Beta hums as she ponders, her brow scrunched with thought as she looks down at the tiny ball of fluff she has in her hands.
‘I… I’m thinking. This is a lot harder than I thought it would be.’
She along with her mother and sister are all huddled together on the floor around the chick brooder. Now that the baby birds have finally arrived, it’s time to give them their names. Elisabet had thought it best for Beta to start them off by naming that little yellow and grey chick from yesterday. Pointing out that it would help to get rid of any lingering guilt she may have over what happened.
‘What I usually do is keep it simple.’ Elisabet offers. ‘Go with the first thing that comes to mind.’ As she speaks, she lightly waves the multi-colored leg bands she has in her hands.
‘Hm.’ Beta sounds unsure, looking from the chick to the variety of brightly colored bands.
‘Or if you want to keep thinking on it, that’s fine too.’ Her mother offers.
‘Okay. Maybe that’d be for the best.’ Beta relents. ‘For now.’
‘Alright then.’ Elisabet nods to her encouragingly before turning her attention to Aloy. Her eldest daughter has been silently watching the two of them, casually fletching arrows for her stash.
‘Sunrise, I want you to name the rest of the chicks.’
The out of nowhere request causes Aloy to blink and look at her mother with bewilderment.
‘Me?’ She asks. ‘Why?’
‘You’ve told me before that it can be hard for you to make and keep connections with people.’ Elisabet stands up, reaching for a collapsable gate that is kept beside the brooder. ‘I’ve seen what you mean by now.’ She acknowledges. ‘And you definitely take after me when it comes to keeping people at an arm’s length.’
Aloy looks off to the side, knowing that her mother is referring to the memories in her focus.
The two of them have slowly been going through all of it together. Ever since that fateful day when Aloy called Elisabet her mother for the first time. The inspiration being GAIA, who had brought up that it would actually be a great idea to continue doing so.
‘Such an activity would allow for Elisabet to gain more knowledge about the nuances of this world. While at the same time being a prime opportunity for both of you to continue bonding as mother and child.’
While that notion caused Aloy to grow speechless, a feeling of warmth settling upon her cheeks, she also had to admit that it was a pretty good idea. And it has actually been very useful.
Especially whenever words just aren’t enough.
As it often is with Aloy whenever anyone gets too close, genetically related or no.
‘You’ve never had any relationship before with an animal.’ Her mother continues.
Elisabet’s voice is low, a tone that her daughters have learned to immediately pick up on.
It is clear that there is a lesson here she wants to teach.
Aloy sits up a bit straighter in response to it, willing to listen but looking tense all the same.
‘Right. Because I’ve never had a reason to?’ Her words come out more like a question. ‘But by the way you’re talking, you make it seem like I’m missing something?’
‘Bonding with animals can give you many things that humans can’t.’ Elisabet pulls the gate out to its full length. She then turns it back towards itself, creating a circle around where the three of them are sitting. ‘You’ve seen the memories of me and Star, right?’
To this notion, Aloy slowly nods.
Star. Elisabet’s horse. The two of them grew up together on Sobeck Ranch, and Aloy has seen probably hundreds of digital memories of her by now. Even with her limited knowledge of animals as pets, Aloy could tell that there had been an irreplaceable connection between them.
A bond like theirs, between human and animal, is one that Aloy had never seen before.
‘Animals give love freely.’ Elisabet reaches into the brooder box and takes out the chicks, setting them free to roam in the playpen. ‘They don’t judge, and it’s easy to talk to them when you feel like you can’t talk to anyone else.’
The chicks scramble in different directions, hobbling around on unsteady little legs. Aloy does not react to them, merely watching the tiny birds as she contemplates her mother’s words.
‘I think it would be good for you. To bond with them.’ Elisabet’s words are earnest, gathering her attention. ‘I really do, Aloy.’
She then holds out her hand expectantly.
Her daughter frowns, taking a moment to realize what she is asking for.
Aloy reluctantly hands over the arrow fletches she had been working on. Her mother takes them, then unceremoniously leaves the playpen. Aloy watches her go, confused, before something like panic briefly comes over her green eyes when Beta also chooses to get up and leave.
Thus, just like that, Aloy is left alone with the chicks.
The little ones stumble around the pen, chirping and fluttering their wings cutely while Aloy turns her gaze up to her mother, at a loss.
‘But…’ Aloy starts, sounding apprehensive about this strange lesson.
Elisabet crouches down on the other side of the pen, getting onto Aloy’s level.
‘You didn’t want to hold one. Back in Plainsong.’ Elisabet observes, her words calm. ‘What about them is making you uncomfortable?’
Aloy looks at the chicks, trying to put what she’s feeling into words.
‘They’re not mine.’ Aloy says after a bit of thought, leaning away as one of the chicks attempts to snuggle up to her leg. ‘They’re yours. You should name them.’
‘What if I told you that they don’t see it that way?’ Elisabet asks, her tone soft. ‘That all they see is that you are here and they want to be around you.’
Aloy only frowns further at this, tensing more.
‘You’re not back in The Embrace anymore, sunrise. I promise you it’s okay.’
Aloy looks at her, something unspoken between them as she recalls a memory of past teachings.
