If you're still reading after chapter one, thank you for returning and giving this another chance. Your time is appreciated. This chapter is going to be the start of us going through various points in time as Hiro and Zero Two grow up together. I tried to make the passages more understandable by placing dates at the beginning of each section so you can be able to tell when it takes place and how old they are at that point.

Without anymore delay, please enjoy.

Flight of the Jian

Chapter 2

The Budding Years

December 14 - 2131

This was a conversation that Werner Franxx was not looking forward to. He'd rather put it off as long as he possibly could but unfortunately when Papa calls, you answer.

Such as now, while the half mechanical man stood in front of a monitor that was displaying a waiting video conference with the big man himself. He was in the privacy of his office, so he didn't have to worry about an audience, but he still didn't look forward to speaking with his old friend.

Over the course of these many years as immortals, the two had changed quite a lot. He didn't even know if he could truly call them friends anymore...

While Franxx came to realize there were many mistakes in the actions they had taken to change humanity, Papa embraced them as all things necessary to the benefit of humanity. Werner saw the loss of life on the planet as a terrible repercussion while Papa looked at it as a necessary sacrifice for the greater good.

Franxx hated having to slay so many Klaxosaurs that were the one of the only living remnants of the civilization that had once inhabited the Earth. Papa lived for the slaying of Klaxosaurs.

Two entirely different perspectives, all bred from the different ways they interpreted the achievements - or setbacks, in Franxx's mind - they'd collected over the hundred years since the Earth changed forever. Since they'd taken all the magma energy and killed the very soul of it.

Let's get this over with...

Taking a deep breath, Franxx accepted the conference and stood up as straight as he could. Papa appeared on the screen, and while he couldn't see the other council members that often shadowed him, he had no doubt they were there as well, listening.

"Ah, long time no see, Werner. I trust you are well, old friend?" He sounded so much like his old friend in this moment, it was almost easy to pretend things hadn't changed between them after all this time. The keyword being almost.

"Perfectly, Papa. I'm hoping you are as well?" Just keep things casual, Werner, casual but polite. He repeated that mantra in his head.

"Immaculately well, I assure you. Now, the reason for my call, I'm sure you have guessed, is I have some pressing matters I wished to discuss with you today. Sate my curiosity, if you will..."

Here we go...

"Werner, it's come to my attention that you have removed a stamen in training from the Nursery without my permission. Not just any stamen, but Code 016; a very promising stamen that will surely be valuable in the war. Surely, knowing you, there must be a logical explanation for such a brash choice."

"There certainly is, Papa. I would have run it by you first but felt it would ultimately be a waste of your time." Werner said with a dismissive wave of the hand. Maintaining confidence was key to making this conversation go as smoothly as he wanted. He'd hate to have to argue his decision with Papa, it surely wouldn't end well in his favor.

"Intriguing, and why would you think that?" Papa asked.

"With what I have come to discover I'm confident you will come to accept my decision. I'm sure you were made aware of the escape attempt in the lab yesterday."

Papa nodded. "I have been, both subjects were recollected, correct?"

"Yes, Papa. However, during their excursions outside in the cold, Code 016 came into contact with Code 002's blood, willingly ingesting it into his own system. During my scans of his person, I've come to discover said blood has begun a transmutation process of sorts in the boy."

"Meaning what, exactly?"

"The end results are unclear at this time, but from what I've seen it is highly possible that the boy will inevitably become a hybrid of sorts like 002. His DNA has already fully accepted the beginnings of the process, and it is my firm belief that with time and the right stimuli we can trigger the rest of it."

"Fascinating..."

"My thoughts exactly, Papa."

"So if my understanding is correct, you wish to conduct further experimentation on the boy to see if you can create another hybrid subject successfully. Is that right?"

You think you know everything...

"I do, sir. My previous attempts at creating another like 002 has proven difficult, but with this new development with 016 I can possibly reach a new outcome. The boy has already agreed to these arrangements, which gives a promise of loyalty going forward. You will be intrigued to hear that the two have emotionally bonded themselves to one another, and I fully believe that so long as they are kept together they will obey without question."

