean forward, eyes narrowing on his choices. On their deceased pursuers. ]

It's... Not a surprise. YoRHa lost their best Scanner and... Executioner model. Command likely created them with us in mind.

[ Expressing her true designation bothers him. It sounds wrong falling from his lips, even if it's a fact. It isn't out of the question to assume they've beefed up their artillery for the sake of detaining or terminating models who carry extremely classified intel and unique abilities. 9S feels a shred of validation and satisfaction to that when he looks upon their marred bodies. 2B had done a number on them, and he can't help the thrill he feels.

Another feeling to hang onto. A token to the pile of qualities about 2B that, honestly, turn him on to no end. A slight pang of discontent tries to ruin that, but he ignores it.

With his good arm, he points to his choice. ]

That one. Looks like there's minimal damage to it. I might be able to salvage the nerve-endings if it's a clean cut.

Edited (Forgot a whole part whoops) 2017-04-25 22:33 (UTC)

[ As 2B's stability returns, she keeps a more watchful eye upon 9S, even as she drags the fresh android corpses over to him for his perusal. The implications of their fight weigh heavily upon her, and his words only increase that weight. While the recovery provided by his Pod does wonders for his injuries, it isn't enough; androids don't have the ability to regrow lost limbs, after all. ]

... Huh. Guess they care after all, [ She says flatly, bitterness coloring her features. All things considered, this likely shouldn't surprise her. 9S is a valuable asset to YoRHa, and while 2B is not a Scanner model, he's her charge. If ever she's captured, she's likely to be made an example of and before being decommissioned, likely in a slow, painful manner, befitting the treasonous crime that she committed when she'd decided to defect.

While there's no love lost between herself and the Commander, 2B wonders what must be going on through her mind as she readies her blade against the arm 9S has selected. She thinks of her face as her sword slices neatly through the limb, the crackle of electricity and wet splash of vital fluids following the action. She holds it out to 9S, coming to kneel next to him and taking note of the numerous injuries sustained by his other limbs. ]

If you can't walk, I'll carry you. Do what you need to, but we shouldn't stay here for too long.

[ She resheathes her weapon, slumping to sit next to him. 2B knows he'll ask if he needs her assistance, but for now, she lets an unfamiliar lassitude settle upon her artificial limbs, exhaling deeply. ]

There's a lot of cover in the buildings here. We should be safe while we plan our next move.

[ 9S' own stability is slow going, though he can feel it coming back bit by bit. His visuals become clearer, their surroundings easier to take in. What's before them is a graveyard of androids that he knows 2B took out mostly on her own. His help had caused the wreckage of multiple flight units that now shields them for the time being. He thinks to himself that this is an opportunity, morbid as it is.

He grunts as he shifts uncomfortably against the wall, eyes falling upon 2B swiftly hacking off the android's arm. Their own kind. Androids they once sided with. The fact that 9S doesn't flinch when it happens speaks volumes of how a week has changed him. He realizes, then and there, that he can't bring himself to care about it.

They attacked them. It was necessary.

As 2B comes over with his replacement, he reaches for it. He exhales a labored breath, body still wracked in pain. ]

Should... Be fine. My processors are sluggish, likely from whatever fail-safe they had installed. I'll run a scan when we're far off.

[ Because they can't stay here long. 9S stares at the hacked end of the arm, turning it this way and that. 2B definitely got a clean cut, and it's clear that he'll, thankfully, have feeling in this arm. All he'll have to do is sauder the edges. It'll be painful, but...

He doesn't say anything to 2B's analysis, not yet. 9S has to get this done quickly so they can move forward. With a sharp inhale, he holds his breath as he roughly forces the arm into place. He's instantly greeted with a burning sensation that spreads from his elbow to the rest of him. His head throws back without intending to, a sharp cry of pain as the wires burn together, vital fluids spurting from the seam and burning his skin. ]

[ The tunnel really has become a boneyard for the agents YoRHa has sent to capture the both of them, the crackle of electricity and the sound of running water the only noises she can hear aside from their slow, steady breathing. She watches 9S calmly, ruminating over his current mental state; she knows he hasn't been doing well. Neither of them have. But she isn't sure if the fact that he isn't fazed by her hacking off the body parts of a fellow android with little fanfare is a good thing. The last thing she wants is to twist him into something broken and dark. Like her.

2B fears that it's already too late to stop this, though, and her fears are confirmed by the way he simply gets down to work.

When he flinches, 2B starts, grasping him by the shoulder. She makes a small noise of alarm, though she knows this is necessary; her brow furrows as she grips him, her mouth set into a hard line. Part of her blames herself for this; accessing the Flooded City through the sewage tunnel had been her idea, and it had provided an adequate chokepoint for YoRHa to attack them. She curses quietly, knowing that thinking like that can be dangerous, but she can't help it.