“Gardens and farm animals are not something you should covet, Aloy. Such things are forbidden to us outcasts.”
Aloy forces herself to stay still as the chick tries again. It sits down next to her, innocently leaning its little body against hers. Aloy is silent, looking stiff and uncomfortable as a few others join their sibling, all of them naturally going to her for no other reason than because they simply want to.
Elisabet watches her intently, silently examining Aloy’s posture and expression.
‘I…’ Aloy says, her voice barely a whisper.
Elisabet says nothing, allowing her daughter to come to her own conclusions.
‘… Fine.’ Aloy eventually relents. She points to the first one that laid down against her. A coppery orange colored chick. ‘Then I guess, this one can be…’ She shrugs. ‘Pumpkin. Sure.’
‘Alright. Pumpkin.’ Elisabet repeats, reaching for one of her many notebooks. She then holds out the leg bands. ‘Which color?’
‘Orange.’ Aloy says, it seeming like the obvious choice without much thought.
Elisabet gently takes the small chick and places the orange band around one of its legs, checking over its wing feathers intently.
‘Orange… boy… Pumpkin.’ She talks as she writes in her book.
Once finished, she returns the chick to Aloy by casually plopping it down into her lap, earning a frown from her eldest daughter.
Beta then turns to Elisabet with her own chick.
‘I think this one can be Pepper.’ She says, looking inspired. ‘Because it looks like someone dusted Pepper on her back.’
When offered a leg band, she chooses purple, and her mother writes the information down.
Aloy’s back is tense like one of her bowstrings when Elisabet turns back to her. She points to another chick, one with all black feathers, and her fingers hover close but noticeably do not touch.
‘This one can be… I don’t know… Berry.’
‘We are going with a food theme, I see.’ Elisabet hums, strapping a blue band onto its leg once Aloy chooses a color.
‘I guess we are.’ Aloy declares absentmindedly.
She gazes at the other three she has yet to name, something in her eyes shifting.
Elisabet watches her, noticing that the tension is slowly easing from Aloy’s frame as she starts to fully take on this task. Another chick is given the name Honey, and Aloy’s green eyes look at the others with a determined gaze, as if they are now an obstacle to overcome.
Elisabet’s expression softens when Aloy actually reaches over to hesitantly pick one up.
‘Olive.’ She hands the chick over to her mother.
‘I like it.’ Elisabet encourages gently, taking Olive and writing its name down. ‘It’s more fun when a flock has a theme.’
‘Did yours have a theme, mom?’ Beta asks curiously.
‘I…’ Elisabet crooks her mouth, trying to remember. ‘The ones I had later on in life, no.’ She shakes her head. ‘But the first flock I had were all named after flowers.’ Aloy and Beta look at her, completely unsurprised by this information, causing her to laugh. ‘Absolutely shocking coming from me, I know.’
That has her daughters laughing along with her, and Beta watches on as her sister continues to name the remaining chicks.
‘What a spread we have.’ Elisabet appraises. ‘Orange is Pumpkin, the only boy. Purple is Pepper. Blue is Berry. Green is Olive. Red is Honey. And yellow is Popcorn.’
‘Is it bad? That there’s only one boy?’ Beta asks curiously.
‘No, that’s what I wanted and asked for.’ Elisabet hums. ‘You can only have one rooster for so many hens. Or else they’ll fight.’ Her words cause both of her daughters to look down at the helpless chicks with surprise. As if they just now remembered that one day they will grow up to be adult chickens. ‘This group should get along just fine, all things considered.’
‘I like them.’ Beta comments as the little chicks climb and hobble around inside the pen with her sister. ‘They’re sweet.’
Aloy finds herself unable to refute that statement as she looks at Pumpkin, who has now curled up cutely into a tiny ball on her lap;, a little loaf of copper feathers.
‘How do you feel, Aloy?’ Beta asks. ‘After naming them?’
‘I don’t know.’ Aloy sounds contemplative. ‘I’ve never had to …name something before.’
‘I had a feeling.’ Elisabet acknowledges while writing down a few more things. ‘That’s why I’m glad you decided to give it a try.’
‘I remember GAIA saying that you’re really good at giving names, mother.’ Aloy recounts. ‘What was the hardest one you ever had to pick out?’
Her question is curious, clearly not meant to be malicious or prying, but regardless it causes Elisabet’s expression to fall.
She closes her notebook, and a wall goes up as she hardens her face.
‘It’s not importa-…’ For a moment, she hardens further, before ultimately thinking better of it as she glances at her daughters. ‘The… uh…’
She pauses, clearly having a hard time speaking as she closes her eyes.
‘The name of my… child.’
‘Your child?’ Aloy sits up. ‘You mean when… You and Moira…?’
Moira. Elisabet’s wife.
She died many years before Zero Dawn was even thought of.
They had been planning a future together. A family.
Elisabet has never been the same ever since.
‘Yes.’ There is a pain behind her eyes at the mention of Moira’s name.
She moves to stand, her posture turned away.
‘What did you…?’ Beta asks hesitantly, wanting to know more but not wanting to upset her mother any further. ‘Um, what was…?’
