08

The endless paths. The labyrinth. It was hopeless.

Breath. Running out. It was right

BEHIND

Fire. Often perceived as the fuel for life, the gift that God bestowed upon humanity to allow its continued survival. Perhaps it was the inconsistency of its movement, snapping back and forth like a coiled snake, ready to strike at all that come near. The way it threatened to flicker out, only to explode to even greater lengths than before, ensuring its own existence.

Whatever the case, Zero Two found herself entranced by the fire that raged throughout the open casket, the corpse that lay inside slowly being converted to grainy ashes. Next to her were the other Nines, notably Alpha, who leaned against a chair. In front of the casket was Papa. The man wore a long white luxurious jacket adorned with shining golden edged plates, black jeans finishing hit outfit. A stern look sat atop his face, scarred with a long strip vertical down his cheek. Dark eyes stared emotionlessly at the flames; his orbs lit by a slight hue of purple.

A cigarette hung loosely from Papa's mouth as he turned to the other Nines, which lead to them all snapping to attention. Zero Two let her eyes lazily wander to Papa, making sure she was emanating with disinterest. She didn't want to be here. She'd much rather be doing something else, perhaps even seeing her fake darling, which she had decided was allowed for now. Her heart still believed that her fake darling was truly her real darling, despite the lack of remembrance coming from him. Yet, rationale proved it to be false every time, but since when did Zero Two listen to rationale?

However, instead she had been called to this location by Papa, which was a rare occurrence. Meaning this must be important. However, since getting here, she had just watched this body burn, and she was quite bored, to say the least.

"We lost another one," Papa's voice was gruff as he spoke, a hardened tone in it as he gestured to the casket that lay behind him. "Gorilla. One of my more trusted councilmen."

"I'm sorry, Papa," Alpha's voice rang out, clear sorrow audible as Zero Two found herself cringing at his action. They hadn't even known the man. How could any of the Nines be sorry? As if sharing the sentiment, Papa waved his hand at the blond-haired boy, dismissing his words.

"His life doesn't matter. He was just fodder in the grand scheme of our plan," Papa let out the smoke that had piled in his throat, tossing the cigarette into the fire. "No, I didn't bring you all here today to mourn this man's death."

Zero Two felt a slight spark of interest form inside her as she gave Papa a curious glance. The other Nines murmured amongst themselves until Alpha finally spoke up.

"Is it time, Papa?" Alpha asked, his voice brimming with an excitement that Zero Two wanted to choke out of him. The incessant enthusiasm the boy showed towards doing anything involved with Papa was disgusting to see.

"Yes. It is time," Papa finally responded, determination bursting out of him as he looked at Zero Two, who frowned at him in response. "The plan has been culminating upon this one moment for years. It is time, children, to take back what is ours."

"What do you mean?" Beta chimed in, his voice uncertain. His hair was a light blue that fell over one of his light grey eyes. He was a tall lanky boy, with frighteningly fast movements.

"We take back the Gran Crevasse," Papa responded, his words bringing an obvious reaction from everyone. Even Zero Two found herself raising an eyebrow, before scowling as she found herself interested.

"How do you suggest we do that?" Zero Two nearly snarled at the man, lazily checking out her nails. She wasn't in the most pleasant of moods, and being near Papa multiplied her negativity.

"You don't need to worry about the specifications, Iota," Papa said, using the nickname that she hated so much. She gave the man a glare that could freeze death itself, however, Papa just ignored it. "All you need to know is that we'll be needing you soon, Iota."

"And what if I don't want to?" She challenged, her voice dangerously edging onto truth. By all means, she could just refuse to do anything he willed upon her. It was her call, and she found herself leaning to it.

Papa's eyes flashed with anger, a sight that Zero found herself amused to see. The usually calm and collected man, getting so worked up by her simple question. However, the flash went away just as quickly, leaving behind a controlled glow of calm.

"It would be in your favor to do so," Papa said slowly, a cocky grin falling upon his lips, a sight that made Zero Two all the more suspicious. "After all, if you don't, I doubt you'll ever see your darling."

Immediately rage flew throughout the girl, the blood pumping throughout as she stood up, her eyes dangerously glowing a slight red hue as she glared daggers at Papa. To dare threaten her darling, it brought an immediate flurry of anger throughout her.

"That wasn't the deal," Zero Two's voice was controlled, a dangerous undertone revealing itself as she took all it could in her to maintain her fury.

"I know. But I've changed the deal," Papa said, scoffing as he spoke. "Instead of killing the Klax, all you have to do is this last thing for us. Once done, you will be free to go, and you can see your darling. It's better this way, yes?"

They both stood their ground, ending with Zero Two scoffing as she sat back down, turning her head to the side. She had to admit the terms sounded better, yet she couldn't put down the sneaking suspicion that there was something else to this. Knowing Papa, there was certainly something else to this.

"Papa, what is our mission then?" Alpha spoke up as the confrontation ended, a disgusting loyalty so clear in his voice it made Zero Two want to hurl.

"For now, nothing. Alpha, continue what I told you to do. Everyone else, be on standby. Everything will be falling in place soon," Papa said, his voice trailing off as he turned back to the fire. "The Klax will finally be eliminated."

Zero Two even found herself subtly nodding, the one sentiment that she could agree with. The Klax would finally be gone. Yet, it was a strange reality to consider, given that she had lived her whole life in constant hunt for them.

