[CLOSED] Deadly Intentions

[twoaffirmations]

FEATURING: 9S, 2B, Eve, Poe, and Akira
WHAT'S HAPPENING? Eve happens across 9S and gives him a fatal wound. 6O & Poe fail to save him while 2B hunts down Eve. 9S resets and ends up staying with Akira for a few days as his memories resurface.
DAY: 2/13 (fight & reset), 2/13~2/16 (akira's house)
CONTENT WARNINGS: Violence, "blood", and death
NOTES: Anyone who might be concerned about 9S' sudden disappearance are welcome to use his inbox to try and contact him.

[Community guard can be sooo boring. Almost nothing happens, and when he's working alone like today it's even worse. It reminds him of his job as a Scanner back home, but at least back home he had the company of Pod 153 or Operator 21O while he worked. He also was able to gather data on and survey the enemy, a task that was nearly impossible on a regular basis here.

He did have one thing to look forward to while working, and that was the chance to help someone. While he idly deafened things that looked like they might make noise, or moved things out of the way of the sand paths, 9S at least still felt a sense of purpose beneath his boredom.

As long as he was helping the humans, his work was worthwhile. He could see them benefit directly, and that made his work much more fulfilling than home.

Even so, he felt anxious at times.

Being quiet was easy from a technical standpoint, but it still took a toll on him mentally. He was itching to socialize more intimately. He'd like to fight the Sound Eaters too, but A2 had already proved that all but impossible.

9S finishes tidying the section of path he was at and stands to survey his surroundings. In the abandoned house just to his right, he sees something pale move out of the corner of his eye. Not quick enough and not focused enough to be a Sound Eater, he wonders if it's just a human scavenger. Still, he has a bad feeling he can't quite place.

Well, as community guard he should probably check. This is his chance to find something worthy of the title, and 9S can't help the bubble of adrenaline in his chest as he approaches the building in silence. If he finds a hostile, can he eradicate it? Fighting really wasn't his forte...

If you need backup, contact me.

That's what 2B had told him, but he hasn't even verified if he needs backup yet! 2B had her own job to fulfill. They weren't partners anymore...

But he wants to work with her again.

Pulling his phone out of his hoodie, he relays a quick message along with a portion of map data.

Meet me at this location if I don't update you in 5 minutes.

With that, 9S heads into the building.]

Comments

[siderocostal]

[The building is abandoned, certainly: dust has started to settle on the yellowing books left behind. It looks as if people have scavenged as quietly as they could in this place already, but there remains old shelves not worth dragging out, with old porcelain plates trapped behind their glassy doors.

It's almost picturesque.

There's even stairs leading up, and no doors to be found on the current floor. If someone did come in, they could easily be around any corner. There's several ways to go, and it gets darker further in, as there is no power here. The only light is that which filters in through the windows.

It's up to 9S to choose where he goes.

Go on, then, 9S. Where will your curiosity take you?]

[twoaffirmations]

[9S keeps to the opening hall at first, surveying what he can from there. There's plenty of rooms he can't see into, corners he can't see past. He doesn't see anyone from here, and with calling out impossible he's left with no choice but to head deeper inside.

His own footfalls are silent as he approaches the first door and dips his head inside.

Nothing in here.

He continues on, poking his head into every door he passes until he finally meets the stairs.

Maybe they went up here?

9S takes the first step, grimacing as the wood beneath give a worn creak. There's no way someone went up there without him knowing! That means the mysterious figure he's looking for has to be on this floor, bathed in the darkness ahead. He waits by the stairs and gazes into it, figuring the noise might draw them out.]

[siderocostal]

[Eve is nearly giddy with glee.

9S's searches aren't very thorough, and Eve watches from his vantage point in one of the more cluttered rooms as 9S moves on, still unaware.

Android.

Stupid, pathetic, infuriating android. Eve knew he recognized that face.

9S isn't wrong about the noise drawing out his only company here either -- Eve peers around the doorjamb, curious, and finds 9S's back to him.

It's perfect. Eve cuts a tall and sharp shadow from the soft light pressing at his own back, but it's swallowed up in the deeper darkness of the interior, and so 9S will have no warning. None at all, as Eve steps forward quietly and quickly, bending to pull 9S off his feet and up into a tight choke-hold using a single, powerful arm. It's almost like a hug, with the android pressed close against his chest. Hey buddy!!!

He got you. :)]

[twoaffirmations]

[9S lets out a choked noise as he's suddenly lifted off his feet, his windpipe compressing beneath Eve's strength.

The attack was so sudden--who? Why? A2? No...

2B?

Panicked, one-word questions shoot through his consciousness as he struggles, his hands clawing at the arm around his neck as guttural noises bubble out of his throat. His feet kick, uselessly scrapping against the flooring and only serving to kick up dust around them.

