The sun hadn't even risen into the sky when the alarm blared across the house. The sound slicing through the night. Hiro awoke with a start, delirious. Next to him, Zero Two groaned, having already been awakened serval times in the night by the baby. He sat up and looked around, blinking as his eyes adjusted to the dark.
"Squad 13," Nana said, her voice echoing over the loudspeakers. "Please suit up and assemble in the briefing room. The attack is commencing ahead of schedule. We are officially out of time."
He felt his throat tighten painfully, his heart hammering in his chest. Zero Two sat up wide awake, gulping nervously as she looked at him.
"I thought we had a few more days." She said, placing a hand on her naked belly.
He gulped, and he could feel his hand trembling, knowing that they were about to be in a fight for their lives. "I guess things changed." He said, trying to keep his voice steady.
She nodded, taking a deep breath. "Then let's win this. I need this to finally be over."
He nodded but feeling more scared than ever. Fear was gnawing at him, as the threat to all he held dear approached, ready to snatch away everything. He felt tears welling up in his eyes, and furiously he wiped them away. He would not cry!
He felt himself trembling, and the entire world around him was cold. The scars from Papa's torture burned, reminding him of what Papa could do to his family. To all that, he held dear.
"Darling." Zero Two said quietly.
He didn't even hear her, lost in what would happen to all of them if they failed.
Suddenly he was pulled into a warm embrace, Zero Two clutching him to her chest. He felt the love radiating off her, the soft, tender love that only she possessed, wrapping itself around him. He felt the swell of her belly pressed up against him, and the scent of her milk-filled breasts a soothing balm against all he feared.
"We'll be okay." She said softly, running a hand through his hair.
"Everything will be okay, Darling."
He gulped, feeling the swell of her belly against him, the baby that she protected nestled deep inside her. He took a deep breath, surrounded by her love and support.
"I'm okay." He said after a moment.
Gently he separated himself from her. "I'm sorry I broke down."
She smiled, "Don't be sorry. I know you're only worried, and honestly, it's touching. It shows that you really care."
He smiled weakly. "I just wish I could be brave, though."
"You are brave." She said sweetly.
"Not when it comes to you." He said with a smile.
She shrugged, "Nobody's perfect."
He sighed, "I guess we should go. It… It seems the moment has come."
She smiled, "Good, I want this over with."
He grinned faintly as they got up and hurriedly pulled on clothes. "I just hope this ends well." He said to himself. "Because I don't know what I'll do if it doesn't."
"Well we won't be around to find out if it doesn't." She said with a faint smile.
Hurriedly they descended the stairs bumping into other members of the squad as they all trekked their way out to the lobby. Everyone appeared to be still half asleep, and many wore worried looks on their faces. Ahead Ichigo and Goro walked together, arguing about something, but the conversation ended suddenly when they approached.
"You guys nervous?" He said as they descended the stairs.
Ichigo nodded, "A little. One of the Klaxosaur armadas is still not here yet, so this battle just got a whole lot harder."
He sighed, "I was hoping that wasn't the case, but…"
Zero Two shrugged, "Well, whatever, we'll manage."
Ichigo smiled, "I hope so."
Goro still looked unhappy, and he could almost feel the tension in the air between them.
"Is something wrong." He asked.
Ichigo shook her head, "No… Goro is just unnecessarily worried about things he can't control." He noticed that Ichigo's hand drifted to her belly just for an instant before quickly darting away.
"Come on, you guys!" Zorome shouted from the elevator, "Nana called us like five minutes ago."
"We're coming, Zorome," Goro said his voice sharper than usual.
Hurriedly the entire squad crammed into one of the elevators. It descended and the squad separating into boys and girls as they descended into the main lobby and dashed for the changing rooms.
Before they knew it, they were dashing out towards the briefing room, the girls only a few seconds behind them. They poured in and took their seats, Alpha and Delta arriving a few minutes later with Nana right behind them. Hachi entered from the other side of the room, the lights already dimming.
"Alright, everyone, thanks for coming," Hachi said as the holo screen in front of them activated. "As I'm sure you're all aware by now, the attack is commencing ahead of schedule. Queen Naomi has informed us that Maya's time to re-create the world will soon be upon her, and she's uncertain for how much longer she can hold out." Hachi tapped the screen, and a map of the Garden appeared, Papa's forces amassed around it, ringed around Papa's massive FRANXX. "The main objective is Papa. If we can kill him, the army will fall apart. The Klaxosaurs that are here will clear a path for you, and your job is to make it to the FRANXX and destroy it. The Klaxosaurs will know what to do; you just wait for your opportunity. We only get one shot at this, which is why we're keeping it simple. Hiro, Goro, and Zorome, you guys can fly, so focus on the upper body; Futoshi, Mitsuru, Alpha try to undermine its legs. The Klaxosaurs are giving up a lot for this assault, so we only get one chance. We have to take him down, or we're all done for. Do you have any questions?"
They shook their heads, the severity of their situation, really hitting them for the first time.
He stared at the map, watching as Papa's forces slowly moved around, forming up in preparation for their coming assault.
Hachi took a deep breath. "Alright well, if that's everything, it's time to sortie. Make us proud, Squad 13. We all want a world that we can come back to. We'll try and make sure everything is still in one piece upon your return."
Ichigo stood. "Alright, Squad 13 to your FRANXXs, It's time to win this thing."
They all filed out of the room, Hiro gently leading Zero Two by the hand as they made their way to the hangar. He tried not to focus on how cumbersome his wife's movements were, but with the weight of the battle pressing down on him, he couldn't help but think about it.
"I need a nap after this is all over." Zero Two said, with a nervous smile.
He squeezed her hand. "I'll make sure you get it."
She chuckled, "I was only joking."
The door to the hangar slid open, and everyone strode in. Quietly he looked around at the FRANXX's, hoping that when this was all over that this sight would remain unchanged. He couldn't bear the thought of one of the ports being empty. In the spare repair port, he saw the 9's model, its spear replaced and ready to fight for freedom. Quietly he closed his eyes and said a quiet prayer that they'd all make it out of this. And when that time finally came, they could live happy, peaceful lives.
"Alright, squad," Ichigo said, keeping her voice steady. "Let's go."
In solemn silence, they all boarded their FRANXXs. Before stepping into Strelizia's cockpit, he rested a hand on her warm surface, Zero Two's fiery passion imbued into her FRANXX.
"Thank you for looking after us." He whispered, "If I can make one final request. Get us through this. Let us see the light of tomorrow."