Keeping her grasp on his shoulder, she looks to his face. ] You alright?

[ Her voice is riddled with concern, uncertainty clouding her features. ]

[ It takes him some time to acclimate to the pain, to force himself to process and register the replacement limb. He hardly even hears 2B react to it, and 9S spends some time sucking in shaken breaths. It slowly ebbs away, the nerve-receptors cooling in place. For a while, the arm settles slumped at his side, the vitals that seep through it slowly coming to a halt.

In his silence, he catches his breath. 9S looks to his arm and slowly raises it, testing to ensure that it's installed properly. It's sore, which is a good sign, but it feels foreign all the same. 9S partly worries if its incompatibility will effect him in the future, but honestly? That's future 9S' problem. He can't focus on that. When he's able to confirm that he can feel it and that it moves, he drops it to his side, nodding at 2B. ]

F-Fine. I'm fine.

[ It's true that it would be tragic, were 9S to be twisted into something broken and dark. The progress that has followed their escape from YoRHa has been slow-going, painful and terrifying. And as such, it's created a sort of complex for 9S. If this is what's necessary, it's what's necessary. If the fear that drives them forward ruins his mind? It's what's necessary.

He's still in that mission-ready mode, likely incapable of breaking off from it until they're far away. And so, he works to get himself to his feet, not looking at 2B when the next suggestion falls from his lips. ]

Their parts.

[ His voice is labored, still pained and cracked. 9S grunts as he stands, knees shaking together while his motor functions still slowly return to him. He gestures his replacement-arm towards the scattered androids. ]

These are upgraded YoRHa Units. I can use that to our advantage. I have no doubt your internals took a hit like mine.

We'll scan their Black Box signals first.

[ Is 9S suggesting that they harvest the insides of their victims? Yes, yes he is. ]

[ 2B watches him in silence, standing by if he needs any form of assistance. This is way out of her wheelhouse and it shows; all androids have the capability to salvage old parts from their fallen comrades' bodies, of course, but 2B has never found herself in a situation where she's ever had to do so. Now that she's assured that 9S is alright, she almost finds the process fascinating... if not a little disturbing.

2B is confident that 9S can handle himself. He's always been able to. Though she's spent majority of her activation period as his ward and executioner both, she knows he doesn't really need her protection all that much. Even as doubts about a logic virus making its way into his systems in a carefully laid trap by YoRHa begin to cloud her mind, 2B knows that her partner isn't so reckless as to let such a thing happen to him.

At his confirmation, she releases his grip, standing up as he does. She's just about to suggest that they get a move on again when he beats her to the punch with his own proposal, prompting her to quirk a brow. ]

We should take what we can get, yes, but we should probably make sure that Command didn't leave any surprises for us in their corpses. If they were engineered specifically to bring us back, there's no telling what's inside them.

[ Still, she makes to line all of the bodies up in as orderly a fashion as she can manage, their corpses laying side by side before the both of them. She can tell just from looking at them that they're made of different stuff than she is; their appearances are more streamlined, their dermal layers more resilient. Their body armor is hardy, also, and 2B feels a surge of flattery; all of this trouble, just for the chance to bring her and 9S back. It's clear that they're not considered run-of-the-mill defectors back on the Bunker. ]

My internals are fine. [ She responds, though she guesses she can't be too sure. 2B unsheathes her blade when her task is done, swinging it a few times in front of her in order to assure that her motor processors are functioning optimally. ]

... Regardless, this is practical of you. If not a little morbid.

[ 9S would feel flattered if it weren't for the fact that they're a target. Still, he's far too jaded to even ponder too much on it. His motor functions come back at 100%, and though 9S has a bit of a limp from a damaged knee, he brings his way to the line of corpses 2B sets out for him. ]

I wouldn't doubt if they did. But there are steps I can take to avoid issues. I'll look into it when we set up camp somewhere.

[ Despite his nerves, 9S' tone is firm. Passive. It's as if the anger and fear of being attacked out of the blue has shut down his morale and optimism. He's thankful his Pod doesn't comment on that.

9S kneels before an android. He stares at the body a moment, realizing the implications of this. But it's necessary.

But they hurt them.

They hurt 2B.

They lied. They follow a pointless cause.

They hurt 2B.

They hurt him.

9S' gaze narrows at the body. 2B's comment hits his attention but he doesn't elaborate on it. Or even argue it's morbidity. No, he sighs simply. And without a word, reaches in to yank open its panel, digging in and immediately ripping away at chords and parts. ]

I'll leave that to you then.

