"Code 016, APE Headquarters have given you special permission to remain here," Hachi offers in his emotionless voice from his large desk, arms on top of it with hands folded under his chin.

Within the room, large windows behind the desk let in bright lights directly from the sun. The older man rests from behind the wooden desk with intention behind his eyes. Hiro sits opposite of Hachi, however his chair is slightly shorter giving more importance to whoever sits behind the desk. Hearing the option presented before him, Hiro is still dead set on going back to the Garden—special permission or not.

"I wish to go back to the Garden, with Naomi," he solemnly states. "I have no reason to be here anymore."

"You have special permission to remain at this plantation, Code 016," Hachi states once again with more firmness.

Something about the way he presented the offer again caught Hiro off guard. It was almost like it was more of a command than an offer. Why wouldn't they just let him leave? He has no more purpose after all. Unless… no. He quickly ends his train of thought before it consumes his already racing head.

Hiro nods in approval, before asking a question. "May I at least see Naomi off?"

Hachi takes a moment to process his request. He gives a small nod, unblinking.

With that, Hiro stands up from his seat and turns towards the door. Exiting the room and closing the door behind him, he sees a crying Naomi sitting on a bench not to far from the room. She has a suitcase laying on the ground beside the bench, '703' printed on the side indicating that it must be filled with her belongings. Feeling sorry for the predicament he landed both of them in, he walks over and offers her his hand.

"Let's go, I'll walk you there," Hiro says as stretches out his arm.

Meanwhile in the room the raven haired boy just left, Hachi pulls out a radio to make contact with a guard stationed near the docking bays.

"Sir?" a guard on the other end responds.

"Code 016 and Code 703 will be at the docking bay awaiting departure. Allow Code 703 to board, but do not let Code 016 on one. If he needs to be restrained from entering one, restrain him."

"Received," the guard blankly replied back. Hachi sets the device back down, hoping things turn out for the best.

Hopefully he doesn't do anything stupid. That'd probably piss off the doc.

Both Ichigo and Goro stood outside of Delphinium's cockpit, and everyone else outside of their respective Franxx. Ichigo's nervousness only doubled once they had reached the retractable catwalk that extended in front of all the Franxx. It's the first time they were able to set foot in their Franxx and actually start it up. The interior of the metal cockpit looked foreboding to the blue haired girl. Would she really pilot it?

On top of all that, Hiro was still on her mind. She worried that he wouldn't get to see their startup ritual, with him so dead set on leaving and all that. Ichigo felt bad for Naomi too, but even more so for Hiro. Just something about him set her off, in a good way. Hopefully he takes up that request to stay here. Ichigo lets out a deep sigh.

"Hey, are you ready?" Goro asks her, breaking her out of her thoughts.

"Y-yeah…" she answers, rubbing her arm out of uncertainty.

"You're thinking about Hiro, aren't you?"

Ichigo quietly nods in response. It was all too obvious for Goro to figure that out. She had been nervous all day, never hearing anything from the boy. He too cares about Hiro in his own way, albeit

"I'm worried about him too, you know," he confesses, "Maybe he's going to stay. Best to remain hopeful, right? Besides, we should do this for Hiro."

"Yeah, you're right," she declares with a little enthusiasm. "For Hiro."

As she finished, the all clear is sounded to the parasites standing outside for them to board their Franxx.

"Alright, let's go," Goro announces as he is the first to enter Delphinium.

For you, Hiro.

Ichigo soon follows behind him.

On the open aired docking bay, both Hiro and Naomi stood side by side, albeit some distance away, waiting for the next plant to arrive. Naomi clutched her suitcase full of belongings with both hands with both hands, tear stains remaining on her face. With her head down, her long brown hair covered most of her face, blocking it from her partner's view.

Hiro, however, was staring out into the endless plains of the desert wasteland, with the many large plants moving towards and away from the plantation. He didn't have anything in particular in sight, but felt better by not making eye contact with Naomi. Hiro had too much going on in his head at the moment.