He took a deep breath and saw his wife standing in the cockpit, staring at him with her tender smile. Quietly he stepped in, and she pulled him into a hug.
"We'll be alright, Darling." She whispered.
He nodded.
Gently she pulled him into a kiss, her soft tender lips the most perfect things in the world. The swell of her belly pressed up against him, and he smiled as the baby kicked in protest at being squished. Gently they broke apart, and she leaned against him, the sweet smell of her hair as welcome as it had ever been.
"We're so close now." She whispered, "So close to it finally being over."
He nodded and gave her a squeeze, "I know."
Gently they separated and quietly took their seats, Zero Two struggling to get in position even with the seat being modified for her belly. She deployed the controls, and Strelizia came alive around him, as their sync rates climbing to the max.
"Alright, everyone." Ichigo said calmly, "I hope this is the last time I have to do this. Everyone report in."
"Strelizia is ready."
"Argentea ready."
"Genista ready."
"Chlorophytum ready."
"9'Alpha is ready."
The hangar doors slowly slid open, and beyond he saw Earth's red surface stretching out for hundreds of miles. "Squad 13." Hachi said, "This will be your final mission. We all want you to know that we could never have been more honored to have been your administrators. Make us proud one final time, and we'll do our best to make sure you have a home to return to."
"The honor is ours." Ichigo said, "We couldn't have asked for better people to be our guardians."
"Thank you. Squad 13, you're free to launch."
"Alright Squad, let's do this."
They shot off, accelerating away from the Plantation as the early morning sun rose into the sky. Strelizia soared off, climbing into the sky. Off in the distance, he saw the Garden Papa's massive FRANXX almost staring at them. Ahead he saw the Klaxosaurs amassing in their battle lines forming up for the final assault. He gulped nervously as the reality that the final Klaxosaur armada still hadn't arrived hit him. It was the biggest battle group, and since Maya's time had come early, it hadn't been able to make it. Inwardly he hopped at what they had was enough. Papa had amassed every FRANXX APE had around the Garden, abandoning the Plantations for this one final battle.
Delphinium soared up next to him, blue energy flowing out behind her as the FRANXX soared beside Strelizia. He smiled. He had to admit that the Klaxosaur that Delphinium had merged with gave the FRANXX a refined grace that the human-made ones just didn't have.
"This will be interesting," Goro said as he too looked out over the battlefield.
"We can win." Zero Two said, "I think we're incapable of losing this."
He smiled.
"I wish I had your confidence," Ichigo said, plainly.
"Losing is not an option for me." Zero Two replied, "I have too much to lose."
"I understand…" Ichigo sighed, "I think I know what you mean."
Strangely Goro sighed.
"You two okay?" He asked.
"We're fine." Ichigo replied, "If we survive this, I have something to tell the two of you."
Before he could reply, Delphinium began to descend, and looking down, he saw the hill that they'd been ordered to land on while they waited for the Klaxosaurs to clear a path to Papa. Strelizia thudded down, the rest of the squad pulling up behind them as they looked out over the Klaxosaurs.
While they waited, Ichigo quietly went around and made sure everyone was ready, providing assurances to some and listening to any last minutes concerns. When she was done, Delphinium took her place at the head of the squad looking out over the battlefield.
Suddenly he saw a black shape descend from the sky, wings spread out as it soared towards the Klaxosaurs. It swooped low and flew over the Klaxosaurs, and gaining altitude again, banked reveling a figure secured to it's back. Suddenly the Klaxosaurs let out a cheer, the roars deafening as the rising sun revealed a Klaxosaur dragon with somebody riding on its back. The figure waved down at the Klaxosaurs, making serval more passes, cheers still reverberating in the early morning stillness. Suddenly the Klaxosaur dragon swooped down towards them, landing in a cloud of dust as the faint light of the rising sun reflected off the dragon's skin. On it's back, he saw a figure in intricate black armor, and he realized that it was the same armor that Zero Two had worn when she rescued him. The figure waved at them, and as the helmet retracted, and he realized that it was Naomi. Her horns glowed a brilliant blue, and suddenly they heard her voice.
"You guys hanging in there?" She said with a smile.
"Mostly." He said, smiling, "What are you doing here?"
Naomi gestured out at the Klaxosaurs amassing before them. "I'm here to support them."
"And Numa？" Ikuno asked, concerned.
A little pod on Naomi's back opened, and it revealed Numa's head, the little girl letting out a cry of excitement. He smiled as the pod closed again, protecting the little girl and sealing her to her mother.
"Well." Naomi said, adjusting in her seat on the dragons back, "I guess we should get started. Maya is running out of time, and we need this over with."
They all nodded, steeling themselves from what was to come. "We're with you, Naomi." Ichigo said, "Let's end this."
Naomi nodded, and the helmet sealed around her face again. "Well. Then let's do this."
The dragon flapped its wings, and a cloud of dust billowed out as the dragon took off. It soared out over the Klaxosaurs, and he saw Naomi draw a golden sword, her horns glowing a pale blue even at this distance. Cheers echoed from the Klaxosaurs as Naomi flew over them, circling as she flew over the battle lines.
Papa's FRANXX moved suddenly, the golden horn aiming right at Naomi. Before he could even shout a warning, a beam of golden energy streaked across the sky. The dragon dived, the golden beam missing them by only a second.
"ATTACK!" Naomi yelled as the dragon charged towards the Garden.
Everything came alive in a flurry of motion. Massive Klaxosaurs at the back opened their jaws, and golden beams of energy arched out over the battlefield, slamming into Papa's battle lines. Everything swelled as both forces surged forward, the noise deafening as both sides charged towards each other. Bolts of magma energy flew from behind Papa's lines slamming into the charging Klaxosaurs. The Klaxosaurs retaliated beams of energy flying across the distance. In no time at all, golden magma energy set the sky ablaze as both sides fired at each other, beams and bolts whizzing by and slamming into the forces on the ground.
Both sides met and everything devolved into a brutal melee, explosions of blue and orange painting the line of contact as each side fought for control. The line of advantage surged between the two forces, each side gaining and losing the upper hand in a matter of seconds.
They all watched in stunned silence as the battle raged on, both sides fighting for their continued survival. Ferociously the Klaxosaurs drove forward, wedging into Papa's battle lines. The Klaxosaurs fought with a ferocity he'd never seen before, relentlessly pushing forward, craving their way through. Although with a twinge of guilt, he realized the heavy cost the Klaxosaurs were paying to give them the opportunity they needed to kill Papa. Thousands fell as they carved their way through Papa's forces fighting for every inch they gave.
