When the elevator doors opened, Yato was faced with an odd scene. The first thing he noticed was Hiyori, awake and standing, face visibly upset. Beside her sat a fat older man in a decorated white suit with a thick red book open on his lap. Yato's heart stopped when he focused on who was behind Hiyori.

He stood next to the bug-eyed Go-4. The 2.0 to Yato's prototype, the only other person to survive his father's operation and training. Who was once a human named Kouto Fujisaki, was now an 'Auto' a cyborg meant to co-pilot the best of the space cruises. No cyborg aged, but it still threw Yato that Kouto still looked the same as their time training. The Auto's brown hair matched the dead dirt of their home planet and his eyes the same mahogany red. He now wore a white and black copilot outfit, lacking the caption hat Captain Tenjin wore.

"Yato!" Hiyori exclaimed. Yato pulled his eyes away from the red ones across the room to see his love marching towards him. He threw his arms open to welcome her into them, smile wide.

"Hiyori! I missed you! I followed you here-"

"Where's the plant?" Hiyori demanded at a low volume. Yato's hands dropped at his sides in confusion. He noted how she stopped just out of reach.

"Plant?" Yato cocked his head to the side, "You took it. You put it in your pod-thingy." When Yato gestured to the pod in question, he saw the plant drawer open and empty. His eyes widened in understanding and he looked at Hiyori, who was starting to look ill.

"Well you see, it's not there. And without proof that Earth is capable of sustaining life, we cannot go home." Tenjin stated calmly and shut the book.

"I don't reconize that uniform, but I can tell you are an advanced human. A Wall-E?" Tenjin brought his chair forward and looked Yato up and down with polite curiosity.

"I'm so sorry, Captain Tenjin, he's one of the Earth cleaners. I don't know why- or how- he got here but-" Hiyori frantically tried to explain only to quiet when the captain put his hand up. Yato swallowed nervously as everyone in the room stared at him, the captain much more closely now. He felt like a bug under a microscope. Yato thrusted out a hand, Tenjin's face jolted back in alarm but he overall didn't move.

"Er, yes, I am a Waste Allocation Load Lifter: Earth class. ID 001P. My name is Yato." Yato said. He froze when Kouto took a couple clipped steps forward with a hand outstretched.

"'ID number 001P'?" Hiyori whispered to herself. That didn't make any sense. Maybe he was trying to say he was the only one left? But what does the 'P' stand for? Must be an Earth thing?

"We don't do handshakes anymore. Don't soil the captain, cleaner." Kouto informed with a voice of honey. His advancing was also stopped by Captain Tenjin putting up a hand. The captain's older eyes never left Yato's hand.

"You have an odd accent, is that the old language? And a 'handshake' huh? I assume this is a form of greeting used on Earth?" Tenjin repeated the word slowly. His face showed he filed the information away once the Wall-E confirmed his hypothesis. Everyone in the room seemed to hold their breath as the Captain of Heaven's Sun reached out and grasped the Wall-E's hand. Yato paused a moment before slowly moving their linked arms up and down twice. Smart as a whip, the old man let go, rubbing his hand together.

"Oh my! What's?" Captain Tenjin gazed at the dusty brown that highlighted the lines of his hands. He rubbed his finger tips together in awe and calculation. Kouto stepped forward again, clearing his throat.

"That's just dirt, sir, it cannot harm you."

"'Dirt'?"

"Yes. Dirt," Kouto turned to hiss at Yato, "Flith." Yato narrowed his eyes back. The other cyborgs sensed the growing tension. Go-4 emerged from the shadows and stood behind the Auto, not even holding a candle to the copilot's threatening aura. Hiyori, to everyones great surprise, stepped next to Yato. She was within arms reach, but Yato didn't look away, and she did the same.

"This is like earth or soil? From the text books? Fascinating." Tenjin finally put his hand away and looked back up at the Wall-E. He gave Yato and Hiyori another once-over and then quirked his lips.

"Perhaps we should have you both cleaned and maybe updated?" Tenjin rose a grey eyebrow in question to Yato who just inched closer to Hiyori.

"I'll have Miss Iki's pod diagnosed for bugs. So this doesn't happen again." Kouto said. Go-4 gave a salute and walked towards the pod. Hiyori looked like she wanted to protest, but didn't, remaining by Yato's side.

"Captain Tenjin, I will take us both to the center. I'm sorry for the mishap." Hiyori said. The top half of her body tipped forward till she practically made a right angle. Yato didn't know what it meant but he copied, bowing to the captain. The Eve then straightened and spun on her heel. She walked, gabbing Yato's elbow on the way, and lead them both to the elevator. Yato regained his balance next to a rigid Hiyori. The elevator doors slid shut, blocking the view of an amused captain and his unreadable copilot.

