Back with another chapter for ya, over 8k words of pure goodness this time. I had part of the next chapter included in this one but it was making it take so long that I divided it up to make it a little easier to update. So hopefully you forgive the long gap between updates. The next gap will be shorter I promise, as the next chapter is practically done, just a few more details need to be added in.
So again, I hope the story is not feeling like it's getting rushed, I am genuinely trying to space the events out so they don't seem like they're happening too fast. Only five chapters in and we're already reaching the third ride part of the story, however in this new timeline I'm afraid that this is most likely what exactly would happen if things progressed as they were now.
Good news though, in this chapter we finally get a chance to check in with the other children that Hiro left behind, see how they're doing.
Without anymore delay, please enjoy the chapter, thank you.
Flight of the Jian
Chapter 5
Your Thorn, My Badge
February 3 - 2135
"Alright~!" Zorome exclaimed loudly as he ran ahead of his group outside to the Garden walls. "Finally a taste of action!"
"Calm down! It's just motion training, sheesh!" Miku griped as she and the rest of their practice group came out soon after. Today was their day to use the practice track for training, and it also happened to be their first, which most were excited about. Some more obvious than others.
"I can't help it, I'm stoked to finally get into a real machine! I've been waiting forever for this!" The blonde said as he jogged rapidly in place, trying to vent all the pent up energy he had in some way.
"You're going to tire yourself before you even get into the machine, moron..." Mitsuru chastised him, lightly smacking the shorter boy's shoulder to get him to knock it off. He did, but glared at him for it.
"It is a relief to finally get away from those stuffy simulation pods..." Miku admitted reluctantly, as if agreeing with Zorome was the worst thing she could do.
"I highly doubt the training mecha are going to be any less stuffy." Ikuno pointed out from further back, adjusting her glasses up her nose. Miku made a whining sound at that statement.
"I'm just glad we were able to be lumped together in this training group, I feel more at ease with all of you." Kokoro said kindly with a smile as she played with the end of her side braid.
"Same here, Kokoro!" Futoshi agreed over the loaf of bread he munched on. He'd snuck it with him from breakfast before coming, as a quick snack before training to tide him over til lunch.
"What do you think it'll be like using one of these things? It's not a real person so it'll probably feel weird." Naomi wondered aloud, grimacing at the idea of a synthetic pulse coming into her the way the older Parasites described happened when you synchronized.
"I'm sure it will at first but with time and patience we'll get somewhat used to it. Maybe by the time we feel the real thing it'll be easier." Ichigo encouraged, speaking for herself just as much as the others. Truth be told she was just as hesitant to the experience as the other girls, as it was described as a potentially invasive experience if you weren't compatible with your partner.
At least with a pre-programmed unit there was a chance at maintaining control, unlike with a live person who could fight against you, or possibly worse.
The group came around the bend and found nine training units, five blue and four yellow ones, waiting for them in a box formation up ahead. The caretaker guiding them gestured to the mechas, giving the children the green light to use them.
"Alright children, these are your machines. Pick whichever unit you wish, and go ahead and begin whenever you're ready. There are checkpoints every five kilometers, each one with maintenance stations if you require them. If you're feeling up for a challenge, there are record completion times for past users on the score pad. Good luck."
"I got dibs on this one!" Zorome yelled, running over to the number six Stamen unit. Miku rolled her eyes at him, of course he'd pick the one with his primary code number. He called it his "lucky number".
Zorome hastily climbed up the side of the yellow machine, practically yanking up the hatch in his excitement to get in. The others had barely picked their own units out before he climbed in, plopping himself down in the cushy pilot seat and closing the lid over him. Looking down his eyes went wide and his nostrils flared at the sight of the shapely behind that sat in front of him.
"Oh, wow..." He muttered before a lecherous grin came over his face. Oh yeah, he could get used to that. Hopefully his future partner has a nice view like this, too.
Shaking himself from his perverted musings for now, he took a look around the interior, messing around with the controls a bit to test them out. Remembering what the caretaker said, he excitedly pulled up the score pad to see what record sat at the top, hungry to crush it into the dust.
However, upon reading the top time, it proceeded to make his jaw drop in shock.
[ Stamen Unit Records ]
[ Best Time : 1:46:53.98 ]
"An hour and forty-six minutes?!" He exclaimed in disbelief. That time was just unbeatable!
Surely this was a glitch of some kind, right...? The track was twenty-five miles! Who was the mechanical droid of a person that managed to push their butt to move so fast, as if they were running from a Klaxosaur!
But suddenly his breath caught in his throat as his eyes caught something else, briefly forgetting about the record time itself, as it seemed so insignificant in comparison to the real issue.
The real issue of who held the record...
