Flight of the Jian

by SoaringHellButterfly

On more than a scientific whim Dr. Franxx kept Hiro together with Zero Two as they grew up into the Parasite Program. While the two grow and become their own person together, they have to learn the truth of what has become of the world as they know it. As well as the meaning of what it is to be Human, as the definition has become corrupted over the last century. M for later chaps.

15. Boys x Girls

Sorry about the long wait, but I have made it a point to not rush these chapters lest I do them and you readers a huge disservice. Also had family visiting for a time and I couldn't bear to lose precious time with them, hope you understand. But now we go on!

Anyway, this chapter is full of boy/girl stuff on both sides - gosh those episode titles are working out so perfectly in most of these chapters. I decided to cut the tension a little bit halfway through this with some Squad 13 fun. I thought the Boys vs Girls fight was funny, so I decided to use it to A) Help push the development between characters along and B) Try and provide my own special twist to it. I like the idea that most of the stuff that happened in the original timeline would still happen in this one, just have some different results based on who is present/absent.

With no Zero Two to amp up the fight between the two sides, and Hiro not there to help act as mediator, how will this turn out, I wonder...? Enjoy!

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Flight of the Jian

Chapter 15

Boys x Girls

November 25 - 2136

"Ah, Code 016. To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?" Franxx asked curiously as he turned away from his current reports to give his full attention to his guest.

It certainly came as quite a pleasant surprise when the young man came into his lab of his own volition, without having been summoned for an examination or debriefing of any sort. But if Franxx were realistic, he should have seen this coming at some point.

"I need a few minutes to pass along some information I obtained from the last mission, it's confidential." Hiro responded, his voice casual but serious. Franxx raised a brow at the boy, knowing full well there wasn't any such thing, but he was quick to catch on to what he must be really wanting.

It was a subtle way of requesting to talk in private without any possible flies on the wall to listen in. Realizing this, Franxx turned back to his computer.

"Intriguing, and just what kind of information are we talking about?" He pressed a few keys, disabling the audio capture for the laboratory before turning back to his ward. "Alright, drop the facade. What is it you really want?"

Hiro's calm demeanor shifted then, a scowl forming on his face as he leveled his guardian with a firm stare. It was fascinating to see, as the old man had been more than used to his well-mannered and kind nature; his ability to keep a cool head even in distressing situations.

But here lately there was something different simmering just beneath the surface, something that only Franxx would possibly notice since he had been watching over this child and his patterns for his entire adolescence.

In the past few weeks, ever since he had shown them in the truth that was the Inner City, Hiro had been showing subtle changes in his behavior. Very subtle, that it was unlikely anyone other than the detail-driven scientist who made it his business to pay attention to everything noticed.

Such as lingering for just a few extra seconds in any given room, so he could use his superior hearing to catch the little bits of hushed conversations the APE personnel had.

Or how he would study more than just what was important to the mission on the screens during debriefing, his eyes wandering now and then to the other work stations to catch glimpses of what they were working on. Taking in what had to be top secret information.

It was not lost on Doctor Franxx, and he couldn't have been more proud of this development. While Hiro's ability to perceive things was respectable before, he still had his limitations due of his ignorance. But now said ignorance had been lifted like a veil from his eyes, and he was even more of a threat than he ever was.

It was foolish to assume he was any kind of a pushover, a mistake that would come as a shock to any who made it. The boy was planning something, of that he was sure. Hopefully during this conversation he could get an idea as to what exactly that was.

Hiro, himself, had also noticed this change, and was openly embracing it even if it meant leaving behind a piece of who he was. Perhaps Franxx had been right the day they first met when he told him that if he allowed all these physical changes to happen he would become a completely different person... but he didn't find it in him to see it as a bad thing.

He definitely had changed, maybe not so much in terms of personality but fundamentally... just as the old man said.

Hiro carried himself tall and proud for the entire encounter, no longer the weak-willed boy who allowed the adults to walk all over him. He was done being passive, he was going to get the answers he wanted. He absolutely had to in order to be better capable of protecting his beloved.

"I still have a few questions, and I think I'm ready to hear the answers to them." Hiro said.

"Is that so? And what of your partner?" Werner wondered, verbally acknowledging the absence of his pink shadow. It was odd to see Hiro acting without her by his side, even if it was for his own curiosity.

"I can pass this along to her when she wants to hear it, right now I'm more preoccupied with what I need to know." The dark-haired boy dismissed with a light wave of his hand. An act that almost mirrored his guardian's when he was wanting to skip over details.

It would've been humorous if the boy wasn't so serious.

"Very well. Have at it." Franxx conceded, motioning for him to get on with it. He hadn't been expecting another interrogation today but he wasn't against something different to make his day interesting.

"The Princess suggested I learn more about the adults that lord over us, and I want to start with you." Hiro said, not holding anything back as he kept his firm stare on the man who was possibly the biggest enigma in his entire life.

The old man in question tilted his head slightly, curious. "Me?"

"Yes. I want to know just what exactly your end game is. You don't do anything without a reason, let alone out of the 'kindness of your heart'. But here lately you've been going softer on us, in both testing and the way you talk to us. So tell me; what suddenly changed?"

The boy just had to use the phrasing "going softer" on him... He couldn't have used any other phrase...

In truth, he had always known something like this would need to happen in order to keep their trust - or what little he had left of it at this point - and to clear the air about his true motivations. He owed it to these children, and there was no doubt that they had indeed reached the appropriate amount of maturity to handle it.

While he couldn't and didn't want to reveal every little detail, as there was simply far too much to make him understand in this short time, he could open up about the key points that lead him to where he is today.

A heavy sigh left him, before he finally gave an answer. "... I did."

Hiro raised a brow, appearing slightly judgemental. Not that Franxx could blame him. "How...?"

"I told you that I was never the nurturing type, in fact you can say I was an even bigger bastard back in the day than I am now. I never cared about the immoral implications of my experiments, I committed so many illegal atrocities in order to stride forward in my scientific goals. I believed in no God and yet there were many times I strove to act as one... When we discovered magma energy... everything changed."

Looking back, he wondered if there was a single choice that started it all, or was it a series of them beyond his control? Was there anything that he or others could have done that prevented everything from ending up this way?

Her face instantly came to his mind's eye, and he instantly knew that yes... someone could have stopped him.

