"White, I think it would be better to ask 9S for help with this," 2B suddenly said as she entered the command room, wearing her usual serene expression.
The firm sound of her metallic heels echoed through the quiet hall. She glanced back and forth, unable to fully understand what was happening, but she immediately sensed that the conversation was… delicate.
Extremely delicate.
In her mind, it had to be some kind of special mission — something technical, confidential, or requiring extreme precision. And frankly, a combat android like her was far from ideal for that sort of task.
A Type-H android — specialized in medical and biotechnological support — would be the logical choice.
But for security reasons, calling someone trustworthy made sense.
And among everyone… 9S was the obvious pick.
Before anyone could answer, a muffled sound broke the silence.
First, a small "pfft~."
Then another.
White covered her mouth with one hand, trying not to laugh, while A2 simply turned away, her shoulders trembling just slightly.
Arthur, on the other hand, froze completely — his expression darkening like a storm ready to break loose.
"2B," he called, calm, but with a dangerously serious undertone.
"Yes?" she replied, slightly confused, unaware of why the atmosphere had suddenly shifted.
Arthur slowly lifted his gaze, looking at her with such solemnity it was as if he were about to declare war.
"I would rather die," he said, without a shred of emotion, "than ask 9S to do this."
The silence that followed was absolute.
Until White, no longer able to hold her laughter, let out a bright, crystalline giggle.
A2 crossed her arms and muttered under her breath, clearly amused:
"Looks like our hero has very clear boundaries."
White inhaled deeply to regain her composure, then turned to 2B.
"This task, dear, can only be performed by a woman."
2B blinked, confused.
"Oh… really?"
"Yes." White nodded with a mischievous smile. "And I'm sure Arthur would be quite happy if you took part. After all, he seems to like you very much."
2B tilted her head, genuinely surprised.
"He likes me?" she asked, with an innocence almost touching.
"Of course," White replied, smiling like someone who knows far more than she says.
Arthur let out a theatrical sigh, a calm smile forming — the kind that promised trouble.
"Well…" he began, tone playful, "if that's what you all want, then I'm more than happy to accept all three."
White let out a soft laugh.
A2 raised an eyebrow, folding her arms.
"Don't you think you're being a bit greedy, Arthur?"
"Not at all," he answered with a half-smile.
He stepped closer, approaching her until their faces were only inches apart.
"Or are you going to tell me that after everything we've been through, you're going to refuse me?"
A2 held his gaze, but the faint blush on her face betrayed her.
"Me? No," she said, looping her arms around his neck, teasing. "But I can't guarantee the same from them."
White chuckled as she approached.
"I don't see any problem with it," she said with that sweet yet dangerous tone only she could pull off.
Completely out of sync with the subtext, 2B answered literally:
"I still don't understand what's happening, but… I don't see a problem either."
Arthur's soft, relaxed laughter echoed through the hall.
"Alright, alright… I'm glad to hear that, but we still have work to do," he said, stepping away with a satisfied smile.
He gave A2 a gentle tap on the waist before turning to White.
"White, call all Type-H units. We'll need them."
"Understood," White replied elegantly as she began to walk out.
But before she reached the door, Arthur stopped her with a gesture.
"Oh, and call those twins too… Devola and Popola."
White turned slightly, smiling with that familiar mischievous glint.
"Noted," she said before disappearing down the corridor.
---xXx---
Those two were the last special twin androids remaining in the world.
Devola and Popola — names that once symbolized hope — now carried the weight of a tragedy.
Because of a single mistake they made, the grand plan to restore human souls to Earth failed… and with that failure came the definitive extinction of humanity.
The two sisters should have been eliminated immediately.
It was the logical sentence — the standard punishment for defective, dangerous units.
But for reasons no one ever fully explained, they were spared.
However, mercy came with a new form of torture: a guilt program implanted directly into their cores.
A code that forced them to remember, to feel, to suffer — endlessly — for what they had done.
Every sunrise was a painful reminder.
Every routine, a penance.
They lived only to atone.
Until now, White had never revealed to the twins that Arthur was, in fact, human — even though rumors had been circulating.
She believed it wasn't the right time.
Such a revelation could deeply shake the two of them, who had spent eras believing they were personally responsible for the death of all humans.
To learn that a human still lived… would be like seeing a ghost of their own sin.
But surprisingly, Arthur was the one who asked for them.
With a calm yet firm voice, he told White to call them — and White, though hesitant, complied without question.
She knew Arthur well enough to understand that when he decided something, there was always a purpose behind it.
White was about to initiate the call when the terminal on her desk beeped softly.
Beep. Beep.
A new message had arrived.
She glanced at the screen, raised an eyebrow — and a subtle smile curved her lips.
"Speak of the devil…" she murmured with a hint of irony.
The message was from Operator 6O, always cheerful and far too curious for White's taste.
But it was the content that truly caught her attention:
"Devola and Popola are requesting to speak with Arthur.
They say it's important."
White leaned back, interlacing her fingers as she stared into the distance, thoughtful.
Fate seemed to be playing with them once again.
"So… they chose to come on their own," she murmured, her lips curling into an enigmatic smile.
"I'm glad for them… their sins will finally be eased."
She rose slowly, the echo of her heels filling the metallic corridor.
The bluish glow of the panels reflected in her eyes, and for a brief moment she wondered how the twins would react when meeting a living human.
And then, without hesitation, she sent her response:
"Authorized. Bring the twins to the main hall."
As the digital chime confirmed the message, White headed toward the elevator.
Her hand unconsciously drifted down to her abdomen as she imagined the future.
"Soon… very soon…" she whispered with a smile.
---xXx---
Back in the command room—
Arthur turned to the two remaining in the room — 2B and A2 — and clapped his hands once, energetically.
"Alright, girls," he said, light-hearted but resolute.
"Let's get to work."
(End of Chapter)
You can ask any question you want here, and later I'll make a chapter answering it.