[ User Code : 016 ]
"No way... Hiro...?"
There was no possible way Zorome would ever forget that code number, as he had spent a good amount of his younger days looking up to him, before his admiration had soured into envy at how much attention the adults gave him. Hiro had always been the golden child, while children like him were overlooked and given less expectations...
But Hiro had never treated him any differently than he did the other children, which was with nothing but kindness. It irritated him how oblivious he acted to how special he was, when Zorome worked hard to prove he was!
Seeing that code number brought back so many feelings that he'd buried. Buried deep in his heart because he'd begun to believe they'd never get any resolution, that the day Hiro left them it was all over. But now, seeing those three digits...
He slammed his hand on the release for the hatch lid, barely waiting for it to lift more than a few inches before he started shouting at the boys on either side of him.
"H-Hey guys! Look at the score pad!"
"Oh geez, what're you whining about now?" Miku demanded, hands on her hips as she had just about reached her limit from his antics for the day. She hadn't even climbed into her trainer yet and already Zorome was causing another fuss.
Zorome ignored her and ordered the others. "Look at the Stamen record time!"
"Zorome, it's not that big of a deal if someone has a high record... Other people use this track and these trainers, too, ya know." Mitsuru said in a sarcastic tone, already dismissing whatever it was that was making the blonde act in a borderline tantrum.
"No you aren't understanding me! Look at WHO has the record!" The blonde insisted, practically hissing at the boy with slicked back hair.
"I don't understand why you have to make it a big mystery..." Mitsuru rolled his eyes, pulling up the score pad just to shut him up. "You could just open your big mouth and say what it is you-..."
Mitsuru cut himself off, his eyes going wide as he took in the same information Zorome had a minute ago. The other two boys looked over at him in confusion, not used to seeing Mitsuru so speechless.
"See?!" Zorome demanded in a smug tone before turning to Futoshi in his open cockpit. "Go on, you too Fatty!"
Now the girls were taking interest, but since they couldn't see the Stamen records from their units they decided to gather around the other guys' machines to find out more. What was the big deal?
Goro climbed up the side of his friend's machine to look over his shoulder as he pulled up the score pad, and when he did he could hardly believe what he saw either.
"Oh Papa, look at that time! An hour and forty-six minutes!" Futoshi gasped, his jaw dropping at how fast they had finished. Goro elbowed him then pointed to the user code number.
"More importantly, that's... Hiro's Code!" Goro said almost breathlessly, all the air practically leaving him as he took this in. The girls below heard him though, and a collection of gasps or exclamations of shock echoed amongst them, Ikuno being the only one to show restraint at the news.
"Hiro? You're sure?" Naomi questioned, speaking up for the rest of them as they had their doubts. But the boys were looking at the proof with their very own eyes, they had no reason to doubt their collective vision.
"You know anyone else with 016 as their number?" Zorome asked sarcastically, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Miku's forehead ticked with a vein as she huffed at his rude reply.
"We're just making sure, you jerk! You don't have to be such a condescending toad about it!" The redhead scolded as she glared heatedly up at the blonde, who turned his nose up at her in return. As the two got into yet another argument, others began to voice their own reactions to the news of Hiro's achievement.
"I think that it's incredible that Hiro managed such a feat, we should be proud of him!" Kokoro cheered, a bright smile on her face as she clapped her hands together for Hiro's hard work.
"The adults always favored him above the rest of us, clearly they were right to expect such things of him." Ikuno commented, taking off her glasses to examine them for a smudge that had been bothering her.
"How did he manage such a fast time though? This track is huge!" Futoshi asked in an awed voice as he looked at the huge gap between Hiro's first place spot and the next Stamen's in second place. The difference was over thirteen minutes!
"He must've cheated the unit somehow! I don't know how, but he had to! There's no way that's a real possible record!" Zorome insisted while biting on his thumbnail in irritation.
"He's not you, he wouldn't need to stoop to things like that to succeed." Miku taunted, igniting another explosive retort from Zorome that kicked off more bickering. The other children continued their back and forth talk about Hiro, though for one person it all faded into the background as she got lost in her own thoughts on the matter.
Ichigo's eyes were wide, and her whole body had frozen at the name she hadn't dared to utter in a few months now. The last time she had brought up Hiro to anyone was Goro and it was a conversation about finally accepting that they may never see him again... now here was a sign that he was here.
The blue-haired girl suddenly smiled, a serene look coming over herself, the first truly content smile she'd made in several years.
Hiro was alive... not just alive, he was still somewhere close to them! If he'd used this course to train, that meant he was still part of the program, which meant there was still a chance she could see him again!
Goro noticed the look on her face, and he smiled softly to himself as he took her in. She looked so lovely like that, her eyes hooded in euphoria while a soft flush lit up her cheeks. He gently nudged her with his elbow, drawing her out of her thoughts.
