NieR 12022 Side: 9S

Transcriber: Seviryn

Voices from the Verge

Side 9S - Night

Operation 21O: –

There is a delay in our scheduled correspondence from the Council of Humanity. All communication personnel should carry out designated confirmation protocols.

Operation 6O: –

Hmm... I feel like there's a lot of noise mixed in with this data. I wonder what it is? ... Wait. This isn't noise.

Operation 21O: –

Commencing scan. If you don't get anything after four seconds, try a pattern comparison.

Operation 6O: –

Hold on. This was in a message from the council...

Operation 21O: –

The Commander... Contact the Commander! Hurry!

Operation 6O: –

I can't! All the ports have been destroyed, and...

The stage flashes red. The word Error appears on the screen while a siren goes off.

[Maniacal laughter]

Operation 21O: –

The infection is...

Operation 6O: –

No... Noooooo!

-Crumbling Lies-

June 26, 11945

1:12 AM: Logic virus outbreak occurs within the Bunker satellite base.

1:23 AM: Virus spreads to the Information Control Team.

1:25 AM: All external communication channels are cut off.

1:47 AM: Firefights between maintenance workers break out in the hangar.

1:49 AM: Nearly all YoRHa members are infected.

2:05 AM: Infected YoRHa members wreak havoc in the command room.

2:18 AM: Fires break out in multiple living quarters.

2:20 AM: An explosion occurs near the Bunker's fusion reactor.

2:28 AM: YoRHa units 2B and 9S escape the Bunker.

2:30 AM: The Bunker falls. YoRHa is annihilated.

-A Beautiful Song-

The Bunker that was our home fell. The council of Humanity we believed in was a lie. Herein lies a record that has never been disclosed: A record of sights witnessed by 2B and 9S within a memory. Sights seen as they travelled a world mired in absurdity and deceit.

Mama (narration) –

The bunker, a satellite base suspended in orbit, has fallen. With 9S having lost the only home he's ever known, one woman represents his last ray of light.

9S:

Where the hell is 2B!?

Pod 153:

Scanning. Black box signal located.

9S:

Put it on the map!

Pod 153:

Alert: Large-scale ground tremors detected. Underground soil structure is no longer stable. Cause is likely a high-magnitude earthquake. Proposal: Evacuate immediately.

9S:

I'm not going anywhere!

Mama (narration):

Perhaps some part of him already knows. Perhaps he should give up. But he continues to run, as though trying to escape a curse that clings to him like mud.

[Panting as 9S runs]

9S:

2B... 2B...

[Panting as he runs, then stopping]

9S:

2B! Are you...Ah!

Mama (narration):

The sight before him is so unbelievable, he wishes he could avert his eyes. A scarlet-soaked blade pierces her body. He denies it with his whole being. He denies the visual data captured by his sensors. He denies the conclusions yielded by logical consideration of the situation. He denies the very reality unfolding before him.

9S:

Oh no... 2B... No...

Mama (narration):

She was his last ray of light. His precious hope that must never be lost.

[9S wails. Groaning and screaming]

9S:

A2! I'll kill you!

Act 1: A City Without Memories

9S:

2B! 2B! Where are we...? Pod, do a scan of the surrounding terrain. ...Pod? Pod, do you copy!?

Mama (narration):

The spacious expanse where 9S finds himself is eerily quiet. His voice scatters and disappears into the ether as he speaks. He is surrounded by a vast city robbed of color. White buildings are covered by an all-devouring canopy of pure white that blankets the sky.

Pod 042:

Scan complete. Target verified as YoRHa unit 9S,

9S:

Pod 042, where is 2B!?

Pod 042:

Unknown. We were separated during the collapse.

9S:

Dammit... Scan for her black-box signal!

Pod 042:

Alert: Scanning impossible. Communications in the vicinity have been jammed.

9S:

Because of the EMP blasts? I've gotta find 2B right away!

Pod 042:

Excessive activity detected in the thought-control node of YoRHa unit 9S. Proposal: Cool system by way of short-term sleep.

9S:

Pass.

Mama (narration):

Red flashes through 9S's mind. It is the color of a cold blade thrust into a soft stomach. The crimson liquid that seeps from it. He sees the gentle look in 2B's eyes as she calls him Nines in her last moments.

9S:

Use sensors to perform a scan of the periphery!

Pod 042:

Analysis: No organic heat signatures or movement detected. However, the precision of this information is 39.1% lower than normal as it is not possible to connect to the network.

Mama (narration)– Suppressing his urge to scream, 9S looks out over the mysterious space before him.

9S:

I'm going to look for 2B.

Pod 042:

That action is not recommended. There is a 98.254% chance that YoRHa unit 2B has perished.

9S:

I don't care what the odds are.

Pod 042:

Proposal: YoRHa unit 9S should prioritize escaping this area.

9S:

You can leave if you want. I'll look for her alone.

Pod 042:

Tactical Support Units are not permitted to act independently of their assigned YoRHa units. Furthermore, there is a small chance additional information may be learned regarding YoRHa unit 2B. For these reasons, this Pod will accompany YoRHa unit 9S.

9S:

Suit yourself.

Mama (narration):

He is caught in a cycle of despair. No prayer will be answered. The future remains closed as time continues to flow. 9S understands perfectly. He knows she does not exist within his reach.

9S:

Like I'd give up that easily...

Mama (narration):

Someone who has yet to mourn a loss could not possibly say farewell. A black shadow dashes through the white expanse. He must say farewell, even if it destroys his creaking heart.