A different prospect to consider was the sudden proximity she was of her goal. To be freed and with her darling, that was what she had been working for. With the sudden change, she was now able within touching distance of it. An excitement ran throughout her body, her blood fueled with a newfound energy as her heart began to beat in elation.

She couldn't wait to see her darling. To see how he grew up, to see if he was still the same, to be with him, to be… human. To be normal. To live a regular life. All she had to do was find her darling, then it would all end well.

A sudden lurch in her stomach appeared as the back of her mind prompted forwards a question. What about fake darling? She bit her lip slightly as she thought about the boy, and even her heart began to be conflicted. Fake darling was so so so good, the way he spoke, the way he tasted, everything about him lit a fire in her that took every cell in her body to control. The way he texted her all the time, the way he checked up on her to make sure she was fine, the way he pushed her, taking her to his house despite her words.

But he also wasn't her real darling. The promise she had made rang out in her mind, and she shook her head, unable to decide. She would have to find closure on this topic, and fast too.

On weekends, teenagers normally found themselves doing fun things, like hanging out with their friends or going to parties. However, Hiro wasn't a normal teenager. He had to find answers, and to do such, it might mean sacrificing a few things. Such was his thoughts as he entered the broad complex building, a quiet area that was anything but abandoned.

The library.

The internet served no use in his search for answers, so he decided perhaps it was time to take a dig at one of the more ancient tools, the newspaper. The library contained a copy of each local paper, dating back to times before Hiro's ancestors were even born. Hopefully, one record might have some information about his parent's deaths. Or any information for that matter.

As he made his way to the front desk, a book caught his eye, strangely enough. It laid in the corner, behind a shelf, as if it had been forgotten. He walked over to it, gently picking up the thin book. It was a picture book, and Hiro found himself furrowing his eyebrows. It was simply named The Beast and the Prince, a strange twist perhaps reversing the roles of the Beauty and the Beast. However, recognition flowed through him, and he wondered where exactly it was coming from. He had never heard of the book, nor read it. Yet, holding it in his hand, it felt familiar, and he felt something pang in the back of his head. He turned it back and forth, examining the cover.

He flipped the book open, his curiosity brimming as he turned to the first page. He slightly gasped, looking at the beautiful scene displayed before him. A girl with long, broad wings sat before a colorfully sprawled sun. Another pang rang through his head as his eyes locked to the words.

Static. Bursts of static exploded in his head, a familiar situation, and he gasped for breath as he felt his knees buckle beneath him, his eyes quickly coming to a close as the pain overtook him.

In the deepest, darkest part of a forest lived a tribe, hidden from all.

Darkness. It was cold, and the tangy smell of blood forced him awake, his eyes fluttering as he came to. Unknowing of where he was, he tried to get up, only to be pulled back by ropes, holding him against the wall. He struggled, to no avail, his cries for help being tossed to the side. He was alone.

It was a cell, and he coughed, spitting out a spray of blood that splashed against the floor. He felt awful, and his stomach craved for food.

Among them was their princess, who had huge, ashen wings.

And in the dark, suddenly, a voice, a feminine sounding one. Small, scared, but hopeful. He looked to it, desperate, a silhouette in the shadows of the room, a hand reaching out to him. The only part of her not completely black was her hand, being of a creamy white skin, trembling. It came closer and closer.

And on her sixteenth birthday, the princess took flight to the world beyond the forest.

Escape. The night let them run. The streets stretched out before them, and he took the lead, holding a soft hand in his own, telling her it would be safe, they were okay now, they were going to be safe. Into the open world, together.

The silhouette nodded, hanging onto his every word. Together, they ran out into the open expanse, ready to face any challenge, filled with a brimming excitement that held the two to their hopeless venture.

The princess hid in the bushes and stared at the young man, and for the first time, love bloomed in her heart.

They ran back to the dark, hiding in its hug. Their laughs hid their utter exhaustion, and out came a book, and an encouraging nod to read it. Reading, learning, being together. Words flowed out of his mouth, and he spoke to the silhouette, a beaming sound that seemed to uncover the blanket of night before them.

"-forever, too. And then, I'll be your da-"

A beast and a human could never be together.

Gunshots. Loud, they exploded the night away. A final plea, a desperation. A run back into the hold of death, a final attempt to save her. Brutal pain, and finally, release.

I want to live as a human.

"Are you okay, dear?"

Hiro gasped as he was pulled back into reality, his eyelids fluttering rapidly as he snapped awake, clutching at his lively heart. He was on the floor, the book tight against his chest as he looked at his surroundings, gathering everything in. Before him was a grandma, short, frail, white hair that fell gently to her shoulders. Worried brown eyes stared caringly at Hiro, and he finally nodded to her.

"Y-Yeah, I'm okay, I'm okay," Hiro repeated himself, his voice sounding breathless as he spoke. What was that? What had just happened? What were those images in his head? The pangs slowly dissipated, leaving his mind in disarray.

"Are you sure? The way you were lying on the floor, I was on the verge of having my own heart attack!" The woman joked slightly, though the worry was still present as day in her eyes. "Perhaps it'd be best if you sat down for a bit and collected yourself."

Hiro nodded, picking himself up and going to a nearby chair, sitting himself down. He gave another glance at the book, his eyebrows furrowing as he looked at it. Why had the book caused such a vivid reaction to him?

"Oh, that's the book I was looking for!" The woman suddenly exclaimed, and Hiro gave her a blank glance, before finally understanding her words.