"It's great, isn't it? Finally getting something to know he's okay after all this time." Goro said, a feeling of relief washing over him as all the worry he'd had for his friend finally seemed to fade away. Hiro was okay, his friend was still alive...
"It is! I'm so happy, Goro, really... This means he's still here somewhere, we can still find him!" Ichigo replied, her eyes lighting up in elation. Goro nodded in agreement, patting her on the back to show her that he had her back both figuratively and literally.
"I'm happy, too, Ichigo. And don't worry, I can feel it in my gut, we're going to see him again."
"In your gut?" Ichigo questioned, tilting her head slightly.
"Yeah, call it a guy instinct thing." Goro said nonchalantly with a hand on his hip.
"A guy thing? You're so weird." In response to that Goro simply put his other hand on top of her head and ruffled her hair like he knew she hated. "H-Hey, cut it out!"
"There's only one way to settle this!" Zorome yelled suddenly, regaining their attention. "We race to see if we can beat this record!"
The blonde then hastily climbed back into his number seven unit, eager to show everyone how amazing he truly was. "Come on! Let's take this seriously now!"
"Oh sure, now he's wanting to work hard..." Miku muttered as she walked past to get back into her own mech.
"I gotta admit, I kinda feel Zorome's enthusiasm. Now that we know Hiro holds the record, I kinda wanna show him up." Ichigo turned her head to look at him curiously, not expecting something like this from Goro. He wasn't usually the competitive type, unless it was all in good fun.
"You know, have something to rub in his face when we see him again, right?" He added with a wide smirk, making Ichigo smirk back as well.
"Yeah, me too! Let's do it!" The blue-haired girl quickly ran to her own chosen Pistil trainer, excited to participate in the race with the others. She was so excited that she forgot the fear of discomfort she had been anticipating from piloting.
Goro laughed and headed to his as well, happy to see the group so energetic after so long. That was just the special power Hiro held within him, able to lift them up even when he wasn't there with them.
The group were all so preoccupied by the fact that Hiro had been the one to break the Stamen record, the girls didn't really take much interest in even seeing who held the Pistil record. A record which was actually faster than the Stamen's by a measly eight seconds.
A record which belonged to one Code 002...
They all took a few minutes to sync up with their machines, taking the time to get used to the new sensation of piloting. For the guys it was much easier to do so, while the girls needed a few extra minutes, as a couple struggled to get used to the odd tingles that ran through their bodies.
Ikuno and Naomi were panting heavily within their units as they couldn't help but resist at first, not fully comfortable with the synthetic presence connecting to them. It took some encouraging words from Ichigo and Kokoro to get them to relax enough to fully accept it and sync in. Miku couldn't offer much support as she was dealing with her own discomfort with it.
Even Zorome, in all his eagerness to get the race started, didn't say a word at the obvious struggle the girls had to go through for several minutes. The guys had it much easier in comparison, and were silently grateful for it.
Since the track wasn't wide enough to line up evenly, they decided to have the girls line up in front while the boys lined up behind them. Because, as Zorome put it, the girls needed an advantage to have any chance to win. That statement only fueled Miku and Ichigo to show him up and possibly feed him a nice large slice of humble pie. Fat chance it would help, but you never know.
Everyone tensed in their seats as they readied themselves. Zorome gave the countdown.
"Ready... Set... GO!" And they were off, racing down the track at varying speeds.
Several people like Ikuno, Naomi and Kokoro weren't interested in breaking the best record so much as they just wanted to set a personal best. So instead of trying to keep up with the ones racing they simply hung back a bit and went at their own pace.
Miku tried her best to keep up with the others at the front but she and Mitsuru ended up more in the middle of the two groups as they struggled to maintain their speed. Clearly they were going to have to spend a little longer training in order to build up stamina.
Futoshi and Zorome were sprinting and panting heavily as they tried to keep up with Goro and Ichigo, who were leading the pack with a good amount of space ahead of the others. However, Futoshi had put his all into just trying to keep up that he quickly started falling way back, already so exhausted.
By the time Miku and Mitsuru had passed him he had completely given up, barely a minute into the race. He then decided to keep pace with the girls in the back instead, who encouraged him for trying so hard.
Zorome growled to himself as he wiped the sweat from his brow, aiming to push himself harder so he could catch the two ahead of him. They were already several yards ahead, and he was falling further behind by the second, it was incredibly frustrating. He should have known it wouldn't be easy to go against two double digit code numbers in a race...
Meanwhile Goro and Ichigo were in a head-to-head lock on who was going to gain the upper hand and take the lead. Their units were in a dead match for speed and prowess, and it didn't seem like either were willing to let the other surpass them in their little competition.
