Right, so you have my apologies for how long this took to get out. Life hasn't been conducive to writing recently and when it finally was our dear editor was under the weather. But fear not, for we have returned with another installation of DitF: Insurrection. So what are you waiting for? Dig in!
We did it! The thought courses through your mind like electricity in an instant as Strelitzia and Chlorophytum join Delphinium, Genista, and Argentea. We've escaped, we're finally free! Free to live, free to spend our lives doing what we choose!
Boom!
A shell fired by one of the plantation's cannons impacts the ground beside Delphinium and detonates. You immediately fall out of your reverie and shakily return to reality. The explosion of the shell is hardly enough to damage the FranXX, but it's enough to cause Delphinium to stumble. She quickly recovers, however, continuing to distance herself from the plantation at a breakneck pace.
"They're still shooting at us!" Futoshi yells. "If this keeps up, they're going to hit us eventually," Mitsuru announces in his ever-calm voice. "How much longer until we're out of range?" Argentea demands. "Just a little further!" Delphinium urges the group.
The truth is, none of you know the range of the plantation's artillery. Nor do you know if Zero Two's claim of the rounds being ineffective against FranXX is true. The only thing you know is that going back is no longer an option.
If you did, there were several different ways you could imagine things going…and none of them were very pleasant. First, you would all be separated from your partners and shipped off to different APE facilities. Each of you would be interrogated or tortured, depending on how resistant you were. The pistils would likely be put through the emotional indoctrination program. Then, if they showed no further signs of trouble, they would be sent to different plantations.
For the stamen, things would be much simpler…and far more brutal. You would be killed, plain and simple, and not just killed: brutalized. A good pistil was worth at least twenty stamen, even more in the case of Zero Two. So, you would all be kept alive just long enough for APE's scientists to figure out what caused you to rebel, then disposed of like the broken tools you were.
Crack!
Delphinium lurches forward as you feel something strike against the small of her back. She tumbles across the barren landscape before landing in a heap. "Ichigo!" you cry out, realizing that Delphinium had just been hit by one of the plantation's rounds. "I'm alright," the image to your right coughs. "Just… knocked the wind… out of me." A moment later, you breathe a sigh of relief as no warnings appear in the cockpit, confirming Ichigo's statement.
"Guys, are you okay?!" Hiro shouts as Strelitzia rushes beside Delphinium. The white FranXX throws one of Delphinium's arms over her shoulder and pulls her friend to her feet. Meanwhile, Genista and Chlorophytum take the fuel canisters you'd been carrying and begin inspecting them for damage.
"Guess you were right," Delphinium half-laughs, half-coughs to her assistant. "We really can take a hit from the plantation." Strelitzia grins, "True, although I wasn't expecting you to test it." "Me either," you agree, with a noticeably lower degree of humor. "But I guess it's good to know that it can't hurt us."
"Speaking of which," you look back toward the plantation to see more shells exploding some four hundred feet from you. "We are now out of range." The rest of the group glances back and your observation. Out of all of them, though, you study Argentea. Her face is neutral, but the slightly higher pitch and slower speech betray her true feelings, a not-so-small hint of melancholy.
"We need to keep moving," Delphinium lays a hand on Argentea's shoulder. "I know," she softly replies, turning her back to the plantation and retrieving her fuel canisters that had been resting on the ground. Delphinium also takes up her own supplies, resituating them to prepare for the journey ahead.
As the former members of Squad 13 continue to distance themselves from the plantation, it grows quiet. Too quiet. Once it was clear you were well out of range, the plantation ceased its futile bombardment. Now, having left the plantation in the dust, the only noise in this lifeless environment is the gentle roaring of the FranXX themselves.
The silence is almost eerie. Not to mention the clear lack of life that the world around you presents. As far as you can see, there is nothing but barren land. It makes you wonder. Can we really survive out here? There's… just nothing.
No, you shake your head. Now isn't the time to doubt the decision. Ichigo and I looked all over the maps Zero Two and Hiro recovered. There is a place. And now we just have to get there.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
After traveling in a straight line for close to two hours, you make the call to stop and take a short break. It also gives you the opportunity to redistribute the supplies stashed in the cockpits of both Strelitzia and Chlorophytum. Together, the FranXX gather in a circle. Those that carry fuel place it in a row to the side, then one by one they kneel.