[A2 groaning]

Pod 042 (narration):

Despite being caught in the collapse of the city ruins, A2 made it through intact.

A2:

Nnngh... god...dammit! Move, you piece of junk!

Pod 042 (narration):

She awakens to a body in great pain from head to toe. A body that will not do as she commands. Spewing abuses in disdain of this development, A2 manages to rise to her feet.

A2:

Where the hell am I?

Pod 042 (narration):

Cold white buildings are lined throughout the space. Hollow light pours down from an impossibly clear sky. As A2 takes a step, something emerges from a nearby box.

A2:

...A hologram?

Pod 042 (narration):

The three-dimensional image of a robot wearing a hat bows in A2's direction. Then, as if on cue, machines in the area awaken one after the other. Their speakers blare the same phrase repeatedly, as if attempting to brainwash the listener. A light attached to a building projects an image on the ground. It is what was referred to in the old world as an “advertisement.”

A2:

Buzz off, you freakin' scrapheaps!

Pod 042 (narration):

Without a second thought, A2 launches an offensive, scattering fragments of destroyed machines across the ground.

A2:

That should shut things up around here... Huh?

[Cheerful humming - Emil's Shop song]

Pod 042 (narration):

A2 hears an easygoing song that fits poorly with her surroundings, as well as the piercing sound of an engine. Though far away, it gradually draws closer.

A2:

Seriously?

Emil:

Oh no, somebody's in the way! Better pump the brakes and stop on the double!

Pod 042 (narration):

As A2 worries the shrill sound of braking may have shattered her eardrums, the odor of burnt rubber assaults her nasal passages.

A2:

What a stench!

Emil:

S-sorry...

Pod 042 (narration):

A bizarre face is attached to the body of an aged car. Though its appearance is suspicious, A2 doesn't seem wary in the slightest.

A2:

Emil. What are you doing here?

Emil:

So the city suddenly collapsed, right? And then these big white buildings shot straight up from the ground like BOOM! I tried to escape by jumping across collapsing footholds, but I didn't have the horsepower.

A2:

I see.

Emil:

It was pretty crazy! ...Hey, where are you going?

A2:

I'm gonna blow this joint. Being surrounded by noisy-ass machines isn't my thing.

Emil:

Then let me tag along! I can't get any business done down here anyway. You don't mind, right?

A2:

Makes no difference to me. If you can't keep up, I'll just leave you behind anyway.

Pod 042 (narration):

They are amidst a sea of perfectly white buildings. In both shape and form, it is an exact replica of a human city from the old world. Skyscrapers that stand among the clouds. Highways which stretch in all directions. Deluges of light and information. An uninhabited city filled with objects symbolizing humanity's prosperity. And now, A2 and Emil wander this unfamiliar place in search of a way out.

-Peaceful Sleep-

-City Ruins-

2003 – 12 – A strange disease of unknown origin emerges, one which causes people to turn white and transform into salt. It begins to spread like wildfire.

2025 – 01 – A technology is discovered that enables the separation and preservation of a human's body and soul.

2061 – 12 – The process of separating humans is completed. It is decided that humanity will wait until a treatment for the disease has been found.

5012 – 08 – Aliens from outer space invade and launch an attack across the entire planet.

11732 – 03 – A large-scale counteroffensive staged by the androids managing Earth ends in failure.

11940 – 12 – To bring an end to the deadlocked war, the newest models of androids are assembled to form an organization called “YoRHa.”

Part 2: An Encounter Forgotten

Emil:

No matter how far we go, all the buildings look the same.

A2:

I'm sick of walking around like a chump. You've got gunpowder, right? Let's blast our way through.

Emil:

How about we take a look in that direction this time? We might find something,

A2:

Did you not hear me? Where's the gunpowder at? Let's get explode-y.

Emil:

What fantastic weather! Not a cloud in the sky.

A2:

Quit acting like you don't hear me, you rusty jalopy.

Pod 153 (narration) –

Footsteps and the sound of an engine echo through the colorless, empty city. But while the strange sights may be eerie, the city doesn't once bare its fangs at the pair. Yet A2 still moves to grasp her weapon. She points the blade at the space Between two buildings, towards an alley shrouded in shadow.

A2:

All right. The hell are you following us around for?

Emil - ...A2?

Pod 153 (narration) –

A bundle of white cloth suspended in midair emerges from the alley. The cloth has two black holes in the spots that would normally contain eyes, but no emotion can be gleaned from the openings. And then...the cloth speaks.

Mama:

Wipe that sour look off your face. Mama's not your enemy.

Pod 153 (narration) –

A2's blade remains pointed at the white cloth, still as a glacier.

A2:

...Doesn't seem like a machine to me.

Emil:

Sure is spooky though. Kinda looks like a ghost.

Mama:

Goodness! If you ask Mama, you look quite odd yourself.

Emil:

Wha--!? No way! My body's just been optimized for its purpose! What's so weird about that!?

Mama:

Optimization and good looks can go hand in hand, child. Take me for an example.

A2:

Hold still. You make even the slightest movement I don't like, and I'll cut you down. Also, what's with this “Mama” crap? Whose mom are you supposed to be?

Mama:

Everyone's! I'm everyone's Mama!

Emil:

Mess her up, A2! Even if she's not a machine, She's definitely up to no good!

Mama:

Hold on now! Mama's not up to anything! Look, I'll put my hands in the air for you. If you want, I'll even spin around three time and yell “Mama!”

A2:

Have you no shame? Shit.

Mama:

Mama's fine doing what it takes to stay alive.