Through the plexiglass domes of their mechs, their eyes met briefly. Grins of happiness were spread across both their faces. Giggles escaped Ichigo's lips as she reveled in the rush of exhilaration she was feeling.
The record was temporarily forgotten about, as in this simple moment, it didn't matter at all. Nothing mattered, nothing but them and the fun they were having together.
For Goro, it was a picture-perfect moment that he would hold close to his heart. He will never forget that beautiful smile on Ichigo's face that day, as she let go of her serious side for a little while to be the child she still was inside.
Suddenly, though, they heard the sound of a creature roaring as echoed off the distant hills, before a high-pitched alarm began blaring in their ears, making them all jump to alertness.
Effectively shattering the playful mood instantly, they slammed the brakes on their trainers, some needing to come to a slower and steadier stop to keep from toppling over, like Zorome nearly did.
"W-Wha-?! What's happening?!" He demanded over his comms, but no one had a chance to formulate any kind of answer before the speakers began sounding off a message from HQ.
"Warning: Klaxosaur Alert! All Children In Training Take Immediate Cover!"
"A Klaxosaur? Where?" Miku asked as she looked off towards the horizon where the roaring sound came from. Try as she might, though, she didn't see anything, but she could hear it by the roars that it kept emitting.
Then the ground in the distance rumbled and dust and dirt kicked up wildly as a figure rose from beneath the surface, another high-pitched roar accompanying it's breach into the world.
"I-It came from underground!" Naomi pointed out, her heart pounding as she took in the chaos happening several miles away.
"Children! Get out of those and come inside at once!" Their caretaker shouted in fear as she ran up to their group, some of which were struggling to get out of their units over the quakes of the plantation. One by one the children climbed out of their trainers and ran to the adult in charge of them.
"Is that everyone? Quickly, inside now, all of you!" She insisted vehemently as she pushed on the ones she could touch to get them walking back around the track towards the entrance to the training hangar.
Then in quick succession the children all heard a different rumbling sound that set itself apart from that of the Klaxosaur's, followed closely by an explosive roaring sound that steadily mellowed out as the source began distancing itself from them. Soon, they saw what that source was.
Four large feminine figures with sleek bodies of dark gray and white, each one wielding an orange-tipped spear in their hands. A group of FRANXX, real ones just like they'd seen on their field trips to the hangar, flying in a perfect 'V' formation.
Except there was one spot at the front of the formation that was left empty, and Zorome wondered if maybe they were short a partner team? Did someone fail to connect under pressure?
He quickly got his answer, as another FRANXX, but this one was a bright white in color with red and orange accents... at least that's what they could have sworn they saw, as she flew so quickly past them that they didn't even really get a chance to see what she looked like.
Within seconds she had streaked across the cold desert to join with the FRANXX in their formation, taking the empty spot right at the front. She was so unique that Zorome and the other children couldn't help but be focused on her and her alone.
Despite the caretaker trying to usher them inside, they resisted as they couldn't help but watch the FRANXX soar across the sky towards the Klaxosaur in the distance. Off to fight the good fight and protect all of Humanity.
"That's going to be us one day! Wow, so awesome!" Zorome exclaimed as he pumped both fists at his sides, a wide grin plastered on his face. He could just picture himself inside one of those amazing things, flying through one after another Klaxosaur as he destroyed them all in the name of Papa!
Then he could just picture the amazing award ceremony they would hold in his honor, as he was named the highest ranking Stamen in all the plantations!
"Look at them go, they were so powerful looking..." Futoshi praised as he raised a hand over his eyes to try and see them better over the bright horizon through the glass. It didn't help as there was a dust storm taking place from all the activity, blocking his view.
"Children, come on! I'll get in serious trouble if you don't get a move on and get in here!" The caretaker said more angrily as she pulled on both Zorome and Futoshi's ears to yank them into moving. Both boys yelped and went along with no more resistance.
"Ow! Alright, I'm going!" Zorome complained, stumbling to keep up with the hasty pace the adult had set for them.
With that, the other children obediently followed lest they get a similar punishment from an adult. They went back inside the firm walls of Garden, the door to the outside shutting firmly behind them as they were once again placed back into their cage.
"Ow..." Zorome groaned as he rubbed his ear to soothe it, muttering about how adults didn't have to be so rough to get their point across.
"Serves you right for dawdling." Miku said cheekily as he complained under his breath. The blonde opened his eyes to glare at her.
"Shut up, Miku!"
"But did you see those FRANXX as they flew in perfect form? Ah wow, they were so cool!" Futoshi gushed in awe as his eyes sparkled from admiration.
