Alright everyone, we're back. Now before you take up the pitchforks and amass the mob there is something I'd like you to know. Ichigo's death was planned from the beginning. It wasn't thrown in later on for shock factor or to undercut you. If you feel betrayed by that I apologize, but things were always going to be this way. There is still a lot of story left to tell and I promise we won't be staying in this pit of sadness forever. I hope you will all join us for the epic conclusion of Insurrection that we've been working toward for almost two years now. I hope you will all continue to join us for the remainder of the story, and the epic conclusion that we've been working toward for almost two years now.
Secondly, the decision has been made to open up the discord server that Spaze, myself, and the patrons use to the public so that we may all enjoy talking about Insurrection together. You can use the link below to join after removing the space between discord and .gg and typing it into your favorite browser.
Link: discord .gg/Jwf4m65
Last, after some deliberation, Spaze decided he wasn't entirely satisfied with the depictions of Zero Two in her wedding dress and the infamous Nine Psi. Both have been updated so you can view the new versions in the Imgur galleries already linked in previous chapters (or using the links in the discord server!)
When you wake in your bed back in the master suite of Haven's manor you feel warm, not at all how it should be. As a matter of fact, you had sweat all night. The soft breathing of the bed's other occupants to both of your sides reminds you of the culprits.
Last night was the second time Asuna and Asada had slept on the king-sized mattress with you. The girls curled up tightly to you beneath the sheets causing all three of you to sweat, but none of you really cared about the moisture. Clumps of matted hair stick to either of their sleeping faces, which look at peace for the first time in days. Once they wake up, their peaceful faces will go back to reflecting the sadness the three of you have come to know.
Fortunately for your daughters, sleep is an escape from the nightmare they're living. You aren't as lucky.
Every time you close your eyes, she's waiting for you. Sometimes it's happy memories from the past, like eating that terrible dinner as a family. Others it's of arguments the two of you had, such as the one at the Garden the day of your first time. The most common, however, was from three days ago.
The pained look in her eyes as the dagger sank into her chest. The tears she had cried, telling you to take care of the daughters she would never see again. Her gentle hand on your cheek as she told you this wasn't your fault. The cold silence after she took her last breath.
It's overwhelming. Day and night, no matter where you are, the guilt of what's happened threatens to crush you. Were it not for Asuna and Asada you might have done something drastic to escape the pain. But you can't. They need you now more than they ever have before. Putting on a brave face for them is your top priority, because you have to be here for them.
As such, you lay quietly in the bed without moving or making a sound. The girls had cried themselves to sleep again last night, and each moment they were free from the pain of reality was a blessing. Seeing their suffering only served to make yours worse.
It is nearly 1000 when the first twin stirs. Unlike usual, it is Asuna who has awoken. The blonde girl yawns and balls her little hands into fists to rub the sleep from her eyes.
"Hey, sweet pea," you whisper.
Asuna scrunches her facial features. "It's morning."
You nod. "Yeah, it is. How would you like a warm bath to help you wake up?"
The young girl shakes her head. "I don't take baths anymore."
This comes as a shock to you. Your brow furls as you respond. "Why not?"
"Ichigo took showers," Asuna answers. It's impossible to miss the sadness in her eyes or the slight quivering of her voice. "I'm a big girl, so I will too."
"Do you know how?" you ask.
Asuna nods. "I watched her do it through the mirror. She took me with her two times."
After several seconds of consideration, you concede. "Alright, I'll come check on you in a minute."
The blonde slips out of bed, creating a small thump as her feet hit the floor. You watch her walk into the bathroom and shut the door behind her. After a little while, a squeak from the other room confirms that she has succeeded in turning on the shower.
Meanwhile, you are left to decide how best to remove Asada from your arm without waking her. Sliding a pillow between the two of you, you unlock her hands and swiftly replace your arm with the soft cushion. Asada shifts for a moment, and you fear you've woken her up, but the steady rise and fall of her chest tells you she has remained asleep.
As you near the bathroom the unmistakable sound of crying cuts through the pitter patter of the shower. Hastening your pace, you enter to find Asuna scrunched in the corner of the shower to hide from the water. Her face is hidden behind her hands but the gentle heaving of her shoulders makes it clear that your ears hadn't led you astray.
"Asuna!"
Without thinking you throw open the door to the shower and step inside to kneel next to your crying daughter. Taking her in your arms you ask, "Sweetie, what's wrong?"
