"(Y/N)!"
No sooner have you walked through the manor's front door than you hear a voice shout your name. Turning to check the top of the stairs, you are thoroughly surprised by what you find.
Ichigo quickly descends the staircase and marches directly toward you. It is only then that you realize Miku is still standing beside you, which can only serve to make matters worse. Before Ichigo reaches the two of you, you just have time to whisper, "I'd run if I were you."
Ichigo squeezes into the space between you and Miku, forcing the two of you to step away from one another. She takes your hand and rests her head against your shoulder, giving you a broad smile. "I'm glad you're back. I missed you."
She looks to Miku, shooting her a glance that definitely isn't friendly. She puts her focus back to you and breaks into another smile.
She reaches for a speck of dust or something similar on your uniform, wiping it off your shoulder. "Oh, you're such a mess, (Y/N). How many times do I have to tell you to take care of your appearance?" Ichigo picks off another piece of dirt. "I don't know what you'd do without me."
Ichigo latches on to you even tighter as you stand there, too overwhelmed to say or do anything. Her free hand runs over your uniform and onto your face. She tilts your chin down so you stare directly into her eyes. She still smiles, seemingly ready to draw you in for a kiss, until Miku makes a very minute scuff sound on the floor with her foot.
"Oh, Miku," Ichigo says as she turns around, pretending not to have noticed her. "I didn't see you there. How was the trip?" She gives her a sidelong glance, so part of her face is still turned to you.
Miku eyes Ichigo suspiciously and you can't help but feel the same. This isn't the welcome I expected. Actually, I really didn't expect one at all.
"It was good," Miku finally answers. "We ran into some Klaoxsaurs on the way and had to fight them." "Well, good job," Ichigo starts, almost mockingly. "I imagine it was no trouble at all, (Y/N)'s a really good pilot," she continues. "He is," Miku agrees, and you notice the pressure on your hand grow a little tighter.
Miku's next words surprise both you and Ichigo. "But, I wanted to thank you for letting me go with him. I know it was hard for him to be away from you. He talked about it a lot while we were gone, and I'm sure it was difficult for you too. (Y/N) was really respectful to me the whole time, and gave me lots of space at night so I wouldn't feel uncomfortable."
Miku's unexpected words reveal a crack in Ichigo's exterior. She glances up at you. You give a concise nod and squeeze her hand. She looks at Miku again, studying her. The girl in question has her hands folded together with one foot tucked behind the other, and now looks to the floor to avoid Ichigo's gaze.
"I wasn't trying to cause you any problems, Ichigo," Miku says quietly. "I just wanted to get stronger so I wouldn't be a burden anymore, and (Y/N) was nice enough to help me. I don't want to steal him from you. You're my friend."
Hearing that, Ichigo seems to have finally made up her mind. She slowly lets go of your hand and walks over to the other girl, before giving her a short hug. "Thank you, Miku," she says honestly. "It really makes me feel a lot better knowing that. I'm sorry for lashing out at you."
Miku nods. "I'm sure the two of you would like some alone time with one another. So, I'll see if I can find Zorome. He'll want to know that we're back."
You give a silent thanks to Miku, and as she begins to wander away, you yell, "Don't forget, tomorrow morning, 0530 sharp!" "I know!" she shouts back, and quickly disappears around the corner.
As soon as Miku is out of sight, Ichigo begins pulling you up the stairs. "Come on. We'll get you something to eat, then it's time for bed." "Now that you mention it," you mumble, "I am tired."
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Miku makes her way across the first floor of the manor, headed for one of the staircases to the side. She could have gone up the one in the entrance hall, but decided against it due to its proximity to the room you share with Ichigo.
As she walks, she thinks about something that had been gnawing at her over the last several days.
When I first connected with (Y/N) in Heliconia, I saw into his memories. It was mostly what I expected, except for one thing. Every recent memory of Ichigo had some kind of weird happiness coming from it. When they spent time together, they were always holding hands and kissing.
Miku finds the staircase she'd been looking for and begins to climb.
