Re://Union <<oflostsouls>>

DIRECTIVE: ANNIHILATE THE ACOLYTE.

“No000000. Not Miu.”

DIRECTIVE: ANNIHILATE THE ACOLYTE.

“NO! I w001000n’t hurt her.”

DIRECTIVE: ANNIHILATE THE ACOLYTE.

“Miu I’m coming!!” Yuki’s digital voice called from within its metal and crystal shell.

01001111 01001000 01000111010011110100010001010011

None of this made sense. Who was he? He knew, but he didn’t. Why was he in this form? Why had he died… <<<<Compiling Soul Ledger:.... 37>>>> thirty-seven times but was still alive? Why was Miu his target? Why was the full force of the military against her?

<<<<Acolyte Debriefs Ready: Deploying>>>>

Images of Miu’s monstrous form tore into Yuki’s thoughts as his body glitched forward. Metallic fingers locked against the sides of his helmet as he tried to stop the visions. They couldn’t be real. She was violent, but she wasn’t cruel. She wouldn’t rip children in two and devour the vulnerable. Something was very wrong.

“This isn’t true. This isn’t true. This isn’t true. Miu, I’m coming!!” Yuki called out.

Silence was all that greeted him as he walked through the cemetery of former G.A.K.I. units that were now frozen in perpetual suffering. Obsidian crystal encased their mangled bodies as hands reached out in prayer for salvation that would remain unheard for all time. Jagged flames of former fire were now cold, white and translucent. Sapporo Tower was ahead. Its massive beams were gone, now instead sparkling geodes. Something nearby pulled to Yuki’s mind, but the moment his head turned to look at a familiar spot, screams of agony and horror glitched into his thoughts.

DON’T LOOK DON’T LOOK DON’T LOOK THIS PLACE IS HORRIBLE

DONTLOOKDONTLOOKDONTLOOK

<<<thisiswhereyoudied>>>

<<thisiswhereitallwentwrong>>

Tremors of unstable resolve sent shivers through Yuki’s stabilization pistons, and he turned away from the ominous sight, resolved to not look back.

On and on he walked. Hills rose and dropped. Bombed-out shells of former office buildings covered the landscape in latticeworks of lost productivity. Once vibrant neighborhoods were consumed by crystal or crushed by military artillery. Streets were lined with the remains of vehicles that would never move again. Haunting zoo displays stood empty with cages now holding immortal carcasses of forgotten animals left to die alone.

Flecks of crystalline snow drifted in the air. Whispers of untranslated tongues sang mourning hymns that danced along the edges of Yuki’s programming. Metallic footsteps churned on and on and on and on.

Hewashuman.Hewashuman.Hewashuman. Once.

Something was very wrong.

Still, he continued.

An hour later, he reached the edge of the city. Sapporobenkei’s ski lifts were frozen in the distance. Thousands upon thousands of formerly green spruce and fir trees were now glittery bones jutting up like daggers. The towering domed barrier of light was nearby. This was the edge of the safety zone. This was where she had landed. Something here was pulling Yuki forward.

Everything hurt for Miu. She was alive, but it was strained. Exhaustion was already fraying her mind and body before that day, and now, after the Bank of Japan’s destruction and this battle, she could barely move. Healing meant she had to be still. The damage was not so severe that she needed to let more crystal consume her as she had with her arm. Instead, she was on her knees, silently slumped forward, as soft flame coursed across her body in nurturing pulses.

Breathing was strained. Walking was out of the question. Her glyphs were still there, and her barrier was holding. Without the aid of more Arcans, the military would not be able to strike her while she was here. She prayed she’d at least have a day to recover. Then she would have to finally say farewell to this place. Once more, she would have to find a new place to-

“MIIIII—--UUUUUU?” a voice cried out from the forest.

Shock jolted Miu’s eyes opened but pain stabbed her chest like a knife.

“Miiiiuuuu-uuuu-uuuu it-it-it-it’s me!!!” the digital voice called.

Something about its glitching, desperate tone unsettled her. This was a trick. Some new attack protocol. One of their automaton soldiers was still alive. She would kill it as soon as she could stand and face-

“It’s Yuki!!! Miu! It’s me, Y0=-Y-Y0000-Yuki!!!” the voice screamed.

A gasp of confusion and rage pulled Miu upright as she roared out in disgust.

“HOW DARE YOU!!! HOW DARE YOU USE HIS NAME!!!” Miu roared as she fell over in an attempt to stand.

The enraged scream carried through the trees and Yuki heard the voice of someone he thought he’d never hear again. Only now did he realize he had made a mistake. Beyond his physical appearance being threatening, he was also still carrying both guns. She didn’t believe him. The fiery snake that exploded upwards told him that.

