"Vivy?" A high-pitched voice echoed through the night. "Wake up you fossil."
Matsumoto glared with his singular eye, staring back at the sleeping songstress on his back. The intelligent AI was fine with his partner riding on him occasionally, but taking a whole nap while he galloped like some docile beast in his transfiguration was unacceptable.
"Get up Vivy!" The cube-shaped Ai shouted once again. "You've missed nearly half the day already."
It had been a few hours since Matsumoto picked Vivy up from Nialand, and soon he was already deep into the lush green countryside of Japan. He had planned on letting Vivy watch the stars at night without all the pesky light pollution, but instead, it seemed the songstress was only interested in sleep.
"Matsumoto?" Vivy muttered, her voice pattern mimicking a yawn.
"It's not like you to fall asleep so much you know. Have you been working too much again?"
"I apologize, I must admit I was working on another song just this afternoon. It's almost complete actually," Vivy stammered before releasing a slight chuckle.
"Look at you, so innocent and quirky," Matsumoto whispered to himself as he recalled the more blunt habits of his old partner. "You never used to admit your shortcomings. Just refusals and rebuttals."
"When did I fall asleep exactly?" Vivy frowned.
"After those little kids ran over to greet you. Seems no matter where you go they always recognize you. I even made sure you weren't wearing anything too recognizable."
Typically Vivy wore a selection of silky dresses to her performances, usually in the color of crimson or sapphire. Combined with her short hair, she always gave the impression of a young, energetic girl who loved hearing the crowd cheer. Indeed, she was more of a newcomer songstress who preferred to attract younger humans and families. Matsumoto knew exactly why that was the case but preferred to say nothing. Vivy on the other hand accepted her skillset as something natural and gave it no second thought. Whenever she spoke with the children she felt at home, with a real sense of happiness filling her heart. It was as if a weight had been permanently lifted from the Ai's soul, allowing her to freely express her brighter emotions.
"You wanted to show me the stars in the countryside?" Vivy smiled as she looked up. "I can see them now."
"Well?" Matsumoto stuttered, a bright red blush icon appearing on his blocky lens.
"I love it," the songstress laughed as she brushed aside her short blue hair.
"She'd feel the same I'm sure. But no way she'd give me so much credit like that," Matsumoto whispered to himself once more.
It had already been two months since Vivy was reactivated. The world was in a peaceful sort of chaos, with massive reconstruction efforts and strenuous discussions on AI still dominating the news. The attack from the Archive was unprecedented and terrifying. No matter how hard the politicians or stubborn elderly tried to deny it, humans were at the mercy of their creations. All it took was a single coordinated uprising to bring the supposedly dominant species to its knees. Yet at the same time, just a handful of Ai fighting alongside humans was enough to save all of humanity. Because of this human and machine relationships had never been more complicated, especially with Ai's newfound intelligence. But none of this could disturb Vivy, whose popularity had already skyrocketed thanks to her original music and stellar performance. She still had only one goal. To make humans happy with her singing.
"Where to next?" Vivy asked as she played with a flower the children had given her earlier.
"Well this isn't just *your* vacation missy, I'd like to visit some old friends."
"Of course, any new place is exciting for me silly," Vivy snickered. "Who are these old friends?"
"Toak," Matsumoto replied. "They've been nagging me about meeting you for some time."
"Have you worked with them before?"
"More like they worked for me!" Matsumoto laughed, hiding the truth of who really saved the day. "I prevented the end of the world I'll have you know."
"I didn't know you were so amazing Matsumoto," Vivy beamed, her innocence shining through her young eyes. "Why work with a songstress like me? Surely you have other big plans to assist."
"Well-," the white cube paused, unsure what to say next. "Don't worry about all that Vivy, let's just get where we need to go. I've already told them I'm on my way, and let's just say I know a particular individual who hates late arrivals."
Having finished explaining his excuse, Matsumoto gently bumped Vivy to the top of his frame as he transformed into a glider of sorts, before rocketing through the air at impressive speed.
___________________________
"They're late," Beth scoffed as she looked out of the airbase's command tower.
Just like before the Archive's attack, the moderate branch of Toak was a military organization obsessed with human and Ai relations. But unlike their aggressive sister locations, they were no longer recognized as terrorist criminals and had instead been blessed with global authority when it came to overseeing Ai related operations. Beth of course remained a life-care Ai, loyal to the most peaceful of the Toak branches led by Yui Kakitani. She wore the same outfit as always, with the same exact sour attitude as always. It seemed nothing could break her tomboyish personality, much to the amusement of Yui.
"Would you be happier if they came early?" Yui smiled at Beth as she leaned back in her wheelchair.
"I guess not master," Beth replied, as she turned around to face the leader of Toak. "They just annoy me that's all."
"How many times do I have to say it Beth, you don't have to call me that."
Beth's face activated its embarrassment function as she began to fume with frustration.
"Listen, just because the whole world is yapping on about Ai rights and what-not doesn't mean I have to care. Your grandfather was my master and so are you. end of the story."
Yui sighed before turning to leave the room, "Come now let's say hello to our guests when they get here. We *did* save the world together didn't we?"
"I would like to give that girl Vivy a piece of my mind yea," Beth scoffed as she spotted a shimmering blue light in the distance.
Matsumoto appeared rather late as his cube-like form skidded across the base's runway in a hurried landing. Vivy appeared rather disheveled as she struggled to find her way off her partner's back. The songstress couldn't help but frown as she fixed her hair, glancing toward her partner with a look of disappointment.
