He would protect her.
Snow cascaded down around the trees, blanketing the world in a layer of uniform white.
Shouts and commands were roared at him and the quivering girl in his arms.
Branches creaked above him, struggling against the weight of the sky building upon their limbs.
Men rushed forward at him, arms outstretched and eyes blazing with fury.
He shielded her with his arms, melting the snow on her dark coat, heat erupting from his grasp.
Lasers trained on their exposed skin, red mingled with red and starkly contrasted white.
His clutch on her tightened, mustering what malnourished might he could. He held her.
Arms tried to pry him away from her. The stinging touch of metal lashed out against his back. He howled out in pain.
Again. And again. And again.
Melted snow and frightened tears blended on his cheek and looking up with the last of his energy he caught sight of two brilliant turquoise eyes, and then faded to black.
/
Birds danced in the radiant beams of the sun, darting through the halcyon sky of copper and bronze brilliance, the light bouncing off their wings. The radiance reflected on the calm lake water, rays of fire acting as a brush and painting a magnum opus of orange, the sun's masterpiece. Hiro felt the thin vapor around the lake's shore crash into his pores, his skin dampened by the perpetual fog. Fish revelled in the glory of the sun, their scales blindingly bright when they leapt from the water. The calm glade of grass did not sway as there was no wind in this place. No slight breeze rushed through Hiro's medium length black hair. The air might have been labeled fresh, but it was nothing of the sort. Synthesized tranquility was bestowed upon the sylvan scholar that Hiro had aged into. His retreat into the forest was because it was a form of escape. But to him, this setting, this nature he lived in for years, was disgusting.
His eyes lolled to the back of his head, and he rested his head upon his forearm, once more tired of his boorish surroundings and repetitive daily schedule. The rest of his dorm mates, now squadmates he supposed, were at their welcoming ceremony currently, but he opted out of going, not wishing to waste his time. He found counting fish much more amusing than entertaining his mysterious masters. Hiro had always been one to question the system, regardless of the strictness of the authority, and the masked parents of his plantation were no exception.
Refocusing on his irregular hobby, Hiro trained his eyes on the lake surface. Time passed quickly when searching for fish and probing his thoughts, pondering life. One fish, sharp silver scales gleaming in the sunlight, burst forth from the water and soared across the surface before crashing back into the rippling pool. One. Hiro put more of his weight onto his arm and let out a exasperated sigh. The water eventually returned to calmness, ceasing its rippling, and his eyes squinted in impatience at the audacity of the fish to refuse leaping anymore. They usually were much more energetic, perhaps they were mocking him, laughing at his solidity while basking in each other's presence.
Another fish finally blasted forth from the water and a small grin flashed on Hiro's face. The fish continued to rise upwards as if it was trying against all odds to fly up and away into the atmosphere. The ripple of the exit wound on the water's surface dipped back downwards but instead of continuing to decrease in height, the water suddenly exploded, a flash of pink and white racing out from the depths of the lake. The fish was snatched up in the creature's mouth and it flailed helplessly in the teeth of the animal that Hiro at this point identified as a girl, a naked girl. Recoiling and removing his head from his arm, his features were painted pink when he realized the girl was completely naked, temporarily forgetting that she for some reason was catching fish with her mouth. He covered his face with his arms, shielding his innocent eyes and trying to retain some of his dignity, not wanting to be labeled a pervert. After hearing her splash back into the water, he cracked his arms apart to see through them slightly, and saw that she was no longer in sight. His position at the water's edge left him perilously close to the short waves reverberating across the disturbed lake surface. Exhaling heavily once more, he ran his hand over his face.
Upon opening his eyes again he was met with the sight of the water once more exploding, but right in front of him this time. Pink hair sprayed outwards into the air behind her head. Her pale skin was blinding when the sun's light directly caressed it. The fish she previously caught was wriggling between two rows of perfect white teeth. And most noticeably, two brilliant pools of turquoise were staring right at him. She continued to elevate further and further and had managed to exit the water to a standing position directly in front of him, where she was now looking down at him, her hair settling in waterfalls on either side of her face and covering her forehead, framing her sharp and elegant features. Two small red horns were sprouting from the top of her head and wet hair grabbed onto them, creating partitions in her long bangs. Red eyeliner and short eyelashes circumvented her eyes, her pupils black stones floating in the cerulean oceans of her irises.
Her face was centimeters from his own, and the fish's constant flopping and her position over him was drenching him in lake water. His mind screamed to recoil and was in overdrive trying to process this event, but his body refused, remaining posted below the beautiful girl, eyes locked onto hers. It was like she was pulling his soul out of him using his eyes as a conduit for the theft, he no longer had control over his body; her wish was his command. A quick blink severed this connection and he fell backwards out of his chair and onto the now wettened grass. And all he could do after recovering, still, was stare in awe. She spat out the fish and wiped her mouth with a hand, droplets of water running smoothly across her pale skin during the motion.
