Reload [Nier: Automata Fanfic]

Chapter 1

He's impaled. The menace, A2, with 2B's sword–

9S lets out a choked sound when all he wants to do is scream. How dare she how dare she how dare she–

There's nothing in him anymore other than the desperate urge to stand and heal. His feet stumbled to stand but slip every single damn time on the bloodied ground. His hands claw for leverage but his body is growing weak. He sees her and his vision flickers and all he can see is the likeness of the two. A2 and 2B.

But that isn't right. A2 is nothing like 2B– 2B is–

9S finally shrieks and grasps her. Her eyes look alive as ever– Androids' eyes aren't real– but he sees the way they stare off into the distance without truly focusing and he knows she's gone. His fingers dig into her fake skin and he wants to tear it all off.

How dare she how dare she how dare she–

9S crumples like paper and he's gone.

---

He isn't called by Adam to join their ark. The girls in red aren't blaring in his failing vision.

He reaches out into his malfunctioning systems because there has to be something he can do. He's a scanner type. He can do this.

There is no way to return to the bunker, he knows this.

All the save points have been demolished, he knows this.

He's approaching the end. There aren't any save files that could make all this better. So 9S stops. The virus is spreading and spreading. He can feel it corrupt his functions and oddly, he's at peace.

Maybe he'll see 2B.

---

He doesn't.

He doesn't because he wakes up again and he isn't supposed to. The situation didn't hit him at first, all that made sense to him was that he was alive and that wasn't fair–

9S honestly wants to laugh but he can't muster the strength to erupt in laughter. So instead, 9S grieves because he's alive and that isn't right.

Despair clings to his bones and he is hollow. He curls up into a ball and sinks deeper into the bed's sheets–

Wait.

9S bolts away from the bed like it burnt him. His breathing is increasing in speed. His eyes scan the room he's in and it's something he's never seen before. Posters, clothes everywhere, a... computer? Was that a computer? One of those ancient ones from the humans' times–

Dread. Utter dread sinks heavy in his stomach and 9S feels like throwing up.

He collapses onto his knees, shell-shocked. No– no- no- What on earth did he do to deserve this–

He inhales. Wait. Stop. It can't be. There is no logical way for him to be where he thinks he is. Right. This... This could be a simulation. A trick. An illusion.

9S lets out a hysterical chuckle. Right, this is a simulation. The pods could've done something. He's inside his coding and has to run a simulation for maintenance. He's currently in his information data where his knowledge of human civilization is.

Yes. So now all he has to do is do the basic procedures to end this. He's done this plenty times before. Just switch modes to look through his databases in search of any leftover viruses and–

9S can't switch modes. He can't open menus. He can't go through his coding.

Why?

Panic is starting to suffocate him. "Pod 153!" He shouts, "Status report!" Perhaps there was a malfunction. It wouldn't be surprising considering the fact that there could be a virus roaming in his systems.