"I can't do it!" she heaves. "I couldn't make the shower work like Ichigo did!"
Then, you realize the water striking your back and side is freezing cold. Out of the corner of your eye it becomes clear that while Asuna knew how to turn the shower on, she didn't know how to make it a comfortable temperature to bathe in. Hence, she stepped in and then hid from the frigid rain.
While patting her back gently you reach out with your remaining hand and adjust the knob. The water grows warmer until finally it's enough that you can stop acting as your daughter's shield.
"Is this better?" you ask.
Peeking out from behind you, Asuna allows the warm water to fall upon her fair skin.
"Mhmm," she nods.
Satisfied that the situation is now under control, you kiss her forehead. "Listen, Asuna. I know it hurts right now. It hurts a lot. I miss her too, but I promise that Ichigo is watching us right now and she'd want you to smile, not cry. I know there are things she taught you that I can't, but don't ever let that stop you from asking. If I can't answer your questions, then I'll find someone who can. As your father that's my responsibility. We'll make it through this together, okay?"
"But I miss her!" Asuna sobs, clinging tightly to you. "She's not there to braid my hair or read me stories before bed! Why did she have to leave?!"
"Asuna!" you choke, voice breaking. "Asuna. It's alright, it's okay. You can cry all you need to, I'm here for you." Your grip on her grows tighter. "I'm never letting go, do you understand me? I'll always be here for you!"
Asuna sobs louder and wipes her nose on your soaked shirt. "Did, did we do something wrong? Did Ichigo die because I was a bad girl?"
You press your forehead against the blonde's and look her in the eye. "No, no! Sweetie, you did nothing wrong! Ichigo loves you so much, even now. Please, don't blame yourself for what happened. If anyone should, it's…"
"I just want her to come back!" Asuna cries.
You are unable to hold back the tears any longer, but the shower masks them from your daughter. "I know, Asuna. I know. I do too!"
It takes several minutes for Asuna to cry herself out, but when she has she reaches for the water and turns it off.
"You didn't wash yourself," you say.
Asuna stares at the knob intently. "I have to do it myself."
You realize she's talking about turning on the shower and setting the right temperature at the same time. You leave the shower and allow her to turn it back on.
The young girl plays with the temperature for a bit, trying to find it right where she wants it. At first she jumps when the water is cold, but then quickly throws it back toward the cold region after making it too hot. This continues a few times without her realizing she can make smaller turns to adjust the temperature more gently, but you leave her to it. The determination hasn't faded from her eyes even after several failed attempts. It's important to her that she do this and that she do it alone.
When she is finally satisfied you see her smile. Asada reaches for the soap and that's your cue to step out of the bathroom.
After leaving Asuna to bathe you return to your room. Grabbing a fresh set of clothes to go with the towel you took from the bathroom, you enter the girls' room and close the door. It takes a minute or two to peel your damp shirt and underwear off and dry yourself, but you feel more comfortable after having changed.
Shortly after you finish, a knock on the door draws your attention. You open it to find Asada still clutching the pillow you had given her. Her face is mostly hidden by the large white mass.
"Can you brush my hair?" she asks, still a bit groggy.
You nod and follow her to the stool in front of the mirror. "Of course."
Asada hunches over and hugs the pillow as you sit behind her, working through her curls with the brush. The silence of the room is pervasive, and it makes you worried after your interaction with Asuna several minutes ago. You tell yourself that Asada has always been quiet, so everything is probably better than you think and it's only nerves.
That is, until you accidentally catch a knot in the girl's silver curls. It snaps Asada's head back and she lets out a grunt of discomfort.
"I'm sorry," you tell her quickly, massaging the back of her head in apology.
Asada's reply is so meek you struggle to hear it through the cushion. "It's not your fault. Ichigo should be doing it."
"What do you mean?" you ask, confused by her statement.
"Ichigo should be doing my hair," Asada says into the pillow. "She should still be here. I told her something bad was going to happen and she went anyway."
Beneath your daughter's words you hear something that terrifies you: resentment.
"Asada, are you… alright?"
"I'm fine," she whispers.
"You know," you put down the brush, "you shouldn't be mad at Ichigo for what happened. Your mother loved you more than anything in the world."
The girl turns around on the stool and looks up at you. "Even you?"
You nod. "Even me."
"Then why did she go?" Asada asks, beginning to cry. "I didn't want her to go."
"It was something she had to do," you explain while rubbing circles on her head. "Something we both had to do."
"If she loved me… she would have come back."
