Hey guys welcome back! I just got back from watching episode 14 and its taking everything I've got not to burst into tears and although I understand it was for the best I cant stop thinking of how different it could of been. DARN YOU ICHIGO! LET THE POOR GUY HAVE HIS WAIFU DAMMIT! HOW IS HE GOING TO RIDE A FRANKXX NOW!? :()
"Children for preparation of your assigned exploration mission we had sent in a bot in order to check if there were any Klaxosaurs in the town but.." Nana announced. "Someone has already them killing them all, I have a hunch that there is a lost pilot in the old fortified town close by so your mission has been changed to rescuing the pilot while squad 8 will explore the area for minerals and other useful items."
Hachi noticed that Hiro had his hand up.
"Question?" Hachi asked.
"Yeah I'm just a little confused, wouldn't we alone be able to complete both missions? If it's only a search and rescue mission why the frankxx if its only for a lost pilot as well?" Hiro needed some explaining as surely command wouldn't underestimate them.
"The frankxx is just in case a horde comes, after all your still in danger out there and I only said I had a hunch and the reason why I can't say for sure is because of this" Nana turned around and looked at the monitor. "take a look and tell me what you think of this."
Everyone looked up and gazed onto the curved screen which was displaying the bot's live footage before it ended. It was scanning the fortified town as ordered and the number of dead klaxosaurs covered the area was already noted but just as it was starting to leave movement could be noticed coming from the ancient army barracks. New orders by command compelled it to investigate however once it entered the dark environment it was suddenly grabbed by behind, squirming and spinning but it was all useless. Once it stopped it was viewing someone's chest where it saw a symbol of an eagle with a star on each side. Using its remaining resistance, it looked up to see Joseph's face as he started to shake the bot up and down then pulling out a knife and ending the feed.
Everyone's eyes were glued to the screen as they tried to take in what they just saw although it was only Ichigo and Goro who had real reason to be curious as Ichigo noticed a date behind him '11th May 2014' but the date is '26th June 2098' While Goro noticed the knife was made out of steel which was an ancient metal that was replaced by newer metals.
"Who is that?" Zero two finally seemed curious as she folded her arms.
"Currently we don't know but that's where you're going to come in. We can't find any squad or plantation that features that symbol so we are sceptical..." Nana explained while studying Joseph's badge.
"He's so young! Couldn't be much younger than any of us" Kokoro remarked which sparked chatter among the entire squad.
"Enough talking let's get this done quick and easy. Move out!" Hachi's loud voice silenced the room as everyone left to get organized.
2 hour later outside the gates of the town.
"Such a beautiful town this is." Kokoro cheerfully said as she went to pick up a flower while everyone continued on walking.
"Yeah if we could restore this place it wouldn't look to bad….hold on I just had the best idea ever!" Zorome replied.
"What?"
"How about we ask command to cut the ground around the town and place it in a plantation and the-
"That would be a stupid idea, yeah it looks good but it doesn't do anything good to us." Mitsuru interrupted.
Zorome was about to retaliate but then Goro started to speak.
"I must admit sometimes beauty is really a curse and this could only serve to bog us down." Goro's voice echoed through their microphones that were attached to their collars.
Meanwhile in the Delphinium they had just finished clearing out the surrounding area of klaxosaurs and were going to join the others.
"You know I heard rumours that this town used to be a gateway to the old world across the ocean, command keeps a lot of the past hidden but legends say hundreds of Gutenberg class klaxosaurs emerged from the other side and are the reason why we have so many here." Goro said.
"That would explain everything we've seen although I hate to think of what our great-grandparents must have suffered back then." Ichigo responded and looked at all the ruins that were in the pathway feeling sad.
"Yeah. It must have been the end of the world for them having to evacuate across the ocean and then facing them again. But we must remember because of their sacrifices we still have a fighting chance, ah look I can see the towers around the town straight ahead."
Back with everyone else they had decided to split into teams to cover more area but the entire town was searched with no signs of life.
"We've been searching for a long time! Can't we just use Delphinium to look from above?" Zorome complained with his arms stretched out.
