[With some fish successfully caught, 2B admires their catches as she cradles them in her arms, an uncharacteristic glow behind what features are still visible. Her mouth falls open as she considers their weight – decent – and she looks at Kaine with newly formed conviction.]
Good catches.
[She seems... excited about this, and is making sure that Kaine is listening before she turns to her support unit.]
Pod. What are they?
[A blip in response as it considers for a moment...]
[Kainé nods in response— she was far from a professional angler, but if you wanted to eat, you learned how to fend for yourself. Good to know those skills were still going to serve her well here, especially since she's not interested in guzzling oil or whatever the hell it is these androids use to power themselves.]
Yeah, not bad. Better than I expected to find.
[But if they have moose and boars, she guesses it makes sense that there are still fish hanging around. Humans couldn't fucking cut it, but the wildlife was doing alright.
She narrows her eyes a little as 'Pod' lists off the names one after the other, curious.]
So he just— helps you with whatever the hell you ask? Doesn't give you any shit?
[Satisfied with their catch, 2B nods in the direction of the Resistance Camp, just up the hill. There's a small corridor between buildings that dwarf the camp, hiding them away from any machines who happen to pass by.]
Each unit deployed to the ground are assigned pod units. They're useful to have and provide intel and support in battle.
[Pod 042 gets a pointed look.]
If our Pods disobey orders, we can order them to temporarily shut down.
[Basically, if they give them shit. Same thing, right?]
[An actual, honest-to-god smile pulls at one side of her mouth.]
Wish I could have used that trick on that goddamn book.
[As it was, there was no combination of words she could spit out, no threat she could ever make that had been enough to make Weiss shut the hell up. She's actually kind of jealous of this whole pod situation, except if she were being honest, she misses that stupid magazine a hell of a lot more than she's willing to let on.]
Friend of mine— floating dictionary with his head up his own goddamn index. Never shuts up.
[2B's mouth falls open, confused. She knows what a dictionary is, but trying to imagine what a floating book filled with words describing other words is a bit too big-brained for her android brain to process.
A floating device like her Pod is not odd by any stretch—for her—but she's never heard of a book that could do the same thing? Or talked, for that matter, but one step at a time here!]
[Not that she knows of. And even if there were, 2B might have a hard time believing in it. Though, there are some things that she does find magical, like these fish, and the way that the lunar tears glow all pretty-like.
But then, she recalls watching some data logs of the humans—many of them, in fact—and there is something that dings somewhere in her memory banks.]
Oh... Hm. [As if she's having some kind of revelation in this very moment.] Do you mean pulling animals out of hats?
[That's what the humans did, and she's sure that they called it magic.]
[Well, if it kills the hostile machines, then 2B can get behind it. But that's what swords and hacking are for.]
Your book... That used magic somehow, didn't it?
[Kaine had mentioned it earlier, and then steered the subject towards magic, so the only logical explanation for the link is that it had used magic to float, right?]
Yeah. The more blood he saw spilled, the stronger his magic got.
[Which means that even though they spent the majority of their time arguing, he and Kainé had actually gotten along just fine— her own inclination towards violence had worked in both his and Nier's favor.]
Asshole had a real mouth on him, but that magic was useful while fighting Shades— bullshit monsters we're overrun with instead of machines.
[But in the long run, it's not that different. Both here, and where she's from, the ongoing conflict seems endless. She'd do well here, although destroying machines isn't as satisfying as cutting down Shades had been.]
[Spilling enemy blood makes him stronger. Just like her, and just like Adam and Eve. Machines and Androids alike adapt and learn, grow based on their experiences, just like their creators do. Androids, however, are different. They...
2B makes a disconcerted noise in the back of her throat and scoops up the fish they'd caught.]
We'll go back to the Resistance Camp. You'll need nourishment if you want to continue surviving here.
[She does her part to help, unwilling to let 2B carry everything on her own, and gets down on one knee to gather up the remainder of their catch. Really, they'd done pretty well for themselves.]
Got a lot of uneasy stares when we were there before.
[Of course, it's the only place to go, so it's not like she can opt to head somewhere else for help. She's definitely at a disadvantage in this place.]
I think I make some of 'em nervous. ... do your kind get nervous?
[She's still trying to get a feel for how android emotions actually work. They do seem to have them.]
[2B casts Kaine a glance through the corner of her eye, but her head remains facing forward at all times as they wander into the camp. A cursory glance around does have her catching some of the Resistance androids looking at them, or more specifically, the girl next to her, some appearing uneasy while others surprised.
She ignores them and leads Kaine to the back, where they will be able to set up a fire and cook the fish in peace.]
Mm, not quite, [she finally admits when they're past the gates.] If we feel things like nervousness or fear, we become a liability in battle.
[Though 2B is not quite innocent of keeping those emotions in check herself, having let those feelings turn to rage in the toughest situations, where 9S's life was put on the line. Adam made sure to take full advantage of that, but in the end, it ultimately allowed her to save her partner.
Still, she's going to abide by the YoRHa rules.
With a thoughtful purse to her lips, 2B drops the pile of fish to the ground.]
