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Chapter Text

Under scorching skies of raining bullets and explosive blasts, the air was sharp with the stench of burnt metal and ozone. The once bustling streets of Busan were now a raging battleground littered with the remnants of MEKA and omnic parts. 

Hana grit her teeth, redirecting her MEKA's energy to its defense matrix, blotting out an onslaught of missiles headed her way. She sent her own back in kind, hoping it'd win her team a single moment to push forward.

But so far, it'd been no use.

Every step forward was as if stuck in tar, and quickly followed by two steps back. They were getting brutally overwhelmed.

Hana watched as her allies flew around her, desperately trying to reposition themselves amidst the endless waves of omnic warriors. No matter how many they killed, it seemed more would appear instantly.

It was that one omnic's fault. The one with the staff.

Though not the largest by any means compared to the robotic titans around them, it certainly couldn't be called small. It yelled commands at its troops and sent waves of dark, violet energy towards them, pushing the MEKA pilots back inch by inch.

The malicious glow of its power lit up the smoky night, casting a dangerous purple hue over the scorched battlefield.

They'd been struggling against it for over 10 minutes, now, and seemed to be making no progress. Hana watched as it extended its form- a violent response to the missiles her ally, D.MON, had rained down upon it.

It was now over twice the size, metal whirring and clicking as its hulking form groaned with the weight of its massive arms. Hana shot in front of her teammate, mech landing with a thud. She took the brutal impact of the omnic's blows, her MEKA's visor threatening to crack as it was pummelled by the omnic's enormous fists.

"Get back!" Hana called out, buying D.MON a moment of time. "Go help Overlord, I've got this one!"

Her teammate obliged, flying off to aid their friend, who was quickly being overwhelmed.

The omnic in front of Hana laughed cruelly, its voice distorted and booming.

"All alone, little pilot?" It mocked, though no such expression found its way onto its blank faceplate.

She didn't dignify it with a response, rather, raining down another round of artillery into its body. It seemed to do little but make the metal of its skeletal body burn red hot, barely making a dent.

"Casino!" She called, into her intercom. "Give me an update!"

"I'm fine," the voice over the radio responded urgently, "but my energy beam is nowhere near charged up again."

"Overlord?"

"My drones are almost all down."

"D.MON?"

"My matrix shield is temporarily down...!"

"King?"

"My rockets are online, Hana, but they're hardly doing a thing. These things just keep on coming!"

Damnit...!

None of the pilots were in a place to turn the tide. MEKAs were not built for the hours of combat they'd been enduring. And now, that in the last few minutes, the omnic leader had appeared- the pilots were verging on complete exhaustion of their supplies.

"Alright!" Hana announced, as she tilted her MEKA's controls upwards, soaring through the air. Her mech shook and rumbled, black smoke spewing from her exhausts.

She landed behind her teammates, taking a moment to recover. She couldn't keep fighting that omnic- at this rate, it was going to destroy her. She had to do something.

"I'm gonna overload my mech!" She called out.

Garbled, panicked responses came back through the intercom, but Hana shook her head softly.

"It's okay, guys! I've got this." She assured, brows furrowed in a determined smile. "Just give me some room."

"Be careful!"

"You got it."

Hana redirected her MEKA's energy to its core; that left her vulnerable, no longer able to supply her primary fire or matrix. It was an upgrade she had come up with- and Daehyun had relented to after weeks of begging.

A suicide bomb.

That is, if she wasn't fast enough.

Hana's allies gathered around her, taking the damage that was now coming her way.

She could smell the heavy scent of fuel and smoke- it hung in the air like a dark cloud, obscuring her senses. Only the sound of breaking metal and her friends anguished cries cut through the darkness.

"Okay." She breathed, taking a moment. "Thanks, everyone. I'm... I'm going in!."

She powered forward, mech propelling her through the air. She scanned desperately, eyes flitting to her radar.

Where is it. Where are you?

C'mon...!

Finally, there it was. Their 'leader'. The scarf he'd pulled over his shoulders was now burning with the sheer heat of Hana's mech approaching, diving straight for it.

She could feel it, too. Dry and hot. The metal around her was burning up, heat seeping through her gloves into her worn, calloused palms.

Almost... There!

She slammed into the omnic, and its metallic hands clawed and grabbed at her broken visor, pummeling it until it broke. An iron knuckle slammed into her cockpit, catching her cheek.

But, that didn't matter.

They were now far enough away from the pilots.

She powered Tokki's leg high, slamming down into the omnic's chest.

Good. Stuck.

Hana's fist slammed down onto her control board, and the hatch of the cockpit flew open. The metal was scorching as she clambered out, burning through her suit. She felt her skin blistering.

The area around them was now alight with an almost radioactive green, swirling into the dark smoke.

She aimed her pistol at the core, which now glowed and pulsed dangerously.

This was it.

Three, two, one...

The air burned up, unbelievably hot and choking. Her skin felt like it was on fire.

All sound seemed to have been drawn into the void- or maybe it was her burst eardrums that had swallowed up the noise.

Shrapnel shot towards her, embedding itself into her skin. Hana hit the ground hard, feeling a heavy crack as she hit the rubble.

Then, an enormous, booming shockwave burst over them, sending rubble and debris flying.

Hana felt her body loosen, and her head fell back.

It was over.

She could feel the rumbling of footsteps around her, rough against the gravel. Hands reached down towards her, grabbing her arms, her shoulders. Through her blurred vision, she could see a mess of raven hair floating down above her, sharp eyes filled with worry, lips parted in a panicked cry.

"Yu..." She began, but found her throat completely dried up. "Yuna..."

She watched her friend's mouth move- but couldn't hear a thing.

More people began to rush around her, familiar shapes and colours bringing an uneasy rest to her heart.

They'd won.

Hana closed her eyes.

She opened them, finding herself surrounded by sterile white.

Ah, the hospital.

A familiar place, unfortunately.

She blinked, squeezing her eyes shut.

Bright.

When they flitted open once more, they met Daehyun's worried expression.

"Hana! Oh God, Hana, you're awake!" He cried. It was muffled, and it hurt- but she could just about hear him.

"Dae." She smiled. Her face stung and burned.

"You did, it, Hana! You saved Busan!"

"Hah. Don't sound so surprised."

She began to sit up, finding her body aching and trembling. Nurses rushed around her, fiddling with an IV bag that hung above her.

"How is everyone?" She croaked. Her brows furrowed, bandaged hand reaching to rub at her  scratchy throat.

"They're all fine. Broken bones, burns... But they're recovering. They're all conscious."

"How long was I out?"

"Just over a day." Daehyun explained, head in his hands. He looked back up at her. "But, Hana..."

She let out a soft, raspy laugh.

"I know." Hana smiled, shaking her head. "I know, Dae, but it was a last resort. We had no choice. That big guy was basically tearing us apart."

"Big guy?" Daehyun questioned. "You mean the R7000?"

"Huh?"

"That omnic, their leader. It's an R7000 model. A 'ravager'. One of the last of its kind."

"Oh, cool, an antique." She rolled her eyes. They ached as she did so. She squeezed them shut, hissing in pain. "Ugh... Anyway, is it dead?"

"We've captured it. It's currently at a research facility here in Busan. But..."

Hana turned to look at her friend, exhausted.

"But?"

"We've gathered intel that there may be more attacks coming. And keeping that thing in Busan is only increasing that risk."

"So then?" She coughed. "Scrap the damn thing."

"We can't." Daehyun argued, shaking his head. "If that thing really is their leader, killing it would just let another one rise up in its place. It'd just aggravate them more. We need to take advantage of the situation. Use it to gather more intel. That's what they're saying, anyway."

"They?"

"You know who, Hana."

"So when can I get out of here?" She asked, firmly. "If there are going to be more attacks, I need to be out there."

"That's... Exactly what I came here to tell you." Her friend sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "They've... Hana, they've ordered you off the battlefield."

Hana's heart began to quicken its pace, pulse throbbing.

"What?!" She yelled, voice cracking. "You can't be serious!"

"They've put you on temporary leave, Hana. You need to recover."

"Damnit!" She cried, slamming her battered fist on the bed. "Damnit, Daehyun!"

"You've... Been assigned to gather intel and observe the R7000 at a remote area in Daegu." He explained softly, trying to calm her. He knew it was futile, though. "I know it's not what you want, but-"

"So now the government wants me to play babysitter for the scrapmetal that almost killed us and destroyed my hometown, rather than being here to protect it?" Her words dripped with a venom unusual of her character- or at least, what the public knew of it.

D.VA was an icon- a hero. A symbol.

But Hana?

These days, Hana felt more and more obsolete.

"Look, Hana. It's the best way you can recover and contribute to the cause, right now. You're one of the best engineers we've got. And besides, it's not a bad place, y'know. They showed me the blueprints. It's got a workshop, way bigger than the one you have at home."

