Hiro found himself wincing at the increasing pressure being applied to his arm as he found himself the center of attention between the two groups of Parasites. Which was hardly a surprise for him, considering how the rest of Squad 13 was using him as a human shield to buffer themselves from their newly arrived guests to the Plantation.
It also didn't help one bit that he was flanked on both sides by glaring Pistils which drew even more attention onto him.
Damn you Nana, for hanging us out to dry like this. You and your excuses of urgent matters to attend to.
But really, did Zero Two realize that she was cutting off the circulation to his arm from how forceful she was clinging to him?
Judging by her growling as she aimed her furious expression towards the white uniformed guests, probably not.
Not that Ichigo was any better, with a look of disgust marring her pretty features as she looked over the other squad in disdain.
Timidly, as if he was afraid of spooking an enraged beast, he gently prodded his raging princess to notify her of his predicament. He still required the use of his limbs to pilot, after all.
Also, he kind of liked this arm.
"It's starting to hurt, Zero Two!" he complained.
Zero Two blinked as she relaxed her painful grip on his arm, bashfully apologizing to him with a blush on her cheeks.
"Sorry about that, darling. Here, tell me where it hurts and I'll rub the spot for you!" she offered, as Zero Two started massaging the sore muscles in his arm.
Hiro chuckled at her antics as he lovingly ruffled her hair, all the while keeping watch with the corner of his eyes as he saw the blonde Parasite approach them, a mocking smile on his face.
"Well, you two are indeed hitting it off. I'm certainly surprised, this is the first time anyone's survived Zero Two." Nine Alpha started.
He felt Zero Two's body tense up once more at the sound of his sarcastic voice, worry and anxiety making itself apparent through her touch. Squeezing their joined hands together, Hiro did his best to reassure the storm of her emotions.
"Huh... So this is the famous Aggressor flight leader, it's an honor to meet you." he mockingly bowed.
"Nine Alpha..." Hiro murmured.
APE's number one pilot in their entire Parasite pool. The leader of their clandestine Special Forces group,
The Nines.
Considering their current situation with Strelizia Custom buried in the junkyard, Hiro couldn't help but feel a wave of unease roll through his body as he realized the implications of APE deploying their Special Forces group to Plantation 13, although for reasons unknown to him.
But one thing was for sure, The Nines did not appear by coincidence, Hiro was not that naive to believe that they were merely here for a sightseeing trip in the rear echelons.
"I must say, our dear Iota seems to have a taste for celebrities." Nine Alpha spoke as he flashed an innocent smile.
He felt Zero Two's grip tighten once more on his arm.
"Darling's status has nothing to do with this."
The jovial smile never left Nine Alpha's face as he continued speaking in that infuriating, overcasual tone.
"Hmm, who knows for sure? Although, I'm surprised that you managed to snag yourself an instructor from the Mobile Fighter Weapons School. What a catch, Iota!" he winked towards Zero Two, as if they were privy to an in-joke shared between them.
"Well, what can I say? I enjoy joint operations." Zero Two snarled.
As his green eyes flicked towards the other Pistil flanking him, Hiro knew for sure he was fanning the flames of the interservice rivalry that existed between the Special Forces and the regular Ground Forces.
"Although, one wonders what the Special Tactical Fighter Training Group is doing, attached to a backwater Plantation such as this. Perhaps the illustrious Aggressors believe themselves too good for front-line combat?"
His cheeks shifted in a mockery of a smile as Nine Alpha sharpened his words into a barbed dagger, deftly thrusting it into their hearts.
Behind him, the rest of Squad 13 could only stare in muted fright as they watched the elites of APE's military verbally spar with each other. None of them dared to speak up, feeling as if they were being crushed under the weight of giants.
Elbowing Kokoro, Miku whispered in her ears.
"So that's The Nines? Their leader looks kinda hot!" she giggled.
At the sound of that, Zorome found himself protesting at the starry look in his partner's eyes.
"They're so…" Kokoro frowned. "They're hostile. Like we're not on the same side."
Narrowing his eyes, Goro answered her query.
"We're on the same side." he muttered.
"But–" Kokoro found herself interrupted as she tried to speak.
"The Nines operate on a different level to us." said Goro quietly as he continued,
"We fight the same war but their operational context is far removed. They attempt what we cannot even consider. They undertake what regular Parasites cannot. We are brothers in arms, but our paths and concerns seldom overlap. It's simply APE's way of war."
Squad 13's eyes were downcast as they felt the shadow of the giant loom ever larger over their beings. They were merely grunts after all, Doctor Franxx's test team or not. Comparing them to APE's elites was a gesture in futility.
Angered at his audacity, Ichigo decided that she would give in to her urges and answer the challenge that Nine Alpha had so graciously provided for her.
Stepping forward and breaching his personal space, Ichigo noted with a smirk how Nine Alpha seemed to be taken back by her escalation. Working her eyes over his entire body, Ichigo felt her mouth water at the prospects of schooling APE's top pilot in combat.
Oh, how she craved for the chance to educate this arrogant blonde and put him in his place.
"So this is APE's finest? Funny, I expected you to be taller."
Hiro groaned to himself upon noticing the familiar, dangerous smile on Ichigo's face.
This girl... She always got hyped up at the thought of fighting enemy Franxxs.
Nine Alpha's smile matched hers as he counterattacked.
"I see the Ground Forces haven't been taught basic etiquette. It's no wonder Iota fits in so well with you guys."
Looking down on them was he? Oh, he would have to die for that.
Ichigo's voice lowered as she locked their gazes together.
"If you find my etiquette or lack thereof to be an issue, might I suggest getting into a Franxx? I'm sure we can come to an agreement in a mock battle. Of course, I shall insist on live munitions." she smiled.
A long whistle broke out from the rest of The Nines as Ichigo made clear her threat.
"Seems like this little kitty is trying to bite off more than she can chew. Hey, kitten! We're not your average Parasites, threats won't work on us." The red-haired one, Nine Gamma hollered at her.
"It's a shame that your personality doesn't match your grace and beauty, I expected someone with such good looks to carry a more attractive attitude." Nine Alpha sneered.
If anything, Ichigo's smile grew ever wider as she leant into Nine Alpha's ears and whispered in her contralto.
"Would you like to know the unofficial motto of the Aggressors? Allow me to inform you then, it's 'Good Guys-Bad Guys'." Ichigo's eyes lit up in delight as she noticed the tensing of Nine-Alpha's body.
"Let me drop you a hint... Hiro isn't the bad guy."
Ichigo smirked at the bead of sweat that appeared on his forehead.
Good job Ichigo, what a great way to make us seem like the villains.