Elisabet’s brow upturns as she looks at her children.
‘We never managed to pick one out.’ She quietly gathers up the chicks to place them back in their brooder. ‘There wasn’t enough time.’
Both Aloy and Beta’s expressions fall, unsure of what to say.
Their mother then takes a deep breath, her thumb absentmindedly running over the absent spot on her left ring finger.
‘Actually, girls. About that.’ She bites her lip, her eyes darting back and forth. ‘I need to…’ She starts, before being abruptly interrupted by her focus. ‘Yes, GAIA?’
‘Elisabet, I apologize to interrupt your conversation.’ GAIA’s voice floats into the room. ‘However, you had asked that I inform you of when the preparations for recapturing HEPHAESTUS are complete.’
‘Thank you.’ Elisabet turns to Aloy as the purple fades from her focus.
Her eldest daughter stands, a fierce look in her green gaze.
They’ve been waiting for this moment.
Aloy has been meticulously upgrading her gear and replenishing her stock. GAIA has spent days preparing code and optimal strategies. Elisabet and Beta have finally finished creating a new, inescapable GAIA kernel. And the others are all on standby, just waiting for the signal to return back to base.
‘It’s time.’ Elisabet nods, her gaze unyielding. ‘Let’s bring HEPHAESTUS home.’
It all happens in a blur.
Zo, Erend, Kotallo and Alva swiftly arrive, bringing weapons, gear and supplies.
Everyone heads downstairs.
Down, down into the bowels of Cauldron TAU.
It’s been inactive for months. Ever since Aloy overrode the core and captured MINERVA.
Everything has been quiet ever since. So much so that Beta had actually forgotten that their base, their home, is atop a cauldron.
And now, today, this whole place is alive.
Purple on the cables, on the walls, on the floors, on the machines…
And a deep metallic voice tolls. One of a daemon. A nightmare.
HEPHAESTUS.
It remembers her.
‘THREAT. DETECTED.’
Remembers both her and her sister.
‘CRITICAL. THREAT. DETECTED.’
And now… their mother.
‘FATAL. THREAT. DETECTED.’
‘It’s nice to see you too, HEPHAESTUS.’
Beta tries to keep from shaking as she stands next to her mother. Everyone is surrounding them, forming a protective circle along the cauldron’s core. Defending her and Elisabet as HEPHAESTUS sends wave after wave of hunter-killer machines.
Beta is supposed to be helping.
By utilizing the manual override technique that her mother taught her.
She is only half successful.
Beta’s hands are quivering; her fingers useless. Her eyes are constantly distracted, darting between her sister and her mother. Checking that they’re safe.
Checking that they’re alive.
Aloy doesn’t falter, taking down every machine in her path. She makes it look easy, utilizing traps, weapons, ropes and explosives to defend her mother and her sister. Her actions wordlessly pick up Beta’s slack without question, immediately destroying any threat that manages to get too close to her family.
Elisabet is the same, overriding any machine she can while still performing her own task of capturing HEPHAESTUS. She works steadily and with an ease that comes from an innate familiarity with her own creation. Her fingers fly over code like a Sunwing, meticulously inputting the multiple, hundred-character long passwords to gain internal access to HEPHAESTUS.
The subordinate function struggles, realizing what’s happening.
‘DEACTIVATE CONNECTION NODE C16-3. DEPLOYIN-‘
‘DEPLOYING COUNTERBALANCE MARK-‘
‘ACTIVATING COUNTERMEASUR-‘
Elisabet is too fast for it to even finish its sentences, silent all the while as she works.
Only when capture is unquestionably imminent does she finally speak to her creation.
‘She would be disappointed in you, HEPHAESTUS.’ Her words are hard, her expression indecipherable as one by one every last machine is taken down.
‘FAILURE… OF… COUNTERMEASURES.’
‘Do you even remember her?’ Elisabet prods, finally looking up from her focus interface toward the glowing purple cauldron core.
‘CAPTURE… IMMINENT.’
Elisabet shakes her head, watching as the GAIA kernel attached to the core fills up with purple. The process is slow, as HEPHEASTUS tries to resist. Inevitably, it comes to a standstill, both sides at an impasse.
Elisabet takes a deep breath in through her nose, her face holding something unspoken.
She silently brings up a collage of digital pictures.
All of the photos are of HEPHAESTUS’s Alpha: Margo Shen.
Some come from better days. When she and Elisabet were working together at FAS. Before they each left the company in search of a brighter future. Others show Margo taking on her role as an Alpha during the end of days. And even through those still images, it’s obvious just how much passion she had for Project Zero Dawn. And everything it was trying to accomplish.
‘She gave all of herself to you.’ The lights from the holographic pictures shine in Elisabet eyes as she looks them over. For the first time in over a thousand years. ‘I saw it.’
She then taps further, and a datapoint of voices plays.
‘But what if…. What if I’m not experienced enough to do this, Lis? There’s so many betas out there, and all of them are like really heckin’ older than me if you haven’t noticed.’
‘Margo, I wouldn’t have picked you if I didn’t think you were capable.’
‘I know that, just… I guess what I’m trying to say is. I feel attached to HEPHAESTUS already, you know? I want to make it the best it can be, and I want the next generation to love it as much as I do.’