"Are you saying Code 002 has developed dependency on Code 016? Won't that be a hindrance going forward?" Another voice that wasn't Papa's asked from the other side of the call. Ah, so the other councilmen were there after all.

"A fair question, Werner." Papa acknowledged.

"Not so long as we keep them together, as I said. Her dependency is just as much a tool as it is a crutch, so long as she has that goal of remaining at his side, I can guarantee both her and his complete obedience. The boy has already agreed to such conditions."

Papa sat on the screen in silence for just about a minute, appearing to weigh his options on the matter. A bead of sweat drifted down the human side of his temple, and Franxx tried to keep his breathing even rather than holding it like he was tempted to do.

"Very well... then you have my permission to keep Code 016 under your supervision for the time being. However, I have one condition."

Of course you do...

"Name it, Papa." Franxx said without pause.

"If you are able to accomplish this, able to create another tool as useful as Code 002, you will promise me that you will attempt reproduce the results. As many times as I need you to. If we are to finally gain the upper hand on this war, the warriors you create from these experiments will be essential in doing so."

Franxx didn't outwardly betray anything, he kept his composure and remained passive in the eyes of anyone who looked at him.

Inside, however, he was disgruntled at this demand. To try and make him an army of hybrids... it was something he shuddered to think he could create. The success with 002 was too lengthy of a process to attempt again, and Papa was not a patient man.

After all they had done to this planet, it felt like a betrayal to agree to this... but if he were to accomplish all he had set out to do, he was going to have to.

Forgive me, Princess...

"... Understood, Papa." He replied, nodding his head in affirmation.

"Very good. I look forward to hearing your next progress report on this, Werner."

He was hoping that was the end of this, he didn't know if he could contain his irritation much more.

"Oh by the way, Werner..." Alas, he should have known there would be more. "How are things coming with the cloning experiment? Have the specimens been released from incubation, yet?"

"They have indeed, sir. I was waiting til we spoke personally like this again before I let you know the good news. Unfortunately it's too early to tell just how many features they've inherited from 002 at this point, the cells still need time to grow. Thankfully we're cloning a child and not an infant so the process will be lengthy but still go faster than average."

"And how many specimen survived the process?"

"Eight in total, Papa. All appearing healthy and strong."

"An excellent number to start with, I'm very pleased. Keep me up to date on new developments, and don't hesitate to request anything that may assist your research."

"Thank you, Papa, you're very generous."

"Until next time, Werner."

The feed cut off and the screen returned to it's blank state, leaving Franxx alone with his thoughts.

He needed to be very careful going forward, knowing everything that was at stake. If he grew weak now, and failed at any step of the way, then everything he'd done to try and make amends for his choices in life would be for nothing. That was simply unacceptable.

Failing her was unacceptable.

For now he was just going to have to accept his orders and do as instructed, even though he shuddered to think how many lives were going to be altered or even ended by the things he would have to do to accomplish what Papa wanted. But he had no choice, if he disobeyed or failed to present some results, he risked Papa's suspicion of his trust and he couldn't have that.

If he was going to have any chance of changing the status quo, he was going to have to play by the rules currently established. Whether he liked it or not.

Eventually, inevitably, he was going to change the rules in his favor. He just had to have patience, the same patience the Princess has had for more than a few millennia.

He just hoped 002 would forgive him for the things he'd have to put her through to accomplish it all...

June 8 - 2132

Hiro had not lived very long in this life, only about nine and a half years now, and in that little time he could count very few times he felt truly spectacular about something. Sad as it is to say, there just wasn't much about this lifestyle that gave off that feeling.

There was the moment he had decided on his name, which while a simple translation of his code it still meant something deeper to him. It was the moment he decided that he was more than just a number, that he and all the others around him had the potential to be recognized as more than a nameless pawn.

There was the day he started naming all his fellow children, watching with a smile as one after another came forward and asked him to bestow a name upon them. So that they, too, could feel that sense of individuality, a sense of worth that was all their own.