"Oh, you were? Here, you can have it, I was just looking," Hiro said, thrusting the book her way as the woman gratefully accepted it.

"Yes, though I wasn't planning on checking it out. You see, I'm the librarian here," The woman explained, a warm smile atop her face as she looked at Hiro. "And there's this one girl that has always come here since a very young age, always asking for this book. Even to this day, as a teenager, she comes here specifically for this book. I've begun to just keep it hidden so I can give it to her when she comes, however, I must have displaced it."

"I see," Was all Hiro could muster, his mind stuck on those visions. Who was that silhouetted figure? "Well, I'm glad I could find it for you."

"Indeed," The old lady mumbled, her eyes brimming with an uncertain curiosity as she stared at Hiro. "Perhaps you're the one she speaks of…"

"Hmm?" Hiro perked up, not catching exactly what she said. The woman blinked at him, before laughing and waving her hand at him.

"Oh, it's nothing, just old lady talk. Anyways, did you come here for something?" She asked, getting up from the chair across from him. Hiro nodded enthusiastically, realizing what he had come here for.

"Yeah, I had. Could you tell me where all the newspaper records are?" He asked, and the woman nodded, gesturing for him to follow. Hiro accepted, and off they went towards the back end of the library.

His hands tingled as he walked, as if yearning for that soft feeling that had been so vivid in those visions. His mind still hurt, and he furrowed his eyebrows as he tried to think about it all. He had never seen anything like that. Perhaps it was some weird fever dream triggered by the book, but he had a hunch that there was much more to it. Yet, without the book, he wouldn't be able to experience those images again, could he? His eyes wandered to the book in the old woman's hand, and he bit his lip slightly as he pondered on whether he should ask her for the book in hopes that he could trigger those visuals again.

"And here we are!" The woman suddenly announced, and Hiro looked up to an old, dusty area with one large shelf, stacked with multiple light brown boxes containing thousands of newspapers each.

"E-Eh? Is there even a filing system?!" Hiro asked, his eyes wide as he looked at the monstrous amount of newspapers before him.

"Nope!" The woman gleefully announced, giving him an amused grin as she walked away. "Good luck!"

Hiro gulped, looking back at the woman who rapidly disappeared into the complex array of shelves that made the library. Now alone, his mind wandered back to the images that had burned themselves into his mind. What were those? He had been in a cell, chained, and that voice… It was startlingly familiar. But it didn't make any sense. If those were memories, what were they about?

He considered what Dr Frank had told him, that he had been in a coma, thus forgetting what had happened to him during two months of his life. Could it be possible that…?

He wasn't sure. If those memories were from back then, they still didn't make any sense. Why would he ever have been chained up, throwing up blood and the like? His mind began to hurt from all the stress, and he decided he would reserve the thoughts for another time.

Sighing, he wiped his hands on his pants before reaching up for the closest box, setting it down on the table next to him. He coughed at the spray of dust that exploded into the air, and he hastily grabbed for a newspaper, eyes scanning for a date.

December 30th, 2012. 7 years before he was even born. Scowling, he put the newspaper back and returned the box to its shelf, going down the row a bit before grabbing another box. Pulling it down, he took another newspaper. October 21st, 2014. He continued the process, not finding anything notable, going from newspaper to newspaper.

Eventually, he decided it was time for a break, taking a breather as he sat down at the table. He lazily pulled out his phone, noticing Zero Two had sent him a text.

Darling! Meet me somewhere! – Zero Two

He read it fondly, shaking his head at her vagueness. He quickly typed back.

Sure, where do you want to meet? – Hiro

Putting his phone back away, he got up despite the short break. If he were to meet Zero Two, that meant his time here would be shorter than he thought, and Hiro was determined to find something of use before he left. Going to the very end of the shelf, he grabbed for a box, setting it against the table and taking a newspaper.

November 13th, 2015. Another useless date. He was hoping to find the accident report for his parent's death, not some useless stuff from the past. Scowling, he prepared to put it away, before something caught his eye. He gazed down at the newspaper, reading the headline.

Project Apus Announced!

The title wasn't of anything to note, however he had heard of it before, unable to discern quite when or where he had heard the name. No, it was the picture that accompanied the title. A large man stood, wearing a long white jacket with golden adornments. However, the woman next to him… Hiro's mother. He glanced down at the caption to make sure, and it indeed stated that it was Arya Strell. He quickly scanned the newspaper, frowning. He remembered his mother had been part of some project before he had been born, that's why they had moved here. However, he had never learned details, or bothered to learn them anyways.

He kept reading, trying to find any useful information. Project Apus… Lead by… Chris Virm? He had never heard the name before, and he looked back up to the caption for the picture. It indicated that Chris Virm was… The tall man next to his mother. Strange. He looked back to the content, hoping for more clues. Project Apus is a construction project to create a new sector of the city. It was supposedly to be called Cerasus, which Hiro thought was strangely fantasy-like. Ignoring the weird name, he kept reading, however, he was unable to find anything else relevant.

He put the newspaper away after flipping through the rest of the pages. Though it didn't offer much towards uncovering his parents' deaths, it did give him a hint. Chris Virm had known his mother. Which meant… Perhaps he knew what had happened? Which meant he had to find Chris Virm, and maybe he might be able to tell Hiro exactly what he needed to know. Taking his phone back out, he smiled as he saw the text message from Zero Two.

