Heart Like a Machine

Chapter 21

The sun's rays danced over her face as she was still out for the past two days. I looked closely to see her prominent freckles on her face. I had never noticed it before. The sun made her red hair look like fire with how it absorbed the light. She opened her eyes and she grimaced as she rolled onto her back. 

"Hey, hey, Aloy," I said and sat up.

"Where's," she looked around and I held up something.

"You were holding onto this tightly when we found you."

"We?"

"Varl and I."

"Where are we?"

"An outpost in the Utaru tribe. I think we're not far from Plainsong."

"The Utaru tribe," she whispered.

She slowly sat up and got on her hands and knees, grimacing as I could only imagine what kind of pain she is in.

"Aloy, Aloy," I said, trying to get her to sit back down.

She held her hands up and I backed away a bit. She finally got up, but fell a bit. I caught her and helped her stand up.

"Aloy, you need your rest."

"I found something. We need to go to a,"

"A mountain out west. Varl and I heard you muttering that while we carried you here."

"We?"

"More like I carried you."

"We need to get to that mountain," she said and walked out the small hut we were in.

"Y-You need to meet Zo. She's part of the Utaru."

"Why's that?"

"Her tribe is complaining about how this mountain is spitting out hostile machines."

"Alright, then let's head there."

"We need Zo."

"Why?"

"The mountain lies within the Utaru tribe. So it's her territory. We're considered outsiders and the people here are not going to let three people go into a mountain that is on their land."

She nodded her head, "You do have a point."

"Come on, I'll show you where Zo is. Varl is with her right now."

We slowly and carefully walked over to where they were. It pained me to see her in such pain like this. How I always saw her was she was strong and a force to be reckoned with. Now she's limping when she walks. Varl was standing outside of where Zo was. 

"Aloy, you're ok."

"For the most part."

"This is Zo," Varl said.

"Nice to meet you, Aloy."

"Same here," Aloy said. "What's the matter? Y/N said I should meet you."

"There's something wrong with one of our land gods."

"Land Gods?"

"Yes. She's dying."

Aloy slowly walked around the new machine and scanned it, gaining its information. She found something wrong with it because she looked at me and then at my spear.

"W-What are you going to do with her?" Zo asked.

"It may look bad, but it is going to help."

I handed her my spear and she looked at what she found. She knocked it off of the machine and the machine started to see changes almost immediately. The other Utaru were amazed to see the machine was doing better. She handed me the spear and I put it with my bow.

"Let's talk," Zo said and we walked away from the little outcove for the machine.

"Y/N said there were machines coming from the mountain west of Plainsong."

"Yes. One of our land gods went in and never came out from the mountain. Now there are rampant machines running around. But you're in no condition to go there and fight machines."

"I'm pretty sure I can handle it."

"Aloy, you should listen to Zo," I said, looking down at her leg she was limping on. "We don't want you getting worse."

Aloy nodded her head, "Alright."

"We can head out when you're healed. For now, you should rest."

Aloy walked back over to the small hut she came out from. Zo walked over to me, smiling.

"Thank you. You seem to get through to her better than anyone," she said.

"We've been there for one another while we were growing up. And I tried to help her with the fight against Meridian, but I was captured by the Shadow Carja."

"I see. Thank you, again, Y/N."

"Thank you, Zo. For giving us a place to stay for a bit to rest up."

"I should get back to what I was doing."

Varl and I were about to go back to where Aloy was, but Varl looked over at Zo, looking conflicted.

"Go with her."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. I can see you like her. Go shoot your shot."

"You might as well, too. You have the time on your hand," Varl chuckled and patted me on the shoulder, walking after Zo.

I walked back to where Aloy was to find her laying down, looking at what she was holding onto when we found her.

"What is that?"

"The backup of GAIA. I just need to get to that mountain west of here."

"We will get there within time," I said.

"Where did Varl go?"

"He went after Zo. I think they have taken a liking towards one another."

"He deserves to be happy and to have someone."

"We all do, if you think about it, Aloy."

"You know we had this conversation before."

"I know we have. I still understand if you're still not ready for a relationship."

"Actually," she began, making my heart beat faster. "I may consider it."

"Consider?"

"Yeah. You've opened my eyes to a few things, Y/N. One of them being love."

I nodded, "I see. I tried my best to."

"You did a good job at it."

"Anyone you have in mind?"

"Right now, no, but I will keep my doors open."

I didn't want to be too blunt and come off desperate, but I wanted to know what she was thinking. I think I put down clues way before this moment, but I could only give her clues right now. She's smart and I know she has picked up on them. Maybe that's why she allowed me to come with her to Barren Light in the first place because she's finally letting me in. She's slowly letting her guard down when she's around me, but with others, she seems to have her guard up. I could understand if she put it up more now since we're in a place not many people go to. 

"Well, that's probably the best option to do right now, since you know you haven't really dated anyone. But just don't let people walk over you."

"Don't worry," she chuckled. "I don't think I have to worry about it."

"Yeah," I said, "You've got a quick and sharp tongue. Get some rest, Aloy."

"You should get some rest as well."

"I-I will, eventually," I said.

She turned over to where her back was facing me. I was sitting at the entrance, watching the sun fall to kiss the horizon. I let out a sigh and smiled, my heart fluttering faster than a Glinthawk.