You take a deep breath after severing your connection to Ichigo. The controls slide out of your hands and silently return to their place on Ichigo's parasite suit. Ichigo doesn't move at first, but eventually her hands emerge from the holes in the side of the platform containing her controls.
She moves slowly as she begins to stand. She looks to be favoring her left side, with her hand resting just above the hip.
"Are you alright?" you ask quietly. "I'm fine," she answers without look at you. Something must be up, that much you know. Ichigo wouldn't deceive you like this. You continue to press her, this time in a honeyed tone. "You wouldn't lie to me, would you?"
Ichigo's shoulders slump and she turns to face you bearing a forced smile. "It's nothing." You raise your brow in response. "Then why are you holding your side?" Ichigo immediately removes her hand from its supporting position near the small of her back. "See?" She does a quick twirl, making sure you're unable to get a good look at the place she had been holding. "Nothing."
Rather than let her continue to play games, you cut straight to the point. Taking a step forward, you extend your hand and poke the spot on her back. Ichigo winces.
"Alright fine," Ichigo looks to her feet. "But it's just a bruise." "How?" you ask, concern plastered across your face. "When the plantation shot us," she answers. "You know what happens to the pistil if the FranXX gets damaged." You listen silently and think about what she says. So the plantation can't penetrate armor, but if they shoot it enough it can still put a pistil out of commission.
"I'm sorry," you whisper to her. "I'll pay more attention next time, I promise." "It's just a bruise, (Y/N)," Ichigo repeats, but this time her tone is teasing. "You worry about me too much. It's kind of cute." For whatever reason, her remark causes color to rush to your face.
"Let's go," you quickly change the subject. "Everyone is probably waiting on us."
Together, the two of you prepare to exit the FranXX and begin the exchange with your squadmates. However, when Ichigo activates the cockpit's door release, your senses are overwhelmed as the unfiltered air rushes in.
The air smells of sand and rust. The ground is rough and cracks permeate the once bountiful terrain. The bright sun beats down from far above the ground. Below, your friends are gathered in a circle and appear to be waiting for you.
Ichigo begins to walk down Delphinium's arm to her outstretched hand, and you follow. At the bottom, she pauses momentarily to allow you to jump down the five feet separating the FranXX's hand from the ground. Once you have you turn back to Ichigo, placing both hands on her waist before gently lowering her to the ground.
You then proceed to the center of the five-pointed star that the FranXX have made. Everyone remains quiet, clearly waiting for you to begin the conversation.
As you make your way, you take the opportunity to read your squadmates. Hiro sits on Strelitzia's hand with Zero Two resting against him, neither looking too concerned. Ikuno and Mitsuru stand before Chlorophytum, not doing anything to betray their emotions. Kokoro is trying her best to smile, but her eyes clearly show her uncertainty. Futoshi is beside her rambling about something. Probably food. You appreciate the fact that he's at least trying to keep her spirits up.
Finally, you look to Miku and Zorome. The former sits on the ground with her head resting against her knees, which have been pulled to her chest. If you didn't know better you'd say she was asleep, but one of her green eyes follows you as you walk. The latter leans against one of Argentea's gauntleted fists, arms crossed and a dejected look on his face.
No need to worry about Strelitzia and Chlorophytum, you tell yourself. Genista is alright for the moment. But Argentea… they're going to need more convincing. Miku may have agreed with the plan, but listening to Zorome's doubts in private is probably undermining her confidence. So, what do I say to them? Start by praising them? At least mix some good in with the bad.
You take a deep breath and address your friends. "First, I'd like to say good work guys. Everyone played their part perfectly." You to flash a convincing smile, which causes Zorome to snort. "Are you going to tell us where we're going or not?" he asks.
Adjusting your strategy, you acknowledge Zorome with a nod before turning to face Strelitzia. "Hiro, the drive, please." Zero Two reluctantly allows her partner to stand and he walks to the middle of the circle. "Here you go," he hands you the small black box containing the data your raid had recovered.
You press the button located in the center and an image appears before you. "Everyone, gather 'round," you announce. Slowly everyone files over, forming a circle around the tiny box you set gently on the ground.
The map the box has created spins slowly until you hover your hand over it. Instantly it ceases its rotation and waits for your next command. The others silently wait for you to continue, but you can already see Ikuno's mind working, making her own conclusions based on the terrain.