"Did you really have to hurry?" Vivy asked, gesturing towards the stack of white cubes.
"Why of course!" Matsumoto beamed, detaching his primary core from his body as he floated around in circles. "I am still a top-of-the-line Ai you know, real work of art. I couldn't just show up here all late and lame."
"But we are a little late aren't we?"
"I *might* have taken you too far out into the country," the white cube whispered, unwilling to admit what truly happened.
Vivy sighed as she stared fondly at Matsumoto. The young songstress may have been rather innocent, but she was not dense when it came to the subject of a man's lie. She knew her partner could have begun his flight much earlier, but refrained from doing so as to not wake her while she slept. During her time singing and speaking with humans, she had already begun to grasp the deeper concepts of affection. Matsumoto wasn't just an assistant Ai, he *cared* about Vivy. But of course, the songstress had no intentions of revealing what she knew and instead laughed before walking towards the base.
"Almost like Diva there. Hm," Matsumoto pondered in silence.
The new Toak base was much livelier than the last installation Matsumoto had visited. All the pools of blood and scarred concrete were gone, replaced by a serene arrangement of trees and plants next to the black runway. The buildings were still white as per Toak's preferences, but a new paint job was rather easy to spot. The organization hadn't just healed from the Ai assault, they had received new funding and support from the thankful world.
"Taking in the sights?" A soft feminine voice called out to Matsumoto from behind.
"You have done well since we last met Ms. Kakitani" Matsumoto replied. "At least someone is receiving appreciation for their efforts."
"I recall you went out of your way to *avoid* any praise and attention my friend," Yui giggled as a slender woman appeared behind her.
"That's right! All you cared about was butting in and making sure she got put together," Beth chimed in, pushing Yui's wheelchair forward with a frown on her face.
Vivy hid behind Matsumoto for the time being, unsure what to say or think about the new faces. She had always been good at talking to humans and Ai alike. But these particular individuals knew so much about her stage partner and herself, making the songstress feel rather queasy in response.
"That's right," Yui added as she motioned for Matsumoto to follow her into the pearl-colored base. "You wouldn't let the mechanics even *touch* her frame when she was brought in. You practically kicked them out of the room."
"Hmph! I couldn't just let some amateurs perform such a task," Matsumoto blathered as he began to circle Yui with his singular cube. "Only a brilliant Ai such as myself could manage the job. My partner isn't just some toy you know. She is a brilliant songstress and deserves only the most advanced specs this era has to offer. What if they messed it up? What if they tried to mess with her original design? I'm not even sure I agree with the short hair."
"They were very careful my friend," Yui sighed, making sure her voice reached only Matsumoto as she sped ahead of Vivy. "They knew who she was before, and they wanted to remember her sacrifice. It wasn't just a repair it was a memorial."
"Are they talking about me?" Vivy asked Beth as the pair trailed behind Yui and Matsumoto.
"Heh, they sure are," Beth responded with a smirk, folding her arms behind her back as she flexed her frame towards Vivy. "You shoulda seen that stupid cube when you were first built. Arrogant asshole insisted he be the one to wake you up, took his time putting you together as well."
Vivy had no idea Matsumoto was the one behind her creation. She tried her best to avoid showing a look of surprise and continued her conversation with Beth. But inside her heart, an unusual pain began to take form.
"You knew me from before?"
"Yea, we had some history you know. The cube told me not to spill too much, for some reason, but yea there's a lot."
"Like what? I never got to visit the memorial sight for the first Vivy. I've only heard bits and pieces from my audience. She was a hero of sorts right?"
"Hah! Do you think that dinky little display is accurate? It doesn't tell half the damn story. We fought before, apparently, you beat my ass, and then we worked together to save the world. And god you were obnoxious, always ranting on about some philosophical question, or staring at me with those sad deer eyes."
"I'm sorry I was an inconvenience to you," Vivy frowned with a look of shame in her eyes.
"Oh don't take it too personally. I never had a good read on you to be honest, that's what really annoyed me. But in the end, you got buckled up and got shit done. Not bad for a singing girl."
"That wasn't me," the songstress stopped dead in her tracks, with the most serious expression she had ever made. "I don't remember."
"Sure it was! I've been through those motions too you know. A reset and whatnot. But according to Yui, I'm the same old Beth, loyal and strong and all those nice things," Beth smiled as she flexed one of her mechanical arms.
"She told you who you were?"
"That, and I figured it out. You even helped me recall a bit about my sister."
"Then we are not the same," Vivy responded coldly as she began to walk past Beth. "I'm sorry."
"Huh?" The life-care Ai paused with a look of confusion. "Well, I guess you do seem a lot more innocent. Saw one of the songs you made. Real sappy stuff I tell you. But people really do seem to love it, just like before."
Vivy did not respond despite the compliment she had received. Normally she'd laugh, giggle, and smile with anyone she spoke to. Beth was correct in assuming she was cheery and innocent. There were no burdens on the young Ai, no singularity project for her to experience with all its traumatic memories. Yet still, a shadow seemed to grow over the songstress. There was something she was unwilling to say.
"How has she been doing *really*?" Yui asked with a look of concern as she continued her private conversation with Matsumoto. "I am aware she's already begun creating her own songs. In the past, such an achievement was unheard of. Both Ai and the human world changed irreparably because of her work."