There was the Gift Day he had given Ichigo her hairpin, so that she could keep her hair the way she wanted but be able to see through her bangs. She had been so happy, and it had been a major teaching moment for him that giving to others was much more pleasant than receiving. From that day on he'd ask for things to give to others that needed it more, seeing as he'd never really wanted for anything.

Until now, that is.

All of these memories were precious to him in their own right, but he'll never forget the day Zero Two spoke her first complete words.

Hiro had been spending the last six months teaching her in their spare time between tests with the doctor and personal time like meals and sleeping. She was struggling in the beginning, since she didn't understand pretty much anything that wasn't related to their picture book. The only word she seemed to grasp clearly was the word she called him, 'darling'.

So eventually he got the idea to try using the book as a tool to aid in his teaching to start with, helping her grasp an understanding of the basic words inside. It seemed to be helpful, as she responded positively to learning more words so she could understand the book better.

Over time, she was steadily showing more comprehension over what people said to her, especially him. After about four months she began to react with understanding to people other than him, something that shocked everyone the first time she'd done so. Up til then she'd only responded to physical force, something Hiro despised them doing with all his being.

It was the motivation he used to keep patient and steadfast in his teaching, knowing that someday she would be able to talk in complete sentences and be able to speak for herself. He was determined to help her find her voice.

After over five months of practicing she began to try speaking more frequently. While she couldn't talk well yet it didn't stop her from trying, although all her speech came out as primitive grunts that resembled the words she was trying to say. It annoyed her greatly at times, as she couldn't quite get the correct pronunciation for similar sounding or spelled words and often mixed them up with each other.

But Hiro was patient, and never once got frustrated with her, not when she was feeling it enough towards herself. He could tell she wanted to speak more clearly so he could understand her better but it was proving more difficult than she wanted it to be. The desire was there but her insistence to try and rush through her speech was deterring her greatly.

"You got to slow your words down, Zero Two. Sound out the word, syllable by syllable. Okay? Just like we practiced. I know you're eager to speak but you can't force it, you're only making it harder for yourself." He advised gently as he pat her on the head.

The red-skinned girl pouted, her features twisting in annoyance at her inability to say what she wanted. Despite the expression clearly displaying negative feelings, Hiro found her absolutely adorable, and he couldn't help the smile that came over him.

While she was busy thinking she wasn't making any progress at all, Hiro was honestly amazed at how fast she'd caught on to his teachings. Normally it took children months to a year to learn the basics of reading, and talking was something children naturally learned as they grew.

Unfortunately given Zero Two's upbringing, she wasn't able to grasp speech like himself and the other children, so she had been left far behind in terms of knowledge. Miraculously though, her brain was capable of grasping most everything she took in very quickly. Whatever he taught her, he rarely had to repeat it more than a couple times for her to grasp it and move onto the next lesson.

The doctor, pleased with her progress, had explained that her neurological capabilities were above that of a normal human's, meaning she'd be able to learn things faster and easier than others. It was why he never worried about her falling too far behind the other children, eventually she would catch up when he was ready, and quickly at that.

To Hiro, she was living proof that was true, and he knew that if he kept her spirits up she'd be talking in no time.

"It's going to be alright, Zero Two, you're going to get it. I believe in you." She continued pouting, seeming to be in a phase of disbelief as she growled to herself over her inability to just learn this! She crossed her arms defiantly.

She wanted to talk to Darling like he talked to her! It shouldn't be so hard to connect your brain to your mouth and make it move properly!

"Here, let's start again from the beginning, okay?" Hiro said softly, sensing a temper tantrum coming from her rigid posture and angry expression. "Come on, try reading the first sentence again."

It seemed to work as her body slowly grew lax and she scooted herself closer to him again. He held the book out between them once more, opened to the first page, and used his other hand to rub her back soothingly.

"Alright, one more time from the top." Zero Two sighed to herself, then lifted a clawed hand to gently trace along the words as she began.

"Iii-... de deepess, dah-kess... paht o'... de fo-ess..." She read the best she could, and Hiro wished she could understand just how proud of her he was. She was so close, she may not think she was but soon all her effort was going to be worth it. She just had to believe in herself like he did.