"This map was stolen by Hiro and Zero Two from Plantation 13's archives," you begin. No need to mention your impromptu inclusion. "And this is our last known location." A dot appears on the map labeled 'Plantation 13'. "After escaping, we've traveled east for two hours before stopping. That should put us about here." A second dot appears on the map roughly 90 miles east of the first. "We are now well outside of the plantation's ability to track us and they can't keep up with us."
"Using the plantation's navigation data for the past three months, we've been able to pinpoint the locations of the places we've visited," Ichigo jumps in. She taps a previously hidden command screen and a line appears on the map, snaking from Plantation 13's current position backwards on the map. As the line moves, tiny dots with names slowly pop up: the S-Planning site, the Garden, and more continue as it moves on across the country. "Now, if we add the dates," Ichigo motions, and you send the command. At different intervals along the line, dashes appear with a date on each.
"I get it," Ikuno interrupts. "You used this method to determine everywhere the plantation has been in the past three months." "Correct," you smile. "This is our destination," you place a finger where the plantation's line comes into contact with the sea.
"What's that?" Futoshi asks. "It's where I became a member of the squad," you reply. Futoshi appears to concentrate very hard for a few moments, but has little success. "The seaside village we found on our vacation to the beach," Ichigo clarifies.
There is a collective gasp. "Why there?" Mitsuru asks quietly, his tone not quite accusatory, merely inquisitive. "Because it is the only place we've seen that has a semblance of safety," you answer. "Think about it. That village is still standing today, it's almost untouched. Humans have been fighting the Klaxosaurs for close to three hundred years. They've been living in the plantations for almost two hundred and fifty. That means the Klaxosaurs have ignored that town for at least two hundred years."
"Meaning… we don't have to worry about them," Hiro surmises. You nod. Several smiles accompany Hiro's words. After all, a life without Klaxosaurs meant a life where you didn't need to constantly fear an attack on your home. Simply put, it would change everything.
"It was in ruins, though," Miku says sadly. "Not ruins," you correct her. "I agree that it wasn't in the best shape, but certainly not in ruins. The buildings were still standing and that's what matters most. We also know that the area is capable of sustaining life if the ocean and surrounding forest are anything to go by."
"I don't buy it," Zorome crosses his arms. "There's no way we'll really be able to ignore the Klaxosaurs. And what happens if Papa comes looking for us?"
"He won't," Ichigo answers without hesitation, taking the proverbial wind out of Zorome's sails. "We're just parasites. You know what we are to them. Why would they come looking for us if that's going to cost them more than the meager amount we're worth?" There is a brief silence in which no one offers any response to her logic.
"Are there any further questions?" you ask. Zorome shakes his head, but he remains silent like everyone else. "Good. It's almost seven hundred miles from here to the village. We estimate that walking for eight hours a day-" "With breaks," Ichigo reassures everyone, having seen their expressions drop instantly. "With breaks, yes," you repeat before resuming. "With breaks, we should be able to make the journey in about two days."
"Then what are we waiting for?" Zero Two's smile betrays her eagerness. "Uh, Zero Two," Hiro reigns in his partner. "Don't you want to get rid of some of the supplies in our cockpit first? It's kinda cramped right now." Mitsuru nods in addition. "Chlorophytum is full, too."
"Well, seeing as we are agreed on our destination," you deactivate the small projector connected to the drive, "We should even out the supplies and keep moving. The longer we stay here, the higher our chances are of being found."
It takes another fifteen or so minutes for the supplies to be sorted out. Delphinium ends up with the medical supplies Strelitzia had been carrying. The boxes of various pills and other remedies are promptly stashed in a compartment near the rear of the cockpit. In addition, you retrieve the packed bags you and Ichigo had left with Genista. There isn't enough room for them in the locker so they simply ride on the floor beside your sleeping bags.
After the supplies have are distributed and everyone is ready to set out once more, you resume your journey.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Around midday you begin to see something in the distance. At first it looks like a few large black sticks on the horizon, but by making use of Delphinium's powerful optics you soon realize they are structures. As you continue toward them, smaller buildings begin to become visible as well.
"What is this?" Argentea asks. "It looks just like the city inside Plantation 13!" Genista says in awe. "Though this is older than the city in the plantation," Mitsuru corrects her, "Much older." "He's right," Chlorophytum agrees. "Look at the architecture. It's very different, much smoother." Hiro chuckles in response. "Yeah, and less orange."
"Can we stop and look at it?" Argentea adopts a begging tone. If it had been Miku, you know she would have made a pouting face as well, but the digital face of the FranXX doesn't quite capture it in the same way as she turns to face Delphinium.