There is a moment of silence. Something is going very wrong in her little head, but you can't tell what. Suddenly, Asada throws the pillow to the side.
"I hate her!"
Your heart shatters.
"Asada! Don't ever speak about your mother that way!"
Through tears the young girl shouts, "She left us here by ourselves! I hate her!"
In an effort to comfort her you reach out, but Asada backs away. "Angel, please, if you have to blame someone, don't blame Ichigo. Blame me. I was there too."
Asada's eyes narrow as she glares into yours. "Then I hate you. I hate you. I hate you! I hate you!"
Her little fists pound against your chest as she screams. Even still, you hold Asada as though both of your lives depend on it as she writhes in your arms.
"I know it's my fault for not protecting her," you whisper. "You can hate me if you want. You can tell me you never want to see me again. But, angel, please, don't blame Ichigo for what happened."
Asada continues to struggle. "It's your fault! You should have saved her!"
"I know I should have," you tell her in a small voice.
"She should be here! We're a family!" Asada's last cry devolves into sobs as her anger runs its course and she is overtaken by the sadness underneath.
Without knowing what to say, you sit in the chair and hold her. Asada's head rests against your chest as she cries, and she seems to be pressing herself into you with every fiber of her being.
"Promise me you won't leave us too," Asada whispers.
You stroke her head. "I promise I'll do everything I can to be with you as long as possible."
"That means you'll leave one day too," the girl sniffles.
You sit Asada up so you can look her in the eyes. They're red and puffy after her crying, with snot rolling down from her nose. Using your hand, you wipe them away.
"No one can stay together forever. People die because they're old, when they live long enough. What's important is remembering the good things that happened while you were together. You have so many wonderful memories with Ichigo, and you can't forget them. I've missed her every minute since she left but I still remember when she introduced me to you and your sister like it was yesterday. That's what you have to hold on to."
Asada rubs her face. "I remember too. I was really happy when she said we would be a family."
"Me too," you say, planting a kiss on her forehead. "Now sit back down and I'll finish brushing your hair. I promise to be more careful this time."
Asada uses your shoulder to boost herself up and kisses your cheek. With a mopey voice she says, "I'm sorry for getting angry."
"It's alright, angel," you tell her, pulling her into a brief hug.
You resume running the brush through her hair, going much slower this time than before.
"I love you," Asada whispers. "I love Ichigo too."
A glimpse of a smile crosses your lips. "We both love you too. Very, very much."
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Your morning is far from only one filled with struggles. All across Haven there are many who are dealing with the aftermath of the battle to defeat VIRM. Practically no one had remained unaffected in some way.
In a training room deep under the topsoil, a couple works through their own trial. The boy is drenched in sweat, attempting to make his way between a set of parallel bars. His right leg has been bent back at an odd angle and drags behind him. These are the first steps he's taken in the days since his injury.
A wheelchair sits vacant at the end of the bars, waiting for him to reclaim it. Having to rely on one infuriates him. He was a man for god's sake, and to be reduced to a state of requiring aid to move was embarrassing to no end. He had been more than capable before this, a model of fitness to be envied.
Looking down the male curses under his breath. A bead of sweat runs down his nose before dripping off to the floor below. It's much harder than he anticipated, walking without his right leg. Any weight he would have put on it previously now had to be carried by his left, which was a monumental task. The muscles scream even with some of his weight supported by his arms on the bars as he inches forward.
"You can do it," a gentle voice tells him.
Gritting his teeth, he pushes on. Every inch feels as though it were a mile. His arms and leg grow weak from the exertion, but the end is close at hand.
The wheelchair is pulled away and two hands reach out to him.
"You're almost there!" the voice says with growing excitement.
A step before the end his knee buckles. Before he can fall the man is caught by his partner. She lifts him back above the bars and allows him to stabilize himself.
"Damn it," he groans.
"You did great!" the other says.
The tired man looks up. "I can barely walk. What about that is great?"
It's been several days now, but Zorome has yet to grow used to this new Miku. The patch over her left eye still catches him off guard, even though he knows it should be there. However, no injury was capable of hurting the fiery redhead's enthusiasm.
"You're walking, silly," she smiles. "Keep this up and you can get rid of the chair in no time."
"How is–"
"My eye?" she asks. "It still stings a little. Getting used to seeing only half the room is the hard part."
Zorome is about to say something further on the topic when his arms buckle. His partner once again catches him.