Hiro facepalmed at his second-in-command eagerness towards fighting enemy Franxx pilots. With his vision obscured by his hands, Hiro never noticed that while Ichigo was busy threatening the entire Nines squadron in an attempt to start a civil war, a Nines Pistil had snuck close to him, her short green hair waving in the wind.
Luckily for him, Zero Two's hissing sounds alerted him to her presence.
"Hey, your new boy toy is a real cutie pie!" Nine Delta clapped in delight.
Furious at the new challenger, Zero Two growled,
"He's not my boy toy! I'm his partner."
"Partner? More like escort from the way you're clinging onto him." Nine Delta snickered as she continued, turning her attention towards him.
"Say, cutie." she grinned at him.
Hiro couldn't help but blink at his new nickname. Why were all of The Nines so weird?
"If you ever get bored of Iota-"
Nine Delta winked as she drew her face closer to his, with Zero Two's eyes widening in shock at the sudden turn of events.
"You can always come be with me."
She giggled as she planted an affectionate kiss on his cheek.
Hiro froze as he felt the telltale heat of a blush start to stain his cheeks.
What.
"Dude. How does he keep getting all these Pistils to fawn over him?"
Zorome jealously complained as Goro rolled his eyes upon hearing him.
Hiro wanted nothing more than to turn around and correct him, but he had other pressing issues at hand.
Namely how he had to find a way to stop Zero Two from outright murdering Nine Delta where she stood, from the apocalyptic expression on her face.
Now, Hiro had no love lost for The Nines but, he was pretty sure that murder was a crime that carried capital punishment. Allowing Zero Two to grind Nine Delta into hamburger would have really bad consequences for them and Squad 13 as a whole.
And that green-haired Pistil knew it as her eyes taunted Zero Two into taking action. However, there was a variable that Nine Delta had forgotten to take into account.
Namely the fact that Zero Two wasn't the only girl seeking Hiro's affections.
The sharp crack of flesh meeting flesh rang out and silenced everyone in it's vicinity.
"Get your hands off Hiro!"
Nine Delta rubbed the red mark on her cheek as she flinched in pain from Ichigo's slap. Turning away to spit out a glob of blood onto the grass from the cut she had received, she bared her teeth as she raised her fist, preparing to strike.
A painful grip on her wrist prevented her from physically assaulting her attacker, carrying strength beyond a mere human.
It was a grip of an enhanced hybrid.
"Do not touch her."
The glowing red of Zero Two's eyes added to the effect of her threat.
The pressure on Nine Delta's wrist increased, allowing her to realize that Zero Two was not bluffing at all. She would crush her bone to powder if she continued to insist.
"That's enough! Delta, return to us!"
As Nine Alpha's voice cut through the air, Zero Two released her hold on Nine Delta as she stumbled back towards her squadron. With sharp eyes and an aura of dissatisfaction rolling off his being, Nine Alpha called out towards Zero Two.
"Iota, come catch up with your old squad later, without all of these extras getting in the way."
Zero Two grimaced at the implied threat beneath his words if she did not cooperate. Ichigo had physically struck a member of The Nines, with a single report to Papa, Nine Alpha could tear this squad apart.
A comforting warmth encased her hands, pleading for her to reject. She turned to meet his concerned gaze and tried to reassure him.
"They just want to talk, darling. I'll be fine, I promise."
"You're absolutely sure you'll be alright?"
Zero Two flicked his forehead as she giggled at his doting nature.
"I'm not going anywhere, you don't have to worry so much!"
With a final nod, he relented as Zero Two agreed with Nine Alpha's demands.
Without any further words, The Nines left a stunned Squad 13 in it's wake.
"What the hell just happened?" Miku wondered out loud.
What the hell indeed.
Hiro found himself concurring.
"Who would have thought that after an entire lifetime of searching, the Special Specimen would have been the one?"
The APE Council watched as a replay of Strelizia Custom's performance was displayed on the monitors of Cosmos.
"Seriously, if we had known of their compatibility earlier, we could have accelerated their meeting." Gorilla spoke, clearly unsatisfied at the pace of current events.
A chuckle from the vice-chairman interrupted his fuming.
"Come now Gorilla, our girl's silly search for a man has finally ended. We should be happy about that."
"But it doesn't change the fact that she still needs to be monitored closely, especially considering the power we're planning to soon place in her hands." Tarsier pointed out.
With a dismissive wave of his hands, Papa took the floor.
"It matters not in the end, after Star Entity is reclaimed, that fool of a Doctor will unknowingly hand us the plans to his magnum opus. Afterwards, we shall reverse engineer and create a weapon that surpasses the Apus. But first things first, Plantation 13 is hereby declared a top-priority surveillance subject. Code 016 is tasked with bringing our girl to the Grand Crevasse safe and sound."
A murmur of agreement passed through the APE council members.
"The time has finally come for the Belladonna Atropa to consolidate our rule."
Nana furrowed her eyebrows at the notification she received on her tablet.
"A special surveillance subject? Is it because Plantation 13 has been tasked with Zero Two for the time being?" she said, glancing at her colleagues who were riding the escalator alongside her.
"One of APE Special Forces has been attached to a Plantation's garrison squad. There was no precedent, but it was the obvious decision when you take into account her compatibility and performance with Code 016." Hachi explained.
"But even so... How are we even going to work out the chain of command? Strelizia and Zero Two fall under the purview of the APE Council while Hiro reports to Ground Forces HQ. Approving sorties will be a complete pain." Nana groaned out loud.
In a way, Nana was correct regarding the bureaucracy that they now had to cut through due to Hiro's new status as Zero Two's official partner. Previously, the other Stamens that Zero Two were partnered with were merely disposable tools which were discarded after their short, pain-filled lifespans.
In essence, they were write offs.
However, now that Hiro had revealed his ability to survive and excel as Zero Two's partner, they had to tackle the ugly administration that faced them due to APE's separation of command in it's military. The underlying problem was simple but overwhelming in it's pervasiveness.
As Zero Two and Strelizia belonged to The Nines, Plantation 13 did not possess the authority to issue sortie orders for them, nor did they have the ability to petition their superiors for permission in regards to the both of them. In Hiro's case, his chain of command ran from local Plantation command to APE Ground Forces HQ which took responsibility for the Plantations. Not to mention, Hiro himself hailed from the Special Tactical Fighter Training Group, a squadron that carried it's own political weight and pull within the Ground Forces.
Hiro was not a Parasite that the Ground Forces could easily write off as another Stamen to be consumed by Zero Two.
Basically, every single sortie of the duo would have to be considered a joint operation. With the added paperwork of going through two different channels to obtain approval for launch, APE Council and Ground Forces HQ.
Nana groaned out loud once more at the sheer absurdity of APE's refusal to release Zero Two from their personal Praetorian Guard, forcing them into the ridiculousness of their current situation.