"They were pretty incredible, I agree." Kokoro admitted, though she did feel intimidated by it all at the same time.
"Come along now, Children. Training is cancelled until further notice." The masked woman said as she gestured for them to get moving towards the changing rooms.
"Aww man! Just when I was about to take the lead in the race too!" Zorome pouted as he crossed his arms. Miku looked at him incredulously, gobsmacked at his blatancy to lie.
"Oh you were not! You were barely three steps ahead of me and I was in the middle!"
"I was not!" As the two of them started up another argument, the caretaker lead them away from the training area to go get changed back into clothes.
Ichigo lingered behind a little, and couldn't help but take one last look out the window. She could see the distant dust clouds stirring in the distance, hiding the battle that was taking place within. She could see sparks occasionally, though, a signal of the attacks taking place.
There were people in FRANXX fighting out there, protecting her and the adults... that was what she was going to have to do one day, too.
Was she going to be ready when the time came? Everyone told her she was more than capable, even on track to becoming squad leader if she kept up her efforts. But did she deserve it, was she truly worthy?
The track record came to mind again, and Ichigo smiled a little. If he was capable of doing something like that, she could too. She was going to find a way to make her mark somewhere too, so that he could somehow see it and think of her! It would give her something productive to shoot for, until she saw him again.
I'll work harder... I'll do my absolute best! Just like you, Hiro...
February 4 - 2135
Hiro struggled to hold in the pained gasp that came as a result of the doctor's prodding, no matter how gentle he was it was still incredibly painful. The old man didn't say anything, supportive or otherwise, as he jotted down some notes before resuming his observations and poking.
On the young man's chest, slightly more to his left side above his heart, was a bizarre yet painful tumor-looking mass that had mysteriously appeared during the night in his sleep.
The blue growth pulsated in time with his heartbeat, a very unnerving sight to say the least, on top of the shock of it's very presence. Darker blue veins spread from the odd mass and embedded themselves into his skin, patches of flesh there turning a disturbing shade of purple, almost like a bruise.
"When did you first notice it?" Franxx asked, pulling out a magnifying glass to peer closer at it.
"Early this morning. I went to sleep just fine but woke up in unbearable pain, and this was there." He didn't mention how he had to struggle to hide it and his discomfort from Zero Two all morning until the doctor had come to collect him for his daily evaluation. Didn't think it was important.
"Hmm. Perhaps a result of your second time piloting with 002 during the Klaxosaur attack yesterday... Strange, though, your first flight went without any issues, I wonder what made the second one different? Unless..." The old man trailed off as he quickly jotted something down in his notes, his pen scratching noisily across the paper.
"Will it go away?" Hiro was left in an awkward silence for a few moments as the doctor furiously wrote something down, muttering to himself as he did.
"I can't know for sure without some tests, though I have some theories. Let me take some samples, of both your blood and the growth." The doctor then reached into a drawer and pulled out a fresh syringe for drawing the blood.
"Is there anything you can give for the pain?" Hiro asked as he held his arm out without a second thought, having needles poked into him was a normal thing at this point in his life.
"I'm afraid you'll have to see if the lighter stuff can give you any relief until I can know for sure what harder drugs would do to your system. I can't risk a chemical imbalance making this thing worse before I even know what it is."
"Alright..." Hiro sighed, lifting a hand to wipe away some of the sweat building on his forehead.
"In the meantime, I'm going to postpone all your training sessions and monitor your vitals. If you experience any new developments you are to immediately call for me." The old man instructed as he prodded for the vein he needed.
"Yes, Doctor." Hiro said monotonously, not even flinching as the needle went in and started withdrawing blood. After he'd safely set it aside for later use, Franxx took a petri dish and a scalpel and, as gently as he could, began to scrape some cells for study from the pulsating tumor.
Hiro grit his teeth and clenched his fists, it felt like the sharp point of a burning needle was being furiously rubbed over his flesh.
Franxx took note of the sensitivity and closed a lid over the dish when he was done. Hiro was then fitted with a bracelet that tracked his vital signals, primarily his pulse, which would alert Doctor Franxx immediately if he dropped to below safe levels. Thankfully it was winter so he was given long-sleeved shirts to wear, which would cover the bracelet for the most part.
"Just get some rest and don't do anything strenuous until I can find some conclusive answer." Was the last order he was given before he was taken back to his room.
It was a bit more draining walking back to his room than it was coming from, only further concerning him as that meant this was just going to keep getting worse and worse... but that wasn't even the part he was most concerned with.
How was he going to hide this from Zero Two...?
It wasn't that he didn't trust her to be able to handle it, not at all. As ridiculous as it was to try, he just didn't want to frighten her with it as more than likely she'd try to blame herself for this, even though neither of them knew what caused it. But the growth was an odd blue color like her blood had been, so maybe it was related to that somehow?