In the building where we first kissed – Zero Two

Of course, this message was sent with a kissing emoji attached, and Hiro quickly responded saying he'd be there as soon as possible. Smiling, he made his way out of the library, planning to meet the pink-haired beauty, trying to block out the part of his mind hoping for a kiss. They'd just be hanging out, despite the previous events that might have transpired on that rooftop.

"Yes, we're in the house, Papa," Alpha reported, lazily lying back on the couch that was in Hiro's house. It was nice, a very expensive material that complimented well with the ambience. In fact, the whole house was extremely nice, and Alpha found himself nicely comfortable in the area. "The squadron is searching, so they should report to me if it has been found."

"And Hiro? What if he happens to come around?" Papa asked, and Alpha laughed.

"We have surveillance in the broad area around the house. If he were to come, we would be alerted in enough time to leave in a quick fashion," Alpha reassured Papa, looking at the TV that sat before him. He leaned for the remote, turning it on and admiring the HD quality. "So, we should be safe."

"I see. Well, Alpha, make sure the mission goes well. We must make sure that this goes perfectly," Papa warned, before the clicking noise that indicated the end of the call snapped. Alpha just yawned, leaning further into the couch as he flipped through the channels. Sports? Meh. Perhaps some reality TV would do.

Switching onto the perfect channel, Alpha decided perhaps some snacks would do. Maybe even just a simple glass of milk. Hopefully Hiro kept around chocolate milk, or Alpha would have a big problem with the boy. Wandering over to the kitchen, he admired the luxurious material that the countertop was made of, dragging his hand across it. Truly a rich house.

Opening the refrigerator, he gleefully took the chocolate milk, pouring it into a nice glass Hiro kept around in a cabinet. He greedily gulped it down, admiring the rich texture. His eyes glanced towards the pantry, and Alpha decided chips would just make this the perfect afternoon. Maybe Hiro kept around cookies too, now that would really make this just amazing.

BANG!

Alpha dropped what he was doing, rolling to the ground against the wall as he immediately reached for his gun, flipping it into his hand as he readied the firearm.

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

Multiple shots rang out through the house, and Alpha could tell it came from upstairs. Immediately, his remaining squadron appeared at the first floor, coming out from the various rooms they had been searching for. Alpha motioned for them to go up the stairs and to investigate, cautiously maintaining his guard as he too followed behind his men.

BANG!

The man that had been leading the way up fell, blood falling all over the nice floor as he collapsed from the stairs to the ground. Alpha immediately shot warning shots back into the room where it had come from, keeping to the floor as he held a defensive position. His men also held position, and they stared cautiously at the room.

Alpha wasn't sure how many there exactly were, but he was certain that this must be a Klax counterattack. Which meant they had been spotted.

Hiro couldn't help but stare at the beauty that stood before him. Zero Two had her hair in a long ponytail, leaving two strands on their own to fall down the side of her face. She wore her standard attire, the red and black skirt and the white shirt finished with a loose red and black jacket. Perhaps it was that it had been a while since they had met, though in reality it had just been about a week or so.

"Quit staring," The girl teased, an easygoing smile bouncing on her lips as she made her way to Hiro, grabbing his hand as she pulled him out of the building. "We're going somewhere."

Hiro stumbled after her, catching his balance as he began to walk alongside her. "Why'd you ask me to meet you here then?"

"Well, it's closer to here that's why," Zero Two explained, giving him a side glance as an amused smile rose on her face. "Why? Were you hoping for a redo of last time?"

"Pfft. No," Hiro said, suddenly noticing how interesting the sky was as he looked up, feeling a splash of pink rise to his cheeks. "I was just wondering, that's all."

"Mmhmm. I'm sure," Zero Two teased, making a sudden noise as she scrambled to reach into her pockets, causing Hiro to curiously look back down. She pulled out two spherical lollipops, handing him one generously. "Here, I brought them just for us."

Hiro took it gratefully, getting rid of the wrapper before popping it into his mouth. Immediately he cringed at the tangy sweetness that exploded into his mouth, and he pulled it back out, wincing as his teeth whined.

"What flavor is that?" He asked weakly, giving Zero Two a glance as she easily sucked on it.

"Tropical creamy citrus caramel mix," Zero Two simply said, giving him an alluring smile that danced on her lips as she finished. "Extra sweet."

"I see," Hiro tactfully said, hesitatingly putting the candy back into his mouth.

Leven paused against the wall, holding the pistol in hand as he waited at the door. He hadn't expected that the Franxx would already try and invade the Strell household, but one could never expect what the Franxx were going to be up to. He had been maintaining his patrol when he suddenly noticed a movement inside the home, and he went to investigate. He had jumped through Hiro's window, entering his room and immediately shot at the man that had been in the room along with five other men that he had sights on from the room. Even with all that he was in an extremely bad situation. Not only was the more elite squadron inside the house, there was also one of the Nines.

And if he wasn't mistaken, it was Nine Alpha. Probably the most dangerous of them all, bar Zero Two. He had called for reinforcements, but the shortest he could expect actual help would be a long time, as, apparently, they had also begun a sneak attack on the Gran Crevasse's first outpost.

It was clearly planned, and Leven was sure that Papa had this all charted out way before it was executed. Meaning that Leven was alone in this defense. He hastily checked for all the equipment he had on hand. Barely enough. If he were to get out of here alive, it would require some heroism, and a lot of miracles.

He glanced at the dead body that slumped against Hiro's closet door, mostly inspecting the various equipment he had on hand. Namely: the smoke grenade. However, to get to the body meant he had to cross the door, which was wide open. To do such was really a suicide mission, as he knew every gun in the house was aimed at the door. However, he was a sitting duck in here too. Both ensured his death.