"Oi" she leaned in and broke the silence, "are you alive?" Hiro's eyes widened further still, surpassing any radius they had ever achieved during his lifetime.
"Wh-, who, who are you?" he managed to get out between rapid inhales and exhales.
"Tch" she let out as she moved away from him, "boooooring." In long elegant strides she walked away towards the adjacent tree line, showing no more interest in the conversation.
"Wa-, wait!" Hiro cried out, not knowing what else to do. "What's your name?" he inquired, his earnest eyes polished by a glaze of curiosity.
"Name?" she turned to face him once more, her hair being thrown about in a whirlwind of pink and her now stern eyes meeting his. She suddenly closed the distance between them in two large steps, her feet making no sound upon their contact with the earth. Leaning far into his personal space, she ran her bare tongue across the extent of his right cheek before withdrawing mere inches and licking her lips. He was frozen in place not knowing how to react to the situation. "Not salty at all, what a disappointment" she exhaled once more extending to her full height and looking down upon him.
"Salty?" he questioned flusteredly, "why would I be salty?"
Her eyes narrowed at this dose of logic and she changed the subject again quickly, "Why were you just sitting by the water, swimming is so much more fun" she questioned playfully. Hiro's state of awe was shattered by this question and he broke eye contact intentionally, casting his gaze behind him, onto his wheelchair, now covered in mud and pieces of grass.
"I would" a flock of birds cawed somewhere above him, "but some birds aren't meant to fly" he proclaimed, dejection clouding his demeanor. The girls eyes widened upon realizing he was crippled, and the corners of her mouth rose upwards for a brief moment.
"A bird who can't fly?" her smile faded and the cloud covering Hiro spread its clutches to include her as well, her features slowly becoming downtrodden. "You're just like me then" she murmured under her breath, just loud enough for Hiro to hear. "A wingless bird, told to live in the clouds" her eyes slowly climbed up his body, grabbing onto every detail of his brittle body and consuming it ravenously. "I think I like you" she remarked, genuineness filling her tone and a pleasant grin appearing on her angelic lips.
While Hiro was being visually eaten alive, he took it upon himself to upright his wheelchair and begin the arduous task of seating himself in it once more. After slowly clambering back into his seat he turned the mechanism to face the girl who was now for the seemingly hundredth time, centimeters away from his face. In a display of agility, she swung her legs up over the arm rests of the wheelchair and positioned herself to be seated on Hiro's lap. She nestled his head into the crook of her neck and he no longer dared to breathe. The proximity of the exotic beauty and his innocence acted as a noose that was now suffocating him, preventing him from formulating any rational thought or resistance. She ran a hand of long, dainty fingers through his black hair, her still wet fingers frigid against his scalp. She leaned impossibly closer still, and sniffed him powerfully, breathing in his scent. Sliding her head down to be level with his, she placed her forehead against his, her eyes so close to his own that he was drowning in the tides of her irises, being suffocated further. She released a breath and the warmth of her exhalation rolled across his cheeks in gusts of fire, burning them to a raging color of red. "You smell like the ocean" she finally broke the silence, the words being released so close to his face that every letter of the sentence punched him, leaving him dazed, awestruck.
"You've been to the ocean?" he finally managed to conjure. She donned a smile at his earnest question.
"No," she quietly admitted, the heat of her words still smacking him senseless, "but I hope it smells as good as you." She agilely leaped from his lap back to her feet with a coquettish grin and Hiro felt the cool air of the lake shore crash into his face once more, attempting to cool him down. He was speechless and felt magnetically drawn to her, as if his heart was on a string being tugged towards her eyes. He had never felt such vivid emotion in his life. His grey heart was ignited and coated with a layer of pink. She averted her eyes, finally, breaking her spell, and turned to move down the bank away from Hiro. Hiro shook his head rapidly, trying to clear his mind of whatever drug had intoxicated it. He placed his hands on the push rims of his transport and began to roll after her, the sturdy wheels digging crevices into the soggy dirt below him as he went. He followed her along the river bank for what seemed like an eternity, lost in the swaying of her hair from side to side, the only sound present was the creaking of his wheelchair fighting against the terrain. She eventually arrived at a log with what appeared to be all of her clothing on it. Reaching for what seemed to be undergarments she paused and turned to face Hiro once more, this time her gaze different.
"Ah" her expression became one of humor, "so you're a pervert, that's what it is." He then realized again that she had been completely naked throughout all their interactions and continued to squeal in embarrassment and bury his face in his hands, turning away as much as he could in the restrictions of his seat. He could hear her giggle and peeked through his fingers to see what was going on, only to see her completely clothed, somehow. She removed a white headband from the front pocket of her red uniform and snapped it onto her horns causing it to light up and beep upon its placement. Though curious, again, Hiro held his tongue this time, knowing from experience what it was like to be asked about things you couldn't control. "That uniform, are you a parasite?" she asked the question she had been holding in the back of her mind.