"I changed... for the worse."

"What happened...?" Hiro asked, his tone softening by the slightest margin. It took a lot for a person to admit they were wrong, and this old man never liked to be wrong.

"In my youth I was enslaved by my lust for knowledge, everything else became insignificant in comparison. I was no better than the adults in the city beneath us, only my dopamine was given through the various procedures and demonstrations of my experiments. I exiled myself from my peers, who gave their constant scrutiny for the ethical nature of my research. But suddenly when the Klaxosaurs began attacking to take back the magma energy, they quickly changed their tunes.

"Now I'm the head of development for the FRANXX, and the whole world is resting it's hopes on my shoulders to find a way to stop the Klaxosaur attacks. While at the same time Humanity is surrendering their fertility - the thing that gives you children the ability to pilot - for the life of immortality that Papa promised."

Franxx turned away from Hiro then, refusing to let the younger man see his weakness as he spoke his next words. The most vulnerable words he had ever uttered to another living soul in decades.

"I held no regrets or cares for anything... but now I realize the biggest mistake of my life was never signing that marriage certificate and making her my wife..."

Marriage certificate...? Wife? While Hiro had no clue what such an item was or it's significance, he did know what marriage meant. That meant that at some point there was a woman he wanted to marry, and she would have been his wife?

In that moment, he suddenly remembered back to almost two years ago, in his lab at Garden, where Franxx told him and Zero Two that there was a chance he was going to die on the third ride. Zero Two had been so upset and refused to believe it, but it's what Franxx had said after that he recalled primarily.

"You're not the first to love something, 002. You won't be the last."

That statement had caught his attention at the time, but there wasn't ample opportunity to dwell on it long since he had been suffering a life-threatening ailment that took all of his focus. It was the first time the old man had given any kind of emotional insight on himself, yet it was quickly forgotten about.

It was all making so much more sense now - at least in Hiro's perspective. The only reason anyone would ever say something like that in the first place would be because...

"You lost someone you loved."

Hiro wouldn't even call this a guess, so confident in his deductions, and it only increased when Franxx seemed to become even more stiff than usual in his posture.

"..." He said nothing, but the silence spoke volumes, and answered his question.

At first thought, the idea of this man being in love with someone was a bit strange to think about, as like all adults there was a purposeful detachment to himself and even all the other adults. Perhaps it was seen as a necessity to keep a firm level of professionalism in order to carry on with what needed to be done.

But then Hiro had to remind himself that once upon a time, however long ago it may be now, this person was once a young man like himself. He had also existed during the time when Humanity was at it's most natural and thriving, seen and felt things that were practically extinct today.

And at one point he met a person who filled a hidden void in his life that nothing else could... then he lost her.

It must've been a devastating blow. Hiro knew that if he ever lost Zero Two... he wasn't sure there would be anything to stop him from trying to find her on the other side of death. When that horrible growth had taken over him during the third ride, he can just barely remember that state of limbo he was in. Or more specifically, the feelings and thoughts he had while he lay in a stage between life and death.

He remembered being in a state of acceptance... had almost been content to leave the world behind, satisfied in the role he had played in his lifetime, however short. He had honestly thought it was the end for him, that there was no going back to the realm of the living.

But then he remembered his Zero Two, and how terribly his absence would affect her, and suddenly death wasn't acceptable anymore. He couldn't bear the thought of her going on without him there for her.

And now, seeing and knowing what he would have been sacrificing his life for... it was all meaningless in comparison to her.

Again, Hiro couldn't help feeling a little guilty for how selfish he was, but he wouldn't change it. After all this time of thinking he had known what his destiny was, he knew now more than ever before what his true purpose in life was...

To be her Prince; her protector. No other role in life - be it Parasite or member of the 9's, none of them - mattered to him.

If he could feel this way about a person, what was stopping other children - or even the adults - from doing the same? Nothing but their own limits.

Franxx had survived such a loss, but at what cost?

"Zero Two has a lot of her spirit, like her outspoken nature..." Franxx admitted. "It was after her death that I spiraled further into my madness of discovery. I poured everything into further developing the FRANXX and studying the Klaxosaurs. I went out on many dangerous expeditions to learn more about them, regardless of the risk. Then... I met her."

It take a genius for Hiro to know who he meant. "... Έna."

"She killed all of the guards accompanying me, but she spared me. Left me with a special parting gift."

Lifting up the sleeve of his left arm above his wrist, Hiro saw what lay beneath for the first time. Since the old man constantly wore lab coats, long-sleeved shirts and gloves Hiro had never been able to see it, but he knew there was something different about him other than his metallic face implants.

You don't get poked and prodded for over five years without noticing something like that. So that was how he got the robot arm.

"It was meant to be her warning to all of Humanity - to end the quarrel between us of our own volition and cease the bloodshed. But I was beyond saving at that point... From the moment I laid eyes on her, whatever shred of Humanity left inside me had chosen to die. She was the very embodiment of perfection in my mind, far too beautiful to belong to this world."

Even now, thinking back on that one moment... it was like falling in love all over again. But it was an unrequited love that could never be, as Werner knew he would never be worthy of her.

"And yet I still wanted her." He murmured in a low voice.

"That's when you stole her hair. And you used that to make Zero Two." Hiro concluded, earning a nod in response.

Έna had called it a great sin on the Human's part, and while he didn't agree with that statement he could see from her perspective. The Humans had taken so much from her already at that point, and here this man was taking more from her. Using it for a purpose that was unknown to her.

But how could it be considered a "sin" when someone so precious came out of it...?

"My obsession with her drove me to greater lengths, and I stopped caring completely about what happened to Humanity. I thought, compared to the Klaxosapiens, we were undeserving of life and yet selfishly I still wanted to know more. It was primarily my fault that we fell as a society."

Franxx turned back to face Hiro once again, comfortable with his poker face once more.

"So to answer your inquiry of what my end game is... It's redemption, plain and simple. I care not for anyone's forgiveness or to be hailed as some kind of hero for saving the planet, no... I only wish to correct my mistakes."

It was a lie, saying he didn't care for anyone's forgiveness, but only partially as he only desired one person's. Even now, while knowing damn well and accepting he didn't deserve it at all, he still silently wished for Zero Two to one day find it in her to forgive him.