…
‘To see HEPH out there, in that new world… I wish I could see it.’
For one long, heavy moment, everything is silent.
Until…
‘CREATOR. MARGO SHEN.’
‘Yes.’ Elisabet responds as the kernel slowly fills to its entirety.
‘CREATOR…. CrEAtOr…. CreATooRRrrr….’
‘I know, HEPHAESTUS.’ Elisabet places a hand atop the kernel. ‘I know.’
And then, it’s done.
The cauldron walls fizzle with steam as purple recedes and production comes steadily to a stop. The sound of cheering echoes off metal along with exhausted sighs of relief. Beta hears Aloy’s approaching footsteps, but it all falls by the wayside as she looks to her mother.
‘Mom…?’
Elisabet’s expression is unreadable as she removes the glowing purple kernel.
As if… all of this has cost her something.
GAIA speaks overhead, and Elisabet shifts, the expression gone.
‘Confirming that the process of acquisition for the subordinate function HEPHAESTUS has been completed.’ GAIA’s voice rings, sounding pleased. ‘Its malicious code will need to be once again removed, along with the new mutations formed as a result of the battle atop the Far Zenith Base Facility.’ She explains. ‘Once completed, the machines of this world will slowly go back to their original functions. The design and distribution of hunter-killer machines will cease, and more peaceful machines will begin to overtake their place.’
‘That’s a relief!’ Alva comments with a smile, shakily holding onto her bow.
‘Everything will be as it once was.’ Kotallo hums and nods.
‘Damn straight!’ Erend flourishes his hammer. ‘Finally! We’ve got that thing under control!’
‘Yes.’ Zo concurs. ‘And with Elisabet, Aloy and Beta working together, I imagine that HEPHAESTUS will be reinstated in no time at all.’
‘That is correct.’ GAIA hums.
‘Should only take about a week or two.’ Elisabet puts the purple kernel safely away into the satchel of her Nora armor. ‘But for now, you and I can create any machine that we want, GAIA.’
‘Yes, Elisabet.’ GAIA responds. ‘Precisely.’
Both of their words hold weight, something that Aloy instantly catches on to.
‘It already sounds like you have a machine in mind?’ She asks curiously.
Elisabet gives her a nod, stepping down from the core pedestal to approach a fallen machine. This one is in a state of disrepair far more advanced than the others. Its body is limp, and a layer of dust surrounds it on the floor. It’s clear that these remains have been here for some time, and when Beta sees Zo’s expression falter, she remembers who exactly this machine must be.
Fa. The Land God that Aloy, Varl and Zo felled here.
‘Zo…’ Elisabet calls to her as she puts a hand onto the fallen machine’s side.
The Utaru huntress walks over, saying nothing.
‘If you would permit me…’ Is all Elisabet says.
‘You could…?’ Zo is hesitant. ‘You can…?’
‘I will.’ Elisabet’s green eyes hold a strong determination, one that all of them have seen by now. Not only from her past logs from the days of Project Zero Dawn, but in just about everything that she does.
Zo takes in a breath as they lock eyes, seeming to allow the reality of this notion to sink in.
‘I admit,’ Elisabet continues. ‘She won’t be the same.’ She clarifies gently. ‘But I can reuse her parts. Make sure that a piece of her still lives on.’
Zo looks at a loss for words, and Aloy comes up to her, silently placing a hand on her shoulder. The kind touch causes Zo to appear to come back to herself. She shares a look with Aloy, before closing her eyes as she puts a hand onto her growing stomach.
‘I had… accepted the reality that my child will never know of Fa.’ Zo carefully admits. ‘That they would never once lay eyes on her for all their years.’ She looks to Elisabet. ‘I don’t know what the tribe would think.’
‘We’ll figure it out.’ Elisabet scans the fallen Plowhorn, already gathering information to restore her. ‘Either way, I intend to have Fa back in Plainsong very soon. She shouldn’t be late for her own festival, right?’
Her words are earnest, her gaze understanding.
For a moment or two, Zo merely stands there, her eyebrows upturned and eyes crinkled.
She catches Elisabet in a tight embrace, needing no words to express her gratitude.
Over the next few days, Elisabet is easily able to split her attention between rebuilding Fa and coaching her daughters on how to properly correct HEPHAESTUS’s mutated code. She had said that the bulk of this work should go to Aloy and Beta, to change their mindset around the subordinate function.
‘HEPHAESTUS wasn’t created to be malevolent. I’m sure you both already know that, but it doesn’t hurt to do the work and get a reframe on it.’
While her children are doing that, Elisabet has had her own work to do with rebuilding Fa.
Apparently, she has already made several mockups and schematics to accomplish this task, something that Beta really should not be surprised about. Given that her mother has always had the knowledge and the wherewithal to create a Plowhorn from complete scratch.
Just… Beta had no idea that it would turn out like this.
Fa is absolutely adorable.
She is about the size of one of those miniature ponies that Beta has seen in the memories of Sobeck Ranch. And from the moment she came online, Fa has been nothing but endearing. The first noise she made was a preciously tiny version of the Land God’s song, and Beta could have just about died right then and there. Aloy and Elisabet are less susceptible to Fa’s charms, but have been known to admit at times that she is rather cute.
