Author's notes
So little heads up before this starts, the next few chapters will begin to get longer as the story picks up. That being the case it may take a few days longer to get the next chapter out, but they will be much more enjoyable to write so the time might remain similar, I'm not too sure yet. These first 3ish chapters have been incredibly boring to write because their main purpose is to set up the changes in my universe compared to the anime, as more original content comes out I will be motivated to write more in a given day. So lets get to it.
—
"Where is my Darling?" grinds out a very upset Zero Two, "what did you do with him?" She leans forward, placing both hands on the desk, showing her fangs.
Sitting at the desk across from her sits an old man, the right side of his face is covered with metal plating, the eye replaced with a blue orb sitting in a makeshift socket. A single metal horn protrudes from his head. His hands are interlocked, elbows resting on his desk.
"He is resting," Dr. Franxx responds in a low metallic voice, "and I didn't do anything. This has all been your doing," pointing a finger from his prosthetic left arm.
Zero Two's eyes squint at the remark, "what do you mean, I, did that, to him?" she snarls at him, leaning forward.
"Please Zero Two, sit down. I need to explain something to you."
—
He had to find her. That's all that matters right now. He was missing the pieces and she had the answers.
What had he done? What had they done?
He runs up to the steps of his home. He didn't know what to do. Hachi and Nana were not in their offices and the sun had begun to set. His last option was his friends, they had to know something, at least be able to contact Nana, as his communicator must have been taken after the episode in the dining room.
Taking the steps two at a time he quickly burst through the doors and makes his way towards the couches, where he would certainly find someone.
What he finds is the entirety of Squad 13, Goro and Ichigo are sitting together on one couch with the other 3 girls taking another, Zorome and Futoshi are on the third couch, and Mitsuru is standing off in the shadows with a thousand yard stare out the window.
As soon as he enters everyone, except a certain someone, immediately begins bombarding Hiro with questions.
"What happened?"
"Are you okay?"
"What was that?"
Instead of answering their questions he asks one of his own. "Where's Zero Two?"
The silence that filled the room was his only response, everyone had averted their eyes, except for Mitsuru, who now was staring daggers at his squad member.
Seeing no one was going to answer him Hiro asks another question, "Ichigo can you contact Nana for me? It seems I've lost my communicator, tell her I need to speak to her at once."
Ichigo returns her eyes to her childhood friend, "what do you need to talk to her about? Besides you should be resting in the infirmary."
"Fine, if you won't help me I'll just have to find her on my own."
As he turns to leave a voice calls out behind him. "Wait!"
Returning his eyes to his squad he sees Ikuno, who is normally as quiet as her partner, has jumped to her feet, "Nana took Zero Two to see Dr. Franxx, and said that when you woke you should report to him as well."
"Ikuno!" shouts the squad leader as she too jumps to her feet, clearly upset, "we agreed that Hiro should rest. He can see the Dr. tomorrow."
"Your communicator is in your room," continues Ikuno, not bothering to respond to Ichigo. "It should have directions to Dr. Franxx's office."
Hiro nods at Ikuno as he turns to run to his room. He can find her. He had a way to get to her.
He needed her.
—
Zero Two reluctantly sits in one of the two chairs, knuckles white from her death grip on the armrests. Her eyes had begun to glow a dangerous red.
Dr. Franxx sits back in his chair and grabs a clipboard from his desk.
"Zero Two, I must assume based on your reactions and recent mood you have figured out who Code 016 is to you. Am I right?"
"He's my Darling from back then. The one that saved me," she says reluctantly and slowly begin to relax her death grip on the chair, her eyes beginning to return to their normal shade, "now, where is he?"
"I know you remember what was done to you, after you were returned to the Garden."
"When Darling was stolen from me," she snipes back.
The doctor responds to this with a wave of his hand, "I'm referring to the memory suppression. Yours failed within the week. His has continued to hold, until now."
"What do you mean, until now?" responds Zero Two, slight confusion clear on her face, as she begins to understand.
"The mind is very resilient to outside influences. It will latch on to anything it can in a desperate attempt to resist change. Your failure was due to your Klaxo-Genes and how Klaxo-Sapiens store long-term memories. Your influence and your ride has begun to break his suppression."
"Wh-What does that mean for us?" responds the shaky voice of Zero Two, as she begins to realize what is really happening to her Darling.
