spellbinders | here we go again...

[There's certainly something strange about fighting against something entirely organic. As much as they resembled humans, androids and even Adam and Eve were still metal underneath it all, and the wildlife in the City Ruins might've been organic, but they couldn't fight like this. (Never mind the many fatal encounters you can have with a mad moose or boar.) It's something she keeps in mind as she fights them—how decapitating them would terminate all motor function for sure unlike machines, where their heart might be physically located inside their body.

Despite knowing substantially less about the Uvi compared to machines, being organic provides a number of ways to eliminate them, it seems.]

This shouldn't be anything we're not used to. [For better or worse. As one quickly approaches her, she switches to a pair of combat bracers briefly for something a little faster. Her greatsword has been the best of her weapons for cutting through their tough hide, but it's not ideal for a single, agile target.

It might be time to invest in finding a new light sword though. She can make do like this just fine, but she kind of misses it.]

Easier to take out threats like this.

[The choice of weaponry doesn't escape 9S' notice, and it makes him wonder what equipment she's currently got access to. Their supplies are necessarily limited by their circumstances, but he's still able to produce a variety of weaponry he'd had at his disposal back where he last recalls being. Perhaps that's part and parcel of repair...

But knowing the last time 2B was active, he can't be sure of how well-stocked her supplies are. He frowns as he considers that, reluctant to ask her lest he remind her of what she had endured, and rounds on a pair of Uvi that try to flank him.

A gesture's all it takes for his lance to come crashing down on them, catching the light with a flicker as it strikes the one stupid enough to look up and gape at the airborne weapon. Awfully easy to skewer an opponent that way, come to think of it... 9S will have to remember that one]

Their hides are pretty tough, but not compared with metal.

Let's hope they don't have any surprise Goliaths lying around.

[It's sort of a joke, but it's not like she's unused to surprise unfortunate events like that either. While she doesn't say it and has no intention of letting her guard down, the Uvi have been much easier opponents in comparison to the machines thus far. The most difficult part about this has been keeping the Palai safe against the Uvi's massive amount of numbers. The coven just isn't large enough to keep everyone covered.

After delivering a series of punches to her current target, she jumps, brings both her fists together, and slams them down to crush its skull right under her. Not even bones could compare to the metal frames they usually dealt with when it came to machines. As the two of them continue to decimate the Uvi almost effortlessly, it seems like they might be getting the hint that they won't be making it past these two.]

[First the number of attackers dwindle, and eventually they drop off entirely. 9S attempts to detect any further presence of hostiles in their vicinity, but he comes up with nothing. Animalistic as the Uvi apparently are, perhaps they've determined that androids are the apex predators around here. On the one hand, they might be able to use that, but on the other, it means they aren't a suitable diversion anymore without pursuit]

...Guess we're not very popular, huh, 2B?

[At least this means that the building ought to be secured. But the city is vast, and though 9S lets his weapon return to its place suspended behind him, his steps are cautious. They weren't built to deal with magic, and the Uvi are making use of such an arsenal in this assault.

In the distance, he can hear the splash of rushed footfalls in displaced water]

... Seems like it.

[Which would be for the best if they were after survival, but they're not. They're here to defend.

She turns her attention towards to building, making sure that the Palai inside are all on their way out and evacuating. It doesn't look like any Uvi will be heading back here, so she turns towards the sound of the splashing. There's no doubting he heard it too, so.]

Let's check it out.

Right.

[9S nods and trots after 2B. These may not be humans they're fighting for, but the Palai have been kind to them, and coming from a world as frequently cold and brutal as their own, that stands out. If he can help, then he will.

Besides, there's no way he's leaving 2B to fight alone. That's something he's not about to do again]

...Sounds like there's a fight up ahead.

Then that's our cue.

[And with that, she takes off running towards the fight, automatically assuming that 9S will be following close behind her. After having fought together with him for so long, and with no other task for him that she knows of, she doesn't even think to ask if he'll come or if he has any other objective to follow up on. This is how it's always been, after all. If she ever fought without him by her side, it was only because he wasn't deployed with her for one reason or another, and that definitely doesn't apply here.

In a way, it reminds her that she actually misses Pod 042. Fighting without it has been strange, and as they close in on the fight, it only reminds her of that. Both the Uvi and Palai are entangled in their fight, and while she has a lance of her own, they're too close together for her to feel comfortable making a long-distance shot. Pod Fire would help a lot here.

As it is, she runs up close to the fight before leaping and planting both her feet in one Uvi's face. It certainly helps get some distance between it and the Palai at least.]

[There are occasions when 9S wishes he was more useful in close-quarters combat. But at times like these, he thinks his ability to strike from a distance is beneficial. It allows him to see when one of the Uvi tries to come up behind 2B, and he sends his lance hurtling in its direction with a quick gesture, striking it right in the chest.

That too has proven to be a weak point, as so many are. His weapon flickers away as soon as the Uvi stumbles, because there are too many Palai caught in the fray. It seems they're putting their recent combat training to use.

Observing that, he can see why 2B used the attack she did...