"Don't worry so much, my dear Nana. It'll ruin your smooth complexion." the third person of their group finally added his view to their conversation.
Doctor Werner Franxx. APE's top scientist and also a member of their council.
He also happened to be registered as Zero Two's guardian.
"As long as I'm in the vicinity, you can count on me to fast track sortie approvals for the girl and Strelizia. That would just leave Hachi in his position as Plantation 13's Strategic Officer to issue his orders."
Breathing a sigh of relief, Nana allowed herself to relax as she turned the conversation to more pressing matters. In fact, it was the very reason for their current excursion to the Hangars.
"Speaking of which, how is the construction of the Hi-Filament coming along? Our Transport Hubs are absolutely cluttered with the glut of materials and manpower swarming it." she tossed a pitying look at Hachi, as he must have been swamped with work trying to organize the logistical madness.
"The mechanics are working round the clock to push it out of the production line as quickly as possible. We're rotating teams in shifts such that there's constant work being done. Unfortunately, I will not be able to accompany the both of you to the Hangars, I'll have to coordinate the new arrivals coming this afternoon from the Transport Hub."
Giving him an encouraging pat on his shoulders, Nana smiled at him.
"You know what they say, no rest for the wicked."
"Indeed." Hachi nodded.
As the escalator reached its destination, Hachi parted ways with their group as he made his way back to his office.
Standing outside the massive doors that led to the Hangars, Werner Franxx grunted as the terminal recognized his S-Class ID and allowed him access. What lay behind these doors was the realization of one of APE's top secret projects, with security being of such paramount importance that even regular S-Class ID holders could not access the Hangars unless they had an update applied to their IDs after being cleared with his approval.
As the massive doors started its slow, torturous motion with the screeching of protesting steel, Nana found herself in a situation unlike any other.
It was utter chaos in the Hangars. A small sized army of combat engineers, mechanics and even black armored security troopers deployed as manual labor crowded the area in such numbers that made the usually massive Hangars seemed jam packed. Barks of commands rose above the din as the supporting crew hurried to complete their tasks. The air reeked of fumes as hoses containing Magma Fuel were haphazardly scattered across the floor of the Hangar, the stench immediately sticking itself onto her skin and uniform.
With a jerking motion, Nana staggered as her flats almost lost her footing among the slick, greasy surface of the floor. Uncaring or not noticing her plight, a mechanic piloting a miniature Franxx meant for manual labor rushed past her, carrying a crate of unlocked munitions. In his haste, one of the large solid shells dropped to the floor with loud clunking sounds as it rolled towards them.
During all this time, Werner Franxx merely raised his eyebrows at Nana's antics.
As the large shell continued it's path rolling towards them, Nana placed her foot on the rolling munition, stopping it in it's tracks. Her eyes glanced downwards towards the live round that she had managed to secure, it's inscription of white letters providing her with information that interested her greatly.
High-Velocity Armor Piercing
Taking in the noise, chaos and disorganization of the support crew that had arrived from other units in Plantations 13 Hangar, Nana couldn't control the nervous tick forming under her left eye.
Spinning around to confront the Doctor, she complained at the perceived sloppiness of their handiwork.
"Doctor! I must protest at their poor work ethic! Loose fuel lines along with unlocked crates of munitions scattering live ordinance everywhere, this is a breach of every single APE safety regulation in the book!" she screeched.
Stumbling as she was roughly shoved in place by another group of mechanics pushing past her carrying Magma cartridges in their hands, she screamed in their wake.
"HEY ASSHOLES, SLOW DOWN! THOSE ARE LIVE MUNITIONS! YOU'RE GONNA GET US ALL KILLED!"
With a placating wave of his hands, Werner pointed out to her.
"Calm yourself Nana. These people execute their work in a different reality as compared to us who have it easy in the rear. They're front-line support staff, where haste makes the difference between life and death for their Parasites. They simply do not have the luxury to adhere to safety regulations considering their usual working conditions." he reassured her as he continued with his arms outstretched in joy.
"Besides, look at the amount of progress they have made in but a few short days. Isn't it beautiful? You're the best, Strelizia!"
Nana's eyes followed his as she found herself grudgingly agreeing with his comments.
Towards the sparks scattering in the air as the Twin Long Cannons were welded on the back of the maiden of steel, locking in place with it's dual long booster system already installed between them.
So this was the Filament Plan.
As she tracked the sleek white and black rifle being loaded into the armory racks beside Hi-Filament Strelizia's cage, along with it's telltale orange glow of Magma Energy softly lighting up it's barrel, Nana allowed herself to share in his awe.
Yes, it was beautiful indeed.
Ichigo narrowed her eyes as the black cat she always made time to play with during her break periods hissed and bolted away. The reason for it's spooked behavior soon making itself apparent.
"Hey, we meet again."
Unlike the encounter they had in the morning, he was alone this time. Not that it mattered, Ichigo thought to herself as she dusted her skirt off, rising from her seat on the steps of the Parasite Lodge as she prepared to make her exit.
Ignoring him to the best of her abilities, Ichigo started moving towards the entrance of the Parasite Lodge, performing a process of elimination in regards to Hiro's whereabouts. However, the smiling blonde in the white uniform seemed determined to make contact with her once more.
"I've never seen any of the children speak in me in such a manner before. You guys are truly interesting."
Ichigo kept her eyes fixed on the entrance doors of the Parasite Lodge as she spoke, refusing to humor him.
"Go mess with someone else." she warned.
Her warning, if anything, seemed to have the opposite effect on Nine Alpha as his curiosity increased at her clipped reply, in stark contrast with her fiery demeanor earlier this morning.
Nine Alpha's eyes lit up as he made the connection regarding the duality of her mysterious behavior and the variable that seemed to have triggered it.
She's much more apathetic when it comes to matters that aren't related to Iota's new partner.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
"How cold. I sincerely offer my deepest apologies for the uncouth behavior of my squadron regarding the events of this morning." he mockingly bowed as he continued with a genial smile on his face,
"We'll be here for a while, so why don't we have a little chat?"
Wrinkling her nose, Ichigo did not bother with a reply as she strode forward to put as much distance from between her and Nine Alpha as possible.
Calling out to her retreating figure, Nine Alpha questioned her.
"I hear you guys are a test team formed by Doctor Franxx."
Ichigo continued walking, doing her best to pointedly ignore the blonde.
"Is that why you're given so much more freedom than the other squads?"
Ichigo continued walking, as she pondered if she should escort Hiro to dinner after her scheduled training in the simulator with Goro later in the afternoon.
"What kind of tests are you running? I'd love to hear the details."
As her hand twisted the handle of the door leading into the Parasite Lodge, Ichigo hoped that beef stew was on the menu tonight, Hiro had a liking for it.