Out of nowhere, Papa's FRANXX shifted suddenly, and its horn aimed right at Plantation 13. In the blink of an eye, a beam of energy streaked over them and slammed into the Plantation. A blaze of light blinded him, and it felt like the world fell out from under him. But a moment later, the Plantation emerged unharmed, its energy shield flickering as the blast dissipated. He let out a cheer as the Plantation crawled away from the line of fire, hiding its bulk behind a hill.
He turned back just in time to see another flash of golden light aimed at the Klaxosaurs. His eyes widened in fear at the devastation. It looked like somebody had just scooped out a chunk of the Klaxosaurs, leaving nothing behind but charred husks. Papa fired, again and again, Klaxosaurs melting away as Papa rained hellfire down upon them.
Suddenly, however, he saw it—a path in Papa's forces. The Klaxosaurs had carved a path straight to Papa's FRANXX, the Klaxosaurs desperately fighting to keep it open.
"Charge!" Ichigo shouted.
Strelizia lept into the air and screamed towards Papa, Delphinium, and Argentea not far behind. Genista and Chlorophytum trailed them on the ground as 9'Alpha brought up the rear, and as a squad, they all charged towards Papa, determined to end this.
"Let's finish this Zero Two!" He yelled, raising the magma lance its tip angled right at Papa's throat.
"I'm with you, Darling!" She shouted, her voice echoing in his head.
Strelizia charged at Papa, a plume of fire streaking out behind them as they screamed towards Papa. He drove everything into the lance, determined to make this the blow to end it all. Papa's FRANXX swung around, aiming right at him, desperate to prevent his lance from ending it all.
He let out a yell of triumph as he soared straight for Papa's throat, the end of it all just seconds away.
"YES!" He shouted. "YES! YES! YES!"
BANG.
His head snapped around as Strelizia was sent flying through the air. The entire world spinning as Strelizia tumbled end over end, plummeting towards the ground. They slammed into the ground, a shock wave staggering Papa's forces around them. He groaned, his whole body aching; he fought to stand again using Strelizia's lance for support as he looked up at Papa. To his horror, he stared at an energy shield flickering from the impact of his lance. Wordless, he watched as the shield reformed, and suddenly it was invisible again, almost as if it wasn't there at all. He gazed, horrified at it, disbelief coloring every line of his face. Numbly he looked around and saw Delphinium and Argentea scattered across the battlefield, Papa's forces surrounding them. For a moment, everything was still, shock at what had just happened silencing everybody. Then with a roar, the battle started again, a wave of movement rippling back from the front lines. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a spear flash towards him and turning, he just barely managed to block it with a lance. He spun as another blade flashed towards Strelizia's belly. With one strike, he slashed both of his opponents, expositions staggering those around him.
"You alright, Zero Two." He shouted, panting as he circled around, keeping his lance raised.
"I'm fine, Darling." She said back, "Let's just focus on winning this."
He nodded, as a magma whip flashed out at him, binding his lance and pulling. He let the momentum carry him forward, impaling the FRANXX in the chest. Running, he leaped into the air, slashing once more at the FRANXX below him. A hail of magma bolts followed him up golden streaks of light whizzing just behind him. He looked around and saw Delphinium and Argentea soaring into the sky, escaping the seething mass of FRANXXs below them. Then horrified, he realized that half of his squadmates were still on the ground, and looking around, spotted them desperately fighting off Papa's forces. Out of nowhere, Naomi swooped down, and a beam of energy circled the squad killing all the FRANXX in the immediate vicinity.
A massive clawed hand slashed through the air as Papa tried to eliminate Naomi. The dragon twisted in the air and dived the glowing claw of the FRANXX, clenching on nothing but air. Beams of energy rained against the hand as the Klaxosaur's retaliated, the energy shield appearing as it stopped the impacts. He dived at the hand, his spear slamming the shield. Prepared for the impact, he flipped through the air and flew off, staring down at Papa's FRANXX.
"We need to break that shield," Naomi shouted into their heads, the dragon strafing the shield was it flew up the arm. "It's our only chance of winning."
Suddenly magma bolts whizzed towards Naomi, and he saw cannons on the FRANXX's surface tracking the dragon as they soared past. Papa ignored all of them, the massive FRANXX stepping forward its horn aimed at the line of Klaxosaurs beyond. Golden light blinded him, and when it cleared, he stared horrified at the gaping hole in the Klaxosaur's forces. Everyone dived at the FRANXX, pummeling the shield with blows as Papa continued to ignore them.
Papa's forces surged, pushing the Klaxosaurs back, the centerline buckling as Papa's forces drove a wedge in their lines.
"This is falling apart!" Ichigo yelled as Delphinium soared above the battlefield. He too disengaged and soared high into the sky, magma bolts trailing him as he ascended.
"We have to do something to help Darling."
At a loss, he looked down. The Klaxosaurs were falling apart, Alpha and the others fighting to maintain what little ground they had.
"We can't stop them all." He said, feeling sick. "There's too many of them."
"Let's see if we can level the playing field a bit." She said, staring around.
"How?" He asked, feeling a tightening in his stomach. "We're putting the baby in too much danger if we land in the middle of that."
"We don't have to." She said, "Here, give me control for a moment."
He gulped but relinquished control to her, afraid of what she might do. Strelizia dived again, magma bolts whizzing by as she dived for the ground. Suddenly everything jerked, and she sped off towards the Garden, the looming mass towering above them.
Strelizia's lance buried into the wall of the Garden, its blade slicing into the wall. They dashed along the surface, the lance carving at a big chunk of the wall. Finished, Strelizia kicked off and boosted away Zero Two throwing the lance and burying it inside the wall. She heaved, and he heard a thunderous crash. With all the force Strelizia could muster, Zero Two heaved the chunk of wall into the air. It arched and smashed into the ground, explosions killing still more around the impact.
"It's better than nothing." Zero Two said as they dodged a hail of magma bolts.
"Great idea, you two!" Naomi shouted, the dragon still strafing Papa's FRANXX. "Let's get their attention back on us."
Delphinium and Argentea zoomed up, dodging around Papa's arm as they ascended from the ground.
"Let's get to work!" Ichigo shouted, Delphinium firing a few beams of energy down at the FRANXXs below them. "The Klaxosaurs are almost out of time."