Pod 153 (narration) –

After a brief pause, an exasperated A2 lowers her blade.

A2:

You got a name?

Mama:

Just call me Mama, child.

A2:

You live here?

Mama:

Oh no. Mama's come a long, long way to serve as your guide.

Pod 153 (narration) –

The city of pure white expands uninterrupted into infinity, and 9S presses through it without a clear goal in mind.

9S:

2B! If you hear me, send out a signal...

Pod 042:

Signal detection impossible due to prolonged jamming of communications. This Pod recommends securing an escape route.

Pod 153 (narration) –

9S does not respond to the Pod. He just continues on, chasing the shadow of the person he seeks.

9S:

Where the hell are we?

Pod 153 (narration) –

9S see's half-broken fencing, as well as empty boxes strewn across the floor. The bottles on the shelves have fallen, causing many of them to break. Like the other buildings, this one is colored entirely white. However, it looks different—almost like a ruin.

Pod 042:

This area resembles what those in the old world called a “supermarket.” Humans used it as a facility for purchasing daily necessities.

Pod 153 (narration) –

There is something unusual about the ruins of a commercial facility juxtaposed against the rest of the orderly city. However, 9S immediately loses interest, for he has far more pressing matters to attend to.

9S:

What would 2B do in this situation?

Pod 153 (narration) –

Some possibilities could be derived from the data accumulated in his memory area. But how valuable would they be in a city as bizarre as this?

9S:

I'm useless without you...

Pod 153 (narration) –

He puts himself in 2B's place. He envisions her in his mind. His body seized by a frigid loneliness, 9S stops in his tracks.

Pod 042:

Alert: Movement detected on sensors.

9S:

...!

Pod 153 (narration) –

As 9S quickly raises his head, a black mass enters his field of vision. Its form is unusual to the point where it defies visual processing. Seemingly squirming in agony in the depths of the building, the creature gradually draws closer.

9S:

Pod, are you getting any machine lifeform readings!?

Pod 042:

Negative.

Pod 153 (narration) –

The black mass bends, warps, and heaves before ultimately assuming human form. It appears to be male, and larger than 9S. The creature's eyes shine with a golden glint, his gaze fixed straight ahead.

[Battle cry]

Pod 153 (narration) –

9S brings his weapon down on the man without hesitation, deciding attack to be a better course of action than dialogue. But the blow does not reach his opponent. To say he dodged it would be incorrect. The way he moves is more like he was never there to begin with.

???:

Who...are you?

Pod 042 (narration):

9S swings his sword in response, but the blade does not make contact with the enemy.

???:

Where...am I? How did I...?

Pod 153:

Everything that falls from the man's lips is a question, and such ignorance causes 9S to be overcome with irritation.

9S:

Damn you!

???:

Please, tell me everything you know.

Pod 153 (narration) –

In the next instant, a massive hand whose approach he could not sense seizes 9S by the head. 9S seizes violently as golden patterns appear across the man's body.

9S:

Urk..!?

Pod 042:

Alert: Some manner of attack is being carried out on YoRHa unit 9S's thought circuity.

Pod 153 (narration) –

Dark thoughts infiltrate 9S's defenses and rush through his memory area: The base on the moon. YoRHa. Machine lifeforms. However, the invader ignores the data that occupies the most space, instead latching onto a particular set of memories.

9S:

Cut it out!

Pod 153 (narration) –

Memories containing days cherished by 9S. Memories possessing eternal value. Meanwhile which, while trivial, has been gathered up and stored like the most precious of treasures.

9S:

Don't touch those!

Pod 153 (narration) –

Knocking the man's hand aside, 9S swings his sword in a frenzy. He attacks again, and again, and again. Finally, he lands a blow that slices the man diagonally from the shoulder. The man is no longer attempting to dodge.

Pod 042:

A change has been detected in the hostile lifeform.

Pod 153 (narration) –

Cut wide from the shoulder to stomach, the man tilts his head and whispers.

???:

It...hurts so much...

9S:

I'll kill you!

???:

To lose someone precious...

9S:

Shut up! Don't talk about my memories!

Pod 153 (narration) –

The man's body is attempting to reclaim its original shape with 9S's sword still lodged inside it. And like a blade plunged deep into the earth, the sword will not budge.

9S:

Huh!?

???:

Yes. I know this pain as well... I also lost someone... Someone I cherished more than the whole world...

Pod 153 (narration) –

The man's golden eyes show the briefest glimpse of sadness before being consumed by rage.

???:

Yonah...If you're not in this world...then it might as well not exist!

Pod 153 (narration) –

A beastly roar echos throughout the vacuous white city. The man's shadow extends in all directions, as though attempting to engulf the world entire.

Pod 042:

Providing support.

Pod 153 (narration) –

The Pod unleashes an electric shock that makes contact with the man. While it seems to have little effect, it creates enough of an opening for 9S to retrieve his blade.

Pod 042:

Proposal: Withdraw from current location.

9S:

Damnit!

Pod 153 (narration) –

Emerging outside through a hole in the ceiling, they see the periphery being laid to waste by the man's shadow. Colossal buildings bend and twist as the sounds of destruction echo throughout the area.

9S:

Search for an escape route!

Pod 042:

Negative. The scale of this destruction is too great. Evasion is impossible. Proposal: Brace for impact.

[9S Screaming]

Pod 153 (narration) –

9S is violently battered by rubble that falls like rain.

Pod 042:

Alert: YoRHa unit 9S's body has sustained severe damage. Signals lost from multiple sensors.