Why do they want him to remain here on the plantation? Didn't they see he was of no use to them? But that girl… Zero Two her name was? He'd never seen a girl with horns, and the first time to boot, she looked beautiful. Her horns, they were… alluring. She can't possibly have something to do with him staying here, did she? It was the first time seeing her too. And yet, here Hiro was, just happening to lose his partner… but wait, didn't this girl already have a partner? But he looked more like a punching bag than a capable stamen.

"Why'd you come, Hiro?" Naomi asks, breaching the silence the two had. "Was it out of pity?"

Hiro stood unmoving at the question. "I had to, Naomi. I wanted to-"

"No Hiro, you don't need to say it," she cuts him off before he's able to finish. "You want to leave, don't you."

Hiro remained silent as she asked the question. She took his silence as an answer.

"You heard what they said. They wouldn't keep you here if they didn't want you. Maybe you have some greater purpose," Naomi gives a light chuckle as she finishes. "This is where my ride ends, Hiro."

She closes the distance between the two of them, suitcase in one hand and the other free. Setting down the suitcase, Naomi sets one hand on his shoulder, gaining his attention.

"Find hope and reason, Hiro. You won't find any here with me."

"Naomi…"

"No, Hiro. Your future is here," Naomi asserts. "This is my stop."

She turns away from Hiro, seeing that her plant to who-knows-where had arrived. She leaves her suitcase next to his feet, not bothering to retrieve it.

"Hand my things out to everyone, as a parting gift," Naomi pauses for a moment while walking towards the open door, with a small smile unseen by the boy. "There's something in there for you too, Hiro."

"Wait! Naomi!" Hiro shouts, but his pleading falls on deaf ears.

Naomi enters the open door, turning around once she enters. "Goodbye, Hiro. It's been… fun, I suppose," she confesses with a pained smile.

Hiro attempts to chase after her, but is held back by a plantation guard. "You cannot leave this plantation," is all the man has to say.

"Maybe we'll see each other again…" were Naomi's last words as the large metal doors close in front of her.

Hiro watched sitting as the large departed from the docking bay with Naomi in it. It released a loud alarm as a departure signal and the gigantic engine that powered the thing thundered. The elephant of a structure began making its way towards the desert horizon, along with several others in tow.

Hiro looked at the suitcase that remained on the ground. He reached out an arm to pick it up, bringing it to rest on his lap. Something for me… he thinks to himself.

Before he is able to undo the latches, he looks out once more to the dusty horizon. What he believes to the same plant that Naomi now boards, two massive, long structures stand out in front of the plant, piercing the sky.

"Come on, you must be in attendance to the start up ritual," the guard behind him commands.

However, before the guard is able to lay a hand on the boy, the two structures out on the plains begin to destroy the ground before it. The guard backs up in fear, and Hiro begins to stand.

"That's a…" Hiro begins, before the guard loudly finishes his sentence.

"Klaxosaur! There's a Klaxosaur out there!"

The black and crystalline blue beast emerges from the ground. It's gaping maw comes crashing back down on the plant, crushing it with ease.

"Naomi!" Hiro shouts at the top of his lungs, paralyzed by total fear.

The plantation guard behind him pulls out a radio and begins barking orders to command. "We've got a Klaxosaur! Ready the cannons!"

Suddenly the cannons lining the plantation's outer walls begins to unfold from their positions. Each one begins to fire a barrage of projectiles and pure magma energy towards the mechanical beast. The Klaxosaur was unphased by the volley, perhaps making it angrier as it charged out of the fog.

Getting into a more clear view, Hiro could make out more details of the beast. Twin spires, presumably horns, jutted out from he believed to be it's head. The body looked familiar to that of a dinosaur from the ancient days. Most of the body was covered in obsidian black metal and a beautiful, crystalline like blue plating. The projectiles that hit it did no observable damage, as it brushed all the shots off like it was nothing.

The Klaxosaur came closer and closer to the plantation, picking up more speed as it went along. As it approached the docking bay, Hiro began running away to seek some sort of safety, with suitcase in hand.

It was too late.

