After the speech, I let everyone celebrate and called the ones I trusted most for a private farewell in the Bunker.
A2.
2B.
White.
9S.
And of course… if there was ever a moment to keep dignity, that moment no longer existed for any of us.
We gathered in the command room. The three of them—A2, 2B, and White—looked tense. 9S seemed seconds away from fainting from pure social anxiety.
"Alright…" I began. "This is the sentimental part of the journey. If anyone wants to cry, please form an orderly line."
"Idiot," A2 muttered, crossing her arms… but with that subtle hint of 'yeah, I'm going to miss you, damn it' in her voice.
2B stepped forward, but before she could say anything serious or emotional, A2 raised a hand.
"Wait. I have something to say."
I turned to her.
"What is it?"
A2 took a deep breath.
"I'm pregnant."
…
Silence.
Absolute silence.
9S made a noise—a bizarre mix between a squeak, a gasp, and a short-circuited choke.
2B just froze completely, like someone had hit the pause button.
White opened her mouth, closed it, opened it again.
And me?
I just blinked.
"…I'm sorry?" I asked, just to make sure my internal sensors hadn't exploded.
A2 rolled her eyes.
"You heard me. I'm pregnant. Found out a few days ago. I wasn't going to say anything, but… yeah, I couldn't hold it in."
She crossed her arms again, defiant, as if she were confessing to breaking a window instead of carrying a child.
"…A2…" I murmured, feeling something warm rising in my chest. "That's… incredible."
She looked away, clearly uncomfortable with the emotion.
"Yeah, yeah, congrats to me, I'm creating life and all that. Let's not make a big deal out of it."
I ignored that completely and pulled her into a tight hug.
She went rigid for a moment… then hugged back, complaining loudly:
"It's hot! And—stop smelling my hair!"
"I haven't even started," I replied, laughing.
When we finally separated, I took a breath.
"A2… I would love to take all of you with me. But…" I met her eyes. "This interdimensional trip is unpredictable. I have no idea what's going to happen between one world and the next. I can't risk you… or the baby."
She snorted.
Then she smiled.
And leaned in just enough to give me a soft kiss.
"Even if you invited me, I'd refuse," she whispered. "I want to stay here. I want to see this world grow. I want… to live this for a while longer. Besides, my baby is going to be the first human born in this new world."
I laughed.
And rested my forehead against hers.
"Then I'll come back as fast as I can."
"You better, idiot," she replied. "Or I'll drag you back by the ear from your world."
Behind us, 2B finally remembered how to breathe.
White discreetly wiped a tear.
9S mumbled something like "Oh my god, it's official now…"
And in that moment, I realized something simple:
I was leaving behind an entire world.
But… I was also leaving behind a family.
And because of that—
I would return.
No matter the cost.
---xXx---
The wind was strong when I finally stepped once again onto the soil of their world—my second home, even if only temporarily. The sky was clear and bright, as if the planet itself wanted to witness my farewell. Around me, a whole crowd of androids had gathered, forming a respectful circle. Even though most of them didn't yet have biological hearts, they all looked… uneasy. Maybe it was just my impression. Maybe not.
A2 stepped forward, her serious expression matching the soft new glow she'd had in her eyes ever since she discovered the pregnancy.
"Please… be careful," she said. Her voice, no matter how firm she tried to make it, trembled just a little.
Before I could answer, 2B approached with her annoyingly perfect elegance. Without saying a single word, she cupped my face between her gloved hands and placed a short kiss on my lips. Then she simply moved to stand at A2's side as if nothing had happened—though I swear I saw the faintest blush on her cheeks. Or maybe it was just the lighting. Hard to tell.
"Arthur, take this."
9S practically sprinted over, breathless. He held a small metallic device as if it were something priceless.
I took it carefully, examining it. It didn't resemble anything I recognized.
"And what exactly is this?" I asked, frowning.
9S beamed with pride. He lived for these "genius unveiling invention" moments.
"Remember that artificial intelligence you brought? Well… I finished it. Optimized the protocols, merged part of our databases, fixed a few code errors"—he lifted a finger, smug—"that you definitely would've missed. All you need to do now is connect it to your world's network and wait. It should fully activate soon after."
I laughed, shaking my head.
"Thanks, 9S. Take care, alright?"
I offered my hand, and he shook it with surprising strength for someone so skinny.
"You too," he replied, trying to sound mature… and failing the moment his eyes watered.
White stepped up next. As always, she wore that confident smile that hid far more emotions than it showed.
"I wanted to be the first, but… looks like A2 was faster this time," she teased, folding her arms and giving me a playful look.
"Don't worry," I said, grinning. "I'll keep my promise when I come back."
White raised her brows, satisfied.
"I'll hold you to that." She grabbed me by the collar and kissed me—hard enough that half the androids would've fainted if they had circulatory systems.
She stepped back casually, as if she hadn't just fried my neural pathways.
I took a deep breath as I looked around. Familiar faces, voices I'd never forget, lives I'd helped save—and that, in turn, had saved me. Leaving was strange… but necessary.
"Goodbye, everyone." I said, activating the bracelet.
The gem lit up intensely, and a golden portal opened behind me, expanding like a brilliant tear in the air. The ground shook beneath my feet as the energy surged.
Then White suddenly raised her right arm in a perfect salute.
"FOR THE GLORY OF MANKIND!!" she shouted.
And as if a single signal pulsed through all of them at once, every android present mimicked the salute and shouted together:
"FOR THE GLORY OF MANKIND!!"
The cry echoed across the plains—strong, proud, almost human.
And before I could say anything else… the portal pulled me in, swallowing me in golden light while the last thing I saw were their faces.
For now.
Because I would return.
One way or another, I would return.
(End of chapter)
---
A/N: To be completely honest, this arc was a full roller coaster for me—the kind with huge loops that start thrilling, give you a knot in your stomach halfway through, and by the end you're laughing nervously wondering how things escalated so fast. I truly enjoyed writing every bit of it, but I also noticed I went overboard in some parts, got carried away, stretched scenes that maybe didn't need to be that long, and added a few things that, looking back, could have been different. Even so… I don't regret a thing.
Each chapter taught me something—about pacing, worldbuilding, letting characters breathe, and of course, the delightful chaos that is writing fanfiction when inspiration drags you around by the collar. And despite all the stumbles, tweaks, improvisations, and "dear god why did I write that?" moments, I genuinely loved the final result. I hope you enjoyed this journey as much as I enjoyed bringing it to life.
Thank you for sticking with me—especially during the moments where the story decides to sprint ahead of me.