nier: automata World.
Returning to the shelter, Xia Yu grabbed another burger set. He hadn't eaten his fill earlier, and luckily, Marvel Xia Yu had bought several sets beforehand and stored them all in the group Red Envelope.
*Munch munch...*
*Gulp gulp...*
*Burp~~~~~*
"Whew, that's much better."
After finishing the last sip of Happy Water, Xia Yu let out a long, satisfied burp and collapsed onto the floor without a shred of dignity. However, after lying there for a moment, he moved again, arching his body and inching his way toward the hibernation pod like a worm.
"Heave-ho!"
With a burst of effort, Xia Yu flipped himself into the hibernation pod. Regardless of anything else, lying in the pod was much more comfortable than the cold floor.
"Getting full makes you sleepy. I'll just take a quick nap first."
Muttering groggily, Xia Yu closed his heavy eyelids. Right now, he just wanted a good night's sleep.
Before long, the shelter fell silent, leaving only the sound of faint breathing... Outside, the desert.
The withered yellow desert stretched to the horizon. The scorching sun shone brightly upon this land, where only a few weathered and broken skyscrapers still stood firm.
They seemed to be recounting the former glory of humanity.
Everything was quiet. The occasional mechanical clanking came only from a few Machine Lifeforms wandering about, tirelessly searching for their enemies.
At the edge of a sand dune, two red-haired Androids were supporting each other as they trudged forward.
"Popola, how much longer until the next camp?"
One of the red-haired Androids with long, curly hair asked her companion. Though she asked, her tone was very indifferent.
"I'm not sure, Devola."
Popola, who had long, straight hair, replied plainly. Her voice held no fluctuations; it was a simple answer.
"I see..."
Silence fell between them once more. They only tightened their grip on each other's arms as they continued to tread through the soft sand.
"...Ah!"
"Watch out!"
During their silent march, Devola's foot suddenly sank into the sand, causing her to stumble, but Popola immediately caught her.
"Are you okay?"
"Sorry, sorry. I was just a bit distracted."
Devola gave a bitter smile, gently rubbing the foot that had tripped. Her fair ankle was wrapped in bandages.
"The bandage is loose. It's about time to change it, isn't it?"
"It's fine. Let's just keep going. If we don't hurry, it's going to rain."
"That's true, but it would be terrible if sand got into the cracks. Changing the bandage is so we can keep walking safely, okay?"
Seeing the concern in Popola's eyes, Devola reluctantly nodded.
Seeing this, Popola supported Devola and found a nearby rock. The two of them sat down in the shadow on the back of the rock.
Beneath the loosened bandage, severely damaged artificial skin was visible. The actuator circuits under the skin were also slightly damaged, causing the ankle to be somewhat unresponsive.
Looking at the wound on the ankle, Popola silently wrapped a new bandage for Devola. In the barren desert, there were no tools or materials for repairs; the priority was to prevent the injury from worsening.
"I'm sorry..." Devola whispered with a hint of guilt.
"Don't apologize. This isn't your fault." Popola silently wrapped the bandage, doing so very carefully to ensure no sand could leak into the wound. This was the best treatment she could offer at the moment.
"I'm sorry..."
"Why are you apologizing, Popola?"
The two apologized to each other and then told each other there was no need to apologize. Being in such a terrible situation yet repeating such a boring conversation caused both of them to let out a soft chuckle.
However, the chuckle vanished in an instant, lost to the cooling wind of the desert.
They were mass-produced Androids used for management tasks in Project Gestalt. To ensure the project went more smoothly, they were designed as twins.
Project Gestalt was the final self-preservation plan for humanity in the Nier World. The [Devola/Popola] models were the executors and observers of this plan.
But the plan ultimately failed, and humanity inevitably marched toward extinction. Consequently, the twin models were hated by other types of Androids.
After Project Gestalt failed, the [Devola/Popola] models were considered the culprits behind the failure. Most were scrapped; these two were the only remaining [Devola/Popola] models.
Even though they were not the specific pair of twin models that caused the plan's failure, because their model type was identical, they were subjected to the wrath of other Androids.
Because they were the same model, the two of them also believed they shared a joint responsibility, silently enduring the resentment of their fellow Android companions.
This was already the countless time they were searching for a new camp. Every time they arrived at a new camp and the other Androids learned of their identity, they were never given a kind look.
This often led to unbearable resentment and persecution. When it became intolerable, it was time to leave.
After all, once violence was resorted to, it wouldn't stop easily; it would surely happen again and again. Before they were brutally killed, they might as well just disappear.
This was the greatest resistance the two of them could offer.
The sky was covered in thick clouds, with not a sliver of sunlight to be seen. Summer weather was just this strange; there had been a bright sun not long ago.
The two continued forward, the gusts of cold wind mercilessly stealing their body heat.
Because they were Androids created in the image of humans, they had everything humans had. Aside from being unable to conceive life, even their body fluids were perfectly imitated.
As their body temperature dropped, both huddled their bodies, but to find shelter before the rain fell, neither stopped their pace.
"Devola, why do you think we are persecuted?"
"Because we are the same model as the Androids that caused the extinction of humanity. It can't be helped, Popola."
"But we are us. We aren't the same as those [Devola/Popola] units."
"But they don't think so."
Following the cruel reality spoken by Devola, rain began to pitter-patter down.
"...Devola, are you cold?"
"As long as Popola is here, it's okay."
"Me too."
With the weather acting up, the temperature suddenly plummeted. The sweltering heat turned into a bone-chilling cold. The two snuggled against each other and smiled to encourage one another as they continued their march.
As long as they crossed this desert, they could reach a new Resistance Camp. If they could get there, they could repair Devola's ankle.
But... is there really anyone on this planet willing to accept us?
Popola thought of this in silence. Devola seemed to notice her abnormality and asked with concern, "What's wrong?"
"No, it's nothing." Despite the unease in her heart, Popola replied with a smile.
The rain grew heavier and the cold deepened, yet the two still kept their pace, moving forward unwaveringly... "Tsk, it's actually raining."
Standing at the entrance of the passage, Xia Yu looked at the storm outside, feeling a bit annoyed. It was sunny before he went to sleep, and he hadn't slept that long.
Of course, since there was no clock, Xia Yu didn't know how long he had slept, but he felt like he had only dozed off for a little while.
"Hmm? What's that?"
Standing at the doorway, Xia Yu narrowed his eyes, looking at a flash of red in the heavy rain. Although he couldn't see clearly, he could tell that the red was moving toward him.
"Androids? What a coincidence."