His eyes scanned the room, hoping Hiro had anything that could help him in the situation. Of course, being just a teenager, the boy wouldn't have much, meaning that Leven would have to innovate. His eyes landed on two rolling chairs that sat, and his mind races at the possibilities.

Immediately, he grabbed one of them, rolling them slowly across the doorway. It crossed safely, being unharmed. The gunmen outside were smart enough to not waste their bullets on such bait, and Level smiled as he grabbed the second chair. He sat in it, curling himself to be as small as possible, where he then rolled himself across the room, keeping the back to the door.

He tensed, waiting for impact. Instead, he was allowed safe travel, and he found himself on the other side of the room. Letting out a deep sigh of relief, he got off the chair, crawling over to the corpse. He felt the body down, grabbing all the utilities, including the man's gun, a Galil. The old reliable gun that he was fond of, having used it in a multitude of situations. He held the gun, admiring its handy grip with nostalgia as he collected the rest of the man's utilities, including the smoke grenade. He unpinned it, letting it roll right out the door.

Smoke bloomed, leaving the upper hallway in a large cloud of smoke. And, just as he was expecting, gunfire did not appear. They were invading Hiro's house; however, it was still a stealth mission, meaning they were attempting to maintain its original state. Spraying wildly around would definitely not help achieve that plan. Now, Leven had a couple of options.

He could run across the smoke into another room, but it was certainly a dangerous venture. No, Leven decided that it was time for a different route. He went to the window he had originally entered from, climbing back down with little noise. He landed silently to the ground, slowly making his way to the front door. Outside, the evening sun was setting, leaving it to the moon to illuminate the world. He stood against the door, hand gripping the Galil tightly.

"Where are we going, Zero Two?" Hiro asked, curious as they made their way further into the abandoned streets of the city. Night was beginning to fall, and the two still had been walking around, making pleasant conversation as they held hands.

"Don't worry, we're almost there," Zero Two promised, giving him a confident smile as they took another turn. She began to accelerate, and Hiro walked in similar steps to keep up. There were no pedestrians around, and the city was gradually turning darker and dirtier, leaving Hiro to question where exactly she was taking him. The pungent smell of oil began to spread, leaving him to cough uncomfortably.

They turned into an alley this time, and she kept her march until they suddenly stopped. Hiro stared at Zero Two confusedly, who stared back with an expectant gaze clear in those green orbs of hers.

Hiro looked at what was before him. A large green dumpster lay against the wall, and an array of black pipes surrounded the area, making it a tight squeeze. Metal stairs lay further on, and the smell was tinged with a gas-like odor. A slight pang echoed throughout his head as he felt the back of his head begin to whine, a familiar emotion that he distantly remembered had occurred at the library, though he wasn't certain what it was. He looked back at Zero Two uneasily, who's eyes began to dim into a dull green, an unrecognizable emotion haunting them.

"What are we doing here?" Hiro asked, offering her a sheepish smile which Zero Two returned with a scowl, her eyes shifting away from him.

"Never mind," She said, her voice emotionless as she began to walk out of the alley. Hiro frowned at her sudden attitude change, grabbing for her hand, stopping her movement. Why was she acting like this all of a sudden? Had he done something wrong?

"Hey, answer me," Hiro held onto her, staring strongly into the daggers that Zero Two was throwing his way with her eyes.

"Drop it," She growled, her eyes threatening him with a dangerous hue of red as she shook his hand off hers. "You're obviously not…"

"Not what?" He prompted her further, trying to figure out what exactly she was getting at as his eyebrows furrowed deeper.

"I said. Drop. It." Her voice was stern, complete with a dangerous undertone that indicated perhaps it really was finally time to drop the topic. "Don't worry about it, Hiro. I shouldn't have expected as much from you."

Hiro. She hadn't called him that in a while, and to hear her use his actual name instead of the pet name brought a strange feeling to his heart as he bit his lip slightly, uncertain of what to do.

"No," Hiro said bluntly, an edge in his voice as he continued. "I said I would stick around to figure you out, which means this is a part of it. So, tell me."

Her eyes stared at his, hard with sparks of anger glimmering off of them. Yet, Hiro knew he had to continue, despite all the yells of danger his mind screamed. He wouldn't step down this time, no. He had to be strong now, to find his parents and figure her out. She gritted her teeth, scoffing as she looked away, giving Hiro the triumph.

"It has nothing to do with you," She snarled, clearly not wanting to talk about it, and Hiro hesitated, unsure of how much he should push her. He wanted her to talk to him, to be able to connect with her. He opened his mouth, ready to speak, to ask her to tell him anyways.

"I kept my promise, to come back," A strange sensation took control of his throat, choking him as instead different words than he had planned to say flowed out from his mouth. It was like he had been taken control of for a second, and he was suddenly released, coughing as he caught himself. Pangs of static echoed throughout his head, and he grit his teeth to keep himself in check, looking up at Zero Two.

She stood there, shock clearly in those green eyes. They stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity, her eyes wavering with an unknown emotion. The pangs began to ring louder in Hiro's head, and he struggled to stay conscious, his knees threatening to topple at any second. He was losing himself. In front of him, tears began to fall down Zero Two's cheeks, plaguing the beautiful face of hers.