"For the time you will remain at Plantation 13. You must be careful now on with your interactions with Code 016. If he continues to have these 'episodes' it could have dire consequences on his state of mind, and his health. He's too important to be harmed."
"I-Is there anything I can do?" asks a very emotional Zero Two, face pale and shaking from something she hasn't felt in a long time, fear.
The old man gives her a long stare with his remaining eye before responding. "Yes. Be cautious in what you say to him, there may be a triggering word or phrase that has been causing these flashbacks. And, most importantly, do not, under any circumstances, tell him your story. It could cause a complete mental breakdown as his brain would do everything in its power to fight against the memory suppression. If that happens it could put him into comatose, in which he would most likely never wake."
"Why did you do this to my Darling?" asks a crying Zero Two, "did you have to steal our memories?"
"Yes," replies the Dr. wiping his forehead, "it was that or APE would have ordered both of your executions. And you both are too important for that. I had hoped the suppression on Code 016 would have worn off by now, but it seems like the worst-case scenario has happened. I'm only telling you this, so you continue with caution."
Looking at the girl he raised, and tortured, he is met with a face filled with more pain then he has ever seen on a living creature before. The old man felt something he hadn't felt in a very long time, regret. If he could have, he may have even shed a tear for her, but what was done was done, and he had work to do.
"Now, Zero Two, I'd recommend you report to Mistilteinn and wait for Code 016's return. No doubt he has some questions."
With that last part seeming more like an order than a suggestion, the broken pistil shakily makes her way towards the door. Before she can leave a voice behind her causes her to turn, "Oh, and please leave the door open. I'm expecting someone."
Zero Two responds with a quick nod and finally can leave, outside is a guard to escort her back to the Nest.
—
How could he be so concerned with her? Didn't he care about his squad? Didn't he see what he was doing to the others?
These are the questions running through Mitsuru's mind as he sits by himself in the greenhouse, surrounded by the flowers, lost in thought.
He was so lost in his mind that he didn't notice when a certain pistil walked in, water can in hand.
"Mitsuru?! What are you doing here?" asks a shocked Kokoro.
Turning around he is met with the confused face of one of his squad mate.
"What does it look like Miss. Kokoro? It is peaceful here, it helps me think."
"Why don't you do that in the library? Isn't that where you normally reside during the day?" she probes.
"I needed to be away from the others, with the situation with Hiro the house has become too tense for me."
"I like this place too," she pipes up. "It's why I asked to be in charge watering this place, even though it would be fine without us."
Looking into her eyes he is meant with something he hasn't seen for a while, hope, she was waiting for something. Seeing this Mitsuru decides it's time for him to make his leave.
"Well it is getting rather late. I will be heading back to the house. I'll leave you to your watering. Good night Miss. Kokoro."
He walked out of the greenhouse, not looking back, if he had, he would have been met with a disappointed look on the otherwise cheerful Kokoro.
—
It's well into the night by the time Hiro makes his way back to the Birds Nest. The doctor hadn't told him much, just that these flashbacks and memories were side effects of riding with Zero Two.
Bullshit! There was something more. There had to be. He knows what he saw, a young girl, being tortured, the sense of total helplessness. There had to be something else to the story. He knew that young girl was Zero Two, he was sure of that, surer than anything else he's ever known.
The old man had said Zero Two would be waiting for him to return. They weren't official partners, but they were not to connect to anyone else until Papa got back with orders.
Hiro was totally lost in thought it wasn't till he all but ran into the door that he realized his walk was done.
Walking into the house that would be his home, he sees exactly who he wanted to find. She's leaning up against one of the railings that line the steps leading to the second floor. He felt the same emotion he felt when he had first met her, he needed to protect her.
As quickly as he can he makes his way towards her. Carefully, and as gently as possible, he embraces her, pulling her as close to him as he can. This action is more than enough to awaken the sleeping pistil, who manages to use a free arm to wipe the sleep, and the remaining tears, from her eyes.
"Mph."
"Hey Zero Two."
Pulling back Hiro is met with the most beautiful eyes he's ever seen, even missing the pieces he felt that they were connected by something stronger than anything he's ever had with his squad. He can't help but flash her a happy grin.
Zero Two's eyes go wide as she sees who had woke her from her sleep.
"No!" she all but shouts, "I'm still here just so I can say goodbye. I'm so sorry for the pain I've caused you. We can't be together."
Now it was Hiro's turn to go wide-eyed. With a shake of his head he responds to the girl of his dreams, tears beginning to form, in both their eyes.