Pod 153 (narration) –

As the city is engulfed by the sound of its collapse, 9S's vision is consumed by shadow.

-Forest Kingdom-

9S awakens to dull pain pulsing through his body. His visual functions restored, he analyzes his surroundings. Ground scarred with fissures. Massive buildings suspended in midair. The pit of the abyss is a twisted nightmare.

-Possessed by Disease-

A voice rings out. A man wreathed in darkness emerges from the shadows. His groans are tinged with regret and despair. He holds a blade forged from machines. The man is crying. They are not tears of grief, nor of fear. They are tears of a thousand-year curse.

9S relentlessly hacks away at the man. But every wound is quickly filled with dark flesh that grows back harder and stronger than before. With no clear reason to continue to fight, 9S is driven solely by an overwhelming desire to kill the man before him.

Part 3: The Thousand-Year Curse

9S:

Tch! There's no end to this!

Pod 042:

Hypothesis: The speed at which the enemy regenerates exceeds the speed at which we can attack.

Nier (narration):

No matter how many strikes he endures from blade and bullet, the man wreathed in shadow shows no signs of slowing. He is propelled by hatred for the world around him, as well as the will to destroy it.

9S:

Weapons won't take this thing down... Pod, deploy a virtual canary and assemble a protocol based on its recorded comms patterns. I'm going to try hacking this thing!

Pod 042:

Acknowledged.

9S:

You accessed my memory area, which means I should be able to get inside yours!

Nier (narration):

With communications jammed, it's impossible to infiltrate the enemy through the network. But it CAN be done by way of a direct connection at close distance.

Pod 042:

Alert: Multiple enemy defense layers and attack-type security systems detected.

9S:

Requesting sustained logic-vaccine deployment! Commencing attack!

Nier (narration):

9S leaps into an abyss of signals and information. Diving ever deeper into that digital sea, he disables the dark shadows that plague him, navigates the data, and heads for the core. It is a space with no up or down. No left or right. And once there, he discovers a place guarded by shadow.

9S:

Gotcha.

Nier (narration):

9S opens a hole in the squirming black mass, which gradually shrinks as it's restored by automatically generated defense layers. Passing through it, 9S finally arrives at the innermost reaches.

9S:

This is that building from before... What's going on here?

Nier (narration):

It is a dark and dingy place. The fencing is half-broken and empty boxes are strewn across the floor. The bottles on the shelves have fallen, causing some of them to break. It resembles the place the Pod had called “a supermarket” -- the establishment where they encountered the shadowy man. The only differences that it's stained a filthy, sooty shade of gray. In the spot where the black mass had been squirming, there now floats a white light so small it could fit in the palm of a hand.

9S:

Is this...memory data? Is this what that thing was trying to protect?

Nier (narration):

The moment 9S touches the light, data flows through him like a current.

9S:

...!?

Nier (narration):

A time when humanity still walked the earth. An age when people lived in cities that had yet to fall to ruin. A spreading disease. A world bound for destruction. That which must be protected. Family. A little sister. Yonah. And a solitude that lasted a millennium.

9S:

This memory... It's not from my time...

Nier (narration):

The memory is an unknown thing to 9S. The black shadow is neither android nor machine, but something else entirely: A tragedy wrought by humanity in an age long since past. 9S wonders how such a thing could exist now, and can muster up only a handful of possible explanations.

9S:

Then this place is...

Nier (narration):

Having arrived at the truth, 9S's words escape him.

A2:

Hurry up... and BREAK already!

Nier (narration):

A2's Devastating blow strikes one of the pillars holding up a building. No longer able to support its own weight, the structure collapses.

A2:

[Wheezing] God...DAMMIT!

Mama:

Well, she's out of control.

Emil:

Outta control indeed.

Nier (narration):

The pair looks at A2 as she hurls abuse at the pile of rubble, then slowly turn to look at each another.

Emil:

Let's take a break, A2. Smashing random buildings is only going to tire you out.

Mama:

He's right, you know. When lost, the most important thing to do is stay calm. That way, you can make the right call when faced with big decisions.

Emil:

However true that may be, hearing it out of Ms. Mama's mouth makes it harder to accept.

Mama:

Goodness, you're an odd one. Nobody calls me “Ms. Mama.”

A2:

Why are you even tagging along in the first place? You said you'd guide us, but you haven't done a damn thing so far.

Mama:

Patience, child. Mama's time in the spotlight will arrive soon enough.

Emil:

Will it, though?

Mama:

In any case, let's all work together. You two want to get back to where you came from, yes?

A2:

Well, I dunno about that.

Nier (narration):

A2 remembers the faces of companions lost long, long ago. Forsaken by her home on the moon, there is no place to which she can return. Looking back, she thinks she may not have belonged anywhere to begin with.

Emil:

Well, it's not so much that I WANT to go back as that I HAVE to.

Mama:

What does that mean?

Emil:

I lost a lot of memories while multiplying myself, and I'm sure a bunch of them must have been really important... So I want to reclaim what I've lost. It doesn't matter how long it takes, and I don't care if I have to be alone for a really long time to make it happen.

Mama:

And you?

A2:

I...

Nier (narration):

A2 feels sensation return to life in her palms. She feels cold steel in her hands as she plunges a sword into 2B's chest. She vividly recalls the resolve housed deep within 2B's red eyes. The event is stored clear as day in her memory banks.

A2:

Even if I've got nowhere to go back to, I still have to carry out someone's wish.

Nier (narration):

As such, she must leave this place. For A2, it is the only answer.

