Hundreds of miles from the production facility, an entity watches the battle unfold. Five minutes before the assault began, it noticed an unexpected network anomaly: all comm traffic to and from the factory complex had ceased, almost like it had dropped off the face of the earth.

This was the doing of the AI it had been warned about. Nothing else could mask the presence of an entire force while simultaneously running interference with APE's network and holding the entire facility hostage. Not only was this AI powerful, but it was intelligent. Not intelligent enough, however.

The moment Production Facility Echo-X-ray 11 failed to report, the entity knew what had happened. After all, it had installed failsafes in every APE facility on the island after the loss of the Third Garden. Each location would send a ping off their central server once every second. If one failed for more than sixty consecutive seconds, the cameras installed on the defense force's units and the facility itself would be utilized to assess the situation.

The camera worn by X-ray 11's defense team leader had revealed the truth. Forty FranXX had descended on the valley, each bearing unique weapons and color schemes. It was a sure sign of the rebels. In an instant, it had all the information necessary to formulate its next steps. A call was placed to the newly formed second class of Nines, under whose jurisdiction this facility belonged. They had almost instantly sortied but would be unable to reach the facility for approximately an hour.

With nothing to do but wait, the entity watched as the defense force was slaughtered by the rebels. They had attempted to take prisoners, but the new indoctrination protocols were strong. None of the defenders buckled, even under the insurmountable odds, even as their comrades lost life and limb defending the facility. Such was the nature of these new parasites.

So, as they fought and died the entity studied the rebels. It mapped out their tactics. It observed their command structure. It identified the notable units within their ranks and archived their combat data for use in developing counter strategies. Strelitzia, Delphinium, Argentea, Sylvestris, these were the truly deadly members of the assault force and those assumed to be in the upper echelons of the rebels' strategic command. Any piece of information about them could prove vital to stomping out the rebel threat later on.

After the battle was lost, it continued to observe as the victors ransacked the production facility. The buildings they left largely untouched, which the entity found odd. Wanton destruction was not the goal of the attacking force, but instead the collection of resources. Magma fuel, electrical components, material fragments, they took anything that could be used for the production of military hardware.

All the while it remained in contact with the Nines squad that was rapidly approaching, briefing them on the status and positional data for the rebel units. As the elites neared the facility, it took stock of what remained. Of the initial twenty FranXX that had defended the facility, all but one was salvageable for its purpose. The many FranXX were battered and beaten and the parasites that had controlled them had expired, but they were unnecessary.

"We will arrive in 120 seconds," a communication from the approaching hunters informs.

"Understood, Nine Psi," a deep, synthesized voice answers. "The rebels will be swiftly defeated, by APE's command."

At the same time, one of the rebel units had strayed close to the corpse of a defender. This would serve its purpose quite nicely, sewing panic and disarray into the occupying force.

The entity extends its influence. The facility's communications might still be jammed, but that would not stop a direct interface with each inactive unit over encrypted channels. Inside the broken FranXX scattered across the facility, something stirs.

Precisely seven seconds later it is ready. The rebel unit changes direction in her patrolling.

ASSUMING DIRECT CONTROL.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The raid had gone well up to this point, too well. The ease with which her opponents had fallen left Strelitzia wishing they'd put up more of a challenge. Hiro was quite pleased, however, and Zero Two found some solace in his contentment.

The other units of Crimson and Cerulean squads were assisting the recovery team in seizing the factory's resources, leaving her with time to waste. In theory she was on lookout, but no one would be coming to challenge them thanks to Freya. The mech yawns. "Darling, do you think we could–"

A scream pierces the still air. Strelitzia wheels to her left in the direction of the sound and immediately finds its source, one of the units of Cerulean squad.

The FranXX in question clutches at her abdomen in an effort to stem the loss of her magma fuel lifeblood. The wound appears to have been caused by a spear tip shot from one of the defenders. The only problem is that the defense squad had been utterly crushed. None of the parasites were alive to inflict injury.