"Of Iota's partners, only Code 016 has managed to ride with her more than thrice. Is that related to your tests?"
Nine Alpha's persistence was rewarded by her harsh glare and the pausing of her body.
"What are you trying to say?" she snarled.
Jackpot.
The smirk on Nine Alpha's face grew as his deductions were proven correct regarding Code 015 and her obsession with Code 016.
"You finally looked my way. For that, I'll let you in on a big secret." he winked at her, causing Ichigo's look of disgust to increase in it's intensity.
Closing the distance between them such that he could secure her attention, he gloated.
"What Code 002 is really like."
"...!"
Hook, line and sinker.
She was too easy to see through.
Enjoying the flicker of anxiety that ran through her eyes, Nine Alpha set his plan into motion.
"She can never coexist with you. She's just wearing a human guise and pretending she can."
"What do you mean?" she asked, with much reluctance.
This was oh so easy, child's play.
"Why do you think Iota is called the Partner Killer? It's because she places her partners under a curse that drains their life away. The power is what she uses to operate Franxx."
Her mind recalled his screaming pain, the agony that he had to suffer riding with Zero Two. She might have not trusted Nine Alpha, not one bit, but what he was currently telling her made sense, if it was remotely true.
Chewing on her lip as she suppressed the urge to break out in tears upon remembering his cries of pain, Ichigo continued to listen to the blonde Parasite.
"Just from what I know, she's used and discarded more than a hundred Stamens."
"A hundred...!?"
A hundred human lives? The number was so high, it seemed absurd.
"That's correct. Code 016 is an exceptional case. Maybe he has a special ability that keeps him going. Or the devil's luck, who knows? But if he keeps riding with her, the curse might turn him into the same kind of monster that she is. Either way, I don't envy his situation." he finished.
Ichigo mind reeled at the revelation that Nine Alpha provided to her.
Hiro was... going to be a monster?
Like... her?
An image of the smiling Hiro she always knew filled her mind, except this time, he had twin protrusions on his skull.
Horns.
No, don't be naive. He might be manipulating you! The Nines can't be trusted!
"How do I know what you're saying isn't but a pack of lies?" she accused.
Nine Alpha flashed his most charming, innocent smile towards her. The gleaming white of his perfect teeth complimenting his naturally good looks. If any other Pistil were in her position right now, they would have most likely found themselves smitten with the blonde Parasite.
However, she was not your regular Pistil. For Ichigo only had eyes for one person in this entire world.
Hiro.
"I tell no lies to elegant beauties such as yourself." he bowed once more, sending a wave of disgust running through her body.
"If you doubt my words, feel free to cross examine them with your caretakers at Plantation 13."
Clenching her fists so tightly that she felt her nails mark her skin, Ichigo sped off in the search of confirmation from her superiors at the Command Center. In her haste, she never noticed the smirk that had filled Nine Alpha's face as he watched her retreating figure.
Let's see how you'll deal with this then, Iota.
Ichigo glared at the terminal outside the Command Center as if it had personally wronged her. It's display reading "LOCKED" in bright red letters, as if it was urging her to get lost. She understood what that status meant, it was only chosen by command-tier personnel when they wished to not be disturbed by anyone seeking audience with them.
Which meant Nana and Hachi were in there.
Usually, a Team Leader such as her required an scheduled appointment to meet with the commanders of a Plantation. But, Ichigo carried a trump card that most regular Team Leaders did not possess.
Her S-Class ID, as a privilege at being one of APE's premier Franxx trainers.
Fishing out her S-Class ID, she forcefully overrode the security locks of the Command Center and stormed in as the doors unsealed itself with a hiss.
Nana's irritated tone greeted her as she entered.
"Seriously? Ichigo, that's an abuse of your powers. Protocol indicates you need to schedule a meeting at least two days in advance-"
Her voice was cut off by the thumping sounds of Ichigo's hands slamming the console banks.
"Hachi, I wish to request for full access to Hiro's medical files." she stated.
"Your reason being?" His eyebrows rose at her bluntness.
"As Team Leader, the well being of my squad is part of my responsibilities. Thus, I require an update regarding Hiro's current condition, considering the damage his body has sustained from our previous battle."
At the sound of that, Hachi's eyes flickered towards Nana's, where they shared an uneasy glance which did not go unnoticed by her. Ichigo fumed under her surface at the admission of guilt between the two commanders.
I knew it, they are hiding something from me regarding Hiro!
She locked gazes with Nana, so intensely that even the caretaker shuffled her feet at her accusing glare.
"Nana, tell me the truth. What's going on with Hiro?"
A resigned sigh from the older woman signaled her surrender.
"I guess it's better to tell you rather than having you find out on your own." she shook her head as she looked towards Hachi to explain in detail.
"Detailed testing has shown that Code 002's saurification has accelerated since they became partners. Code 016's numbers are close to the upper limit, too." His emotionless eyes bore holes into hers as he continued. "If this keeps up, he might undergo a genetic transformation."
Genetic...
Transformation...?
Nana apologetic eyes offered her no comfort as she read out Hiro's sentence to her.
"Basically, it means Hiro might no longer be called human."
Her blood turned to ice as the entire floor beneath her feet seemed to swallow her.
A familiar, mocking voice rang out in her mind,
"But if he keeps riding with her, the curse might turn him into the same kind of monster that she is."
That smirking, blonde jerk was right after all. Nine Alpha wasn't telling any lies back at the Parasite Lodge.
Hiro... Hiro was going to lose his humanity if he kept being in contact with Zero Two.
Hiro, who had named her and granted her a purpose beyond merely piloting a Franxx like everyone else.
Hiro, the one person she had dedicated her entire life towards, who she never stopped pursuing.
"Name?"
"Yeah, I gave myself one. I'm Hiro!"
"Why am I Ichigo?"
"Because that's how your code is read. 015, for Ichigo."
"That's my name?"
And she was about to lose him as she knew it. His humanity, and his life was at stake.
This went beyond petty romance or jealousy.
At that very moment, Ichigo resolved her heart to separate him from Zero Two, no matter the cost.
She would never allow them to be together.
Never.
Mistaking Ichigo's hunched over form with her hand clutching her chest for grief, Nana placed her hand onto her shoulders in a show of sympathy and support. Not realizing the harsh glint that lit up her green orbs and tainted it's beauty, hidden away as it was under the shadows provided by the cover of her bangs.
Misreading the situation, Hachi crossed an unknown line as he tactlessly tried to offer words of advice towards the silent Pistil.
"There are times when you must sacrifice the few so the many might live. Surely a Parasite such as yourself understands that."
I won't accept that. Greater Good? She would burn everything down to protect Him.
Because in this broken and desolate world carried nothing for her except for His light.
