Restoring Mankind (NieR Automata) Chapter 13 preview 2/4 (Patreon)

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The air rippled as the song from the machine struck out from unseen vocal cords. From under its dress, hard-light golden blades showed themselves. It barrelled around as a dancer flows through the floor, all the while, singing. The songstress machine was fast, like a meteor burning through the skies. It cut through anything any everything with its blades, crushing underfoot the rubble and ruin that decorated all around. 11B and 4B were flattened underneath the songstress's weight, cut apart by its blades. The surviving YoRHa androids leapt back, narrowly avoiding the rampaging machine.

2B landed on her heels, Virtuous Contract glinting in her hands. "What the hell!?" 2B cried out. She had never seen any machine like that before.

"Our records don't say anything about a machine like this!" 9S echoed her sentiments. His mind contained a full record of any and all machines that YoRHa and the Army of Humanity had documented. Never before had they seen a machine like that!

1D had other concerns in mind however. "Less talking, more fighting!" She yelled.

The loss of 11B and 4B significantly cut their fighting strength. The B-models were the frontline fighters after all. But not everything was lost. 7E and 2B could still fight. And they had a scanner too. Immediately, a plan formed in her mind. Such was the tactical prowess of D-models.

"7E, 2B, engage the enemy! 9S, we'll make an opening for you to hack into the machine! 12H, call for support! Pod, support, now!" she yelled out her orders. The whirring and whining of the machine made it hard to let her voice get carried over but her troops heard her regardless.

Her troops moved to fulfill her orders. Their Tactical Support pods opened up, unleashing volumes of fire at the songstress. 12H nodded, running off away from the fight with her pod.

"Copy! Attacking!" 7E affirmed, rushing into the Songstress, 2B in tow with Virtuous Treaty. 7E roared and leapt at the machine, a heavy sword much like 2B's in her hand. The maso-fused blade dug through the dress of the machine but to 7E's fury, the heavy blade barely left a dent on the blade. 2B followed afterwards, Virtuous Treaty better suited for such work but still, it did not do much. The armored dress still held.

If the songstress machine showed discomfort or annoyance, the macabre masque it wore covered it. Instead, it simply swiped away 2B and took a-hold of 7E in its grip.

"7E!" 1D cried out in anguish. She lifted her rifle and fired, a constant stream of maso bullets that impacted harmlessly against the songstress. 7E's screams became manic and pained as the grip of the songtress tightened around her artificial spine. A pained crying shriek left her lips as the false air in her lungs left her, her innards getting crushed by machine steel. She was swiftly tossed aside and struck against a wall. 7E crumpled against the floor, shaking and whining pitifully before she stopped moving.

Mocking laughter left the songstress.

"NOOOOOO!" screamed 1D, anguish and rage coursing through her body. She wanted nothing more but to tear this piece of iron scrap to bits but she had to stay focused. They had to retreat and let their air assets blow that machine to scrap. Focusing her rage, 1D willed for a small black canister to appear in her hand. She rushed forward and pulled the pin. The canister sailed into the air and harmlessly struck against the machine's chest-plate.

A low sucking sound pierced the air, then a flash of light as a thermobaric explosion rocked the Songstress. Eat that, you iron mongrel!

"We need to retreat, now!" 1D roared, dropping onto one knee and firing her rifle at the songtress in tandem with the support pods. "I'm covering you guys, run! Go!"

Gritting his teeth, 9s glanced at 2B who once again attempted to cleave at the songstress only for her blade to harmlessly bounce off. "2B! Let's go!"

2B leapt back, her legs struggling to find balance against the stone floor. "Copy!" 2B seethed quietly. She did not really like retreating, if she could. But orders were orders and besides, what else could they do against the songstress's armor? She turned on her heels and ran, 9S waving at her to join him. But as they were about to rush through the door, a purple bubble appeared before them.