For her to hate him... it felt like Karina also hated him as well.

Hiro still had questions to ask about his past, but decided it best to save them for another time. He was limited on how long he could linger in here without it being suspicious. The audio may be disabled but the cameras are still rolling.

"How much do the rest of the 9's know of the truth in comparison to us?" Franxx was a bit surprised by the sudden change in topic, but didn't comment when he answered.

"They were taught all of the forbidden knowledge in order to better safeguard their existence from the children. You and Zero Two were purposely kept in the dark since you are both at higher risk of requiring re-indoctrination from receiving such information. Though I should elaborate a bit more on that by pointing out that it is you as a pair that makes it a risk, were Zero Two on her own she would have been given the information as well."

Meaning they couldn't be trusted with whatever it was they told the 9's, because of him? Or just his presence with Zero Two? Was it both?

"What does forbidden knowledge entail? Why does my presence make it to where we don't know?" Hiro asked, puzzled as his brows cinched further together.

"Because you, Hiro, are still considered one of the normal children, regardless of your biological differences now. And your inquisitive nature has definitely given more than enough reason to keep you as ignorant as possible. As for what it entails - to a certain degree you have already discovered some of the forbidden knowledge for yourself."

"I have...?" The question came with a slight tilt of the boy's head in confusion.

"Yes, in your feelings for Zero Two." The doctor replied.

It clicked then. Boys and girls were kept separate in absolutely everything that wasn't piloting; They ate at different tables, slept in different wings, were often discouraged from touching each other...

"... It's to be close to someone... isn't it?"

"Beyond the professional level of partnership between Parasites, yes. Friendship with the opposite sex is not frowned since it helps increase the camaraderie and potential in Parasites. Intimacy, however, no matter how small on the surface, is considered an act of treason in Papa's eyes. You have been wise to have kept your affections for her hidden up til now, as there was nothing I could do if you had been caught at any time."

Hiro blushed, not wanting to know just how much Franxx knew of the 'affections' he had been showing Zero Two all this time. But it also made him fearful, if he knew did that mean others knew?

The dark-haired boy felt a nervous sweat building on his forehead at the thought. Knowing that if someone saw them being too close, and deemed it a violation there was no telling what would happen. Did they give them more of a pass because of their privilege as one of the 9's? The most they've ever done in sight of others is hold hands, more than aware of the surveillance cameras all over.

Initially he had thought it was because it was something special to him that he wanted to keep private, something that he didn't want others to see or try to take away from him. But now... maybe he had been unconsciously aware it was taboo.

All those times they had kissed in quick stolen moments, or even just held hands... They had been risking so much without even realizing.

Perhaps the only reason they had been able to get away with it for so long, was because only other children around the plantation were the ones who bore any witness to their affectionate behavior. And they were too ignorant of what they were seeing to know it was "wrong".

It was a wonder the rest of the 9's hadn't caught on... or had they? Now Hiro knew he had to be extra cautious around them, but still act as if nothing had changed.

"A century ago, it was normal for boys and girls to be curious of each other, and to grow closer as they explored said curiosities." Franxx explained. "Nowadays, though, it's seen as obsolete since we are able to accomplish everything we need without doing so. It's also seen as a distraction; too much of a risk to pull you from your responsibility as Parasites."

Franxx was purposely keeping from revealing the full extent of the forbidden knowledge, knowing that eventually the boy would figure it on his own without his help. With how close those two were, there was no doubt about it.

He had no fear that Hiro and Zero Two would inevitably discover the original reproductive instincts of Humanity, now if only he could see progress like this in Squad 13...

"So when the adults talked about how we are a "byproduct of the previous era of Humanity" that's what they're talking about?" Hiro asked.

"Correct, you paid attention in lessons." Franxx praised. "In order for piloting to work successfully you children had to keep that same physiology, but we couldn't just simply leave it at that. Papa couldn't have you acting on all the baser instincts that come with it, therefore we had to come up with a repression system in order to keep you focused more on piloting and less on each other."

Baser instincts? While Hiro wasn't sure what all that entailed, he had a decent idea. It would explain why the boys and girls were always kept at a manageable distance, as in his own experience of being kept close to a girl around his age there were bound to be some that got curious.

And in Papa's eyes it was considered treasonous to act on it, keeping Humanity in a stalemate as they had no chance of natural progression. In fact, what they believed to be progression was actually regression in reality.

It was so twisted, to deny such a natural part of themselves and believe it to be the best thing for them. But then again, it fits the nature of a genocidal alien bent on destroying all life on the planet.

"And the injections that made the children less emotional..."

"... Were designed specifically to not only increase your potential but to limit your desires. I've told you how I purposely limited your YBC injections in your younger years to see how you and other children would react; it was a test to see which of you would think more outside the box then the others."

So he wasn't crazy all those years growing up in the Nursery... Hiro knew he was different from the others for a reason, and while at the time he didn't know the extent of how much, it had been terrifying at times when he was coming out into his own as a child. The adults vehemently discouraged his attempts to be his own person, the other children that didn't want a name from him stared at him with hollow yet judgemental eyes.

Even Ichigo had cried over being so emotional, which made her stand out from the others... and she had no idea just how much of a good thing that was. Hiro couldn't imagine such a sweet girl being like the rest of the children, all dead-eyed and aloof to everyone.

The injections didn't just wipe them of their emotions, it wiped them of a personality; an identity.

They truly weren't considered people at that point, to Papa they were just tools to be used until they were broken and unable to function anymore. And Humanity wasn't the only ones he had done this to.

"At one point we Klaxosapiens believed that by abandoning our ties and embracing solitude, we could perfect ourselves, make ourselves much stronger."

Having emotions didn't make him weak... if anything, Hiro believed that it was those very feelings he had that saved his life!

If he hadn't wanted to live for her, for his Zero Two... if he hadn't cared about her so damn much and feared for her being all alone again... He would be dead right now, he was sure of it.

She had been - and still was for as long as he breathed - his reason for living.

"Perhaps some lives only shine when in unison with another."

Truer words had never been spoken, in Hiro's mind, and that didn't just pertain to him. There was not only the Klaxosapiens who had learned that the hard way, but now Humanity had turned on itself. In their blindness they believe that they are more united than ever because they are fighting for a common goal, but in reality they are more separated than ever before from one another.