Emil:

Say, A2? Do you see something under that rubble over there?

Nier (narration):

A faint ray of light penetrates the wreckage of A2's making and reflects off an object resembling a small box.

A2:

The hell's this?

Nier (narration):

A2 drags the square iron box out from beneath the rubble.

Emil:

Isn't this 9S's Pod?

Mama:

Oh no! Is this the kind that floats? Won't this make me less...you know? Special?

A2:

That's hardly the issue here.

Emil:

Hellooo? Wakey wakey! ...Looks like it's not turned on.

A2:

Then put it back where you found it.

Emil:

What!? We can't just throw it away like garbage!

A2:

We don't need junk weighing us down.

Emil:

Fine, then. I'll just fix it up.

Mama:

You can do that? Goodness, you're handier than I thou--

Emil:

Emil Chop!

A2:

The hell!?

Nier (narration):

An unpleasant beeping rings out as the Pod's little arms begin to rotate.

Mama:

Heavens! That's a much more violent method of repair than I was expecting.

A2:

Well, you turned it on, but the thing's totally busted now.

Nier (narration):

Defying gravity, the boxy machine rises into the air and unsteadily flies about like a newly fledged bird.

Emil:

Well, I'm stumped. A quick Emil Chop is usually all it takes to fix most machines.

Pod 153:

Error. Error. Issuing error code. Proposal: Notify development staff. Staff. Staff.

A2:

Bah. That's enough out of you!

Nier (narration):

A2 sends the pod flying with a magnificent roundhouse kick. Its body hits the ground with a dull thud and falls silent.

Emil:

A2, no! You're gonna break it!

A2:

You're the one who laid hands on the thing in the first place.

Mama:

May the poor thing rest in peace... Hmm? Does anyone else hear something?

Nier (narration):

The beeps that ring out this time are clearer in tone than before. They gradually speed up before ending in a sequence of high-pitched notes.

Emil:

D-do you think it's gonna blow up?

Pod 153:

Reactivation complete. No noise detected in thought centre. Commencing optimization of logical-thought-analysis region.

Emil:

Oh, yay! But what are you doing here anyway?

Pod 153:

I am here to retrieve YoRHa unit 9S's consciousness data. The data stored in the server on the orbital base has been lost, leaving this as the sole location where it continues to exist.

A2:

9S? Oh, you must mean that YoRHa boy who showed up when I killed 2B because of her infection.

Mama:

You've come with a purpose, then. Can I take that to mean you know what this place is?

Pod 153:

Affirmative. This is a cyberspace created within an underground server. It is modeled to resemble a city occupied by humanity.

A2:

Cyberspace, huh? That explains why we haven't found an exit.

Emil:

Um, since you were able to get in, does that mean you also know a way out?

Pod 153:

Affirmative. An escape port exists within this space. However, the withdrawal from this cyberspace is not scheduled to occur until the retrieval of YoRHa unit 9S's consciousness data is complete.

A2:

Why bother? The council's lies are out in the open now. There's no Bunker, so there's no need for you to help YoRHa.

Pod 153:

Negative. I am a YoRHa Tactical Support Unit. Command's existence has no impact on my purpose. Furthermore, this objective was determined as a result of this pod's independent thought processes.

Mama:

In simpler terms, you're saving him because you want to.

Pod 153:

Affirmative. If you accompany this Pod and assist in searching for YoRHa unit 9S's consciousness data, I will guide you to the escape port.

A2:

Sounds like you're not giving us much choice.

Mama:

Oh, but it sure would help us out!

Pod 153:

Query: Why do you rejoice?

Mama:

Pardon?

Pod 153:

You have been engaging in secured communication with this server. Therefore, you should be aware this is a cyberspace within a server.

Emil:

But Ms. Mama, you didn't mention anything like that at all...

Pod 153:

The escape port's location is not concealed. Any individual with authorization to access data on this server can instantaneously provide said information. Query: Why did you withhold this information?

Nier (narration):

The group is seized by feelings of hostility and confusion. Noticing A2 has a hand on the hilt of her weapon, Mama slowly opens her mouth.

Mama:

All right, you got me. I knew about the escape port all along. There's just someone I wanted to take you to first.

A2:

And who would that be?

Mama:

The person who created this vast world. I want you to meet with him...and save him from his endless solitude.

-Kaine-

The scenery around them begins to change. What they witness is a world falling into ruin... Like something from a person's memories.

Emil:

We were born into a world that still had lots of humans.

Nier:

We had a warm place to call home—and to me, that was happiness enough.

Emil:

But then a disease started to spread and no one knew what to do.

Nier:

To save humanity--no, to save my sister--I decided to help.

Emil:

Sacrifices were necessary to make it a reality..

Nier:

It was all a lie. I was deceived for an entire millennium.

Emil:

So, please.

Nier:

That's why I'll destroy this world.

Emil:

Please... Please save him.

-Emil-

A sound rings out. The deceived man is crying. His body transforms. Distorts. It takes on the shapes of ancient aberrations.

sadness                    regret                    loneliness

pain                      loneliness                    sadness

regret                    sadness                    pain

loneliness                    sadness                    pain

They had names.

Sacrifice

The Law of Robotics

The Memory Tree

The Stone Guardian

Loyal Cerberus

Shades... nightmares thought to have faded.

With cursed fangs, the man seeks revenge.

Part 4: A Secret Weapon

A2:

I'm getting real sick of you guys!

Nier (narration):

Dark shadows fill the perfectly white space as the man creates countless clones of himself.

