"I think it would be beneficial for the two of you."
How could he not remember that? He might have only been six at the time, but that's plenty old enough to form proper memories.
It was on a special trip with his parents that he met her, or rather she met him. Momma and Poppa were both around at the time, about ten years ago, when they had pooled together enough funds to spend the day there.
That place… that beautiful, golden glowing city. How had he forgotten his visit?
Center City. A well funded, large, high class expanse of land at the heart of the city of Strelitzia, where the richest could live and the not-so-fortunate could visit. It was quite advanced and cramped in comparison to the outskirts of Strelitzia, which were mostly natural and wide open, similar to a countryside. It was even home to its own climate and was self sufficient, never needing to even leave the dome that encloses the entire area.
It's name was quite literal, as Center City wasn't actually a subsection of Strelitzia itself. It was, in fact, its own city. A bit strange why it wasn't just the urban district, considering the entire dome-like land was surrounded by Strelitzia, which could be considered the suburbs in that case.
(Author's note: Think about a bullseye at the center of a target, and the surrounding ring being the City of Strelitzia. Have I said city enough yet? No? City. City. Ciiiity. Ci-ty. You're welcome.)
According to this old friend of his mother, the entire area was modeled after these things called 'Plantations', or rather the cities within them. Apparently, long before the Earth was even fertile, these 'Plantations' were basically giant mobile fortresses meant to protect the last of humanity, which was admittedly an extremely small population at the time.
Most everything was fueled by this revolutionary power source called magma energy. The entire Plantations ran off it. The electricity, the climate, the gardening and farming, you name it. It was so strange to hear of a life that sounded so completely different and interesting to their own, and it had only happened 216 years ago. It didn't seem at all long enough for an entire species to repopulate and construct a whole new way of life. Yet all he needed to do was to look around for proof.
Each thing he found out about only led to more and more questions. Why do we not use magma energy now? What happened that caused humanity to need to live in these fortresses? If everything was so advanced, how did the technology from then get lost in the transition to modern day? Most importantly, why was none of this taught in schools or books?
He was extremely well versed in anything he could study, but never once had he read about the strange apocalyptic society this woman spoke about.
All she had to do was give the boy a quick refresher, as she believed the rest would take its course. Or so she claimed. He hadn't the slightest clue what was going on regarding all of this hidden history.
Here they all were, the four of them heading to Center City. It was going to take an entire day or so according to the friend of his mother. His mind was still swamped with questions, but at least he wouldn't have to worry about school for some time.
He and Zakura had both gotten suspensions after what had happened about a week prior, by their separate schools, of course. His mother seemed like she hadn't been bothered by the news, because she knew it was for a good cause.
For her.
He turned his view to the girl sitting next to him on the ebony leather seats lining the interior of the vehicle. She had been almost silent ever since she had been discharged. The doctors had taken expert care of her, and although some bruising was present, she was able to walk on her own again, and no bones had been broken, so she had made a speedy recovery.
A deep purple ring surrounded the girl's left eye, a sick souvenir from her encounter with that boy at school. Her beautiful white skin was soiled by dark red, scabbed scrapes and cuts, some more healed than others. Her horns were no longer covered by her beanie, she had forgone it since their revelation. Maybe that was why she was silent? She held a grudge against him for showing them?
Hiko gently reached his left hand over to wrap around her right in a comforting manner. She didn't turn her head to look at him but her eyes moved in his direction. A slight smile crept across Zakura's face as she squeezed back and mouthed what he could tell as 'thank you'. She must have been a bit afraid of this stranger and the situation she was dragged into without much explanation.
The boy swallowed as he gave a cautious glance to the woman in charge of taking them to Center City for a short vacation. She had taken care of all of the expenses and transportation, even arranged for a hotel to house the family temporarily. It wasn't that he thought the woman was hiding things, but more so that she seemed to understand a lot more than someone should at her age.
Her appearance was that of a young woman, perhaps just out of college. In her twenties at the very most. Although that wouldn't line up at all if she and his mother had met about nine years ago. She probably was just an expert in terms of makeup, or even underwent some surgeries. She certainly had the funds to do so if she wanted.
The wavy brown-red hair and teal green eyes of hers gave her a very elegant and respectful, likable look. She almost always smiled and sometimes awkwardly stared at Hiko and his girlfriend. Albeit a bit creepy, she didn't seem to have any sort of ill intentions. Contrary to her status as a clearly wealthy woman, she did not seem to dress in an over the top manner. Whether this was to seem more relatable around the group of them, or if it was her standard attire, Hiko couldn't even begin to assume.