The Klaxosaur came at a sideways angle towards the plantation, scraping it's large tail against the side of the plantation. This action caused the docking bridge that Hiro was desperately trying to run away from to be bent upwards—with him still on it. He reached for a nearby railing to grab so he wouldn't be thrown to the ground below him. The bridge was almost vertical, before it began bending in the direction of the swiping tail. Hiro was launched from his railing, and down onto the outer platform that circles the entire plantation—the suitcase landing with a couple of bounces right next to him.

Hiro could disregard whatever was in the suitcase for now, as he had bigger problems on his hands. The Klaxosaur finished it's sweep, and now was beginning to head towards the garage which housed the Franxx. Within the giant mechs, his squadmates resided in them. Helpless against the beast of machinations.

Hiro did the only thing he could do: run.

Adrenaline surging through his body, he pushed his body as hard as it could; diverting any energy he had into running. He wouldn't be able to do much if—no, when he reached the garage, but he wanted to make sure his friends are alright.

Running as fast as he could, he looks out to where he last saw the Klaxosaur; though it only left a giant cloud of desert dust in its wake. Before he was able to look straight once again, a bright orange is the only thing Hiro was able to make out in the dust cloud. It was almost like it was looking at him. It's outline reminded him of some sort of animal, a cat maybe. It's beastial appearance was the only thing he was certain of.

"Another Klaxosaur?!" Hiro gasped, as the new beast chased after the one currently attacking the plantation. One was bad, but two? Hiro hoped to at least get out of this whole ordeal without too many injuries than the ones he currently has.

As Hiro ran, the large Klaxosaur was wedging it's was into the garage, it's maw now facing an inactive Delphinium. Both Goro and Ichigo now panicking at the unruly sight of the thing.

"Ichigo! We have to get out of here!" Goro yells, but Ichigo remained in the pistil terminal. She was too paralyzed by fear to move, holding her breath as she waited. Ichigo was only able to think about one thing.

Hiro...

The mouth of the Klaxosaur began to open, it's giant tail suddenly transforming into a turbine. The dull blue of the turbine slowly began to spin, the blue lighting up the faster it spun. Within the beasts' mouth, a bright blue energy begins to form. The intensity signalled the end to both Ichigo and Goro.

Papa please save me...

Her prayers were answered. The beast's maw is violently removed from the opening it made in the garage. Unable to fire its weapon, it instantly discharges the energy it created.

Ichigo lets out a sigh of relief, able to live another day, at least.

The white and red beast intercepted the Klaxosaur by pegging it's side with all the force it had to offer. Now on top of the Klaxosaur, it was ripping, clawing, and gnawing at it's backside. The design of the smaller beast became more visible to Hiro. It wasn't a Klaxosaur at all—it was a Franxx, deformed into it's stampede form. Hiro had only read about it, knowing that it only happened if a pistil assumed the burden of piloting the Franxx all by herself; often resulting in full loss of control over the mech. But this Franxx, it controlled its movements with extreme dexterity—calculated strikes amidst its brutal fighting style.

With a full swing of its body, the Klaxosaur gains an upper hand by throwing the Franxx off of it's backside, sending the mech flying towards the plantation. The Franxx lands on the desert floor, claws digging into the ground to stop itself from sliding. As the Franxx comes a stop, the turbine-tail of the Klaxosaur begins to fire up once again, aimed directly at the Franxx. The mech sits in wait, preparing for it's strike. Before long, the Klaxosaur has enough energy, indicated by the sizeable ball of pure, blue energy.

The mechanical beast then fires, unleashing a solid torrent of the brilliant blue energy hurling towards the Franxx. With a swift motion, the Franxx dislodges its magma tipped tail and sets it right in front of the beam, refracting the energy up the sides of the plantation.

Hiro stands in amazement of the event, but that is quickly short lived. Because of the sheer force of the energy, it sent the white and red Franxx sailing through the air, towards the plantation wall.

Right to where Hiro was standing.