"Alert!" Pod 042 chimed. "Due to enemy electromagnetic waves, retreat is not possible. Proposal: Destroy enemy machine,"

"You're kidding me!" 9S wailed, pounding his fist against the bubble.

Well. If their ticket out was to fight, they were going to have to fight.

An explosion rocking out from the back made them both turn around. The Songstress had opened up and bombarded the area around with explosive lances of light. 1D ducked and rolled desperately to avoid the incoming drops but one lance she dodged too late. She yelped as one lance hit her way too close and sent her flying against the electromagnetic wall, She slid down against her back before stopping completely. Her audio receptors rang internally, her vision showed nothing but ERRORS all over. She tried to move but her arms and legs refused to listen.

She glanced up and saw the machine barrelling towards her, arms outstretched. "...Werseren nahri sa tör!"

9S and 2B watched helplessly as 1D was flattened against the electronic wall. 9S teeth gnashed against each other as the songstress pulled back, laughing mockingly as it pulled back. 2B turned to where 1D was only to see an assortment of flesh, wire, and blood crushed underfoot.

"I AM MORE BEAUTIFUL!" the mad machine cackled.

"What the hell is it talking about?" 9S yelled out.

"It doesn't matter!" 2B said, falling into a combat stance. Her eyes processed information in a matter of seconds. "Pod! I need weak points!"

"Identified" monotonously responded 042. Data streamed into her feed, points appearing in her blindfold in gleaming red dots. She hurriedly chose one specific point, the armor plating that would have opened up the machine's core.

"9S! Prepare to hack at my command!!" 2B yelled out as she ran headfirst into hell.

"Yes!"

She ran quickly, avoiding the barrage of micro-missiles and machine orbs projected by the Songstress. Pieces of her dress tore, fire singed her skin. Yet she pushed on through the onslaught. She rolled on the floor, sliding through amidst the incoming rays of death.

Now!

With all her strength, she leapt up, rolling high into air and struck against the armored plates with all her force. That did the trick and the plates jiggled, opening a brief window into the machine's core.

"POD!" 2B cried out.

Her faithful pod fell into position. It opened itself up and fired. A stream of energy arced forward, punching through the machine's plates and dousing the thing's core with laser. The songstress stumbled, the damage apparent on its frame as its ornaments and dress fell onto the ground.

"9S! Now!"

"Hacking!"

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High above the Amusement Park, Damian waited impatiently as he glanced down at the ruins below. He felt it was a pity since the place did look lively but it had the misfortune of hosting that escaped machine orb. The other machines there looked peaceful enough in their colorful clown costumes but they were there.

They were simply in the way.

And besides, what would they do? Issue a evacuation order for a bunch of clowns?

He sighed, glancing up at the sky and the numerous fly-by's done by YoRHa and his fellow pilots. It was certainly beautiful, seeing their formations and the suits waiting patiently for the next phase of the assault. The plan was simple which was what it needed really. No need to be fully sweaty when the enemy was cornered. There was that maxim about a cornered enemy fighting the hardest but as far as he saw, these were dumb stupid machines that had some versions of it that were hard to kill. Until proven otherwise, he wasn't going to say more on that.

"...This is 12H, this is 12H does anyone read?" suddenly came a panicked voice. Not a second later, her face appeared in his HUD. Damian's eyes widened. That was his girl!

Quickly, he tapped into the comms. "12H, Jolly Roger reads. How copy, over?"

What happiness 12H had in hearing him, she had to hide it. "Jolly Roger, we need urgent assistance! My squad's engaged a new type of machine unit! We need help at Grid 220794!"

He punched in his thrusters. In the distance, other squadrons seemed to have heard the call for help. "On my way!"

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Am I beautiful?

AM I BEAUTIFUL NOW?

9S was standing still for far too long.

2B had seen 9S hack into machines multiple times. Some in a nanosecond, others taking longer than five seconds. But the scanner had been standing still more than that now. Worry gripped her. Metal began to clink and chatter. Her head swivelled to the songstress twitching on where it stood. Her eyes widened as she then took ahold of 9S, just in time as pools of energy left the machine, dousing those nearest to it in paralyzing red energy.