I think the Resistance are uneasy because they haven't seen a human in a long time.
[She falls into step behind the android and lets her lead the way, doing her best to avoid paying much mind to all the eyes on her. She's used to people staring, albeit for different reasons— at least here, it's with curiosity, rather than with sneers or hateful jeering, and part of the reason she dressed the way she did was to invite people to stare. Couldn't be self-conscious about the way people looked at her if she knew they wouldn't be able to do anything but. It had helped her to steel herself to the way people flinched when she walked by, or steered their children away when they saw her get a little too close to the village for comfort, but this was something else entirely, and she's not prepared for this in the same way.
Even being human— or at least mostly— she can understand where 2B is coming from well enough.]
Guess it's the same for anyone. Nervous means you're not focused. If you're doubting yourself, then it's like getting in your own way. Can't fuckin' win that way.
[At least that's how she sees it. She goes into every fight with everything she has— hard, unwilling to stop until she has no choice but to do otherwise. Maybe they aren't so different, even if she's the odd woman out here.]
How long's it been? Since you guys saw humans here.
[She drops down to sit on a crate next to where 2B has dropped the fish, lowering her own armload to join the pile.]
[Near the pit, there's a box of matches on the table left out for anyone who wishes to rekindle the fire, and without a word, 2B picks it up, lights one, and throws it into the wood. The fire forms easily, small at first, but it will get big enough for them to cook over in time.
She sits too, posture stiff with her back straight and hands resting on her knees. She mulls over the answer.]
The humans fled to the moon in 11939. Seven years ago.
[Or so she's led to believe. 9S has yet to return to a working state, and so the news of what really happened hasn't been shared with 2B yet.]
We didn't think we'd see another. Not until we ended the Machine War. Humans created us androids to fight, so that's why the Resistance is watching.
[She gestures to the gate, where several of them stand, wide-eyed and in shock. She can't exactly blame them, though. Imagine meeting the species that created a whole other one. Yours.]
[The contrast between them is sharp as they both make themselves comfortable, 2B sitting with her impeccable posture while Kainé leans forward to clasp her hands together and rest her arms against her knees, feet spread apart and, generally, leaving very little to the imagination for anyone who might happen to glance their way, as is her custom.]
The moon. No shit. I heard a couple of other people say something about that, but I thought they were joking.
[Right. Androids probably don't joke.]
Figured maybe they just didn't want to tell me we were extinct or something.
[If she can still consider herself a human, anyway. She follows 2B's gesture, a very faint but wry smile tugging at one corner of her mouth when she sees the people standing there and staring. Considering the situation... yeah. She really can't blame them.]
They've been alright so far. Just... I don't usually expect people to be friendly. Know we've been over that before, but— I'm not real popular where I come from.
[It's said in her usual firm manner, but it's meant to be reassuring.
She wonders if it's a human tendency to compare. It's not as if she can blame Kaine, considering how each human seems to be so different from the next. They aren't built with personality prototypes like the YoRHa androids are, so there's no telling what they're going to get. So far, Kaine seems pretty alright!
The fire between them roars, growing in size, and she takes that as enough of a signal to skewer one of the fish.... with the end of her sword... and holds it over the fire.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
pressing fast forward on our old meme thread a teenie bit
Good catches.
[She seems... excited about this, and is making sure that Kaine is listening before she turns to her support unit.]
Pod. What are they?
[A blip in response as it considers for a moment...]
Koi Carp. Arowana. Killfish. Bloatfish.
[Wow!!!]
oh this is heckin' cute
Yeah, not bad. Better than I expected to find.
[But if they have moose and boars, she guesses it makes sense that there are still fish hanging around. Humans couldn't fucking cut it, but the wildlife was doing alright.
She narrows her eyes a little as 'Pod' lists off the names one after the other, curious.]
So he just— helps you with whatever the hell you ask? Doesn't give you any shit?
[This is Important, she needs to know.]
no subject
Each unit deployed to the ground are assigned pod units. They're useful to have and provide intel and support in battle.
[Pod 042 gets a pointed look.]
If our Pods disobey orders, we can order them to temporarily shut down.
[Basically, if they give them shit. Same thing, right?]
no subject
[An actual, honest-to-god smile pulls at one side of her mouth.]
Wish I could have used that trick on that goddamn book.
[As it was, there was no combination of words she could spit out, no threat she could ever make that had been enough to make Weiss shut the hell up. She's actually kind of jealous of this whole pod situation, except if she were being honest, she misses that stupid magazine a hell of a lot more than she's willing to let on.]
Friend of mine— floating dictionary with his head up his own goddamn index. Never shuts up.
no subject
[2B's mouth falls open, confused. She knows what a dictionary is, but trying to imagine what a floating book filled with words describing other words is a bit too big-brained for her android brain to process.
A floating device like her Pod is not odd by any stretch—for her—but she's never heard of a book that could do the same thing? Or talked, for that matter, but one step at a time here!]
How did it float?
no subject
[Really the only explanation for it. She looks annoyed just thinking about him, but not so much that she can't answer 2B's questions.]