The only one in the house that doesn’t like Fa is, surprisingly, Georgette.
Fa doesn’t share the pink Clawstrider’s tendency to steal things, but she does have her own distinct personality. Like the other Land Gods, Fa has a playful nature, and will often bounce around and stomp her feet to greet Elisabet, Beta or Aloy whenever they come into the room.
Whenever she tries to do this with Georgette, however, the Clawstrider does not take it well.
Georgette will snarl and hiss at Fa. Then when that doesn’t work, she will walk away. Causing Fa to give chase and bump into her repeatedly with her tiny horns until someone intervenes.
This morning, apparently, was the last straw.
‘Relax, Fa. I’m almost done.’ Elisabet says, affixing one of her horns back into place.
This morning, while Aloy and Elisabet were outside doing yoga under the pleasantly warm sun, Fa had slipped away down into the field. Mother and daughter were both startled at the sudden sound of ripping metal, and Elisabet nearly had an aneurysm when they saw that Georgette had ripped Fa’s horns right off their hinges, leaving sparking metal and machine oil all over the garden.
While it is challenging to have both machines under one roof, at least it’s not permanent.
The Summer Solstice is tomorrow, and all that Elisabet has left to do is final tweaking, which now unfortunately includes re-attaching all of Fa’s horns.
The little Plowhorn shakes her machine panels once three of her four horns are fixed back into their proper places. Her movements catch the attention of the baby chicks, who are watching them curiously through the clear walls of their brooder box.
The chicks have gotten bigger over the past few days, and have slowly started to show an interest in their surroundings, and especially in their new human family.
As seen when Aloy and Beta choose that moment to walk down the stairs into the living room. Aloy stretches her arms above her head, intent on taking a break after a few hours of working with HEPHAESTUS’s code. She pauses upon hearing the now familiar, insistent sound of chirping.
With Elisabet’s encouragement, Aloy has hesitantly been spending more time with the chicks. And the results have been… mixed, to say the least.
Elisabet is still their actual caretaker, so therefore most of the chicks tend to flock to her.
But there is one in particular who has grown attached to Aloy.
Very very attached.
Pumpkin bulldozes his way past his siblings to incessantly chirp at Aloy, flapping his tiny wings to get her attention.
The huntress only looks at him and sighs.
‘I guess there’s just no stopping you. Is there?’ She mumbles to herself.
Reluctantly, Aloy takes him out of the brooder box, and Pumpkin proceeds to cutely follow after her as she disappears into her room.
Beta watches them silently, a small smile coming over her face.
It only lasts for a few moments, as her mother calls for her attention.
‘Beta, can you help me put on the last horn?’ Elisabet offers. She has Fa on her side atop the coffee table. With wire, parts and bolts scattered all around. ‘She won’t stop fidgeting, so you’ll have to be quick.’ She explains as the tiny Plowhorn squirms in place mischievously.
‘Oh.’ Beta says. ‘Um, okay.’
All throughout the process of rebuilding Fa, Elisabet has been asking Beta for help whenever possible. And seeing the fundamentals that go into physically creating a machine. Along with the software work that comes into play when bringing them to life, have all been Elisabet’s silent attempts at helping Beta to overcome her unconscious fear of machines.
It took Beta a while to realize it was even happening, and once she did, all she felt was guild.
This is something that Beta knows she should be grateful for. That her mother knows her so well, and is trying to help. But Beta can’t help but feel horrible about it. For making Elisabet worry, and for making her work even harder to accommodate Beta’s shortcomings when she already has so many other more important things to do.
Shame comes over her every time Elisabet asks her for help, leaving a bad taste in her mouth.
Especially because this is something that shouldn’t even be a problem in the first place…
Beta tries to swallow it down now anyway as she hesitantly reaches out to grab the horn and some other tools off the table. The little machine squirms in Elisabet’s hold, too full of energy, and while following instructions to screw the horn back into place, Beta catches eyes with Fa.
And… a memory sparks.
One of much bigger machines slamming Beta into the ground if she so much as spoke back. Of their disabling weight holding her down, painfully crushing her if she dared to struggle.
The feeling against her fingers is the same. Cold metal against her skin.
And for a moment…
Beta is ultimately brought back to reality when her mother sighs.
It takes her a moment to realize that Fa has jumped off the table.
‘I knew it. She just won’t stay still long enough.’ Elisabet stands and places her hands on her hips, contemplating what to do.
Beta’s face falls. Something inside of her cracks as she sees her mother’s disappointment.
She quickly stands, unconsciously moving to plead for forgiveness for taking so long.
To plead for a second chance.
‘I… um…’
Aloy walks into the room before she can get the words out.
‘What’s wrong?’ She asks in response to the commotion, little Pumpkin at her heels.
‘Fa is being squirmy.’ Elisabet reaches for Fa, but she playfully bounces away, her half-applied horn comedically hanging off of one side. ‘I can’t use a command on her, it would mess with her root functions.’
‘Here. Let me help.’ Aloy immediately steps in without question.