Emil:

I don't think this is getting us anywhere!

Pod 153:

Alert: Colossal lifeform detected underground.

Nier (narration):

As the Pod's inorganic voice rings out, a large shadow rises from the earth.

A2:

Is that this thing's real body!?

Mama:

Not sure, but I'll try accessing it! Hold the enemy back for me, everyone!

Nier (narration):

Two arms extend from the bottom of the white Cloth and begin fumbling about as though searching for something.

Mama:

There's no regularity to how the infiltration is sequenced. Is this by design, or because he's gradually falling apart!?

Pod 153:

I will provide decoding support in order to analyze the hostile's data.

Mama:

Thank you, I'd appreciate tha-- Eeek!

Emil:

Ms. Mama!

Pod 153:

We were forcibly ejected by the attack-type defense layers. 198 seconds remain until reconnection.

Nier (narration):

The enemy can't be attacked from within or without. With no way to fight it, the group finds themselves trapped in a city from which there is no escape.

A2:

Emil! Take 'em and get out of here!

Emil:

What about you!?

A2:

I'll figure something out!

Nier (narration):

A2 cuts down the shadows that well forth and attempts to create an escape route.

A2:

Shit. They multiply too damn fast! I can't keep up!

Nier (narration):

The thought of self-destructing crosses A2's mind. As she shakes the idea free, a flash bounds through her vision and perforates the chest of a massive shadow.

[9S battle cry]

Nier (narration):

A dark blade plunges into the hole and tears the shadow in two, reducing it to nothing.

A2:

You!

9S:

A2! [Laughing] Imagine running into you here. Guess it must be my lucky day. Time for you to die!

Emil:

Stop it, 9S!

9S:

Back off. I'll kill anyone who gets in my way.

Pod 153:

Proposal: Cease hostilities and join forced with YoRHa unit A2 to facilitate the securing and migration of YoRHa unit 9S's consciousness data.

9S:

Join forces with HER!?

Emil:

This is no time for us to be fighting each other!

Pod 153:

Affirmative. Large groups of hostile lifeforms detected. 98 seconds until contact.

Nier (narration):

The masses of black shadows rise up like a wave, intent on consuming them along with the entire city.

A2:

Shit! Take shelter in a building!

Mama:

No! It's going to swallow the buildings as well!

9S:

What the hell are YOU!?

Mama:

I'm Mama!

Pod 042:

Proposal: Formulate a strategy by way of inter-Pod communications.

Mama:

Mama will also share what information she has. Hook me up!

Nier (narration):

they investigate thousands of possibilities in the span of a mere 30 seconds, repeating tests to find the option with the greatest chance of success.

A2:

Aren't you done yet!?

Mama:

Open up your data ports, everyone! I'll share our plan with you!

Nier (narration):

A mass containing all conceivable information is directly fed into the minds of the group. Emil's automobile-body shakes in response to the intensity of the experience.

Mama:

Okay, get singing!

Emil:

Here goes! Luvha dume!

Nier (narration):

Emil's song, amplified to its limit via the system, echoes throughout the area. The enemies, previously stacked vertically like a massive wave, fall to the ground like birds shot from the sky.

Pod 042:

Commending support fire using high-speed energy rounds.

Pod 153:

Affirmative.

Nier (narration):

Innumerable spheres of light scatter about. Any shadowy bodies struck by them fade away like mist.

A2:

So if we just slice that thing faster than it can regenerate, it'll eventually go down? Easier said than done. Hey! You can kill me later, but give me a hand for now!

9S:

Who died and put you in charge!?

Nier (narration):

Suppressing his animosity, 9S continues to swing his sword without pause.

9S:

I need to see 2B again. No matter what!

[A2 Battle cry]

Pod 042:

99% of hostile lifeform signals have vanished. Only one remains.

A2:

Emil! Mind lending us a... Emil?

Mama:

I think all the singing caused him to overheat! Let's help him once we're done!

A2:

Talk about shitty timing...

Nier (narration):

A large tear forms in the black shadow's head, revealing its mouth. Its shape warps, emitting a series of sounds. The sound changes into a voice: “oh, oh, oh... Oh... Why...”

A2:

[Panting] Huh? It's...talking?

9S:

[Panting] You lost something too, didn't you? Something you wanted to protect.

Nier:

Lost...? No...! She was...stolen from me! They promised that if i gave them my body...they would save Yonah!

Emil (narration):

With A2 and her group brought to their knees, the man's shadow begins to swell.

A2:

Is it gonna make more clones of itself...!?

Mama:

This might be the end... There's nothing we can do to fight back...

Pod 153:

Negative. This Pod can be turned into a logic bomb as a last resort.

9S:

Permission denied!

Pod 153:

Acknowledged.

Pod 042:

Analysis: Pod 153's proposal is not a last resort.

A2:

Why not?

Pod 042:

Because this Pod can also be turned into a logic bomb. Commencing countdown.

A2:

Hold on a goddamn second!

Pod 042:

Negative. This Pod is a Tactical Support Unit assigned to YoRHa unit 2B, and is not obligated to carry out orders issued by units A2 or 9S. 30 seconds remaining. Requesting Pod 153 salvage YoRHa unit 9S's consciousness data prior to this Pod's detonation.

Pod 153:

Acknowledged.

A2:

Don't acknowledge that!

Emil (narration):

The Pod emits a warming sound, signalling the end. It is the final song of one who has found purpose in sacrifice.

Mama:

It's really going to do it!

A2:

Shit! Everyone take cover!