The elevator dropped smoothly and soundlessly. So quiet in fact, Yato could hear his and Hiyori's breath. She was still rigid and started down at the floor. Her long hair covered her face from view, but her fingers kept rolling in and out of fists.

"So, uh, fancy meeting you her-!" Yato jumped back and hit the closest wall, his arms went up out of habit. His blue eyes were crossed as they focused on the familiar sight of a gun barrel. Hiyori's furious face moved out from behind her gun.

"I don't even want to ask why- or how- you're here. But, Yato. I need you to tell me. Where is the plant? Please." The last of her sentence came out as a plea. Yato's heart went out to her.

"I don't know. I swear. I didn't touch it at all, just like I promised, and I was following you the whole time so I know it didn't just fall out. But last I saw, it was in there." Yato spoke softly and strongly, never looking away from her. He meant every word, there was no way that thing just got lost. The gun was lowered and put away.

"I believe you." Hiyori decided, speaking to the floor. She stepped and let out a sad sigh. Yato felt his shoulders fold in and he looked anywhere but his sad companion.

"Well, uh, we should get cleaned up. I mean the 'water' back home wasn't even anything. And I got dirt so embedded in my circuits, the only way I'm ever gonna get clean is with some major futuristic scrubbing." Yato finally looked back up at the Eve when he heard a huff of laughter. The young man moved away from the wall and faced the door. The air was considerably lighter, as if the fate of Earth was no longer their problem. Hiyori must have felt it too, her head was raised a bit higher than before. Side by side, they watched the elevator doors open to the mini lobby.

Yato was once again faced with three cyborgs. Two looking like they were ready to strangle someone, the other fast asleep in his chair. Take was the first to charge forward, fist in hand with a wide smile.

"I have done it, miscreant! I have mastered the art of rock-paper-scissors!" Take proclaimed, pushing Hiyori to the side. Yato didn't even blink, doing the song and throwing out rock to the Typ-E's scissors. Kuin was jolted awake at the sound of his partner's cry of outrage. The latter was ignored completely as the two men greeted each other in a poliet wave. Hiyori had a face like everyone else had just grown a second head, and gave Yato a look saying he had something to do with it. Yato sidestepped the raging Take to throw a hand up to the third cyborg.

"Hey Yukine!" To Yato's absolute delight, the kid perked up and whipped to face him at the sound of his new name. The Wall-E grinned wider when Yukine held up his pinky finger, moved it in a weird way that had Hiyori gasp, then went back to cleaning dirty boot-prints off the floor with a vengeance.

"We're going to get cleaned. Can you please call a transport?" Hiyori addressed the two Typ-Es.

"Call a transport for that scrub? How about I get a trailer he can sit in-" Take shouted and pointed at Yato as Kuin leaned over the key board and pressed a couple buttons. A rectangle in the wall slid open and a transport slid out along a new floor-line, stopping in front of Hiyori.

"What the? Kuin!" Take whipped around and stomped over to Kuin to give him a piece of his mind. Hiyori took a spot in the front and looked over her shoulder at Yato.

"Get in the back."

"Yes ma'm." Yato hopped on the back, causing it to dip and sway, "Come on, kid!"

Yukine looked up from his roller, wide-eyed and confused. Hiyori questioned and berated Yato as he smiled and patted the spot next to him. Yukine took another look at the floor, the dirt path leading to the elevator, and tucked his roller back on his back.

"Stop smiling. You look like a freak." Yukine said. He got on the transport much more gracefully, sitting as far away from the Wall-E as possible. Both had their legs dangling and tools clanking together. Hiyori drove forward, the glass doors opened and closed on their own. Yato waved goodbye to the two Typ-Es. 

They drove back through the empty sports complex, most of the ship shut down in a sort of 'night time'. Yato swung his feet as they flew across the floor, finally taking in the view he was too frantic to notice before. Once they were back on the highway, Hiyori came and sat in the back. She gave both boys a once-over.

"So, um," she started, "How do you two know each other?"

"Oh. I adopted him." Yato said. Hiyori choked while Yukine began shuddering out explanations and excuses.

"'Adopted him'?" Hiyori restated. 

"And named him." Yato tacked on. 

Hiyori continued staring at Yato while Yukine burned. She then straightened up and cleared her throat. The Eve stuck out a hand to the Mo with a kind look she never gave Yato.

"Well, uh, My name is Hiyori Iki, I'm an Eve ID 080E. Nice to meet you." Hiyori said. Yukine looked unsure at her and her outstretched hand. He took it lightly.

"Yukine," the kid shook once then let go, "I'm, uh, a Mo, ID 091M." There was a beat of silence while Yukine avoided Yato's Cheshire grin. The kid was looking at the ground as they sped by, debating on whether or not he could jump off and not get hit. Hiyori turned to fix Yato with a stern look he found adorable.