Startled by the realization, he picks one of two paths on the platform and bolts it. Barely making it out of the impact radius, the shockwave from the impact sent the young boy flying a couple feet. Thankfully Hiro only sustained minor injuries, compared to what could have happened.

Snapping out of his short daze, he gets back up on his feet and awkwardly stumbles to the now inactive Franxx. Suddenly, the cockpit to the mech opens up and out falls a male body. Getting closer, Hiro is able to discern it's the same broken man he saw earlier in the day, back up at the lake in Mistilteinn. His bloodied body coughs violently, before all movement ceases completely.

"He's done for," a female voice sounds from the open cockpit.

Hiro turns his head away from the still warm corpse towards the sound of the voice. In the doorframe of the cockpit leans a pink haired maiden donning a red and gold pistil suit, blood flowing down half of her face and in her hair. Two alluring crimson horns adrone her forehead.

"Zero Two?! What are you going in there?!" Hiro blurted, turquoise eyes wide in surprise.

Zero Two smiles at his, rather silly, question. To Hiro, it wasn't funny at all. "Monster hunting, of course. Say, wanna join me?"

Hiro's eyes shift from surprise to that of uncertainty. Should he join her? Could he pilot?

"If you don't wanna…" Zero Two coos as she turns around, heading back into the cockpit. She lets a little limp escape her figure, hoping that Hiro would notice.

"No, wait!" Hiro shouts, fearing the worst for her safety.

Just as caring as I remember. And still easy to tease. Good, Zero Two thinks to herself, stopping her movement. Oh the possibilities she could do to him.

"You can't pilot like that," Hiro breathes as he stands up straight. "I might not be able to pilot, but you can't go at it alone like that."

Even better.

"So, take me with you!" Hiro proclaims with full blown confidence.

Yes!

Hearing his proclamation of selflessness, Zero Two turns around to meet his gaze—a great big smile plastered on her face with large, bright emerald eyes. If Hiro didn't know any better, he would've been glomped on by one, pink vicious predator.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Zero Two slyly asks, extending out an arm to the boy below her.

Hiro reaches out his hand, reluctant at first. He looks back down at the corpse of the girls former 'partner,' fearing the worst that could happen. But if he were to pilot and die, that would be a whole lot better than just sitting there and dying.

Zero Two's form unwavered at his reluctance, knowing that he would have to choose the right answer.

The only answer.

Hiro makes up his mind, his hand making contact with Zero Two's bloodied one. With inhuman strength, the pistil gently lifts him into the cockpit with only the use of one hand.

"Let me get a taste of you," she gently whispers to the entranced boy.

"You are now…"

"My Darling!"

Both of them land on the stamen seat with Hiro wrapped around Zero Two's arms. She gave the entranced boy one, long, lustful kiss on the lips. Hiro could do nothing but push back against her own, warm lips.

Even better tasting than both his hand and cheek. I can get used to this.

Suddenly the cockpit lights up with life, white lights emanating from the hexagonal screens around the cockpit. The brilliant white light enraptured them both, with red text written over the screens.

STRELITZIA

ACTIVATED

Down at the failed startup ritual, the members of Squad 13 clustered together, surrounding Nana and Doctor Franxx—everyone looking up at the inactive Strelitzia that hung off the side of the plantation. Ichigo and Goro remained in mild shock of the near-death experience they witnessed together, but were relatively unharmed; as were the rest of them.

"What's taking her so long?" Nana worriedly asks the doctor.

Doctor Franxx remains silent to her question, continuing to stare back up at the mech.

Without warning, the attacking Klaxosaur rams its gaping maw into where the disabled Franxx lies. A gasp is heard from one of the parasite behind them.

"D-did it get eaten?" Goro asks in fear.

His question is quickly answered, as a blinding light appears from where the Franxx was. The Klaxosaur is blinded by the bright light, and is then forcibly picked up by the previously disabled Franxx. As the Klaxosaur is thrown across the desert wastes, the stampeding Franxx shows some sort of transformation. It's mechanical body shifting and altering, becoming that of a bipedal. Never before has anyone seen Strelitzia operate in a non-stampeding form, not even Doctor Franxx—it's spectacular appearance visibly shocking Nana.