"Alert, saturation attack triggered by enemy consciousness data," 042 reported to 2B as she zig-zagged and ran, avoiding the Songstress's attacks. "Possibility of immense damage to memory sector."

2B barely heard any of that, the songstress had twitched violently. Metal began to break and expand as what beauty and grace it had vanished. A macabre mouth grew from underneath its body, four beast-like legs tearing through its dress. She jumped and weaved through its berserk attempts to crush her. Powerful thrusts but uncoordinated.

There was a shriek as it suddenly seized up, a leg giving way. There was a slight shimmer as the electromagnetic shield that trapped them vanished. It was then 9S went back to life, greedily gulping for air. 2B hid well her relief. It simply wasn't the time. "What did you do?" she asked as the scanner model went up to his feet.

"I've deactivated some of her capabilities!" he hurriedly announced. "We need to move and let CAS handle it!"

2B nodded, going to her feet as they both began to ran. "Wait, she?"

"It's a long story 2B! We need to go, now!"

Urged by 9S's voice, 2B ran. They sprinted as fast as they could, behind them the machine fizzled back to life, screaming. "I AM BEAUTIFUL, I AM BEAUTIFUL!"

"She's coming back!" 9S yelled. A yelp escaped him as 2B suddenly picked him up, hoisting him over her shoulder like a sack filled with potatoes. Protests left his mouth as he helplessly smacked 2B's back. "2B! Let me go!" he shrieked, mortified.

"Can't! Running!" 2B yelled back, running as fast as her legs could carry them.

"Let me down! Let me-" 9S paused as a metallic groan left the back. "RUN! RUN! RUN! WHERE THE HELL IS THE CAS?"

As if on cue, 042 spoke up. "Alert. Multiple black box signals detected. Proposal: Get to cover."

The light pierced 2B's vision, the doorway clear and open for them. With nary an affort, she tossed 9S outside the ruined marble building, earning pained yelps from his lips. 2B leapt out, rolling down onto the floor. All in time as multiple black docks pierced the distance. Ho.229 flyers going low and without ceremony, dumping its entire arsenal into where they had run from.

2B glanced away, the pained cries of the songstress machine coming from within. She ducked some more as missiles screamed in the air. 2B's breaths were careful and deliberate as the 229's flew off. Slowly, she lifted her head to scan the destruction left behind by the flyers. 9S, still lying flat on the floor, glanced up at 2B.

"Is...is it over?" he asked carefully.

She craned her head to where the Songstress was only to find her still standing. A searing hot hole was where her chestplate was. Her legs as it were had given way, collapsed on her own weight, her body slumped forward. "Dead but standing," 2B reported.

The two YoRHa members left their hiding place, slowly making their way to the near-dead machine. Sparks of electricity left its body, metal pieces burnt or jagged or twisted in ugly proportions. The songstress lifted her head to regard the approaching 2B. For being a faceless piece of metal, 2B noted that it looked tired.

Virtuous Contract flashed in her hand as she walked up the metal monster.

"Would...he...had...looked...at...me?" the machine managed to ask.

2B did not answer as she plunged her sword into her exposed core. The machine froze, her core turning red. It gasped as 2B took her blade back and leapt by 9S's side as the Songtress erupted in a orange-red explosion. As the dust settled, there was nothing left but a flaming crater and smoking metal parts.

"It's done," 2B whispered with finality. The familiar screaming of a thruster coming closer registered in their ears. A loud thump echoed as a YGGDRASIL suit landed right by them. Servos whirred as the suit turned to regard the flaming crater, loud thuds coming as the pilot drew close.

"Dios, that thing is ugly as hell," came the voice of Damian, disgust apparent in him. His helmet glinted as he turned to face them. "You guys doing good?"