"No" he quickly answered, frowning. "I'm not a parasite anymore, I can't pilot" he elaborated.
"Hmm. I'm sure you can, I could taste the power in you" she casually quipped, her smile growing larger. She stood in front of him for some time, hands on her sides, gauging his reaction until she seemed to be satisfied. "Want me to take you?" she asked, all humor evaporating from her tone, time freezing as she said the words, her eyes now gleaming in a predatory fashion.
"To where" Hiro managed to reply, visibly put off by her shift in attitude.
"Into the sky" she threw her hands upwards and twirled, her hair swirling around her like a noblewoman's parasol. "I can take you into the sky" she proclaimed loudly, her declaration echoing across the lake water, all inhabitants of the kingdom of nature bearing witness to their queen's decree. She stopped spinning and locked eyes with him, her arm outstretched towards him, delicate hand seeking his own, "I can be your wings." He began to raise his hand slowly from his wheelchair's armrest, enraptured by her confidence, but a twig snapped in the treeline and the girl winced slightly, "Tch. Time's up." Looking to the source of the sound, Hiro saw a single gruff looking man emerge from the the woods with an entourage of armed guards. The presence of bandages, a cast, an eyepatch, and a breathing apparatus gave him the appearance of a medically dismissed war hero.
"We've been searching everywhere for you, troublemaker" his voice matched his commanding aura, the gravelly nature of it demanding any ears present to listen. The girl turned finally, her eyes to the ground, and trudged over to him. "Why must you persist in your antics child" he questioned agitatedly.
"Shut up" she snapped back venomously, her temper flaring, "you're not in charge of me." Hiro's eyes widened at the animosity she harbored for the wounded soldier. The soldier sighed heavily, his muscles visibly shifting beneath the thick fabric of his uniform, which was an identical copy of the girl's but blue. The girl moved past him to the center of the group of guards where they approached her with a long white overcoat and matching military cap. They placed the coat over her drooping shoulders carefully and handed her the hat, which she put on by herself.
Moving into his line of sight and obstructing his view of the mysterious girl, the intimidating man spoke to him for the first time since arriving, "Are you a parasite cadet? Why aren't you at your welcoming ceremony?" Hiro shrinked at this question, being caught in the act. After a few awkward seconds the man took note of Hiro's appearance and noticeably relaxed. "No matter, that's not my concern anyways" he added, off puttingly warm. "Sorry she was bothering you, are you ok?" he asked genuinely, seemingly convinced she had definitely done him some form of harm.
"No" he leaned to his right, trying to see her behind his broad shoulders and catching a glimpse of her brilliant pink hair, "she didn't do anything bad to me." The man stepped closer, seeing Hiro's interest in the girl. Hiro blanched and straightened beneath the man, who was feet taller than his own seated form.
"Let me give you some advice kid." he honestly expressed, "Stay as far as you can from this monster." He turned to look back at her over his shoulder, "She'll eat you up and spit you out." This however, had the opposite effect on Hiro, making him have even more questions about the girl. The man turned away from him though and the group began to set off. The birds cawed in the sky and his heart, consumed by passion, cried out alongside them. The sunlight fell in shafts through the still leaves of the fake forest, its light spotlighting the girl as if she was the heroine of a Shakespearean play, standing on center stage. The sun, birds, fish, and forest all made up the audience, leaning forward in their seats, anticipating a response from the hero. He was no hero.
"Your name?", he shouted, his knuckles white from the power he was gripping his chair with. This was weird, why was he doing this? Hiro didn't see himself as the kind of guy to act like this. Where was this behavior coming from? Opening his eyes, his nails digging into the pads on the armrests, he reiterated, "What's your name?" The entire party stopped, and all turned to look back at him, all of them except the girl, who was still rigidly staring ahead.
"My name?" her voice was weaker now, "Do you name your tools?" Her answer shook Hiro to the core, the honest admission making him grimace in defeat. "Zero Two" she turned now, her eyes digging into him, making him feel as though he could jump up and run to her if he tried. "They call me Zero Two" she turned back and walked away, the viewing assembly of nature roared in delight for the departure of their queen, birds cawing, crickets chirping, and the sun bathing her in golden confetti. The guards and behemoth man followed suit, falling in line behind her. He slouched into his seat, sinking into the cushion of the chair. The overdose of emotions had left him running on empty, but he repeated her name in his mind. Zero Two. A girl he could be a hero for.
(AN- Hello, first time publishing anything I've written and it has always been a hobby of mine. More of a way for me to have fun and get some feedback on my writing while I'm at it. Gonna call it alternate universe just so whenever I break from canon I can blame it on that. The M rating is just so I don't bind my writing to parameters regarding how graphic I can get. Won't really be a release schedule cuz it's just for fun to me. Sorry if I mess some things up, ;0)
Disclaimer that all characters belong to Trigger and A-1 pictures