Darling in the FranXX: The Reaper Squadron
Chapter 24: The Final Battle
After Reaper Alpha was briefed on the situation, the decision was made to mobilize immediately. Havana and Owl went to medical to retrieve Zero Two and Gaia while the others went to the hanger to prepare for departure. On the catwalk leading to the hanger Reaper saw all of Reaper Beta dressed in their piloting uniforms, with the exception of Mitsuru and Kokoro. They stopped walking.
"Hey." Hiro said.
"Hey." Goro replied.
"Where are you guys going?" Hiro asked.
Goro pointed up to space.
"You didn't think we would let you go alone, did you?" Miku asked.
"How did…?" Raven asked, they hadn't told them where they were going so how did they know?
"Someone told us." Ichigo responded.
"Master." Reaper muttered.
"They have as much right to go as you do. They have known her for longer than you have and have deeper connections to her than most of you do. Plus, you are going to need all the manpower you can get." Death responded.
"If we don't kick these guys asses, no farm will be able to save us." Zorome said.
"Besides, letting them kill us or just waiting around to die isn't exactly our style." Futoshi said.
"Exactly. Our lives have only just begun." Ikuno said.
Reaper flinched whenever Ikuno spoke, guilt flooding him. Despite their best efforts, Snake had yet to come up with a viable cure for the rapid aging that Ikuno was experiencing.
Nana looked over at Kokoro and Fake Nana. "Take care of things while we are gone."
"Sure." Fake Nana said.
"Let us join you." A voice said.
Reaper turned around and saw Alpha, Beta, and Gamma in their custom uniforms walking up behind them.
"Alpha." Reaper said.
"Don't get the wrong idea, Reaper. I still hate you, but we were made to fight. So, let us fulfill that purpose."
"Outer space doesn't sound like a bad final resting place." Gamma said.
Ichigo looked down. "We don't plan on dying. We are going kick their asses, come back, and make a new life for ourselves."
Alpha simply shook his head and proceeded toward the hanger with a smile. Mitsuru then approached Hiro.
"Hiro…" He trailed off.
Hiro nodded. "You've chosen this battlefield then."
Reaper walked over to them. "Take care of her Mitsuru."
Mitsuru nodded.
"Kokoro." Reaper said causing her to look up.
Reaper knelt in front of her. "You are going to have several hard weeks ahead of you. As something that is traditional from my time, I offer you a gift to give to your new child."
Reaper reached into his cloak and pulled out a gold coin. One side had two crossed scythes surrounded by a black ring. The other had a crest with each of Reaper Alpha's elements on it. A smoky mass for Reaper, beams of light for Havana, falling snowflakes for Owl, a forest for James, a clock for Snake, twirling ivy for Cypress, lightning bolts for Crow, and falling water for Raven.
"The coin is made up of 24 carat gold and, I pray that you never need it, if you touch each symbol, the respective element will appear to defend you." Reaper said.
"Reaper I can't…" Kokoro said.
"Please, take it. You are the first mother in this new world, I want you and your child to be protected from any harm, should we not return. Had we had more time, we would have thrown a baby shower for you and each of us would have gotten you a gift."
"Very well Reaper, I will take it, but I'm sure I won't need it because you are coming back." Kokoro said.
…
As the Klaxosaur Mothership exited orbit, Nana was looking out the window at the vastness of space. Reaper Beta was out testing their newly modified FranXX. Reaper was surprised to find a docking bay similar to the hanger inside the Klaxosaur Mothership. When they parked their FranXX in the bays, several mechanical arms extended out of the bays and scanned the FranXX before making several modifications to them to make them able to be piloted in space. The only ones not modified were the 9s FranXX as, apparently, they were already suited for space combat. Reaper had recommended to Reaper Beta that they go out and test their new FranXX as space was a 3D combat zone, something that they were not used to dealing with.
Argentea did some flips before coming to a stop. "Are you ok Zorome?"
"These are some crazy Gs! I feel like my guts are crumpling up!"
Goro then spoke across the comms.
"And that's after the G-Canceler's eliminating most of it, apparently."
"Seriously?!"
"I don't know why, but this just feels right. I can move a lot more freely." Chlorophytum said.
"That's the benefits of working in zero G. You aren't tied down by gravity, so movement is easier." Snake said.
"And check out the loadouts." Futoshi said as he swung the spear they had around. "Identical loadouts, after all this time. It's like we're a real team now."
"We've always been a real team, you dope." Zorome said.