Why did that feeling feel so familiar? And why does it remind me of Zorome? Miku shakes her head to try and clear her mind. However, it proves to be of no use. Watching them a minute ago... I saw how much they must care for each other. Maybe... I want that too?
As Miku reaches the final step and turns the corner to her head to her room, she runs into the last person she wanted to see. And yet, she isn't actually that disappointed.
"Miku," Zorome says with a hint of shock, "you're back!"
"Yeah," the redhead replies. "We just got here about a half-hour ago. I was coming to find you to let you know."
However, Zorome appears to not be listening to her. Instead, she can feel him focusing on the black uniform she's wearing. This instantly brings something that she'd noticed when first trying it on to the forefront of her mind. While the black pistil suit didn't feel any tighter than the original, it definitely looked it.
"Are you done?" Miku asks with growing annoyance. "Uh… um…" Zorome searches for a response. "Done with, uh, what?"
Miku leans forward with her hands on her hips. "What do you mean, 'done with what'? You were ogling me again." "I was not," Zorome replies without hesitating. His tone softens and he refuses to look at her. "I just… thought you looked nice, okay?"
In that moment, something in Miku clicks. She holds out her right hand.
Zorome looks at it, then to Miku, then back again. "Um…"
"I want you to hold my hand, dumbass," she huffs, now red in the face. Miku crosses her arms and looks away, but her right eye still studies Zorome intently.
"Oh, s-sure," Zorome says awkwardly. He extends his somewhat trembling hand and smiles at his partner. "Miku, I'm glad you're back."
The redhead looks at it for a moment before sighing. She takes Zorome's hand and her heart skips a beat. "Me too," she says, with a hint of girlish delight. "Let's go for a walk, okay?"
"Yeah," Zorome agrees and the pair take off on a stroll toward the manor's garden.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"You're certainly hard to figure out," you say as you close the door to your room. "Oh?" Ichigo asks, looking over her shoulder as she walks toward the dresser.
You lean against the door. "Five days ago, you wouldn't even say goodbye to me. Now, when I come back, you can't even keep your hands to yourself."
"And you're complaining?" Ichigo raises the question as she digs through the drawer, looking for her nightgown. "No," you admit, "but I'd like an explanation. The way you acted earlier is so unlike you. Glaring at Miku like she'd done something wrong and hanging all over me."
"I apologized," Ichigo defends herself. "And..." the image of her in the mirror bites her lip, "I will admit that I may have been a little mean, but think about how I felt. My partner, the man I am completely in love with, said he was going off with another girl for four days and I had no say."
You sigh. "I'm sorry. I really didn't want to leave you here, but there wasn't much choice. Miku needed me. Besides, there was never anything for you to worry about. You're the only girl for me."
"I can see that now," Ichigo says. "You did the right thing helping her. It's something none of the rest of us could. The old Miku wouldn't have taken what I said to her earlier. She's like a whole new person now."
You adjust your position against the door. "You aren't wrong. Miku's much more confident now, and she can definitely hold her own in a fight. I think she's more honest with herself too. She has feelings for someone, and she might act on them soon."
"But not you," Ichigo's tone becomes dangerous. "No, no, not me," you shake your head. "We both know who, so it shouldn't come as a surprise. She did say something that surprised me, though."
"You cannot tell her I told you this," you caution, "but she said after we got back today that it was like we were siblings. Just like I was her older brother and she was my younger sister."
"That's actually really touching," Ichigo smiles. "I hope that the two of you can stay close like that."
"She's come a long way in the last few weeks," you conclude. "Soon, there won't be anything left for me to teach her." "That's good," Ichigo gives you a coy smile. "I like it when the only thing you have to focus on is me."
As if to prove her point, Ichigo does something completely out of the ordinary. Standing in front of the changing screen, with her back to you, she removes her shirt. Next, she slides down her leggings, leaving her in her bra and panties. Reaching behind her back, she fumbles with the clasp for a moment before seemingly giving up.
It's clearly a ruse, but that doesn't stop her from continuing the show. "I can't get it," she says in a honeyed tone. "Would you help me?" You give a small sigh. "You know I don't know how that works," you respond, pushing off the door.
Ichigo continues to watch you over her shoulder with a grin. "I'm sure someone as smart as you can figure it out."