The woman wore a long, simple gray dress, which right under her ample bust, became darker, fading into black by the legs of the skirt. Black, thin pantyhose were clearly visible underneath the dress, and the thin slits running up the outside parts of the skirt allowed more movement and a better view on the garment. That about summed up her attire, it wasn't fancy or wild in any way, it was very down to earth and it complimented the kind lady's personality.
A small glimmer on her left hand caught Hiko's attention. He hadn't noticed before, but she was indeed wearing a ring on her left hand's fourth finger. A magnificent shining ruby adorned the silver and ivory ring. It was a stunning piece to look at it, and Hiko figured it was the only thing the woman wore that was even moderately expensive.
Her name had caught him off guard, as all he could think about was her watching over a bunch of children.
Nana.
Perhaps that is what she did for a living? Nah, she wouldn't have made it purely being a nanny, but she hadn't told the story of her wealth or the like, so all Hiko could do is guess.
What more was there to her? How did they meet? He was almost afraid to ask but his curiosity was intensely piqued.
His mother kept this 'friend' of hers under wrap for quite some time. He thought he and his mother were close, but maybe she too, kept things close to her chest. It wasn't like he wasn't without his secrets after all.
Contrary to his respectful and articulate nature, Aihiko always had trouble in social situations due to him cutting himself off from the world. Nervousness was hardly ever a thing he had experienced in short conversations, but now with all of these questions racing through his brain and the strange way he was being ripped from his own world, it was star of the show.
Aihiko gently moved himself towards his honey, and took a deep breath as he looked at Nana, serious yet anxious. They were going to spend hours together, he might as well have the woman explain some things to settle his brain. He knew she had answers, he just had to ask the right questions. But what to ask first…?
"Nana, how old are you?", Hiko broke the silence of all of the passengers, immediately regretting his choice of a question.
Fuck, why did I choose to ask her age before anything else?! She must think I'm so disrespect -
"I stopped counting so long ago…", the red haired woman began, with a slight chuckle and a loving smile. She didn't seem at all phased by the question besides not knowing a proper answer. "...but well over two hundred…"
What? He heard that wrong, right? There's no way she could be over… two hundred years old. That's preposterous! If she was over two hundred, that meant that she was actually alive when Plantations were humanity's home! He had believed she was just passing information on.
"T-T-Two… hundred…?", the boy stammered in complete disbelief.
"That's right. I'm sure you have plenty of questions and I'm entirely willing to answer them. I just can't believe you two have finally returned. Everyone waited for years for you…"
A tear ran down the woman's face and she quickly snatched it from her cheek with her index finger.
"I suppose you aren't truly them, since you'd most likely remember me, but at the very least, it's quite clear that you are made in their image."
Hiko put his arm around the pink haired girl's shoulder and pulled her close before popping another question.
"What do you mean, made in their image? Momma called us 'Hiro' and 'Zero Two', is that who you mean?"
Nana nodded quickly in response.
"Those are the ones. Those two… were unlike anything the world had ever seen. Truly special in every sense of the word. That's why I want you two to learn about them, their struggles, their achievements. I believe that you two are the second coming, so to speak."
The 'second coming' part made him feel as if this Hiro and Zero Two were something of legend. Something so incredible and influential that the world itself anticipated them. That didn't seem correct considering they were only teenagers. They weren't anything fantastical.
"Second coming?" Hiko inquired to the red haired woman. "I'm not sure I like that phrasing. It's as if you've been expecting us."
"Expecting would be the wrong phrase. Hoping would fit much better. When those two headed off, we all knew it would take a long time for them to return to us… I guess we always sort of figured they would come back as themselves but…"
Come back as themselves? If Aihiko wasn't confused yet, he most certainly was now. The only reason they wouldn't have 'come back as themselves' is that they…
"They perished… early in their lives, didn't they?"
Nana sighed lightly and gave a gentle nod in confirmation.
"So by second coming… you mean that we are like their… reincarnations or something?"
The woman scratched the back of her head with nervous laughter, and then let out a soft sigh.
"I am not sure about that. Not entirely anyway, but Zakura clearly has the same exact features Zero Two had, which leads me to believe that they live on in you two in some way, shape, or form. Or at the very least, her."
Hiko turned his head to look at the red protrusions that the girl used to hide. He didn't see the big deal. Sure, most humans didn't have horns but they weren't extremely large and neither were her fangs. They stood out, but not so much as to cause people disgust. At least, not as far as he could imagine.