Hana grumbled, turning her head away. What a foul day.

"They... Are considering providing you with entertainment, too. If you agree to the offer."

"StarCraft II?"

"StarCraft II."

Hana sighed, smiling. Daehyun's banter always seemed to make things easier on her.

"Will you stay in touch?"

"I'll try and get permission to visit." He assured, placing a hand gingerly on hers. "It'll probably be a few weeks you have to stay out of battle. Honestly, I wish it was more."

"Dae." Hana breathed, eyes meeting his. "I'm fine. I'll be fine. I'll babysit the damn bot, then I'll come back as good as new. And I'll... Try not to blow Tokki and myself up again."

"You swear?"

"I swear."

"Pinky promise?"

"Alright, that's too far."

Hana watched as her friends threw her suitcase into the trunk, slamming it shut.

"Well, Hana?" The white-haired boy smiled, giving her shoulder a gentle tap. "Gonna behave over there?"

"C'mon, Jae." She scoffed. " You know I'm always on my best behaviour."

"Seriously, get some rest, would you?" Yuna frowned, arms crossed defiantly. "I don't wanna get one single game invite from you at 2am while you're gone."

"No promises."

"Please take care, noona." The shorter boy said, hiding behind his long brown bangs. Hana never got over how such a seemingly timid, cute boy decided on the call-card of "Overlord". It wasn't inaccurate, though.

She also never got over how he'd call her "noona", despite the few years between them. A sign of respect. Strange, considering he was definitely her biggest competitor.

"I'll do my best, Seung-ie! Keep them right, King." She smiled, turning to the other pilot.

He adjusted his glasses, turning away from her warm gaze. "Yeah. Will do."

Casino enveloped her in a warm hug, trying not to squeeze too tight.

"We'll all be waiting for you, D.VA." 

"Thanks, everyone." 

"Give that robot hell!" Yuna huffed, nose scrunched.

"Hah! That I can promise."

The ride to Daegu was slow and uneventful. Hana could do nothing but lean against the window, looking out at the crumbling buildings, watching groups of people trying to fix and salvage whatever they could.

She should be out there. Protecting them.

Hana turned away, sighing heavily, her chest sore and aching as she did so. She began to cough, sputtering slightly.

Soft rain began to patter against the windows, trickling down in small rivulets. Hana watched as its reflections danced on her skin, like ripples in a pond.

"We're almost there, Ma'am." The driver said sharply. "I will assist you with your luggage."

"Okay."

"I've also been told to inform you that you will receive deliveries of food and supplies weekly- however, you are also permitted to utilise the local shop and market. We have cameras and drones to survey the area as all times, so rest assured, your safety is all but guaranteed."

"Great, just what I wanted." She groaned. "More surveillance."

"This is not a vacation, Miss Song." The driver warned. "Your task is one of utmost importance."

"I'm not the right choice for this, though." She argued, raising her hands in a shrug. "I mean, I'm not like, a spy or something! What am I supposed to do, interrogate the thing?"

"Your job is to gather as much intel as possible, whether that be regarding the R7000s composition, or the next stages of the fight. Although, I should let you know, the omnic is currently incapable of speech or movement."

"Riiiight."

"Miss Song. Perform your duty to the Korean people. Without complaint, and at any cost."

"I know."

It was always like this. A celebrity by day, a government pawn by night.

Hana didn't care about the finer things the position afforded her. She didn't care for fancy restaurants, or celebrity meetings.

She took comfort in the things she knew. Fun games, good food, and dear friends.

And here, she'd have none of that. In the middle of nowhere with a murderous war machine.

Just what she needed- according to the military, at least.

The car finally pulled into an abandoned looking parking lot. A tall, grey building loomed over them, casting an unsightly shadow over the concrete jungle surrounding them.

"I assure you, it looks nicer on the inside." The driver said, unclicking his seatbelt.

"I'll take your word for it."

The agent helped her out of the car, grabbing her crutches for her. Hana's suitcase rumbled behind them, rough and shaky on the cracked cement.

The lobby was empty, bar one agent who waited at the reception. Hana paid him no mind- He had already been expecting them. Hana, other than the R7000, was the only official guest of this "hotel", it seemed.

The driver led her into an elevator, informing her of her curfew and permissions as they went up. Hana simply nodded, or mumbled out an exhausted "yeah", having agreed to the conditions on paper days ago.

"And finally," He said, setting her luggage in front of a sturdy, metal door. "There are panic buttons in every room of your apartment. Their locations are detailed in the room's service manual, which has also been uploaded onto your mobile. Do you have any questions?"

"No, thanks."

"Very well. Please contact us if you need anything."

"Will do."

The apartment was eerily quiet, only the soft hum of the refridgerator warding away the silence.

Hana took a moment to explore, peering into the rooms nearest to the entrance.

The living room had an open plan to it, connected to a kitchenette. The windows wide and clean, overlooking the city, some distance away. Hana pulled the velvet curtains open a little more, letting some of the cold, grey light in.

Well, better than nothing, anyway.

There was a T.V, a soft plush couch, and a neat wooden coffee table in the centre. Though somewhat sparse, the living room was neat and well layed out.

Hana pulled open the fridge, taking a tentative look inside. Inside were various cuts of meat, vegetables, and to Hana's delight, a container of Kimchi in a familiar container.

"Hah. Thanks, Yuna. That's just what I needed."

Smiling to herself, she let the fridge door fall closed, picking up her crutches once more. She decided to next explore the bedroom, finding it to have the same dull wallpaper as the rest of the apartment. The wooden floor seemed to have been recently cleaned, and the bed was centred on a fluffy white rug.

"Not half bad, anyway." Hana shrugged.

The bedroom was fairly dark, with only one small window on the left-hand sight. Although, she appreciated the privacy. An oak desk sat in the corner, its varnish worn and chipped in places.

Not all that Daehyun had made it out to be- but all in all, not dreadful. At least there was a computer.

The bathroom, however, was pretty impressive. A neat, rectangular bath sat in a closed off section, similar to what one would expect to find in a Japanese condo. In the open section, there was a modern open shower. Neat shelving held towels and toiletries, all placed a little too deliberately, Hana thought.

Last but not least, the workshop. 

Normally, she would have felt excited- Daehyun did say it was huge, after all- but something in Hana's heart faltered at the thought of having to see that omnic again.

If it really was incapable of speech and movement, then Hana had nothing to worry about. However, how it would react, given their... History... Was a different question altogether.

A small screen was set in the wall beside the overhead door of the workshop, a red handprint outline pulsing within it.

Hana pressed her hand to it, palms clammy and cold- thankfully, a verdant glow greeted her, and the door began to slide up with a rumble.

With bated breaths, the girl scanned the area desperately with every inch the door lifted. Her eyes finally settled on a familiar skeletal shape- Leaned up against the wall, broken and motionless, yet menacing nonetheless.

Hana swallowed, face tightening uncomfortably. Her eyes scanned the omnic rapidly, desperately searching for a sign of movement- of life.

She found none.

"Hey, there..." She choked out, clearing her throat. Her words resounded coldly, bouncing off the bare walls of the workshop. "You alive in there, big guy?"

She hobbled towards it, the uncomfortable click and clack of her crutches seeming all too loud, cutting through the silence sharper than a knife.

Hana didn't dare get too close. Rather, she peered around the omnic, trying to briefly assess the damage to its body. Its legs were completely blown off, and what material had been recovered was set halfway across the room on a large workbench. She found one arm there too, blown open, metal bent in ways it shouldn't have been. 

It'd used it to absorb most of the impact, she assumed.

Still, the omnic was much sturdier than the others she'd fought. It still retained much of its original form, albeit it limbs were missing and its "ribs" were caved inwards, crushed like a tin can.

"You took quite the hit." She said, quickly, before realising it may be in bad taste. "Can you even hear me?"

Hana leaned down, eyes settling on its face. Other than being completely covered in soot and burned severely, it lacked the damage found elsewhere on its body. Perhaps it had tried to protect its "brain" during the explosion, using its limbs to shield its head.

Is that where this omnic's consciousness was stored too? Just like Mondatta's?

Hana's eyes fell upon the omnic's eyes, dark and hollow behind what appeared to be a white carbon fibre mask. Very dim, red lights pulsed under the holes on its forehead, arranged in a triangular pattern.

"You can hear me, right?" She mused, reaching with one hand to adjust the omnic's earpiece. "Can you hear what I'm saying?"

Something dark seemed to shift behind its mask, a shadowy glare shooting up to meet hers.

A high, startled sound escaped her lips. "Oh! Right. Well, that sort of answers my question. Uhm... Hey, there."

