[S]ayonara Memories (NieR: Automata)

Chapter VI: A [S]imple Request

Vee spoke to neither of them, her head downcast to prevent making eye-contact with her two chaperones.

She could tell they were close to the village now, the familiar lush of vegetation greeting her when they crossed over from the ruined city.

If Pascal saw her, what would he say? He'd obviously ask how everything went. Should she tell him the truth or lie? Vee had never lied outright to Pascal before and to do so now- what did she hope to accomplish?

It's not like there was any reason to defend the two androids before her to her foster parent. They already made it clear that the village she 'grew up' in couldn't be trusted and neither could she be too regardless of her being made by their 'creators' as well.

Was this the price of her so-called 'curiosity'? That all those videos she watched excitedly with Pascal were just lies perpetuated by humans to live an impossible life? Did they feel this way too everyday? Unlike machines and androids, humans didn't have the ability to read each other through the network.

Vee, along with this village, were also disconnected from the network. Did it mean that whatever 'unknowns' she felt from others were also what humans felt when engaging with people of their kind too?

No wonder all the movies were made to look too happy or easy.

Is that why 2B and 9S were like this? If they had been disconnected as well, would they be different too? Would they finally understand her viewpoint as well?

Vee didn't know and she couldn't bear to ask. She didn't know how to, given that their friendship was already made known to her. It wasn't the friendship she envisioned over and over before she met them- no, this was a friendship of mere civility and necessity.

It took her a few minutes to figure it out when that realization dawned on her. 2B and 9S were investigating her village, the missions were all for the sake of finding out how dangerous the village was to them. Vee didn't speak it out, for fear of knowing the answer. She was thankful in a way that Anemone had defended them- labeling the village harmless.

It scared Vee to think of what they might do if the village were deemed dangerous. Would they destroy it? Without the network to back them up, Vee knew that when they died- they died for good. It was one of the reasons why Pascal always reminded each and every one of them to be careful.

Death... Vee hated that term the most.

To her, it was synonymous to 'never coming back'. Sure, machines and androids could be repaired and restarted but it was the memories in them that would be replaced. They may be the same model or maybe even parts but were they the same machine? To Vee, they weren't.

It was probably like comparing them to human 'twins'. Although they are the same, they are purely different in memories and experiences. They are their own persons before all else and it's what makes them stand apart from the sea of people and each other.

Casting her robotic eyes at the dangerously glinting weapon from 2B's back, Vee 'shuddered' at the thought of it being used to kill them off. Would they really do it for the sake of the mission? Would they do it because someone higher than them said so?

If they were made like their creators then wouldn't it be safe to assume that they are their own persons before anything else? Wouldn't it mean that they would have the ability to see past what should and should not be done?

If they killed a harmless village because their code dictates that they are dangerous because of mere generalization... Wouldn't that be wrong?

Books of human wars showed her that it was possible to switch sides or to remain neutral. The village showed neutrality and coupled with what she read, wouldn't that be enough of a reason to leave the village alone?

Vee would like to hope so. She would at least like to believe that they were capable of such a program even if they weren't willing to take her in their circle.

"We're close." 2B's voice snapped her back to reality, Vee's eyes glinting in 'fear' and 'apprehension'. Her systems already pointed out that 2B and 9S were dangerous if engaged in battle. She was a simple android and one who wouldn't even react in time should 2B and 9S plan to 'execute' her.

If humans had gods then could androids pray to them too? Vee didn't see the harm in it and she did so nonetheless. Miracles were usually coincidences, science dictated so, but Vee- for that moment- 'hoped' otherwise.

"Y-you will not harm them, will you?" She couldn't help but ask, causing the two androids before her to freeze just as they were about to make their way to the entrance.

From the two, it was 9S who spoke. "What do you mean?"

His simple question made Vee shake before her robotic blue eyes flashed in 'desperation'- an emotion she just recently received from the experience of not knowing the fate of her home- her 'family'.

"We weren't given any orders. Our only priority now is to deliver this to Pascal and be on our way," 2B answered this time, her eyes assessing the unusual behavior Vee was making.

2B could 'sense' it. Her 'fear' at the thought of them being ordered to destroy the village. This did not escape the scanner android as well, after all, it was his job to be observant. The two YoRHa androids knew just how much the village meant to their companion but orders were orders.

2B knew this, no matter how painful it felt- it could not be ignored.

"Look, I can tell we went off to a rocky start and that alone can be a cause for worry. We neither trust each other and it's obviously eating you up." 9S finally took it upon himself to assure Vee, the act alone enough to confuse her amidst her constant worrying.

After all, receiving assurances from a possible killer of your village was completely unusual and suspicious.

"I know what you mean now, about having difficulty trusting me," Vee spoke up while she looked at them. "But can you keep a promise?"

"If it involves sparing the village in exchange for your life, we cannot."

"I know, 2B... But it's a different one."

"Then what is it? If it's something in our power we may be able to do it."

"9S..." 2B couldn't help but reprimand her partner but the conviction and guilt in his eyes stopped her from doing so. Vee didn't seem to notice this, due to the fact that she had looked down to prevent them from seeing her possible expression.

"If by any chance you really are ordered to kill us... Can you at least do it without me realizing it?"

Her request surprised the two androids before her. They did not expect her to have thought up of such a promise. They assumed she would have continued trying to win them over but 9S had a feeling Vee knew that would be impossible for YoRHa androids like them.

To have everyone die before you, 9S didn't know the feeling but the movies he watched alone were enough to let him know how torturous it would be to the ones who had to suffer it.

Vee probably knew that too and it ate at her painfully. Her request spoke as much, that in the event that they would be ordered to kill them, then he and 2B could at least end her before she realized it. It was something 9S couldn't seem to imagine and it only made him even more guilty should the order be given.

Once again, 2B couldn't help but relive all her memories of having to kill fellow androids due to her status. To hear Vee request for such a death- was 2B ready for another kill? Emotions were prohibited, she kept reminding herself that but Vee had made herself a place in this small group they had.

She would grant Vee her wish, it would be easy for her and yet... The guilt would probably eat her up again like it always did when she killed 9S over and over again...

It was hell, this cycle of murder she was trapped in.