[ there's a visual ref of the whole squad for this, including the versions here of zeta/eta/theta - if you plug in "6dlAlan" after the / in imgur's url! thanks ffnet for not letting me put images in ): ]
The sun flares as the gate rises, the exterior of each Franxx reflecting it gloriously.
As the gate rises, Delta and Beta step in front of Gamma and Zeta, unsurprisingly. Beta seems competitive, despite the calm and mature voice. Naturally, Gamma and Zeta step forward too, and the four head out with a lot less fanfare than expected.
... there's just no klaxosaur outside.
Alpha has no idea why he expected one to be waiting just outside the door, given they aren't very patient. There's some stomping happening, but not here.
"The Moho-class is on the west side," Nana's image opened, "Squad 17 will step back on your arrival."
It's all the eight of them need to hear for Alpha to issue the order, mildly more confident than he was two minutes ago. Eta's fluttering happiness supports that.
Zeta sprints in that direction as soon as the order is given, and Delta follows suit. Her connection with Beta increased in competition. Eta and Theta follow behind them, but not as fast.
Squad 17 pulls back immediately, the klaxosaur chasing the leader - and for a moment, Alpha fears the worst as he freezes to the spot, as their leader holds up their spear in defense-
- Zeta's Franxx is already in hot pursuit to the side, and Gamma's battle screech inside echoes through all of their communications. She rockets forward off the ground from jet propulsions, and proceeds to slam the spear through the klaxosaur's side - and it's knocked far off, the skidding leaving dust clouds behind.
Naturally, there's a gasp from one of Squad 17, but it's cut off by Gamma's triumphant laughter. "Didn't stand a chance!"
"They're strong... !" Epsilon stares with his and Theta's guard already down.
Sensing the tenseness through their connection, Eta coils her fluff around Alpha's mind. It's a bit too relaxing, but he still gets his spear realigned. "Don't worry about Zeta, she's strong." They have to catch up, so Eta carries him as fast as their Franxx can go.
The dust cloud in the distance will fade and reveal the klaxosaur any second, with how fast the wind is picking up. Eta's taking Alpha closer before it shoots out of the cloud. Theta has the same idea, but instead she and Epsilon stop at somewhat of a distance.
Already off guard, Zeta hurtles toward the dust cloud, even though Delta's far closer, with Beta raising the spear defensively while rushing-
- and absolutely nothing happens within the following few seconds. Zeta skids to a stop, Gamma lowering their spear. Beta and Delta slow a bit, but keep their lance raised, ready for when it emerges.
The klaxosaur waits for the dust cloud to settle instead.
By that time, Eta and Alpha are the only ones still on their guard. The black spikes poke out from the dissipating cloud. Delta hums in amusement in unison with Zeta's growling. Beta lifts Delta's spear, Zeta crouches with Gamma holding their spear behind them.
Again, Eta senses Alpha's anxiety. He's hesitant to give an order with how close the two pairs are. He's hesitant to issue an order, when it could emerge any time.
It still doesn't move.
The dust cloud settles, revealing the klaxosaur, panting, tail swaying, but otherwise standing normally. Zeta rises, Delta takes a step back.
"Stay ready," Alpha warns. The others listen, falling back into anticipating postures... the atmosphere is unnaturally silent and tense.
Delta doesn't have patience, though. "I'm going in!" she huffs, ignoring Alpha's warning. Beta grumbles quietly after that, and Delta ignores that, too, starting to dash to the Klaxosaur's side.
Alpha growls, too. "Delta! Stay back!"
"Oh-"
She can't stop now, so she ignores that too. This might end in disaster. She jumps upward, aiming to land on its back, but the klaxosaur pulls back before she lands. As it turns its head, Delta lands in front of its face. It opens its jaws, clearly preparing to lunge.
Theta doesn't wait, either, sighing while jetting in that direction as well.
"Listen to your leader!" Nana's voice shouts into their communications.
Alpha has to regain control here- "Delta, dodge left!"
Just as the klaxosaur thrusts its head forward and snaps its maw shut, Delta dodges to the left as ordered- but not without a sharp inhale of breath.
"Zeta, Gamma, the head!"
"On it."
As instructed, Zeta lunges at the head, spear ready to pierce, as the Klaxosaur opens its jaws again-
"Theta, the side!"
"Got it." Theta speeds to the right of its body, with Epsilon holding the spear.
"Epsilon, harpoon it!"
The spearhead ejects itself and barrels toward the klaxosaur's side, harshly stabbing in just as Gamma's spear strikes cleanly through the head. It's dragged toward Theta, with Zeta and Gamma standing on top with the lance still lodged in, nearly falling off in the motion.
Besides a shriek of apparent pain, the klaxosaur is fine. It skids again, shifting its weight to one side to drag Theta toward it. No core in its head, then.
"Bounce off!"
Theta lifts one leg as she hits its side, Epsilon pulling the spearhead out while they jump back before its momentum flings them over. Zeta jumps off to its other side right afterward.
"Delta, behind it, and wait. Zeta, front, and wait!"
Alpha slows to a stop when he and Eta reach the opposite side as Theta and Epsilon. Now that the squad's finally listening, he takes a breath while the klaxosaur crouches and turns its head toward Eta. It can't turn around and lunge at this angle quickly enough to stop them.