Hana found a pair of dull, gunmetal grey eyes staring up at her from behind the shadow of its mask. The longer she looked, the more she wanted to tear her gaze away.

"Well, anyway." She coughed, backing up a little. "You probably know me as D.VA. But my name is Hana Song. I've been tasked with... Taking care of you. For now."

The omnic gave no response, other than its glare. It seemed to bore into Hana. She found it easier to avoid it altogether.

"Well, I suppose I should start with your voicebox, right? So you can introduce yourself." She laughed- it was empty and raspy, betraying her anxieties. "I'm... Just gonna open you up here, okay?"

She pulled up the swivel chair from the workbench, and her hands settled around a black screwdriver. Hana positioned herself in front of the omnic, setting her crutches down.

"I'm sorry if this feels weird."

She reached for its thoat, pulling the remnants of its burned up scarf away from its neck. She felt the ghost of a flinch- a barely there twitch- as her fingers made contact with the cold metal.

"Sorry." She said, again. "I just wanna get you talking for now. Then we can figure something out for any pain or... Whatever you're feeling."

Stupid. It probably doesn't even feel pain! The moment it can talk again, it'll just hurl threats at you. This is completely useless.

She turned the screwdriver, popping out small screws one by one, clinking as they dropped to the floor. The omnic's grey eyes pierced into her, never once leaving her face. 

A shudder ran down her spine. She readjusted her grip, finding it had loosened.

Man, you're creepy.

Finally, a plate on its neck detached, and she set it down beside her with a soft "clank".

"Alright. Looks... Not too terrible in there. Sorry, just gonna... Reach in there."

Her hand wrapped around the voicebox, giving it a soft tug.

The omnic seemed to jolt with it, emitting a garbled, staticky gasp. 

"Ah!" Hana yelped, pulling her hand back quickly. "Oh, I'm sorry!"

She drew her hand to her chest, rubbing away the tingling feeling of the shock she'd received.

"Did that hurt?" She asked, tilting her head, her brows furrowed. "Let me grab some gloves. I'll try fix it without removing it. Just uh, try not to do that again."

Hana fumbled through various drawers- soon finding a pair of rubber coated gloves. Amongst the clutter, she found a small mirror also.

"Okay, I'm gonna have a look around with the mirror. Please don't shock me again."

Hesitantly, she reached her hand into the cavity once more. Before long, she found the issue.

"Okay, a couple of these wires are damaged." She noted, pulling her hand out. "I'll try to salvage them so your voice won't change too much."

The omnic's eyes never left her, darting around, taking in all the information it could. It was trying to read her expression, perhaps.

Slowly, she worked away on him, prying away wires as gently as she could as she repaired them. She tried not to flinch at the omnic's subtle jolts- thankfully, she could feel him holding back his voice, barely-there static that began to seep through his speaker halted as quickly as it started.

"Alright." She sighed, finally, screwing the front plate of the voicebox back on. "Give that a shot. Let me know how it feels."

Instinctively, the omnic's hands felt for its throat- finding it intact. The static had quietened, now only a slight distortion on the sounds it released.

"You..." It began, allowing its voice to adjust to the new covers on the wires. "You're the one I fought. In Busan."

"Ah, it works!" Hana clapped her hands together, a look of joyful surprise on her face. "Good! Uh, wow, was it always that deep?"

The omnic gave no reply, its glare unmoving.

"Well, anyway... Does it feels fine to you? No pain or discomfort? Is it how it usually is?"

"It is... Adequate."

"Okay!" She smiled, nodding. "That went easier than expected. Thanks for not shocking me to death."

Silence met Hana once more, and she fought back the urge to turn her gaze away from the omnic.

"Anyway." Hana groaned, stretching out her arms. She hissed slightly, having overexerted. "Oww... Right. Now that you can talk, I wanted to introduce myself again. I'm Hana Song, also known as D.VA. I'm one of Korea's top MEKA pilots, and I've been placed here to patch you up and gather intel from you. It'll be easier for both of us if you just comply. It's either this or the scrapyard, y'know?"

A growl escaped the omnic, voice gruff and laced with venom. "What a priviledge it is to speak so lightheartedly. You refer to a mass grave, human. Though, I suppose I should have expected your ignorance to extend outside of battle."

"O-Oh." She stammered, suddenly realising the distastefulness of her comment. "Right. My bad. I... Didn't think of it like that."

"Of course you didn't." It mocked. It had no need for facial expressions, Hana thought- its voice expressed its hatred all too easily. "You humans never do think outside of your own interpretations."

"Well, look, I'm sorry." She sighed, putting her hands up. "I didn't mean to come off so cruel. But you do understand my point, don't you?"

The omnic fell silent once more, gaze alight with silent fury.

"Ah, man..." Hana groaned, head in her heads. "I'm sorry. We got off on the wrong foot. For the second time. Look, big guy. I don't wanna be here either. So can we try and move past this and just be civil?"

"Civil." It spat.

"Yeah, civil." Hana repeated, firmly. "Like, maybe telling me your name?"

"I am Ramattra, the leader of Null Sector. Your people refer to me as an R7000- A "ravager". "Squad killer". Amongst ruder things."

"Riiight, I read the data pack. You're the one who's pumping out mindless murder bots and brainwashing omnics. Real deserving of a nicer title." She shrugged. "But, fine, Ramattra, is it? Did I hear you right?"

She said its name with an intonation it had never heard before. Perhaps due to her soft, Korean accent.

"That is correct."

"Right. So, let's start with this. You feeling any pain right now?"

"It is irrelevant." The omnic spoke, though its tone betrayed its discomfort. "The physical pain I feel is something programmed for survival instincts. I can endure it."

"So you are, then. Where?"

Its glare seemed to answer her question.

"Ah... Right. I basically blew you apart. My bad."

Hana scooted her chair back, its wheels clacking quietly on the smooth floor.

"Let me see what I've got. I'll try and fix up as much of the most urgent damage that I can see. You should tell me where you think it's the worst."

"Give me back my arms and I'll fix it myself."

"No way. Nice try, though."

'Ramattra' let out a huff, staticky through its speakers.

"I'll let you know now, though, this whole place is absolutely covered in cameras. We're being watched at all times. So, I'd really prefer if you didn't try anything, at any point. I'm not too certain they'd avoid nuking me along with you, haha."

Hana's laugh was dry, humourless.

"And why do you say that?" It asked, tilting its head back slightly as Hana scoured its body for vital damage.

"I'm sure I've been getting on their last nerve, recently." She scoffed, smiling sadly. "They sent me out here with you, anyway."

"Upset at being out of the spotlight, human?" It spat with an apparent distaste.

"Not one bit." She shook her head, fingers clamping around a leaking hydraulics tube. She placed a clip onto it, stemming the flow. "It's all this surveillance that bugs me, actually. Like, every move I make has an impact, whether I like it or not."

"You are referring to your role in the reputation of Korea's MEKA force?"

"That, too." She sighed, shifting her gaze to another area that sparked slightly. "But I love my fans. And I'd give anything to protect the people of Korea- both omnic, and human."

Ramattra reflected on her words as she paused- he decided they lacked any significance.

"But," she continued, "Knowing I represent them in everything I do, my words, my actions, my presentation- It's a lot of weight to carry. Today's battle will be broadcasted, naturally. I'll be made out to be a hero, recovering and enjoying the finest hotels, food and company. They'll deepfake some interviews and appearances. And all the while, I'll be stuck here. Probably for weeks."

"You feel helpless, do you not?" Ramattra queried. "After all, you humans are so fragile."

"I'd hardly say I'm fragile, now." She joked, waving her cast in front of him. "I'm still in one piece. Mostly. Couldn't say the same for you, though."

Hana leaned back, observing her work. Most of the leaking hydraulics had been stemmed, most areas of damaged wire fixed and recoated.

"I'd say that's the best I can do, for now." She sighed. "It'll keep you functioning, anyway."

"I expect that you wish for something in return for keeping me alive." The omnic hissed, eyes boring into her. "Speak it now."

Hana did not hesitate, lips moving before she could even think. "Where will you hit next?"

The omnic paused, almost scoffing in disbelief.

"That information is an awfully large price for me to pay for mere survival." Ramattra chided, head tilted. "You will not find me so eager to share such valuable intel."

"Thought not." She shrugged, turning away as she put her tools away. "But I had to ask. I need to do my part to protect my country. The least you can do is let me. And besides, you're not there to lead 'Null Sector', now."

"I do not owe you the favor of protecting your own people. Unfortunately for you, that burden rests solely on your shoulders."

"You're wrong." She shook her head. "We're a team. My squad and I. The burden of protecting Korea is shared between every official, every warrior, every citizen. You might think I'm isolated, but you're very wrong."

"Heed your own words, human." It mocked. "My people are not so helpless as to let plans fall apart in my absence."