A bright flash silenced them as Papa laid waste to the Klaxosaurs beyond, hundreds dying in the blast's wake. Just then, Plantation 13 charged out from behind the battle lines making a stab into Papa's forces defense cannons raining down.
All four of them dived for the Garden, Delphinium, and Argentea, carving out sections of the wall as he flung them into the mass of FRANXX below them.
"We need something bigger than this." He shouted, a chunk falling to the ground in a loud crash.
Golden light blazed once more, as Papa fired a beam of energy at Plantation 13.
"The Garden!" Naomi shouted, "Let's bring it down!"
"Can we even do that!?" Miku shouted, "It's way too big!"
"I'm open to suggestions!" Naomi shouted.
He looked around and saw the Klaxosaurs amassing around Plantation 13, driving a wedge into Papa's forces as the sprawling mass of FRANXXs swallowed them. Beams of magma energy streaked up from the group slamming into Papa's energy shield. The Plantation charged forward, making straight for Papa, carving their way through the FRANXXs.
"What are they doing?" Goro said, stunned.
The Plantation charged forward and drove straight beneath Papa's FRANXX taking shelter away from the massive FRANXX's deadly magma cannon.
"That's the spirit!" He shouted, the Plantation and the remaining Klaxosaurs fighting off the FRANXX that tried to drive them out.
"We gotta weaken that shield!" Naomi shouted, "We're running out of time."
Furiously the dragon pummeled the Garden chucks melting away as the dragon weakened the outer walls. The defense cannons fired desperately at them as they joined in, but afraid of hitting their own forces, their attacks were ineffective. Chunks tumbled off the Garden, crushing the FRANXXs below. Papa turned to face them in his massive FRANXX, ignoring his own forces that he crushed beneath his feet. He swiped at them with clawed hands, and they scattered, zooming up the length of the FRANXX's arms. Deactivating Strelizia's thrusters, he landed on the FRANXX, the energy shield supporting his weight. Raising the lance, he pummeled the shield, its surface flickering as he tried to jab through it.
"Come on. Come one." He hissed, his arms numb as Strelizia jabbed over and over again.
Suddenly he saw a shadow envelop him, and horrified, he saw a clawed hand plummeting towards him, ready to crush them. He rolled and boosted into the air missing the blow by inches.
"Guys we need help down here!" Mitsuru shouted.
He looked down as he zoomed between Papa's legs and saw the Klaxosaurs dwindling in number. The protective circle around the Plantation began to crumble.
"I need you to hold out for just a little bit longer!" He shouted, zooming away. "We're almost there!"
Strelizia sped away from the battle, and coming to a halt, he hovered, looking out at the scene before him. The Plantation huddled beneath Papa, the FRANXXs pouring in about to overrun their home. The Garden had huge chunks missing as they tried to use it to level the playing field. His eyes scanned the Garden, looking for a solution. After a moment, his eyes alighted on the largest crater in the Garden, the supports above leaning out over empty space.
For a moment, he closed his eyes, "I hope this works."
"Zero Two." He said calmly, "I need everything you have. Lend me your strength."
He felt a warm glow wash over him. "It's yours, Darling."
He took a deep breath and opened a comms channel to everyone. "I need you all to trust me. Plantation 13 move out from under Papa and the rest of you get away from the Garden."
"But, Hiro!" Futoshi interrupted, "If the plantation moves, we're dead."
"Just trust me." He said, not taking his eyes off his target. "It's our only chance."
"We got it, Hiro!" Ichigo shouted, "Everyone, evacuate the area."
"Please work." He whispered, quietly raising Strelizia's spear. "Please…"
"Hiro, we're ready!" Goro shouted.
He took a deep breath.
"I'm with you, Darling!"
Strelizia's thrusters roared to life, jets of fire trailing behind them as they screamed through the air. Strelizia went faster than she'd ever gone before, the air scolding hot as they sliced across the distance. He leaned into the lance, keeping its course true as they hurled towards the Garden, a golden ball of fire intent on one goal. Zero Two pulsed all around him, the love of his life, their child. Everything. He focused all of it one this single stroke. Papa's FRANXX desperately slashed at him but barely even noticing it, he screamed past, the Garden screaming up to meet him.
"This is it!" He screamed.
Strelizia's tore through the Garden, the fiery golden lance carving their path forward. In a ball of fire, they punched their way through, soaring out the other side as their momentum carried them forward. Straining, he brought Strelizia to a halt. The entire world seemed to spin as he brought the FRANXX around to look over the battlefield. For a moment, everything was still, and all he felt was the ache of channeling so much raw power. For one horrible second, he thought it hadn't worked. That he doomed everyone to die. But then he heard a sickening creak, and the top half of the Garden tilted ominously. Then like a thunderclap, a crack split the air, and the top of the Garden sank and then fell. In an avalanche of motion, the Garden crashed, falling on top of Papa's massive FRANXX, and all his forces below. For a second, pity washed over him as he saw the Orphanage disappear into the mayhem, never to be seen again. It all tumbled down on Papa's forces crushing thousands of FRANXXs. Papa's FRANXX collapsed under the weight of it all, buried beneath millions of tons of desolation. For a second, everything was still, dust billowing up in a giant mushroom cloud obscuring everything beneath. For a moment, everyone stood silent, almost not daring to believe that it was all over. He looked around and saw Plantation 13 just barely outside the wreckage, the last of the Klaxosaurs huddled around it.
"You did it, Hiro!" Ichigo cried, "Hiro, you did it!"
A cry went up, echoing over the comms. It was over. It was all over. He smiled, glad to finally be safe. He didn't have to worry anymore. Their baby could be born safely, and everything would be okay. There was nothing left to fear. Zero Two's warmth enveloped him, all her love and appreciation washing over him, the baby inside her glowing with joy. He smiled and embraced his family, overjoyed.
But then.
He heard a crash and saw the remains of the Garden shift, a glowing hand stabbed up and reached for the sky. His heart sank into his stomach as Papa's FRANXX emerged out of the wreckage, building-sized pieces of wreckage falling to the ground. The cloud of dust seemed to vanish, and beyond he saw thousands of FRANXX that had managed to escape the destruction regrouping. Papa looked right at him, and suddenly a golden beam of light streaked across the sky. He dived the beam missing them by inches as Papa's FRANXX fulling emerged. The energy shield flickered faintly massive holes in its defenses, exposing the protective armor that it had kept safe.
His heart sank as he stared at Papa, the massive FRANXX stepping over the pile of wreckage. Papa looked around, taking in Plantation 13 and the remaining Klaxosaurs. His FRANXX turned to face them, waiting almost maliciously as the rest of his forces gathered around him.