Yep, you tell yourself, she's loving every second of this.
"Alright," you say before reaching for the clasp. Ichigo shivers as your hand brushes against the skin of her back. "Your hands are really cold." You give her a chuckle. "Oh, I'm sorry," you say playfully, with fake surprise laced into your tone. "Is this better?" you say as you place both palms on her back.
"(Y/N), stop it!" Ichigo giggles. "That tickles!" "Oh, does it now?" you assault her further, tickling her side mercilessly until she falls to the floor.
It quickly devolves into a wrestling match as the two of you try to playfully bat at the other. Finally, Ichigo manages to come out on top, pinning you to the floor while she straddles you.
As soon as the two of you stop to catch your breath however, Ichigo's bra falls.
"Don't look!" she shouts instantly, going red in the face and hugging you to hide herself. What she doesn't realize is that by saving herself from being exposed, she has instead flattened her breasts against you.
"Close your eyes," she says between bated breaths. You do as instructed. The feeling of her soft chest recedes as Ichigo lifts her weight off you.
Close to thirty seconds later, she speaks again. "Okay, you can open them now."
Ichigo is nowhere to be found when you first open your eyes. After sitting up, you realize that she has taken shelter beneath the covers of the bed. Only her emerald eyes are visible as she stares at you.
"Are you dressed?" you ask. She nods ever so slightly. You sigh, shaking your head.
Without a word, you undress and climb into bed. It takes Ichigo a moment, but she nestles up beside you. "I'm glad you're back," she whispers. You gently kiss her head. "Me too."
"I love you," she says softly. "And I love you more," you reply back before drifting off to sleep.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Morning comes to the manor on the hill, and with it, the start of a new day. Kokoro opens her eyes and looks around her room while waiting for her morning grogginess to fade.
The space is impeccably clean, so much so that the room could easily be mistaken for being unoccupied. But that was how Kokoro liked to keep it. Everything had a place, and there was a place for everything. Nana had always told her that, and she believed it.
Now fully awake, Kokoro makes her way over to the door connecting her room to the manor's wrap-around balcony, sliding it open to let in the crisp morning air. It carries with it the smell of salt off the ocean, in addition to being a bit chilly.
Leaving the door, Kokoro reaches into her wardrobe and pulls out a fresh change of clothes for the day ahead. Allowing her nightgown to slip from her shoulders, she shivers as the cool breeze brushes against her exposed skin. The wind is so cold, but the sunlight is quite nice.
A quiet pitter-pat draws Kokoro's attention. She pauses, still half-dressed, and sticks her head out the balcony door.
Chirp!
Kokoro looks down to find a small bird near her feet. The little thing has a red back, white belly, and a black head, and seems to wear the colors quite proudly. The bird tilts its head to one side.
Chirp!
"Well, good morning to you too!" Kokoro says with a bright smile. The bird studies her and hops several times. Kokoro kneels down, holding her shirt closed with one hand and reaching out for the bird with the other. She's almost reached it and the creature hops toward her outstretched finger before…
Knock! Knock! Knock!
"Kokoro?" a voice asks from beyond the door to her room.
Startled by the noise, the bird takes flight. Kokoro frowns. I was so close, she tells herself.
"Just a moment, Futoshi," she says, returning to the wardrobe to fetch her skirt. She finishes buttoning her shirt and puts on the skirt before answering the door.
"Good morning, Kokoro," the boy smiles. "Good morning, Futoshi," Kokoro smiles in kind. Suddenly, the boy refuses to meet her gaze. "I didn't wake you, did I? Your hair isn't done." Just as quickly, Futoshi looks back up, his cheeks flushed with color. "Not that you don't look good, Kokoro. You always look nice it's just–"
Kokoro lays a hand on the panicking boy's arm. "Futoshi, you don't need to worry. I was just finishing getting dressed." "Good," he says, before he adjusts his collar. "I didn't want to bother you. It's just time to make breakfast, is all."
"It is," the platinum blonde agrees. She steps into the hallway and begins walking beside him toward the kitchen. She takes one of the hair ties from her wrist and begins to draw her locks back into a single clump to make a bun.