Nana's hands were knocked off as Ichigo's body shot up so forcefully she stumbled backwards at her jerking motion.
With green eyes completely clear and rational, but terrifying all the same, Ichigo dramatically outstretched her arms as she stared down Hachi, uttering the words which would damn her forever.
"Strategic Officer of Plantation 13. If you insist on carrying out this act, I will be an enemy of this Plantation from this moment onwards."
The clattering of Nana's tablet hitting the floor was her only reply in the deafening silence that followed. Even the operators at their assigned consoles paused their keystrokes to turn and stare at the insanity that displayed itself before them.
For the first time in her life, Nana found herself completely speechless at Ichigo's treasonous declaration. Even Hachi seemed uncomfortable for a moment before moving to rebuff her threat.
"Spare me your bluffs. You have people who you consider family here, too. Are you sure you want to drag Goro and the rest of Squad 13 into this?" Hachi pointed out as he called her bluff.
"I only want to be a Pistil who doesn't have to bear the shame of losing her partner." she immediately countered.
Upon hearing that, Nana hissed as a sharp stab of pain pierced her mind, her hands gripping the edge of the console banks for support so tightly her knuckles went white.
A Pistil... losing her partner...?
Why did those words resonate with her? As she battled with her headache, gasping for breath while doing so, the both parties that were currently embroiled in their conflict ignored or took no notice of her struggle.
An eternity of silent tension passed between the two as neither of them refused to break the staring contest between them. Every soul in the Command Center kept their silence as they waited out the storm.
Clear green orbs met blank, emotionless brown.
"Hiro is not your partner. Dismissed." he stated, breaking their deadlock.
Ichigo left the Command Center without another word, the sound of her footsteps ringing out as she went.
Stabilizing her breathing, Nana rubbed the corners of her head as she felt the stabbing pain recede from her mind.
Retrieving her tablet from the ground, Nana commented to no one in particular,
"That girl... Shes changed a lot since her childhood."
"My my, Iota, is that a look you should carry on your face while catching up with your old teammates?"
Zero Two snarled at him as she ducked under the kick that Gamma threw her way. Transitioning into a leg sweep, she managed to knock over the redhead into the grass. Before she could follow up with another attack to finish off the downed Parasite, Zero Two's enhanced senses warned her of another incoming strike from her rear.
Hurriedly rolling away, her senses were proven right as Epsilon's fist came smashing down on the dirt where she was but moments before.
All the while, Nine Alpha stood in the back, deeming it beneath him to physically involve himself in fighting against her. His sneering expression and mocking voice doing his fair share of damage towards her.
"Still haven't given up on playing human, have we? It's getting embarrassing, really."
Using her arms to block a flurry of strikes from the combined assault of the Zeta triplets, she hissed her defiance.
"You're embarrassing."
A punch slipped through her guard and slammed into her sides, knocking her out of breath.
"You think so?" he smiled as he cast his gaze at the heaving Pistil that was resting her back against a tree trunk for support.
"Come now Iota, this fantasy of playing house with that tainted specimen has gone on for far too long. It's time to return to your true family."
He kept speaking in that annoying overcasual tone as he approached her resting spot at the tree trunk. Never putting his hands on her or striking her, deeming his hands above touching someone as lowly as her.
It infuriated her to no end. That was his method of degrading her and it hurt her more than any of the physical blows she had received from her long history with The Nines.
She would have preferred it instead if Nine Alpha got his hands dirty and struck her like the rest of The Nines.
And he knew it. And as such, he never even touched a single hair on her head, instead preferring more 'civilized' methods, that of treating and speaking of her as nothing more than a mere savage beast.
"I already have a family." she spat at him as he put his hands over his knees, bending over her as he looked down upon her.
"Will you marry me?"
She clung on to his words as a source of security as the rest of The Nines crowded around her, their shadows casting darkness over her resting form. Shutting her eyes, Zero Two refused to give them the privilege of watching her cry.
In a way, she would have preferring it if they kept beating her down instead of this form of degradation they had adopted.
It was Nine Alpha's idea, that bastard. He was the one who had realized that their usual physical beatings they administered on her during their fights seemed to have no effect on breaking her spirit. So they moved on to more insidious methods of bullying, of scorn and disdain.
Sticks and stones may break my bones they said.
What liars.
She felt a grip on her face forcing her to lock eyes against the smirking green-haired Parasite.
"Hey Iota, your new boy toy looks absolutely sumptuous. Mind if I... take him for myself?" Delta licked her lips as she taunted her.
Fury bubbled and overflowed within her. She would endure any form of abuse but darling was off limits.
Absolutely off limits.
"DON'T YOU EVEN THINK OF GETTING CLOSE TO HIM!"
With her horns and eyes glowing red from rage, Zero Two tackled the homewrecker as she brought her fists down on her face, pouring all of her enhanced strength into smashing her skull into a red paste, with her brain matter flowing out of her ears. She would then mount her head on a spike and wave it around as a warning to any other girls that wanted to steal her darling from her.
Or she tried to, as Zero Two found herself outnumbered and overpowered as she was forced to the ground the moment she lunged forward. Her limbs were held in place as Nine Delta stood over her, mirth filling her eyes.
"Heh, that's such a cute reaction. You must really like this boy toy of yours, it seems. All the more reasons for me to steal him from you." she taunted. "But don't worry! If I'm in a good mood, you can have him after I'm done sucking him dry, hehe."
"I won't let you, I'll stop you!" Zero Two screamed.
"Stop me with what, exactly? Unless you can somehow duck tape Strelizia together from the tiny pieces scattered around the garbage dump, you're out of luck and out of a machine to ride." she grinned at her.
Delta was right. She was currently powerless without Strelizia. Without a machine to pilot, they were the masters and she, the slave. She was at their mercy, she had no means to resist them.
She also did not even possess the means to protect her darling if it came down to it.
She was completely useless to him.
Accepting her downcast eyes as her surrender, Nine Delta finished her off with glee.
"Know your place, Iota."
Zero Two endured their scorn in silence.
"This is getting boring. Delta, lets leave." Nine Alpha nodded to the rest of the Nines.
Releasing their hold over her, they brushed their hands off as if they had handled something dirty, leaving her alone in Mistilteinn's forest to wallow in her own depression.
When Zero Two felt that enough time had passed such that there was no danger of them eavesdropping on her, she sobbed out her agony at being such a useless Pistil towards him.
"Dar...ling."
Her tears landed on the grass beneath her as they fell, alone and unnoticed.
In the Hangars, a mechanic in gray coveralls was directing the mounting process of its shield.
"Little bit more to the left! We're supposed to mount it on the arm's hardpoint! Steady as she goes... Nice work!" he yelled, giving a thumbs up of appreciation at the crane's operator.