They then turned toward the planet.
"So, we are really in space, huh?" Argentea said.
"Yep, so far from home." Delphinium said.
…
Back on the Klaxosaur Mothership, Nana and Hachi were with Reaper Alpha looking out the window.
"Look at how much damage they've caused." James muttered mournfully.
Reaper couldn't help but agree. The entire planet was one giant desert with a few splotches of green here and there. The atmosphere, which once had a blue tinge, was now an angry red. Even from space the planet looked inhospitable.
"New space equipment for the FranXX, and all these provisions aboard the ship. Why would the Klaxosaurs leave this stuff for us?" Nana asked.
"It would mean that humanity has been allowed to join the fight for earth." Hachi said.
"Do we really have the right to? After all we've done?"
"Of course, you do." Death said.
Nana watched as a black speck came launching out of earth's atmosphere. It quickly swelled in size until it was almost the same size as the Mothership. As it came alongside the ship Nana and Hachi saw that it was Death, he had been supersized.
"You have been given the opportunity to right your predecessors wrongs. Everyone is given a second chance to right their wrongs, even in death."
"He's huge!" Nana said in shock.
"Of course. Space is an endless void of shadow that master can pull from. Aside from the Shadow Realm, master is strongest here." Havana said.
"We best pull them back to the ship, we will be accelerating to cruising speed shortly." Hachi said.
Nana nodded and recalled Squad 13 and the bits of the 9s back to the ship. She then turned back toward Hachi.
"You understand all this?" She asked gesturing toward the keyboard.
Hachi nodded. "Enough to get the gist of it, although Reaper understands more."
"How?" she asks turning toward Reaper.
"The English language has shifted and altered enough over the years that we were frozen to be considered an entirely new language. It is similar enough to this language for Hachi to recognize some of the words, but he doesn't understand it entirely. While for us, it only uses slightly different characters to pre-magma English, so it is easy for us to understand." Crow said.
"That being said, most of the navigation system is automated. In essence, we are being taken along for the ride." Hachi said.
"Where is this route leading to though? What will we find in mars orbit?" Nana asked.
"Apus and a way to end this war." Reaper said.
"At any rate, it looks like getting there won't be easy." Nana paused for a moment. "Is it wrong for me to not want to see those children hurt themselves anymore? I mean, I have watched over them as tools of warfare for so long. Why should I care now?"
"Is thinking that way so wrong?" Hachi replied causing Nana to turn and look at him in shock. "The children's sole purpose in life was to fight. If this is truly their final battle, won't they need someone like you in their lives ahead?"
"Nana, it's not wrong to worry about the children's wellbeing." Owl said. "It's because you have watched over them for so long that you feel this way. I believe Reaper told you this, you have, in essence, become their mother. It's natural for you to worry about them and want to protect them from harm. The oldest among them, Zero Two, is sixteen at the most. They shouldn't have to do the things that they are, but that's the way that things work right now. Once this battle is over, they are going to need you to guide them in this new life."
…
"VRIM fleet detected! All FranXX prepare for combat!" Hachi said over the PDA.
"Reaper Alpha! Mobilize!" Reaper said as they rushed into their FranXX.
The Mothership suddenly lurched and began to accelerate rapidly.
"It's not slowing down?!" Nana said in shock.
"Is it going to plow through to where the Apus is?" Hachi wondered.
A cruiser ship then opened fire on the Mothership. Just before the purple beam struck the ship a shield appeared deflecting the beam. Reaper, who was hanging off the side of the ship with everyone else, saw the Apus and so did Hachi.
"The VRIM are trying to surround the Apus. The Klaxosaurs are forming a defensive line around it too." Hachi said.
"Reaper Alpha, let's go! Link up with Master and clear a path!" Reaper said.
"Yes, sir !" They replied.
"Reaper Beta, your priority is getting Hiro, Zero Two, and Gaia to the Apus. We will handle the rest." Reaper then rocketed away with the rest of his squad as they went to join Death who was slaughtering VRIM ships by the hundreds.
"Come here, assholes!" James shouted as they made contact with the VRIM ships.
After a few minutes of fighting, Reaper saw Alpha's FranXX go flying past them, making a B-line toward the Apus. Reaper Beta was right behind them.
"Damn it. They left too early." Reaper said.
"Go after them and clear the area around the Apus. I've got this." Death said.
"Yes, master."