And so he trades out his weapons for a sword, closing distance to get between an Uvi and one of the Palai, Compared to machines, he doesn't struggle to block the attack, but as usual his grip on his sword is an awkward, unnatural thing upon closer inspection]

[Seeing him grip his sword only makes her grit her teeth, her own grip on her greatsword almost too tight as she brings it back out. It's undoubtedly been a boon that 9S taught himself how to fight despite being a Scanner model. In a fight against the machines, it's never bad to have backup, and 9S engaging in combat serves much better to that purpose than simply directing a pod where to fire.

But she knows exactly why he taught himself how to fight. She still remembers her surprise at seeing him actually engage in combat for the first time—against her. Because he was afraid she would kill him.

Because he didn't want to die, and she killed him anyways.

She goes after the Uvi with renewed relentlessness, the weight of her sword and her own strength making it easy to decapitate or otherwise leave a wound deep enough to be fatal. The safety of the Palai is high on her list of concerns of course, but if she's being honest with herself, seeing 9S engage in close-quarter combat like this reminds her of a lot of things she'd prefer to not ever think about again. The sooner they can end this fight, the better.]

[The change in how ferociously she attacks isn't something that goes unnoticed. 9S handles close-quarters combat with less grace than 2B does, and it comes as no surprise that it means he applies more effort to cutting down his opponents. In terms of power, his model is inferior to hers. Still, he's a Scanner: dividing his attention is a matter of course, and he can't very well back her up if he isn't paying attention to her.

He's not sure what's prompted the change, but concern wells up in him. He has to grit his teeth and swallow it down, force his concentration on driving his blade through one Uvi's throat to strike another in the face. The blood's hot as it seeps into his uniform, soaks his gloves, makes the material heavier and darker.

When he withdraws his sword it's with a wrenching motion, a struggle that ends with him stumbling back. These fights might be easier, but they're certainly far more messy. He's just recovering his balance when an Uvi comes running his way, intent to attack him from behind while he's regaining his balance]

9S!

[She doesn't even warn for him to get out of the way, dropping everything she's doing with her own opponents to run and shield him. Beastlord acts as a decent stand-in for a shield as she holds it up against the Uvi's attack, the weight of both it and the attack substantial but far from enough to make her own strength waver. Or really, she can't waver here.

After spending a literal lifetime only ever hurting 9S, only ever killing him, her death was honestly something she couldn't complain too much about. For once in her life, she was able to protect him, to well and truly do something for him. It didn't matter that it cost her her life to do so. She'd gladly do so again if that's what it took. The new life she's been granted isn't one she thinks lightly of, but if she can't even manage to protect 9S here when she's completely free to, then what's the point?

So she pushes the Uvi aside, wanting to create space between it and 9S. It's not that she doesn't trust in his abilities, but fighting up close and personal was always her strength anyways. It's what she was made for.]

[The distance might be intended to allow 9S to fall back, but it isn't what he does. As soon as the Uvi is forced back by 2B, he pivots and angles his blade up to pierce the creature's throat. For all that the height difference is unfavorable, he makes up for it with the force of his weight thrown behind it, punching straight through before he wrenches the sword back out.

And it's in the span of that moment that it occurs to him that 2B hasn't seen the ruthless way with which he'd become accustomed to dispatching his foes. None of these opponents were as strong as those he'd faced off against in her absence. If anything, the greatest difficulty is that he has no ability to hack them and they're far messier.

Still, there follows a tense silence during which he lowers his weapon and glances around, pretending to be occupied with looking for more enemies. The sounds of battle, of weapons clashing, distant explosions, and crashes all drift to his ears and yet they're not here.

The Palai are learning. With the help, they've taken down two hostiles themselves]

...Sorry.

[Though he doesn't specify what for]

Edited 2017-09-11 05:06 (UTC)

[There's a steady murmur of noise as the Palai around them let out sighs of relief, talk and make plans for retreating somewhere safe, but 2B doesn't hear any of that. The moment seems so quiet as she takes in what she just saw. It's good, surely, that he was able to help her in defeating that Uvi. And it's not like their opponents here are as strong as the machines were. In anyone else, she wouldn't even blink at how he just fought.

But it's not anyone else. It's 9S, and despite how he taught himself to fight, she'd never seen him move like that.

It's a heavy reminder that as much as she thinks she knows him, she doesn't know what happened after she died. She doesn't even know how long it was between then and when he got here. For all she knows, there could be years and years of things she doesn't know about him now. Not for the first time, she wants to ask so badly what happened after she was gone.

Yet she can't bring herself to voice it. If it wasn't something he brought up himself, it must've meant that he didn't want to talk about it, and how could she blame him for wanting to keep some things to himself? Wasn't it enough that he was here with her now, alive and well? Besides, now was hardly the time for it. There might never be a time for it.]

It's fine. There's nothing to apologize for. [Especially not to her. He's not the one who should be saying sorry.]

[The calm that settles in around them doesn't do anything to alleviate his own unease. Still, 9S releases his grip on his sword, allowing to to flicker back into place behind him. It seems at least in this area that they've cleared their opponents, and it doesn't take long to be sure of that. Even so, it takes him several moments longer to push down his own concerns and turn to face 2B again]

We made short work of this group, didn't we?