"What do you think?" you ask the image to your right. "I mean, we have been going for a while," Ichigo answers. "A break might do us some good and I'm kind of hungry." "My thoughts exactly," you agree.
"Please?" Argentea asks. "We can stop for a bit," Delphinium answers. "Yay!" the pink and white FranXX shouts, jumping into the air. Just the morale boost they needed.
Another fifteen or so minutes and the group settles on a clearing between two housing districts that was likely once a park. The soil here wasn't as damaged as most of what you had traveled on so far, so there would be a decent place to sit and the midday sun would help to ward off the cold.
After a brief lunch, not everyone seemed satisfied with just viewing the buildings from ground level so it was decided that a little more time could be given to explore the surrounding area.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
After you had all relatively settled in for the time being, Ichigo had asked if you wanted to go off and explore with just her. You were more than happy to say 'yes'. Most of the others were already preoccupied with checking out larger buildings and more substantial complexes, so the two of you decided to head away from the towering constructions of the inner city and move on to a lower-rise area.
"There's a strange sense of beauty here, don't you think, (Y/N)?" Ichigo asks you, a few steps ahead. She gestures further up the street, past the littered rubble and cracked pavement, the bent iron-wrought fencing and lampposts, where a townhome lies in ruin. Its marble walls and dark oak accents are just as stark when compared to the rest of the city as the jagged edges seemingly grafted off the building, their other halves lying crumbled nearby.
"You're right," you nod quietly, noticing the way the sun illuminates the intricate white facets. You also notice how brilliantly her face and hair seem to shine under that very sun, and you can't help but wonder how she looks more amazing with each glance. Covering the small distance between you both, you sidle up next to her and grab her hand with your own. She snaps away from looking at the city streets at your touch, but her expression immediately softens into a smile.
Ichigo brings her shoulder to yours as she points out a few of the intricacies in the various buildings around you. Continuing past the marbled home, you enthusiastically show her a few of your own, constantly finding something new and amazing in each and every crumbling building.
Suddenly, as almost as it jumped out from the ground next to you, you notice a house that seems to be much more perfectly preserved than the rest. The pavement in front of its once-overgrown garden beds is surprisingly clear, and nothing seems to have fallen off the shingled roof. Wooden uprights are contrasted with dark slate, evenly spaced with shuttered windows.
You pull Ichigo to a stop and motion towards the building. "How is that place still standing like that? There doesn't seem to be any damage to it, at all." She takes her own time looking over the place, brushing a lock of stray hair back behind her ear. "I've got no idea," she replies quietly. But then, a sly grin opens onto her face. "Wanna go find out?"
"I thought you'd never ask," you say as you guide her through the large gate in front, and she giggles as you struggle to unlatch the well-rusted lock. You playfully pinch her arm to get her back, before ushering her forward and closing the gate behind you.
You both walk up along the paved squares leading to the ornate wooden front door, an oddity among all the others you'd seen. Ichigo tries the knob, only to say dejectedly: "It's locked." Motioning for her to step aside, you kneel and pick up the mat on the ground, and then the key hidden underneath.
"How did you…?" Ichigo begins, before you shrug and say, "Lucky guess." You insert the key and let yourselves into the old home.
You're hit with a wave of musk and dust as you step through the door, and immediately start coughing. Ichigo does the same beside you as you take in the foyer, a large affair that vertically spans all three floors of the house. A small staircase to the right, leading up to the first floor, is matched by its own mirror to the left-most part of the next level. The interior of the house is floored with more of the same dark slate, turning into light oaks for the walls. The few paintings hanging from the walls would normally be illuminated by the intricately suspended chandelier, dominating your view upwards.
You look with your jaw wide open at the beautiful home, and Ichigo gasps in surprise. "It's gorgeous, (Y/N)!" she says, amazed. You can't help but give an enthusiastic "Mhmm!" in response.
Ichigo takes a few steps forward, arm trailing along the walls and gaze wandering about the room. "How long do you think this has been here?" You put down the elegant vase you had been admiring before replying. "Hard to tell, honestly. One-, two-hundred years? Maybe even more."
She looks absentmindedly throughout the substantial, but surprisingly cozy home. You're inexplicably drawn to look throughout the place, and it seems that Ichigo feels the same. "Well," you begin, "I didn't open the door for nothing. Let's look around."