It would be a couple weeks later, a week into the month of June, that Hiro would be proven right.

They were reading through The Beast and The Prince once again. Well, more like Zero Two was babbling the words as she read them aloud, while Hiro read the correct way along with her.

Her words were starting to take on more than just gibberish, certain words coming out more clearer than others depending on her fascination to the word. Simultaneously as she learned to read, she learned about other things too.

Turning the page, they came upon the scene with the Prince kneeling before the Princess, the other humans gathered around them as he placed a ring on her finger.

Every time they came to this page in particular, Zero Two would pause and stare at it intensely, as if trying to memorize it. It was the same for the next page as well, where the Prince took the Princess's hand and led her through his world together.

He thought maybe it was because she liked the pictures on both pages, as they were two of the most brightly colorful pages in the whole book.

He went to turn to the next page to continue on, but her hand gently paused his as he did so. He looked up to her quizzically.

"Zero Two? Is something wrong?" He asked her, thinking maybe she needed to stop for a break. Sometimes she needed to take water breaks to soothe her throat after all her attempts to speak.

She shook her head though, and opened her mouth some, a familiar sound coming out of her. She looked down at the book again, at a single word at the bottom of the paragraph.

"Daahh... Darrr..." Zero Two spoke, sounding out the syllable the best she could, each try getting subtly better than the last.

"That's it, Zero Two." Hiro encouraged with a big smile, a giddy feeling coming over him as he watched her try. Was this it? Was this the moment she finally got it and spoke her first word?

"Daarrr..." It was coming out like a growl and it started to make Zero Two upset, but then she took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

Slow your words, sound out the word... Just like Darling said! Dar-ling... Darling!

"Dar-... -ling..." She grunted, before clearing her throat and trying again. It came out, more clearer this time. "Dar-ling!"

Hiro was already grinning at her first full word that had come out of her mouth, but she wasn't done. She quickly flipped back a couple pages and looked at another word that was also at the bottom.

"Darling... ma-ree, Zee-ro... too..." She was speaking so slowly, enunciating every syllable the best she could. She stretched the 'E' sound in her name a little too long, but he couldn't care or bring himself to correct her, he was too stunned to say anything.

He thought he'd misheard her, surely he had imagined everything after "darling". It was too good to be true that she'd bless him with more than the term of endearment she'd picked up for him. He had to be sure he wasn't imagining it.

"What did you just say?" He whispered, awed. Hiro reached out and grabbed her shoulders gently but urgently, a large grin on his face. "Say it again, please! Come on, you can do it!"

Under his encouragement, and seeing how happy what she'd said had made him, Zero Two made another attempt at her words. Her face scrunched up with concentration, sweat forming on her from the effort she was putting forth into making her mouth cooperate.

"Darling." She pointed at him, then herself. "Mar-ry... Zero Two!"

He hadn't imagined it!

"Yes! Yes that's right! I'm so proud of you, Zero Two!" Hiro cried, squeezing her to him as he laughed in happiness. The girl seemed to become bashful all of a sudden under his praise as she buried her blushing face in his chest.

It wasn't a complete sentence, but the meaning of her simple little words were more than understandable to him. Not only that, though, it truly solidified the promise he made to her in the forest. Hearing her say those words only reignited his desire to have that with her, knowing that she wanted it just as much as he did.

"Please say it again." He murmured to her, and she grinned so widely as she proceeded to repeat the words to him. She would say them as many times as she could so long as she breathed if it would keep that smile on Darling's face. Plus she was getting better the more she said it, so win-win.

"Zero Two marry Darling." She said softly, hugging him tightly.

"One day, Zero Two... One day." Hiro agreed with a beaming smile. Now, all the effort he'd been using to teach her was completely worth it, leading up to something purely wonderful and unexpected. And the best part was it could only get better from here, she was going to speak more words that were going to make his heart pound like it was now.

To him, these were the best first words she could have ever graced his ears with.