"I plan to explain everything to you two once we arrive," Nana began. "There is a lot to cover, and I suppose I can give you a run down here, but I believe that the impact will be greater once you understand the scale of the legacy they left behind."
The black haired teenager laid his head gently on his pink haired partner's and sighed. He would have to wait for answers, huh? Very well, it would all be worth the wait.
He felt as if he should mention the strange amount of knowledge he had of things, and the occasional visions he saw, but if he did, perhaps this woman would want to throw him in the loony bin.
"How come we aren't taught these things in school?", Zakura suddenly questioned with quite a serious look. Her jade green eyes sparkled with curiosity. "If this stuff is so important, don't you think we should learn about it?"
The answer to the girl's question seemed quite half-assed and not well thought out. Aihiko felt something was being hidden from them.
"These subjects are kept from the general public in order to not focus on the past. Civilization back then was vastly different, and in terms of quality of life, was much worse than we have now. We need to look to the future, and improving upon what we have inherited as humans."
Nana paused momentarily to take a sip of water and focus her thoughts.
"Originally, the plan was to scrap remains of the past to embrace the future in its entirety, but my husband and I… we couldn't let go of the past. We wanted to preserve it as best we could, and so Memorial Park was built, right in the heart of Center City, funded by the two of us. That park is a little piece of humanity's history, and that's where I wish to show and tell you everything about Hiro and Zero Two."
Hiko felt a sudden jolt in the back of his mind and shuddered at the feeling. It felt as if someone or something was… taking over him?
"You built us a memorial? I don't think we really deserved one."
Hiko's mother and Nana exchanged glances before glaring at the black haired boy with an altered composure.
"What did you say?", his mother spoke for the first time during the trip.
"The memorial. Zero Two and I didn't know what we were getting into. Especially myself… I only wanted her to return to normal so we could all live happily together… but when I realized there was no turning back, we accepted our set path. After all, there was nothing we could do but continue forward…"
Nothing could amount to the surprise on the red haired woman's face. She was practically staring at the boy, mouth agape, and pale as a ghost.
The black haired boy looked around at the interior of the vehicle. Why was everything so new and different? These weren't the transportation vehicles he was used to.
"Nana? Are you alright? Wait. Nana...? Nana! I'm back? I'm back! Wait, where is Zero T-"
"H-Hiro…?"
Nana swallowed hard and eyed the boy. He hadn't physically changed at all, but he was talking like he was someone else. The person he was the image of.
Hiko's mother was also in complete shock, her blue eyes wider than a human's ever should be. She found it hard to even breathe as she listened to her son speak like someone he wasn't.
"Of course it's me. I think," the boy started, cupping his chin and furrowing his brow as he tried to comprehend the situation. His eyes traveled the inside of the car and stopped on the pink haired girl sitting next to him. He threw both arms around her and hugged her as if they hadn't seen each other in years. "Zero Two!"
"Why do you keep calling me that?!", the girl suddenly yelled back in surprise, trying to push him off of her. "You know damn well my name is Zakura!"
"Z-Zakura…? What? But you look like…"
Nana interrupted him before he could finish his comment on the girl's appearance.
"Zero Two. She looks just like her, doesn't she… Hiro?"
The boy nodded and looked to the older woman.
"Identical… Nana, what the hell is going on…?"
Hiko's mother and the red haired woman exchanged glances once again in understanding of the situation. They didn't quite know how it happened or why, but clearly Hiro had taken control of Hiko to some extent.
"I'm not entirely sure. You and that boy are somehow linked together. If I had to guess, Zero Two must be linked to Zakura. Perhaps that's why they resemble Zero Two and yourself."
"'That boy'? What do you mean? I'm myself aren't I?"
The situation was getting wilder and wilder. He wasn't himself? He was linked to someone else? All of his questions and theories were multiplying like rabbits.
Hiko forced the feeling out of his mind and wriggled his way to the front in order to regain control. Something very strange was happening, and it seemed as if this woman knew - at least a bit - of what was going on. He would have to reveal these things he had been keeping secret, in order to receive more answers, and presumably, more questions as well.
Before Aihiko could say anything however, his honey spoke up, spilling her own secrets to Nana and his mother, in confidence that they would be able to help.
"I think I've spoken with her. Zero Two, I mean. I know it sounds ridiculous, but with everything going on, I might as well add my experience," Zakura blurted out with a start, sitting up straight in her seat, and shaking a bit. She was extremely nervous about sharing the information, but if not now, when would she be able to without sounding like she was insane?