"Epsilon only, harpoon, count of three."
They all raise their spears while the Klaxosaur turns its back legs around. "Two."
Delta and Zeta ready themselves on their own. "One."
"-Shoot."
Epsilon's harpoon shoots forward at the same time Alpha's does, while Eta and Theta hold their Franxx steady. The klaxosaur, caught and held in the middle, screeches and thrashes, but the harpoons aren't budging. Eta's foothold starts to give in, and Epsilon's holding to the spot firmer.
"Delta, Zeta, jump up on its back!"
"Yesssss." Zeta hisses right away while bounding upward, Delta giggling while doing the same.
"Beta, Gamma, cleave down as they land!" Eta's struggling to hold her weapon still, curling down to maintain her balance. She's determined, but Alpha's uneasy again.
"Roger!"
The two Franxx land, the sharp lances stabbing into its back between two rows of spines toward the middle, only a little apart. The sharp ends slide in easily, sinking deeper when pushed down harder. The klaxosaur's resulting thrashing only allows Zeta and Delta's weapons to slice deeper. As they stand on the top of its back, the Klaxosaur sinks lower, the widening gash dramatically weakening it.
"Haahaaa- take that!" Gamma shouts, shoving the spear in with more force.
Beta grins, and Zeta grins more.
Delta bursts into sharp laughter - "Die!"
- The gash stretches out, cracking down the middle of its body faster than either of the spears can move, splitting apart in two jagged halves.
This sends the spearheads back toward Eta and Theta, smacking Eta in the forehead and Theta falling backward. Zeta stumbles and falls off its back, while Delta falls forward to catch herself on her Franxx's arms instead.
The blue blood showers everywhere.
Tink, tink... tink.
The yellow core rolls to a stop in front of Zeta, half-covered in dark blue. "Have fun," she grunts, kicking the core toward Eta's foot. "You earned the honor."
Alpha stops staring at the core in a haze when Eta nudges him mentally. She pulls their Franxx upright and catches the rolling core on the end of their spear, the buzzing feeling of pride and triumph rippling around him. "You did so well."
Hm, maybe he has. He sighs, now that it's over.
Eta picks herself up, holds the spear down onto the core. She's warm, letting Alpha guide it up a bit, poking the tip of the spear into it and mashing it lightly into the ground.
"Good job, everyone. That's how things go when you listen."
"- Hey, that's rude." Eta pricks him mentally in their connection, and even physically, Alpha flinches.
"Yeah... this was our first fight, give us a break." Gamma grumbles.
"You did a lot of standing around for a leader." Zeta, too.
Alpha's internal sulking is hard for Eta to ignore. "You guys! Don't be rude, either!"
"Yeah, yeah."
"Shut up, Gamma." Delta gets up.
"Wh- I didn't even do anything!"
Have Theta and Epsilon even said anything this entire time? Alpha glances toward them. Theta's shaking her head, and Epsilon chuckles. "I guess this is to be expected."
Beta grunts. "Indeed."
That's when all of them fell silent, even after their first mission was an amazing success in the eyes of Squad 17.
"Let's just go back instead of bickering." Alpha sighs, while Eta curls up around Alpha internally. She's tired, too, lounging on him before the group heads back to disconnect and hop out.
Maybe Alpha should have said something else after they'd finished.
Eta's lingering fuzziness soothes Alpha's sour mood as they disconnect and climb out of the Franxx. She's tugging him out by his hand as he's looking down at his feet, nearly afraid of heights. Once out on the platform, he finally looks up- oh.
Zeta's crossing her arms with a distinctly unimpressed stare. Naturally, Alpha's surprise tilts him back, flinching, stepping backward and fearing he's about to fall off the platform- but Eta steadies him with a hand on his back. Expressing his gratitude has to wait, though.
First, he needs to recover - by standing tall, looking up into her eyes, nose up, and then clearing his throat.
Behind him, Eta sighs quietly, and Alpha's certain it's related to Zeta's obvious scrutiny.
Even when Zeta leans forward until she's no less than a hand's length away from his face, Alpha continues standing tall. There's heat rushing into his cheeks. Those blood-red eyes are far more intimidating from up close... reminding him how much he doesn't like seeing blood. Maybe he doesn't like seeing her eyes, either. It's hard to breathe when he's sure that if he exhales too fast, Zeta will feel that breath.
It's fine. He's fine.
- Until Zeta huffs directly in his face, anyway. It's so sudden Alpha flinches back again, squeezing his eyes shut from the rush of air into his eyeballs. And now, he regrets trying to hold his own breath.
After blinking for longer than he wants to, his vision recovers enough to recognize Zeta's turning away already, waving her hand dismissively. She says nothing at all, leaving Alpha wondering if he really is unimpressive.
Eta stares at him until he notices her concern, reaching for his arm and curlking hers around it. "I still think you did well... she's just- like that."
He sighs. That's a very exaggerated attempt to comfort him. "I'll just do better next time."
"You'll be fine... okay?" Her other hand reaches down to slide her fingers through the gaps in his.
Will he, though? With how this all has started off, it doesn't seem like it. He keeps his mouth shut until Eta's uneasy staring gets the best of him, and he turns his head toward her, faking a small smile.
"I'll do my best."