It had been two minutes since the smoke grenade popped, and Alpha was beginning to get bored. He thought about sending his men just to rush down the door, but the precision accuracy that had shot down his men warned him against such. Clearly, Alpha was against tougher competition here, at least a Lehmann-class or higher.

However, his patience was beingly clearly tested, and Alpha was on a losing battle here. He raised his hand, ready to gesture for a command when the door suddenly flew open. Bullets sprayed into the air, and Alpha immediately rolled to the ground, finding cover behind a recliner as four of his remaining seven men were instantly shot down, their heads exploding into a spray of blood. His shoulder ached at the sudden contact with the ground, but Alpha ignored the sensation, instead looking up from his position. Two men shot back, but were quickly dealt with, leaving Alpha with only one grunt left. At the door stood a large Klax, holding an assault rifle.

Alpha took shots, well-aimed. They shot through the air, reaching touching distance to his target. However, the Klax moved out of the way just in time, jumping for cover. Alpha followed his body, spraying bullets as he saw one connect onto the man's leg with an explosion of blood. Even with the injury, the man made his way behind the couch, lifting his gun as he sprayed back at Alpha. The boy fell back down behind the recliner, reloading his pistol quickly.

Cursing, Alpha maintained his position behind the recliner, tightening his grip against his pistol. This was certainly a threat, indicating his assumption of a Lehmann-class at least was correct. His final grunt stood behind a wall, his eyes trained on Alpha.

It was a difficult situation. He wasn't able to look without being in risk of death. He would have to use his remaining grunt as bait. Giving him the hand signal, he motioned for him to move, indicating he would go up at the same time. Of course, it was a slight lie, as Alpha planned on rising just a second after, allowing him the time to get his own shot off.

The grunt nodded in response, clutching his standard Galil as he suddenly appeared out, spraying his gun wildly. Alpha immediately rose, raising his pistol as his eyes caught his target.

Indeed, the man that stood before him was a Lehmann-class or higher. Of great stature, the clear indication of concentration and power emanated out of him, and his raised Galil immediately shot into the head of the last grunt. What Alpha had not planned for was the closeness of the man. In fact, with them being so close, just about 10 feet apart, it was clear he knew the man. Leven.

Pistol raised, Alpha shot, his aim true at the head. However, Leven was faster, and turned his shoulder into the shot, the bullet entering cleanly as Leven rushed at Alpha, allowing him the chance for a second shot. Another perfectly aimed shot that was turned into a mere arm wound as Leven raised his hand into it, before barreling right into Alpha.

They struggled on the ground, and Leven gained control of the pistol, tossing it away. Alpha was a surprisingly strong boy, but to say he was anywhere near the level of pure physical capability as Leven was an utter falsehood. Leven had him in a lock in an instant, locking his wrists onto the ground as Leven gasped for breath, blood pouring down both his arms.

"What did you just say?" Zero Two whispered out, her words being carried by the late autumn winds. She was beginning to shake, wanting to hear those words one more time. Her heart shook, and every fiber in her being screamed one word. Darling. Darling. Darling.

"I-I don't know," The boy in front of her stammered, his blue eyes dimming with an uncertainty. She barely heard his words, his voice quiet as he seemed to stagger back onto the wall, his breathing erratic.

"Darling?" Her words were a gentle breeze in the night, and she found herself closing in on the boy who leaned against the wall for support. She ignored his struggle, the conflict so clearly shown in his eyes. She latched onto his forearms, holding him in place as she closed in, breathing in his scent.

It was exactly like… Darling. Her heartbeat accelerated, the wild beast in her ripping its way forwards as she reveled in his scent, the way she could feel his heart wildly beating away right against hers. She couldn't stop herself. The way he smelled, it fueled her, and she leaned in, yearning for his taste. She wanted to know, she had to make sure this was darling. If he tasted like darling, then…

She licked right at his neck, shivering as the taste exploded in her mouth, just like… Darling. Her inner beast roared, she wanted more. More. The taste burned in her mouth, and she seared it in her memory, making sure she captured it for eternal use. It was hers. She was surrounded by his smell, his taste, his everything. She wanted all of him. A fire burned in her blood, and it wouldn't be extinguished until she got just what she wanted. His tantalizing skin was right before her, a buffet for her to delve into.

She looked up to his face, not noticing the pain that was reflecting off those electrifying eyes. She instead focused on his lips, those soft mounds of flesh that called her name. She wanted contact. She wanted him. She wanted her darling.

"Kiss me," Her voice was hot against his skin, and she could feel the way he shivered from the heat. He was right in her trap, and she was the hunter, ready to feast. Inching ever closer, her eyes focused on the prize. She wanted him so badly, she couldn't even think properly, all she could feel was the fire that pushed her forwards, her lips so agonizingly close to his, the softness, the heat of his breath right against hers. It tingled against her, and she craved his warmth, the touch of his lips.

Their lips brushed, and she wanted to push herself forward, to just leap onto him and suck everything out of him. But she relished the slow process, the way she could feel every nerve gradually be able to touch against his, the hitches of breath coming from him, the instability of it all. It was her darling, it was all hers. He finally came back, and they could be together till they died.

Her canines stretched forwards, gently touching his sensitive lips, an action that brought another shiver in him, one Zero Two found absolutely delicious. She wanted to devour the boy, make her mark and claim him, finally be able to take her darling, make him all hers. Nobody but them. His lips were right against hers, and she was so close, ready to press herself right against it, to stake her claim, to take her darling, finally, after all these years, to revel in his presence-

A sound. A sound escaped from the lips of her prey, a choked noise that sounded awfully like the last cries of a dying animal, caught in the jaws of its predator, filled with pain. She growled, wanting him to be quiet, to just enjoy the moment like hers. Her eyes flicked upwards to his, where she finally saw it.