2B's hair was a mess. Her perfect face was dirty from battle and soot. There were tears on her dress, cuts from the battle. 9S face was blackened from the fight, spots of ash on his hair. Despite their inorganic nature, the two YoRHa androids looked exhausted.

Damian shook his head. "Scratch that. You two kids look like shit. You guys were supposed to be the vanguard. You've done your job. Come on, I'll take you two back."

To his surprise, 9S shook his head, a tired smile on his face. "A vanguard...leads the way, sergeant. We...we've yet to secure the inner sanctum of this place."

"That's the place where 12H detected YoRHa black box signals. We need to retrieve our fellow androids, sergeant," 2B said cooly.

"Alert: Black box signals detected inside the building have ceased functioning," Pod 042 added, his tone factual and monotone as usual. 9S turned to the pod, surprised.

"What? But...we fought so hard! What do you mean they've stopped functioning?" 9S yelled, throwing his hands up into the air. 2B stepped forward, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"9S,'' 2B's tone was both re-assuring and disciplinary. "We have to check. Maybe there is something we could do for them? Pod, contact 12H."

The healer made herself known, alongside others, as multiple running boots came up. "2B! 9S! Sergeant Damian!" 12H called out. The three turned to see the YoRHa model rushing forward, multiple resistance fighters coming up right behind her. A smile was on her face as she regarded the three.

"The machine's been taken care of? Sorry I took so long, I decided to head back and link up with the Resistance coming up in their advance. Miss Anemone's dispatched some of them to assist us here," 12H began bubbly. She blinked, seeing the expressions on 2B and 9S. Worry built in her as she realized the others weren't there. "Where's 1D? 7E? The others?"

The silence from 2B and 9S told her all she needed to know. "Ah...I...I understand. W-well, looks like we'll have to re-introduce ourselves to our new squad when they come back!" she joked. The humor on her voice was not heartfelt. The ones they lost today would simply come back, their consciousness all backed up the the bunker server.

But they wouldn't be the same.

"The black box signals we detected inside the sanctum, they've gone blank," 9S spoke up, steering the topic away from what had happened. "Can we do something about it?"

"W-well...we've gotta go check," 12H cleared her throat. "So, lead the way?"

2B and 9S nodded, lethargically moving forward. A stoic iron look fell upon 2B's face as she walked in first, her Pod and 9S trailing behind her. Damian's YGGDRASIL marched along, servo whines ringing in their ears, weapons humming with power as he made sure to scan every single thing that his eyes and sensors could see. 12H and her band of resistance fighters followed suit, aware that the YoRHa troops and Damian could deal with whatever surprises awaited them. 

The hallways were much smaller, 2B realized, as she glanced at the tears and stress that the walls had. If it weren't for the CAS runs earlier, then that machine they just destroyed had done it. But what coaxed it to move from its position? 

"This is a strong ass building," Damian's speakers came to life with a remark. "There was more than enough firepower to turn stuff to scrap." 

2B said nothing, content to walk along and focus in her mission. Behind her, 042's voice echoed. "Alert. Machine signals detected ahead. Caution is advised." 

A sense of caution fell on them as they walked, boots and heels and servo whines ringing. "If the machines had a machine gun nest ahead, we'd be fucked." Damian remarked. 

"H-Hopefully they don't," 12H muttered, running up to Damian's side. 

"The only guns I've seen them use are those big red orb thingies," Damian said, head cocked to the side. "You've all fought these guys way more than me. Any surprises I should know?" 

"Well...they do have tanks," 9S added, trying to be helpful to Damian's question. 

"Tanks?" Damian asked, eyebrow raised. 

"Yeah, tanks. It's crewed by the little guys we always fight. It's got one big cannon and little ports for machine guns," 9S elaborated, interest slowly rising as he spoke. "I'd be more than happy to show you what they look like, Sergeant!"

"Eh, sure. You can show me afterwards."

"R-really? I'd love to!" 9S enthused happily. 

"9S...not the time," 2B butted in, her tone stern. The scanner boy deflated visibly. 