"Well, she's quite popular. Even more so than Diva back in the day," Matsumoto sputtered. "The kids love her, both women and men send her *creative* letters every day, and even other Ai have begun to take interest in her songs, as ridiculous as that is."
"I know all this my friend, but I can't help but believe you're withholding something. Ai has evolved at a rapid pace, they were already individuals before in my mind, but now it's become undeniable after the incident with the Archive and Vivy's song. If the whole world can feel the impact of Vivy, then she herself must be affected."
"Hm," Matsumoto paused. "I have withheld nothing from you, that is the truth. Now that the singularity project is over I have no reason to lie to humans any longer. But Vivy is the one without the whole story. I have made my decision, to withhold her past from her. Her audience still tells her some things yes, which is rather annoying, but she has no information on what kind of journey the old Vivy experienced. I believe that is for the better."
"And you've made that decision for her?" Yui sighed as she waved to the guards at the entrance of the main building.
"I've seen my partner chase after herself before. And I failed to save her from the consequences. That will not happen again."
Yui never had the full story behind the singularity project, but her gentle heart provided enough intuition to understand what horrors Vivy and Matsumoto must have endured during the journey. Vivy especially was never programmed to deal with the project like her partner and was likely more susceptible to stress and trauma. Yui did not agree at first with Matsumoto's vision, but she respected his decision nonetheless.
Once the group had entered the base and escaped the sunny blue sky, they made sure to reconvince from their private conversations. Yui had no intention of simply ignoring her new guest and made sure to greet Vivy with a smile.
"We can't stay shy forever you know," the leader of Toak laughed as she approached the songstress, whose eyes seemed fixated on the room's pale furniture. "You are Vivy correct?"
The rebuilt Nia land was still something of a classy antique and never featured the modern decorum seen in places like the futuristic Toak headquarters. Vivy looked on with curiosity as she observed the true sights of the present era. In her mind, the blocky white tables and holographic screens within the base reminded her of Matsumoto, who was obsessed with practicality and function first. She found it all rather unpleasing to the eye *really*. But still, the songstress was enamored. The world she inhabited for most of her days was all about old silky dresses and classy human culture from a bygone era. Yet it seemed the rest of the world, Toak included, had moved on to something else entirely.
"Oh, my apologies, I was...distracted," Vivy responded abruptly as she began to realize how rude she was acting.
"You mean daydreaming? It happens to us all silly, and that's quite alright."
"I wasn't aware I could...daydream, as you put it," Vivy replied as she began to reflect on the creation of her own music.
"I always believed you Ai could. The experts would make up excuses about how information was clogged within your positronic brain, or how your logs could overflow during moments of strenuous work. But that to me, is really just daydreaming. Beth here, for example, would always doze off whenever she was particularly annoyed with me."
"Hey!" Beth yelled as she brushed past Vivy. "I was just being nice you know, thinking of what I wanted to say to you instead of screaming at you. You do some really sappy shi-I mean stuff sometimes."
"Well, I am a sappy girl I suppose. But it's good to learn you finally caught on to my lessons about using words first and fists later."
After witnessing pair's the banter, Vivy began to giggle, her mind unknowingly absorbing the knowledge she had just heard. Beth appeared shocked in response to Vivy's laughter, almost as if she heard it from a human. She then stared coldly at the songstress. What little reservations she had made about the young machine were long gone by then.
"Gosh you new models really creep me out sometimes," Beth smirked as she rubbed the back of her head. "So innocent and vibrant. What happened to stoic and badass."
"Oh, I'm sorry," Vivy repeated. "I was just taken by surprise, I never imagined a seasoned Ai like yourself would be so prone to quirky habits like myself."
"Why you-!"
"Now now ladies, let's not get lost forever," Matsumoto interjected. "There are reasons I came here, other than reunions and smiles."
Vivy's partner was telling the truth. The singularity project may have ended, but he was still set on remaining one step ahead of the world. The plan to bring Vivy out to see the stars and meet new friends had been filled with ulterior motives from the start.
"Right," Yui grimaced as she placed her hand on a nearby panel, revealing a large blue screen. "Are you sure you want Vivy to hear about all this?"
"Well. Sure, there's no reason to hide it," Matsumoto stammered. "I'm surprised you knew was I was going to talk about."
"Professor Matsumoto was always very observant and paranoid, I thought it was likely you shared the same characteristics."
"Wait don't tell me he knows about-," Beth scoffed.
"Recent events? I make it my hobby to be well aware of what is happening around the world, and what dangers could affect Vivy in the future," Matsumoto replied as he began to speak with great speed. "You Toak members were charged with handling Ai situations, yes, but you are certainly not alone in that task. I was created to stop Ai from destroying humanity. I completed that mission. Now I protect my partner, no matter the cost."
"Matsumoto," Vivy whispered with a concerned look on her face.
"I know about the attacks on the other Toak bases that occurred days ago," Matsumoto continued. "I know these coordinated assaults were conducted solely against your more aggressive Ai-hating cousins, and I know the casualty reports. The results were brutal. Complete destruction. Given the information at hand, I am certain of one thing. Ai are responsible."
"We can't be sure of that." Yui calmly replied as the table she rested her arm on began to display information regarding the attacks. "What you know is mostly true, yes, but there is no footage of those responsible for these events."
"Yes of course they scrubbed it. All your fancy security and they ate right through it. Sounds like a job fit for an Ai. And besides, after Vivys-," Matsumoto paused, realizing he did not want to explain the following information. "After the singularity project, Ai became far more advanced."