"Now, Yato, the plant is missing-"

"I said I don't have it-"

"-I know. And I said I believed you," she blushed when he hummed in fake surprise, "But Yato, it's really important we find that plant. You weren't there when the captain and the video explained the importance." Hiyori leaned in and looked at Yato with wide, imploring eyes. Yato playfully rolled his eyes.

"Yeah yeah. Rebelion from the doctor family. Fame and regonition. Making Mommy and Daddy proud." Yato said. Hiyori sputtered while Yukine looked back at her with interest.

"Wait. You, a human member of an upper class family, became a worker Eve just to prove your parents wrong? About what?" Yukine asked.

"N-No! I became an Eve because I want too! I wanted to go to Earth and learn to fight. I want to help!" Hiyori spoke with conviction and Yukine didn't respond. 

"Oh so you are a human. Just with detachable advancements," Yato spoke, looking her up and down, "I've been wondering about that." But before Hiyori could answer, Yukine explained in a rather cold tone. 

"Its a class system. Depending on what job you get you can stay human or at least keep your memories. Upperclass humans are able to pick and choose, but most of the more dirty or dangerous jobs are considered off limits. But of course nothing's really off limits to people with money, so pretty much most of the passengers on this ship," Yukine's eyes narrowed with distain, "None of this applies if you're a minor, your family chooses for you and the lower class jobs automatically require loss of humanity. The family is compensated, while your old life and your memories are wiped clean and your shipped to a different cruise." The two felt their hearts squeeze at Yukine's cold tone, wanting to be angry at people he can't remember and can never find. 

Yato caught Hiyori's attention. His sudden furry was hard to ignore and she couldn't understand why this would upset him like this. The Eve bit her lip as Yato put a hand on Yukine's head, rustling it a little when he didn't react. The Wall-E then looked to Hiyori, nodded at her to continue. Hiyori looked at Yukine for a moment longer before starting up again.

"It isn't just about the plant. The plant is proof."

"Proof for what?" Yato asked leaning forward. Hiyori began to look embarrassed, maybe even a bit ashamed, she couldn't look either of them in the eye.

"The plant shows that Earth can sustain organic life." Hiyori said. Yukine looked back up at her, then snuck a glance as Yato's blank face. Hiyori blinked at the beat of silence, then continued.

"Once Heaven's Sun identifies the plant, it will begin 'Operation: Recolonize'. The ship will automatically plot a course to Earth and jump to hyper-space.

"You mean, the humans will come back to Earth if we find the plant?" Yato pressed. Hiyori nodded.

"Yes. Once we find the plant we have to bring it to the captain. And then once the captain's chamber identifies the plant, the center of the deck will open up a pod where the plant needs to go order for the ship to identify the proof." Hiyori said. Yato nodded earnestly. He wanted more than anything for the humans to come back, for Hiyori to stay with him on Earth. With Yukine too, he had grown fond of the young cleaner.

The transport turned down a short tunnel and parked next to a half-circle glass door labeled 'Worker Repair Ward' it's glass blurry for privacy. Hiyori got off and called to Yato when he leapt off. Yukine slid off and awkwardly stood, still not sure if he should be here.

"I'm not filthy like the two of you so I'll wait out here." Yukine said. Yato made a whiney noise that had Hiyori whacking his shoulder.

"Actually, you wait here too Yato. I need to sign us in first and try to explain you." Hiyori walked off towards sliding door, her hazy shadow the only evidence of her there. Yato sighed and stuck his hands in his pockets. Yukine was staring at him, looking him up and down very slow, taking an especially long time on the compactor. He was sure the kid had questions, at any moment he would select one.

"Hey."

"Yes, Yukine?" Yato gave a patient look. The kid still wasn't used to the new name but he recovered quicker.

"So, um, Hiyori said we would be able to go back to Earth if we find the plant." Yukine looked at the floor. The lack of a question confused Yato but he nodded.

"Yep! All the humans get to come back."

"Yeah, but you say 'come back'." Yukine stated.

"Uh, yeah. So?" Yato wrinkled his brows. Where was this going?

"You say 'come back' like you're there or you were there?"

"Yes." Yato said. He became more confused when he visibly saw the kid struggle with communicating his train of thought. Yukine came to the front of Yato to look up at him with balled fists. The Mo didn't look angry, more determined.

"I guess what I'm asking is: Are you from Earth?"

"Yes." The Wall-E confirmed. There was a stretch of silence as Yukine sorted through his shock and excitement with stronger confusion.

"You're from Earth?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure?" Yukine said, skeptical. Yato rolled his eyes and gestured to all of himself.