"The night da - I mean, Aihiko, found me… I had this dream. Or what I believed to be a dream…" She looked over her company as she took a deep breath. "Those bruises from being strangled? They weren't from a street brawl. I'm not entirely sure how it happened - and I'm not crazy, I swear it! But she… that look alike, Zero Two… she told me about a promise she made to her darling, and when I said I wanted nothing to do with whatever she was saying, she got really upset."
Zakura gently placed her hand under her scarf and massaged her throat where remnants of the bruising remained. Most of the pain and hoarseness had faded, but there were little bits that lingered.
The black haired boy seemed to have returned to himself as he watched her rub her neck.
"She strangled you…?", he suddenly asked, his tone of voice full of concern.
"Sort of," she replied, still worried she would sound crazy explaining how she was strangled. "It wasn't like out in the street or whatever… It was in that dream of mine. I thought it was just the voices in my head and I was only imagining things. Anyway, she got upset and… actually started to strangle me. I could actually feel her cold hands squeezing the life from me, and that's when I realized it was more than some fantasy."
"So when you were choking in your sleep -"
"I wasn't choking. I was… somehow being strangled through… my dream…" The teenager looked at the astonished faces surrounding her. They didn't believe her, did they? She sounded crazy!
"That doesn't sound like Zero Two. She had violent tendencies, but she turned a new leaf after that battle… I wouldn't say she became more docile, but less violent for sure," Nana commented. She looked surprised, but not in disbelief at the situation, but the behavior of this 'dream' Zero Two.
Zakura quickly shook her head in disagreement.
"She wasn't immediately violent. She wanted me to take her to her darling. Only when I said no did she get upset. And even as she strangled me, she looked… sad. Like she didn't want to do it. I think it was a last resort since I didn't want to help her. I don't think she had evil intentions." She smiled and took Hiko's hand in hers, looking to Nana and Hiko's mother happily.
"I believe she only wished to reunite with her darling, wherever he was, and I think, with everything going on between us… that Hiko is the one she is looking for. Or rather Hiro, who has some connection to him. It makes sense, right?"
The black haired boy nodded in agreement. He must have thought she had the train of thought he had, of what was actually happening. He squeezed her hand gently and looked over at Nana to see what her opinion was.
"It does make sense. In short, you two were meant to be together, just as Hiro and Zero Two were. Reincarnations isn't such a far fetched idea. Though how they are able to interact and speak through you two is a mystery of its own…"
Hiko's mother didn't seem too happy with the results of the conversation, as she became a bit red in the cheeks and rapidly looked between the teenagers sitting in the seats opposing her own.
"Meant to be together? Th-they're just friends! R-right? Nana, tell me that -"
Zakura swiftly cut off the woman to explain the extent of their relationship.
"We are... sort of… unofficially dating. I think. If we are to be the 'new' Zero Two and Hiro, so to speak… then I believe it is fair that we follow in their footsteps and be in a relationship. Darling and I already have feelings for one another."
"Darling?!", Hiko's mother called out in shock. "Y-You're calling him darling? You just got back together a week ago!"
"Don't make this Zakura's fault, Momma," Hiko chimed in with a calming intent. "We just happened to fall in love that first night. I don't think either one of us properly acknowledged our feelings, but… we did… well, we kissed. We both felt it was sudden but it just…"
A slight blush dusted the boy's cheeks as he turned to her and she grinned, finishing his sentence. "... felt like it was right?"
"Yeah," the boy replied in almost a whisper.
They both giggled at their chemistry, causing the woman in the gray dress to smile, completely ecstatic by the pair's love. She watched as the two young lovers laughed and eventually settled into a sweet hug.
Hiko's mother continued to be apprehensive about her son falling in love with this pink punk, but seeing their affection for one another, decided to keep her comments to herself. She couldn't bring herself to step between her son and happiness.
"I guess I don't feel so bad about my feelings towards you anymore," Aihiko softly said to her as he held her body as close as he could. "I've been feeling so free and joyful since that first night. I can't explain everything I felt, but the best way I can is to say that I love you, Zakura… At first, I felt really hasty saying it, since we had just met… but now that I know we are meant for each other, I realize I really have loved you since I first met you."
"I've loved you since we first met too. After what happened as a child, and I lost my parents, I had no idea what I wanted. Or needed for that matter. I roamed the streets, scavenged for food and shelter, it was a horrible life. But one thing kept me going, and that was you."
