The Titan

Chapter 22

The sun replaced the moon of the cold night bringing warmth. 2B's clothes had dried out. Pickle noticed her walking closer to him compared to before. He didn't say anything. The two took down a few chubbies. The two came upon another group of chubbies. 2B took the charge taking three of them down in an instant. Pickle kicked the head off the larger machine. Just as 2B was about to find the last chubby it shouted screaming.

Chubby: Retreat! Retreat!

It began running away confusing the two as no machine ever retreated.

2B: After it!

2B ran following the retreating chubby. Pickle easily caught up to 2B.

Pickle: Are you following it to its hideout or just out of spite?

2B: The one that sounds more logical of the two.

The two kept chasing the chubby. They also encountered many groups of chubbies that fought them while the retreating chubby used them as cover to distract the two. Unfortunately for the machine, the two were the most stubborn beings on the planet. They chased the machine down to the ruins of a former human city.

2B: Is this a human city?

Pickle: The design matches the ones I am familiar with.

The two made their way into the city.

Pod: Access point nearby.

The two quickly made their to the access point. They engaged in two groups of chubbies. One of which was a flight unit. Pickle attacked the flight unit while 2B took care of the ones on the ground. Pickle chucked a nearby rubble and smashed into one of them. The rest were quick to attack him. He charged at them his armour protecting him from their attacks. He leapped and kneed one in the face destroying the machine. Using it as a springboard he launched himself at the nearby machine. With a few more kicks and punches the flight unit was destroyed. Pickle landed next to 2B who just took down that last chubby.

 Chubby: Ow. Ow.

Those were its last words.

2B: What?

Pod: Analysis of the word "Ow" is associated with the feeling of pain.

2B: Machines can feel pain?

Pickle: I think they are trying to copy human behaviour.

The two followed it and found something surprising.

2B: These are android bodies. What are they doing here?

Pod: Hypothesis they seem to be killed by local machine life forms.

Pickle: They were gathering them for something.

2B: You said they are trying to copy human behaviour. Is it connected somehow?

Pickle: Not that I can think of any. Given the behaviour of the one we are chasing they are not trying to eat them.

2B: Eat them!?

Pickle: Yes in older times humans would resort to cannibalism if need be.

Pickle grabbed 2B and put her on his shoulder.

2B: What are you doing?

Pickle: If I carry you we can follow that chubby faster.

2B: Understood.

Internally however 2B liked being carried even if she acted like it was a logical choice in this situation. Pickle began joggling and followed the running chubby. They quickly followed the chubby into a tunnel. They exited the tunnel and came upon more ruined buildings surrounding an empty area. The two looked down and saw the machines slamming themselves into each other.