"That's not how this works Zero Two. I told you I would find you. I can't be your Darling if you leave."
After finishing his reply, a short stab of pain shoots behind his eyes. Zero Two begins to cry as Hiro does a poor job hiding the pain that one word causes him.
"This is what I mean. I can't be with you if all I do is cause you pain. Please just let me go."
Zero Two struggles to try to push Hiro away, but his grip on her doesn't break.
"You were alone back then. I'm not losing you. Even if I'm missing the memories I will not let you leave."
This time it was Zero Two who embraces her partner, digging her head into the crook of his neck. She lets all her emotion out, her walls come tumbling down as she breaks down with large, ugly sobs.
"Please, don't cry. I'm here now. I promise I won't leave you."
That just caused her to tighten her grip on him.
"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you Zero Two. Even if I don't remember, I won't leave you alone."
After a short amount of time Zero Two's breath fall into a slow rhythm and she's fast asleep. Hiro carefully carries her to the couches and lies her down. Deciding he would not leave her to wake up by herself he lays down with her, cuddling up against her. It wasn't long before sleep overcame him as well, tangled up with his partner.
—
"We're going into combat?" asks a concerned Ichigo.
"Yes. Don't worry it won't be like one from the other day," assures Hatchi. "You will be facing several Conrad class, they are smaller than your Franxx units. They have been causing severe damage in a level 8 mine. You will be tasked with clearing them out."
"We're going out with them, right?" asks Hiro, who is sitting beside Zero Two, their hands intertwined. Lucky for them they both had woken up before their squad mates, so there was no need to explain why they had been sleeping together on the couches. Goro, Hiro's roommate, had taken notice that he never returned to the room, but that was something to bring up later.
"No, Strelitzia has not been cleared for combat," answers Hatchi. "You both will remain here as a backup if the worst would come to pass." He turns back to the squad leader, "Code 015 will have field command, should anything happen you are to fall back to the surface. Understood?"
"Yes sir," replies the eager pistil.
"Good. Report to your Franxx and move out."
—
"I can't believe we're not going to be part of the mission," states a disappointed Hiro.
"I'm not worried."
The confused stamen looks at his pistil. "What do you mean by that?"
A small smile escapes her lips, "we have plenty of time to prove ourselves. Plus, that means more time to ourselves." After finishing she lays her head on his shoulder.
"Hmph, maybe you're right."
"Am I ever wrong, Darling?"
—
Conrads in a mineshaft, was that the extent it takes to bring out a full squad of Franxx? That didn't work at other plantations. They must really want to test this new squad.
Code 011 leans back into his stamen chair, if you can even call it that for it no longer resembles those seats anymore, time had long made sure of that. Looking at his display he reads over the battle plans Squad 13 would be following.
They only expect a few Klaxasaurs, at that depth that was all but impossible. He had to let out a small chuckle. These fools had no idea about basic Klaxasaur behavior, but why would they learn? That's only how they lost the previous Squad 13.
He was resting several miles away, on a small hill on a desert world, from the entrance to the mine that Squad 13 would use to get down to level 8. He was ready to observe and see why the old man made this test group.
Continuing through the battle plans, he catches that Strelitzia will only be deployed if the Conrads made it to the surface. These fools had no clue what was below them.
—
"Wow that quite a deep hole," observes Futoshi.
"Oh, shut up fatty, you afraid of a little hole?" responds the one and only Zorome.
"I told you to quit calling me that."
"Stop it, both of you," snaps Ichigo. "We need to use the lifts to get down there and I don't want to hear any bickering from either of you. Got it?"
"Yes ma'am," they reply in unison.
After several minutes descending they make it to level 8. They quickly dispose of several of the Conrad class before more start raining from the ceiling. Immediately recognizing that they would be overrun in the tight corridors Ichigo calls a retreat. As they moved back towards the main shaft the ground begins to rumble.
"Hurry, everyone on the lift. We are leaving!" shouts Ichigo.
Once they were several hundred feet back up the lift the Klaxasaurs begin climbing the walls to get to them, they wouldn't be allowed to leave that easily.
Back at the plantation Hatchi realizes that the Conrad classes wouldn't stop at the surface. They certainly would hunt down their prey.
"Code 002 and Code 016, prepare to sortie," the mention of their names causes them to jolt up. "You will meet them at the entrance to the mine, you must hurry if you are to make it in time."