"M-me? But I'm not -"
"I knew I had messed up. But you were my only friend. I felt like I could beg for your forgiveness and we could go back to being friends. I never stopped looking for you. I didn't know where you lived or what school you went to, but that never stopped me. I never forgot the times we shared under that tree… when you used to spit out my candies because they were too sweet for you… those memories we made pushed me to keep looking, no matter what."
Tears began to race down Aihiko's face as he listened to the girl's story.
"Even after the way I -", Hiko tried to ask. His lips were greeted by her index finger, shushing him instantly.
"I never blamed you for your words. I did act strangely, and I regretted what I did. I never meant to make you so upset. That's why I wanted to find you. I wanted to ask for you to forgive me so we could continue to be friends… you were all I had left. Being alone for so long just sort of broke me down I guess… I started fighting for my own good as well. But one thing remained certain all these years, is that I would find you."
She wiped the flowing tears from the boy's eyes and shot him a beautiful smile as she looked deep into those dark blue pupils of his.
"You found me first I guess, but that doesn't change the fact that I looked all over for you."
"But you ran from me when I told you my name," Aihiko countered. Zakura opened her mouth to explain his claim, but he seemed to figure out the answer himself. "It was pity, wasn't it? You hate being pitied. You knew you were in a horrible condition, and you didn't want me to see you that way. Is that it?"
She nodded slowly. He was catching on to her way of thinking. He was paying attention to everything she said and had said previously, and was starting to piece together the complex, enigmatic puzzle she was.
"Well either way," Hiko cupped the girl's face in his hands as he gazed back into her crimson pupils. "We are together now, and I forgive you. More than that, Zakura. I love you."
His face moved closer to hers and she met his lips halfway, sharing a kiss, without a care in the world about their two onlookers. Nothing mattered in those few moments except for themselves and their feelings. Their confession wasn't exactly private or thought out, they simply stated exactly what was on their minds, and to them, that was all they needed.
The boy's mother watched the tender kiss and let out a soft sigh. She had lost her innocent little boy to his first and presumably, only love. The apprehension soon turned to joy, indicated by the smile that formed on her face. She turned to view Nana's reaction, which was all too content. Her legs crossed and a few tears rolling down her face, she must have been hoping for this to happen for way too long.
The following hours leading to Center City were filled with stories about the two teenagers, and the lives they lead.
Zakura explained the voices in her head and how she had always assumed they were imaginary, up until she met Aihiko, where it finally occurred that they were indeed memories. Judging by the information the pair had been given by Nana, the memories belonged to a girl identical to her from over 200 years ago, named Zero Two.
Nana answered all of the teenager's questions without fail. They attempted to keep the inquiries to a minimum, as the woman did want to keep some things under wrap until it was time. As always, some questions, even when answered, only led to more questions. One such answer was one about Zakura's horns.
Hiko had wondered why she even had them, because she most certainly didn't have them as a child. She wouldn't magically become something she isn't.
Nana's explanation started with her own theory. She claimed that it was possibly due to the deep connection to Zero Two, though she was unsure how a spiritual connection could alter genetics. The theory was disputed by Hiko, as he clearly had a strong link to Hiro, but he had experienced nothing appearance-wise that Zakura had. Something else had to be in play, though without a constant in Aihiko, it was all just guesses.
According to a vague description of Zero Two's genetic composition, she was half human… and half of something neither of the teenagers had even heard of before - klaxo-sapien. Nana seemed to be tight lipped on the subject of whatever that was. However, she had indeed confirmed that Zakura had inherited the same physical features.
Hiko brought up the fact that he had never experienced these 'memories' in any form growing up, which was entirely contradictory to Zakura's experience. Up until they had reunited just about a week ago, nothing of the sort was ever part of Hiko's life. Besides the lack of emotions and friends, he had a fairly simple, straightforward life. Even now, he wasn't haunted by any static or voices or the like, although it seemed as though knowledge of his past life was seeping through.
He had spoken up about the drawings in his friend's notebook and how they invoked feelings and names from deep inside him. At first, he had believed it was due to his initial trip to Memorial Park when he was young, but once this new reincarnation detail came to light, he attributed the knowledge and feelings to being Hiro's.
It seemed quite apparent to Nana that each of their past beings' were influencing Aihiko and Zakura in very polar ways. Hiko seemed to be receiving feelings and knowledge in a very passive way, meanwhile Zakura was being influenced by Zero Two quite violently, almost forcefully. Neither of the methods seemed out of character for the corresponding past teenagers. Why they were taking drastically different approaches to affecting Hiko and Zakura however, was anyone's guess.