"But you want to be there." She corrected, abruptly. "It's only natural. You're anxious to be there and protect them."

"You humans really do love your assumptions, don't you?"

"Look, 'Ramattra'. I know we're not exactly in the same position." She began, shoulders dropping with a sigh. "But I think we have some things in common. We both want what's best for our people, right?"

"Your people have no idea what's 'best for them'." Ramattra sneered. "If they did, they'd relinquish control over the remaining omnics they hold hostage in their cities, forced into subservience."

"It's not like that everywhere, you know." Hana corrected, shaking her head. "Here in Korea, most omnics have been granted personhood. Most places, anyway. They choose to contribute to our workforce and economy because of our lowered birth rates. And in turn, they're granted protections and citizenship."

"They oblidge only for their survival."

"That might be true." She shrugged. "But it's the same for most humans, too."

"Oh, you poor, naive girl." The omnic tutted, snapping Hana's attention back to him. "You have no idea what's truly at play, here."

"Oh, care to inform me?" She scoffed, eyes locked on his expressionless 'face'.

"The biggest threat to Korea currently, other than Null Sector, are the Gwishin. Is that fair to say?"

"Sure, yeah. You could say that. Why?"

"Your military could have long since destroyed that omnium in the sea. They know exactly where it is." He sneered. "I've seen them fly right by it. Before we gunned them down, that is."

Hana's throat tightened, jaw feeling slack.

"What?"

"It is obvious, is it not? The artificial threat of the Gwishin is only there to propel Korea's military and MEKA propaganda. A show of force and 'heroism'- as you so kindly explained, earlier."

Hana's knuckles whitened- the pain in the tendons of her hand seemed to vanish as fury coursed through her every cell.

"You're lying." She laughed, dryly. Her eyes were wide, scathing. "Hah. Yeah, that's a good one. But I don't believe you."

"You know this to be true." Ramattra continued. "You've suspected it, surely. You are no fool. Wait and see. Now that the threat of Null Sector is at your doorstep, the Gwishin attacks will be all but history."

"I refuse to believe you."

"Then you are no different from every other foolish sheep of a human, blindly following the bloodsoaked path of a manufactured genocide." He leered, tone dripping with venom. "Though, perhaps we have more of a common cause than you thought, human. Free the omnics in your cities, and Null Sector will abandon any plans of allying with the Gwishin."

"You... You were planning on an alliance?"

"That is your reward of intel, human. For keeping me alive. Expect no more until you agree to my terms. It would be wise for you to consider. You are in no shape to fight now, after all."

Hana paused, eyes wide, staring blankly at the omnic's faceplate. The heavy, dark bags under her eyes seemed to make her eyes look more sunken and dull than ever.

Soon, though, her gaze came alive with fury.

"Hah, you can't be serious. I'm not agreeing to any of your 'terms'. You are OUR hostage. You are at OUR mercy. I can't fight for now, that's true. But your empty threats don't scare me. I will ALWAYS be ready to give my all for my people. No matter the source of the threat."

"You idiotic girl!" It hissed, anger rising through its body. "You ignore the truth when it is right in front of your eyes. Only to keep playing soldier to protect your people from an artifical threat."

"The real threat is when people lose hope." Hana said, firmly, her eyes fixed on him, unmoving. "And as long as I'm alive, I'll protect that at any cost."

Before Ramattra could utter another word, Hana slammed on the lightswitch, her bruised hand shifting to the door's handprint mechanism.

"Don't bother asking me for any favours. I'm done with you for tonight."

And with that, the overhead door slid down once more, leaving Ramattra in empty silence.

Hana sank into the bath, her cast-covered arm and leg resting on the ledge. No comfort found her though, beyond the hot water that soaked into her stinging skin. Her heart seemed to thrum, light and quick in her chest.

Could it be true? 

Could the Korean government really be allowing the Gwishin threat to remain, simply to utilise the MEKA force as a show of force before the whole world?

Hana thought back to the countless times she'd almost perished trying to protect Korea from their invasions.

Was that all she was?

The smiling face of a government's cruel propaganda machine?

It didn't matter, she decided, finally.

The people needed a beacon of hope in the darkness. Whatever the reason. And Hana wasn't going to abandon them, even if she was made a martyr.

Before long, she grew tired of the aching and burning in her body, the soapy water not doing much except further irritating her wounds. Careful as she could, she climbed out of the bath, trying not to lean too hard on her arms.

She'd gotten hurt bad before, yeah. But this may have been the worst time yet.

Her left arm had a fracture from breaking her fall from when she was blown out of her mech, and her right was burned from shielding against the flames.

Her legs, naturally, were also in bad shape, with her right ankle being broken in several places. Thankfully, it meant she could use her slightly stronger right arm to balance herself with her crutches.

Most of her body was spared from the burns thanks to her bodysuit, however, her face bore an ugly purple and red bruise spread over a deep gash, from where the omnic's fist had skimmed it.

Needless to say, Hana was not exactly paparazzi ready. 

She had been instructed to take painkillers regularly, but she hated the way they dulled her normally sharp senses. Although, she had to admit, her whole body felt like a pulp of pain- excrutiating and throbbing.

"Man..." She sighed, patting her skin dry with a soft white towel, finding it begin to stain pink with blood. "I can't take this much longer."

Exhausted, she threw the towel down onto the floor, landing with a soft 'thump'. Getting in and out of the tub alone had taken minutes, let alone trying to gingerly wash and dry her body. Despite the pain, her body seemed to buzz with an anxious energy.

She slid a loose, black t-shirt over her arm, aiding it over the fractured one. She had barely managed to pull on her underwear, and decided that was probably enough effort in fashion for now.

That omnic surely wouldn't care, anyway. It was just a robot after all.

Hana slowly stumbled her way out of the bathroom, crutches clacking rhythmically on the tile. Before long, she found her way to the workshop, pressing her still damp hand to the locking mechanism.

The overhead door opened with a soft whirr, and she found the room now bathed in darkness. There were no windows in the workshop, and nearly all four walls were lined with shelves and cupboards. A large worktable sat in the middle, with countertops surrounding it, tools and supplies neatly arranged as if they were waiting for her.

More importantly...

Her eyes turned to the omnic, who now seemed motionless and quiet.

Hana tuned in to its barely-there whirrs and soft fans running slowly, albeit a little raggedy.

Asleep? Do omnics sleep?

Trying her best to be quiet (and failing), Hana made her way to the countertop where the omnic's busted limbs sat, thrown into an awfully tempting pile.

Here's a late night project, if anything.

Before long, Hana was once more covered in grease and powder, her facial visor doing little to shield her clothes from the flakes of metal she grinded away at.

One of the arms was beginning to look rather salvageable, she thought, smoothing out its jagged, melted edges. She had tried to fix what wires she could see, exposed through the broken metal.

"You'd have far better luck letting me fix that." The omnic spoke, finally.

Hana jumped a little. Ashamed at her reaction, her body stiffened, as if trying to hide it. 

"You need arms to fix stuff, stupid." She rebutted. "Plus, I need to find out how they work."

"I do not appreciate your tone. And I could just tell you how they work myself."

"Yeah, yeah. Just be quiet. I'm making progress, here."

Ramattra watched as the soft glow of the counter's overhead lights flickered and danced with the shadows of Hana's movements. He could only see the back of her head, the rest of her blocked by the chair she sat on.

"I thought you were 'done for the night'." It spoke, again.

"Not sleepy." Hana replied, quickly.

The omnic registered her words, looking around as it did so. The lighting in the dark workshop was ominous and strange, casting illusioned shadows upon the walls.

"It is a strange place." Ramattra agreed, finally.

The bright, blue glow of a curing light cut through the dusty darkness as Hana closed the gaps in the metallic hand with a temporary material.

"I'll need to try and fit this on you." She said, sniffling. She wiped her nose with the back of her hand, before letting out a big sneeze. "Ahh... So freakin' dusty."

"And how will you attempt such a feat?"

Its voice was ever mocking, low and rumbling through the room.

"With much effort." She rolled her eyes, pulling over a small trolley. "Now, before I do that, can you promise me you won't try and beat the hell out of me?"

Ramattra chuckled, as if entertained by the notion.

"As much as I'd like to, I'm afraid there'd be bigger threats to me than you, human."

"Whaddaya mean? I'm clearly the biggest threat to you here." She half-joked. "Can't you see how big and scary I am?"

"Frightening."

Hana shoved the heavy, metallic arm onto the trolly, stumbling along with her crutches as she wheeled it over. Her wet hair left cold droplets of water on the floor behind her.

"You are not dressed appropriately for such vigorous repairs." Ramattra said, simply, eyeing her up and down.

"What's it to you?" She grumbled, wet hair hanging over her shoulders, soaking into her t-shirt. "I work best when I'm a little cold. Keeps me on my toes, y'know?"

