After the speech, I let everyone celebrate and called A2, 2B, White, and 9S for a private farewell in the Bunker.
We gathered in the command room. The three of them—A2, 2B, and White—looked tense. 9S seemed like he was about to faint from pure social anxiety.
"Alright…" I began. "This is the sentimental part of the journey. Anyone who wants to cry, please form a line."
"Idiot," A2 muttered, crossing her arms… but there was a faint hint of I'm going to miss you, damn it in her voice.
2B took a step forward, but before she could say anything serious or emotional, A2 raised her hand.
"Wait. I've got something to say."
I turned to her.
"What is it?"
A2 took a deep breath.
"I'm pregnant."
…
Silence.
Absolute silence.
9S made a strange noise, something between choking and a muffled scream.
2B completely froze, as if someone had hit pause.
White opened her mouth, closed it, then opened it again.
"…Excuse me?" I asked, trying to make sure my internal sensors hadn't just malfunctioned.
A2 rolled her eyes.
"You heard me. I'm pregnant. Found out a few days ago."
Then she crossed her arms, as if she were admitting to breaking a window—not carrying a child.
"…A2…" I murmured, feeling a warm wave rise in my chest. "That's… incredible."
She looked away, clearly uncomfortable with the emotion.
"Yeah, yeah, congratulations to me, I'm creating life and all that. Let's not make a big deal out of it."
I completely ignored that and pulled her into a tight hug.
She stiffened for a second… then hugged me back, even while complaining out loud:
"It's hot! And… stop sniffing my hair!"
"I haven't even started," I replied, laughing.
When we pulled apart, I took a deep breath.
"A2… I'd love to take you all with me. But…" I looked into her eyes. "Are you really sure you don't want to come with me?"
She scoffed.
Then she smiled and stepped close enough to give me a light kiss.
"Yes," she said softly. "I want to see this world grow. I want to… stay here a little longer and live through it. Besides, my baby will be the first human born in this new world."
I laughed.
"Then I'll come back as soon as I can."
"You better, idiot," she replied. "Or I'll come drag you back by the ear from your world."
Behind us, 2B finally breathed again.
White discreetly wiped away a tear.
9S whispered something like, "My God… this is official now…"
---
The wind blew strongly as I finally stepped onto the ground of my second home—temporary as it was. The sky was clear, bright, as if the planet itself wanted to witness my departure. Around me, a crowd of androids had gathered, forming a silent circle. Even though most of them didn't yet have biological hearts, they all seemed restless.
Maybe it was just my imagination. Maybe not.
A2 stepped forward, her serious expression perfectly matching the new, softer glow in her eyes since discovering her pregnancy.
"Please… be careful," she said, and despite her firm tone, her voice trembled slightly.
Before I could respond, 2B approached with her annoyingly flawless elegance. Without saying a word, she cupped my face with her gloved hands and placed a brief kiss on my lips. Then she stepped back to A2's side as if nothing had happened—but I swear I saw a faint blush forming on her face. Or maybe it was just the light.
"Arthur, take this." 9S rushed forward, slightly out of breath. He held a small metallic device in his hand as if it were something incredibly valuable.
"What exactly is this?" I asked, frowning when I saw it was a flash drive.
9S smiled proudly. He loved these "genius presenting his creation" moments.
"Remember that artificial intelligence you brought? Well… I finished it. Optimized the protocols, unified parts of our databases, fixed some code issues," he raised a finger. "All you need to do now is connect this to your world's network and wait. It should fully awaken soon."
I laughed, shaking my head.
"Thanks, 9S. Take care, alright?"
I extended my hand, and he shook it back with surprising strength for someone so slim.
"You too," he said, trying to sound mature… and failing miserably when his eyes became slightly watery.
White was next. As always, she appeared with that confident smile that hid far more than it revealed.
"I wanted to be first, but… looks like A2 was faster," she teased, crossing her arms and giving me a provocative look.
"Don't worry," I replied with a smirk. "I'll keep my promise when I come back."
White raised her eyebrows, satisfied.
"I'll hold you to that." Then she grabbed my collar and kissed me in a way that, honestly, could have made half the people there faint—if they had a circulatory system.
She stepped back calmly.
I smiled and looked around at everyone. Familiar faces, voices I would never forget, lives I had helped save—and that, somehow, had helped save me too. It felt strange to leave now, but it was necessary.
"Goodbye, everyone," I said, activating the bracelet.
The gem shone brightly, and a golden portal began to open behind me, expanding like a massive shimmering tear in the air. The energy made the ground tremble beneath my feet.
That's when White suddenly raised her right arm in a perfect salute.
"FOR THE GLORY OF MANKIND!!" she shouted.
As if every android there had been triggered by the same signal, they all mimicked the gesture and shouted in unison:
"FOR THE GLORY OF MANKIND!!"
The cry echoed across the plain—strong, proud, almost human.
And before I could say anything else… I was pulled into the portal, swallowed by golden light as I saw those faces for the last time—for now.
Because I would return.
One way or another, I would return.
---
(End of Chapter)