The painfully long transportation was finally at its end. Outside the clear windows on either side of the long, black car, a lively city with a glorious golden glow greeted its guests. Buildings and skyscrapers towered above the vehicle, as far as the eye could see. It was well into the night by the time the four have arrived, and the night sky only helped bright out the beauty of the urban area even more.
A hotel awaited the guests' arrival in the form of an extravagant 'room', fully furnished like a luxurious home, complete with a full kitchen, living and bathing room, and two bedrooms. If she wasn't already told that it was a hotel, Zakura would have assumed they had walked into an apartment, as it seemed much more akin to such.
Bedroom arrangements were purely up to the guests, as both bedrooms were home to large, king sized beds with ample room for two or three people each.
"You three can feel free to sleep in any room you like, and there is room service if you need it," Nana explained to the awestruck visitors.
Hiko turned his attention to the woman and tilted his head with curiosity.
"Aren't you going to be staying here as well?", the boy inquired.
"Oh no, I have my own home, not too far from here. Plus, I'm sure my husband would become a bit worried if I didn't return."
"That makes sense. By the way, Nana, what's your husband's name? You haven't talked about him much," Hiko asked with just as much genuine curiosity as his first question.
The red haired woman smiled and looked down to her ruby ring and smiled endearingly as she replied.
"His name is Hachi."
"Hachi…?"
Zakura watched as a figurative light bulb seemed to go off in his head. He chuckled lightly and wagged his finger knowingly at Nana.
"Ohhh I get it now! I kept thinking of 'nana' as in like a caretaker of children, but now I understand! Your name is 'Nana' as in the number seven. His name is 'Hachi' as in the number eight! Why did you get your names through numbers?"
"The questions were for the car ride, Hiko. You'll understand tomorrow," her reply was met with a somewhat annoyed expression from the boy.
"As for Tomoko, do you wish to join me so we may catch up?"
Hiko's mother nodded with a smile, eyeing the two teenagers.
"But what about these two? Surely we can't…"
"Leave them alone? Nonsense. From what I understand, your Aihiko is quite a gentleman. I'm sure they'll be alright for an hour by themselves."
"But I'm not sure -"
The woman's son waved his hand in a shoo-ing manner.
"We will be fine. Go ahead, momma. You have nothing to worry about," he assured, turning to view Zakura who had found a comfortable spot in a chair and fallen asleep. "See? We are both tired, we'll probably just go to sleep."
Tomoko gave her son a nervous look before sighing in understanding.
"You're right. I trust you, dear. Be good for me."
"Of course, momma. Have fun."
Just as soon as they arrived, Nana and Hiko's mother headed out to catch up privately. Aihiko waved them off and began unpacking his things and what little Zakura had of her own, but was caught off guard by a seductive giggle a minute in.
"Good cover, momma's boy~", she uttered softly into his ear. "Now we are…"
She leaned her entire body into his back, making sure the teenage boy could feel the whole of her torso as she lowered her voice to a sultry whisper.
"...all alone~," she made sure to emphasize her point to him. She wished to arouse him thoroughly, which she was aware she could too all too easily, cemented by his response of biting his lip and shivering. Just a bit of teasing for tonight before bed, to make him beg for more.
"Z-Zakura…?! I th-thought you w-were asleep…!", Hiko cried out in surprise, his face lighting up crimson.
"No, of course not. It was only so they would leave us together," she replied, almost blowing into his right ear with her whispers. She wondered what the two could get up to tonight now that she was able to function as an individual. "Shh, just come with me, darling~"
She swiftly swiped the boy's hand and yanked him away from the luggage to lead him into one of the two bedrooms. Practically tossing him into the room, he stumbled in shock to the floor of the room, and to add pressure, the girl shot him a devilish smile as she closed the door behind her - and twisted the lock.
He was right where she wanted him, alone and caught off guard, the perfect prey for playtime.
"W-Wait a second, Z-Zakura…!"
"Ah-ah…!", she warned, lifting her index finger as she cocked her head slightly. "When we are together, we use those names."
The cornered teenager bit his lip and swallowed nervously on the floor as she approached. He attempted to regain his composure in any way, sitting up and eventually trying to stand. His knees were weak and shaking, and try as he might, his flustered look only proved to her that he wasn't prepared for this one-on-one.
"S-Sorry… um… honey…", he corrected himself.
The pink haired girl scoffed as she took residence on the edge of the incredibly soft and giving mattress.
"Better, but don't worry, darling. I'll make sure to ease you in…"
Her innuendo hit its mark as she heard his heart jump and double in speed with her enhanced auditory senses.