[ 2B puzzles over him as he gets to work, her gaze fixed upon his face rather than on his hands. She wonders what he's thinking, what he's feeling; the hard edge to his voice clues her in slightly, but it also makes her feel like she's looking at a different person from the 9S she knows. He's hard. Almost ruthless. She'd known that these parts of him existed, of course, but some strange, inexplicable urge in her makes her want to try and soften him in any way she can.

She wonders how long it's been since she's seen him smile, true and genuine.

As he yanks open the android's panel, 2B sets to work on the body next to the corpse he's working on, systemically removing its panel, also. She doesn't root around inside, knowing that 9S is far better suited to the task than she is. Instead, she moves onto the next, opening its front hatch. And then the next. And the next. All until the insides of the bodies are exposed, ripe for harvesting.

2B's hands are coated in lubricant and other vitals, her movements having become erratic as time wore on. Thinking about the shift in 9S' voice has her shaking, though she hardly understands why. The morbidity of their task doesn't faze her in the least, but she darkness she senses in him shakes her to the very core. ]

[ Once, it was just the machines they had to worry about. An objective that brought a sense of accomplishment when knowing it was all towards reclaiming the surface for humans. Now? Now, it seems as if it was all for nothing. Now they've discovered they were living a lie, and now? They still have to worry about machines, plus YoRHa androids who still blindly follow.

2B leaves him to his work, leaves him in a silence that is both calming and damning all the same. 9S initially finds no pleasure in prying his own kind open for the sake of harvesting parts. The concept seems so vulgar and wrong at first glance, but in recalling their lies and what this all has done to himself and his beloved 2B? It angers him.

As 9S yanks the mechanical heart of their pursuer, the crack and wet splatter of vitals seems so... Satisfying. As if karma has delivered itself upon them and 9S is merely the messenger. As if this god the humans so eagerly looked to has tasked him with this mission of survival and bringing retribution. As he passes through each android, it's almost like he passionately gets into it and digs deeper each time. Before long, 9S is covered in vitals, red fluid soaking his arms and splattering a picture on his face. With a heavy sigh, he packs everything away, finally standing. There's a silence that takes him while he stares along the line of dead androids. 9S licks his lips as he stares at his hands, just before unceremoniously wiping them along his pants. ]

We're done here.

[ 2B notes the way 9S moves, methodical as ever. His actions are precise, though there's an edge of ruthlessness to them. Though she knows it's likely due to her wiring, seeing the carnage he visits upon the bodies of the androids thrills her as much as it dismays her, and she wonders why it even does the latter. These were newer models, formulated just for their kill or capture. 2B should, by all means, be unaffected by his ripping them apart.

But she isn't. She wants to reach out and grip his shoulder, to stop him; this doesn't feel like the 9S she knows, and while her treacherous, android mind relishes in the display of violence, some stranger, louder part of her wants to stop him. To continue to keep him safe and soft.

2B stays her hand in favor of allowing him to work, knowing it won't do her much good. This is the path that she'd forced the both of them on. She watches as he packs the harvested components into his bag and simply inclines her head, saying nothing as she leads the both of them out of the tunnel.

She stays a few paces ahead of him, leading them towards a dilapidated building flush against the coast. While part of the wall facing the ocean has collapsed, a small area about a story above the water provides an adequate space to set up camp. The sky is dark, the sun shooting streaks of pale yellow through the greying clouds and providing adequate light as she walks into the space, ensuring that they are alone before she turns to face him. ]

It isn't much, but it'll do for a while. YoRHa will be coming around eventually, but I imagine it'll take them some time to recoup.

[ With little fanfare, 2B begins to move piles of rubble about in order to carve a space out for the both of them to comfortably settle. ]

[ It seems like with each passing second, he starts to feel more and more numb. To all of this. His memories come back in waves. 9S realizes that everything he's missed has slowly uploaded over time. Indicative of how many times he's been reformatted and killed. That resentment flows through in his treatment of the bodies beneath him. 9S turns their back and follows 2B as if he'd simply shopped at a store. Nothing more, nothing less.

They would have died anyway.

He doesn't say a word the entire trek to camp. And he doesn't say a word when they set it up. The blood that coats his arms and clothing smells foul, like thick oil. It sticks to his shirt and makes his mock flesh feel slimy and disgusting. And so he pulls his shirt off over his head and tosses it to the ground. He sighs and rolls his head back, as if to relieve tension that isn't there. Androids seize, but they don't cramp. ]

They'll see what we did. The Commander won't want to send anyone else down until they're stronger and incapable of being hacked. Or torn apart.

Doesn't matter. I'm the most adaptable S-model. Nothing will work unless they build something better.

[ He did, after all, build that back door. They know what they're dealing with. ]

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