June 9 - 2132

"Take a deep breath for me." Doctor Franxx said as he placed the stethoscope over Hiro's chest, holding it in place so he could listen within. As the boy took a deep breath as instructed, he listened for any abnormalities.

Finding none, he pulled away and removed the instrument from his ears. "All seems normal."

Hiro nodded absentmindedly, not really paying attention as this was all just routine to him at this point. Every day he'd come here for a checkup, and every day it was the same results. He honestly wondered if there was any point to them since he didn't notice or feel any different.

If he'd bothered to ask Doctor Franxx, he would have been told there were some minor changes to his system, even if they weren't physical ones. So far the only changes he could make note of were internal ones, the boy's blood had adapted to the change seamlessly, and while his blood type remained the same it carried new properties that were similar to 002's.

Perhaps in the future said properties would manifest into more obvious ways, only time will tell...

Satisfied with his results for the time being, he turned towards the computer and typed a couple new lines into his personal journal entries for today's date.

/Blood Transmutation - Complete

/Time Elapsed : 178 Days

/ Further Study and Observation Needed to Subject 016

With his blood now completely mutated it was only a matter of time before his organs followed. With any luck, he might be able to test out if his body is adapting any similar healing abilities that 002 has. Albeit, with less lasers this time.

"Anything else you need?" Franxx asked as he took a petri dish with fresh skin cells he had taken from 016 and brought it to a microscope. It was meant to be a dismissive question, one to signal that they were done and he could leave now, but the boy surprised him by what he responded with.

"Yes actually, I was wondering if you could start bringing us candy with our meals?" Hiro asked from the observation table, his feet lightly swinging.

"I beg your pardon...?" Dr Franxx said with a confused slight tilt of his head as he turned away from his microscope. "You want what, now?"

"Candy. Green apple flavored, preferably." Hiro repeated, not batting an eye at the peculiarity of his request. It puzzled Franxx, however, as it was so... So simple! Simple yet strange.

"Candy? Like the ones we give you children after your injections and checkups? Why in Papa's name do you want that?" Hiro shrugged.

"Zero Two loves it. Also, you did say you'd give us some freedoms if we cooperated, I think we've been more than reasonable. I did teach Zero Two to read and speak, after all."

Yes, he was very pleased to hear that 002 was now getting a grasp on speech, now that she could understand the basics he was planning to start schooling her in other subjects soon. They both were going to be educated, at least in the way Papa wanted them to be. He was going to have to find ways to introduce them to the more forbidden subjects secretly when they were older.

Also, considering 016 had given almost half a year of his life away for his research now, the request for a sweet treat now and then hardly seemed unfair. Even Doctor Franxx couldn't find a reason to deny it.

Didn't mean he wouldn't try to still make it more worth his while.

"Hmm... Tell you what, I've been thinking about pushing up your training to make sure you're ready to fly when 002 is, as she is a year older. To make sure you can handle the task, undergo a few extra physical training exercises for my curiosity and I'll make sure she has a steady supply of candy going forward. Just for her."

"Deal." Hiro agreed without hesitation, a slightly smug smile on his face as he succeeded in getting what he wanted.

It only occurred to Franxx later why the boy was so smug; he'd felt a moment of power. He had succeeded in bargaining for something without having to give anything up. Franxx had already planned to run the extra sessions regardless... and yet somehow the boy had made him feel like he had to barter for them.

Werner Franxx couldn't believe he'd ever see a day like this... the day he negotiated with a child over candy.

Ridiculous, he was getting too soft...

Regardless, it was to Hiro's satisfaction that the next day, along with their morning meal, there was a couple wrapped pieces of candy off to the side. Zero Two's eyes gleamed upon seeing the familiar looking treat, and practically dove at the tray to get at them.

In her eagerness to eat them, she had knocked over the entire tray with their breakfast, sending plates of eggs and toast flying all over the place. She didn't seem to care as she tore into the candy, a happy and pleasured look on her face as she sucked on them both.

Hiro sighed as he watched, his stomach growling in protest. Next thing he was going to have to teach her was a little self control...