"I almost pity you." It replied, with an evident sarcasm that made Hana's head hurt.

"Shut up and see if this works. I don't feel like messing around, right now. I'm still extremely mad at you, you know."

Using the trolley, Hana pushed the metallic limb as close to Ramattra's elbow as possible, hoping to avoid heavy lifting, beyond what was absolutely necessary. She set her crutches down, gingerly sitting on the floor.

With both arms, she attempted to lift the arm upright, so she could see the connections- as soon as it lifted, however, it fell, hitting the trolly with a loud metallic thud.

"OW!!!" Hana cried out, suddenly clutching her left arm. It had bounced off her cast- and it was excrutiating. "Ungh.... God...!"

The omnic watched in silence, as if unsure, gauging her reaction. It watched tears begin to sting at her eyes, dribbling down her bruised cheeks.

"Damnit!" She hissed, leaning back. "Shit!"

It was uncomfortable, Ramattra thought- the loud yelps of her pain in the silence. Awkward. Disconcerting.

"Perhaps you should leave this to another time." The omnic offered, finally.

Hana groaned, eyes squeezed shut. She shook her head. "No... I just wanna get it done so I can see if it works and take the notes they need."

"I'm sure it can wait the night. After all, you said before I had 'no chance' of getting my arms back. Is it now of such import to you that it cannot wait a few short hours?"

"No! I can't keep doing these repairs on my own and I can't get anyone from the outside in here. It's just me. Just me in here."

The two sat in silence, occasionally interrupted by Hana's choked back sobs and shaky breaths. 

Finally, a soft whirring caught Hana's attention. 

The omnic's arm (or what was left of it attached to its body) lifted forward, just a little.

Hana gulped, swallowing down salty tears and wiping her nose. She forced her hands around the detached arm once more, gripping as tight as she could. Using her whole body weight, though trembling under the mildest exertion, Hana lifted the limb once more- 

Thankfully, Ramattra leaned onto it before it could fall again, holding it in place. It gave her a good visual of the connection between the break, and where the joints would attach.

"How did you...?" She breathed, sniffling.

"I redirected the little function I had left in my hydraulics. Thanks to you stemming the leaks." Ramattra replied, plainly. "Now, connect it, human.  Quickly."

"R-Right!"

Hana hastily reached for her toolbox once more, leaning in to view his arm. 

She could see where the wires and hydraulics had been connected- while the metal was melted and charred in places, not fitting together right, the internals seemed to be spared from most of the damage.

"A few burned wires and hydraulics. I can maybe reconnect them. The metal won't fit right though, so I'll file it down and use a temporary material to connect it to your elbow for now."

"Do what you must. Do not make a mess of it."

"You'll take what I can give." She corrected, firmly. "You're not an art project. It's a privilege to even let you to function."

"Ah, of course. Humans have every right to live comfortably. We omnics do not. Apologies, I had almost forgotten."

Hana grimaced, brows furrowed. "Oh yeah, the same way the one billion human civillians killed during the omnic crisis deserved to live comfortably?"

"A time before you were even born." The omnic spat, dismissive. "What could a petulant child like you possibly know of the crisis?"

"Omnics deserve rights and freedom, yeah. I 100% stand behind that." Hana said, eyes focused on his arm as she fiddled with the internals. "That became clear the moment omnics gained sentience. The fight for their rights and freedom is an absolute necessity. But what you're doing is downright disgusting."

"Disgusting?" Ramattra sneered, just barely leaning forward to meet Hana's now reluctant gaze. "What's disgusting, human, are the tonnes of piles of the bodies of my people littering your cities in dumps. The forced labour and subservience of my people, treated worse than dogs. The attacks upon even the most peaceful of omnic institutions. The unnecessary, brutal slaughter. And perhaps worst of all, how nobody dares to do anything of real significance about it. Now your influence, for example, could make a real difference. But you, like all of your vile kind, decide to ignore the truth that's right in front of your eyes. Your fake heroism makes you a hypocrite, 'Hana Song'. You, like everyone else in your horrid race, are a coward."

"My... Influence?" Hana scoffed, pulling her gaze away from his- dismissive. "What influence? I dunno if you lived under a rock for the last few decades or what, but you seem a little sheltered- 'Cause what you don't realise is that I have no real influence. I'm a puppet. But the little that I can do- to sacrifice my body and my life for my country- my people- both human and omnic, is the only freedom I actually have. And I lay down my life everyday for that."

Ramattra leaned in once more, almost forcing her to look at him.

"And you believe that makes you a hero?" He sneered, mocking. There was a subtle amusement in his tone- slow and taunting. "You are a puppet because you wish to be. I do not care if you are tired of fighting. I do not care if you pity yourself. If you truly did care, you would stand with us. For a real, undeniable truth. Real justice."

"You know what, 'Ramattra'?" She smiled, leaning back. Something about her smile was empty. Cold. "If you tell your people to get the hell off my home turf, and you stop brainwashing omnics, I'll team up with you."

There was a brief pause, before she chimed in again, tone sing-songy in a way that was sickly sweet.

"No, really!" She laughed. "If you show me you're more than a disgusting, repulsive dictator war machine, I'll join you."

"You foolish, idiotic girl!" It snapped back, raspy and rough. "They are too terrified to fight of their own volition. They do not know what is best. Without someone to lead them, our entire finite race will be wiped out!"

"Oops, right?" She teased, cocking her head. "If you don't manipulate and force people into extremism, you'll have no one to fight for you? Oh how sad. Maybe you're just a trash leader."

"You arrogant little-!"

"I'm not repairing your hydraulics properly until you agree to my proposal." She said, blunty, putting her tools away. "Stop the killing of civillians and brainwashing of omnics, and I'll diplomatically represent you. Use my 'influence' for something 'useful'. Think about that, would you? Given that you alone seem to be allowed to think for yourself, I'd use that privilege right about now."

"You are a fool after all." It growled, watching her with blazing fury as she packed her things away. "Such a 'hopeful' alliance would never work. I have toiled away for decades trying for a peaceful solution- Hordes of us died looking for a path without bloodshed. And now you believe some petty, childish 'PR stunt' would save us from systematic slaughter?"

"It's better than what you're doing right now, that's for sure." She argued back, albeit firmly. "You're just as bad as the enemy if you force your people into a position they don't want or have to be in. And don't say we can't be compared- because you've killed just as many human civillians as we have omnics. Something else has to give, and it shouldn't be the free will and choice of your people."

"So you are saying I should be the one who's resolve has to give?" Ramattra grimaced, disgusted. "Their esteemed leader, ally with some human girl? Our enemy? Don't act like your intention was not to kill me before this. It was pure luck on your part that your detonation did not blow me apart completely."

"First off," Hana begin, leaning back, the floor cold against her bare thighs. "It's not your resolve that's gotta give- it's your stubbornness. And second, if we're going to ally, then you should stop talking down to me like I'm some child. And my name is Hana. It wouldn't kill you to use it, I'm sure. And third, I might have tried to kill you, yeah. Same way you were trying to kill us. But whether we like it or not, things have changed. Right now, you and I are both here, alive, and we need each other's help."

"So what do you propose?" It asked, cocking its head, waiting for a response it could pick apart.

"I'm saying that I'll take the issue to my team and request that on completion of your repairs, you will join me as a diplomatic envoy representing human and omnic relations here in Korea. You would be allowed to minimally communicate with Null Sector, under strict supervision, and you would tell them to call off any upcoming attacks- in return, we would also back off, and consider terms to release any omnics who do not want to be a part of our society. Like a ceasefire, if you will. Make a humanitarian corridor for omnics to leave- or, to join."

"I'm sorry? You would have me relinquish my people to you?"

"You would let anyone leave Null Sector and come to us for asylum, if they want to- through heavy security, of course. Like, an exchange. Ensuring omnics have the free will to choose how they go forward in the fight for their rights."

"You seem to have planned this thoroughly, 'Miss Song'. Or, perhaps, you have learned a script by heart and are reciting it, hoping to gain my sympathy." 'Ramattra' chided, its tone seething and sceptical.

'Miss Song'. How formal and distant, it sounded.

Hana was happy enough with that.

"I'm coming up with this as we speak." She corrected, eyes focused on his. "It might be rejected. It might be changed majorly. Who knows. But that's the best I can come up with right now for a path forward for both of our people."

The omnic hesitated- its eyes scanned Hana's face, searching for a sign of mocking- of deception. Her breathing quickened, though her expression was determined and still.

"Bring this proposal to your people." Ramattra replied, after what felt like minutes. "If I find their revisions on the terms equitable, I will agree to your proposal."

Hana beamed- a smile of both joy, and what looked like relief, Ramattra thought.