"I can help," Futoshi offers. Kokoro shakes her head. "I've got it. You already help me with so much, I need to do some things on my own."
Futoshi accepts the reason and Kokoro finishes putting up her hair without further issue. By that time, the pair has exited the hallway and are preparing to make their way down the central staircase. A quick glance at the large clock built into the wall reveals it to be 0602.
"We'd better hurry," Kokoro says as she walks through the door to the kitchen. "The others will be awake soon." "Yeah," Futoshi concurs with a concise nod. "Zorome always complains if breakfast isn't ready when he gets up."
Kokoro giggles. "I'm more concerned about making sure we have something for (Y/N) and Miku. All that exercise they do must be incredibly tiring."
Taking an apron from one of the cupboards, Kokoro places the ring over her neck. "Futoshi?" "Hmm?" the boy questions, turning to face her after lighting the stovetop. "Tie this for me?" she asks. "Sure," he replies, though perhaps a bit too eagerly. As he ties the string behind her back, Kokoro checks to make sure none of her hair has escaped the bun, and finding none, she begins her part of making breakfast.
Futoshi typically took care of cooking the meat while Kokoro prepared eggs, grains, and fruits. After checking the pantry and referencing Futoshi's choice of bacon, Kokoro decides that today will feature pancakes, with chocolate chips for a treat. It would be accompanied by fruit and cereal for those who wished.
After gathering the necessary ingredients, milk, flour, sugar, salt, several eggs, and the special addition of chocolate chips, she begins. The first step is adding proper amounts of milk, flour, sugar, and salt into one of several bowls. She then cracks an egg over the side of the bowl, careful to not allow any bits of the shell into the batter. Once that's done, the batter is mixed until any lumps have been removed.
"Futoshi," Kokoro stops humming. "Are you done using the stove?" "No," he replies from over her shoulder. "But the griddle is warm."
"I suppose that will have to do," Kokoro says to herself, before she moves the bowls containing the batter to the nearby table. The bacon appears to be coming along nicely when she steps up beside her partner and begins to ladle out batter onto the flat surface.
As Kokoro patiently waits for the batter to cook she resumes humming, comforted by the heat of the stove and her love of cooking. "Kokoro," Futoshi's voice breaks her trance, "weren't you going to put chocolate chips in them?"
The girl covers her mouth with her hand. "That's right. I need to–" "Here they are," Futoshi says before he places the bag on the counter between them. "Thank you, Futoshi," Kokoro says, giving the boy a warm smile. It earns her a blush and she quickly begins sprinkling the chocolate chips into the rapidly cooking pancakes.
"Um, Kokoro," Futoshi whispers after several minutes pass. "Hmm?" the girl asks, glancing up at him. "You have some batter on your cheek," Futoshi tells her. "Would you get it for me?" Kokoro says, her eyes riveted on the griddle as she begins flipping the current set of pancakes.
"Sure," Futoshi's voice cracks, but he takes the rag from around his waist. "Don't move." Kokoro doesn't flinch as Futoshi gently wipes the batter from her face. She removes the final pancake and deposits it on the waiting plate.
She turns to face Futoshi and gives him a smile. "Thank you!"
In that moment, with her hair a mess, batter covering her apron, and the sun shining through a window behind her, Kokoro melts Futoshi's heart. He is so transfixed that he doesn't realize his hand has strayed too close to the stove.
"OWW!" he yells, pulling his hand from the hot surface. "Futoshi!" Kokoro raises her voice in concern. "Ow, ow, ow," Futoshi stumbles backward and rests against the table behind him.
Kokoro rushes to the freezer and returns a moment later with a piece of ice. She wraps it in a cloth and hands it to him. "Hold this against the burn," she says in a motherly tone. Kokoro then takes over where Futoshi had left off with the bacon.
"You really should be more careful," she tells him, stirring the pan's contents. "That's the third time you've hurt yourself in the last two weeks."
Futoshi looks at the small cut on his hand. "Yeah, I know." The truth is that the cut had occurred for much the same reason as today's burn. However, Kokoro was oblivious to that.