Strelitzia completes these thoughts in a second and as she is about to take action something else catches her attention, a whistling noise coming from her opposite side. The sound registers in her mind as the same as a projectile in flight. Using her skeletal wings, Strelitzia acts on instinct and swats the incoming spear tip from the air.

Something clamps onto her right ankle and refuses to allow her to move as another shot rifles toward her. Wielding her lance in both hands, Strelitzia smashes its flat side against the skull of a defeated APE FranXX. The helmet gives way and the head is reduced to a pile of circuitry and steel. Using the same technique Strelitzia then deflects the second spear tip that had been shot at her.

"What the hell is going on?!" Hiro shouts. "I don't know!" Strelitzia screeches.

The FranXX from Cerulean is still approximately a hundred yards to their left, but it has stopped moving. Accessing the assault team's vitals Hiro finds that the unit, Cerulean 5, has flatlined. Strelitzia comes to the realization sooner by noticing its distinct lack of a head.

From behind the decapitated FranXX another of Strelitzia's pilots are bewildered that the unit is even standing. It's missing the left arm from below the shoulder and has a terrible wound still seeping magma fuel in the right thigh. The pilots would have died from shock.

The FranXX holds its spear in the remaining hand and charges. Strelitzia is not its intended target, however. Instead, the undead FranXX rushes toward another member of Crimson who is currently engaged in battle with a similarly damaged unit. A quick glance at the one Strelitzia had only moments ago crushed reveals it too had suffered lethal injuries before having its skull shattered.

"The dead ones have come back to life," Hiro whispers. "How is that possible, Zero Two?" "It's not!" his partner snarls, clearly unfazed by whatever trick APE has pulled. "Crimson, protect yourselves!"

With a roar the thrusters on her waist spring to life and Strelitzia launches herself toward her squadmate. She arrives just too late. The spear pierces the back of Crimson 9 and severs the unit's spine with a single well-placed hit.

Not a moment later the undead FranXX falls in six sparking pieces as Strelitzia's wings cut through it like tissue paper. The second zombie, whose skull is already partially destroyed such that the interior of the cockpit is visible, thrusts with its spear. The blow is stopped short as Streltiza parries, only for her to find the unit's hands firmly on her neck.

The red and white mech roars in anger and fires the thrusters in her heels. A rocket-powered knee to the jaw snaps the FranXX's head back with such force that were its pilots alive they'd have died from the whiplash. The zombie unit seems no worse for wear as its head falls over its shoulder and against its back, still held by a series of wires.

In her bull-true nature, Strelitzia lowers her head and dives at the enemy. The familiar creaking of metal on metal fills the air as she feels her horn glide into the FranXX's chest. Strelitzia whips her head back and slices the unit at a clean 45 degree angle, removing its left arm and shoulder while also cutting the main supply line connecting the magma fuel storage tanks to the internal reactor. As a result she is sprayed with the stuff, and it coats her head and torso.

"What's going on?" Hiro asks as the area around them falls silent.

"I don't know, Darling," Strelitzia huffs after wiping herself off the best she can.

Hiro shakes his head and opens a line with the other squad leaders. "Cerulean, Coral, Cotton, we just got attacked by zombie FranXX, can anyone else read us?"

There is a brief silence. "Streltizia, is that you?"

"Argentea!" Strelitzia fails to hide the relief in her voice.

"We're under attack!" Zorome shouts over the line. "They're by the main factory! We've lost contact with Delphinium, but Sylvestris and Cotton are here with us!"

Hiro steels himself. "Roger that, we're on our way." At the same time Strelitzia hails the remainder of her squad from wherever they may be in the complex. "Crimson, regroup at the main facility. Kill anything that gets in your way."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

As soon as the newcomer has finished speaking, a chill runs through you. Omega? Are they talking to me? I used that name months ago.

The roar of aircraft brings you back as three APE transports come into view over the western ridge. Moving at a breakneck pace, the modified airframes will reach your location in thirty seconds or less. The turbofans kick up a cloud of dust obscuring the latter two from view, but the markings on the side of the front runner are clear: the Nines have arrived.