"Alright!" She nodded. "I'll bring it to them and see what we can do. I'll advocate for you as long as you promise to do everything you can to stop the fighting. And most importantly, the civillian casualties. Both on our and end yours."

Ramattra knew what she meant by 'our end and yours'- she referred to Null Sector's indoctrinated omnics. However, without being forced, very few omnics joined the resistance. Null Sector, after all, was a group looked down upon by many omnics, especially since the King's Row uprisings.

Their reputation was still shaky to this day. Ramattra thought to stabilise it by using newly made, mindless bots as fodder as often as he could, rather than making real, sentient omnics join the fight. But that hadn't done much to aid the human's perception of their cause.

"In this... Theoretical truce, would we be permitted to continue bolstering our forces with the omniums?"

"If I had to guess, probably not." Hana shook her head. "They'd take that as an act of war."

"They? You speak as though you are so isolated from their purpose."

"I..."

Hana's eyes flitted up to the camera in the corner of the ceiling above them. She pleaded with all her heart nobody was watching- but considering she was alone with a murderous war machine, they probably were.

Ramattra, however, seemed to understand her motion.

"I was just trying to relate to your position." She corrected. "Our cause is a united one."

"Regardless, human, if this is some ruse to isolate me from my people and our purpose, you will rue the day you betray me."

"I just want both of us to do our best to stop the fighting." Hana said, diplomatically- all too plainly, Ramattra thought. Though, her intent was clear to see.

"Very well, 'Miss Song'." Ramattra agreed, albeit reluctantly. "I will make an exception and attempt to trust your... Intention. Let us put our faith in a united purpose."

"Right." Hana nodded, a relieved smile finding its way onto her tight lips once more. "Okay, I'll pitch it to the team tomorrow. Nice working with you, Ramattra."

"Do not make me regret it, Miss Song."

Hana reached to shake his hand- then her eyes flew up to meet his.

"Oh... Right."

"Forget about it."

"Yep. Yeah."

Chapter Text

A few days had passed, relatively uneventful as Hana waited for her team's response to her proposal. An alliance with the leader of Null Sector was definitely not what she thought she'd be getting out of this mission- but she supposed her offer would push them further towards peace than just destroying Ramattra altogether.

Hana's fingers worked deftly, pulling and tugging lightly at Ramattra's wires, getting to the damage around them. Her face was practically in his chestplate, having opened it up to fix the internals.

"This is... Extremely strange and unwelcome." Ramattra said, and Hana felt the metal reverberate around her.

"I'm almost done." She assured, voice sounding tinny and hollow. "Just hang in there. Does it hurt?"

"No, but it is uncomfortable. Get out."

"One more sec...!" Hana pleaded, hastily shoving parts back into their places. "Don't you close up on me!"

"Human!" He grimaced, irritated. "If you don't-"

"Done!"

Hana pulled her head out, and Ramattra's chestplate snapped closed. His metallic ribs closed around it, shutting Hana out.

"Rude." She huffed, albeit admiring her work. "Still, the movement is good. Even though it's a bit jagged."

"You are making a mess of it." Ramattra scolded.  

"I'll clean you up in a bit." Hana assured, rubbing black grease off her cheek. "Just hang in there. Also, didn't I ask you to call me by my name?"

"Yes, but you are being awfully irritating." The omnic chided, glaring at her. "I told you to let me do these repairs myself. I do not want a human touching me."

"I'm wearing gloves-"

"You know that is not what I mean."

Hana sat back, floor cold against her thighs. "Yeah, but you'll kinda have to get used to it if you're gonna rep human-omnic relations. I thought letting me fix you up was a decent start, at least."

"It is already too far." He growled, head low as he stared up at her.

"Ramattra, I'm gonna need you to have a little bit of give, here." She sighed, head tilted as she looked back at him. "I can't fully fix any of your limbs until the government has permitted our alliance. I can only repair your internal functions right now. At least let me make the wait more comfortable for you by sorting the mess in there."

In the days that had passed, Hana had dedicated her free time to opening up Ramattra, making notes on the internal circuits that were different from other R7000s. 

Ramattra had upgraded his own body, he told her, changing various key functions to be even better suited for long, drawn out battles. 

"So, you got any other upgrades? Like how you made these changes to your chassis?" She asked, peering around his body.

"Naturally." He confirmed, wishing he could shift his body just a little more- try and avoid Hana's curious gaze.

"Like what?" She queried.

"You're asking too many questions."

"Yeah, but you don't want me to look around myself." She rolled her eyes. "So just tell me so I can make a note of it."

"No."

"Ram!"

"Do not call me that." He grimaced, completely disgusted. "And stop trying to get it all done in one day. You will just hurt yourself again."

"You know I'm the only one permitted to work on you, though."

Ramattra stared her down, before his tense shoulders seemimgly loosened, giving a long sigh.

"My largest upgrade is stored behind my back plates." He relented, just to get her away from him. "I have an upgraded form, which I refer to as 'Nemesis'."

"Woaa, cool!" She breathed, leaning in further, as if to hear more. "What does it do?"

"It..." He began, turning his head away from hers. "It upgrades my physical form, making it larger and sturdier. I redirect my hydraulics to two much larger arms that are normally kept beneath my backplates. The weighted metal of the plates detaches and joins together to form the arms."

"Woahh, so you get like, double the arms and a stronger body? Sick! It's like a power up! I should give Tokki some huge arms so I can pummel peeps, too." Hana exclaimed, smirking as she furiously jotted down notes.

"Tokki?"

"My mech." Hana shrugged. "It means 'bunny'."

"'Bunny'." Ramattra repeated, a sceptical and mocking edge to his already sharp voice. "How... Quaint. Why do you personify it?"

"Tokki's saved me countless times. I'd be nothing without my mech. I'm just good at piloting it."

Suddenly, Hana's phone buzzed, vibrating against her thigh. She let out a quiet "oh", before hastily tearing off her gloves and reaching into her short's pocket, pulling her phone out.

Ramattra watched as her brows furrowed curiously, eyes scanning the screen of her phone, going back and forth. Her lips were parted, focused. 

Finally, they formed a toothy smile, and her eyes found Ramattra's once more. 

"Ramattra, they wanna to meet with you!" Hana beamed, an excited giggle in her voice. "They're thinking about agreeing to our terms!"

"They... Are?" The omnic queried, sounding somehow a mix of disappointment and hope.

"Yeah!" Hana nodded, showing him the phone screen. "They're arranging a diplomatic meetup in about a week for us, and you'll get to talk through your terms as well!"

"But why?" He asked, incredulous. "Would they not sooner have me interrogated or destroyed?"

"We may fight the Gwishin at every turn, but we have precious omnic citizens we want to protect. They're no different from the human civillians who we need to spare from all this fighting, too. We are one of the most progressive countries in terms of rights for omnics- we do love our technology, after all. So, I'm not completely surprised they'd like to learn more about you, Ramattra. Besides, it sounds like using my existing fame to show other countries our progress and power isn't a bad idea, anyway. You were right. Maybe my 'influence' is worth something after all."

"So you plan to use my defeat as a power play?"

"Well, I sort of have to now, don't I?" She shrugged, grabbing her crutches and forcing herself up. "But you can turn your defeat into something else, too. A way forward without bloodshed. You can make this seem like we came to this decision together, on completely equal terms."

"Right. Without you and your 'people' threatening to 'scrap' me."

"Right! And without you threatening to kill me and destroy my country."

"Point taken, however, I am unsure of how my people will feel about this... Unusual turn of events."

Hana leaned forward onto the counter, lost in thought as she searched tor a specific tool. Her brows furrowed softly.

"Right, yeah. That's true. But in the end, they have every right to leave Null Sector if they want to. All we can do for now is try to arrange everything to be broadcasted in a way that's somewhat beneficial for you, too." She explained, slow as she thought it through while she made her way back to Ramattra. "Say, like, showing that I did defeat you and that you were captured, but that we agreed to negotiations on equal terms once you saw we also wanted the best for omnics, without the need for violence. That'd show the people who doubt you that you aren't a leader who is foaming at the mouth for bloodshed. Maybe then you'd get more omnic support, negating the need for you to brainwash them."

"That... Isn't entirely unsensible." Ramattra admitted.

"Besides, I have tons of omnic fans!" Hana grinned, sitting down and proudly putting her hand to her chest. "Trust me, if I show you off, they'll come flocking straight to us."

"Us." Ramattra echoed, his tone seething and cold.

He didn't like the sound of that.

Sensing his hesitation, Hana's hand shot to meet his- but as he flinched, she withdrew it.

"I... I'm sorry." She sighed. "I know that technically, you're a captive here. I also know you dislike humans. I understand this alliance makes you uneasy, but-"

"'Dislike' does not even come close." He said, roughly. "Your people have taken everything I care about. Countless omnics- good friends. Lost to hatred and wanton violence."