[As though nothing out of the ordinary just happened, he simply carries on. It's been the way of things for a long time, because he doesn't know what to do with the reality of his circumstances. The reality of what he knows. All that he's sure of is his fear of causing 2B more pain, assured that she has endured far too much for his liking as it stands.

Wouldn't it be worse to tell her the things he knows? The things he's done? She'd said in that recording she left in her flight unit that the time she'd spent with him was like light, and he fears now that he'll dim it by saying too much, or perhaps anything at all. This, it seems, is safest for all its difficulty.

Still, he presses on, because at least this way he believes he can't make it worse for her]

How do you think the others are doing?

It's hard to say...

[She trails off, unsure. While they were obviously built to be stronger than humans, she knows that they aren't defenseless by any means. They'd probably be insulted if she said she thought they all needed their protection. But that's not why she's unsure.

He seems so tense with her it, it worries her. Even when he knew she was about to kill him, he didn't seem this tense. Not outwardly, at least. The fact that this is showing outwardly at all... It's fine for 9S to keep some things to himself when she's always done the same, but it's also fine for her to at least ask if he's well, isn't it? As his friend?

Everyone thinks of them as friends, anyways. She's still not sure she'll ever deserve that.]

N—9S. [And yet she still can't bring herself to call him as his friend.] Are you... You're okay, aren't you?

[The hesitance doesn't get by without his notice, although 9S supposes it's better that he not remark on it. He isn't sure whether the source of that is because he's given her cause for concern, or if something extends beyond it, and a part of him fears what the answer would be if he were to look too closely. As much as he's missed her, he's growing aware of the distance he has imposed over time.

Despite all the times he'd tried to get her to call him Nines, it's a fact, isn't it? Jude's reactions had brought as much to his awareness in force. He'd rather protect others from realities that would hurt them. Since he couldn't be spared that himself, he thinks he knows the difference.

And yet the tone of her voice hurts for him to hear. What can he do about such a thing, short of causing her more pain than he already had? Surely, the benefit wouldn't outweigh that cost]

In this place, I can't back you up the way that I'm used to. [It's true, and it has concerned him, but it's not the real reason. It's not what he fears] Against organic enemies like this, I'm not much good as support.

[He shrugs, as some acknowledgement that it can't be helped. His tone, at least, is convincingly casual. The last thing he wants is to trouble 2B, after all that she's gone through on his account]

Guess it's tough to get used to, as a Scanner.

You're still doing plenty, both as support and a Scanner. [Not all of this struggle can be solved on the battlefield after all. She's sure there's no end to the Palai who are grateful for the mechanism 9S helped make.

He sounds convincing enough, just like he always does, but that could be a hint at something in and of itself. Despite all their time together, she's never been particularly good at reading or figuring him out. Not like he's figured her out dozens upon dozens of times. Still, she just can't let go of the niggling feeling that something's not as it should be.

What else should she expect though? Of course something's not as it should be. Your "partner" isn't supposed to be someone who'll kill you the moment an order is given.

But she wants that to change. It can actually change now. She just has to try, right?]

If there's... [How does she say this? Telling things as it is comes easy for her, but being honest like this has always been difficult.] You can always tell me if there's something bothering you. If you want to.

[Of course, she understands if he'd rather not share something like that with her of all people.]

[The offer makes him feel as though his black box is in a vice. In the same instant, it means a great deal to him that 2B would reach out in this way. But at the same time the fear of what speaking candidly will bring about surges through him, and he finds himself hesitant to respond. Would it hurt her more to carry on like this, or to be honest?

...In the end, the answer is obvious to 9S. Telling her what he knows, telling her how he feels...those would impose a cruel burden upon her. Where would he even draw the line if he changed that now?]

Thanks, 2B.

[And he means that, truly and sincerely. He's grateful that she would offer him that support, after her stalwart efforts to adhere to the command imposed on them: emotions are prohibited. Asking what's on his mind is an acknowledgement that despite the expectation, they do feel, isn't it?

He only wishes what was on his mind weren't impossible to share without causing her more pain]

But other than feeling pretty lost around here, I'm okay.

[At least his smile seems genuine enough, though tired. Surely that can be attributed to the battle they've been waging against these attackers]

... Alright.

[She's still not entirely convinced, but she knows there's no point in trying to push it. Despite how talkative and eager 9S can be for friendship, he's so very good at putting on a front and keeping people at a distance when he wants to.

Or maybe it's just when it comes to her, given. Well, everything.

... It's not something she can keep thinking about right now anyways. They have more pressing matters. She'll have to be satisfied for now.]

Let's move on. There are probably more who need our help.

[It's a welcome change of subject. Much as he regrets potentially disappointing 2B, the alternative is worse]

Right...this city's pretty big.

[As is the wave of Uvi that have come crashing down on it. There's no surprise in the numbers; they've dealt with an enemy that came in seemingly limitless supply all their lives. But unlike androids, the Palai have only one life apiece, and they're far less suited to combat.

That means people like them make a difference here. These opponents don't really have anything on them except their quantity]

I'll follow your lead then.

[After all, he is her support]

here we go again...

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