"Nines, shit," you say without thinking. "We can take them," Delphinium's resolve is clear as a pulse of clam washes over you through the connection. "The numbers are in our favor, so all we have to do is force them apart and whittle them down one by one."

You nod. "Understood. Everyone, you heard the lady, the Nines are no match for us if we stick together."

There's no response. Delphinium turns to find that the members of her squad that were nearby have disappeared. Huh?

The dust storm envelops Delphinium as two of the transports rush overhead and continue toward the main complex. It persists as the final transport hovers several hundred feet from your current location. Large doors on the sides roll back and a figure steps out, dropping to the broken earth.

The FranXX is similar to Valkyra in height, making her a head taller than Delphinium, and wears precious little armor that you can see. The few pieces she does have appear to be attached in key locations over a sort of weave made from lightweight but highly durable metals covering her entire body. In each hand is a short spear approximately two-thirds in length of those carried by standard FranXX, but these have clearly been made special for the unit as their tips resemble an inverted teardrop.

"O-Omega?" the timid voice says, coming from the unit directly across from you. It's the same voice that had just announced the arrival of the Nines. "Is it really you?"

"Do you have any idea what they're talking about?" Delphinium whispers to you on a private line. "No," you answer. "My best guess they saw footage of when we claimed to be Nines." Delphinium gives a slight nod. "You called yourself Omega and I was Psi. If they want to talk, we should get any information out of them we can."

"Are you talking to me?" you ask in response. There's a gasp as the FranXX freezes, and then drops her weapons. "My love, it is you!"

Shock and anger assail you as Ichigo reacts to this woman's declaration of love, but she bites her tongue.

"I'm sorry," you say. "But... who are you?"

"You… don't know who I am." The FranXX cocks its head. "Your memory… you must have forgotten again. I'm your partner, Omega, your Psi. Come here, rest your head against my chest and it will come back. I've always been able to bring you back."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," you answer honestly.

"I know you're confused," the voice purrs. "These rebels must have captured you and tried to turn you against us. But I'm here now, you don't have to live this lie any longer. I will protect you."

"Psi…"

"Yes, my love?"

You sigh. "I'm not who you think I am. I'm sorry. I know you must be hurting terribly if you're mistaking me for someone else. I honestly can't imagine what it feels like to lose the one you love. Omega may exist, but he isn't me."

"Isn't you…" the FranXX gazes at her empty hands. "That's… not possible. I would never mistake your voice for someone else's."

"My name is (Y/N)," you continue. "I was born at the Third Garden and entered the Replacement Division after failing parasite selection. A year ago, I was transferred to Squad 13. There I became the squad leader's partner. I fell in love with her and now we have two beautiful little girls together. I am not Nine Omega."

Psi doubles over and covers her ears with her hands. "No… no! No! That isn't true! You're Omega, the one who wasn't scared of me, the one who helped me gain control of myself."

Psi wrestles with herself, shouting more about a past you and her supposedly share until she suddenly stops. The FranXX bends over and retrieves her spears. When she speaks the tenderness has faded and an undertone of barely contained rage has taken its place. "It's you, isn't it?" she points the spear at Delphinium. "I saw the footage. You called yourself Psi. You're the one who's brainwashed him into thinking you're me!"

Having been silent long enough, Ichigo lashes out. "Like hell I did! (Y/N) and I have never seen you before, but you still have the nerve to claim him as yours! I may have felt sorry for you to begin with, but (Y/N) belongs to me and I'm not sharing with some APE floozy with a fabricated connection to him!"

Psi adjusts her stance. A maniacal laugh echoes through the comm. "Then I'll kill you and take Omega back! Without you brainwashing him he'll remember me! Don't worry my love, I'm coming for you!"

"She's insane," Delphinium huffs. "Not the time!" you shout back as Psi's FranXX lunges at Delphinium.