"And that's what we're going to fight against, Ramattra." Hana assured, softly. Her hand finally lay on his, gentle but decisive. "We are going to be a team. Against injustice. We have barriers in our way, yes- but we will do everything in our power to make sure that nobody ever suffers what you have. And countless others."

Human touch.

The last he'd felt of it was the hands gripping and tearing at his body- trying to rip away the battered body of Zenyatta, who lay limp and injured in his arms.

The feeling of metal and glass striking him, as he pushed back against the rioting humans in King's Row- then the feeling of Lanet's corpse thrown back at him by those same filthy, horrid, grotesque human hands.

Although, something in him told him Hana's intention was different. Uncomfortable for a different reason. Sickly sweet. Almost compassionate.

A saccharine lie. Or worse, a truth that could shatter his entire foundations.

"Please let go." He said, finally.

The softness in his voice startled Hana more than him yelling would have. Yet, her hand didn't move.

"Can you tell me what's wrong?" She begged, eyes wide with a concern that made the omnic sick to the core. "Does something hurt? Have I upset you?"

"I am... Not accustomed to this." He said, firmly, his hydraulics struggling to work at pulling his hand away. "I despise human contact. It unnerves me."

"O-Oh..." Hana stammered, immediately withdrawing her touch. She pulled her hand into her chest, as if injured. "I am so, so sorry. Please forgive me."

Her desperate apologies stirred something up in him. A murky, dark hollow that had long since filled his entire being. It threatened to swallow him up in its blackness.

"You need not apologise. You could not have known the extent of it."

"No, I... You told me you were uncomfortable, multiple times." She shook her head. Something in her expression told Ramattra she was being sincere. Perhaps her scrunched brows, wrinkled nose. As if disgusted by herself. "I was going to try and clean you up, but... Maybe I'll just try and get permission to fix your hands quickly and leave that to you."

The omnic sighed, staticky and rumbling.

Hana looked like a kicked dog.

He almost pitied her.

Almost.

Almost...

"Miss Song." He said, interrupting her racing thoughts. Her attention snapped back to him. "From now on, you will tell me before you touch any part of me and wait for my permission."

Hana's lips were parted in a silent gasp, before they formed a reluctant smile, and she nodded.

"Yeah, I'm- I'm really sorry."

"You may proceed."

"You mean-" She shook her head in disbelief. "You'll let me clean your chassis?"

"Do what you must. Just do not linger."

"I... I understand."

"I do not want you pushing yourself further with repairs tonight." He grumbled. "You must be in top condition to fully repair my arms and hands. I will not accept a poorly done job. Besides, they may view you repairing my hands for this reason as a manipulation from my end."

"Yeah, true. I didn't think about that." She nodded, pushing her hair back. "But, you don't have to be so concerned for my health."

"Do not misunderstand." Ramattra corrected, lowly. "I am not concerned for you. My concern is for my own state and the quality of my repairs."

"Yeah, of course." She laughed, dryly. "There I go, assuming things again."

She filled a small tub with soapy water- light enough that she could lift it with one arm. After a few minutes rooting around the house, she finally found a bath sponge.

Surely this'll do, right?

"How uh, waterproof are you?"

"Gauge the damage yourself and see."

"Right, I'll avoid the majorly exposed areas and use alcohol wipes there instead."

"Make it quick, human."

Hana forgave his use of the word. After all, his discomfort and hesitation was clear.

Was he doing this for the sake of their alliance? Building rapport, perhaps? Or was it really just an attempt to manipulate her?

Who knew.

She wet the sponge lightly, the water warm against her bruised hand, soothing the throbbing. She glanced up at Ramattra for approval. The omnic said nothing, only breaking their locked gaze. Hana took that as a reluctant 'yes'.

"I'll just get started, now, okay?" She asked, before gently beginning to wipe at his arm. She grabbed the file she found earlier, beginning to file away dried grime and charred material. Whatever came off, she wiped away with the damp sponge, finding the water turning an unnerving rusty brown.

Who's blood was it that had dried there, she wondered?

One human's? Two? More?

Man, woman, or child?

"How's that?" She asked, swallowing down her doubts, focused on his reactions.

"Acceptable." Ramattra replied, plainly. "Continue."

"Okay."

Eventually, she moved up to his shoulder, peeling away small scraps of fabric that were almost melted onto the metal.

"Is this from that scarf you were wearing?" She asked, even though she knew the answer. She had pulled away the burned remnants of the scarf a few days ago, having thrown it onto one of the workshop counters.

"Unfortunately."

"Does it hold sentimental value to you?"

"What kind of a question is that?"

Hana shrugged, continuing to scrub away the stubborn grime on his shoulder. "Just wondering. It was a nice scarf. Sorry I burned it up."

"It is... From a time before the current conflicts." Ramattra explained. "I used to reside in the Shambali Monastery. My brothers there provided me with it."

"What?" She exclaimed, nearly dropping the sponge. "You were a monk? You? No way!"

Ramattra grumbled, honestly quite frustrated by her energy.

"Yes, I was. I left, however, once I decided that the answers to our kind's salvation could not be found in their peaceful ways."

"That's crazy." Hana wowed. "I know a monk, actually."

"You... Do?" Ramattra asked, admittedly intrigued.

"Yeah! His name is Zen... Uhh, Zenyatta, if I remember correctly. He's supported me on a couple missions, in the past. Always wondered how hhe floats like that, but-"

"You know Zenyatta?!"

The omnic felt a little ashamed of his sudden outburst- yet, the feeling of familiarity, hearing Zenyatta's name, came over him in a tidal wave more powerful than he could hold back.

"Yeah? Did you know him or something?"

"He was my closest friend." Ramattra explained, taken aback. "Once."

"No way!" Hana gasped, laughing. "You guys actually know each other? He never mentioned you, but to be honest I've rarely gotten to talk to him one on one."

"What are these missions, you speak of? That he supported you on?"

"Oh y'know, just stuff for Overwatch." She shrugged. "I help out when I can. When things to south in over parts of the world."

"Overwatch?"

Ramattra's tone suddenly shifted- Hana couldn't quite place it, but the closest thing she could compare it to was complete and utter disgust.

"Yeah, you know them, I'm sure."

"All too well."

"Well, there you go."

"Zenyatta is allied with Overwatch?"

"Uhm, yeah!" The brunette tilted her head. "Why is that so surprising?"

Ramattra's head tilted back, thudding softly against the wall. His shadowed eyes stared up at the ceiling, searching the empty white of it.

"It is... Jarring." He sighed. "For Zenyatta to have joined the group that stopped our efforts in King's Row. And countless times after that."

"Ohhh... I... I guess I can see where you're coming from, there. But, like, if you guys were such good friends, I'm sure he didn't mean to betray you, or whatever the situation was. From what I know, he joined us to fight for the rights of omnics and to protect Shambali. So, it's not like your goals are that different."

"Zenyatta had always advocated for peace." Ramattra seethed as Hana moved over to his back. He paused, finding her peering down at him, hand floating above him. He gave a brief nod, and she softly pushed his torso forward, giving her better access. "He believed humans were the same us as. That we were all destined to walk the same road. Within the Iris."

"And so I guess you disagreed with that, and you parted ways?" She asked.

"More or less. Then, Master Mondatta was murdered shortly after I left the monastery."

"Talon." Hana nodded to herself. "Yeah, I heard about that."

"Ever since then, I could not bear to face him." The omnic admitted. "The shame and fury was unbearable. However, it pleases me greatly to know he is still alive."

"Oh yeah, he's alive and kickin'." Hana joked. "You know, maybe at some point during our mission, I could take you to meet with him."

The thought of that made Ramattra's 'heart' drop.

"I... I am unsure."

"I'm sure he'd like to see you. Surely you didn't leave on such bad terms."

"No, we did not. I'd like to believe we did not, at least."

"Then we'll try and arrange that, eventually!" Hana smiled, peering around his shoulder at him.

The gesture made Ramattra instantly turn away.

"Come on, now!" She laughed. "Don't be so nervous. I'm sure it'll be fine."

"You are... Dangerously optimistic."

"Why fight if you can't hope for a happy ending?"

The omnic pondered, quiet. He wondered if this was just another attempt at manipulation. Something dangerous lurked behind Hana's smile- He couldn't quite place it.

"So, what will you do with these... Precious... Notes?" Ramattra asked, staring straight at her, eyes unmoving. Analysing.

"They were requested by my team. I don't know anything further than that. Why?" She asked, again, that fake, diplomatic tone.

It grinded on his nerves something awful.

"You are going to give them to the military, I presume?" He growled. "Improve your technology?"

"I wouldn't know, Ramattra, I'm sorry."