It bent and writhed as it scanned for its prey, but it didn’t see him. Then it sputtered and faded.

Miu was too weak to maintain the attack. Yuki dared to proceed.

“Miu it’s not a trick!! It’s me!! It’s Yuki!!! Something is very wrong!!!”

“NOOOOOO!!!! SHUT UP!!!!!!!” the scream replied as more bursts of uncontrolled wrath exploded outward from the distant thicket.

Overwhelmed rage was causing Miu’s eye to bleed once more. They knew who she was. The civilian had taunted her that all of her existence was in a government database. They would know about Yuki. This was just a cruel, low trick to get her to lower her guard. She would make them suffer for using such wickedness.

Strength finally returned enough for Miu to turn towards the automaton’s calls. Deep in the forest, there was a visible blue glow of Manu-Crystal implants. That was her target.

“Shit,” Yuki sighed when he saw the beams forming.

Defensive protocols threw him out of position just in time. The burst of pink ripped beside him and severed the trees, sending them crashing down with crystalline heaviness. Then the code took control, and the Manu-Crystal turned red.

<<<<Defensive Postures Activated. Aggression Received. Threat Tangent: Neutralize>>>

“No! No! NOOOO0001000000AJadlhjfl-00KN!!” Yuki glitched as hard overrides seized at his body and movements.

As Miu limped forward to raise another attack, she saw the automaton fighting with itself. Glitching, spasming limbs tried to raise their weapons, but then they were overwhelmed. Rigid fingers bent to grasp triggers but were snapped backward.

“NNNN-N-N-N-O-O-O-O-OOOOO. NO!!! NO!!! Not Miu!!! N-N-NOT HER!!!” Yuki screamed as sparks sputtered from cervos.

DIRECTIVE: ANNIHILATE THE ACOLYTE.

“No000000ooooo. The Acolyte is Miu!!”

DIRECTIVE: ANNIHILATE THE ACOLYTE.

“NO! I-I-I-I- KNOW MIU!!!”

When Miu was close enough to fully see the being, something in her body felt warm. This was wrong. Something was very wrong. Even though the voice was digital, its tone felt familiar and tragic. But this could not be true. This was a lie. This was a trick.

“No…” was all Miu could mutter as blood dripped from her eye.

“MIU IT’S ME I-I-I SWEAR!!!”

The automaton’s barrels turned from her towards itself.

<<If: DIRECTIVE: ANNIHILATE THE ACOLYTE = Ignored. Then: Self Destruct>>

“I am NOT dying again!! I AM NOT- A MACHINE!! I-AM-GOING-TO-FIND-MIU!!!” Yuki growled.

Both guns turned towards the automaton’s headpiece, but Miu did not interrupt. Confusion, curiosity, and trauma were all forcing her to stay still and watch as the manufactured being screamed out and snapped its arms down just as the murderous rounds exploded out. Each shot struck the opposite gun, destroying it.

The heavy weaponry fell from Yuki’s hands as the red faded from the crystal. Blue light returned and Yuki tried to stabilize his twitching body. His voicebox was damaged once again. Broken code struggled to unify commands as his mind regained control and he turned to the girl he once knew. Synthetic sobs shook the metallic reinforcements of Yuki’s chest as he tried to stand.

Miu’s fire-covered hand slowly lowered as the tears returned after so long.

“H-H-Hana… Your d-doll’s name was Hana…” Yuki cried.

Miu gasped in terror and overwhelmed confusion.

“No… oh gods no…” she whimpered.

“The night we triiiiiied to r-run away, you kissed me. We told one another we lo-lo-love-loved the other in a garden of c-crystal. Y-YO-You want-ed-ed-d t-ooooo paint n-nails…” Yuki choked.

Miu’s strength gave out and she fell to her knees as a long-forgotten sensation built in her stomach and throat. If there was anything in her stomach, she would have vomited. All she could do was cover her mouth and sob as she looked up at the strange robotic being that stood before her.

“We were s-supposed toooooo run away t-t-to Kyushu. It.. it… it wasn’t supposed to be like this…” Yuki croaked as he knelt before her.

“Oh gods, oh gods, please no…” Miu sobbed as her fingers locked on the sides of her head.

“...Y-Yuki?” she cried.

Yuki’s head was level with hers now.

“It’s m-me. I’mmmmmm… so sorry for everything… Miu… but… but… we found one another again…” he said as his trembling hand reached for her face.

Then she collapsed. Shock had won, and Miu lost consciousness. The last thing she saw was the automaton swiftly reaching out to catch her from striking the hardened ground.