"Doctor… it can't be… that's not possible…" Nana begins, but finding no other words, stops.

"But it is, my dear Nana. It just needed the right stamen to do so," he explains, without giving too many details. "As a result, the iron maiden reveals her true form."

"This is a Franxx!" Doctor Franxx shouts, voice filled with glee. He hasn't been this happy since the success of his other project. What he couldn't wait for was all the data for waiting for him to analyze back at his lab regarding this sudden transformation.

"Strelitzia, you're the best!"

"But who's piloting it?" Ichigo asks from behind, but the question falls on deaf ears. They were all too entranced by the awakened Strelitzia following behind the fallen Klaxosaur.

The jets around the Franxx's waist were firing, propulsing Strelitzia towards the Klaxosaur. With spear—previously it's tail—in hand, Strelitzia threw it deep within the Klaxosaur's maw. The mechanical beast becomes stunned by the sudden attack, with Strelitzia approaching. Grabbing the massive magma spear, she presses a button on it, causing magma energy to funnel from reserves into the spear tip.

"Game over."

The Klaxosaur violently explodes, leaving a thick cloud of blue mist in its wake, raining down on the surrounding lands, including the plantation. On the tip of the magma spear, the blue and orange Klaxosaur core is all that remains, which promptly slides off the spear with ease. Seeing that their work is done, Strelitzia glides back over to the plantation.

Once they reach the plantation, Zero Two disengages from the pistil terminal from within the cockpit, causing Strelitzia to deactivate.

"Hey Darling, we did it," she whisper to Hiro, who sat in the stamen seat.

"We did?" Hiro asks weakly, tired out by both all the running he did earlier and piloting the mech.

"Yeah, we did," Zero Two answers.

Hiro begins to slip into unconsciousness, falling out of the seat a bit. Zero Two is quick to catch him before he falls too far.

"G… good to know," Hiro grins, before falling asleep in her arms.

He's cute when sleeping too. He's too perfect.

Zero Two gently picks up his limp form, legs in one arm and back in the other.

"You did good, Darling. Better than perfect," she silently breathes, basking in his perfect form.

Down below on the desert ground, Squad 13—as well as Nana and Doctor Franxx—stood watching the opened faceplate of Strelitzia. Besides the doctor, they all were nervous to see who would step out of the cockpit, Nana worrying if they were even alive.

Out emerges Zero Two from the cockpit, carrying her partner—her darling—within her arms, bridal style. The doctor lets a small smile form on his face, already knowing exactly who it was, but it takes the rest of the parasites to figure out who it is.

Ichigo's eyes widened upon making out the stamen's finer details. "H-Hiro?!"

Goro is second to notice, but doesn't say anything. The others are too focused on the girl carrying him. Those horns of hers spelled danger for some of them.

"That's Code 002," Nana begins to explain the horned girl, "she's a special pistil who will be staying with us for the time being. But right now, we're going to need a medical team for Hiro."

"Oh, yes," Doctor Franxx realizes, Nana's request breaking him out of his trance. "As much as I admire the boy, he does look a bit banged up."

The doctor looks back up to the head of the Franxx where Zero Two still stands, lost in thought once again. You best take care of her, or you'll answer to my cane. Oh who am I kidding, you should be more worried about what she will do to you if you screw up, than what I'll ever do.

A/N

Uhhh, so here it is. The first episode done in 3 chapters, this one being the most fun to write. The reason for the delay for this chapter is that I've been working on a smaller, 2 chapter story that's supposed to be a re-imagining of ep. 14. I'm guessing it to be about 10k words when I'm done. I'll say more about it once I publish it, but just imagine if Zero Two's emotions were more, well, more emotionful. And no, there won't be any crossover from that one to this fic. That's all I have to say, so uh, goodnight I guess.

also, check out the band Riverside. some inspiration for writing this fic this comes from one album in particular. hell, the name for this chapter is derived from one of their songs.

okay I stop talking now. sleep time.