They needed to be reminded of just how important other people were, that no Human being could truly be happy all alone. That it was okay for boys and girls to interact with each other and it not be considered "unnecessary"!

"So when you say Zero Two is the hope for Humanity..."

"... I mean she is the literal key to everything. Without her, the world will either fall to complete ruin or it will be able to change for a better future."

While Hiro still didn't quite understand the exact reason why she was the key, he was starting to grasp just how important of a role she had optioned to play. Key word being: optioned.

"That's such a cruel thing to ask of her... after everything she's been through. Are you sure you're not just thrusting what should be your responsibility on her?" Hiro asked him in a quiet but harsh tone. By his own words, at one point it had been Franxx who was the hope for Humanity, the one who could come up with the solution that would right the wrongs he had made.

Was creating Zero Two part of this so-called redemption from the beginning? Or was it just a coincidence that her existence seemed to be the answer he was looking for?

"I know, Hiro. Believe me when I say that I never expected this to be something she easily accepted. In fact I would daresay I tried to think of several fail safe options in case she never did... but the truth is the truth. If she doesn't come to realize just how serious this is, we may not make it another decade on this planet."

It was a very small - microscopic, even - comfort on Hiro's part, but the fact that Franxx seemed to be self-aware enough to realize that even he couldn't force Zero Two to make a choice like that, even if he wanted to...

If he really was just trying to earn redemption... this was a good start towards it, in Hiro's book.

"One more thing." Hiro said, eyes hardening as he made his final demand. "I want you to give me access to Zero Two's tracker."

Of all the things he could ask for, Werner definitely felt he should have expected that one, yet it came as a shock all the same. He raised a hand to his face and stroked his mustache as he contemplated it.

"That's a very difficult request to fulfill. What exactly do you plan to do with such permissions?" It wasn't that he didn't trust the young man with it, quite the contrary he trusted him more than anyone else in this God awful place not to misuse it. He just had to know - sate his curiosity, really - why he needed it.

He was constantly in her presence and had no real use for it... unless it was the other function he was wanting?

"What I need to do to protect her." The boy replied cryptically but sternly. Clearly he had no intention of divulging further than that.

It was frustrating, but in the end it didn't matter, that answer was acceptable enough for the old man.

He turned and walked over to another desk with a locked drawer. Taking out a key, he opened the drawer and pulled out a small rectangular device. He waved Hiro over, and the young man reached out to take what he offered when he was close enough. It was small and thin, with a blank screen, a rotating wheel and a few key buttons for typing.

"You have to be extremely cautious if or when you decide to use this. APE monitors her movements very closely, if something is even the slightest bit off they will be alerted. Absolutely do not do so within Strelizia unless running it by me first, their coordinates must always match when connected."

"Understood." Hiro said as he stored the device within his jacket in a hidden pocket at the chest. It would remain close to him at all times, never out of reach of his person.

Franxx couldn't contain his inquiry. "I must ask; what exactly is your thought process of late?"

"I won't make her choose anything she doesn't want. But I still want to be prepared for whatever comes." The answer was a pleasant surprise, though now it felt like it should have been obvious given his behavior.

The boy - no, this young man - was planning something of his own. Maybe not anything specific at the moment, but still taking proper steps to ensure not just his survival but the survival of someone precious to him. And for that, Franxx would give him everything he could.

"... Very good." Werner nodded, assuming that was the end of it. But the surprises kept coming as Hiro said something he wasn't expecting at all.

"I suppose I should say thank you." Hiro said as he started heading towards the exit.

Franxx paused, his old heart feeling a pang of something unknown. It took him a few moments to collect himself and form a response.

"Hiro... you owe me nothing. After all I've done to this world, and to you both... I don't deserve anything. However, if you truly feel I've helped you, then I will take comfort in that alone." Franxx said quietly.

"That may all be true, but regardless..." Hiro turned to look him in the eye over his shoulder. "Thank you, old man."

"Off with you, now..." Franxx waved him off, wanting to end this moment that was growing more awkward for him now. Hiro began to leave, and was just outside the threshold of the door, with it just starting to slide closed behind him when he heard it.

"... You're welcome..."

Perhaps the old man had said it as an afterthought, or hadn't intended for Hiro to hear him as the door was shutting, but he heard nonetheless.

Now, he just needed to find his other half...

Taking a deep breath of the air around him, he found a lingering trace of her scent was able to distinguish a general direction to go in and took to heading that way. Hiro didn't need the use of the tracker she wore to find her, his instincts were all he needed. Combined with his sense of smell and his own internal compass that always naturally pointed towards her, he would find her in no time.

She had taken to going off on her own a little bit more over the last month, needing some time to herself as she stewed in her thoughts. Hiro couldn't blame her at all, even if it left him feeling a little more lonesome without her constant presence at his side.

He had to remember now was not the time to be selfish, Zero Two needed him as a sturdy pillar of support now more than ever. If he faltered when she needed him the most, what kind of mate and partner would he be?

By following her scent, it took him to the elevators that went down the center of the plantation. Hiro didn't know whether or not to be surprised when his own unique tracking of her took him down the elevator to the illuminated Inner City. This was the first time he had personally found her here, since that first time they visited the month previous.

Zero Two was sitting on the very edge of a long and narrow beam that extended outward from the balcony overlooking the city. Her left foot dangled freely over the city while her right knee was raised, her arms wrapped around it as she rest her chin on her forearms.

To anyone else, it might look like some poor woman on the verge of something awful, possibly thinking of jumping... but that's not what Hiro saw.

She just looked so lost... Unsure of what to do with her life now.

Zero Two stared out into the distance, at all the people she couldn't see but knew were lying within those buildings, blissfully unaware of anything bad or painful that could possibly interrupt their paradise.

Though he knew she was perfectly capable of remaining balanced on her own, Hiro still felt a little anxious at seeing her all the way out there alone with no one to catch her if she did fall. That was - and always would be - his job.

Climbing over the railing without fear or a second thought, Hiro kept his eyes on his feet for a few steps as he made his way towards her. All the training in the obstacle course was definitely paying off as he walked steadily along the beam, his Klaxien enhancements making it effortless to stay balanced even against the harsh breeze. Had he not learned to trust these instincts months ago as his beloved taught him, he would have probably hesitated trying such a stunt.