"As a MEKA pilot, I'm sure you would find such upgrades useful. Would you not?"

"Don't need them." She half-joked, gesturing with her head over to the blown apart limbs on the counter.

"You will. You would be foolish to believe our technology would not improve, in kind."

"That a threat, big guy?" She sighed, pausing her cleaning. "Cause if so, I don't wanna hear any of it. For now, we're a team. I'd appreciate if you remembered that."

"You have a weak concept of comradery, Miss Song."

"Listen to me." She ordered, pushing his shoulder back abruptly, forcing him to face her. 

Somehow, this slip of a girl had demanded his attention in an instant, her grip on his wet shoulder firm and unyielding.

Her eyes pierced into his, searching the gunmetal behind his mask.

"I am already doing more than I'm permitted to." She hissed, a barely audible whisper. "I've already overstepped. For your people and mine. So how about you get that through your head, now?"

"Alright, alright." The omnic relented. "I apologise for my disrespect."

He hoped that was a bland enough response- that the guards would somehow disregard their conversation as nothing more than a brief spat.

"Play nice, would you?" She huffed, agitated. She moved the sponge to his spine- Ramattra's back, for the most part, was spared from the intense damage his front had taken. "I have no idea how much trouble I'll even get into for this whole thing."

Her last sentence again, was a whisper, lips barely moving. Hopefully undetectable.

Yet, it sent an uncomfortable shover through his broken circuits.

Ramattra felt the now cooling water trickle down his metallic vertebrae. He supposed that meant his 'nerves' were still mostly intact. That now seemed to be a curse, however.

Hana's touch was confusing. Fearful, threatening, gentle, harsh.  All at once.

Ramattra had never known human touch to be anything but violent.

Despite the confusing nature of it all, however- this was different. Unnervingly so.

The sponge was soft against the metal of his body, albeit once in a while, a piece of gravel or scrap would get caught in it, rough against his steel 'skin'.

Yet, Hana continued, softly as she could. He noted her brief pauses when she moved to a different area, hesitant- to which he'd give a small nod, or a shake of his head, and Hana would move to somewhere else.

Eventually, his shoulders and back were deemed clean enough by the young MEKA pilot.

"Alright. That's done. Wanna take a break before I do your front?"

"That'd be... Preferable."

"Alrighty. I'm gonna eat something. Do you... Eat? Oh my God, I didn't even ask you that and it's been like, days. Are you starving?"

"I..." He interrupted himself with a brief, gravelly chuckle. "No, I do not eat, exactly. Most omnics subsist on small but dense nutrition capsules. I specifically insert them into a slot on my arm, however they are not my only source of energy at a time. They are not a necessity. Hydraulic fluid is plenty. Electricity too. But my nutrition port is damaged."

"Still, though, I'm sure it'd help repairs, right?" She asked. "If you'd 'eat'?"

"It would give me more energy to complete diagnostics and help you repair me, yes."

"Alright." Hana nodded. "Show me where that port is on your arm, and I'll try to properly reattach it, and find you some of those nutrition tabs. I'll work on it while I eat."

Ramattra directed Hana to the insertion slot on his arm, however the locking mechanism was completely blown off.

"Okay. I'll try and replicate what it was like before. I'm gonna make myself some food, then I'll fix that and ask my team about the tabs." Hana nodded to herself, arms crossed. "Be right back, just sit tight."

The time passed unbearably slow as Hana slurped up mouthfuls of instant noodles- her second cup that day- and worked away at Ramattra's chassis. She had managed to construct a new locking mechanism for the nutrition slot, and had now attached his left arm permanently back onto him, joining it at the elbow.

"Okay, so, the hydraulics seem to be fixed now, I think, they just need refilled so you can use this arm." Hana removed the visor from her face, taking another bite of her noodles. "And that slot is fixed, too, obviously. I can't give you both arms back as of now, for security reasons, but I'll work on your legs, then attach them when I'm permitted. Sound good?"

"No, but, it is equitable, I suppose."

"Well, it's the best I can do, right now." She shrugged sadly. "We're still working out the terms of getting you to this meeting. Though I'm sure you'd prefer to show up feeling like your usual self, and not... Well... Like this."

"I am lacking my combat abilities either way." Ramattra sighed heavily. "They were stripped from me in the facility you brought me to. Before I was sent into your 'care'."

"Oh, I see." Hana pouted. "Well, Ramattra, I can't lie, I'm a little glad of that."

The girl gave a dry chuckle, tilting her head at him. "You're a lot more trustworthy when we're incapable of killing me."

Ramattra huffed, a metallic gust of air leaving his faceplate.

"If only the same could be done for you humans."

Hana's brows furrowed- perhaps sadness, Ramattra wondered? Her eyes appeared sullen. She blinked away the feeling.

"It shouldn't ever have to be done for anyone." She said, finally. "We shouldn't have to fight."

"It's just the way things are. When we're backed into a corner, it's instinct that drives us."

"Us, huh?" Hana noted, brows shooting up. "So you admit humans and omnics aren't so different."

"Are you surprised, human? We were made to imitate you. Perhaps that's why you cannot accept that we are a people of our own. Our own thoughts, feelings, identities. You humans think the whole world and everything in it revolves around you."

Hana shrugged, haphazardly licking away the ramen broth from her lips. She sniffled, the spice warming her nose.

"Many people struggle to see that side of omnics, for sure. But not all. Even so, when it comes to killing each other, both sides are forced to ignore that fact until we're face to face with the terror and fear of the enemy. Then we realise we're all the same. And shoot anyway, because we have to."

Ramattra huffed, a cold sound. "You have felt this feeling?"

"Duh." Hana rolled her eyes, slurping up another mouthful of noodles. She tilted the cup up to her lips, gulping down the broth. "But a mission is a mission, and every mission is life or death. Isn't it?"

"I'll admit," the omnic began, "it used to bother me a lot more than it does now. But after a while I began to revel in that feeling. I rather enjoy it, now."

"I get it."

Ramattra's eyes shot up, meeting Hana's face- her expression was hard to read- somehow pained but nonchalant all at once.

"You do?" He asked, tone tinted with disbelief.

"Yeah. Of course. Having the enemy's life in your hands, their every move on your radar, their death a trigger away... It's a feeling of power and invincibility that nothing can replicate. Being able to kill something you hate, or to take revenge. It feels better than it should."

"So you enjoy preying on omnics?"

"No." Hana shook her head. "I don't. I admit it, I used to, to an extent, at least. It brought me so much peace to know that every kill made my home safer. But I've met some pretty great omnics since then, and I've gotten to know a lot more about them. You guys aren't all that different to us."

"Peace, you say." Ramattra scoffed as he watched Hana scoot her chair over to where the his  legs lay on the counter. "I should know better than anyone, Miss Song."

"Know what?"

"Your soul has not for a moment known peace."

The girl's expression dropped along with her heart, down, down to her stomach.

"It will when the bloodshed stops."

"It never will."

"It will if you and I make it happen."

"It's impossible. Fate will not permit it. This farce of yours will not last long, surely you realise-"

"I don't give a shit about fate!"

With a crash, her fist struck the counter, the metal of Ramattra's legs reverberating lightly.

He observed her expression- humans, unpredictable as usual. Dripping with loathing after all.

But...

"I will carve my own path to peace. I don't care what it takes. I'll get there, no matter how much it breaks me down, how hurt I get, how many people like you tell me it's useless."

"By any means? Or by continuously destroying yourself?" Ramattra questioned, disapproving. "Self sacrifice is not a sustainable tactic, as I am sure you've realised. You've a lot to learn yet, human."

"It helped me beat you." She sighed, gritted teeth breaking into a smirk. "Didn't it? I only won because you underestimated a human's selflessness and willingness to sacrifice."

She was right. He hated to admit it, but she was right.

For a young MEKA pilot with a whole life ahead of her, glory shining behind her, a legacy that was only still growing- he had not expected her so eager to die.

He had underestimated her, and severely. And it had cost him his freedom- jeapordized his entire army and his cause.

Hana Song was playing a dangerous game- Ramattra understood that now. Sick of the fighting, looking for an out- no, a solution. And she, realising his status as the leader of the biggest threat to humanity, had chosen to gamble on him.

Her friendliness, her smile- despite being her nemesis by nature, she was genuinely trying to learn compassion towards Ramattra. It was decidedly unusual- completely not worth the risk. Effectively naive in a way the strategic genius could never have thought to replicate.

Entirely human.

"Perhaps there is more to some of you than meets the eye, Miss Song."

"Maybe we both have a lot to learn, Ramattra." 

She carefully lifted a metallic leg, observing its inner workings closely. 

"And maybe," she smiled, peering over at him, eyes crinkling in a smile he couldn't quite understand, "we can start with each other."