Wiping the sweat from his brow, he looked over the white shield currently attached on it's left arm, providing full length coverage on a single side from it's head down towards it's calves. It's sleek and aesthetically pleasing design having it narrow slightly as the shield extended downwards such that it's aerodynamic properties were fully maximized.
Glancing at the design they were instructed to paint on it, he nodded in approval at their fine craftsmanship.
Where Zero Two's personal emblem was emblazoned, the outline of an unicorn's head with a single horn, painted in red.
And below it, a number, also inscribed in red.
02.
"I wonder wheres Zero Two gone..."
Hiro found himself muttering under his breath as he sat on the windowsill of the Parasite Lodge's empty common room, peering out into Mistilteinn for any sign of her.
That was until a tap on his shoulders along with a voice he knew oh so well broke him out of his reverie.
"Guess who~?"
Hiro rolled his eyes at her singsong tone. Really, did she think they were still kids? Playing such a childish trick on him...
However, before he could turn his head around to greet his childhood friend, he found himself cut off as a warm wetness crashed against his lips.
"Ichi-!?"
A familiar, floral scent washed over him as she pressed forward, bold and affectionate. The scent dulling his senses as it covered his mind in white, fluffy clouds. Hiro couldn't help himself but note that her kissing technique was improving, as compared to their previous experience in Mistilteinn's forests. Her body too, had differed in their response. While as before it was tense and nervous, now Ichigo was fully relaxed and at ease as her lips applied it's pleasurable caresses to his. Her affection fully on display for him, proud and unabashed.
His enjoyment was broken however, but a dark whisper from his mind that turned every drop of blood in his veins into ice, reminding him of his newly established commitments to another person.
Zero Two.
Firmly placing his hands onto her shoulders, Hiro broke their kiss, trying his best not to allow his gaze to linger too long onto the bridge of saliva that had formed between their lips.
Temping him with it's sinful appearance.
The glistening of her eyes along with the hurt look on her face filling him with extra guilt on top of what had already existed as a result of their physical act of affection.
"Why are you here? Weren't you supposed to have training exercise in the simulators with Goro?"
The soft warmth of her hand caressed his face as she pouted at him.
"I just wanted to see you." she confessed as her fingers stroked his cheeks.
Her knees came up to his as she started to climb onto his lap from his seat on the windowsill, Hiro finding himself looking away awkwardly as she did so.
"H-hey, you're coming too close, Ichigo!" he protested.
Pausing in her motions, her green orbs locked onto his as she questioned him in an accusing tone.
"Whats so special about her? What does she do for you that I can't?" she asked, as her unsatisfied eyes bore into his, demanding answers.
Hiro gulped as he found himself retreating under her painful glare.
"It's not something I can explain so easily in words." he responded, as he tried to stall for time.
The tickling sensation began once more as Ichigo restarted the caressing on his face as she continued staring into his eyes, her face but mere inches from his.
"Whatever Zero Two does for you, I can do all that and more." she simply stated to him.
A sound came out from Hiro as his breath hitched in his throat at her offer. Did Ichigo even realize what she was offering to him? With a guilty sideways look, he understood that she probably did.
All the while, Ichigo eyes never left him as she awaited his reply to her outrageous offer.
The creaking sounds of wood provided him with an respite from his current predicament as the door of the common room opened to reveal the chattering voices of Ikuno and Kokoro. Their voices falling away as they took in the sight before them, with Ichigo's eyes blankly staring at them as she remained in close proximity to him.
After an uncomfortable period of silence, Ichigo allowed her hands to fall to her sides as she peeled herself off him, brushing past both girls as she made to leave the common room.
Brightly smiling in an attempt to ease the tension that lingered in the air after Ichigo's exit, Kokoro turned towards Ikuno,
"They sure are getting along better day by day!" she nodded.
From the frown that appeared on her face, it seemed that Ikuno did not share her sentiments.
"I feel like this might be going beyond the limits of 'getting along', though." she muttered darkly to herself.
Hiro inwardly cringed at the piercing look that Ikuno was sending his way, knowing that he was in for an unpleasant encounter with the bespectacled Pistil.
"Kokoro, I wish to speak with Hiro alone. Would you mind?"
With a quick clap of her hands in acknowledgement, the entrance door of the common room clicked shut.
Bracing himself for whatever hardballs Ikuno planned to send his way, he hopped off the windowsill as he turned to face her piercing eyes.
"Can I have a moment?" she asked.
A demand veiled as a request.
"What is it?" Hiro spoke as he shuffled his feet in nervousness.
"Well, um..." Ikuno stumbled over her words as she attempted to find a way to vocalize her thoughts without coming off as excessively rude. Giving up, she decided to tackle the issue headon,
"I think you might be getting too friendly with Ichigo." Ikuno stated as she called him out for his behavior regarding Ichigo.
Hiro winced at her bluntness as he made an sound of uncomfortable non-committal acknowledgement.
"I-I guess so." he waffled.
At her unsatisfied expression at his non-committal answer, Hiro continued as he tried to find a suitable explanation for Ikuno.
"Uh, we're childhood friends and we'd spent a lot of time around each other. And um, knowing Ichigo, she gets pretty down if I ignore her for too long."
Ichigo, who cheesed so hard her eyes shone as she flashed him the symbol of victory with her fingers when he had named her.
Ikuno made a sound of confusion at his explanation.
"That's why I feel like I have to at least give her some attention." he finished.
Ichigo, hugging him as she cried in his chest when they had received the news that the Special Tactical Fighter Training Group was to be broken up and reassigned.
"I... see..." Ikuno glanced away, clearly disagreeing with his reasoning.
Gathering her courage, she faced Hiro once more as she openly shared her thoughts with him.
"But you should hold back in public, at least. I don't fully understand the situation, but even I can tell that Zero Two holds you dear to her heart."
Ichigo, her hands joined with his as they watched the approach towards Plantation 13 on their transport plane, their suitcases by their legs.
The silence between them was painful as Hiro found himself unable to meet her eyes, indecision painted on his face.
Feeling like she had reached the limits of her progress with him, Ikuno left the common room.
"Seems like shes still giving me the cold shoulder treatment." Goro grumbled to himself as he changed back into his regular uniform, his training exercise in the simulators with Ichigo now over.
His complaining was interrupted by a vibrating noise coming from Hiro's locker. His communicator was rumbling with an incoming call.
Shaking his head at his best friend's absent-mindedness, he picked up Hiro's communicator as he planned to return it to it's owner.
Leaving the locker room, he spotted a familiar red uniform passing by. Calling out to her, Goro attracted the attention of Hiro's partner.
"Ah, Zero Two!"