Kokoro looks over her shoulder at him. "If you don't, I won't let you cook anymore." "I promise!" he nearly yells. Kokoro giggles and returns to tending the bacon. "The pancakes are ready and so is the fruit. Could you take them up?"
"Sure," Futoshi says as he grabs the bowl containing the fruit in his good hand. "Can I trust you not to get hurt?" Kokoro asks with a small smile. "I'll be careful," Futoshi says as he quickly leaves the room, eager to please his partner.
Kokoro watches him go. He's such a nice boy, she tells herself. I'm really lucky he was my partner.
Her mind then wanders to the book hidden beneath her mattress. Should I tell him? We haven't had to fight in so long. Maybe it's okay to want something else now. He isn't as handsome as (Y/N) or Mitsuru, but he's always taken care of me. I'm sure he would help if I asked him to.
A feeling of doubt crosses her mind. That would be a lot to ask of him. I'll think about it a little more.
The book's title is, "Your First Child."
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Meanwhile on the beach, you and Miku are preparing to wrap up another sparring session.
Alright, you say to yourself, it's time to turn things up a notch. A bit more than half my strength and no handicaps. No pulled punches either.
You roll your shoulders to keep them loose and remove your shirt. The piece of cloth was drenched in sweat after your first round with Miku, and at this point it was more of an annoyance to keep it on. Miku glares at you but without hesitation removes hers as well, which was actually even more soaked than yours after she'd been thrown into the surf.
"You're getting good," you tell Miku as you begin to circle the ring. Miku snorts. "I'd sure hope so. Otherwise, you've beat the crap out of me the last three weeks for nothing." You smile."I should warn you," you continue. "I'm not going to just leave myself open anymore. And I won't hesitate to take advantage if you make a mistake." You stop on the side of the ring opposite Miku. "Think of this as real combat, because if you don't, it won't be pretty." The edge of Miku's lip curls into a grin. "Bring it on!"
With the gauntlet thrown, the final match begins.
Like a bullet from a gun, Miku launches herself from the low position she'd adopted and rushes toward you.
Because Miku stays low, it leaves her the perfect height for a single kick to the temple, which would bring the fight to a quick end and perfectly show her how serious you were. In preparation, you adjust your stance and wait for her to get closer. Once she can no longer change course, you begin the powerful kick.
To both your surprise and impressment, Miku had anticipated this move. She slides on her rear and ducks under the kick, ending up behind you as a result.
The impact of her open-handed strike against your lower back sends a shot of pain up your spine. You attempt to counter by throwing your left elbow at where her head should be located, but it contacts nothing and your momentum on your pivot foot brings you nearly face to face with Miku.
Her left-hand flashes in your vision before a cloud of sand assaults your eyes. Acting on instinct, you throw a feral jab followed by a right hook. Both are deflected and a series of blows runs up your front, culminating with an open palm across your jaw.
With the sand finally cleared from your eyes, you wait for Miku's next strike but find that she is standing a good five feet from you looking quite pleased with herself. So that's how you want to play, huh? Dirty? I can do that.
You wipe your jaw, spitting out a bit of blood. "Nice job there little sister, sand in the eye was a cute trick. But it won't work twice." Miku smiles even brighter. "That's not all, I've got even more waiting for you." You chuckle. "Well then, shall we continue our dance?"
"Let's."
This time, instead of waiting for Miku to make the first move, you advance on her with lighting speed. She nimbly dodges or deflects your blows with incredible precision for a technique that was still new to her three days ago. However, it doesn't surprise you, as Miku had been a quick study from the start.
Unfortunately for her, you know how to take advantage of the position the technique leaves your arm in.
When Miku skillfully redirects a right jab that would have hit her left cheek, she gives you just the opening you needed. The general assumption is that once the blow has passed you and the attacker's arm has reached full extension, it has been rendered ineffective. This assumption is correct, but the maneuver does leave your hand dangerously close to Miku's long braid of hair. So close in fact that all you have to do is open your fingers just enough and it is within your grasp.
With Miku's braid in hand, as your arm begins its return motion you jerk back even harder.