Whoever it is, they're not squeezing hard enough to crush his windpipe, but that doesn't mean he isn't feeling the effects of overheating. His head hurts. He can't breath.

Is it 2B? Is it because he knows her true designation? No... 2B wouldn't kill someone like this. She wouldn't... She wouldn't... Not like this. Not without him knowing.

Just a few more minutes. He just...has to make it until...

...2B...]

[siderocostal]

[Eve isn't bothered by 9S's struggling itself, though a sneer pulls at his lips when 9S's feet scrape the floor. He pulls 9S up a little higher, holding his neck more tightly as he exits the hall and enters a room with carpeting.

Here, 9S's feet brush more quietly while still kicking up dust. There's a hole in the wall here too, where the brick and mortar has fallen away. It only opens to an alley, however, so it does little to brighten this dingy room.

It's also the area where Eve has procured a nice, rusty metal pipe. There's a handful, in fact, and Eve had considered making 9S into a pretty decoration, but he's angry. Angry that 9S somehow escaped his last artful skewering. That means brother lost his plaything. That means the one who hurt brother has been walking around freely.

Eve wants to see him suffer.

So he's decided to make 9S into an example after he's dead! It's simple, really. He takes 9S to a far wall, and swaps his initial hold to grip 9S by his throat instead, lifting the android high.

It blows his cover, probably, but Eve will make this quick. Adam isn't here, but he can't risk 9S's partner showing up, on the off chance she's present. He knows he can't take them both.

It's dark, here, but 9S will be met with the unmistakable red glow of a machine's eyes.]

[twoaffirmations]

[9S can feel the steady rise and fall of footsteps, just as his vision begins vignetting.

There's a split second where the pressure on his neck is gone as Eve changes his grip, and 9S manages to suck in a lungful of air before sputtering it back out. He feels the immediate cool to all the delicate hardware in his head, and as he digs his fingernails into the arm holding him up, he pries his eyes open despite the pain.

Red eyes... An infected android...?

No... It was a machine!

That's all the confirmation 9S needs to act. He blasts his self-consciousness data at Eve and starts hacking him. He doesn't have a lot of time, so he targets his visual processors first in hopes of disorientating him.]

[siderocostal]

[Shit. The little thing can still fight back like this, huh?

Of course, the last time Eve did this, 9S was already half dead and not able to fight back at all. Ugh, he should've throttled him some more, but Eve gets impatient! And maybe it's more fun when they don't simply whimper and die.

The vision in one of Eve's eyes blinks out, and its loss is reflected in the glow of it disappearing, and he snarls soundlessly, walking forward to press 9S fully against the wall.

From there, he grips the pipe in his left hand, the tip cut diagonally and thus almost as sharp in appearance as a spear.

Eve wonders...can 9S keep hacking if he's in pain?

The muscles of his arm coil, then, and Eve wastes no more time, driving the pipe through the cloth of 9S's jacket, through his synthetic skin, aiming to pierce the android's abdomen from just under his sternum, with full intent to angle up from there and do some real damage.

He'll twist it roughly as well, the moment he hits resistance.]

akira; reset room

[twoaffirmations]

[9S' consciousness begins.]

Nnh... [He groans quietly as moves to sit up. As his visual processors begin to take in the barren room surrounding him, he finds that he can't quite place where he is. It's not the Bunker, or his room at the Resistance Camp...

Wait, of course it isn't. He's not home. He doesn't remember how he got here, but he's sure that he isn't home. Why can't he remember anything? Was his memory damaged?

9S feels his pulse spike, and he lets out a steadying breath as he brings his hand up to press against his forehead. His visor slips down to hang around his neck, its functions meaningless to him right now.

He speaks to calm himself down, voice quick and curt and most notable of all, not muted.]

Okay, okay... Just follow the emergency manual and execute the memory recovery program. Easy.

[beguiledcard]

[ It's the groan that draws his attention first...

He sets his tools down, turning with a start; the familiar sight has his eyes widening. Akira stands there for a moment. Did 9S-...?

Him, too??

Something sinks in the pit of his stomach, and his first urge is to move over to his side, to check on him, to make sure he's okay again. But, he's just coming back. He doesn't want to startle him, so soon after he's returned to life.

Augh, it's like some kind of twisted video game... Some deaths can be fixed with a special healing item, but some mean an actual game over -- he... quickly tries to pull his mind away from dwelling on Makoto, all over again.

But, after swallowing hard, he does move over to kneel next to him. He speaks quietly... ]

Hey...

[ 'You okay?' is a stupid question, and he doesn't feel up for even trying to pretend to be calm about this... So he's going to let 9S react to him first, to gauge how to approach it... ]

[twoaffirmations]

[9S' plans to execute the memory recovery program are put on indefinite hold as a human kneels by his side. He's pretty sure he's a human, anyway. His memory might be fuzzy, but there's a gut feeling driving him now in its place.]