Suddenly he heard a garbled sound, and then Papa's voice echoed into their comms. "So Plantation 13. Your final hour has come. You seem to be all out of tricks, and nothing will stop me now. Surrender and your death will be painless. I'll make it swift, and you'll be gone from this world. Accept reality. You've lost. There's nothing else you can do to save yourselves."
"We're not through yet!" Naomi's voice challenged,
He looked around and let out a cheer.
Naomi flew towards Papa, behind her the final armada of Klaxosaurs charging along in her wake. The armada that hadn't been able to get here in time for the assault accelerating towards them, ready to fight for their Queen. A cry of joy echoed through the air as they all stared at their last hope. All of them prepared to give it one final push.
"Let's win this!" Ichigo shouted.
They charged, Strelizia streaking out of the sky. Papa turned to face them the FRANXXs on the ground turning to engage the Klaxosaurs. A golden beam of energy streaking past them as Strelizia dived towards Papa. Papa's defense cannons erupted as the squad went on the offensive. Genista and Chlorophytum opening up with the guns, a hail of magma bolts slamming into Papa's armor. A clawed hand slashed through the air missing Delphinium by inches. The FRANXX spun and landed on the hand, severing a finger with its two golden swords. Strelizia dived and, focusing all their combined might, severed Papa's horn with one monstrous cleve. The horn spun through the air and crashed into Papa's FRANXX, the Klaxosaurs now fully engaged and seeking revenge for their fallen brethren.
9'Alpha and Argentea climbed up one of the massive legs of Papa's FRANXX. Leaping onto the FRANXX's back, they flew from defense cannon to defense cannon, taking them out as quickly as possible. Furious, Papa grabbed a chunk of the Garden and threw it at Genista and Chlorophytum, the two of them diving to it. Before he could blink, more chunks were in the air, and diving, he avoided a section of wall that when spinning past him.
It was all a faint, the FRANXX's torse twisted and clawed hands darting out, he scooped up 9'Alpha and Argentea.
His squadmates struggled helplessly in Papa's hands, unable to get out of Papa's binding grip.
"NO!" He screamed, diving to the rescue.
Papa looked down at 9'Alpha in his hands and then suddenly threw Alpha into the air. 9'Alpha spun helplessly through the air, plummeting back down towards the ground, its inability to fly dooming it's pilots to death.
Desperate, he dived for Alpha, streaks of fire streaming out behind him.
"Come on!" He screamed, fearing, consuming his heart as he fought to get to the FRANXX before the ground did.
Then all of a sudden, there was an explosion in Papa's other hand. His heart shattered as he realized what had just happened. Argentea had just been destroyed. He felt despair envelop him as Zero Two cried out, heartbroken. Strelizia's engines sputtered, and the FRANXX sagged in the air, it's pilot's emotional state jeopardizing the all-important connection. Hiro fought to remain focused, but the grief at losing his friends destroyed his every effort.
Then miraculously, he saw two escape pods plummeting from the sky, falling towards a seething mass of enemy FRANXXs below. His heart clenched painfully as he looked back and forth between 9'Alpha and the pilots of Argentea. He could only save one and had to make a choice. Who was he going to doom to die?
He looked back at 9'Alpha and swallowed hard. "I'm sorry." He whispered.
He looked over at Agrentea's falling pilots, judging the path he would need to intercept them. But then Delphinium appeared out of nowhere, and with a massive sigh, he realized that she was headed right for Argentea's pilots.
"Thank you," He whispered, looking back down at 9'Alpha.
He was running out of time, 9'Alpha was now dangerously close to the ground. Strelizia's thrusters roared to life, and he dived screaming towards the ground his eyes set on his target. Papa's defense cannons erupted a hail of magma bolts streaking past just behind him. He reached out with one hand straining to get there in time. He felt a rush of power as Zero Two's focus redoubled, and Strelizia gained just a little more speed. With not a second to spare, Strelizia and 9'Alpha clasped hands, and he heaved, fire from Strelizia's thrusters scorching the ground and turning it to glass as he desperately pulled up. Magma bolts whizzed over them, threatening to end their progress in a moment. He screamed, putting everything he could into hauling his squamate back into the air, desperately fleeing from Papa's wrath.
They equalized Strelizia soaring back into the air 9'Alpha hanging on for dear life as he hauled them away from the fate they'd been doomed to.
"Thank you." Alpha said, relieved, "I thought that we were dead for sure."
He smiled guilty, the knowledge of his choice of who he would have saved weighing on him. "Not a problem,"
He felt a wave of compassion was over him, and with a smile, he felt Zero Two. "It's okay," She whispered, "Everything worked out in the end."
He nodded. It would take time for him to move on, but every little bit helped.
Strelizia soared up as defense cannons still pursued them.
"Hiro." Alpha said, bring us close to Papa, "We're ready to get back into the fight."
"You're sure?" He asked, angling Strelizia back towards the fight.
"We are." Delta interrupted, "He needs to pay for humiliating us like that."
"Very well." He said, "Pick your target."
"The head."
His eyes widened, but he dived 9'Alpha dangling beneath Strelizia as they dived back into the fray. The defensive fire intensified bolts whipping past them. Strelizia banked, dodging around a barrage and swooped up, aiming straight for Papa's face. They zoomed past, and 9'Alpha let go plummeting down, set to pass only inches away from its target. 9'Alpha raised its spear, and as it flew by, buried it in the FRANXX's protective armor, the spear tearing a long gash as 9'Alpha held on to the spear for dear life.
Papa recoiled, stunned for a moment.
9'Alpha leaped away, jumping onto Papa's flailing hand, running down the length of the FRANXX's arm, slashing at anything it could reach. Papa shook them off, and they fell, burying their spear in one of the FRANXX's massive legs as they slowed their descent towards the ground.
"He always was a great pilot." Zero Two said, with a hint of grudging admiration.
He smiled, "Well, then I can't let myself be outdone."
Strelizia dived aimed straight at an exposed shoulder joint, but as a clawed hand slashed down at him, he dived for safety, zooming beneath Papa and slashing at the mass of FRANXX below. Delphinium pulled up next to him as he climbed,
"Where are Zorome and Miku?" He asked as they soared above Papa.
"We got them back to the Plantation," Goro said, slashing a magma bolt out of the air. "Their shaken but alright."
He nodded.
"Look, this isn't working." Goro said, "We can't keep up like this, we need a plan."