That's right. Get that excitement going, little boy.
"E-Ease me i-in…? W-what are you…?", he began seriously stumbling over the words he spewed out in the presence of his attractive girlfriend.
"Come up here, darling. I won't bite," she beckoned, much softer and soothing than her seductive voice from moments ago.
The boy nodded and slowly but surely made his way onto his feet, and tried to face Zakura with what little confidence he had in these types of situations. He was greeted by smooth, bare thighs from both sides pressing around his waist, and delicate, warm fingers which pulled him into her soft, ample boobs. Her seductive, jade green eyes towered over him as she stuck her tongue out from the side of her mouth. She observed his reaction as one hand found its way to his neck, and the other, the side of his face.
His head was smushed between two delectable cushions, just forcefully enough for him to be able to hear his honey's pounding heart. Although her goal was to tease the boy, she couldn't help but feel some arousing emotions well up inside herself as well. A very faint, gentle blush surfaced on her cheeks as she continued to eye her darling.
"Honey…", Hiko softly started as he placed his left hand on her thin, silky smooth thigh, biting his lip momentarily at the feeling of touching her skin. "...you're really t-turning me on…"
That was surprising. Zakura had never expected him to be so blunt in stating how he felt about the teasing. It was a pleasant change of pace, and was taken even further by his actions. Hiko turned himself ninety degrees to his right to face the teenage girl, and steadily straightened his back to plant a kiss on her lips.
Her retaliation was immediate, as her hands pulled him back for a second, and then third kiss, each one more passionate and longer lasting than the previous one. Both of their hearts raced and pounded in sync. Romantic feelings began to flourish as the two locked gazes and their chests rose and fell, paced properly by their shallow breaths.
"I… really, really like you… you and that… beautiful body of yours," he commented quietly, breathing hotly on her lips.
"I really like you too, darling…", she replied, not daring to break their eye contact. "I know you've already seen all of me, but… do you want to see it again…?"
The temptation of her statement rendered the boy powerless against his logical judgement. They had an hour all to themselves, and the pair now wanted nothing more than to explore their feelings for one another.
He gradually gave her a nod to confirm.
She placed a cute kiss on his nose before removing the scarf covering her neck, followed by undoing her gray tie and tossing both accessories onto the pillows at the head of the wooden bedframe. Zakura had already unzipped her blazer, and was left with it and two garments protecting his nervous eyes from her skin.
Without breaking their eye contact, she gave the boy an alluring smirk while she undid each of the buttons keeping her grayish blouse closed. Once that was taken care of, she proceeded to remove her bra by unhooking it in the back and expertly slipping it off underneath the blazer and blouse that still remained covering her torso a bit. Again, it was tossed with the scarf and tie up by the pillows.
Hiko licked his lips and instinctively began to roll the jacket and shirt off of his honey, exposing her shoulders and the whole of her upper body. Both of their faces began to glow a bit red, especially as he broke their staring to admire her skin and curves.
"Wow… even though I've already seen it once, I can't help but gawk. You're just so gorgeous."
A sudden breeze from below caught the seductress off guard, prompting her to gasp and avert her gaze between her legs.
"D-Darling…?", she whimpered, blinking in surprise at his forwardness. The boy had removed her panties and begun sliding them down her thighs.
"I'm sorry, Za - I mean, honey. I can't help myself… but I sort of don't know what I'm doing…"
He glanced down at the pale pink panties in his hands, still wrapped around her long, curvaceous thighs. They were the same shade of pink as her hair, which he found quite cute.
"I'm j-just… following my instincts… if you know what I m-mean…"
Her delicate arms wrapped around his neck and planted themselves on his shoulders as she smiled captivatingly. Her thighs followed suit, wrapping around his waist and trapping him where he stood.
He raised his head partially and met her jade green orbs with his own icy blues as he looked up through his black bangs. For a few seconds, they just enjoyed each other's company, frozen as they were, save for their increasingly heavy and hot breaths warming the air between them.
She was only planning on teasing a bit, but in just a minute or so, things had escalated well past that point, and she was well aware there was no going back. That lustful look the boy had from their first nude encounter was not present now, and it was replaced with a genuine, romantically inclined curiosity to explore. Who was she to turn him down?