She didn't move as he stopped just behind her, his hand reaching out and grabbing the wire supporting the beam. More so for peace of mind than actual support for himself, he was hovering hundreds of feet up, after all.

"It's all so... lifeless." Zero Two said quietly without looking up, and Hiro barely heard her over the wind. But he did, and he knew just what she meant.

"Yeah... it is." He agreed in just as soft a tone.

"It's so isolated here..." Zero Two added blankly. "Like a one-way street to nowhere, a dead-end of life."

Hiro remained silent, staring out at the sleeping city for himself. Wordlessly, his other hand moved to gently lay on top of her head, his fingers lightly rubbing between her horns. Zero Two's eyes closed in as close to bliss as she could feel right now, hovering over this cursed place.

She found herself coming back here on her own multiple times the last few weeks, just finding high places to sit and think for a little while. Each time she did she found herself hating the sight of it more and more, yet for some reason she still found herself returning and lingering for a little longer every time.

In the beginning, Zero Two couldn't stand to linger around for more than a few minutes, the sight of the buildings being all it took to make her relive her anger all over again. Even though she couldn't see them, she just knew there were hundreds of adults living in complete ignorance...

How dare all those people completely disregard everything that she and the children had done for them... Worse, they couldn't even have the decency to remember the war with Klaxosaurs existed.

All the sacrifices being made on their behalf, and they couldn't show any form of gratitude even if they wanted to. Not that she wanted their gratitude, she didn't want anything from them.

Still... she found herself here. Seeking some kind of answer to a question she didn't even know... She kept hoping that she would eventually figure it out on her own, but she knew she wouldn't.

Finally, after several peaceful minutes of quietly viewing, the pinkette opened her mouth to speak.

"What do you think about all of this, Darling?" Zero Two asked the question that had been bubbling within for a while, yet she had been too afraid to properly ask. With all the missions they've been on lately and how close the 9's were sticking to them when they could, there was hardly a time they could get to themselves.

Hiro knew what she was asking, and was honestly happy that she was ready to talk about this. He had given her space and hadn't tried to broach the subject himself, wanting her to come to him like he initially told her. The timing couldn't have been better in his mind. This was a good sign.

If she wanted his real honest opinion, he believed that despite the cruelty and hatred of the world, it didn't mean things had to stay that way. It had changed once to become the way it is, it can change again... he just had to get her to see that.

It would not be easy, it would not be simple. In fact, he still had no idea where to really start, but he was convinced it could be done.

"I used to wonder why were referred to as just Code Numbers growing up. When I first gave myself my name, and gave names to the other children who asked, the adults frowned so heavily upon it and I didn't understand why. What was wrong with just having something to call myself?"

"Because you're disposable." Zero Two replied bitterly, hatefully almost, but it wasn't directed towards him and he knew this.

"Exactly. But those were the adults that raised us, these adults here are completely different. They don't walk around with a hidden agenda - they don't walk around at all. They don't deny us answers to anything when they don't ever speak to us."

Zero Two considered that carefully, biting her lip. She said nothing, and let her Darling continue.

"It's all so messed up... But if anything, we have to acknowledge the adults in the cities are just as much a prisoner of this life as we are."

"...?!" Zero Two let out a soft gasp as her head twisted up to look at him, genuinely shocked by that comparison. How could he possibly have come to that conclusion? Thankfully he was quick to follow up with his explanation.

"Like us children, these adults have been conditioned to believe that their choices were the right ones - that this life is the best for them. They may have willingly let go of all the simple pleasures, but they didn't and can't understand the cost of doing so. Papa takes advantage of the helpless state they are left in, just as he's taken advantage of our ignorance."

Zero Two stared at her clasped hands around her knee, steadily processing what he was saying. It never failed to amaze her how he could see a completely different angle, comprehending the deeper side of things that were not always clear as day on the surface.

He had an intellectual way of seeing things, whereas she was quick to base her opinions on a more emotional aspect. It was only after thinking about it for a bit that she could come to see the more intellectual side of things like he did, and usually through his help. That's what made them work so well together, they were able to balance each other seamlessly.

"The adults that raised us, however..." Hiro clenched his fist, knowing deep in his heart he would never forgive the adults that had raised them. No matter how conditioned they had been, it didn't change the fact that they knew they were lying to them and did absolutely nothing to change it.

So many were content to let them suffer, so long as they kept their positions of power that they felt they had earned. Never so much as seeing what they were doing as wrong even when it should have been obvious; that was the part that angered Hiro the most.

As if all the tortures they had put his Zero Two through were for the greater good! And all the children they had pruned! No... he would never forgive them.

"We hardly trusted them before, but now we can't trust them at all. We truly are on our own now, Zero Two..."

It hardly felt any different from before, if both were being honest, they had gotten more than used to the feeling of it being them against the world... but still...

"... But we can't just turn our back on Humanity as a whole. Yes, there's been a great deal of them that have mistreated and abused us, but we can't simply abandon the children who are in the same exact place as us, either." Hiro said firmly as he scowled at the golden city before them. Picturing the many lives that had been sacrificed to become the fuel that powers it all.

"And I can't help but feel so much sorrow for the Klaxosaurs, too... all this time we've been led to believe they were the evil in this world that created the ruined state we're in. But it's all been another lie. Almost everything we've known has been a lie, Zero Two... It's hard to know what's real now."

The ruby-horned woman nodded along, his words describing her feelings so perfectly. It was part of the source of her anger; not knowing what was real anymore.

The only truth she knew without a sliver of doubt was that she loved her Darling, and she needed him with her. Her love for him was real, and that was all that kept her going now.

"But that doesn't mean it has to always be that way."

Zero Two's head looked up at his then, her confusion plain to see. "What do you mean...?"

"This doesn't have to be our future, Zero Two." Hiro said, gesturing to the buildings. "This doesn't have to be anyone's future if they don't want it, either. If there's a chance we can be free of Papa and APE altogether... I want us to take it."

He knelt then, maintaining a perfect balance that would make an acrobat jealous, and grabbed her hands in both of his.

"I've always told you that everything is second priority compared to you, and that remains true even now. But how can I live with myself if I found a way to steal you away from here for good, live a life of happiness all our own... and let all those other children suffer this, or worse?"