The two parasites run out of the command room, hands intertwined. Hatchi turns his attention back to the monitors, what he is greeted with is the worst-case scenario.
—
It hadn't taken them long to be pushed back, but they had deployed Strelitzia too late, she wouldn't make it in time. Not wanting to lose any progress this test group has Code 011 prepares himself to intervene.
—
"We're not gonna make it," yells Argentea.
Looking down Ichigo comes to the same conclusion, the Klaxasaurs were climbing up the walls of the mine faster than the lift could take them to the surface. They were going to be caught.
"Everyone remain calm! We'll make it!" shouts an unsure Delphinium.
"Squad 13, Strelitzia has been deployed and will arrive shortly," is called over the comms, a short gasp follows. "Squad 13, seismic activity has been recorded at your position, prepare for contact."
"You heard command, prepare for contact."
Right as the sentence leaves Ichigo's mouth the wall immediately below them ruptures as a large worm class makes its presence known. The following seconds are followed by large chunks of concrete falling on the pursuing Conrad classes, it would bide them enough time to make it, although a new beast has entered the fight and was following them quickly up the walls.
As the squad makes it out of the mine the worm class grabs onto one of the Franxx, Genista, with its mouth, immediately threatening to crush the Franxx. Quickly rising into the air, the creature prepares to slam Genista into the ground.
"Nooo!"
—
Of course, the worm class was going to reach them. If only command had sent Strelitzia sooner, he wouldn't have to intervene. Even from several miles away he could make out the worm class lifting the frail Franxx into the air, much like a similar one did to his old squad and prepare to smash the unit into the Earth. That couldn't be allowed. The loss of two parasites would be too severe on such a new squad. She would have to forgive him later.
Moving Drokei into a new pose, much like a predator preparing to pounce, Code 011 raises the tail into the air, and launches a purple beam of pure energy towards the Klaxasaur. Even from several miles away, its accuracy is pinpoint.
—
"Kokoro! Futoshi!" yells Delphinium, unable to do anything but watch as a Klaxasaur prepares to kill her friends.
Out of seemingly nowhere, a quick beam of light enters her vision, and immediately hits a section of the Klaxasaur, just before the mouth, and it explodes in a shower of blue. Reeling in pain the worm class drops the incapacitated Franxx to the ground. Quickly moving in Delphinium and Argentea grab the inactive Franxx and drag her away from the damaged Klaxasaur.
"Uh, squad leader, what do we do now?" asks a very nervous Chlorophytum.
"Prepare to defend ourselves! What else?"
Behind the critically wounded Klaxasaur several dozen Conrad classes exit the mineshaft. The squad prepares themselves in front of their downed comrade as the worm prepares to throw itself at the Franxxs.
"Don't worry we're here!"
Turning to look toward the plantation they see a fast approaching cloud of dust, in front of it is…
"Strelitzia!"
The newcomer meets the worm class head-on, stabbing its lance into the beast's mouth, Strelitzia unleashes its weapon and causes the rest of the Klaxasaur's armor to disintegrate. Having been snapped out of their haze the rest of Squad 13 moves to meet the Conrad pack, head on.
With renewed focus the Conrad classes are quickly dealt with in a matter of minutes. Strelitzia manages to force the rest of the worm above ground, revealing its true size, and with a burst of her rockets she forces her lance into the beast, she doesn't stop until she's clear out the other end. With the core stabbed through the lance, the Klaxasaur, now behind her, explodes in a mist of blue.
When they return to the hanger, instead of going to the rest of her squad to celebrate or check up on Kokoro and Futoshi, Ichigo pulls Goro to the side.
"Hey Goro. Can I ask you something?"
"Always. What is it Ichigo?"
"D-Did you see something strike the Klaxasaur? Before Strelitzia arrived."
"No," he responds with a shake of his head. "All I saw was its head explode and drop our friends. Why, did you?"
"I'm, not sure," as she evades his stare. "Speaking of friends, let's go see them."
"Whatever you say madam."
Turning towards the small crowd, they make their way to rejoin their friends, who were congratulating Hiro on arriving just in the nick of time. Something just didn't feel right to Ichigo. Strelitzia wasn't the one who caused the Klaxasaur to drop Genista, something was out there.
—
They made it. Just in time. And he had been piloting with her. That was number 2. If he really was the one, he'd survive the next one. It was just a matter of time now.
Looking towards Plantation 13, Code 011 allows himself a small smile.