Was this the side effects the doctor had told him could happen one day? Perhaps it hadn't manifested in the ways he thought it would... which would mean Hiro was a failure...
His body was a failure because it was rejecting this... whatever it was.
That thought lingered in his mind over the course of the next couple days, while he struggled to keep his breathing even and his face naturally at ease when Zero Two was around. He'd taken to using bandages to bind down the growth to hide it better under his clothing, and had to be very careful whenever Zero Two wanted a hug.
It was agony, holding her close but feeling nothing but searing pain in his chest the whole time...
Eventually though, he should have known it was inevitable that Zero Two would eventually see it for herself, it was completely foolish of him to think she wouldn't. He was the center of her world, of course she would notice any sudden shift in his demeanor, and he was not exactly as stealthy in hiding his pained grimaces as he thought he was.
It all came to a head one night after she had returned from a weapon training set in the units and he'd been excused from his for the third night in a row. The minute the door closed behind her escort, she pounced. Metaphorically.
She didn't even hesitate, seeming to have been preparing what she was going to say before she came back, striding right up to where he was resting on their bed. She glared down seriously at him as she stood over where he lay, hands on her hips and her mouth set in a thin line.
Oh boy, he was in trouble now...
"Z-Zero Two? W-What's wrong?" He tried to sound natural, but even to his own ears he could hear the tremor that shook his voice. Crap, that's not good.
"Tell me what's going on right now. I know there's something you're not telling me." Her voice left no room for arguing, she was done being left in the dark. Double crap.
"W-What makes you feel that way?" He couldn't help but ask, buying him a little more time to come up with some semblance of an explanation.
"You've been dismissed from all your scheduled sessions, and you've been running a fever for the last couple days, I can feel it when we sleep. I was willing to let that go but then you started looking more worn and exhausted, and you're not even doing anything straining. I know you're hiding something, please stop and tell me! I can't take it anymore!"
Triple crap! The guilt that consumed him was unbearable, and his shoulders drooped from the shame. To think he could hide his discomfort from her was the stupidest thing he could do, and he needed to make this right.
"I'm sorry, Zero Two... You're right. It was wrong of me to hide this from you..." Hiro admitted quietly, sitting up a bit more in the bed.
"Damn right it was!" Zero Two scolded heatedly, hands clenched into fists.
"Okay, okay! J-Just... please don't panic, alright?" He then lifted his shirt over his head, and slowly unraveled the bandages that were binding his growth. It was a bit of a relief, on the one hand, as now he could be rid of the discomfort from having to bind it down.
On the other hand, it hardly felt worth it as Zero Two gasped loudly at the sight of it, taking a step back even from the shock. A hand rose and covered her mouth as her eyes quickly flooded with tears.
"W-What... What is that, Darling?" Zero Two asked breathlessly, her voice barely above a whisper. Admittedly, she had every right to be so appalled at the horrific mass that had taken over a good majority of his upper chest, the veins had spread further across his chest than the last time he'd checked on it.
"I... I don't really know." Hiro said honestly, but quickly followed up with more to keep her from panicking. "But the old man is doing some tests to see what can be done! Don't worry, Zero Two."
"How can I not worry?!" She demanded from behind her hand, her eyes not leaving the growth. "That... that thing could take you away from me!"
"I won't let that happen... I promise to not let this beat me." He felt bad for making such a risky promise, as he had no idea what this thing could do to him, if it could possibly kill him...
No, he couldn't let that fear make him give up. Not when Zero Two needed him. It was one thing to be alive and taken away from her, it was a whole other thing to be dead... He wasn't sure what she'd do if he died and the thought of that would break him if he lingered on it too long...
It would be the next day that he met with Doctor Franxx again, and would hopefully get an answer on what was possibly going to happen to him. Zero Two insisted on coming with him for the results, wanting to be there to hear it for herself and not the watered down version her Darling would surely try to pass off to her.
He couldn't blame her, she knew him too well. Besides that, he needed her with him for this, because deep down he was genuinely scared.
Doctor Franxx put up an x-ray on the light board for the two to see, only instead of displaying the bones they were seeing his internal system. In the center of his chest was a large blue mass, completely matching the size of his heart, threatening to overtake it even.
"After some extensive testing and observations, as well as looking at the stats from your last flight, I think I have come to a somewhat concrete conclusion." He paused and looked to the young man whose life was in question. "Are you both ready?"
Zero Two reached over and wrapped his hand in her, squeezing it firmly. He wanted to smile for her, but his mouth couldn't make the motions right now. Instead, he nodded his head and squeezed their hands again.