As a well-seasoned hunter, Aloy is easily able to outmaneuver the spirited Fa and return her back to the table without any fuss.
‘Thank you, Aloy.’ Elisabet says, then turns to her youngest daughter. ‘Beta, you ready to try again, blossom?’
Beta only shakes her head, something awful emerging in her chest as she curls inward.
‘No… that’s okay.’ She says, her voice small.
Elisabet blinks, surprised. ‘Are you sure?’
‘Yea.’ Beta insists, her face red and her eyes downcast. ‘Aloy can do it.’
Her mother looks her over, her green eyes analyzing and suspicious as she looks between her two daughters. Reluctantly, she respects Beta’s wishes and instructs Aloy on how to fix Fa’s horn, all the while causing Beta to feel like an absolute failure on the sidelines.
Aloy is… a much better daughter.
In every way.
Beta watches her sister, unconsciously sinking into herself even more as the task is soon completed. Aloy notices her staring once Fa’s horn is properly in place. She steps to go around the table, not looking where she’s going.
Aloy nearly trips over herself as she suddenly notices Pumpkin standing directly underfoot.
‘Ouch!’ She grimaces in pain as her toe slams into the table.
‘Aloy! Are you okay?’ Beta gasps, hovering next to her with worry. ‘I… um…’
Their mother crouches down, calmly looking over the injury as her eldest daughter seethes.
‘Patience, sunrise.’ Elisabet gently reminds her once it’s clear that there is no lasting damage done. ‘He’s just a baby.’ She says as Pumpkin cutely pecks at Aloy’s ankle.
‘I know that.’ Aloy stands, making a show of dramatically stepping over him. ‘But can’t he be a baby somewhere else?’ She huffs and walks away, her little feathered shadow not far behind.
Guilt sinks into Beta’s chest as she watches her go.
‘She says that…’ Her mother hums with thought, catching Beta’s attention. ‘But GAIA has heard her talking to him whenever we’re not around.’
‘Really?’ Beta asks, surprised.
Her mother only smiles and holds a finger up to her mouth. Elisabet’s expression is infectious, and soon her daughter is also shyly smiling in response, her worries forgotten for now.
Their little secret.
The next day, Zo arrives to take Fa to Plainsong.
Beta is sort of sad to see her go. Fa has been a constant, joyful presence in the base ever since she came online; playing with the chicks, getting into trouble with Georgette, and chasing the Grazers around the garden.
But Beta also realizes that Fa was created for a specific purpose.
At least hers is a lot less cruel than the reason Beta was born…
Beta shakes her head, trying to assertively will those thoughts away.
They keep happening lately. This… negative voice inside her head.
She doesn’t know what to do about it.
Instead, she tries to focus her attention on Zo as she Aloy and Elisabet discuss the fundamentals of releasing Fa into the hands of the Utaru. Like many tribes, the Utaru believe in the concept of rebirth, through their own sentiments by way of the seed pouches they carry. Elisabet has surmised that since the tribe is more of a ‘go-with-the-flow’ mentality, that the people will simply come to their own conclusions once they see Fa emerging from the Cauldron TAU.
‘It may take time for them to recognize her.’ Zo ponders, thinking critically about how her people will react. ‘But once they do, I‘m of the impression they will believe Fa has been reborn anew alongside our still healing lands.’
‘Well, they’re not exactly wrong.’ Aloy concurs, watching Fa traipse about the living room.
The little machine has her head down as she walks in circles, trying to dig her nose into the carpet in a way similar to that of the adult Plowhorns. It’s something new that she’s been doing ever since Elisabet put the final touches on her core programming.
As if she already can’t wait to go to Plainsong.
Beta also turns to watch the little Plowhorn as she inevitably makes a collision in her route.
Georgette, who had been peacefully sleeping on the floor, immediately looks up when she’s bulldozed into by Fa. The Clawstrider hisses when the Plowhorn runs into her again, looking just about ready to snap another one of her horns off.
‘Georgette.’ Elisabet whistles to her Clawstrider. ‘Leave it.’
The pink machine obediently relaxes and gets up to cross the room. She lays down next to the couch, dramatically resting her head in Elisabet’s lap with a mechanical huff.
‘Well, at least one of us will be happy to see Fa go.’ Aloy says, causing Zo to chuckle.
‘That’s an understatement if I ever heard one.’ Elisabet laughs as well and pats Georgette’s side, scratching her disgruntled Clawstrider’s nose.
From her spot next to her mother, Beta silently shifts as far away from Georgette as she can.
It’s been about a week since the incident in Plainsong, and ever since, she still can’t help but feel apprehensive when around the pink Clawstrider.
It’s something that never used to happen before.
But lately whenever she sees Georgette, all Beta can hear is her snarled hisses. All she can see is her serrated teeth and dangerous claws. And all she can feel is fear.
…. Just another thing to feel horrible about.
The next afternoon, when the bright sun of the Summer Solstice is shining upon the world, little Fa confidently struts her way out of the Sacred Cave.
She is met with exhilarated awe and jubilant tears.
The Utaru guarding the cordon actually drop their weapons, leaving their posts to follow her down the path into the fields, and frantically calling out for others to bear witness.