They broke off from Death and blasted past Reaper Beta to clear the area around the Apus. Reaper was in damn near full fury and was leading the group in terms of kill count. These assholes were the ones that were hurting Zero Two, and that was unacceptable.
"Get away from her you pieces of shit!" Reaper shouted as he obliterated several dozen VRIM soldiers that had landed on the Apus.
"Why isn't Apus firing that huge laser?" Miku asked.
"Because it can't." Reaper said. "The only thing that is piloting it is Zero Two and Gaia and for as powerful as Gaia is, she and Zero Two can't pilot it alone, they need to have a stamen." Havana said.
As Reaper Beta began to approach Apus more and more VRIM soldiers began to appear. Reaper then spoke.
"Guys! Death has orders for you. Death is a master strategist so listen to them and you will come out of this just fine!"
"In your current formation, you will never make it. Argentea and Delphinium, get in front of Hiro and clear a path, Chlorophytum cover their rear. Beta and Gamma will take care of any that get too close."
They followed Death's orders and found that it made progressing forward easier however they soon hit a snag.
"Look!" Delphinium said.
In between them and Apus was a literal wall of VRIM soldiers.
"They're trying to keep us away from Apus." Futoshi said.
"Did they realize that Hiro was with us?" Goro said.
"it will be bad news if they block us off." Delphinium said. "Hiro use your FranXX's speed to cut through. We will handle the rest."
"Got it."
Hiro and the others began to charge forward toward the wall of VRIM soldiers.
"Reaper, Havana, make a hole."
Reaper and Havana pointed Balance, their combined scythe, at the wall of VRIM.
"Heaven's Judgement!"
A beam of black and white energy ripped through space and blasted a hole in the wall of VRIM, allowing Hiro as well as Beta and Gamma to pass through before the VRIM swarmed the rest of Reaper Beta.
"We made it through!" Hiro said.
"Look there. It's the entrance." Beta said pointing to a square doorway in Apus's stomach.
Just as they were about to reach it however, they were swatted aside.
"What the…" Alpha said.
Looking over his shoulder, Alpha saw a massive VRIM soldier leering over them.
"Surprise asshole!" Reaper said and raised Balance to cut off its head.
"No!" Beta interrupted.
"What?" Reaper growled.
Alpha floated over to where Reaper was and ejected Hiro, Zero Two and Gaia.
"We will handle this one. Get them to Apus." Gamma said.
Reaper caught the three and transferred them to their cockpit.
"Meeting you guys helped me learn a little about what it meant to be human." Alpha said.
In the background, Beta had taken too much damage from the smaller VRIM that had approached. His FranXX was sparking and beginning to glow.
"Well, looks like this is the end of the line for me. It's been a pleasure working with you Alpha." Beta said.
His FranXX sparked one more time before detonating taking a large cluster of VRIM with him.
"But our home is on the battlefield, nowhere else." Alpha said.
Behind him, Gamma had tanked a laser from a VRIM ship.
"If I'm gonna go, you're going with me!" Gamma shouted as he raced over to said VRIM ship before his FranXX too detonated taking several with him to the grave.
"Say hello to Zero Two for me." Alpha said and turned toward the massive VRIM soldier.
"Alpha! Don't!" Hiro shouted.
"It's been kinda fun, I guess." Alpha said before hitting the self-destruct button in his FranXX.
The resulting blast vaporized the VRIM soldier. Reaper shook his head and held out his hand, a white glowing ball appeared, Alpha's soul.
"You never learned. There is more to life than just fighting." Reaper said before closing his hand, sending Alpha's soul to be judged by Death.
"Let's go Reaper." Havana said quietly.
They floated over to the access hatch and Reaper tore the door off. He ejected Hiro and Zero Two into the hatch.
"Get going Hiro, it's time to end this war." Reaper said before launching himself back into the fray.
…
"The ship!" Futoshi cried.
The shield guarding the Klaxosaur Mothership had failed and it was taking direct damage.
"Nana, Hachi, get out of there!" Ikuno shouted.
"Way ahead of you!" Nana said as she and Hachi were racing down the hallways of the ship to an escape pod.
As they were passing a section of wall it suddenly exploded. Hachi grabbed Nana and shielded her from the blast causing himself to get injured and collapsing.
"So, this is it, huh? Just leave me and go." Hachi said.
"You don't get to tell me that after keeping me alive. To hell with that! It's your duty to watch over their futures, too!"
Nana then helped Hachi up and put his arm around her shoulder and the two slowly walked down the hallway to an escape pod and ejected.