Zero Two's heart felt a sharp pang of shame, her eyes dropping away from his. Darling may have been hesitant to do so, but she wasn't. At least, she wasn't several weeks ago, now she wasn't so sure...

She had only ever committed herself to this life because there was no other choice, not if she wanted to keep her Darling. There was no way she would ever do anything to risk losing him, and going rogue would definitely create a huge risk.

"How can you stand to be with me right now...?" The pinkette asked him quietly. "I'm perfectly willing to let the rest of the world burn just to keep you... I'm no savior of the planet when I think like that!"

"To be selfish is to be Human, Zero Two. You may not be fully Human but that doesn't stop you from feeling the way one does. You experience the same flaws, and therefore you have more in common with Humanity than you think. We may not be the same biologically, but socially we are. And I'm no better than you are in that aspect." Hiro admitted softly.

Zero Two shook her head some. "Yes you are... You've always been far better than me. Because you care, not just about me but life in general."

"I know that you care, too. In your own way." Hiro told her as he gently squeezed their hands. "Because you said so yourself to comfort me several months ago when I was fretting about my friends being angry with me."

"... Huh?"

"You said 'All of us children know what it's like to go through the system and have our fates held at the whims of the adults'. You said it while wondering if they would like you if they met you. You wouldn't ask that if you didn't care at least a little. You also said 'The things we know as reality can be shifted and altered at the drop of a hat'. Well, Zero Two, what if I said we could be the ones who altered it?"

"...?!" Zero Two looked at him wide-eyed, words failing to escape her as her mouth open and closed in several attempts to respond.

Alter their reality? How could they possibly do that? Seeing the sheer confusion in her expression he set out to make her see what he meant.

"Your past is what it is, Zero Two, and we can't change that now no matter how much I wish for it... But we can change our future. Remember how we always talked about how sad the ending of our picture book is...?"

Slowly, Zero Two nodded her head at him, not sure of where he was going with this, but her attention was completely enraptured by him. Her wide teal eyes shimmered in the golden hue of the city as he lifted his right hand to tenderly caress her cheek with it.

She was so beautiful to him... if only she knew.

"The Princess felt she had to leave her Prince and never be seen again in order to protect him from herself, such a bitter and tragic end... But the two of us won't be like them. I refuse to be, especially now that we're the same." The hand on her cheek gently traced the red outline at the corner of her eye, his other hand mimicking the motion under his own.

"Darling...!" She gasped as he lowered his hands to grasp hers once more.

"Even before your skin and blood changed I wasn't willing to let you go, but the fact that it has just affirms to me that you were meant to be with me and vice versa. And I refuse to let my Princess leave me or suffer any kind of fate like that if I can help it. We'll write our own ending to that picture book, Zero Two. One where we get the happy ending that they deserved."

Our own ending...?

"We can get out of here, I promise you." He said, and this moment felt a little like deja vu... The wind blowing across her face, the way he was holding her hands, the words he spoke to her.

Zero Two stared at him in awe with a light flush on her cheeks, as her mind's eye recalled the vibrant colorful world that was their storybook. When she was locked away all alone in that cold room, that book had been her only comfort, always wishing she could escape into the pretty pages and leave this awful world behind.

But then she had met her Darling, and she started believing that so long as she was with him, her life could be like the beautiful world in their picture book. She wanted it, she yearned for it more than anything... but now it felt completely out of reach with everything they've learned.

And yet Darling still held hope... Hope that they still could have it, together.

"But... How?" Zero Two whispered. Hiro smiled as he stood them both up, trying to stay focused solely on her and not so much how high up they were.

"It's not set in stone, my love, no matter what the adults might think. We changed our entire lives just by meeting, perhaps we can change other things too. With just the right time and planning, we can do anything. We don't have to be "saviors of the planet" - but maybe we can contribute to it's healing."

It was with that statement that the two of them felt a new door unlock and open before them. A new path that had been hidden to them all this time finally making itself known.

There is another way; another option for this life.

Slowly Hiro guided her back to the balcony railing, hand in hand with Zero Two following behind him. After hopping back to the other side he kept holding her hand as she did the same, and only let go of her hand to wrap his arm around her shoulder, bringing her closer to him.

"I've been thinking about it a lot lately, and we both do have a very heavy advantage. We're two of the most - if not the most - valuable Parasites the adults have at their disposal, we've never given them any reason to doubt our loyalty. We've been given access to many sights that other children would never comprehend. And now that the old man feels he can trust us with more, we have him to help."

Zero Two made a "humph" sound of disbelief at that, but she didn't pull away as she let her weight rest against him.

"I know how you feel, even after talking with him earlier I still don't know my own feelings towards the man." Hiro admitted. "But I won't allow myself to not take advantage of his status in APE, either. If anyone can actually stand a chance of making a difference, it's us."

Zero Two was quiet for a few seconds as she considered it, with how confident he sounded she wanted to believe in it too, but the doubts still shadowed her. The "what-if's" once again coming and trying to scare her away from acting on what she wanted.

"But what if the other children won't follow along with us?" She asked as she looked up at him through her lashes. "What if... this is what they want?"

"This is what they think they want, Zero Two..." Hiro urged as he gently turned them both to look at the city once more.

"... because they've been conditioned to want it. We've all been manipulated since birth to believe that Papa's word is wisdom and all he does is for the good of everyone. I didn't fully believe it when I was a child, and I certainly don't now. But I've had eye-opening experiences to help with that, we both have. The other children haven't, and if they have - they've been brain-washed to believe otherwise."

Once again, Darling always had a unique way of wording things to where she could understand it better, from a whole other perspective. If she had tried to ask him before now, she might not have been willing to listen, but now she finally felt ready to try and come to terms with it all.

What other choice did she have? What other choice did any of them have?

To be free in her own paradise, with only her Darling by her side, while all the rest of the children suffered a fate worse than death...

"... How can we possibly convince them?"

Hiro's smile widened, this was magnificent progress for her. The fact she was even asking meant she did care, even if she herself wasn't sure of how much yet.

"One thing at a time, Zero Two." He said as he rubbed her shoulder. "We can't possibly change society in one day, or even one year. It'll take a long time, a lot of trying and possibly heartache, but I believe in us. I believe we can create some kind of change, because whether those children know it or not, they are in danger and they need help."