"Now I see who wears the pants in this relationship," Damian observed. 

"Pants? Relationship?" 9S blinked. 

"Eh...I'll tell you when you are older," Damian said, shaking his head. 

"But I am older!" 

"Contact!" a resistance android cried out. Heads turned as they glanced at the massive hole in the distance.

Pod 042 drew closer. "Alert. Machine signals are detected ahead," the tactical support pod said. At that, 2B ran ahead, her blade at the ready. As she left, her skin chilled as cold air flowed through her skin. The room was massive, with stands all around and a massive stage in the distance. Her attention however was on the numerous macabre crosses littered around the auditorium and the androids nailed to them. 

Looks like they found their troops. 

But that wasn't the end of it.

On the stage sat nestled their quarry, the orb shaped machine that had been engaged at the desert. And, it looked half dead. 

"2B!" came 9S's voice. He ran in, only to gasp at the sight before them. "The black box signals! It came from them! And that machine!" More voices joined in as Damian and the others followed suit. A cry of horror left 12H's lips seeing the state of her fellow androids. The human sergeant glanced around the macabre display, his expression hidden behind his helmet but the disgust in his voice was apparent. "Jesus Christ, this is fucked up."

His helmet swerved up towards the machine that injured him. The cannon on his shoulder swivelled down, the barrel aimed at the massive machine ahead. "And as for you, time to blow you up." Inside, his helmet blinked as he spoke. "Overlord, this is Jolly Roger. HVT has been found. Requesting permission to engage." 

Not a minute later, there was a reply. "Permission granted. End it, Jolly Roger." 

He grinned. The androids all stepped aside as bursts of light and the cracking of thunder echoed in the chamber. Shells fired continuously from his YGGDRASIL The shells pierced through easily, punching searing hot holes on the Hegel's armor. Not a second later, fire consumed the Hegel as oil poured forth from its wounds, dripping down onto the stone as heated slag. For good measure, Damian fired one last shell into the Hegel's eye. 

A groan echoed in the chamber as it keeled, dead. 

"HVT is bingo," Damian declared. As he prepared to call it in, he blinked as the Hegel 'opened'. The androids quickly raised their weapons in alert as under the Hegel, a port opened. Liquid, white and slick, dropped in buckets. But that was not all, as a figure was also dropped. 

Damian's eyes narrowed as his sensors magnified close. 

The figure was a woman, much like the YoRHa androids. Except, this figure was stark naked and her hair was shoulder length. Bountiful breasts and wide hips, with a figure most women would die for. Damian was very much filled with appreciation, but also confusion.

"Ugh....wugh..." groaned the woman, her voice musical but distorted.

The androids however weren't so confused. 

"That's a machine!" roared 12H.

"Pod! Open fire!" 9S yelled.

The pods immediately reverted to their gatling mode and opened fire. The resistance androids lifted their weapons and joined in, laser fire pouring forth in unending volleys. Skin and blood was torn as the woman stumbled back from the force. 

"Pod! Laser!" 2B yelled as she ran. At her command, searing hot fire poured from 042, striking at the woman. She leapt at her, Virtuous Contract jabbed at where her heart would be. 9S followed suit, Cruel Oath dug deep into her stomach. "Urgh..." the woman groaned, blood dripping from her mouth. The woman seized up, shock coursing through her core. Heavy breaths left 2B and 9S as they dug their swords deeper. 

Then, they yelped as tendrils of light poured forth from her, knocking them away. 

"2B! 9S!" 12H cried as she slid right next to 2B. Groaning, 9S pulled himself up. There was a thump as the woman they stabbed collapsed, moaning in pain. Then, tendrils of light tore from her. Bones snapped, flesh expanded as a hand punched from her corpse. From the side where her ribs where, the hand pulled itself out then a whole body as a similar woman left the corpse. 