A small smile lights up her face as your partner instantly moves to the room to the right of the door, a kitchen. You glance in to see an oven, some hanging light fixtures, counters, tables and chairs, and more cabinet space than you've ever seen in your life. Leaving Ichigo alone to the room, you head to the room opposite, a living room.
Inside, a large bay window throws brilliant rays onto the still-sparkling slate below your feet. Lengthy gray and white curtains stream downwards from the sides, complimenting the suite of couches and chairs arranged in a semicircle around a black screen. The far wall has been replaced with floor-to-ceiling shelves, and thousands of books adorn them. You pick up a few and flip through them, noting the diversity among just a couple of volumes. Romeo and Juliet, a typical love story, but still classic. The Prince by Machiavelli, now that is a book. Whoever lived here definitely had a good taste in literature. And what's this… you think as you bend over to pick up a book lying open on the floor. The spine is clearly damaged from having been held open so long and many of the pages are faded. Still legible, however. You gently close the book, glancing at its title. 1984, by George Orwell.
Placing it back onto an open part of the shelf, you turn around and spot Ichigo waiting at the foot of the staircase. "Find anything interesting?" she smiles at you. "I found a bunch of good books, but that's about it," you reply dismissively. "You?" She shakes her head before motion up the staircase. Taking the hint to go explore some more, you make an over-exaggerated bow in front of her before you walk up the stairs. It earns you a playful smack and a giggle from your partner.
The second floor goes by similarly to the first, having a few bedrooms, a room for laundry, and a couple closets. A few books specifically made for children catch your attention throughout the rooms, but it seems they serve no different purpose than other types of reading material anyway.
Ichigo takes the lead walking up the next flight of stairs and you can't help but blush and look towards your feet as you follow her. You pass a few pieces of once-modern art on the way up, onto the carpeted third floor. She pauses briefly before one of the doors leading from the top of the stairwell, tentatively gazing into it. It's different than the others, and you can feel it too, somehow.
The two of you file into the larger bedroom, with the biggest bed yet set up against the center of the far wall. You feel the covers on top of the mattress and look to the backboard of the bed, and the pictures on the ledge in front of it.
Abruptly, you hear a solid thunk against the carpet behind you and whip around to find the cause. One of the pictures lays face down on the floor, but you only notice Ichigo: shaking, with her hands on her face. Quickly rushing up behind her, and being careful to not step on the picture, you grab onto her shoulder.
"Ichigo! Are you alright? What's wrong?" There's somehow more concern than sound in your voice, but Ichigo just shakes her head and motions to the fallen picture.
You pick it up and glance to the simple image framed in lacquered leather, hidden behind a sheet of glass. Two children and two adults, hand-in-hand, smiling toward the camera.
"They," Ichigo begins, stifling quiet sobs, "they all look so happy." She glances longingly to the image in your hands, before she erupts into full-blown tears. "Why…why can't we have something like that? Why do we have to be the ones enslaved by APE and on the run? Can't we be happy?" You feel a prickling sensation in your eyes as she manages to put all your buried feelings into words, and you slowly put your arms around her.
"It's not fair," Ichigo continues, crying into your chest. Tears of your own run down your face as you unsuccessfully try to comfort her. Because she's right. "I-I know we ran away, b-but, it doesn't feel like we're free. (Y/N), I just want to be with you, and, and just live."
"Hey," you say quietly, voice breaking, "I feel just as angry and upset as you do, if not more. You've seen what they did to me. But since I've met you, things have never been better for me. I ran away so I could be with you, Ichigo." You move one of your hands to her chin and gently pull it upwards, so that you gaze into her bright, green eyes. "All my life, I've been alone. But I have you, and I'm not about to give that up. I can't give that up, not now, not ever."
She takes a moment to look surprised before a smile breaks onto her face and her sobs redouble. Now it's her turn to throw her arms around your neck, but she topples you backward to the floor and rolls you both onto your sides. Your own look of surprise joins the giggling and laughing bubbling from your partner next you, and you can't help joining her.
As she quiets down, she moves one of her hands to cup the free side of your face. "Thank you, (Y/N), for being here for me. I really needed that." Your cheeks turn a little red before you respond. "Hey, I'm the same way. That was lurking in my subconscious for a while now, and I just wasn't able to make sense of it. Though now, I really know that it doesn't matter. I can do anything if I'm with you."