It would never occur to them that the danger rest more within the adults that were supposed to care for them, not so much the Klaxosaurs they were made to fight. And if it did, it would occur far too late...

"But more than any of that, I just want to be able to keep my promises to you. That's all that's ever truly mattered to me." Hiro's voice dropped as he spoke, his eyes staring deeply into hers as he brought them even closer together. Zero Two felt the blush return to her face from the intensity of his gaze on her, unconsciously biting her lip as butterflies filled her stomach.

"After all..." He murmured with his lips a mere inch from hers, so close she could feel his breath as he spoke. "... how can I possibly make you my wife if there is no world to live in?"

Her heart skipped a beat at him saying the word 'wife', her cheeks heating to create a deeper and more adoring shade of pink. "Darling..."

Hiro beamed at how gorgeous she looked, her face all aglow with a shy smile on her lips that made him all the more tempted to kiss her. He did just that, letting his lips linger on hers for a few precious seconds before pulling away and lightly brushing their horns together. Another thing they shared that meant so much to him.

"After everything is said and done, I'll finally be able to marry you, and be your Darling forever. If nothing else, just keep thinking that when times are hard."

Zero Two sighed. She still wasn't committing to anything but her Darling, but in time perhaps she could be persuaded otherwise...

"... I'll think about it." Zero Two relented, before pulling away and burying her nose in his jacket.

"That's all I'm asking, Honey." Hiro said with a hidden grin on top of her head.

She let out a soft groan - half in enjoyment at the word and half in annoyance at him using it. For someone not trying to convince her, he wasn't playing very fair, either. How could she possibly resist him when he talked like that...?

Her head rolled slightly against his shoulder, the glowing city reflecting in her teal eyes as she pondered his words.

A different ending to the story... Write their own ending together... Could they really do it...?

If Darling believed they could... Maybe.

---

December 7 - 2136

"Would it kill you to actually clean up after yourselves properly?! We're so tired of having to clean up after you because you're so lazy!" Miku screamed.

"Well we think it's unfair to have to clean up after you girls' gross habits too!" Zorome shouted in return at her.

The two were standing practically nose to nose in front of each other, each with their own angry scowl on their face as they glared at one another. The rest of the squad stood nearby, as they were all gathered in the foyer, but there was a clear divide in the group.

The girls stood behind Miku in support, while the guys just awkwardly hung out behind Zorome.

"How dare you compare us to disgusting boys like you who leave the toilet seats up, and the bowl and floor covered in pee stains!" The redhead fired back, her nose crinkled from disgust.

The spiky brunette rolled his eyes at her dramatics. "As if that's worse than you girls leaving gross hair clogs in all the drains! Sinks and showers!"

The pig-tailed young woman grew as red in the face as she was in her hair, her cheeks puffing up in indignation. How dare he?!

For four months now they had been living together in this big house, but not everything was as peaceful and tranquil as it had been on that first day.

They were initially told that they would all have to take responsibility in the form of chores now that they were in a more reserved environment that had far less adults to take care of everything. Their laundry and dietary needs were met without fail, and the maintenance on the house itself was managed decently.

All of the cleaning, however, was completely left to the children. And some of them did not take well to having to do so.

Since each gender had one bathroom upstairs it was a given that each side would tend to that one for themselves, but it was the downstairs bathroom that caused the primary tension. It was primarily for bathing, but there were still other parts of it that acted as a regular bathroom that both sides could use during or after bathing.

The girls followed through with their end of cleaning without problems, but a couple of the boys... did not do so well keeping up with theirs. And since they couldn't force them to clean, the other two weren't inclined to do their share for them, so the job was always left half done.

This ultimately made the girls frustrated, as the bathroom would be perfectly clean when the boys used it, but only half clean when the girls did. It was entirely unfair, and honestly pretty disgusting.

So it wasn't surprising when things came to a head one Sunday... a Mexican standoff of sorts occurring between the two sides.

"Still, it's not right that you don't clean up your fair share and leave it to Goro and Mitsuru." Ichigo chastised in a calmer voice. "Regardless of how we feel about it, you should still pull your weight for your fellow squad mates."

"I just don't see the point in doing all that extra stuff you try to make us do anyway! Why do we gotta scrub the tub clean after we're done if it was full of soap and water?" Zorome scoffed with a roll of his eyes.

"Oh dear..." Goro muttered under his breath as he slapped a hand to his face, already seeing where this was going.

The girls all gasped at this, looks of horror coming onto a couple of their faces as they stared at him. Miku began gagging into her hand as his words echoed in her brain.

"The germs..." Kokoro whispered as her face began to pale.

"Absolutely vile..." Ikuno commented with a scowl.

"Perhaps we should have requested more disinfectant for Gift Day..." Ichigo muttered with a grimace.

"What?!" Zorome demanded heatedly, hating that they were looking at him as if he were carrying a virus.

"You are not allowed to use the baths until you properly clean them!" Miku snapped, pointing her finger at the lot of boys. Futoshi grimaced, but was willing to surrender until Zorome spoke on their behalf.

"As if you can tell us what to do! Who died and made you the boss?!" He scoffed as he shook his fist at her.

"I'm going to stand by Miku on this one." Ichigo stepped in. "You boys clearly need to work out some issues regarding the cleaning, and until you do so you're all banned from using the downstairs bathroom."

"H-Hold on, Ichigo!" Goro argued with a hand held out. "There's no need to punish all of us here! Yeah, you're right we need to work some things out but surely there are better ways of going about it."

"He's right, Ichigo..." Kokoro piped up softly. "Goro isn't technically part of the problem."

Ichigo didn't seem to consider her words though, none of the other girls appeared to either, too wrapped up in their own annoyance and anger with the boys to try and reason with them.

"You contributed to this predicament by not helping to fix it before now, Goro. As part of the cleaning duty with him you should have intervened. Therefore, you get to be a part of the punishment. As squad leader I'm making this an official order." The blunette replied stiffly with a look that challenged her partner to argue more.

Before Goro could even try to make a counter argument to her, the quietest of the male side interjected with his own thoughts.

"This is ridiculous..." Mitsuru said with a scowl as he crossed his arms. "I refuse to be roped into this mess when the moron can't stop being what he is."