"Cease your resistance." A voice said.
"PAPA!" Reaper roared as he saw the infernal star like mass of energy that was Papa and the Vice Chairman. Death cracked his knuckles.
"Is there any point to all this warfare?" the VC asked.
"All lifeforms will eventually merge with us." Papa said
"Surrender yourselves to the gentle, perpetual pleasure we offer." The VC said
"Our utopia is free of all hatred and discrimination between species."
"Klaxosaur? Human? Such distinctions will not matter anymore. Equality for all!"
"And beyond it all, we will attain peaceful eternal slumber and at the same time, endless and relentless evolution."
"Rejecting that to march toward your destruction is far to foolish."
"Now, become one with us."
"To the other adults, that might have sounded like utopia." Hachi said.
"But that's not where the children belong." Nana said. "The flames of their lives will never burn as bright in perpetual tranquility!"
"It isn't a matter of right and wrong. This is simply the path that the children, and humanity, have chosen!" Hachi said.
…
"We are losing ground!" Miku said.
"Yeah, how long is Hiro going to take?" Zorome asked.
"Don't worry. He's always pulled through." Goro said.
"Don't lose hope yet. This battle is far from over." Reaper said as he turned to look at Apus.
"Come on, Hiro. Even if she rejects you a thousand times over, show her how you have fought tooth and nail to make a life for her. Show her the world that is waiting for her if she would only open her eyes." Reaper thought.
Reaper was so lost in thought that he did not hear the dreadnaught laser until it was too late. The ship had come from out of nowhere and was easily the size of the Mothership.
"Shit!"
Reaper spun around and saw that the laser was mere miles from his face and he had no time to put up a shield or get out of the way. Reaper looked at Havana and she looked at him and nodded. This was the end for them. Reaper closed his eyes. "I'm sorry guys. Looks like you are on your own from now on. Heh, at least I will die with my wife like I should have the first time." Reaper thought.
"Reaper, Havana!" Everyone shouted.
Apus began to move. Just before the beam made contact with Black Rose, a massive hand blocked the beam. When Reaper realized that he was not dead, he opened his eyes and saw True Strelitiza Apus looking down at him. Zero Two's face had replaced the face of Apus and it looked like she was wearing a mechanical white dress.
"You're not allowed to die yet Reaper. You still need to come to my wedding." Zero Two said.
Reaper laughed. "May I live to see the day!"
Zero Two smiled at his amusement before turning her gaze at the dreadnaught which dared to fire at them. She held out her hand and the Lance of Life, Hringhorni, wavered into existence.
"I was wondering where that went." Havana muttered.
"Begone." Zero Two said as she threw her lance at the dreadnaught.
Hringhorni flew through space cutting down anything in its path without losing speed. It pierced the dreadnaught just as it was about to fire at Owl and James. The dreadnaught ship bulged before exploding into a ball of purple light, taking most of the VRIM fleet with it.
"Reaper Alpha, cleanup detail. Eliminate any remaining VRIM on the field." Reaper said.
"Hmph." Papa said.
"We will retreat for now, but we will return. Just like we did a million years ago we will do so ag-*Choking sound*" the VC said before Death grabbed the two.
"You." Death said at such a low tone that it seemed that the universe trembled. "You defy the Natural Laws set at this universe's creation. You extinguish countless species before their time and take what belongs to me. And above all else, you defy the Creator by believing yourselves to be the ultimate species." If those masks could display emotion, they would both be trembling with fear.
"Who…are…you?" The VC asked.
"I am Death. The Keeper of Souls, the Final Judge, and Inventor of the Eternal Sleep. And you, Papa and Vice Chairman, are to be brought before the Divine Council and punished for your actions." Death brought his scythe to their necks. "I will enjoy eliminating your pathetic species when I find your homeworld." Death then pulled his scythe across their necks decapitating them.
Unfortunately, due to the sheer amount of energy that the two contained, Death's action was like cutting a sun in half. The energy within them collapsed forming a massive black hole while Death was unaffected, Zero Two, who was nearby, was and started getting sucked into the black hole.
"Darling?" Zero Two said worried.
Hiro tried to pilot the Apus out of the gravity well, but it was no good.
"I can't get us out." Hiro said.
Death stared at True Strelitiza Apus before holding out a hand and wrapping it in shadow for a moment. He then spoke.
"Hiro, I need you to do exactly as I say. On your right there should be a panel with a button that says dsm. Do you see it?"
"Yes."