Ichigo just snuggles up to you in response, and you quietly lay together on the floor. On the old floor of a strange house, in a strange city, out in the open world. But even stranger still is that this feels more like a home than you ever thought was possible.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
After everyone had their fill of exploring the remains of the city, and once you and Ichigo had stayed on the floor for an hour or so, you packed up and traveled for another hour or two until the sun went down. The FranXX made a loose circle once more as everyone prepared to spend what was only your second night ever away from the plantation. And even then, the beach was right by the plantation. You were never truly alone. Things were quiet, a somber mood having settled over you. Tonight there would be no warm beds to sleep in, only the somewhat cold and unyielding floor of your cockpist.
"I am not sleeping with him!" Miku protests over the comm as you roll out your sleeping bag within Delphinium. "Miku, it will be-" Ichigo is cut off by another round of complaints. "What if he just sits there and stares at me all night?!"
You sigh and shake your head. "No one said you had to sleep with Zorome, Miku. You just have to stay in the same room. You're both wearing your parasite suits and will be in separate sleeping bags."
Sadly, your attempt to reason with her fails. "That doesn't make it any better," Miku whines. "Hold up!" Zorome's shout comes across the line. "Who said I even want be anywhere near you?!" "I've seen the way you look at me!" Miku retorts. "Always ogling me when you think I'm not paying attention. Well, not tonight!"
"Well then, fine," Zorome yells back. "I'll just go sleep outside." You give yourself an audible smack to the face. "You will freeze to death," Mitsuru states matter-of-factly. Sparing a glance at Delphinium's internal monitors, you see the temperature, a balmy 23 degrees Fahrenheit.
"So long as he's quiet," mumbles a half-asleep Zero Two.
"Why don't you just switch places with one of the other boys?" Miku demands. "Futoshi?" Thirty seconds tick by without an answer from either of Genista's pilots. "They're asleep, like we should be," Ichigo wearily answers.
"But how could Kokoro…" Miku begins. "Maybe because she trusts Futoshi, something you clearly don't feel toward me!" Zorome answers. "It's not that I don't trust you, it's that I trust the others more. Go and switch with (Y/N), he's fine," Miku replies without thinking. For nearly fifteen seconds the com is completely silent.
While you are still trying to figure out if what Miku said has the same meaning as what you heard, she vigorously backpedals."No, wait! What I really meant was that Ichigo could sleep here and you and (Y/N) could stay together in Delphinium! Not the other thing!"
However, Ichigo appears to be having none of that. Her cheeks are rosy and she glances off to the side, like she so often does, but the near snarl that she wears detracts any cuteness the expression held.
"Miku, Zorome has to stay with you. If we get attacked in the middle of the night, then you and I will both be without a stamen." Ichigo's voice is cold as the night wind howling outside. "It is only until we get to the village. So for the next two days, Zorome sleeps with you and (Y/N) sleeps with me. Got it? You're both acting like a pair of whining kids."
You yourself flinch at Ichigo's steely lecture despite not being the intended recipient and there's a long pause before either of Argentea's pilots respond. "I guess I can sleep against the wall," Zorome grumbles. "Yeah, and I'll take the other one," Miku quietly agrees. "Just don't be weird, okay?" "Yeah, okay," Zorome replies, both of their wills to fight seeming to have vanished.
You are about to ask Ichigo what is the matter, but she has already moved behind the piloting consoles. She still blushes profusely and refuses to meet your eyes. The light on the ceiling goes out and she quickly slides into her bag. That was effective. Somewhat scary, but still effective, you tell yourself as you climb into your sleeping bag and wait for sleep to take you. But why was she so possessive?
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
You slowly open your eyes and yawn. The interior of Delphinium's cockpit is nearly pitch black without the light of her monitors. On the other side of the small space, Ichigo is still asleep with her stuffed cat held tight to her chest. Looking at her makes it hard to not break out into a smile. She's absolutely adorable.
Thump!
Your head rattles as the ground shakes violently.
Thump!
The ground shakes again and this time with more force. As you claw your way to the pilot's chair to activate Delphinium's monitors, Ichigo bolts upright and begins to feverishly look around for the source of her rude awakening. Climbing into the chair you press a button, and the cockpit is filled with light.
The floor-to-ceiling screens depict everything around you. The sun, which has barely risen in the East, one of Argentea's pink pigtails, and the collection of Standard model FranXX standing over you. "Well," you whisper to no one in particular, "That's not good."