Emil (narration):

Seeing A2 force 9S down, Pod 042 heads directly toward the enemy. For the Pod must keep its promise; the Pod has those it must protect from the swirling shadows. A brief sound of slashing is heard as dark shadows are carved to pieces.

???:

As the authorized user of the corresponding Tactical Support Unit, I request its self-destruct sequence be aborted!

9S:

That voice...!

???:

You've done well, Pod. Thank you.

Emil (narration):

A pitch-black shadow descends upon the pure-white city.

9S:

2B!

A2:

What is she doing here?

2B:

Time to end this.

Emil (narration):

Wielding a blade of perfect white, 2B tears through the battlefield like lightning. The swollen shadows are destroyed instantly, leaving a single shadow the size of a small child.

Nier:

I'll make them pay... Humanity... The whole world...

2B:

Fine by me, but it's time to sleep now. For you and me both.

Emil (narration):

2B gently thrusts her sword into the shadow. The pain stings like a lullaby beckoning the listener into peaceful repose.

Mama:

The shadow is disappearing...

2B:

Pod. While I did ask you to protect 9S, I never thought you'd try something like that.

Pod 042:

That objective was assigned top priority. The chosen course of action was necessary to complete the mission.

9S:

2B! Is it really you? I'm not dreaming, am I?

2B:

I'm glad you're safe, 9S.

A2:

I don't think there's time to celebrate.

Pod 153:

Analysis: This space has begun to collapse at the periphery. The disappearance of its creator may be the cause.

A2:

Hey, Emil! Feel like waking up yet!?

Emil:

[Groaning] Hmm? Ack! Good morning!

Mama:

Thank you for saving that poor soul. After being trapped by his curse for so long, he can finally rest.

Pod 042:

Proposal: Proceed to escape port. We must withdraw from this space before it collapses.

Mama:

Mama will show everyone the way. Follow me!

-Bipolar nightmare-

Feeling 2B's every breath, 9S prays. He feels joy fighting at 2B's side. He holds hope for the future that awaits. Even if it is a lie.

-Mourning-

A place to celebrate life and send off the deceased. A place of prayer. The city's records can be gleaned from within the tranquil light. A record of humanity's end. A history of machines copying a city. And also... the hesitance they felt.

9S thinks deeply on humanity's history. Perhaps it is an eternity's worth of sin and punishment. Amidst the falling dust and debris, 2B damns herself. She curses her fate of being created solely to kill. Even though she knows it's already too late...

Part 5: The Never-Ending spiral of Life and Death

A2 (narration):

The city begins to collapse, as though following its master into the abyss. Amidst the destruction, only a single shrine-like structure retains its shape.

Mama:

This is where the escape port is. Inside, everyone!

9S:

No good! The door won't budge!

2B:

Out of the way, 9S. I'll handle this.

Pod 042:

Alert: Maintaining distance from the door is advised.

A2 (narration):

Golden eyes shine in the shadows at 2B's feet. It is the man they assumed defeated. He crawls out from beneath 2B and attempts to reclaim a human form.

9S:

Don't you ever quit? This time I'll take you out myself!

A2 (narration):

9S grasps his weapon as the Pods charge energy. I grab my sword and prepare to lunge at our opponent. Just as the tension is reaching its peak, a bundle of white cloth floats out in front of us.

Mama:

How about we all put away our weapons?

Emil:

But...!

Mama:

It's all right; this child can't fight any more. A soul that was meant to have found rest is still just a bit lost, is all. You've forgotten how to get home, haven't you? You've been away for an awful long time...

Nier:

[Groaning]

Mama:

It's okay now, dear. Mama will take you home.

Nier:

Home...? The place...I belong...

Mama:

That's right. So let's open that door and send these nice people home as well, okay? Their hearts can't be left in a city made from curses. Plus, this will help us save your soul, too.

A2 (narration):

Moving like a flickering flame, the shadow quickly adopts the form of a young child. Its eyes hold not anger, nor hatred, no sadness, instead shining with a faint, innocent light.

Nier:

Oh, I see... Yonah... you've been right there...all along.

A2:

The door flies open on its own, as though unleashing the souls trapped behind it. A pane of stained glass deep within the shrine shines warmly as it filters sunlight from the outside.

Mama:

That stained glass is the escape port.

Pod 153:

Based on how much time remains until this space collapses, only our consciousness data can be sent.

Mama:

That's right. I'm afraid you'll have to leave the memories you made here behind.

9S:

You first, 2B.

A2:

Not waiting for an answer, 9S grabs 2B's hand and tries to take her to the stained glass—but 2B gently shakes it off.

2B:

I'm sorry, 9S.

9S:

What are you apologizing for?

2B:

You know whats going on, don't you? I died when the city collapsed. What you see now is patched together from data fragments on the network.

9S:

So what? Even if you ARE just patched data, you're still 2B!

A2 (narration):

Were he capable of mourning the death of someone he cherished. He could simply say farewell. But faced with the phantom of what has been lost, his modest wish swells out of proportion. No matter what she hears, 2B simple listens with a troubled smile. 9S understands the situation perfectly, but that doesn't mean he's capable of stopping himself.

9S:

It's okay if you don't remember anything once we get out! We'll start over from the beginning, just like you've always done for me! And this time I'll... I'll be the one who saves you!

A2:

He offers prayers he knows will go unheard. For if he fails to do even that, all will be swallowed by despair.

2B:

No, 9S. My body doesn't exist anymore. There's nowhere for my data to go.

9S:

We can't know what'll happen unless we try!