Miku grunts as she is pulled to the ground by her fiery red hair. She isn't given time to complain, however, as you force her to immediately roll out of the way of your rapidly approaching heel.
Instead she spins on her own, using it as a pivot to knock you off your plant foot. You tumble to the sand, landing on your back.
In an instant Miku is on you, capturing your right arm between her legs and arching her back. Knowing the only way to break the move, you fight to pull the limb back. Miku proves to have been too quick, and, having gained the leverage she needed, traps your arm against her chest.
A searing pain shoots through your arm as you try to break her grip, but you continue fighting. "Don't," a soft voice warns you. "Don't fight this, you'll only get yourself hurt." You manage to pull the arm up several inches only for Miku to double down on the pressure, making the pain even worse.
"If you keep moving your arm's going to snap," she says through gritted teeth. You thrash once more. "Stay calm." Due to your continued disobedience, Miku has achieved a near perfect grip, allowing her to forcefully hold you in place.
"Now," she looks you in the eye as pride blazes within her green orbs. "Tap out."
You have no choice but to admit defeat.
Tap! Tap!
"Yes!" Miku shouts, releasing you and rolling to her feet. "I did it!" the redheaded girl shouts as she begins to jump around in the sand. "I won! I finally won!"
"Yeah, yeah, congratulations," you groan.
Your miasma of annoyance isn't enough to rain on Miku's parade as she continues her celebration, now dancing in the surf.
You give her a minute to enjoy the win before calling her back.
"Miku!"
Suddenly realizing that you are still present, Miku rushes over. "You're okay, aren't you, (Y/N)?" she asks. "I didn't hurt you, did I? I wasn't trying to. I only wanted to win." "Calm down," you order her, and she falls silent. "I'll be fine. Now, where the hell did you learn how to do that?"
"I taught myself," she answers proudly. "'Taught yourself?'" you repeat. "I used that move once and you mean to tell me you perfected it without ever practicing or showing me?"
"I didn't say that," Miku slyly remarks. "Then how, pray tell, did you get that good?" you ask, now very annoyed.
"Hey, Miku," a familiar voice calls.
You've got to be kidding me.
A figure begins to step out of the foliage some thirty feet from you.
Seriously, there's no way.
Out of the forest, preceded only by the horns that serve to identify her, steps none other than Zero Two. "You won!" the pink-haired girl shouts happily.
"Zero Two," you whisper, simply awestruck by this revelation. "You got Zero Two, the only person here who would possibly know that move, to work on it with you? That's unbelievable. It can't be right."
"But it is," Zero Two smiles. "Miku told me what you did and asked if I knew how." "It wasn't that hard to learn," Miku chimes in. "But it's super effective if you get it right."
"I don't believe it," you say to no one in particular. "I just don't believe it."
Miku's eyes narrow. "If you're going to accuse me of cheating because–" "I am so damn proud of you!" you interrupt her. Now it's Miku's turn to be caught off guard. "You're what?"
"I'm proud of you," you say with a grin. "You fought me to a draw then managed to win. You may have used some cheap tricks, but in a real fight anything goes. Like learning moves from someone else in secret and using them against an unsuspecting opponent who thinks they know everything about you."
Miku looks confused, but beside her Zero Two nods. "You may not realize it," you tell Miku, "but you've already learned and exercised the most important rule of fighting."
Zero Two notices the opening and takes the opportunity to finish your statement. "All that matters is that you win."
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
After a glorious breakfast of chocolate chip pancakes courtesy of Kokoro, you set about the day's tasks. First and foremost is Freya. When you set out of the manor's rear doors and into the midmorning air, you can already see the AI waiting for you on the dropship.
"Good morning, Freya," you greet her with a smile. "I hear you've got something for us." "God morgon," she replies. "I do. I informed Doctor Franxx of your request to integrate me into the systems of Haven. He agreed. This dropship has been stocked with the necessary equipment to begin the process, courtesy of the doctor."
You chuckle. "I don't remember asking for that. Did you perhaps miss my company so much that you told the doctor that tale?" The golden avatar's expression remains stoic. "I am incapable of feeling such a sensation. My actions were based solely on one of our prior conversations."