Hiro looked out over the battlefield, observing. The Klaxosaur clashed with Papa's forces, a bloody, brutal conflict that none the less now showed a clear advantage. The Klaxosaurs were winning. Slowly but still winning. Naomi flew over them, helping where she could, now that the biggest threat to her people was distracted. He looked back at Papa, watching as the massive FRANXX regarded them all. He could almost tell what was going on in Papa's mind. That careful weighing of options. The desperate search for a strategy.
Suddenly Papa moved his hands, reaching out for the fallen rubble of the Garden. In a moment, rubble was soaring through the air, headed straight for them. Panicked, he twisted in the air treading between the deadly projectile that threatened to end all he loved. He felt a searing pain as a chunk of metal tore a gash in Strelizia's leg. He let out a cry of pain, taking the full brunt of the blow. He would not let his family experience that pain.
Strelizia emerged wounded but still alive, desperately he looked back and saw Delphinium. She was sagging in the air a little bit, one of her thrusters having suffered significant damage. He looked around in time to see Papa throwing more rubble at his squamates on the ground. Genista and Chlorophytum diving out of the way, as debris rained down upon them. Desperately he looked around looking for a solution to Papa's new death trap.
Naomi swooped out of the air, the dragon firing a beam of golden energy into Papa. The FRANXX reeled as the dragon rained down more deadly beams, the protective armor melting away. Papa swiped at her golden claws racking through the air. The dragon dodged and weaved, firing melting away more armor hitting vulnerable joints. The dragon swooped away, disengaging as claws slashed through the air where they'd just been. Naomi sped away, getting out of Papa's reach.
But then Papa was reaching down again, his hand scooping up more rubble.
"No!" He screamed,
He dived for Papa raising his lance and aiming at the vulnerable shoulder. A moment before he reached it, Papa threw, debris spinning out of his hand and streaking towards Naomi. His lance buried itself in Papa's shoulder, and with a colossal effort, he heaved, the FRANXX's arm splitting away from the body and thundering to the ground.
The debris enveloped Naomi, and he heard a gut-wrenching scream of pain from the dragon. A moment later, he saw it falling out of the sky, struggling to regain control. A roar of fury echoed across the battlefield as the Klaxosaurs stared at their falling Queen. Beams of energy erupted from the Klaxosaurs and smashed against the FRANXX. Papa raised his remaining hand to shield his face, warding off the wrath he'd unleashed. Beams of magma energy slammed into him, melting away ever more of the protective armor. Hiro was forced to disengage as a bolt streaked by his head, realizing that Strelizia may become a victim of friendly fire.
He ascended into the air, looking down at the carnage below him. With a sigh of relief, he saw the dragon carrying Naomi limp away, disengaging from the battle, and getting Naomi to safety. A sense of relief wash over him as Zero Two let go of the tension she'd been holding, and together, they looked around. Delphinium circled the Plantation, a trail of smoke following behind her as she flew over the rest of the squad. Thankfully Genista and Chlorophytum were unhurt, and 9'Alpha seemed to have come out unscathed.
Then out of the corner of his eye, he saw something massive swinging through the air. He backpedaled, and a massive arm swung through the air. Horrified, he realized that Papa had grabbed up his fallen arm. The arm came crashing down like a massive club on the Klaxosaurs, crushing hundreds of them, and even more of his own forces. Papa looked around, his gaze fixed on the Plantation. Before he could do anything, the arm was in the air, it's colossal weight arcing through the air aimed right at the Plantation.
His stomach fell out from under him, as Zero Two's cry of fear rang in his ears.
The arm slammed down, a sickening crack snapping the air. The arm broke, half of it spinning off into the air. For a moment, he thought everything was okay, but a second later, Plantation 13's energy shield collapsed, and the now vulnerable Plantation was open to any attack Papa could throw at it.
Diving, he came to a halt in front of Papa, hovering directly in front of him. They stared at each other, and he looked back at the blank faceplate of Papa's FRANXX. The world seemed to still around him, and nothing else existed except them.
"I'm going to defeat you." He whispered, "You're going to die today."
He closed his eyes and felt Zero Two's presence envelop him, the weight of their baby nestled inside him. He felt Zero Two stand behind him, was at his back, the support he needed to stay afloat. Gently he shook his head and guided her forward, clasping hands with her. No, they were together. A couple. A pair.
"Let's do this, Darling."
"Squad 13!" He shouted, pointing his lance at Papa. "Let's win this!"
Magma bolts flew from Genista, slamming into Papa as Chlorophytum's bullets rained down. Strelizia charged, weaving through Papa's clawed hand and slicing off one of the fingers. Rolling, they began running up the arm slashing away magma bolts as defense cannons trailed his every move. Leaping off the FRANXX shoulder, he drove his lance into it's back and slid down, slicing open the protective armor. He looked out and watched as the enraged Klaxosaurs swarmed over the last of Papa's forces, determined to end this hundred-year conflict. He leaped into the air Strelizia climbing until everything was nothing more than a tiny speck. Flipping, they dived, picking up speed and the rising sun flashing off their golden spear. They screamed towards the ground; the entire battlefield laid out before them, Klaxosaurs streaming towards Papa's FRANXX, as Delphinium and 9'Alpha charged towards their enemy. His eyes alighted on an exposed leg joint, and he aimed directly for it. Strelizia's lance flashed as they plunged into it, and Papa's entire FRANXX shook. Then with a sound of breaking metal, the leg ripped off, smashing into the ground. Papa staggered, and the FRANXX collapsed backward. Klaxosaurs swarmed over the exposed FRANXX, clambering onto Papa's back. Shakily the FRANXX stood again, Klaxosaurs running amuck all over the defense cannons making one final stand as the Klaxosaurs sought their revenge.
Delphinium boosted into the air carrying 9'Alpha, they landed on Papa's back, running each for a leg. Papa swiped desperately at them, but without risking damage to himself, his attacks were ineffective. The two of them dived for an exposed leg joint, slashing at the critical systems underneath. Papa slashed at Delphinium, but Strelizia plunged down on the exposed wrist, the clawed hand falling helplessly to the ground. Then spinning in the air, he dived for the final leg severing it the instant the other two finished. Papa's FRANXX fell was a crash. Genista and Chlorophytum's magma bullets tore through Papa's remaining arm. The FRANXX sat there an armless, legless husk staring at them in disgust.
Strelizia descended, hovering in front of Papa.
"Your regime is at an end, Papa." He spat, "I hope you find solace in death."