October 15 - 2132

"She crossed the steep mountains and the surging rivers and reached a world of humans. The moon shone brightly in the sky." Zero Two read, her words coming out a little shaky but still complete as she had practically memorized this book backwards and forwards at this point from reading it so much.

"Very good, Zero Two. You've gotten so much better." Hiro praised, patting her on the head as he did so.

"Tanks, Darling." She murmured appreciatively.

"Thanks, Zero Two, remember the 'H' in there." He reminded her.

While she had gotten really good at reading the book word for word now, she still struggled a little when it came to speaking without the guide of reading the words. It was just something she'd work out with more time, and she certainly had no reason to be ashamed of her incredible progress. Not many children learned to read and speak within six months, especially ones that started from the very bottom.

It also helped that he'd recently regained the energy to keep up their lessons to help with her speaking, those extra training sessions Franxx had him doing had worn him out fiercely during the first couple months of them. Only now four months later was he finally getting the hang of them to where they were almost easy. Almost.

Suddenly the door opened, and the two looked up at the unexpected visitor. An adult caretaker came in, holding a cupcake with a single candle in it, and a card underneath it. They approached them wordlessly, set the cupcake and note down on the side table, then left again without a word.

When the door had shut behind them, Hiro turned to look at the confectionery treat they had left behind. He lifted it up to grab the card under it before handing the cupcake to Zero Two, after removing the candle of course.

She eyed it for a moment, unsure of what it was, before sniffing it. Her eyes lit up some as she smelled the sugars within and took an experimental lick of it. She seemed to love what she tasted as the next thing he knew she was shoving it into her mouth, paper and all. Good thing he took out the candle, at least, she still hadn't managed good self control.

Hiro smiled at her, then turned his attention back to the card.

"On this day, Papa is proud to honor your efforts by wishing you a Happy Birthday. Continue to make me proud, child. All my pride and love, Papa."

The card said it was from Papa but he knew that there were far too many children that had birthdays every day for him to waste so much time on sending them personal cards. Hiro knew better, even if children like Zorome had always gone over the moon every time they got theirs. It was just something the adults fed them to keep them under his thumb, so they'd never have reason to question his love for them.

Hiro didn't believe that to be true at all, but he kept that to himself since it was a dangerous thing to speak ill about Papa in any capacity.

"I see, so it's that day again, is it?" He murmured to himself, feeling quite surprised that it was that time of the year already. When you spent every day in these bland walls, the weeks and months just all blurred together...

Zero Two leaned toward him, white frosting on her face as well as an inquisitive look as she wondered what he meant by that statement.

"Oh, no need to worry, it's just my birthday today." He said as he used his long sleeve to wipe her mouth a little. Zero Two squinted her eyes a bit as he did so, but she still looked to him with a curious gaze as the frosting was cleaned from her.

"B-Burfday?" Hiro smiled, while she'd progressed in speech the last few months, she still had a bit of an impediment when it came to pronunciation. It was just something she'd have to outgrow and adapt to with time and practice, and he'd guide her every step he could. In the meantime, it was just another thing that made her extremely cute.

"Birthday, yes." He corrected gently. "It means it's the anniversary of the day you were born. It's a day where you and others who care about you celebrate you being alive. Everyone has a birthday, even you."

Zero Two stared at him, tilting her head as this was a brand new concept to her. It suddenly made Hiro feel bad for saying that so casually, knowing how sheltered she was. Of course she wouldn't know when she was born, that was probably the least of her priorities when growing up here.

"Oh... you don't know your birthday, do you?" Hiro felt hurt at this realization. Zero Two had been denied so many simple things in life before him; an identity, an education, any proper decency or kindness, Gift Day and now a birthday...

Hiro didn't feel the least bit bad about missing out on Gift Day this year, but he only wished there had been enough time to put in a request for Zero Two since it was going to be their first together. Now he was just going to have to hold onto that for later this year, though he still didn't know what to request yet. Perhaps more sweets?

"Maybe I can ask the doctor when you were born later today. Then we'll know when your birthday is, and we can celebrate! I'll give you an extra candy on that day, how about that?"