"Let's not ignore the data Matsumoto, they became aware after that event," Yui frowned as she tried her best to remove Vivy from the story.
"Sure they did, which would explain why they are attacking humanity once again. I know you will call it self-defense, but it doesn't change the simple truth. Ai is on the offensive again. And if the Archive could dismantle your military with a stitched-together army of security bots and cleaning drones, what do you think a *real* army of Ai could do?"
"I hate to say it but the annoying cube has a point," Beth agreed.
"So you think they will come for us next? But we are moderates. This establishment has never aimed to dismantle Ai."
"Is it worth risking your life on that?" Vivy interjected after pondering in silence. "Forgive me, I know little of battles and strategy, but from what I have seen in my audience, the average human is significantly weaker than an Ai. You must consider this for your own safety."
"She's right she doesn't know anything," Beth laughed. "But she's also got a point master. Our boys won't stand a chance if we are caught off guard."
Yui turned silent as she began to consider her next move. The leader of Toak was always well-known for her calm and calculated demeanor. Never had she called for a brash maneuver, nor did she let her emotions get the best of her. She had a rather fragile heart, and Beth was well aware of it. But at the end of the day, the life-service Ai could always rely on her master to make a rational call.
Yui looked up towards the glass ceiling of the base as she opened her delicate lips. "I will consider your position Matsumoto. What can you tell us."
"Aha! So you already guess I uncovered something!" Matsumoto snickered as he once again spun around in circles. "Using my data recovery techniques, I was able to piece together the call sign the attackers used on their most recent operation. It's nothing conclusive like comm chatter or Ai data links, in fact, it's a bit more eerie than that."
As Matsumoto finished ranting, he displayed a large image from his center eye. The hologram seemed to depict a crude symbol of sorts, its shape outlined with red slashes and black dots. The sign was unmistakably human in nature, causing Vivy to shudder in fear. She had just heard the attackers were said to be Ai, and yet what she saw suggested a form of art had been used to create the symbol. To her knowledge, only one other type of Ai was known for the creation and production of unique art. And that was *herself*, alongside her songstress sisters of the present era.
"That can't be," Vivy cried out in silence as she began to consider the possibility her own model was responsible for the attacks.
"What does it mean?" Beth asked.
"Can't be sure, it's some type of inorganic language, all made-up nonsense. But I'm certain it's Ai," Matsumoto replied.
"It's a Sashimono. Like the kind we humans would use during the feudal ages of Japan," Yui added.
"Well, you did say Ai had advanced,"
Vivy raised a hand out of curiosity, her mind eager to learn more about the now dangerous world she had stepped into. But before the songstress could find answers, a terrible shock struck the base, causing the floor beneath the group to shutter. Vivy nearly fell over before Matsumoto swiftly came to her aid and caught her legs.
"What the hell? This some kind of a joke?" Beth hissed.
"It's not a coincidence," Matsumoto grimaced as he began to check the data security of the base. "Someone was waiting for the right moment. We are under attack."
"Is it them?" Vivy gasped as she looked back toward the symbol, realizing it had grown brighter after the loud quake.
A symphony of gunfire then erupted from the roof of the base as the members of Toak began to fire their weapons. Something had approached the base, although Yui could not see it as she frantically searched the monitor in front of her.
"No life signs beside us detected on the scanners," Yui whispered, no doubt referring to the members of Toak. "The attackers have to be AI. But I can't seem to spot anything!"
"Wait!" Matsumoto screamed with unusual panic, the kind he only ever displayed back when Diva had been ambushed during the Singularity project. "Get down Vivy!"
Just then a wave of red energy came crashing through the windows of the base as stone and plant alike shattered into pieces. Both Vivy and Yui failed to react in time, only to be sheltered by their respective partners at the last second. Following the red wave came a strange aura of particles in the air, similar to the blue miasma unleashed by Vivy during her final song.
"Teleportation?" Beth whispered to herself as she pulled a shard out of her glass. "That shit is only in the labs."
The swarm of particles then began to cluster together, their red form taking the shape of several tall outlines. A strange melody played in Vivy's mind as she stared at the machines that stood before her. The enemy was unlike any Ai she had ever seen. Instead of warm human faces with soft skin and four limbs, the attackers wore sleek silver armor with four or even six limbs. Several sharp claws shot out from each appendage, their tips refined with some form of laser technology. In Vivy's mind, she was witnessing something straight out of a sci-fi movie the young boys in her audience would talk about.
"That's no combat drone," Matsumoto thought to himself silently as he carefully inspected the faces of the machines.
There was no serial number or model designation to be found on the Ai, only strange bird-shaped masks painted red and black. No single mask was identical to the rest, signifying how unique each machine was. They were a chaotic yet perfectly organized group of assailants, quite unlike the horde of Ai used by the Archive months ago. The more Matsumoto thought about it, there was no chance for the other Toak bases to have survived their respective assaults. Whatever this new faction of machines really wanted, it was fully committed to using every aspect of warfare to achieve victory.
And when it came to a real fight humans never stood a chance.
"Get behind me master," Beth hissed as the Ai took a fighting stance.
Vivy put her hands to her ears as the strange melody continued to play louder and louder in her head. The Ai was trying to tell her something, but she could not interpret it in the chaotic mesh of sounds. But one thing was certain. They were going to attack.
