The surroundings filled up with piles of Machine debris. Metal scraps rained down with every blast. It was at that moment the behavior of the Machines shifted. Every Machine held its head in its arms and began to run around in circles. The sounds they made changed.
“Th1s 1s n0 g00d”
“Th1s 1s n0 g00d”
“Th1s 1s n0 g00d”
It was if the Machines were trying to think of a way out of their desperate situation. It was remarkable that they had come up with a phrase like “this is no good.”
The Machines had stopped attacking—now was the chance. 2B couldn’t understand why, but the Machines were confused. Just as she was about to resume attacking and slash with her sword, the Machines altered their movements again. They moved in unison, and created distance between 2B and 9S. They moved even more swiftly than the Machine that had “taken to its heels.”
“What is this…?” The Machines started to climb the nearby pillars and walls. Perhaps they were trying to avoid 2B and 9S as they climbed upward in great numbers. It was as if a swarm of bugs was devouring a plant, and in a different way from before this was a scene that evoked disgust. Eventually, the Machines solidified into a giant ball. 2B thought that she had seen its shape before, perhaps somewhere in a database.
The ball started to glow, its white light growing stronger and stronger. The ball inflated to an even larger volume. As a crack slowly started to run through the surface, 2B realize what this reminded her of.
It was a cocoon. For insects. She had seen footage of a larval insect eating through its cocoon on the video database for Earth.
A transparent, viscous liquid started dripping from the crack. Just as 2B instinctively drew back, the cocoon burst open. A mass covered in the liquid dropped out.
“An android?!” 2B exclaimed. Its shape was that of a human, and judging from its build it was a man. His hair had a similar hue to that of 2B and 9S. The man struggled to get up. Unashamed of his naked form, he raised his head and opened his eyes.
“No… This is a Machine!” shouted 9S. 2B had also detected the unique electric signal of a Machine. But why was its appearance so similar to an android’s?
The man’s eyes started to glow red. It was the sign that a Machine had affirmed an enemy.
2B stopped thinking, and struck with her sword. Appearance aside, it was a Machine after all. It was better to destroy it quickly.
A red liquid similar to blood gushed out. It was completely different from a Machine’s oil. The man retreated, wounded but not fatally so. Groans escaped his mouth.
2B continued to attack, unable to inflict fatal damage. The man’s movements were unexpectedly fast.
2B exchanged her large sword for her military sword. Using a large sword, her attacks were inevitably slow. No matter how strong a blow was, if it didn’t hit the target it was useless.
“And…r01d…”
The groans turned into words. It wasn’t surprising, as on the way they had witnessed many Machines who made word-like sounds. But…
“D0dge… Sw0rd…”
2B’s relatively quick attacks cut at empty air. The man had cultivated evasive maneuvers. On top of that, his previous wounds had sealed up. It meant that he had self-regenerative abilities. Perhaps he had just acquired those as well.
Suddenly, the man crouched and swung a leg up. It was a clumsy attempt to counterattack.
“It’s evolving?” 2B said. It had learning capabilities far exceeding the average Machine. It was preposterous to think that he had learned to evade and attack in such a short battle. He was going to be a tough opponent. “2B, let’s put an end to this quickly!”
The longer the battle lasted, the more the man would learn. Their instincts to abolish the enemy quickly were in no way misguided.
Attacking together and with long-distance support from both Pods, they barely managed to outflank the male Machine. They were able to inflict fatal wounds before the self-regeneration could repair them, 2B from the front and 9B from the back. The two military swords pierced the midsection of the man, who toppled over and fell to the ground.
“This is… a Machine?” 9S sputtered, in equal parts bewilderment and fright. 2B was having the exact same doubts. This battle had been different from all their past battles with Machines.
The supple flesh and the warmth of the body fluid was identical to an android’s. Properties shared with their fallen comrades. Could such a thing be true? If so, was it wrong to assume that cold oil was running through the rigid bodies of Machines?
However, these thoughts were cut short. The man’s wounds had suddenly started to glow white, like the light emitted by the cocoon.