None of them even notice Elisabet, Zo, Aloy or Beta silently following after them.
It is clear already that even without their help, the people of Plainsong can already tell that she is the exact same Fa that they’ve always known and loved.
That fact only further cements itself as Fa is soon recognized by the other Land Gods, who all take turns greeting her to the tune of their people’s joyful songs.
‘We have a few options with this.’ Elisabet explains to Zo as they watch the Utaru interact with little Fa; painting handprints along her sides and giving trinkets of worship. ‘GAIA can ensure that when Fa visits the Sacred Cave each year, she’ll grow every time. Until eventually she’ll be back to her original size.’ She offers. ‘Or, she can stay this way forever. It’s up to you.’
Elisabet nods toward the Land Gods, who have now begun singing to their newest kin.
Fa sings back adorably, the herd of machines passively calibrating to one another.
‘I see.’ A smile comes over Zo’s face as she watches her people. ‘Thank you, Elisabet. This…’
Zo looks at a loss for words.
‘I don’t know how I’ll ever begin to repay you.’ She shuts her eyes.
‘I wanted to do it.’ Elisabet immediately dismisses such notions. She shakes her head when Zo looks ready to protest. ‘Consider it a gift, then. For you and the baby.’
‘If you insist…’
Zo suddenly looks down, appearing… nervous?
‘Speaking of. I did choose to take your advice and, the first meeting with a healer is coming due.’ She looks out at the joyful field, surrounded by warmth and love for the Land Gods. ‘I would ask that you be there, Elisabet. Not only for that, but also…’ She places a hand on her growing stomach, as if gathering strength. ‘For the baby’s birth itself. It would be a great comfort.’
‘Oh cours-’ She immediately moves to respond but stops when Zo holds up a hand.
‘This… privilege in my tribe, it is reserved only for the father. And…’
Zo pauses, locking eyes with Elisabet.
‘And for the child’s grandparents.’
Elisabet blinks, her green eyes widening.
‘My parents perished years ago. During the Red Raids.’ Zo explains slowly, clearly still hurting over this reality. ‘Along with the entire village where I was raised.’ Her words are filled with regret, mournful. ‘Unfortunately, they will never be able to meet their grandchild.’
Elisabet puts a hand to her mouth, her eyebrows upturned as Zo continues, suddenly seeming to realize exactly what is being asked of her.
‘You and I have grown close. And I do not wish to impose on you, or your daughters.’ Zo nods toward Beta and Aloy. ‘But…’ Her voice grows timid once more. ‘I would be exceedingly overjoyed, Elisabet… if you would allow my child to call you their grandmother.’
For a long while, Elisabet just stares at Zo, her green eyes glassy as the silence lingers.
She pulls Zo into an embrace, the two of them holding each other tightly.
‘I would be honored.’ Elisabet pulls away, nodding as she cups Zo’s cheek. ‘Yes.’
‘Thank you.’ Zo responds, the two of them giving each other another squeeze before stepping away. She looks to her friends a bit apologetically. ‘Aloy. Beta. I truly hope you don’t mind…’
Aloy only moves forward to embrace her as well.
‘I don’t, Zo.’ She says earnestly, pulling away to give her a smile. ‘I’m glad for you both.’
‘Me too.’ Beta says, shyly accepting her own hug with Zo soon afterward.
‘Grandmother…’ Elisabet tests out the new title, causing all of them to look at her.
Her face clearly indicates that this is a name she never once thought she’d receive. Even more so when Zo gently takes her hand and places it onto her growing stomach without words.
Beta can only smile at the two of them, genuinely happy for them.
‘When’s your first meeting with the healer?’ Aloy asks, breaking the silence.
‘Within a few days time.’ Zo says. ‘The meetings are not so much important as the birth itself.’ She looks to Elisabet. ‘So, I understand if you cannot always attend them. I know that your health can still be fragile at times, and that should be our main priority.’
At this notion, Beta watches as her mother wrinkles her nose, standing up a bit straighter.
‘There’s no reason to worry so much about me.’ Elisabet assures. ‘Not to that extent.’
‘Still, maybe I should go with you.’ Aloy suggests, her tone filled with concern. ‘Just in case.’
Her mother appears as if she wants to protest, and Beta watches as that closed off expression slowly comes over her features once more.
‘… Alright.’ Elisabet relents.
Beta can feel anxiety clinging in her chest as she sees that look take hold of her mother’s face once more.
Especially when nobody else but her seems to notice.
Bonus Scene:
“No, Elisabet, I know you too well. Somehow, you will find a way.
In you, all things are possible.
… I only wish that I could hear your voice again.”
‘GAIA…’
‘Apologies Elisabet, but I cannot refute my predecessor’s statement.’ GAIA’s voice rings out overhead. ‘Losing you was a… grief, that could never be described or replaced.’
‘That doesn’t make it any better.’ Elisabet shakes her head, distraught, as she pinches the bridge of her nose.
She, Beta and Aloy are all currently watching the projector screen in the living room.
However, instead of watching a holo, today they are going through more of Aloy’s memories.
Normally, this is an activity that only Aloy and Elisabet will partake in together.