"Hit it. It will dismount Strelitiza from the Star Entity and eject it."
Zero Two looked at Death with fear.
"Worry not Zero Two. I won't let you die. Hit the button, Hiro."
Hiro hit the button and Strelitiza Apus transformed back into the state it was in before Zero Two awoke. Its mouth then opened and Strelitiza was ejected from it.
"Make sure that Zero Two remains on the pistil platform while I do this next part."
Death pressed his hands together and two lines of shadow extended out of the Star Entity. One went to Strelitiza and the other connected with Black Rose.
"Huh?" Havana asked.
"Gaia." Reaper reminded her
"Right, right."
Death then jerked his hands apart and the Star Entity, which was a quarter of the way into the black hole, jerked. A moment later Gaia did as well and so did Zero Two.
Another few moments passed before Zero Two's voice was heard over the comms.
"*groan* What…huh?"
Reaper heard the sound of cloth shuffling, no doubt Zero Two patting herself down.
"Darling? Darling!"
"Easy, Zero Two, stay on the platform. We are still in space."
Everyone began cheering. Reaper turned his eyes toward Gaia who had started to move.
"*groan* Oh my head. Where am I?" Gaia said.
"Welcome back to the land of the living Gaia. You are currently in our FranXX Black Rose, in the middle of space."
Gaia looked up just in time to see the Star Entity be sucked into the black hole and it collapse into nothing.
"How?" Gaia demanded.
"Death." Reaper said pointing out the window at his master.
"We have much to discuss, soul thief, but that can happen later." Death said as movement was registered on two of Mars's moons.
On Phobos and Deimos, two antenna like structures came out of the rock and shot out two blue beams of light. When they met in the middle, a type of gate appeared showing an array of stars, different from the ones behind it.
"What the heck is that?" Argentea asked.
"A warp gate." Gaia answered through Black Rose's comms.
"A warp gate?" Delphinium asked.
"Right. We built it a long time ago as a way to connect to a galaxy near the VRIM homeworld." Gaia said.
"Alright then, let's go." Reaper said as Reaper Alpha and Death advanced toward the portal.
"Wait, what?" Delphinium said.
"You aren't serious, are you?" Goro asked.
"Woah, wait up! What are you talking about? We just got Zero Two back so why not return to earth?" Zorome asked.
"The only way to end this war is to kill all of the VRIM. We may have killed Papa and the Vice chairman, but another could take their place and return for revenge." Owl said.
"Let us come with you!" Delphinium said.
"No!" Reaper shouted. "VRIMs destruction is our master's wish and as his servants we follow him wherever he goes. By us doing this we allow you guys to live the dream we always wanted. A world with peace! A world where war and hate don't exist, and people are not dying everyday due to someone else's greed. That was our dream and we finally have the opportunity to fulfill it and we aren't going to waste it."
"But we need you!" Chlorophytum cried.
"No, Ikuno, you don't. We are no better than the 9s, all we know is war and combat. Our memories of the peaceful life are few and far between. Think about it, would a world filled with peace have room for 8 reapers of death? 8 beings who are designed for destruction on a large scale? I don't think so." Havana said.
"I'm going with you." Gaia said.
"No, you're not." Reaper said.
Gaia was then warped to Strelitiza. At the same time several files were uploaded to Chlorophytum.
"Gaia, for all of the million years you have been alive, all you've known is either war or waiting for war. You have never experienced the finer things in life and it's about time you did. Ikuno, within those files sent to you, are all of Snakes notes on a cure for the rapid aging that you and the others are experiencing. Look through them, you might be able to find a solution that Snake could not." James said.
"Reaper, you can't leave." Zero Two pleaded.
"Remember what we told you guys. Come heaven, hell or high water, if you need us we will be there." Crow said.
"The portal is beginning to close. Let's go." Death said.
Just as they were about to enter the portal Nana stopped them.
"Reaper Alpha."
"Yes ma'am?" Snake asked.
"Come back. That is an order, you hear me." Nana said.
Reaper Alpha saluted the pod she and Hachi were in. They then passed through the portal behind Death and the portal closed.
A/N: Alright and done. Ok, just two chapters left so we are almost done… with this one. I already have plans for a sequel in the works, just got to work on fleshing it out. Unfortunately, college starts again tomorrow and while I will try to keep posting one chapter a week, preferably on Sunday, that might not happen due to my odd schedule. Anyways, as always, reviews and criticism are greatly appreciated, and flames will be used to roast marshmallows. Ciao!