He got his answer instantaneously as she practically tackled him over in her hug, an excited squeal at the promise of more sweets. He laughed as she made her happy noises, reaching up to pat her hair. Seeing her so happy was so much better than how she looked when he first met her.

It just confirmed that he'd made the right choice.

A couple hours later, Hiro was collected once again for his daily physical examination. He waited til the end since the old man usually got so caught up in his work that he ignored anything that wasn't an answer to a direct question. It was after he'd finished up the last check that Hiro decided this was as good a time as any to ask Doctor Franxx about Zero Two's birthday.

"Sir, I was wondering... When is Zero Two's birthday?" He asked as he put his shirt back on. He'd needed to take it off so the doctor could examine his muscles for any change.

Franxx paused in his movement, appearing to think about the question for a short time before answering.

"Birthday? 002 was created in a lab over the course of many weeks of cells building in a test tube, different from the way you other children were born. She doesn't technically have a birthday." What a strange question, Franxx thought to himself.

While all children in Garden were born through artificial means, Code 002's was a far more complicated and drawn out process that required a lot of monitoring to make sure the cells didn't go into failure. There had been several subjects just like her at the time, and they had all been unfortunate failures as their growth had never gone as far as 002's.

She was the only successful one of her kind, and while everything had been recorded there wasn't a specific day you could call her being 'born'.

"Oh..." Hiro muttered, his head lowering in disappointment. Now what was he going to tell Zero Two? Perhaps he could just make up a birthday for her like he did her name, one they could celebrate alone if the adults were unwilling.

Franxx stared down at the boy on the table, looking so forlorn and sad from the simple realization that 002 didn't have such a thing as a 'birthday'. It was such an odd thing to get bent out of shape for but in his extensive time spent with the boy he had come to know he was just an odd child in general.

He wasn't like all the other mindless drones that Papa had made the other children into, and because of that it gave Werner the hope that he would be a beneficial ally down the road.

"However, if it helps..." Hiro perked up at this and peered up at the doctor again. "She was released from the tube and became conscious in early Spring, sometime in late March or early April I believe. I remember because the cherry blossoms had just started blooming, almost like a sign..."

He shook himself, wondering what made him say such a nonsensical thing. Must be the boy.

"Perhaps I can look into the files and check to see what day if it means that much to you." It was just another means to earn the boy's trust. That's what he told himself, just another means of earning trust.

Werner Franxx was not going soft!

"Yes, please!" Hiro said eagerly, feeling so grateful that the doctor was willing to entertain this simple whim of his. Every other adult would have turned their nose up at him and ignored the request, thinking it a pointless waste of time.

The doctor pulled up 002's file from the database, going through the sub-files and looking for the first entries in her history. As a man of science he recorded every single detail, down to the most minuscule point, especially the dates of every test or experiment he'd undergone. He wanted to make sure he never left anything out, as he never knew if they would suddenly be important in the future.

Finally, he found the data he wanted, quickly read the date and passed along the results to Hiro.

"April 3rd." Franxx said simply, not turning away from the computer.

He couldn't see, but Hiro had a big smile as he learned the date, and proceeded to memorize it deep into his psyche. He would never forget this date, never now that he knew the significance of it; the day Zero Two first came into the world.

"Thank you!"

When April came next year, Hiro would make sure she got something special from him, even if the adults weren't willing to. More than just extra candy, he'd figure something out.

He had plenty of time to think and plan for it now.

And that's chapter 2, a little slow burn but I think there will be more interesting segments next chapter. I'm trying very hard to make the timeline match up as closely to the original as possible, seeing as there are minor differences in events that occur other than Hiro being with Zero Two rather than Squad 13. At the same time, I want to create special moments in time for them in between all the serious depressing moments that are sure to come.

Reviews are always appreciated, let me know what you think and how the story could get better for you going forward. Of course, I'd like for genuine thoughts and not ones that comment simply for the sake of being rude, but you know what a comment is a comment. You do you, and I'll keep being me, with respect.

Hope to see you in the next chapter, bye for now.