Strelizia raised her lance, and her thrusters ignited, golden fire streaming out behind her. He and Zero Two poured everything into this strike. All their hopes and dreams, all the suffering they endured. All of it focused on a single point, ready to strike the blow to make this new world.
Strelizia flashed in a ball of light, slashing through the armor neck of Papa. For a moment, nothing happened, and the entire world stilled. But then the head fell, spinning through the air and landing in the seething mass of Klaxosaurs below.
Papa screamed in fury as the blow hit him, as a flash of golden light obscured everything. He felt the cockpit shudder, and everything went dark. He slammed his fists on the controls, unbridled hatred exploding out from him, as glass from the controls embedded itself in his hands. The cockpit lurched suddenly, and the world fell out from under him, as he screamed in despair. They crashed to the ground, and he fell forward, his mask shattering on his face, as he slammed into the cockpit wall.
"Why!" He screamed as he heard the sound of Klaxosaurs tearing apart the FRANXX's head.
"Where did I go wrong? This was supposed to be the most perfect world. A world for everybody. Why? Why is this happening!?"
He heard a crash and a golden claw tore through the cockpit.
"Why!?"
The cockpit came apart; the Klaxosaurs burrowing through he screamed in pain was one of those golden claws slashed at his back. The Klaxosaurs came through, tearing everything apart. He cried out in despair as the Klaxosaurs began to tear him apart.
He screamed sobbing, confused, and alone, the entire world coming down around him. He screamed as a golden tooth empaled him through the heart. Too weak to scream, he stared up blankly, his world going dark. But then he saw a light, and somebody emerged. Her hair flowed out behind her, and that familiar smile that he hadn't seen since he was a little boy smiled down warmly at him.
"Mommy?" He whimpered feebly,
She smiled and held out her hand, "It's time to go home, buddy."
Behind her, he saw their little countryside cottage, the golden fields of grain stretching out for miles. Suddenly he was that little boy again, the boy who had lost everything so long ago.
"Mommy!" He cried, running to her.
She smiled and picked him up, hugging him to her chest. "Let's go have dinner, sweetie, Papa's inside waiting for you."
He nodded and smiled, snuggling up against his mother as they walked back to the cottage. Back to where he belonged, away from the world and back to a time where things were simpler. Back to a time when all that mattered was your mother's warm smile.
Strelizia hovered in the air, looking down at the FRANXX's head as the Klaxosaurs tore it apart. Hiro felt a wave of relief wash over him as he realized that finally, it was over. He shivered as the reality that they'd fought for was finally upon them. He let out a cry of joy and felt Zero Two's presence envelop him, the weight of their baby heavy in his belly. He laughed, intertwining his presence with her's and Strelizia spun in the air. She snuggled up against him, and Strelizia slowly began to descend.
"We did it, Darling!" She cried her voice echoing in his mind, "Darling we did it!"
He smiled and kissed her Strelizia drifting sideways as its pilots completely forgot about their surroundings.
"You guys, alright?" Goro asked with a chuckle.
He blinked back into reality and saw Zero Two still in her pilot's seat. In the back of his mind though, he felt her warm presence.
"Yeah we're fine." He said cheerfully. "Is everyone okay?"
"Yeah we all made it." Goro said,
Dr. Franxx voiced echoed over the comms. "Great work, everybody!"
"Not a problem." Ichigo said, "Everything still holding together over there?"
"Yeah we made it; all thanks to you guys." Dr. Franxx said with glowing admiration, "You guys really shined today. Our entire future is all thanks to you."
"We just fought to preserve our own way of life. We were happy to help." Ichigo said,
"You guys did it!" Zorome and Miku shouted suddenly, their voices deafening over the comms.
"Sorry we couldn't be there." Zorome said, sounding slightly ashamed.
"Don't apologize," He said before anyone could but in. "You guys were a huge help."
Zorome seemed to brighten at that, and eventually, he let Dr. Franxx have the comms back.
"We can't thank you guys enough." Dr. Franxx said, after a moment. "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you."
Naomi stood leaning quietly against Kiyomi. Gently she stroked the dragon comforting the creature that had given so much for her. Who had risked life and limb to keep her and her children safe. Her eyes gazed over the tears in the dragon's wings, the long gashes in the once perfect armor. Kiyomi stared at her with big golden eyes, appreciative of the attention. Gently she held Numa to her breast. The little girl had been through a lot, and not all of it had been pleasant. She'd tried to mentally protect her from most of it, but she couldn't shield the girl from it all.
Quietly she waited. She knew Maya was coming, although part of her never wanted to see her come. She didn't want to say goodbye. Not after everything…. Maya and Logos had done so much for her, and it almost seemed impossible that one day they'd disappear. And the fact that it had to be today. Today of all days.
Off in the distance, she saw Logos, and her heart sank painfully into her stomach. It was time. Kiyomi lifted her head and stared at Logos's slithering form. Quietly as they got closer, the Klaxosaurs began to gather around the place where she'd landed. Naomi gulped, trying to contain her emotions as she saw Maya gently sitting on Logos's head, her golden belly shinning even from this distance.
She heard a transport land somewhere behind her and knew that it was the squad come to see if she was alright. But she barely even noticed it, her focus entirely on Logos and Maya.
A few minutes later, Logos stopped in front of her and smiled. Quietly he lowered his head, and Maya gently slipped off, clutching her swollen belly. The energy inside her swirled and twisted changing forms even faster than the last time she had seen it.
Maya smiled, "You made it…"
She tried to speak, but her voice caught in her throat, and all she managed was a nod. She felt tears welling up, and it was all she could do to keep from crying.
"Do you really have to go?" She croaked quietly, tears starting to slide down her cheek.
Maya nodded sadly, "We do. Our duty is to create a world where everyone can live again. Earth was once a beautiful garden above, and below, we need to return this world to its natural glory."
"Is there any way I'll be able to see you again?"
Logos smiled, "We'll always be with you. As the ground beneath your feet, or as the air you breathe. In the food you feed your children, we'll always be with you." Gently he touched his tail to her heart. "And we'll always be here inside of you."
Gently she stroked his tail, letting her fingers run over its warm surface. Gently he brought it up and wiped away her tears, "Don't cry." He whispered, "We'll always watch over you. I promise."
Gently Maya stepped up to her. "I'm so proud of you, Naomi. You were the answer to my every prayer and have amounted to more than I even could have dreamed." Maya smiled and gazed at her crown, "You'll make a great queen, and your name will be forever engraved in the annals of history. Naomi. Thank you, and raise your children well. I taught you everything I know; I can only hope its enough."