Fear. It was just a hint of it, behind the ever-apparent thunderstorm of conflict that plagued those ocean blue eyes of his, but she saw it. Fear. Filled with uncertainty. Those blue eyes wandered down to her, as if the movement itself was a struggle, and a plea was clear in them. Help.

She looked down at her hands, which were still latched onto his forearms. She flinched as she saw her nails digging right through his skin, blood flooding down his arms, a horrifying sight. She stumbled backwards, her back hitting the wall opposite of him as she locked her eyes to his arms, the blood dripping down as he leaned back into the wall for more support.

What was she doing? Just like that, everything in her died, and she was left with the cold sensation of realization. Her eyes locked onto his, and she saw everything in him exposed to her. His words from earlier echoed in her brain, the ones she had largely ignored.

"I-I don't know,"

Had she been imagining everything? A cold grasp took her heart, squeezing it. This wasn't her darling. Regret flooded throughout her as she gazed at those bloody arms that lay to the side. But why had he said those words, the words that sparked everything in her. The promise.

And then she realized. Life was a cruel bitch. She must have imagined everything he had said, only to self-impose her desires onto him, to finally be reunited with her real darling. She just wanted him so badly, her real darling, to be reunited, to finally be able to leave everything else behind. Except this wasn't her real darling.

"I-I… I'm…" Zero Two choked on her words, tears silently rolling down her face as she gazed at the poor boy, his blue eyes darkening, as if being sapped of life. She wanted to say sorry, but her sobs blocked her, realizing what exactly she had done. This was never her darling.

She ran, her legs taking control as she dashed out of the alley, not sure where she would go. Words called for her, but she ignored them, tightening her eyes as she escaped. Out into the open expanse of the night she ran, hoping for someone to get her, her sobs a desperate cry for her real darling. But she was alone. Always alone. Seared onto her memory was the image of him leaning back on the wall, his arms a bloody mess. She had done that to him.

She was a monster.

"What are you doing here?" Leven snarled, and Alpha found himself smiling despite the situation. A trait of his, one he took great pride in. His utter confidence, even in the worst of circumstances. The man had him locked to the floor, and his tight grasp against Alpha's wrist was uncomfortable, to say the least.

"I was just exploring. Why, what are you doing here?" Alpha taunted, gasping in pain as Leven smashed his knee right into his sensitive area. Alpha found the tangy taste of blood flooding his mouth, spreading from the aggressive bite he had taken upon his tongue. He gritted his teeth, angered slightly at the man's rough attitude. But Alpha wasn't worried. He still had everything in perfect control.

"Tell me," Leven growled, and his voice gave off a dangerous tone, saying this was Alpha's last chance. Of course, if it was, perhaps Alpha would have spoken. However, another thing Alpha prided himself on was his trickiness. And he knew how to get out of every situation.

Giving off a cocky grin, Alpha decided to play a bit more.

"You see, we were looking for Hiro. We're trying to finish the job we stared all those years ago with his parents," Alpha could feel the rage fill Leven, and he quickly took the opportunity. One of his handier gadgets was one he had picked up from a video game he had played so long ago, and he clicked to the side of his shoe, expanding a blade from the toe of his shoe. It shined menacingly in the harsh light of the room, glinting with malintent.

"Why, you little bitch!" Leven raised one hand, readying his pistol. The sound of its chamber being locked into place echoed the house, a sound that might have enticed fear in anyone else's house. Alpha wasn't anyone else. Alpha just smiled as he slammed his foot upwards, right into the man's back.

Schlllk.

Leven's eyes widened as the blade stabbed right into his back, and Alpha took no time hesitating. He immediately pushed upwards, using his momentum to grab his holstered pistol, flipping in hand as the weight of the two men switched. While Alpha was certainly cocky, he was no fool, and he didn't take unnecessary risks. He had to get rid of Leven, now.

BANG!

Silence held the room, as Leven's hands slowly fell to the ground, blood pooling across the floor. A perfectly aimed shot ripped through the man's skull, leaving a gaping hole right through his forehead, where blood quickly seeped out alongside the remains of his brain. Alpha lowered the gun, looking as the Klax's eyes slowly dimmed out of life, and he pulled the blade out of the man's back, which let the corpse slump completely to the floor, a wet sound splashing on the floor.

Alpha grimaced as he looked at the bloody blade atop his foot, though a bit of excitement floored through him. It was the first time he had actually used his secret blade. Happy with himself, Alpha gave one last glance at Leven, quickly picking his phone up to call Papa. He gave a disgusted glance at all the blood that was around the house, and he suddenly thought about how they would be able to clean the mess up. Well, this was certainly unfortunate. Papa wouldn't be very happy about this.

Hiro slumped to the floor against the alley wall, his head threatening to burst open as pangs of pain rippled throughout his psyche. Why had Zero Two left? What was going on? Why did his head hurt so damn much?

He clutched his head, unsure of what the excruciatingly painful sensation was. His eyes tightened against themselves, and he found himself flashing to glimpse of something. Black began to cover his eyesight, and he found himself begin to lose himself, similar to what had happened earlier in the day. This time, he was able to stay awake as words blurred to life, stretching themselves across his closed eyes. Pictures formed in his head, scenes colorfully sprawled, highlighted in such a way it brought pain to Hiro.