I'd say it's not common, but I've seen at least two other floating books— they were even bigger assholes than he was. He was just the first.
[And the lovable kind of pompous asshole, really.]
Do you guys have magic here?
no subject
[Not that she knows of. And even if there were, 2B might have a hard time believing in it. Though, there are some things that she does find magical, like these fish, and the way that the lunar tears glow all pretty-like.
But then, she recalls watching some data logs of the humans—many of them, in fact—and there is something that dings somewhere in her memory banks.]
Oh... Hm. [As if she's having some kind of revelation in this very moment.] Do you mean pulling animals out of hats?
[That's what the humans did, and she's sure that they called it magic.]
no subject
Not that I've ever seen. Read about it in some kids' stories, though.
[Maybe that's the kind of thing people used to use magic for.]
Only thing magic seems to be any good for now is killing shit.
[Which, honestly, she can get behind.]
no subject
Your book... That used magic somehow, didn't it?
[Kaine had mentioned it earlier, and then steered the subject towards magic, so the only logical explanation for the link is that it had used magic to float, right?]
no subject
[Which means that even though they spent the majority of their time arguing, he and Kainé had actually gotten along just fine— her own inclination towards violence had worked in both his and Nier's favor.]
Asshole had a real mouth on him, but that magic was useful while fighting Shades— bullshit monsters we're overrun with instead of machines.
[But in the long run, it's not that different. Both here, and where she's from, the ongoing conflict seems endless. She'd do well here, although destroying machines isn't as satisfying as cutting down Shades had been.]
no subject
[Spilling enemy blood makes him stronger. Just like her, and just like Adam and Eve. Machines and Androids alike adapt and learn, grow based on their experiences, just like their creators do. Androids, however, are different. They...
2B makes a disconcerted noise in the back of her throat and scoops up the fish they'd caught.]
We'll go back to the Resistance Camp. You'll need nourishment if you want to continue surviving here.
no subject
Got a lot of uneasy stares when we were there before.
[Of course, it's the only place to go, so it's not like she can opt to head somewhere else for help. She's definitely at a disadvantage in this place.]
I think I make some of 'em nervous. ... do your kind get nervous?
[She's still trying to get a feel for how android emotions actually work. They do seem to have them.]
no subject
She ignores them and leads Kaine to the back, where they will be able to set up a fire and cook the fish in peace.]
Mm, not quite, [she finally admits when they're past the gates.] If we feel things like nervousness or fear, we become a liability in battle.
[Though 2B is not quite innocent of keeping those emotions in check herself, having let those feelings turn to rage in the toughest situations, where 9S's life was put on the line. Adam made sure to take full advantage of that, but in the end, it ultimately allowed her to save her partner.
Still, she's going to abide by the YoRHa rules.
With a thoughtful purse to her lips, 2B drops the pile of fish to the ground.]
I think the Resistance are uneasy because they haven't seen a human in a long time.
no subject
Even being human— or at least mostly— she can understand where 2B is coming from well enough.]
Guess it's the same for anyone. Nervous means you're not focused. If you're doubting yourself, then it's like getting in your own way. Can't fuckin' win that way.
[At least that's how she sees it. She goes into every fight with everything she has— hard, unwilling to stop until she has no choice but to do otherwise. Maybe they aren't so different, even if she's the odd woman out here.]
How long's it been? Since you guys saw humans here.
[She drops down to sit on a crate next to where 2B has dropped the fish, lowering her own armload to join the pile.]
no subject
She sits too, posture stiff with her back straight and hands resting on her knees. She mulls over the answer.]
The humans fled to the moon in 11939. Seven years ago.
[Or so she's led to believe. 9S has yet to return to a working state, and so the news of what really happened hasn't been shared with 2B yet.]
We didn't think we'd see another. Not until we ended the Machine War. Humans created us androids to fight, so that's why the Resistance is watching.
[She gestures to the gate, where several of them stand, wide-eyed and in shock. She can't exactly blame them, though. Imagine meeting the species that created a whole other one. Yours.]
They're friendly. You don't have to worry.
no subject
The moon. No shit. I heard a couple of other people say something about that, but I thought they were joking.
[Right. Androids probably don't joke.]
Figured maybe they just didn't want to tell me we were extinct or something.
[If she can still consider herself a human, anyway. She follows 2B's gesture, a very faint but wry smile tugging at one corner of her mouth when she sees the people standing there and staring. Considering the situation... yeah. She really can't blame them.]
They've been alright so far. Just... I don't usually expect people to be friendly. Know we've been over that before, but— I'm not real popular where I come from.
no subject
[It's said in her usual firm manner, but it's meant to be reassuring.
She wonders if it's a human tendency to compare. It's not as if she can blame Kaine, considering how each human seems to be so different from the next. They aren't built with personality prototypes like the YoRHa androids are, so there's no telling what they're going to get. So far, Kaine seems pretty alright!
The fire between them roars, growing in size, and she takes that as enough of a signal to skewer one of the fish.... with the end of her sword... and holds it over the fire.]
Why weren't you well-liked?