As she turned to acknowledge his voice, Goro frowned in concern at the stains of dirt on her uniform's collar.
"What is it?"
Fishing out Hiro's communicator from his pockets, he handed it over as he tasked Zero Two with its return.
"Here, this belongs to Hiro. Could you return this to him?"
With a quick swipe of her hands, the communicator was removed from his possession. Zero Two made a sound of acknowledgment as she left in her search for her darling.
Hiro felt heavy, black clouds of guilt pollute his mind as he took refuge in the abandoned rooms of the Parasite Lodge. The scattered belongings of expired Parasites surrounded him as he laid his gaze onto a framed picture of Plantation 13's previous garrison squad.
The still image haunted him as he recalled the casualty list of their previous battle. Four Parasites from Squad 26 died that day, with two of them so butchered that their bodies were closer to paste than a solid object.
He was partly to blame for their deaths. If he was more alert and had intervened quicker with Strelizia Custom, they might have lived to see another day. But what gnawed away at him the most was not his failure of his field performance, but of his failure as an educator, of an Franxx Trainer to prepare them adequately for combat.
After all, he had a hand in designing the training regime of Garden.
Occupied as he was by his grief, Hiro did not notice the new arrival that had entered the abandoned room along with the clicking of the door's lock as it engaged itself.
"Don't blame yourself, Hiro. We did all that we could."
He turned towards his childhood friend as her voice interrupted his grieving.
"How can you say that?! We were supposed to teach them right, give them a fighting chance. And yet, their Franxx got torn to pieces in a blink of an eye!" Hiro found himself shouting at her, his frustration overriding his self control.
Her footsteps thumped against the wooden floor as she approached him, green eyes providing a bright contrast to the darkness of the abandoned room, it's curtains shutting out the evening light.
Hiro found his stomach flutter with butterflies in sick anticipation as she closed the distance between them, that was until he heard a familiar line that absolutely stunned him, his blood turning to ice.
"Weaklings die. Big deal."
Retreating backwards as he felt the earth swallow him whole at her giggle, Hiro found his attempt at increasing the distance between them stopped by the bed behind him. With a playful push from Ichigo, Hiro found his back landing on the softness of the mattress.
With the sounds of rustling fabric, Ichigo climbed over him, the white of her bra showing itself from her unbuttoned top.
"I finally get it now, I can't believe I was so silly not to realize." she chuckled as her clear green orbs shone in the darkness, her face hovering over his on the bed.
Gulping to himself, Hiro found himself executing his own death sentence.
"You like it when girls push you down, don't you?" she smiled at him, its gentleness causing a wave of fear and anticipation to wash over his body.
Gripping his hair, Ichigo embraced him into her chest. The warmth of her slightly sweaty skin combined with her sweet and slightly musky scent did wonders for Hiro as he found himself groaning in pleasure. Giggling at his positive reaction, Ichigo tilted his head as she joined their lips together, pouring every single ounce of her love and affection for him through their connection.
A stirring in his heart caused him pause, the creeping guilt was returning as Hiro put forth all his willpower into shaking off the pleasurable sensations he was currently experiencing. With his hands on Ichigo's chest, not bothering if he touched her breasts in the process, Hiro pushed her off as he broke their kiss.
"We can't... I made a promise to Zero Two..." he groaned out before feeling a finger press hard against his lips, shushing his protests.
"Zero Two isn't here at the moment, isn't she? She doesn't have to know." Ichigo smirked as she dove in to join their lips once more, this time her hands moving to coax his jaw into opening to allow access for her tongue.
Hiro felt himself complying to her insistent motions as he felt the warm wetness of her tongue swipe over his. Loud smacking sounds echoed lewdly in the humid air of the abandoned room as Ichigo moaned out her confession.
"Ever since we were kids, I only had eyes for you and no one else. You've always been my everything. Not even Goro makes my heart beat this way. Hiro, I don't want to be childhood friends anymore-" Ichigo panted as she broke the kissing to lock her watery, lustful gaze into his eyes.
"I want to be your woman."
Hiro's heart leapt in his chest as the sinful, dark part of his heart found itself overjoyed at her unashamed declaration. In a small, dark place that he refused to admit to himself even existed, Hiro found himself enjoying the idea of a girl pledging herself to him in this manner.
His frazzled mind and racing heart disorientated him and made his thoughts sluggish as Ichigo's hands moved downwards, towards the clasp and zipper of his pants.
With the sounds of rustling fabric once more, Hiro felt a soft, warmth grip on his length as Ichigo revealed his most private of places to the open air.
Hiro's face blushed so hotly it felt it would burst from the heat, his voice box producing whimpering sounds as he felt Ichigo's fingers touch and tease his tip. Shame flooded his body as he felt his shaft twitch at her touch.
With her green orbs locked onto his pleading green-blue eyes, Hiro found himself mesmerized as Ichigo parted her lips.
"Darling! Tsk, not here huh?"
Zero Two puffed her cheeks out as she looked at the empty room before her, it seems that darling wasn't in his room.
Time to check somewhere else, then.
Hiro groaned out as he felt the pleasure shoot up his spine, his eyes shut. Rolling her tongue around his entire length, Ichigo shuddered at waves of pleasure rippling through her body only to concentrate on her pulsing core.
Placing his hands on the top of her head, Hiro gripped her hair. From her sitting position that had her knees bent as her thighs touched the carpet, Ichigo moaned out at the sensation of having her hair tugged in that manner by him.
Cracking open his eyes at the sound of her moan, Hiro found himself returning Ichigo's doe-eyed stare as the lewd sucking noises continued without pause. It was that sultry look that she presented him as she held him in her mouth that finally made his self control slip as he hunched over, his climax releasing itself into her mouth.
Ichigo made noticeable slurping sounds as she gulped down his orgasm, pushing his length as deep as she could until she could feel it's tip graze against the back of her throat, worried as she was about wasting even a single drop. The taste of it filling her core with heat as her eyelids fluttered, while Hiro's body shivered in pleasure as he mumbled unintelligibly to the blue-haired Pistil before him.
When she was finally sure Hiro was done and that there was no more left, Ichigo rose and faced him, parting her mouth open with her tongue stuck out, as if she was proudly showing off and asking him to verify that she had swallowed all of his fluids without fail.
Hiro could only stare in muted awe at her boldness.
Flicking a finger at his forehead to tease him for his dumbfounded expression, Ichigo giggled to herself as she reached under her skirt, hips wiggling as she did so.
Hiro could only follow the motions of her hands as she slowly slid the white panties down her legs, a wet spot tainting the purity of the single-colored fabric.
"Got you! Eh... Not here either?"
Zero Two complained out loud as she burst into the library, hoping to surprise her darling. Except he wasn't there as well, she realized, as the startled caretaker dropped a book at her loud entrance.