"It's okay," Zakura murmured gently to her darling, before placing a kiss on his lips. "I understand. I'll guide you through it…"
Chapter Seven - My Motivation / Reincarnations
(This was certainly a chapter I had a lot of difficulty writing. Not that I wasn't sure what to write, but that I wasn't sure how to pace the events. On one hand, I could write entire conversations and drag on the story to be long winded, but I could also do what I ended up deciding to do - condense things we already know, so that it doesn't seem droning and obnoxious. For that reason, the pacing of the chapter may seem sort of... up and down? Like smooth and then rough? I'm not sure, it's hard to put into words, but if the pacing fluctuates, just know its because I decided to edit the scenes to condense them. It also was a bit rough to write a large majority of the chapter into conversations, and to be honest, it bored me a bit. I sort of wanted to get to the point, but also wanted to have some character interaction. It took me a few days to write the talking in the car purely because I had to keep taking breaks to ensure that the quality of my writing and the personalities of the characters came through properly.
Edit: 3300 VIEWS?! YOU DARLINGS ARE FANTASTIC!
Now that's taken care of, onto the Q&A!
derpslurp: "I really like this story. I wonder how Zakura/Zero Two is going to react to having her horns exposed. Will she be mad or not? How will she react to HORN-y Hiko/Hiro?"
One of the things I decided to edit out of this Chapter was actually what happened after Hiko fell asleep, including her reaction to him showing her horns. In short, she wasn't very happy at first, and the doctors treated her a bit cautiously. She held a small grudge because of this, which is why she wasn't talking much. As for how she will react once she realizes he is saurifying... well that's for me to know, and you to find out~.
TrL4w: "... Let me take a wild guess, Nana and Hachi are going to show up? So you planted 'Ichigo' into the story, meaning there is a possibility of entire squad meeting again..."
Ding, ding, ding! Good guess! Hiko's mother met Nana years ago, where she commented that Hiko reminded her of a young Hiro. As for Ichigo, I'm honestly surprised nobody has picked up on the clues I've been dropping. Or at least nobody who has commented. Perri is actually a descendant of Ichigo, as are a few of the other characters. I never wanted to incorporate reincarnations of the entirety of Squad 13 because that would defeat the special nature of Hir02's relationship. What is more likely, is that a few descendants have made it through the generations to show up here. Also, I hope you enjoyed the bit of Hir02 I added in place of the droning exposition ;)
starburst98: "What's the deal with Jinx and Juju?"
*clears throat* Red hair and purple eyes. Constantly fighting. If you are referring to their behavior, they just think Hiko is attractive and are trying to get closer to him. THOTS if you will, lmao
Sk3lingt0n: "...Will their spirits interfere more and they'll learn about their past selves from them, or will they eventually completely merge with their current physical forms and regain memories of their past lives? Or something in between? What about their transformation? How did Zakura get that abnormal yellow blood cell count and klax genes? How and why did Aihiko start transforming?"
Alright, well that's a lot to ask, but I'll do my best to tackle each one. One, their spirits will indeed interfere more, but it will remain sporadic and sudden. As for the merging... well, I feel that I can't confirm or deny any theories regarding what will happen, so feel free to comment your ideas, I'd love to hear them! However, they will learn about their past lives through Nana and Memorial Park for the most part. Two, about their transformations, I'm not sure everyone is going to like my explanation on it. It's shifted a bit since the conception of this story, and it may seem like a cop out to a happy ending for some people. I'll make sure to give more details - and my thought process of how I came to the current reasoning - in the future since I don't want to reveal it just yet. To be as vague as possible, just as Hiro's catalyst for changing was Zero Two, Hiko's was Zakura. All will be explained in due time~.
anon: "... Also is there a place to see you post progress reports or other types of info to know what is going on?"
My answer before this chapter would actually be no, as I don't tend to post on social media or any networks that anyone could follow. However, seeing as how a lot of people probably would like to know what's going on with me and my writing, I would like to direct you to my Twitter, where I will start posting occasionally. You're also welcome to chat with me there, and talk with me personally if you'd like. I sort of only have a Twitter account for following people, but due to the amount of questions I receive, I would like to re-purpose it to be a fun place for Darling in the Franxx fans, and the like. Ignore like all of my previous tweets cuz I hardly used Twitter in the past few months... but just search 'IotaIntheFRANXX' cuz Fanfiction doesn't let me link. You'll know it's me.
Edit 2/3: I wanted to share the pictures that inspired the scene between Hiko and Zakura but I found out I can't post links so... look for them on my Twitter instead.
As always, thank you all so, so much for the support you all are showing me, and I apologize for the chapter taking over a week to write. I'll try and get the next one out a little faster. Ride on my darlings~!
-Chloie Elizabeth, aka IotaIntheFRANXX)