No matter how you disguise yourself, you are a beast, and you will consume the prince's life one day.

"Promise to come back, to stay with me?"

A voice, ringing out endlessly in his head. A promise. What promise? It echoed, the voice being feminine. He had to keep it, no matter what. The promise.

I'm human! I'm human! I'm the same as him now!

Struggling, Hiro groaned, wondering what these words etching themselves across his brain were, the burning sensation that powered through every nerve in his body, latching themselves onto every synapse of his system, making sure he felt it everywhere. The words panged, they echoed.

I owe my life to you. Please marry me.

Suddenly, a warmth. An embrace surrounded him, taking away most of the pain, and Hiro cautiously opened one eye, looking as the world around him spun around, twisting and distorting itself as it threatened to shatter by even the smallest touch. Yet, someone stood so calmly before him, her image blank, clean. A silhouette, the one from his visions earlier. The same black figure, just standing there.

She stretched out her hand, her dark body completely covered by darkness, and Hiro took it hesitantly. He was pulled up by a sudden energy that bounded within him, resurging all his power as it slowly led him onwards, pulling him towards somewhere.

The two exchanged rings, and when the priest said so, they sealed their vows with a kiss.

It was surreal, this silhouette leading him as Hiro weakly stumbled along. The silhouette was much shorter than him, and his hand drooped low to maintain contact. Yet, every time he felt he was going to drop to the floor and collapse, the silhouette turned towards him, giving him the strength to move on.

Eventually, they made it to the middle of an abandoned park, with the grass overgrown far past a natural state, benches a dirty brown, meddled with as they barely stood up. Cigarette butts littered the floor, and it was clearly in a dying state. Yet, in the middle stood a large tree, an oak. Its leaves threatened to fall, and the oak loomed menacingly over, as if haunting Hiro.

Hiro fell to his knees, recognizing the area. His heart dropped, his stomach grimacing in pain as he mindlessly looked around. Why? Why here? This place, that had been haunting his dreams for so long, keeping its image seared onto his mind. Why? The image before him began flashing back and forth, and he could feel a sudden cold sensation wrap around him, a white color slowly making up the ground, the snow that he had been so used to in his dreams.

He felt water stream down his face, and his hands effortlessly touched at his tears, and the silhouette once again turned to him. It was slowly getting more detailed, and he could see long hair, remaining black like the rest of her figure. She stuck out her hand, and something came into place. Her hand slowly materialized, and he saw creamy white flesh begin to fill her extended hand, wavering as if it was an image in water.

He moved out to touch it, instead his hand slipping right through her. Confused, he looked at the figure, only to see the silhouette begin to flicker, her body distorting into a familiar static-like movement. The black was slowly fading, and he was desperate to keep her here, yet he was unable to move.

"Save me."

Those words came from the silhouette, a soft, female voice that rung with hope. Then she disappeared, flowing away into the wind, and Hiro was left with a sharp pain that stabbed into his mind, pangs of agony rippling throughout his head. Hiro felt all the strength he had left sap out of him, leaving him a crumbling figure as he fell to the floor, collapsing. His hands fell to the floor, his breaths coming to a slow as he lost his consciousness.

In profound sadness, the prince searched all across the land for her. But nobody had seen the princess.

"He has yet to appear," Alpha said, his phone stuck to his ear as he patched up his wounds, still in the Strell household. Around him were multiple grunts, even other Nines to assist Alpha. They were busy cleaning up any remnant that would suggest anything had happened.

"Interesting. If the Strell child has yet to appear, then we might be safe yet. I have made sure the police shall not enter the area, so everything should be good," Papa said, his voice clearly tired as he spoke. It had been a long day for the both of them. "Although things got a bit messy, everything seems to have turned out fine, and we have rid ourselves of a formidable threat. Any news on Iota?"

"No, she hasn't responded to anything I've sent," Alpha admitted, tossing himself lazily against the couch. Behind him, multiple men picked up Leven's corpse, dragging it into a body bag. He watched, giving a grimace as he was reminded of their scuffle. "However, she rarely does. I assume she's just sulking around as usual."

"That would be probable," Papa said, his voice coming to a pause before continuing. "However, she will show up soon enough. The real question is, did you find it?"

"No, the Strell family must not have hid it here," Alpha sighed, placing his hand to his forehead. If it wasn't here, Alpha truly had no clue where it might be located. "Which means this whole mission has been a failure thus far."

"I see," Disappointment clearly rang out in Papa's voice, and Alpha grit his teeth. If only he hadn't fucked up so hard with Leven, then it would never have gotten this bad. "It shall be fine. We have successfully taken control of the first outpost, which means our attack on Gran Crevasse is officially beginning."

"I see father. Which means…" Alpha trailed off, his voice suggesting towards what he was thinking. If they were to attack the Gran Crevasse soon, it meant they had to tie up every thread, make sure everything was certain.

The grunts were struggling putting Leven's body into the body bag, given his mass. Alpha looked upon them with disapproval, frowning as he watched the disservice being done to the fighter. Unfortunate he had to die in the way he did.

"Yes," Papa confirmed, his voice firm with a tense tone. A slight pause occurred before he continued. "It means we send Iota on her final mission…"

…

"And that is?"

…

"Kill Hiro Strell."

The Cavalier's Last Fight

Author's Note: Thanks for reading, and thanks for all the support guys. Hope you all enjoyed this chapter!