Stomping off towards her next destination, Zero Two grumbled to herself.
Wet pink folds greeted him as Ichigo took position and spread her legs in a perverted mockery of a Pistil's piloting position, her body in front of the doorway. Breathing harshly to himself, Hiro noted the creamy white slime that oozed out of her twitching hole, its texture viscous and sticky.
As the fluids glistened and welcomed him onwards, Hiro felt himself grow stiff once more.
"I've been holding back for so long..." she moaned out.
"Me too." he confessed.
"I wonder why. Why do I love you so much?"
"I don't know. But I love you too."
With a cry of happiness at his reciprocation, Ichigo presented herself.
Gulping the saliva that had accumulated in his mouth, Hiro vocalized his final resistance.
"We're doing it here?" he worried.
"We can't?" her whining, childish voice complained.
"I don't mind." his sideways glance revealing his embarrassment.
"I think it's kind of exhilarating." she admitted.
"It sure is." he whispered, concurring with her.
Placing his hands on her hips, Hiro smiled at her.
"Make me your woman."
Her pleading voice, unguarded and filled with want, made his fingers curl and leave marks on her fair skin.
Aligning himself with her entrance, Hiro closed his eyes as he thrusted forward.
Only to find himself slipping on the slick wetness of her fluids. Hot shame flushed through him at his failure to enter her. His body tensing up as he struggled to contain his anxiety and shame.
A giggle broke through his panic as he felt Ichigo wrap her fingers around him, her warm and loving voice doing wonders to ease his fears.
"Its okay. I'll guide you in!" she reassured.
With Ichigo's assistance, Hiro felt himself going deeper into her.
"This is getting ridiculous! Just where could darling be...?"
Zero Two suppressed the urge to rip the cushions of the common room's sofas to pieces as she shook her head.
Mentally sighing to herself as she ticked another location off her checklist, Zero Two moved to her next target location.
"Incredible... This is incredible..."
"I feel really good too..."
"Hiro, Hiro... Hiro!"
Ichigo cried out his name without reservation as she felt herself be finally claimed by the one person she loved the most.
This was the best day of her entire life.
Stomping her feet on the poor innocent grass of the courtyard, Zero Two attracted the attention of a bespectacled Pistil reading her book in the peaceful and quiet outdoors.
"Is something the matter?" she asked the raging pink-haired stamen before her.
"I can't find darling anywhere I look!" Zero Two complained.
"Have you tried the abandoned wing of the Parasite Lodge? Hiro sometimes goes there to hide away from the world." she suggested.
"How would you know? You don't seem particularly close to darling." Zero Two's eyebrows raised in curiosity.
"Because we both prefer quiet, unpopulated places. Here, come with me. I'll take you there." Ikuno offered as she rose from her chair, leaving her book on the table as she went.
Zero Two skipped after her.
The two Pistils walked in silence in the hallways of the abandoned wing, their lack of friendship quickly making itself apparent.
As Zero Two found herself frustrated at the silence between the both of them along with what it seemed like yet another failure of a search for her darling, her lips parted as she started to speak.
That was until Ikuno cut her off with a harshly made shushing sound, her brows furrowed.
Zero Two paused and was about to complain until her senses picked up the strange sounds that had started to appear, they were faint but familiar to her ears.
"What could it be?" Ikuno wondered out loud.
Focusing all of her concentration into her enhanced klaxosaur hearing, Zero Two's world broke into shattered glass as the sound became intelligible human speech.
"Hiro...!" a watery, lusty moan.
That belonged to a voice that she knew all too well.
Glancing towards the Pistil beside her, it seemed from the wide, quivering eyes on Ikuno's face that she too had recognized the sound for what it was.
He wouldn't.
He.
Wouldn't.
Not after what he had promised her.
With desperation filling her entire being, Zero Two bolted like a banshee possessed towards the source of the sound.
"Zero Two... W-wait!" Ikuno cried out as she pursued her.
Reaching the door where the moans were emitting from, Zero Two found it locked. Her eyes and horns lit up in red as she burst down the door.
And despaired.
Feeling his seed fill her depths, Ichigo cried out her climax as she raised her head in pleasure.
Directly into the red, tearing eyes of Zero Two.
Ichigo's voice caught in her throat as her eyes widened in shock. Behind her, she could faintly register Hiro's hyperventilation hit in full force as his mental faculties utterly broke down at the insanity he found himself in the center of.
The sound of Hiro's communicator hitting the floor rang out in the abandoned room, it's clattering noises serving as their death sentence.
Hiro's fragile mind broke as he met the red eyes which leaked endless tears.
The eyes of his fiancée.
Who he had just committed the sin of infidelity on.
An earth shattering scream released itself from Zero Two, its volume so loud it caused the ears of everyone in the vicinity to ring in pain as she outright fled from the room, putting as much distance as she could from the sickening scene she had just bore witness to. Each of her footsteps leaving marks on the wood of the floor as she tore through the hallways, her speed such that her figure became a blur of red.
Meanwhile, Ikuno struggled with words as her hands covered her mouth, retching at the sight.
"Sorry... for bothering you." she muttered to no one in particular as she closed the now damaged door as best as she could, leaving the both of them alone with each other in the darkness of the abandoned room.
Sweat, formed from stress, dripped off Hiro's face and splattered onto the carpet.
The communicator laid on the ground where Zero Two had dropped it, a crack now forming on it's frame.
As his entire mind broke down and his consciousness fled itself into the depths of his mind, Hiro could distantly feel the touch of Ichigo's hands as she caressed his face.
"Look over here, Hiro." she turned his face to meet hers.
Wide, quivering green-blue orbs met eerily clear green eyes.
Green eyes which contained the spark of madness within them as she started trailing kisses along his face.
"Only look at me from now on." she cooed, licking up the tears which dripped from his eyes.
"When two people share their love for one another, their heads become engulfed in thick, white, pleasant clouds." Ichigo giggled as she continued running kisses along his shivering, sweating face.
"Worries will disappear like an ice cube under the sun." she nuzzled her cheeks against his as she continued.
Cuddling up to him, Ichigo trailed kisses along his face.
"That's why you don't have to worry about anything anymore."
"Because you and me are now inseparable-"
With the very last remnants of his sanity, Hiro met her eerily clear green eyes.
Eyes which spoke of a terrifying mixture of love, adoration, resolution and insanity.
Only to have his wings be shattered into a million pieces as he was crushed under the merciless jackboot of reality.
"Darling."
The gentle touch of her trailing lips filled me with guilt.
The feeling that I'd gotten to fly back then quickly slipped through my fingers, and eventually shackled me to the ground once again.
It felt like I was being bound up in a thousand invisible threads.
I'm sorry.
Zero Two.