A lock of hair tickles his cheek as Miku kisses his forehead. "I think that's enough for now. Let's get you back into your chair."
Together they walk the distance between the bars and where the wheelchair had come to rest. The journey is slow, as Miku allows Zorome to move at the pace most comfortable to him. Dragging a sixth of his body weight was far from easy, even with help, when it meant the rest was entirely on his remaining leg.
Once he is situated in the chair, Zorome reaches for the wheels. They begin to move before he can reach them, however.
"I can do this," he says, looking over his shoulder at Miku.
She gives a sweet smile in return. "I know you can, but you don't have to."
The look that Zorome returns seems to say, "Please, let me."
Miku realizes that while she just wants to be helpful, to Zorome her offer only further reduces his independence. To be given so much special treatment makes his injury feel that much worse. She wants to help her partner with all the love in her heart, but sometimes doing it directly wasn't the best way.
Miku nods and steps to walk alongside her love. "Do you want to get something to eat?"
"I'm so hungry I could eat a horse," Zorome replies, his appetite undamaged.
In the elevator they run into Kana. The young woman's eyes have deep bags beneath them like she hasn't slept in days.
"How is he?" Miku asks gently.
Kana takes a deep breath and adjusts her uniform. "Kyo is stable. The doctors say they aren't sure if he'll regain consciousness today or tomorrow, as the trauma was rather severe. I still can't believe we're alive to be honest. Valkyra pulled through for us."
"I know what you mean," Miku says quietly with a glance at her wheelchair-bound partner.
Before Argentea's head had been crushed by Sigma and Tau, Zorome had pulled her from the system and shielded her body with his. They had been thrown against the cockpit's rear wall and held in place by the jagged metal afterward. His right leg was caught between a few hard plates, crushing the bones within.
Her injury had been caused by a smaller piece of debris. The eye is worthless now, a sliver of steel having pierced it. Miku was fortunate that it hadn't gone any further and reached her brain.
Freya had told the couple that each of their injuries could be fixed using modern technology. A mechanical leg for Zorome and a neural-linked cybernetic eye for Miku, but Haven didn't have the necessary facilities or the parts themselves. They would need to be scrounged from APE. Even if they were, Miku wasn't sure she wanted to become like Dr. Franxx, but that was a concern for another day.
"How's the rest of your squad?" Zorome asks.
"They suffered only minor injuries or broken bones. As for myself, these are all I have to show for it." Kana lowers her collar to show a massive bruise. The deep purple mark reaches far below her uniform, as beneath her clothing similar patches blot much of her body.
"I understand Squad 13 is well," Kana continues.
Zorome and Miku give one another a look.
"Yeah…" Miku says. "We're all alright. Except for, you know…"
The violet-haired girl nods. "I cannot begin to comprehend what they're going through. As worried as I am for Kyo, to lose someone so precious to you… I think being in hell might be less painful."
"We have to come together," Zorome tells them. "We need each other now more than ever. Then we have to beat Papa. Everyone who sacrificed themselves to get us this far deserves that much."
"We will," Miku declares, with Kana giving a nod of silent affirmation.
"Later today I intended to gather everyone to discuss our next steps," Kana voices her plan. "Are the two of you able to make it?"
The redhead nods. "Give us an hour to eat and shower and we'll be there."
"Might need more than that," Zorome grumbles. "I'm not as fast as I used to be."
The humor serves to lighten the mood just enough that Miku and Kana laugh. Moments like those are all the more important in recent times.
The elevator dings and the door opens to the manor's top floor. The three of them exit and Kana turns toward her room. She gives a slight bow.
"Thank you, both of you. Having someone to speak to other than the doctors has been a great help."
"Of course," Miku grins.
Kana goes and the couple returns to their room.
Zorome showers first because of the added time it will take. Unable to support his own weight and wash himself at the same time, he sits on a stool that allows the steamy water to flow over him. Over the sound of the cascading water he hears the door open.
"Miku?"
"Yes?" she says, removing her towel.
Despite her current lack of clothing, Zorome focuses on the intent behind her actions. "I appreciate it, but I can shower on my own."
Miku opens the door before stepping in, giving him a soft smile.
"I know, but you don't need to."
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
That afternoon, the council meets to discuss the future of the rebellion.
"With VIRM out of the picture and the second class of Nines destroyed, APE has nothing left to throw at us other than the First Class. We have the advantage," Kana states.