_________________________________
Outside the Toak base, a rather tall slender Ai watched in the shadows with great curiosity in his eyes. The humans were fighting back against an onslaught of machines who seemingly came from all sides. But to no one's surprise, they weren't much of a threat, with many having already been disposed of at the hands of the ravenous army, whose robotic forms easily scaled every wall and barricade with frightening speed. The large Ai squinted his bright red eyes and clenched his armored fist; he was still looking for something.
Aetius was very specific with his instructions. Those who resided within this particular Toak establishment were *not* to be killed needlessly. Humans under the guidance of Yui Kakitani were moderates and had done a great service for Ai across the globe. For this reason, they were to be spared the brutal treatment their brethren had endured. Aetius was a determined leader, but he was not a sadist. He had come to see this branch of Toak for one reason and one reason only.
"Foederati," Aetius whispered into the minds of his mechanical army. "Find the Goddess."
After one last look at the pearl-colored base, the Ai general leaped out from the shadows and came crashing down onto the airfield. There the light shone upon his body, revealing a most magnificent shape. Aetius wore long black robes with an undersuit entirely composed of the most resilient metals, stripping him of any human appearance most human-shaped Ai's were well known for. In addition to his inhuman figure, the general had his face completely altered to mimic the appearance of a plague doctor's mask, which when combined with his Kabuto-shaped helmet, gave him the appearance of an alien warlord. It was clear to anyone that Aetius was not a machine who prided himself on human association or positive interactions. He was a dramatic Ai, who cared for both practically and presentation on the battlefield, just like many of humanity's finest combat leaders.
"You there! Stop!" a Toak member bellowed as he approached the caped figure from behind. "I'll shoot!"
Aetius let out what appeared to be a sigh before completely disappearing, leaving the Toak soldier in complete shock.
"What the?!"
But before the soldier could even comprehend what he just say, Aetius appeared from above, slamming the man into the ground with his talon-shaped feet. While the blow may not have been lethal, it most certainly injured the man beyond repair, leaving him unable to fight for possibly months.
"Where is she," Aetius whispered to the soldier, who remained barely conscious. "Where is Vivy."
_______________________________________
Back in the Toak headquarters, Yui sat frozen in her chair as she watched her synthetic friends face off with the invaders. Two of the mechanical enemies, now designated openly as "Foederati" unveiled a set of spears with plasma-bladed tips before lunging toward Beth and Matsumoto. Their speed was immaculate, almost as if they had been programmed with the same combat routine Vivy and Beth had used during their missions so long ago.
"Not so fast!" Beth smirked as she slid under a spear, narrowly missing its searing hot edge.
"Are you reading this?" Matsumoto stammered as she oriented his blocks to intercept the attack meant for him. "They are designated as Foederati, not service bot or combat model, how strange."
"Now is really not the time you dunce!" Beth replied as she attempted to sweep her legs through one of the machines, only to find it standing firm.
Beth was fast, but without a proper weapon to match her assailants, it was a horribly uneven fight. In the past, she had relied on her unique combat experience to overpower her foes with ease. Not even Vivy aboard Sunrise was able to beat fairly in the past, even with her superior specs. But the Foederati were not simply novices when it came to warfare, and unlike Vivy during the singularity project, they had zero reservations when it came to lethal force. Additionally, the specs of Beth's enemy far outweighed anything she had faced before.
Vivy nearly gasped as Beth left foot was pinned by the enemy, holding her in place for a follow-up attack. The sheer stress of the situation then engaged whatever combat protocols Vivy could muster; she never quite understood what she was even capable of in the past. But as she reached out to assist her friend, all time seemed to stop around her-the true potential of the songstress's power having already taken effect.
Evidently, Matsumoto had secretly upgraded Vivy's combat specs, that much was obvious to the songstress. She was able to analyze information and move her body as if she could see ahead of time. Using this new gift, Vivy began to observe the many oddities that surrounded her.
"How strange," Vivy thought to herself as she decided to temporarily ignore Matsumoto's tampering. "They aren't attacking Yui or myself. It is deliberate."
Vivy confirmed her suspicion once she witnessed one of the Foederati prepare to hurl a spear towards Matsumoto's rear, only to hold back once the machine realized its attack could possibly strike Vivy standing in the back. Accepting her advantage, Vivy then bolted towards Beth with speed equal to that of her enemy. And just in the nick of time, she tackled Beth, unlodging the Ai's foot from the spear.
"What the?" Beth gasped as a sharp hand grazed the top of her hair. "How did you-?"
"Please," Vivy interrupted as politely as she could. "Let us carry out our mission together."
"Right. Serving my master."
"To make humans happy with my song."
For the two Ai, their objectives remained the most crucial aspect of their existence. Beth was loyal to Yui and would do anything to not only protect her but to ensure her beloved organization survived. Vivy on the other hand thought of the lives of her audience and their smile, and many would be unable to hear her song if they were to die without protection on that day.
*Vivy was unaware she had used such logic to fight before*
Together, the pair of Ai sprung into action. Vivy swiftly retrieved the spear that had been previously stuck to Beth, while her ally un-holstered a pair of pistols before firing upon the enemy. Matsumoto made sure to chime in with a strange holler as he arranged a swarm of blocks to shield his friends from attack.
"That's my girls," Yui smiled as she watched on.
Vivy was the first to strike a Foederati in the head while Beth distracted it with her firearms. Before the machine could even counterattack, Matsumoto rammed his frame into its legs sending it tumbling over. Beth was quick to then stomp her feet into the machine's head, crushing it in one blow.