2B:

But I WANT to disappear here. If entering the port means discarding my memories, I'd rather hold onto my time with you and--

9S:

You think I feel any different!?

A2:

Created to fight and existing only to die, the pair were joined by a faint light in the most absurd of circumstances.

9S:

I'm going to stay. If you're going to disappear, I want to stay with you until the very end.

2B:

...Thank you, 9S.

A2 (narration):

The gentle smile on her lips is proof of her rejection. It's a smile born of wanting to protect someone who they had unexpectedly come to cherish more than anything in the world.

2B:

Pod.

Pod 042:

Acknowledged. Commencing entrapment of YoRHa unit 9S's movement control routines.

9S:

Agh! When did...you...hack my body!?

Pod 042:

When this Pod began accompanying YoRHa unit 9S. The action was performed at YoRHa unit 2B's request in preparation for the possibility YoRHa unit 9S would refuse to escape.

9S:

Ugh... M-my...voice...!

Emil:

9S!?

Pod 042:

Report: All controls placed on 9S are temporary. Suspension of vocal function confirmed. Assuming command of his mobility region and forcibly transferring authorization to operate his body to this Pod.

Pod 153:

Preparing transfer to escape port.

2B:

Look after 9S, Pod 153.

Pod 153:

Affirmative.

2B:

You too, Emil. If something happens, I want you to help 9S.

Emil:

I'll do whatever I can.

A2 (narration):

Then 2B turns to me and, with a hint of smile on her face, says:

2B:

And A2? 9S will be a thorn in your side, but try to keep your chin up.

A2:

...Seriously?

Pod 153:

Alert: Promises are meaningless. Memories made here will not be saved.

2B:

In that case, A2, keep your head down and power through.

A2:

Heh. Can do.

Nier (narration):

A creaking sound is heard.

[9S groaning]

Nier (narration):

Despite having been robbed of all control, 9S attempts to move his body through sheer force of will.

Pod 153:

Alert: Logic circuits are experiencing acute strain due to unauthorized intervention. There may be some damage.

Nier (narration):

She is so close, he could touch her if he reached out. But not only can he not touch her, he isn't even permitted to speak to her. Tears fall from the eyes hidden beneath 9S's visor. 2B extends a hand to his face and wipes them away.

2B:

This...is farewell.

9S:

...!

Pod 153:

Commencing data transfer and withdrawal from this space.

Nier (narration):

With their consciousness rearranged as data. 9S and the others are sent into the small port. As their bodies gradually vanish, the warm shrine welcomes a new visitor: tranquility.

Mama:

Right! Let's get going too, shall we?

Nier (narration):

Mama leads 2B and the Boy outside. The city's collapse continues with ever-increasing intensity, yet strangely, there is no sorrow here. All that exists is the clear, refreshing air that surrounds them. 2B stops and gazes up at the white, cloudless sky above. She recalls time spent together amidst days of conflict. Memories possessing eternal value. Memories which, while trivial, have been gathered up and stored like the most precious of treasures.

2B:

Thank you...

Nier (narration):

The words she whispers are absorbed by the open sky as they quietly fade away.

-The Sound of the End-

Final gate reached. Commencing data transfer.

-Song of the Ancients-

-Weight of the World-

The infection spreads though 2B's consciousness. She prays. Before death's footsteps reach her, she screams. Even if nobody hears me. 9S saved me.

Within a crumbling memory, she bids farewell to 9S's consciousness data.

I did feel a little bit lonely but now my h eart is filled with such wa    rm      li    ght

Th    a      n    k      y            ou        Ni      ne

Operator 21O:

Operator 21O here. 6O, do you copy?

Operator 6O:

Copy copy!

Operator 21O:

Just one copy is enough.

Operator 6O:

Copy!

Operator 21O:

Why do you think we're here?

Operator 6O:

The Bunker fell, we went berserk and died, and then we turned up here. That about right?

Operator 21O:

Exactly. This is a cyberspace of someone's creation, and 2B's consciousness data remains here in a damaged state.

6O - But it and us will disappear before long, right?

Operator 21O:

Riddle me this, Operator 6O: What exactly is it that operators do?

Operator 6O:

Operators provide support to YoRHa units in the field and perform backups of their... Oh.

Operator 21O:

Correct. Right before the virus got us, we tried to get the data of the YoRHa units we support somewhere safe.

Operator 6O:

I remember now! That's why I tried to send 2B's backup data to a server on the surface. Don't think I managed to finish, though.

Operator 21O:

How about you try mixing that incomplete data with the 2B data we have here?

6O - ...So 2B's consciousness data can be repaired!? Oh, but wait. Where should I save it to?

Operator 21O:

The human server on the moon. I figured this might happen, so I made sure to leave an opening.

Operator 6O:

Dang, 21O! I can always count on you!

Operator 21O:

Let's get started, shall we?

Mama (narration):

And so the pair go about carefully linking 2B's data. They work with a gentle touch, so as to not damage it further. It is their final act of support for the units entrusted to them.

Operator 6O:

Don't give up, 2B!

Operator 21O:

The rest is up to you, 9S.

Mama (narration):

Even if 2B's data should be recovered, there is no longer a body to which it can return. But...

2B:

We will meet again.

9S:

Someday. Somewhere.

2B:

And so for now, we sing...

9S:

A song of prayer.
2B – A song of prayer.

Encore Medley:
-Prayer-
-Copied City-
-Amusement Park-
-Alien Manifestation-
-Dependent Weakling-
-Voice of no Return-
-Weight of the World-

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