Psi moves with incredible speed rivaling that of Strelitzia as she closes the distance. This leaves you and Ichigo precious little time to react as Delphinium rolls over backward to avoid the spear thrust. As she returns to her feet, the blue and white FranXX draws her blades and the subtle whine of her thrusters kicking on fills the air as she begins the transition to Hierax.

This pattern of bob and weave is continued for another ten seconds until the transformation completes. All the while, your opponent's rage grows.

"Don't run from me!" Psi shrieks. "I'll kill you and take back what's mine!"

Now capable of holding her own, Delphinium willingly engages the Nine in single combat. The deadly dance would likely be beautiful to an outsider. Delphinium dodges Psi's strikes and reprises with her own, only for the graceful FranXX to avoid them in acrobatic style.

Psi sweeps at Delphinium using the spear in her left hand, however it finds only empty space as Delphinium had seen the move coming and fired the thruster in her heel to remove it from harm's way. As a result she knees her opponent in the stomach, however, Psi fails to react as the blow is deadened by her light armor. This causes Delphinium's follow up to miss as Psi remains standing.

"She's good," Delphinium tells you. "She's stronger and has better gear," you agree. Delphinium gives a small chuckle. "Sell me short why don't you?"

To protect herself while closing the gap that had formed between the two FranXX, Psi takes the spear on her left and holds it in front of her before rapidly rolling her wrist from side to side. The resulting fanning motion makes it impossible for Delphinium to strike at her without the sword first being caught by either side of the metal spear shaft.

To nullify this advantage Psi has created for herself, Delphinium executes one of her signature moves. Somersaulting over her, Delphinium finds the opening she wanted as the FranXX's back comes into view. The thrusters fire and Delphinium finds purchase in the soft earth. Or she would have until a massive foot clouds your vision and the cockpit shakes so hard your teeth rattle.

Psi had countered the move with a backflip of her own, kicking Delphinium squarely on the nose if FranXX had one. As Delphinium rolls away from the Nine there is a dreadful sound as the metal on her heel is sheared by one of the blades. The internal readout tells you that it missed everything vital, but the thrusters have been damaged badly enough that using Hierax effectively would no longer be an option.

On her knees, Delphinium involuntarily reverts to her normal form, leaving her vulnerable. Psi is ready to capitalize and swings to behead the immobilized unit. Time seems to slow to a crawl as the tear-shaped blade moves toward you. You can't react, it would be too late. All you can do is watch and wait for the end to come.

Unbeknownst to you, inside the cockpit of her FranXX, Psi's current stamen breathes his last. The sudden loss causes Psi's control over the FranXX to wane and her strike to veer from its intended target. Instead of taking off Delphinium's head the blade falls lower and onto a pauldron before glancing off. The pointed tip catches her right arm on the way, cutting a thin gash from her shoulder to her elbow that begins to leak hydraulic fluid.

Realizing the loss of her stamen means her time is rapidly coming to an end and that she still has not reclaimed her beloved Omega, Psi becomes desperate. The pain she feels is excruciating as the FranXX attempts to shut down or transition into Stampede mode. Through sheer force of will Psi keeps the unit in its humanoid configuration and presses on.

"Omega! Omega! Omega!" she shouts, throwing herself at Delphinium. Psi's desperation has made her reckless however, and her feral strikes are easier to anticipate.

Delphinium deflects a right thrust. Then she catches Psi's wrist as she attempts a cross slash with her left. Delphinium jerks the appendage back at a terrible angle. Before it can be broken the protective weave stops the motion, causing Psi to drop the spear but not become seriously injured.

Psi then headbutts her opponent and sends her staggering back. While Delphinium recovers, Psi plants her left foot and launches herself into a front flip. Leaving her right leg extended, the heel crashes into the dazed FranXX's skull and sends Delphinium tumbling to the ground. The helmet Delphinium wears breaks free and tumbles to the side, revealing the red petals that make up her hair.

Psi leans over and grabs Delphinium by her hair. The FranXX struggles in the Nine's grasp but is unable to break free as she is held with her feet just off the ground. Psi's tone is triumphant through gritted teeth. "Now you understand, don't you, you bitch? You could never replace me. Omega is mine!"