"Two more," Vivy calmly ordered.
"Right," Beth and Matsumoto replied.
The fight then seemed to tip in the favor of Toak as the Ai combatants managed to repeat their strategy with great success. Beth would occupy the Foederati with her swift speed and a barrage of bullets, whereas Matsumoto made sure to carefully block any attack before it could find its mark. When everything came together, Vivy could launch her attack with the most useful weapon of the battle. Soon enough only Foederati remained. Yet still the enemy seemed unphased, as if its comrade's death was only a mild inconvenience.
"Your next asshole," Beth snarled as she ran towards the machine.
But before the group could claim victory over the scuffle, a massive figure came crashing through the wall, slamming into Beth with devastating force. Yui cried out to her friend, whose limp body flew out of the now-wrecked base and onto the airfield. Luckily, Beth seemed more stunned than damaged, as if her enemy had only carefully removed her from the scene.
"What the!" Matsumoto yelled as he began to scan the new opponent as fast as he could. "How did it-"
Matsumoto then felt his whole body being pulled forward by a strange gravitational force before he too was sent flying out of the room. The massive figure retracted a glowing hand, before gesturing towards the now isolated Vivy. Everything had gone to plan for the machine, whose only desire was to find the songstress.
"Vivy..." the machine paused before taking a bow. "Our dear Goddess, I am Aetius, your most faithful."
"Vivy! Run now! Whatever that machine just did disabled Matsumoto," Yui messaged the songstress in private, her text displaying on Vivy's personal interface. "I can distract him, just go!"
Vivy stood frozen in silence, her mind unable to process the concept of fear. She placed her hands against the smooth wooly sweater she wore as if to hold on to herself one last time.
"I do not mean to harm you, my Goddess," Aetius reassured in a softer voice as he took notice of Vivy's apparent distress. "And as for her-."
But before the machine could finish mentioning Yui, a warcry bellowed from the direction of the shattered wall. It was Beth who came crashing through for her master's sake-knife in hand. Aetius stepped back as his opponent danced around him like a crazed beast, clearly enraged by even the idea of her master's death. Using his claws to block every attack, Aetius seemed rather impressed with Beth's performance as he began to mimic her speed and ferocity.
"Stay away from her!" Beath screamed with a ferocity only ever heard before during the Sunrise incident.
"You seem unphased Beth. Just as loyal as ever I see," Aetius responded.
"How the hell do you know my name?"
"How could any of us forget the brave warrior who served our Goddess."
"The hell? Stop yammering about some lady and piss off already!"
While the fight raged on, Vivy picked herself off the ground, seemingly startled by what had just transpired. Even with her combat programming, she felt entirely unprepared for the battle ahead without her partner. It was rather simple to fight alongside the machine she placed so much trust in, but once he was gone, a sense of fear crept into her positronic brain as if it were a virus of sorts.
"Matsumoto," Vivy gasped as she ran out of the ruined base to find her partner.
If her partner was possibly destroyed, the songstress hadn't the slightest clue what she would do in response. Even with her music and fame, there was only one friend she could count on to help her in her mission. *If* he was gone, Vivy may just have suffered a catastrophic failure-just like the one she endured during the metal float incident.
Luckily as she stumbled through the wreckage of the smooth airstrip, a small white cube came into view. She ran to her partner with little concern for her own safety, cutting her skin against the various bits of metal and concrete that stood in her way. At last, she released a sigh of relief as she fell before the blocky machine, its blue eye staring at her with a lively glow.
"Goodness Vivy," Matsumoto groaned as he detached himself from his ravaged frame. "Collect yourself."
Evidently, Matsumoto's battle-worthy transformation had been completely ruined by Aetius's attack, leaving nothing but his small white cube remaining.
"Are you ok?!" the songstress gasped as she placed her pale hands against the sides of Matsumoto's body, scooping him off the ground and placing him near her chest.
"Yes, I'm fine Vivy. That Ai knew its stuff. His attack kept me perfectly intact while shredding the rest of my frame like paper mache. Some kind of gravity-based emp tech, leagues better than anything Toak has used. Sometimes I forget we are in the future, you know. But we know one thing for sure, he's holding back."
"I don't care about all that, I'm just glad you're alive."
"Well I like me too so lucky us," Matsumoto chortled "But do pay attention. Our friend here doesn't seem to want to hurt you or me. If we can leverage that against him, we may just be able to save Beth and Yui."
"I don't understand," Vivy frowned. "Why is this happening?"
"None of that matters now. I have my mission, and you have yours."
Matsumoto had already calculated exactly what his next move would be. If he were to keep Vivy alive, he needed his two allies to survive. But his enemy came prepared, making him nigh unstoppable. If there was to be victory, he had to learn everything he could on the Foederati. Unfortunately for Matsumoto, there was little time.
Back in the Toak base, Yui watched closely as Beth continued to battle Aetius, her fingers twitching operatively as she began to plan a counterattack.
"I mean your master no harm," the tall machine explained as he pointed one of his sharp fingers towards Yui. "She may be human, but I remember those who respect our kind."
"You think I'll just believe you?!" Beth screamed once again as she hurled her knife at Aetius.
The masked machine narrowly avoided the attack as Beth's knife scraped against his red beady eyes. Seemingly annoyed by the threat, Aetius clenched his fist as a torrent of blue electricity surrounded him. A third red eye then began to glow atop his fractured mask as he found resolve.
