Out of Cryo - Season 2 | A Horizon: Zero Dawn Fanfiction

Chapter 10: Repair

Nice work, Becks. Next time, try to be more of an asswipe. Need to make sure that there's absolutely no way she'll want you back there. Not that Aloy would. As angry as I had been, I knew I had no right to say the things I did to her.

I glanced down at my scraped-up hand as I stormed through the market district of Meridian and shook my head – disappointed at myself. She knows what I went through. She knows why I don't want to do this anymore. We shouldn't have argued. I could have just said that to begin with instead of punching a hole in the wall like a fucking barbarian.

Ugh. Maybe we should have waited. What if this is just a sign that we moved too fast? What if-

No. Can't think that way. It won't help anything.

The sun had been up for a bit when I saw the merchants of Meridian begin to make their way to their carts, getting ready the day. I paused and opened my pack to inspect its contents. There were a few machine parts I had collected during my journey as well as some wrapped pieces of food – a combination of meat and dry rations I had either caught myself or picked up in one of the small towns. Could probably sell some of this. I didn't have a plan - not really - but I figured as long as I was out walking about I might as well get some shards to bring back to Aloy. Assuming she'll even speak to me.

I closed my pack and slung it over my shoulder before continuing and surveyed the selection of carts before me. All sold different things – some food, others weapons and hunting supplies. Maybe one of these people will want to trade.

And then what? Aloy was right. Even if we did leave, we had to assume Far Zenith would succeed in their crazy plan to activate HADES. I wasn't naïve enough to think that the Carja or the Nora or any of the other clans had even the slightest chance of defeating an organization with 2060s technology plus GAIA's help. But this wasn't like before. We didn't have subordinate function cores to put in place or a ring to get. These psychos saw me as nothing more than a test subject and thought even less of Aloy. I had no idea how we could possibly stop them, but I also knew that I just wanted for Aloy and I to have a chance of living a normal life together.

"Normal". What the hell was that again? I sighed. Maybe it was time I finally admitted that my life stopped being "normal" the second I went into that cryo tank – probably even before that.

Whatever. I tried to push the argument and depressing thoughts from my mind. Just get the damn shards and go back.

"Becks!" A familiar voice. Not Aloy. Something about the voice, or maybe just the memory of it that I couldn't recall irked me. I ignored it and kept walking – my destination: a guy standing behind a small cart on the other side of the dusty street that looked to be selling weapons and armor.

"Becks!" This time the call was much closer. I spun around and nearly lost my balance when I came face to face with none other than Talanah, Aloy's friend from the Hunter's Lodge. Her dark hair was pulled back and she was outfitted in full hunting gear. A massive bow made from machine parts hung on her back. I hadn't seen her since that day on the Bitter Climb when we stopped Faro and Jenna from taking over GAIA. When I first met Talanah, I wasn't a huge fan of hers – she was very friendly with Aloy, a bit too friendly despite Aloy's insistence that Talanah only saw her as something close to a younger sibling. I still wasn't completely convinced, but she did help us take down Ted so I had to give her credit for that.

"Oh...hey, Talanah." I gave an awkward wave. "How's it going?" I wasn't sure what to say. Wish Erend was here. At least I actually know what to say to him. If Aloy had been around it would have been easier since she usually did all the talking.