"I don't believe you," you walk further into the craft. "At least, not entirely. You feel a lot of things, from what I can tell. But, let's see what you brought."
In the forward portion of the craft, a great number of boxes have been stacked. Opening one, you find all manner of electrical wiring, circuit boards, and a projector. Attempting to lift the box proves to be more of a challenge than you'd initially anticipated as well.
"Freya, I'll be back in a minute," you tell her. She nods. "I shall be waiting."
You return with Ikuno, Mitsuru, and several members of squad 56. They had been the first individuals you ran across, which resulted in them being drafted to help unload. There is some grumbling from the others, but Ikuno eyes seem to light up in Freya's presence.
"Where do we plug all this in?" you ask the AI. "That box there," she points to one of the many, "contains a computer system capable of hosting a small portion of me. Thus, even if you were to lose contact with the doctor, I would still be able to assist you, though in a greatly diminished capacity. It should be placed somewhere dry and with sufficient power."
"How's the basement sound?" Mitsuru asks. Oh god, I hope that didn't offend her. He continues. "It's dry, out of the way, and there are plenty of access points down there."
"That will be fine," Freya answers. "It means very little where it is physically located. I won't be tied to the spot once the remaining infrastructure has installed."
"And what is this remaining infrastructure?" Ikuno inquires.
"You have not been to the doctor's personal facility, Ikuno," the feminine figure states the obvious. "There, I can display this avatar throughout the entire facility, thanks to the holoprojectors. I also have access to the sensor networks and automated production, casting, and assembly lines."
"So," Ikuno smiles at the program, "you could take control of the manufacturing equipment we found in the underground base and build new FranXX." "If provided the materials, yes," Freya nods. Ikuno gives you a look that seems to say, 'better get on that.'
"Let's get you plugged in, then," you say aloud and take the first of many boxes in your hands. The others quickly follow suit and offload the containers, bringing them inside. Because the basement was Mitsuru's idea, everyone follows him into the cellar.
After the boxes have been deposited, the members of Squad 56 take their leave. As a result, you, Mitsuru, and Ikuno are left to work out building Freya's new home.
"Do either of you have any idea how to do this?" you ask, opening a box. "I know a little," Mitsuru answers, clearing a space to put a table. "We had that terminal back in Mistilteinn we could use to look at the Klaxosaur database and a couple of other things. I used it more than anyone else."
"Then you should know that this is much more than what we had in Mistilteinn," Ikuno chimes in, looking over the plethora of boxes.
"Just tell me what to do," you say to the pair.
Close to an hour later, a large cluster of databanks have been set up and Mitsuru powers on the system. There is a crackling sound as the speakers come to life, followed by a voice. "Hmm, this is roomier than I had originally anticipated."
"Freya?" you ask. "Yes," the voice responds. "The system has been successfully linked with my central database. Commencing transfer of essential programming, this will take some time. For the moment, we can proceed with setting up my interfaces."
The confusion on your face must be evident because Ikuno quickly steps in to explain. "She means the projectors. They must come with cameras and speakers too." "That is correct," Freya agrees. "The holographic projection units come equipped with everything needed to allot me the full experience of being present at this location. Without them I am, quite literally, blind and deaf."
"Do we have enough to make it so you can see the entire mansion?" you ask. "We have at least twenty," Mitsuru answers. "All of those boxes," he points to a large stack, "have projectors in them."
"Do we need to run cable to each?" the boy asks the AI. "That will not be necessary," Freya answers. "This terminal produces a wireless network capable of reaching any point in the manor. Simply locate the areas you wish for me to be available or monitor and provide power to the unit."
Ikuno and Mitsuru open one of the boxes and begin poking through its contents. They murmur between one another before Mitsuru stands. "(Y/N), you'll come with me and we'll start setting them up. Ikuno will stay here and finish whatever else Freya needs."
You nod and grab another box. "You got it, let's go."
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
A few hours later, you return to the basement after having set up each of the projectors. Freya now had a full view of almost every nook and cranny the manor had to offer, and she seemed to be enjoying the new environment.