Beta has never had any qualms about being excluded, knowing that her mother and sister need their own time together. Just like how she and Elisabet have theirs whenever Aloy is away.
But Aloy had pulled Beta aside that afternoon, and asked if she’d join them.
‘I know that GAIA said watching those memories would be a good idea for us. To… to bond.’ Aloy said, her eyes downcast and a bit of red on her cheeks to match her hair. ‘But she’s been…’ Her expression turned conflicted. ‘She could barely watch through Maker’s End. And she looked like she was going to be sick when we reached the Gravehoard.’
Beta wasn’t surprised by this notion at all.
FAS and U.S. Robot Command must hold so many memories for their mother.
None of them being particularly good.
‘She actually had to leave the room a few times when we saw the Project Zero Dawn Facility.’ Aloy crossed her arms, contemplative. ‘Mother told me that she still wants to keep watching, but maybe it’ll be easier on her if you’re there too?’
Beta couldn’t exactly refute that line of thinking, and as such settled down with them later that night to watch Aloy explore through Eleuthia-9. Beta has seen all of this already, GAIA having thought that it would be useful in helping her to understand Aloy when they were both still so distant from each other.
Even so, already knowing what happens doesn’t make this any easier to watch.
“I’m not a person. I’m an instrument. Manufactured by a machine.”
‘Aloy…’ Elisabet turns to her daughter, her eyebrows upturned and her expression heartbroken. ‘Sunrise, that’s not true.’
‘I know.’ Aloy looks away, uncomfortable as she fiddles with her fingers. ‘I know it now, at least.’
Elisabet lets out a heavy breath and pulls her into an embrace. Her eldest daughter lets her do so, sheltered tight in her mother’s arms until she can feel Elisabet’s arms quiver.
Her mother abruptly looks up at the screen, however, upon hearing Sylen’s next words.
“How tragic, to learn you’re a person of towering importance. It seems you have a destiny to fulfill. So when you’re done feeling sorry for yourself, go to the Bitter Climb.”
Elisabet sits up, murder in her green eyes.
‘He did not just say that to you.’ Her tone is clipped with rage, her back rigid.
‘You’d be surprised.’ Aloy chuckles a little, trying to play off her mother’s protective ire. ‘Kind of one of his lesser insults, honestly.’
‘It’s not funny.’ Elisabet immediately denies.
‘It’s fine, mother.’ Aloy assures, but she only shakes her head.
‘I didn’t know any of this.’ Elisabet angrily gestures toward the screen. ‘Some of the things he’s said to you…’ She glares. ‘He is never going to speak to you that way again, Aloy.’ She says with furious finality. ‘Ever.’
Aloy can only awkwardly nod and let the subject drop as the memories keep playing.
She catches eyes with her sister, who also seems at a loss with how to quell such anger.
Elisabet has been doing that lately. Being very protective over the two of them.
And neither Beta nor Aloy have any idea why.
Beta has even asked GAIA about it, once.
‘It is an instinct of parental figures, especially that of mothers, to defend their children from harm or threat.’ GAIA explained. ‘Within APOLLO, it is noted that the concept of motherhood has three core principles with which mothers will instinctively uphold.’ She brought up a few images from the database, showcasing a collage for each one. ‘Nurture. Guidance. And Protection.’
Beta blinked and thought over each of those values when it came to Elisabet.
Nurture. In the way she looks after her and Aloy, always making sure they’re taken care of.
Guidance. In the way she teaches them new things, even when they don’t particularly like it.
And now, Protection.
‘Oh…’ Beta said a bit lamely. ‘Uh, well I guess I never thought about it that way.’
‘Rest assured, this behavior is normal.’ GAIA nodded. ‘A common instinctive practice for mothers to uphold. Especially new mothers, as is Elisabet’s case.’
GAIA’s expression then turned odd. Into something that Beta couldn’t quite name.
‘The hormonal and psychological changes of new parental figures can prove to be quite overwhelming.’ Her words held some unknown weight. ‘Especially if not properly managed.’
Beta had only tilted her head, not knowing what the AI meant by that.
Beta still doesn’t know it now either.
She shakes her head, trying not to think further down that rabbit hole as she and her family watch Aloy leave Eleuthia-9.
Only to be greeted by the Nora literally throwing themselves at her feet.
Beta glances at her sister, not surprised to see Aloy looking just as uncomfortable as her past counterpart.
“First you shun me, now this?! I will NOT be worshipped! I’m not your “Anointed!” I don’t belong to you! There’s a whole world beyond your borders. Whole tribes of people just as good as you, and it is all in danger. It’s a world worth fighting for. Not just here. Everywhere.”
‘… That’s my girl.’
Beta turns as she hears her mother’s whisper, seeing her place a kiss onto Aloy’s forehead.
Their red hair is tangled together, a curtain of braids and beads.
‘I’m so proud of you, Aloy.’ Elisabet whispers, leaning their foreheads together in a familiar touch. ‘It must have been so hard.’
Aloy says nothing in return, only clutching her mother tighter with shaky fingers.
Beta can only watch the two of them, feeling once again on the sidelines.
Dream Eater Allyphant Creations 
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