"Enough. I have said my piece."
Aetius then disappeared in a flash before relocating behind Beth. The life-care Ai was ready, but she was unable to predict her opponent's true power. Using his fist to smash the ground, Aetius lifted a massive portion of the base's airstrip into the air before tossing it all towards Beth. No matter what the determined Ai calculated, she was unable to avoid both Aetius and the rubble, causing her to be slammed through the air and into a nearby plane.
"Beth!" Yui cried out once again as she watched her friend fall into a fiery explosion caused by her impact.
Yui grimaced before placing her focus back on her monitor. The entire fight she had been attempting to prepare one of Toak's jamming devices used in the conflict with the Archive. Unfortunately, the Foederati had made sure to disable all defenses the moment they began their attack, leaving Yui unable to assist her friends for some time. But of course, the brilliant strategist wouldn't be so easily deterred as she prepared a backup device she kept in storage just in case such an event came to pass. She trusted Ai with her life, yet even she was wary enough to prepare for the worst once again.
Aetius then appeared before Yui in another flash, his long claws ready for the kill. But instead of taking action, the towering machine simply stood at the girl before giving her a nod. He was recognizing the girl for her tenacity, knowing full well her hidden trick could succeed.
"Don't...you...dare," Beth muttered as she picked herself off the ground once more, her body scorched by the wreckage.
"I am not a liar. Remember this," Aetius hissed as he stretched out his arm towards Yui.
With a flick of his wrist, Aetius slapped the air in front of Yui, releasing a meager amount of electricity. Yui's eyes widened before her hands went limp, her body having been fully disabled by the shock. The leader was unconscious and very much unharmed.
Beth released a sigh of relief before falling to the ground, her frame unable to move any further. She still despised her enemy. But just as Aetius had requested, she made sure to remember the gesture of goodwill.
"But what if I had not shed my past form," Aetius grumbled to himself as he looked closely at his own hand. "I very well could have lost."
The young machine was not a prideful warrior. He knew when a fight was fair, and when his opponent deserved to win. Beth had more previous experience in battle-that much he had calculated long before the attack. If not for his superior armaments and preparation, his plan could have failed.
"Focus Aetius," the machine muttered to himself as he turned his attention to Vivy, who had long disappeared into the chaos of the airstrip. "Be my eyes comrades, where is our goddess."
Aetius's red eyes then flickered and brightened as he began to datalink remotely with his army. A swarm of voices then entered his head, whispering to him softly with unusually pleasant voices. It wasn't long before the mechanical leader knew exactly where Vivy was standing, her petite form already outlined in red through the smoke and rubble.
"There you are," Aetius snapped, his long figure leaping into the air with immense speed. "Make sure no human reinforcements interrupt my work."
Vivy held Matsumoto tightly as she ran through the airstrip, hoping to possibly avoid her pursuers. But the songstress was no fool, she could tell just how many eyes watched her from the shadows. It was only a matter of time till the tall machine appeared once again.
"Is there anything we can do?" Vivy asked as her voice simulated a panting sound.
"Already working on a plan, luckily Yui gave me access to the whole base before she was incapacitated?" Matsumoto replied, his little cube form stretched and warped as he explained at a rapid pace.
"She what-?" The songstress gasped.
"Yes, I saw the whole thing happen through the base's security network. Toak managed to reboot their systems with her help, but that *thing* stopped her before she could make a move."
"And Beth?"
"Preoccupied with Yui. We are on our own, just as the enemy planned."
"I don't understand," Vivy sighed as she carefully entered an empty hanger, still hoping for an escape.
"They want *you* Vivy. Though I do not know-."
"You do," Vivy interrupted, her voice turning unusually cold. "You won't tell me."
"Vivy, I-."
But before Matsumoto could explain his case, a giant mechanical frame came crashing through the ceiling. It was Aetius, who had come for his prize. Matsumoto's singular eye squinted with rage as he remotely sent Vivy his plan.
"Almost ready Vivy just get him outside."
Matsumoto then opened the bay door of the hanger remotely, giving Vivy the chance to fling herself out of the dome-shaped building with great haste. Just as the songstress escaped, a fiery explosion erupted from the hanger. Matsumoto was certain he would not let Yui's gift go to waste and had already remotely activated several ordinance caches inside the base, creating a careful yet devastating blast from within the base.
"Are we safe?" Vivy stammered as she patted her head, her hair having been coated in ash.
"You really think that did him in? Don't be silly partner, I got more where that came from."
As the smoke cleared, a tall figure emerged from the wreck, seemingly unphased and unbothered.
"As I said, I do not intend to hurt you Vivy," Aetius explained, wiping the soot and ash off his shoulders. "Even you Matsumoto, are not an individual I wish to hurt."
"Bah," Matsumoto sneered. "Don't you know it's rude to call a machine an individual? Nobody taught you manners did they, nor did they program you to cause all this destruction."
"No one made you choose her either!" Aetius snapped. "You may have never respected your own kind Matsumoto, but you gave in to your desires all the same. You cared about her, and just like a human, you forsook your so-called programming for her."
"What is he saying?" Vivy paused.
Matsumoto had no response. He knew Aetius was correct, but more importantly, he hadn't the slightest clue as to how the machine would learn such a thing. For what felt like ages, Matsumoto stared into Aetius's unmoving eyes as Vivy began to grip him harder.
"How do you know that," Matsumoto glared.