Ikuno is quick to refute her claim. "Attacking now would be reckless. Our casualties were well above previous estimates. Any major operations now could put the entire rebellion at risk. Even if we're stronger one on one, APE still outnumbers us."
"That's all the more reason we should attack now," Zero Two says, biting at her fingernails. "If they expect us to sit back and lick our wounds then they'll do the same."
"We aren't combat ready. Even if we fielded all of our remaining forces, they wouldn't be able to fight against other parasites," Miku points out. "Everyone is exhausted, physically and mentally. That leads to mistakes, never mind the injured. We can't afford this right now."
You shake your head. This discussion has already been going on for half an hour. It seems to be evenly split down the middle. There are merits to both arguments, but you still find yourself leaning further toward one than the other.
"Alright everyone, that's enough."
Those gathered around the table look in your direction.
"I know some of you think we should strike while the iron is hot and you're right, this is an opportunity we won't get again. APE will be in a state of disarray with VIRM's loss and that will make many of their facilities easy targets."
Those in the pro-aggression faction smile or nod.
"But we can't. Take a look around this table. How many of us can fight at this moment? I count that at least three of the members present should only be in a FranXX if they absolutely have to right now. That speaks nothing of those who aren't here."
Miku's eye meets yours, and in a brief instant you see the sympathy and solidarity she feels.
"I want to rid the world of APE, now more than ever. They've taken things from all of us, things we can't ever get back. But if we push now then it will end up costing us badly in the long run, maybe even the entire war."
You struggle to finish.
"I made a promise to Ichigo that I would protect Asuna and Asada. The only way to do that is to defeat APE. Nothing is going to keep me from fulfilling that promise. A few weeks, maybe a month from now, could mean a lifetime for them without fear. We'll wait and give ourselves time to recover before striking APE where it hurts. Even though we won the battle, we have to always be thinking about winning the war."
A vote was cast, seven to three. The rebellion would wait a period of two weeks for the injured to heal and for the FranXX that had been damaged to be repaired before resuming combat operations.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The funeral was a solemn affair. Few were invited, and even fewer attended due to the circumstances.
Ichigo was laid to rest in the forest near a stream. The usual chirping of the birds and insects was absent in the area, leaving only the soft babbling of the water over the rocks.
Asuna and Asada had made floral wreaths for their mother, and both were placed in the casket. One went around her head, and the other over her folded hands. The wedding band you had given her remained on her left ring finger as your tribute. Others offered items that signified their connection to her, and a myriad of items ended up alongside her still form.
The ceremony itself seemed to both go by in a blur and last for an eternity. Seeing the peaceful expression on Ichigo's face was more painful than could be put into words. She hadn't looked anything like that when she died, but by the grace of God, Asuna and Asada were kept away until she had been cleaned up. The girls didn't need to see her like that, no one did. The image would be forever burned into your mind, but the two of them being spared would allow you to carry that burden just a little easier.
People left the gravesite one by one or in pairs, after offering their condolences to yourself and the girls. Miku and Zorome stayed the longest alongside Hiro and Zero Two. The first couple was lucky to be alive themselves, while the second felt that there was more they could have done. They also had gone underground for the battle but had been sweeping a different sector of the base when it happened.
Watching Asuna and Asada cry was the hardest part. The happiest part of their lives was the time spent with you and Ichigo as a family in Haven. That had been taken from them. No words or actions could bring Ichigo back, and likewise it seemed there was little that could be done to ease their suffering.
As you make your way up the stone steps leading back to Haven your communicator vibrates in your pocket. You ignore it and continue up the slope, holding each of your daughters by the hand. Shortly after the first series of vibrations it begins again. Once again you ignore it, only for it to ring a third time as you reach the top step.
"What!?" you demand harshly of whoever has the nerve to call you right now.
There is a pause on the line. "Um, sir, there's something you need to be made aware of."
An image appears on screen, a serpentine Klaxosaur.
"You have ten seconds to explain why I'm looking at this Klaxosaur or I'll…" you allow the threat to drift off.
The voice returns. "Sir, that image was taken sixty seconds ago. The Klaxosaur has been sitting in the same spot just outside our defensive perimeter for over an hour. I-I think it's waiting for us to notice it."
"Then kill it and be done with this," you order the analyst.
"There's one more thing, sir," they reply. "It appears that there's, um, a person standing beside it."
Another image appears, showing a small figure that can't quite be made out, dwarfed by the massive Klaxosaur.
You sigh.
"Have the perimeter guard stand by, I'm on my way."