"From my understanding this is more than likely a result of saurification; a process that happens when you Parasites are given your yellow blood cell injections and when a Stamen and Pistil fly together. Typically humans that pilot together frequently can experience side effects like accelerated ageing, or even emotional alteration hence why most children become stoic and less sentimental when they get their injections."
The two tried to follow along to the best of their ability, taking in the new information while still stewing in their anticipation for what would happen to Hiro.
"In your unique case, 016, I rejected the caretakers giving you more YBC injections, as I was curious to know how an emotional and questioning child such as yourself would do as a pilot. Things have changed, obviously. When the two of you piloted together, you simultaneously began the process of saurification. However, your case is far different for one primary reason."
"Code 002 is a hybrid of a Human and a Klaxian, or Klaxosapians as they used to call themselves. You heard about them from your snooping in my notes while I was examining you, those are the people with whom 002 shares kinship. Therefore, her physiology is far different from yours, even with your blood altered by hers."
If Hiro had the energy, he would have made a sarcastic remark about how this wasn't exactly ground-breaking news, as it had always been obvious Zero Two wasn't fully human. But he didn't have the energy, so he kept his mouth shut.
"While her body can accept your cells with no problem, your body is struggling to accept the additional yellow blood cells she's transferring to you through the sync. It's neither fully accepting nor rejecting the changes, it's literally fighting with itself for a semblance of control."
Zero Two's other hand clenched into a fist and her head bowed in shame. It really was her fault this was happening to her Darling... all because she was a monster.
No matter what she did or how she felt about herself... that fact would never change. This only solidified said fact, as only a monster could taint another person like she had her Darling.
"I can't say for certain yet if it will continue to grow from more rides with 002, or if it will recede on it's own in time if your body can adjust. This is the first time I've experienced something like this, as we've never had a Pistil as unique as 002. I could try to find some kind of cure because at this point it's too risky to attempt surgery to remove it, but the process could take weeks to months. Time I'm not sure you have, I'm honestly amazed you've held out this long."
Then he dropped the big bomb on them, destroying what little hope they'd been clinging to.
"I'm afraid I have to be realistic and warn you, it is possible you will die from this."
"NO!" The chair Zero Two had been sitting in was suddenly thrust backwards as she stood up quickly, her hand yanking itself out of Hiro's. Her eyes and horns were glowing a deep red, her lips parted in a snarl as she bared her teeth at the doctor.
"Zero Two!" Hiro reached out for her but she took a step towards Doctor Franxx, murderous intent written all over her face.
"Take it back! You're lying!" She screamed, angry tears forming within her fiercely glowing eyes. "Darling can't die! HE CAN'T!"
"Telling me he can't won't change reality, 002. It's best you start accepting that now." There was no sympathy in his voice, only a chilling calm that only infuriated Zero Two more. She turned towards Hiro with a stern look that actually challenged him to argue with her. That look on her face, all alight with fury and fear, it stunned him into silence that he couldn't argue if he wanted.
"I won't let you! I won't let you die and leave me here all alone! I'd rather never fly again than risk your life!" Hiro opened his mouth to try to answer, but once again he was talked over as if he wasn't even there.
"I'm afraid refusal isn't an option, 002. You two are fully expected to carry out your next mission in sixteen hours, and you will do so or risk permanent relocation to different plantations. That comes from the council, not from me." Franxx left no room for argument in his tone, and it brought Zero Two's furious gaze back onto him.
"He can't pilot! Not if it's going to make that thing worse!" She argued, pointing a finger at his chest in an accusatory fashion. The old man shook his head at her, though, a heavy sigh leaving him as he tried to reason with her.
"The lives of many outweigh the life of one, 002, we all have to make sacrifices as we fight for the greater good. That has always been your purpose in this life."
That was the wrong thing to say in her eyes, and it enraged her so much she actually bared her teeth at him and made to lunge at him.
"You disgusting bast-!"
"Stop, Zero Two!" Despite the pain that came from doing so Hiro lurched forward to stop her from doing anything reckless, grabbing her shoulders when she made to have a go at the doctor. He couldn't maintain the hold for long, as his knees gave out soon after he'd grabbed a hold of her, but thankfully that seemed to pull her attention more firmly onto him and not on attacking their primary caretaker.
Zero Two turned herself in his grip and went to support him instead, holding him close to her as he gasped for air. She growled at herself for making him exert himself like this, cursed her entire being for causing him so much pain to start...!
It wasn't fair... none of this was fair! She was finally happy with her Darling, she was on her to having a life with him!
Now... now it was all slowly being taken away before her eyes... and she couldn't make it stop.
"You're going to kill the one person I've ever loved... just to sate your own sick whims and schemes...?!" Zero Two growled lowly, and Hiro could feel her trembling over him as he clutched onto her as tightly as he was capable.