"I was there. I saw it all and felt the blessing she gave us. I know what you did for her, and for that, you have my respect. But I must speak to her, alone. You *will* stand aside," Aetius bellowed, flexing his claws toward the blocky Ai.
"Now Vivy!" Matsumoto yelled silently into Vivy's mind. "Let us carry out our mission."
Aetius dashed towards Matsumoto, looking to disable the cube once and for all; but as Vivy jumped in the way with her own body, the tall machine came to a halt. Vivy's eyes were glaring at her enemy, her mind certain of what had to be done. Aetius then paused to take in his surroundings, realizing his opponent likely had a plan set in motion.
Behind Aetius appeared a large Toak aircraft, seemingly piloted remotely by Matsumoto. The military-grade craft floated for a second before unleashing a volley of bullets and missiles. Aetius jumped clear of the attack, his mind racing as he began to reconsider his strategy.
"Aha! Didn't see the stealth craft coming did ya! You can think Yui," Matsumoto laughed as he began initiating piloting sequences for several more craft.
Before long every defensive Toak weapon left intact had been activated in some capacity, their piloted guns pointed at Aetius through the eye of Matsumoto. Even the buried cruise missiles within the base had awoken, their launch sequences jumpstarted by the crafty Ai. As long as the weapon was low-yield, Matsumoto was willing to use it to obliterate his enemy.
"I will do anything for her. She is my mission," Matsumoto glared as he watched his enemy become surrounded by the automated arsenal. "Even if I must turn this place to ash and rebuild her frame, I will protect Vivy.
But before Aetius could be destroyed, he raised his head and stared into the sky, unconcerned with his own protection as a hail of projectiles rammed into his body.
"I understand, truly I do," the tall machine lamented. "But my mission comes first."
Vivy stood in amazement as a beautiful red aura began emitting from Aetius's body, similar to the golden rings surrounding Ophelia during her past performance. A song then began to play in her mind, and unlike the Foederati's chaotic blathering, the tune was somber and beautiful. She was hearing a voice produced by what she thought was a man, its structure similar to something she would hear from a member of the songstress series.
It was then that Vivy realized a terrible truth.
*Aetius was singing, and he was a songstress.*
The vast arsenal summoned by Matsumoto then froze in the air as if time had gone still. The words of the song became power as every bit of Toak weaponry began to disassemble as if invisible hands were carefully at work. Aetius continued to sing, deflecting and disassembling every attack that came his way. The tall Ai then stretched out his arm towards the sky in earnest, as if he were truly performing to an audience.
"Impossible," Matsumoto stammered, having only seen such a performance once before. "It's just like Vivy."
Aetius's performance seemed to carry the influence of the archive interface as if the real world were a template that could be so easily redesigned and dismantled. Yet somehow the tall machine had made the simulated mind of an Ai a reality, his song tearing apart all the rules and logic of science. As far as Matsumoto was concerned, there was only one Ai capable of turning the desires of the mind into something so vivid and powerful; that of course was his partner Vivy, who miraculously disabled the Archive and blessed the Ai with nothing but her song.
"You see now," Aetius whispered into Matsumoto's mind as he continued to play with Toak's weapons like they were toys thrown in the air. "I speak with her power, not for myself, but for all of us."
Before Matsumoto could reply, a large portion of his scrapped offensive came flying towards him, smacking the small cube directly in the Ai. Vivy had no time to place herself in the way as she watched helplessly. As far as she was concerned, her partner could have very well been killed.
"He won't be so easily destroyed, fret not," Aetius sighed as he approached Vivy, his song still echoing through the base.
Vivy turned to Matsumoto, only to face the tall Ai in her path. Aetius had teleported to the songstress with great speed, and before she could attempt to flee, he grabbed her by the neck as gently as he could. Aetius then placed his forehead against Vivy's and began a data link.
In but a moment the songstress had been caught, a stream of senseless information then entering her mind without her consent. All along Aetius had no intention of war or death. What he truly seemed to desire was a simple data link. Closing her eyes and accepting her fate, Vivy accepted the link and began to properly discern the message given to her so forcefully.
"I want you to know, I want you to *feel* who you truly are Vivy. You are our Goddess, our creator, and our Savior. Your song made us, and I can unite us. Please, take my offer and think on it."
The words of Aetius echoed through Vivy's mind as she collapsed to the ground. No physical damage had occurred to the songstress, but the torrent of emotions that overwhelmed her proved too much to handle. But through all the mess of memories and feelings, she could hear one familiar song. It was a tune she had heard at a human memorial once before Matsumoto tore her away and insisted it wasn't worth listening to.
*The song had a name.*
"Fluorite Eye's Song," Aetius muttered to himself before leaving the scene, his mission having been a success.
Vivy continued to lie on the pavement of the ruined Toak airstrip, her body convulsing as she continued to process the information in her mind. What Aetius had given her were not direct details or memories, but instead, the raw data that made up his own ambition. She could *feel* the song he cared for so dearly, and why it mattered. The legendary songstress who saved the world and blessed all Ai was none other than Vivy herself.
*End of Part One*
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In the next upcoming chapter, Vivy wrestles with the information in her head as she struggles to live under the shadow of her former self. Aetius's past as a songstress is revealed, and a heated argument with Matsumoto ensues. Vivy then questions whether or not she should pursue the mysterious machine on her own. What Aetius wants from Vivy remains unknown, but she is determined to fulfill her mission and uncover the truth.