"Yes, I'm sure. Ask Hiyori if you don't believe me but that is what the 'E' in 'Wall-E' stands for." Yato tugged his breast pocket forward to show the stitching, signifying his purpose. Yukine looked above the elder's shoulder.

"Is that for Wall-Es too?" Yukine pointed at the metal sticking up next to Yato's head with wide eyes. The kid was interested and gave Yato his full- adorable- attention. Yato confirmed Yukine's question and grabbed the compactor. He explained how it was hooked onto his back and where, that the bones in his spine, shoulders, and ribs were made of metal so it doesn't hurt, and how his brain signals it to hook and un-hook. By the time Hiyori came out, Yukine had already swung around the compactor- put a dent in the floor- and was now trying to re-attach it to Yato's back.

Hiyori slowed to a stop a couple feet away as Yukine held the compactor to Yato's back. Once he felt it was in place, he told Yato to clamp, marveling the heavy metal moving on it's own. Yukine then spun around and pointed to his back and roller, explaining to Yato his spine was only lightly traced with a metal that only the roller was attracted too. He let the Wall-E tug the roller on and off his back, the magnet not strong enough to hurt. The Eve smiled at the small 'family' her friend made. How the kid blushed at Yato's unabashed excitement just like she did. She found herself smiling too.

"Hiyori!" Yato cheered when she cleared her throat. Her cheeks warmed a little but her smile didn't falter.

"Come on. I'm going first, then I'll be with you so you don't freak out." Hiyori informed him. Yato happily nodded, skipping along after he made Yukine promise not to move or leave with strangers. 

The door slid open to reveal a long infirmary-looking room. Beds were lined up and separated by the same wall of light the train had. In most of them, cyborgs were either sleeping or being fixed by other cyborgs or full on robots. Yato followed Hiyori to an empty bed with the wall that separated the bed from the walkway gone.

"Here. Just sit here and wait for me to be checked out and my enhancements cleaned." Hiyori said. After a second, Yato stepped up onto the platform and sat on the bed. The blue light shone up to her collarbone when Hiyori clicked the button, the thin but strong rectangle separating the two.

"You're sure you'll be alright? Just sit tight okay?" Hiyori looked unsure. Yato smiled to reassure her when his neighbor piped up.

"Ah, he'll be just fine Miss Eve! Leave him to us we'll take good care of him!" A gruff cyborg said from the bed to Yato's left. He smiled really big, not even phased by the man across the isle, fighting his restraints. Yato smiled at his new neighbor too, excited to meet more cyborgs. 

This man wore different shades of brown under a brown poncho. He had light brown hair as well, scruffy and sticking up in all directions, he reminded Yato of his old teddy bear. Hiyori looked awkwardly relieved, she reminded him of his 'orders' then walked off towards the back. Yato following her with his eyes. A whistle from his neighbor, drawing his attention.

"She's a nice-looker. You're lucky having her care for you." he said, sounding good natured. Yato nodded and blushed a bit. She did sound like she cared about him, at least a little bit more.

"Yeah," Yato reached a hand over the wall, "I'm Yato. I'm a Wall-E." The man shot up out of bed and gripped his hand firmly, shaking it up and down wildly. Yato introduced himself to the woman on his right. He also waved back to the man across the isle now being held down by robotic arms. 

"Well, I'm not quite sure what the 'E' stands for, but I'm a Wall-H! I work down below with a couple others! We call each other the Emishi." he informed Yato. The Wall-E was thrilled. In front of him was the current version of his class! And there were more! Maybe if they didn't find the plant, he could stay on the ship and work with them. He'd be able to see Hiyori whenever he wanted, and go back to working with other people! There were so many things Yato wanted to say, but the bear-like emishi beat him to it.

"So, what are you doing with an Eve?"

"Oh! We're, uh, friends! But she gets annoyed with me easily. See, I'm not from around here. I don't really know what's what and she's trying to do an important thing." Yato said, opening his soul to the man. The Wall-H's fuzzy brows shot up in shock.

"You don't say! And here I've thought it's just cause you're from a different ship! But then maybe it's better at that."

"Why's that?" Yato cocked his head as his neighbor cranked his neck to look down the hall.

"Well, if the higher ups find out you're not from around here," he pointed, "Miss Eve might get in trouble for bringing you here." Yato followed to where the bearish-man was pointing. Yato looked behind him and down to the foggy glass wall. Hiyori's silhouette was still there- as silm and pretty as ever- she was sitting down with her arm sticking out.

Yato felt all his blood fall to his feet. The doctor working on her flipped on a machine, allowing the mechanical arm twirled to life. The claw gripped Hiyori's hand and tore it clean off. Yato's brain short-circuited.