"You're not the first to love something, 002. You won't be the last." That statement came out far more harsh than anyone present was expecting, even the man who said it himself. He hadn't meant to let personal feelings bleed into the conversation.
At his cruel reply, though, Hiro grit his teeth together in a snarl similar to Zero Two's, however as upset as he was his current weakened state made him less intimidating looking.
Since it was hard for Hiro to walk by himself without having to stop every couple minutes to rest, the doctor had him wheeled back to their room. Zero Two followed closely behind him, her eyes staring down at the floor as hundreds of thoughts swarmed around her head like an angry horde of bees.
This all happened because because of you.
You're the reason he's dying.
You deserve to be alone for what you've done.
You deserve to die for what you are...
Her body was on autopilot as they made the short trip back to their shared room, her face a blank mask that gave no allusion into her dark thoughts. She stiffly helped support Hiro as he got out of the wheelchair and entered their room with him. Looking around at all the pictures on the walls suddenly felt meaningless, their colors seeming so muted and boring now.
What was the point of pretty things anymore...? Her favorite pretty thing was dying...
"Rest up, both of you. Tomorrow will not be an easy day for any of us." Franxx told them, before leaving them to their own devices.
Something in her snapped, then and there.
Hiro tried, but he couldn't stop her as Zero Two flung an empty cup at the door after it had shut behind Franxx, the glass shattering on impact and spreading across the floor. She paid it no mind, immediately looking for something else to smash.
Hiro wanted to make her stop, to make her see some reason, but even he couldn't think of anything to say in this moment. He had nothing that could lessen the fear and pain she was feeling, as he was just as terrified as she was.
There was a high possible he was going to die tomorrow... and there was nothing either of them could do to stop it.
It was only when she picked up her box of art supplies over her head and went to throw that next that Hiro finally got the strength to stop her, knowing she'd regret it later if she ruined them.
"Zero Two, no!" He somehow managed to reach up and grab the box out of her hands before she could toss it, lightly dropping it before himself to the floor. Hiro gasped heavily as he wrapped his arms around both her legs to keep her from moving to find something else to break.
"Stop... please..." He wheezed, begging her to listen to him. She trembled violently in his arms, her fists clenched so tightly that her nails were digging into her skin and drawing blood. Looking up at her he could see the sclera of her eyes were redder than usual as they clouded with tears, and her lips were quivering as well.
"Zero Two..." Hiro called to her, reaching up to gently take her hand. He didn't know what else to do, he felt so helpless now.
"Darling..." She whimpered as she collapsed half into his lap, crying into his thighs as he gently ran his fingers through her hair to try his absolute best to soothe her. It didn't help as much as he would've liked, but he still tried regardless, not sure what else to do...
"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..." She blubbered into his lap, and she would continue to repeat those words no matter how many times he told her it wasn't her fault.
All the times they'd struggled with something, Hiro had always been able to find some kind of silver lining to look towards for hope. But now... now he couldn't even convince himself of any bright side in this dark situation.
For the first time in his whole life, he felt truly hopeless...
Zero Two didn't stop crying, even when her sobs had quieted her tears kept falling in silence. Even when she finally fell unconscious from the stress, they still occasionally slipped between her closed eyes like a slowly leaking faucet, soaking her pillow beneath her.
She did not dream that night, too afraid to let them give her hope. Too afraid to let them haunt her with reality...
Inside his laboratory, Franxx hobbled over from one medical tool to another as he fought to race against the clock to find some kind of resolution to the plague that covered 016's chest. He looked through microscopes, tried all kinds of chemical combinations to see if they made any kind of positive response in the contaminant that made the tumor.
Nothing. Not one thing he tried made any kind of dent in breaking it down or halting it's growth.
"Dammit... I don't understand!" The old scientist cursed as he threw papers over his shoulder, uncaring if they made a mess all over the floor. He had to keep trying, had to keep coming up with possible cures, failure wasn't an option he kept telling himself.
Failure was not an option!
He was running out of time. If that boy died... so too would all the hope of Humanity...
And that's the chapter! Sorry to leave you on a sad note this time, it's kind of going to happen from time to time with this kind of story. Whew, we're really getting into some active parts of the story now, though. I was worried this would seem a little boring but I think I got it just right.
In terms of the first part, where the record was an hour and forty-six minutes, I based the time and track off a real marathon where runners usually run for about 25-26 miles. Their times, however, are roughly over two hours, I believe the world record is an hour fifty-nine? Either way since these are machines we're talking about here, I decided that with a little pushing they could go faster than the average human. I dunno, the math sounded alright in my head, but I'm not great at math or running so...
Hope to see you again next chapter. Thank you for reading!