The androids froze as the woman looked up at them then shrieked at them, a banshee wail that made the stones crack and weep. Damian hissed as his HUD tore for a moment before finally, it stabilized. 2B quickly stood up, rushing towards her with her blade drawn, a battlecry on her lips. But just as she slashed down, the woman vanished in a burst of light only to appear in the far distance. With eyes filled with seething hatred, she began to glow. 

"Alert: energy levels are spiking. Proposal: Steer clear of the bl=" 042's voice was cut off as a blast of power left the woman with a scream, an explosion of energy that threw them all away. Damian blasted off to shield 12H, the Healer screaming as the blast settled. As dust and soot filled their senses, low rumbling echoed in the chamber. What strength the building had was spent in the absorbing the CAS runs from earlier. 

Now, that blast was the nail to its coffin. 

"We have to run!" 9S yelled out. "2B! Let's go!" The scanner rushed forward, taking the Battle model by the hand as he led her away. The resistance members were also hot on their heels for the doorway. Grabbing a hold of 12H, Damian secured her to him as his thrusters roared to life. Amidst the falling rubble, the YGGDRASIL punched through, its frame protecting 12H from the stones collapsing on them. 

As they left, Damian noted the eyes of the machine woman as they blasted off. 

They were predatory. 

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High in the air, Damian glanced down at the ruins below. His HUD rang as a message request came through. A message he accepted. 

"This is 17D. Sir, we detected a spike of energy. What happened down there?" 

"Machines. Some type of special unit. Alert your bunker that there's a humanoid machine that's going to be running around. She looks just like you YoRHA, but with taller hair and red eyes," Damian reported, still disbelieving the fact that they were not going to be fighting machines like that. "I'll be sending data images of what the hell we just faced. Be warned." 

The YoRHA unit on the other line mirrored his confusion. "R-Right! Orders?" 

"Hold until the Colonel says so," Damian replied quickly. "Be advised, the machine women possess teleportation and energy manipulation abilities." 

"Understood! Glory to Mankind!" 17D said before cutting off the transmission. With that, Damian sighed. He glanced at 12H, still held against his chest. 

"You alright there?" 

The blonde glanced up at him, shock on her face. "Y-yeah, just...shaken. The YoRHa androids we saw...now that machine...Our enemies are evolving," she said, shivering. 

"Don't worry. We'll be evolving too," Damian promised. At that, his suit shifted as he sighted a crowd of Resistance members surrounding 2B and 9S. "We'll be going down now. I'll set you down there with them." 

"R-right!" 

Not too soon, the YGGDRASIl descended slowly and landed with a thud. Glancing up, 9S had seated himself on a fallen pillar, 2B leaning against it with her arms crossed. A pair of Resistance androids ran up to them, Anemone and Jackass, Damian recognized. 

"We detected spikes of energy in there. What the hell was that?" Anemone asked urgently, worry on her face. 

"Machines. New types. Humanoid," Damian responded quickly, letting 12H hop off him. She managed him a sweet smile before she went off to join her fellow YoRHa troops. Damian sent her a wave before turning his attention back to the two. Anemone and Jackass were looking at each other in concern. 

"A humanoid machine...I presume we'll have data on what it looks like? I need to prepare my men," Anemone said, not looking forward to the news. 

"Yeah. Won't be too hard though. Looks like a YoRHa android, but meaner," Damian said, shaking his head. 

"Now what? Mission complete?" Jackass asked. 

But before Damian could reply, a loud explosion rocked in the distance. Such was its magnitude that a mushroom cloud formed in the distance, kissing the sky. Then, panicked cries as radios and other communicators fizzled with activity. Anemone halted, a finger to her ear. 

Damian's own HUD roared with activity. Clicking on one, he winced as a panic voiced registered into his ears. 

"This is the Resistance Camp! Requesting urgnet assistance! Goliath-class units are advancing from the Factory! I say again, Goliath-class units are advancing from th-WATCH OUT!" 

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A/N: And thus, I return. 

Thank you for your patience, my dudes. 

We are now back with our scheduled program.