"Come on don't be…a…whine?." Miku argued back but suddenly saw something in the distance. They looked towards the entrance and saw Joseph entering the town but he was covered in cuts and bruises and on his right leg there was a whole roll of bandages used "Im so lucky I was able to run away from that horde I feel so damn tired I guess I am a little reckless but alteast I got some food and water." Joseph mumbled to himself as he dragged his weakened body across the pathway. "The X-34 suit should also be fully charged right now ill go finish that horde later with it."
"Its him!" Zoromoe silently yelled. "Pssst everyone come-in we have found our 'lost pilot' towards the entrance, heading towards the centre." Miku whispered into her mic.
"Right we're on our way, don't approach him until we get there." Futoshi was the first to respond but they were all coming never or less.
Suddenly the rock underneath Zorome's foot collapsed and instantly gained Josephs attention. It was too late now they needed to get to him now.
"Klaxosaurs!" Joseph shouted and tried to raise his weapon but he was too tired and the gun was too heavy so he dropped it and made a dash further into town all in the while both Miku and Zorome gave chase.
"Everyone hes on the run towards the centre try and cut him off!" Miku said once again into her mic and continued.
"It sounds like they are having trouble." Zero two said to Hiro as they both ran out of the local library.
"Yeah we need to hurry before something bad happens."
Zero two kept checking through the windows they past through but once she saw Joseph ontop of a wreckage she stopped and climbed out of the window.
"See you on the other side darling." She said and hopped out.
"Tst" Hiro responded and rushed down the stairs and into the street but having to quickly dive to cover with everyone else as Joseph was going full Rambo with his pistol.
"Hey! We aren't trying to harm you, you got to trust us!" Hiro shouted behind a dumpster but the barrage of bullets continued. "Listen!"
"Forget it we can just stun him and bring him back that way." reluctantly Hiro couldn't argue in this situation but he prayed it would work out well in the end and nodded back. He took out his stun-gun that Hachi gave him just in case and pointed it at Joseph from a small gap between the dumpster ready to pull but.
Suddenly zero two appeared behind Joseph and kicked him off the wreckage and went to jab a sleeping needle in mid fall but it caught Joseph's eye and he managed to block it with his gun and fall onto the ground while Zero two landed on a post-box. She then hopped down beside him and went for another kick although this time He was more focused as he managed the grab her foot and swing her into a building through the door.
"Zero two!" Hiro yelled as he ran over to help her up only to freeze in his tracks when his eyes met Josephs.
"You may look human but I know your another type of klaxosaur here to finish off the last hope for humanity." Joseph steadied his weapon although he was swaying a lot and looked like he was going to collapse from exhaustion.
"We aren't klaxosaurs! We are human!" Zorome shouted as both he and Miku caught up with the rest.
"Please you are hurt we can see that, that's why we are here to rescue you" Hiro pleaded.
"Liar! all you want is my precious life and I cant let everyone down!" Joseph was about to pull the trigger but the look Hiro was giving him, his teary eyes that felt like they were staring right into his soul but most importantly he felt like he could trust him what he was saying to a certain extend after all they are the first things that haven't tried to kill him straight away. Slowly he lowered his gun "Just...leave you've done eno-"
Suddenly a dart went straight into Joseph's back causing him some stress although it was enough to make him gently collapse onto his side.
"W-what?" Hiro yelled and looked up to see the shooter was a member of Squad 8.
"You kid's really need to learn some common sense if a shooter is aimed to take one of you out just don't stand around and wait for your friend to be shot." he grunted.
Although as soon as Zero two emerged from the hallway he shuttered in panic and ran away to regroup with his squad everyone rushed over to check if he was okay and lucky he didn't hit his head first. Delphinium's gigantic footsteps then rumbled from behind ready to pick up everyone and bring then back.
Squad 13's mission was a complete, the target was secured and no life's where taken.
Squad 8's mission was a bust as they weren't able to find any resources and was only met with packs of klaxosaurs although when they scouted the town they discovered a rack of small pieces of armour that only attached to key points of the body as well as all the other pods that were in the barracks but none of them were active so they gathered all the useful information and left.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'm away to cry myself to sleep. *Sobbing noises*