“It couldn’t be?!” 2B couldn’t put the rest into words. The white light grew stronger, enveloping the man’s midsection. Similar to when the cocoon tore open, a crack began to appear in the man’s skin.
The first thing that penetrated the skin was an arm. The arm shot up with its palm spread, as if it were trying to grasp something. Then another arm appeared, widening the crack further. A head, neck, and torso followed.
“What?” 2B said. An identical man had emerged out of the wounds of the first man. “Another one…”
It was unknown what kind of abilities the second man had, but it was safe to assume that he had powers comparable to the first. If that was the case, it would be troublesome if they did not deal with him right away.
But 2B couldn’t even draw her sword. The second man howled. It was a tremendous sound, and the walls started to crumble from the reverberations. 2B covered her ears instinctively. The sound was loud enough to damage her hearing.
She could see that 9S was shouting something to her while covering his ears. She was able to read from his lips that he was saying “We have to get out of here!” While the sound was dangerous, the collapsing walls were more so.
2B quickly scanned the area. She spotted a side tunnel in the wall. Exchanging a quick nod, 2B and 9S started to run. They dodged the falling debris while they ran.
They did not have the leeway to look back.
✦ ✦ ✦
An introduction.
I was created by the Machines.
The vi0lent Andr0ids kept attack1ng, and the Mach1nes were thr0wn 1nto a state of desperat1on. They were about to be killed 0ff.
The Machines searched the netw0rk. 1n 0rder t0 defeat the Andr01ds, they th0ught they c0uld use humans, wh0 were the Andr01ds’ creat0rs. But there were a l0t 0f humans. The Mach1nes d1d not know wh1ch human to m1m1c. They searched the netw0rk further.
They eventually came acr0ss the name of Adam. The f1rst human, created by G0d. Humans created Andr01ds, and G0d created humans. Adam was created 1n the 1mage of G0d.
That’s why the Mach1nes dec1ded to create Adam. That’s me. The Mach1nes exhausted the p0wer of their c0res to create me, and are n0 l0nger able to funct10n.
But the andr01ds were very str0ng, and I was defeated. Bef0re my b0dy failed, I searched the netw0rk to see what c0uld pr0tect me. The answer came 1n the name 0f Eve. Just like h0w the Mach1nes created me from the name 0f Adam, I apparently created another be1ng from the name of Eve. I say apparently because I have no memor1es 0f this t1me.
After that, we m0ved. The Mach1nes that created me and the place we lived in— everything went to waste. Eve later t0ld me that the Mach1nes were crushed by the debris and reduced t0 a pile of rubble.
Eve wants to c0py everyth1ng I d0. But then wh0 am I to c0py?
Eve 1s very eager t0 develop h1s mot0r capabilities, but n0t as eager to acquire languages 0r kn0wledge. Even while playing human, he 1s happiest when playing a phys1cal game, and 1s not as enthus1ast1c when reading a bo0k 0r listening to mus1c.
This is a pr0blem. We need to be 1ntelligent.
Eve is my other self. “Adam” and “Eve” are b0th der1ved fr0m my essence. But Eve refers to me as big brother. That is my role, as a firstb0rn. Eve h0lds the role of little br0ther, the secondb0rn. Although we have the same essence, we have distinct faces and characterist1cs.
There 1s to0 much I d0n’t understand. Humans were nurtured and educated by parents and teachers. But I have ne1ther. I have to nurture, educate, and inf0rm myself to reach enlightenment.
I stand alone, dumbf0unded, on the 0utset of th1s j0urney. The path ahead is long.
I sometimes think about sin. We are, after all, cr1m1nals that destr0yed paradise before paradise c0uld exile us. The first humans, 0nce banished from Eden, needed wisd0m to surv1ve for so l0ng. So we need an even greater am0unt of kn0wledge and 1ntelligence in order to live without depending on any0ne or be1ng deceived by anyone.
Requiring no 0ne, a life of self-regulation and complete isolation. That 1s the path we must walk.
I have m1xed feelings for 0ur creators wh0 burdened us with th1s fate. If I were to put my emotion into w0rds… It w0uld be hatred.