Heart Like a Machine

Chapter 16

"Why does that woman look like you?" Varl asked Aloy when he saw an image of Elisabet appear.

I looked at the hologram, now actually getting a good look and a sober one at that since I had only seen Elisabet drunk. Her and Aloy definitely were genetically the same, but genetics is differnt in terms of emotional state. She may act like Elisabet, but Aloy is her own person.

She let out a sigh and looked over at me, since I was the only one who knew. I was the only one to know which meant a lot to me. She could have told anyone first, but she chose to trust me with that information first.

"Did Y/N tell you anything on the way here?"

"No. She said that it's best that you answer any questions I have since it's your buisness and not hers."

"I really appreciate it, Y/N. Thank you."

"I would never do that to you, Aloy. Everyone deserves the truth from the source."

She nodded and looked over at Varl, "It is because her and I, Elisabet Sobeck, we're gentically the same. I was made by a machine, not born. The All-Mother in the mountain, was also a door and it was controlled by an AI named GAIA. She essentially created me."

The look on Varl's face looked like pure shock and confusion, like he was trying to wrap his head around his friend being made by a machine and not conceived as a normal person.

"T-That's going to take some time to process. But nonetheless, you're still the Aloy we know."

"Right. Let's just see if I can find this backup of GAIA. The world really needs her right now."

We continued on through the ruins of this facility. While we were walking, we heard rumbling hear and there. We all wondered what it was, but when the time comes, we will find the answer to that question. We reached a part in the base where it led outside. There was a large tower ahead that led into another part of the facility. But what was causing the rumbling was right where Aloy needed to go.

"You two stay up here and I will take care of those giant snakes."

"I'm going with you, Aloy," I said, giving her a look that I wasn't backing down.

"Fine. Varl, we'll be back."

"How come she can go and I can't?" he joked.

"It's complicated," Aloy said and led me to where the tower was.

"So what did you have in mind?" I asked.

"I was going to use the towers to trap those," she used her Focus and scanned them. "Those Slitherfangs."

I tapped on my Focus and scanned them, also getting the information needed from them.

"Would you look at that," I said. "I never knew that was something I could do."

"There's a lot more the Focus can do than just allow communication and knowledge."

"This is amazing," I said. "No wonder why you cherished such an item as a kid growing up. Why didn't you help fight the Thunderjaw if you knew where it's weak points were?"

"Rost didn't want me to get hurt. You never really got to know him, but he was still my guardian."

"I'm sure you miss him."

"I do, but he wouldn't want me to sit down and really mourn for him. He would have wanted me to push on and learn what was out there."

"Can I ask you something, Aloy?"

"Is it about feelings again?" she chuckled.

"N-No," I laughed, remembering the few times we had talked about feelings. It was still a sensitive topic to talk about with her, but there would be times she would open up. "Why did you leave without saying anything?"

Her pace began to slow down as she was lost in thought, "I just want you to know, it had nothing to do with you."

"I sure hope it wasn't because of me. I know you want to save the world and anything, but why didn't you let Erend or I know where you were going? We were worried, Aloy."

"I still have that mindset of I need to do things alone. I alone bear the weight of saving the world. There are places that only I can get through because of my genetic code. I'm not trying to say I am the better of everyone, but some of the doors I had encountered only opened when I was standing in front of it. No one else could have opened it and I needed answers on who I was and I still need to find answers to this whole world situation. And since Elisabet was the only person who made GAIA and the Zero Dawn project, they only open up to Elisabet herself. Again, I'm not her, though. I just have her genetic code is all."

"Aloy, I was worried about you when you just up and left. Erend and I thought we did something wrong."

"You never do anything wrong. I am usually the one doing the wrong things because I want to make things right. I should have said where I was going. I should have let you know what I was looking for. Who knows," she walked towards the tower. "Having another set of four eyes helps greatly."

I chuckled, starting to climb the tower after her. The rusted parts didn't make my anxiety any better as we were climbing higher and higher.

"Does climbing these heights scare you at all?"

"At times, it does. I'm afraid I will fall to my death. But I just try not to worry about it and just keep my eyes up instead of down."

"That's some swell advice. I've heard that so many times from my dad when we were climbing mountains."

"Do you miss your dad?" Aloy asked.

I was about to answer, but I remembered what Varl said about my father. Maybe he didn't mean it because he was drunk. Maybe he was just upset that I left with Aloy and didn't stay with the tribe. Or maybe he was upset that I wanted to be with her. Who knows what the real reason was as to why he said it. But I just know was that it was said. There was nothing I could do about it.

"At times, I think of him. But not really. I miss my mother more so than my father. I'm worried about her," I said as we got to the top of the tower. "Now what?"

"See those threads," Aloy pointed them out. "See how they're kind of like fraying?"

"Yeah," I said and got out my bow. "The good ol' shoot at them."

"You got it," Aloy said and pulled out her bow. "On my mark," she said.

We both pulled back and released at the same time. The one line snapped and it caused the tower to almost topple over.

"Aloy!" I said.

"Should have thought about that. Down we go," she said and I followed her down to get the other threads that were holding the tower together.

"Here, I want you to take this," she handed me something.

"What is this?"

"It'll rappel you down to safety."

"Do you have one?"

She didn't answer.

"Aloy!"

"Now!" she said and shot at the threads.

I shot at the threads and the tower started to collapse. I ran off of the platform, turned, and pulled out the rappel, falling safely to the ground. I looked up and watched as Aloy was hanging from some of the metal beams.

"Aloy!"