"There is something else you need to be made aware of about Haven," Freya says to Ikuno as you and Mitsuru return down the stairs. "What's that?" Ikuno asks, brimming with interest. "After examining the plans for the military installation housed below, I've found a discrepancy."
Beside her avatar, a 3-D model of the base appears. There are four levels to the projection, however one appears to only be accessible by a single stairwell and the adjoining elevator.
"As you can see, the fourth level of the facility can only be accessed by this route." The stairwell and elevator are highlighted. "However, this elevator shaft continues past the level and further toward the surface. By using the facility's approximate location, and estimating path of the lift relative to the entrance, I have pinpointed where it should connect to the surface."
"Which is?" you wonder aloud. "This manor," Freya answers. "It appears to have been the residence of the commanding officer. In fact, the town of Haven was likely built to support the facility and conceal its existence from Klaxosaurs."
"If it just looked like a little fishing village and didn't use magma energy on the surface, they would be drawn to other places," Mitsuru says to himself. "Smart."
"So, where is this elevator?" Ikuno asks. Freya walks toward the door and into the hallway. "Follow me." She leads you to a small empty square room.
"Uh… Freya?"
"Inspect the south wall," she informs you. "I am detecting faint electrical signals at a height of four feet, exactly ten feet from the east wall intersect."
Mitsuru moves to the area Freya had described. "I don't see anything."
"Maybe that's because this requires a woman's touch," Ikuno nudges him aside and studies the wall closely. The girl traces the tile with her finger until stopping roughly three and a half feet from the ground. Laying her palm flat against the surface, she applies some pressure.
Click!
The tile slides over, revealing a keypad. Before you can ask how she figured it out, Ikuno types in the numbers 9435.
There is a low rumble as the entire wall shifts, giving way to a large elevator.
"How in the hell...?" you whisper.
Ikuno looks quite pleased with herself as she explains. "The tile wasn't even in that spot, and it looked as though one side was worn more than the other. When we first got here, I noticed the number on the end of the manor drive, 9435. It was just a guess, but it worked."
"This elevator leads to the military installation below," Freya adds. "It could be used to transport individuals or small amount of supplies discreetly between the surface and the base..." "...Under the guise of being guests of the manor," Mitsuru finishes. "Really smart."
You step in. "Well, let's see if it works." "Are you sure you want to ride it?" Ikuno gives you a questioning look. "It probably hasn't been operated in over a hundred years."
You shrug. "What's the worst that could happen?"
"Uh, it falls and we die?" Ikuno offers. Seeing that you don't appear to be concerned, she sighs and joins you. Mitsuru shakes his head but follows suit.
"Freya, take us down." She smiles. "My pleasure. However, I feel I should inform you that you are also capable of operating the lift on your own."
After about thirty seconds, the elevator grinds to a halt. There is a ding as it settles, and the doors open. However, it is pitch black. "Just a moment while I access the system," Freya's voice seems to come from everywhere at once.
One by one, lights begin to flicker on.
The room outside the elevator is massive. Stepping out, you find yourself on the second-floor balcony of a pentagon-shaped space very reminiscent of the command center of a plantation.
Workstations line the walls of the first and second floors. Several holotables are dotted across the first floor, with the largest being centrally located and easily ten feet in each direction. All of this sits on top of a large APE logo emblazoned on the floor.
Above the workstations on the second floor and comprising the entirety of the wall opposite the elevator are monitors that begin to slowly come to life. The floor-to-ceiling monitor displays a map of Japan, while the smaller ones show only pieces of the island.
"What is this place?" Mitsuru wonders aloud. You, however, recognize it from the books you've read. "It's a war room," you whisper with excitement. "I am synchronizing the doctor's database with this facility," Freya announces. "On screen… now."
Across the map, dots of every color illuminate. A blue one of significant size slowly moves toward a pair orange circles. Beside them is written "Plantation 92" and "Plantation 06," respectfully. In the north, some hundred-fifty miles from your current location, a large green square is labeled "The Garden."
"This is incredible," Ikuno marvels. "I don't even know what we could do with all of this information."
You do, as you look at her and smile.
"We're going to bring down APE."