H-hey... [He stammers out a meek response.] Er, sorry, am I in your way?

[beguiledcard]

[ Oh...

Akira quickly shakes his head. ]

Not at all. [ ...and going off of what he heard: ] Do you remember where you are?

[twoaffirmations]

[9S reaches for his head again, pinching his brow.]

No, there's something wrong with my memory data. I know I'm not home...

[beguiledcard]

[ Akira's expression, as well as his gaze, softens... ]

We're in a place called Reims. You've been what the natives here call "Reset."

[ He holds a breath for just a moment, releasing it slowly. It's not something he wants to jump into saying, but... he's going to give all the information. ]

If the pattern is anything to go off of, your memories will restore themselves.

[ He twists a strand of his bangs. ]

When we leave this room, we have to be completely silent. There are creatures around here that are drawn to sound... and they're able to kill us instantly.

[twoaffirmations]

Ah, yeah... That sounds familiar.

[He feels like he's having deja vu. If his memories really will return on their own, maybe he should just wait? If anything, it'll give him a chance to study the effects of this room. Even if his memories don't return, the recovery program will work at any time.

9S looks around, narrowing his eyes as they adjust.]

Creatures that are drawn to sound... [He looks back at Akira.] Sound Eaters, right? I remember that much. They're the enemy...

late 2/16, after Akira's death

[twoaffirmations]

[After hearing of Akira's mysterious disappearance through Akechi, the last of 9S' hazy memories finally piece themselves together. Suddenly, he remembers why he's here.

To help the humans.

And suddenly, he remembers the night of his death in vivid detail.

He needs to search for Akira, the human who helped him, but he also needs to let 2B and Poe know that he's okay. He needs to know that 2B is okay. The last few days he'd spent at Akira's house, he hadn't received a single text from her.

A text, with a location to 2B:]

2B, I've successfully reset. Let's rendezvous.

[And to Poe, he just sends a text, not wanting to bother the human by requesting a rendezvous.]

Thank you, Sir. I know I said that humans should stay away from anything dangerous, but... I'm glad that you came for 2B's sake.

you know which one

[gotyourselfapilot]

You're welcome, 9S. It's Poe, not Sir, you don't need to call me that. I'm used to getting my hands dirty. It's what friends do. She asked for help and I came. I'm sorry that I couldn't help you better.

[twoaffirmations]

Friends...?

You don't have to worry about me, Poe. The reset room brought me back, just like I anticipated! I was more concerned about 2B. She's a combat android, and Eve is a machine.

[gotyourselfapilot]

We said if we needed help to contact each other. It's what friends do.

I hoped that you would return to the reset room. Even if you're an android there's still a chance you may not have came back. She went off to fight him. I gathered that Eve is a machine. Do you know why he looks like you though?

[twoaffirmations]

But you're a human... Is that really okay? It's my duty to help you humans.

[Then, a half second later.]

Wait, 2B went to fight him?! I told her not to do anything reckless!

[gotyourselfapilot]

Friends help friends. Androids help humans. Is there something wrong with it? I don't mind returning the favor to help, it's what friends do. It doesn't have to be fighting. It can be a simple task you may not quite understand.

It was hard to decipher what you were trying to sign clearly. I can't stop an android whose stronger and heavier than me.

[born2b]

[It's a relief to hear from 9S. He's back... seemingly with his memories. She'd been disoriented after her own reset, her attention wandering, unable to focus on what needed to be done. Other than threatening Eve, that is.]

Roger that.

[And sure enough, 2B will be at the location provided, her eyes searching for a sign, any sign, of 9S.]

[twoaffirmations]

[9S is right where he said he would be, and as 2B draws towards the rendezvous point, he raises his hand and waves her over. Sprinting would cause too much noise.

He mouths her name, "2B"!]

[born2b]

[If this was back at the Bunker, she had to stay strong, she had to stay silent, she had to keep her arms by her side.

She doesn't say anything as she approaches, her strides long, sweeping 9S into a crushing hug the moment he's within reach. Nines...]

[twoaffirmations]

[9S wasn't sure what he expected to happen when 2B quickly closed the distance between them, but it wasn't this. He stands there in shock as she squeezes him in her arms, his body being lifted just enough to force him to balance on his toes.

...It's nice. It's nice to be held like this.

He raises his hands, unsteady as he reaches for her waist.]

[born2b]

[For once, she allows it, keenly aware of his hands on his waist while she holds him close. Being close is so hard... but for once, it doesn't hurt to be this way. After a while, she pulls away, a hand still resting on his shoulder while the other cups his cheek.

Voiceless, she mouths, "I was worried... you wouldn't return."]