She sobbed, "Thank you for everything."
Maya smiled and gently gazed down at Numa, still clutched in her arms. Gently Maya reached out a hand and stroked the baby's cheek. "Good bye, little one. Your mother is going to take great care of you, make sure you look after her." Gently Maya bent down and pressed a hand to the swell of her belly, the children she carried inside her gently sleeping as she nurtured them into existence. "Take care." Maya said gently, gazing in at their sleeping forms. "Your mother is an amazing woman, and I know she will always care for you. Make it easier on her for me okay, She'll always have your best interests in mind." Gently Maya kissed the swell of her belly, "Good luck, little ones, and know that I'll be watching over your from high above."
Maya stood and gazed at her. "Good luck, Naomi."
She sobbed her lip trembling.
Maya smiled sadly, "Could you smile for me one final time?"
She gulped and whipped away her tears. Slowly she managed a small smile, pouring all her love and appreciation into it.
Maya hummed softly, "That's the spirit. Now, look forward into the new day. You got your whole life ahead of you, I know you'll make the best of it."
Quietly Maya looked past her and gently placed a hand on Kiyomi. "Thank you, old friend. Thank you for keeping her alive, and always being by my side."
Kiyomi hummed sadly and gently nuzzled Maya.
Maya gently stroked the dragon's head, "Good bye, and know that I will always be the wind beneath your wings."
Maya glanced over at Squad 13. "Thank you. All of you. We could never have had this future without your help. Dr. Franxx. Thank you for looking after my daughter."
Dr. Franxx nodded, "It was my pleasure, my Queen. Thank you for believing in me."
Maya's gaze passed over the squad and stopped on Zero Two. "I hope you and your husband live a long and happy life. May you be blessed with many children."
Zero Two smiled, "Thank you, mother. I wish you the best."
Maya nodded, "Take care of her, Hiro. You two need each other."
Hiro smiled, "Of course, and thank you."
Maya nodded and quietly walked back to her.
Gently she stepped up and hugged Maya, their belly's gently bumping up against each other. "Thank you, Maya. I'm going to miss you."
Maya nodded, "So will I. Stay strong, Naomi, I'll always be with you."
Maya bit off a groan, and her belly convulsed. Gently Logos slithered up to her, "Its time."
Maya nodded, "I know."
She gave Maya one final squeeze. "Promise me, I'll see you again one day."
Maya nodded and returned the squeeze. "One day, when you return to the Earth. We'll be together again. Goodbye, Naomi. I wish you a long and happy life."
They separated, and she watched, holding back her tears, as Maya gently walked back over to Logos. "I'm ready, let's go remake the world."
Logos nodded and swelled to three times his usual size. Quietly, he bent down and opened his mouth, and Naomi saw a thousand tiny stars glittering inside. Maya gently stepped in and turned to look back one final time. "Good bye, everyone, I wish you all the best."
Then turning, she disappeared inside, and Logos slithered away, his body growing ever bigger as he slithered off into the horizon.
Maya lay, her body aching, and her breath coming in faint rasps. She looked up at a thousand stars, the inside of Logos's mouth, the chamber in which the Earth would be reborn anew. Around her swirled the energy that she'd brought into the world, its life-nurturing power warm to the touch as its mother slowly lay dying. She smiled gently, finding an odd peace in death.
"You always were amazing." Logos said quietly, his voice echoing quietly in the hollow chamber.
She smiled and gazed up at the stars, the universe projected before her. "At least, Naomi and the children will live." She said faintly, her voice weaker than it was a moment ago.
"The whole world will live." Logos said quietly.
She nodded, feeling the energy gently cradling her in her final moments. "I only wish I could see them. Watched them run and play, as their mother watched over them."
"You will." Logos said, quietly. "You'll see it all. As the ground beneath their feet or the wind in the air, you'll be there."
She chuckled, "You know that's not what I mean."
He hummed softly. "I know."
Quietly she lay there in silence, feeling as her life slowly drifted away. "I love you."
"I love you too." He whispered. "And we'll always be together."
She smiled and closed her eyes. "Until the end of time."
The world faded, as Logos fulling encompassed the globe a serpent ringing Earth's surface. Slowly he began to spin, picking up speed; spinning around the globe until he matched the speed of Earth's spin, everything came into harmony the world opening up, and beyond, he could feel Earth's life-force flickering, holding on to the last little bit that remained. They poured themselves into it, allowing their entire being to fill the planet. Then in a flash, it was over, and they were gone. Their energy infused every molecule of the Earth, and the core was formed anew. They were the center of it all. If anyone was to look in Earth's core now, all they'd see where two people huddled in a close embrace, a baby of pure golden light nestled between them. The Earth was born anew, life given by the purest most perfect love ever conceived.
Naomi sat quietly surrounded by the Klaxosaurs and the rest of Squad 13 when it happened. Suddenly the world went dark, and lights danced across the sky, a rainbow of light smiling down upon her. Fresh tears began to run down her face, her voice catching in her throat.
They'd done it. They'd really done it. She clutched Numa to her, tears streaming down her face. Her guardian, her friend, was gone. She'd made the ultimate sacrifice for all of them, to give them a chance to live life anew.
"Thank you, Maya." She whispered, "You will always be in my heart."
She felt a wave of warm energy wash over her, and she shivered as an invigorating rush of energy flowed through her. Kiyomi stood and spread her wings, and with a gasp of surprise, she realized that the dragon's wounds had been healed. After a moment, the sun started shining again, and its warm rays of light blazed down upon them. Off in the distance, she heard a clap of thunder, and looking out over the horizon, saw a dark bank of clouds rollings towards them. Rain started to fall thousands of tiny droplets shimmering like diamonds in the sunlight.
"It's rain." Zero Two said happily.
She smiled and hugged her daughter to her.
Then in front of her, a beautiful rose bloomed, out of Earth's dry red soil, its crimson petals the most beautiful things she'd ever seen. She smiled and quietly bent down, looking up at the sky above. "Thank you, Maya. For everything."
Author's note:
Thank you for reading Chapter 31 of The Jian Bird.
Sorry about the delay just had some real-life stuff going on. Anyway, we're almost finished. Stick around for a couple more, and I'll try to have the next one out as soon as I can.
Also if you have a specific gender preference for the baby let me know. I think I've already come to my decision but if you have an opinion let me know.
Stay tuned for Chapter 32 of The Jian Bird: Brought into the World