Psi is ready to execute her coup de grâce when her FranXX seizes up. "No! No! Not now! Not when my beloved is so near!" Metal groans and Delphinium falls in a heap as power to Psi's FranXX begins to fail.

"Omega! Please! Don't go! We are meant to be together for all time! You can't leave me!"

Delphinium coughs and gets to her feet. "She's helpless," you say in shock. "I guess she overdid it," your FranXX agrees. "Now let's finish her." "Should we?" you ask. "I know she's our enemy, but I feel bad for her. She clearly misses this Omega a lot."

"You remember!" Psi shouts. "No," you correct her. "I still have no idea who you are." "We have to," Delphinium doesn't hesitate to take up her sword. She paces over to Psi, who is still locked in the position she had been a moment before while she was lording over Delphinium.

"I want you to know," your partner says with a snarl, "this is entirely personal and I'm going to enjoy it." "You cannot kill me," Psi yells back. "Omega will not allow it! I am his one true love and he would never allow anyone to harm me!"

Delphinium lines up a killing blow. One clean slice should be all it takes to remove Psi's head and then you can return to Haven and the girls with this lunatic gone for good.

"I'm sorry Psi," you tell her. "I hope that you find Omega in the afterlife so that you can be happy."

Delphinium swings. The blade connects with Psi's neck and stops cold. The shockwave travels back up the FranXX's arm and she drops the weapon, clutching at her wrist.

Psi chuckles to herself and it evolves into a terrifying laugh. "You are too weak to kill me, little whore. Omega will never be satisfied with you now. He and I are meant for each other!"

"Oh, would you just shut up!" Delphinium snaps. "Your whole body can't be armored, and when I find where it isn't you're dead!"

A shot wizzes by Delphinium and into the ground behind her. "You know, step away from Psi now and we shall not kill you immediately." A FranXX with a rifle against its shoulder crouches a short ways away.

"Sigma," Psi's tone grows somewhat lighter. "Sigma, it's Omega!"

The FranXX eyes Delphinium. "You know, you there, speak now or I'll shoot."

"Shoot Ichigo and I promise it will be the last mistake you ever make."

Two different voices gasp as you speak. "Omega...," a second female says in awe. The stamen of the newcomer is just as surprised by your speech. "You know, Omega, you've come back to us!"

"I really don't know who this Omega, is but for the last time I'm not him!" you shout. "She's brainwashed him!" Psi shouts. "Told him that she was me after his memory faded!"

"You know, that's the only thing that makes sense," the stamen agrees. "You know, Omega would never abandon us." The FranXX turns to you. "Give him back," the second pistil orders.

The FranXX puts a hand to its ear. "You know, Psi, we have to go. You know, Upsilon reports she is coming." "No!" she shrieks. "Not without my Omega!"

"You know, we will have other opportunities to save him," he reassures her as the FranXX slings the rifle over her shoulder. "You know, your stamen is dead and you are immobilized; you cannot hope to fight Strelitzia in your current condition. You know, we can't fight two opponents and protect you."

"Tau!" Psi shrieks, trying to appeal to the pistil of the new arrival. "Too strong," is her gruff response.

"You know, Omega, we will come for you my friend. You know, we all miss you, Psi especially," the stamen tells you as they collect Psi's FranXX. The dust cloud returns as the transport that had dropped Psi off reappears and lands several hundred yards from you.

"No!" Psi shrieks. "Omega! Don't leave him! Omega!" Her cries can be heard as the transport lifts off.

"Are we really going to just let them go?" Ichigo whispers. You nod. "We couldn't stop them if we tried. You've lost the ability to move your right arm if you haven't noticed. Plus, the swords can't even scratch whatever that bodysuit was."

"Think we'll see them again soon?" Ichigo wonders aloud. "I'd almost bet on it," you answer. "And we need to talk to the doctor. If he didn't tell us there were more Nines, there are other things we don't know as well."