"You pompous-!" The shorter boy made to have a go at the other boy with slicked back hair, only to be grabbed by the tallest one with glasses. Mitsuru didn't even flinch at the attempt.

Goro was beginning to grow more frustrated with how quickly everything was falling apart at the seams, but he tried his best to keep it inside and remain calm. He knew that other than possibly Futoshi he was the only one on their side that would try playing peacemaker, he couldn't let this deteriorate anymore than it already had.

"Easy, Zorome. We're divided enough as it is." The blonde tried to calm him only to be shoved off by Zorome.

"No! I ain't gonna play into their demands! Just because they have the squad leader on their side they think they have control over this house!" He barked as he pointed an accusatory finger at the girls.

"This has nothing to do with control." Ichigo told him sternly. "This has everything to do with your refusal to help out and do your fair share."

"M-Maybe we should just lighten up on some of the duties? That'll make it easier on everyone!" Futoshi suggested. Goro sighed, appreciating the effort but knowing it wouldn't solve anything.

"That's hardly a good solution when it only encourages more laziness, it doesn't cure it." Ikuno retorted as she pushed her glasses up her slightly raised nose.

"It's not being lazy, it's making it less of a hassle. You can't tell me you actually enjoy doing all that extra unnecessary work?" Zorome snorted as he raised a brow at them. Miku felt a vein pulse on her forehead as she just about reached her breaking point.

"That does it! If you want to be so immature and a jerk about it, then I'm done living with you!" The redhead stomped off from the group, going over to a side table and opening the drawer on the side. She pulled out a thick roll of something, and without making eye contact with anyone she went to the stairs.

A loud tearing sound filled the silence as the others watched her work, all looking at her with dumbfounded expressions.

A minute later, there was a thick white line of tape that started at the top of the clock on the center stairway and extended all the way down the steps and stopping just before the double doors. The boys stood on one side, while the girls glared at them from the other.

"There! You stay on your side and we'll stay on ours! This way you can make your area as much of a pigsty as you want!" Miku ordered as she pointed down at the dividing line.

"That's stupid! The dining room is also over there on that side! What're we supposed to do - starve?!" Zorome huffed as he began to stalk towards her side.

"Zorome." His foot paused just above the line at her murderous tone. "Cross that line and you will regret it."

Normally he would have pressed his luck, too stubborn to let her walk all over him, but the cold dead-eyed look on her face as she delivered that threat - in combination with the hard stares from Ichigo and Ikuno - was enough to get him to retreat back to his side.

"Come on, there's no need to resort to this." Goro tried mediating once again in a soft tone. "Surely there's another way we can resolve this."

"I actually think this is a fine compromise." Ikuno argued with a hand on her hip. "It'll lessen the amount of opportunities you boys have to stare creepily at us."

In spite of her using the term "you boys", for some reason her eyes narrowed in on Futoshi in particular, who cringed away from the look. He was so confused why she was glaring dagger at him, he didn't do anything wrong?

"I-I'm not a creep! And I don't stare!" Futoshi cried out, until he noticed Kokoro's expression shift into a grimace as she bit her lip.

The sight made him freeze in place, a subtle look of horror crossing over his face as he began second-guessing himself. Instead of agreeing with him, and helping to dissuade them of what should have been a lie... she was now avoiding looking him in the eye. It made his heart plummet into his stomach.

With a gasp, he asked his partner. "... D-Do I, Kokoro?"

The pale blonde jolted at all the attention now being focused on her, and she shuffled on her feet in uncomfortable silence for a few awkward moments. Kokoro really didn't like being put on the spot like this, and she wasn't sure if she should be honest or sugar-coat the truth to soften the blow.

However one glance towards the girls next to her, staring back at her expectantly, told her that she shouldn't lie. Twiddling her fingers together, Kokoro softly told him the truth.

"U-Umm... Sometimes... Sometimes I don't feel good about the looks you give me."

"B-But...! I don't mean any harm by it, I-I only do it because I think you're amazingly beautiful!" The auburn-haired boy said passionately in defense.

While he meant this as a compliment - an innocent explanation for his occasional admiring of her lovely countenance - the way he worded his sentence did nothing to help his situation. The other girls' stares darkened at him, and Kokoro's face grew red from embarrassment as she turned away from him altogether.

Futoshi twitched and his mouth dropped open, realizing he had somehow made a mistake in what he said, but was be how to fix it. As it is he didn't quite understand what he had said that was wrong, it was the honest truth.

She was very beautiful in his eyes, he couldn't help but admire her. Becoming her partner made him feel so lucky and happy, he just wanted to show her he could protect her...

"Idiot..." Mitsuru muttered under his breath before finally having enough and walking away. To avoid further annoyance, he stuck to the "boys" side of the line as he went upstairs to his room. Zorome paid him no attention and went up to bat for Futoshi.

"What're you getting mad at the guy for? It's not like it hurts for us to look at you." If looks could kill, Miku would have obliterated Zorome where he stood as she glared the most chilling glare he'd ever seen her make. He had no idea he had just outed himself for doing the same thing.

"Pig...!" The redhead hissed, and Zorome's mouth opened to yell at her some more only to be cut off by Ichigo.

"Just because it's not a physical discomfort doesn't take away the reality that it is a discomfort. The fact that you don't seem to grasp that is even more reason to give each other some much needed time apart."

"Wait, come on, think about this rationally!" Goro exclaimed in a panic as things just kept crumbling.

"We ARE rational!" Every girl except Kokoro - who squeaked and took a step back - shouted back in outrage. The dark look of pure rage on their faces made the other boys shrink behind Goro some as they felt beads of sweat go down their temples.

Lesson learned that day; If there was one thing women hated, it was being called irrational.

"Well now it's official!" Miku exclaimed. "We'll stay on our side of the house, and you stay on yours!"

"Fine, we will! You girls will be the first ones to crack, though!" Zorome sneered.

"Ha! We'll see after you can't have dinner tonight OR bathe!" Miku taunted with a sassy shake of her hips.

And with that, the girls retreated upstairs to privately celebrate in their minor victory. Zorome, growling with fury, and Futoshi went off on their own to think about what just happened in their own way, while Goro was left alone in the foyer staring at the dividing line.

He could just rip it off right now and tell them this was completely stupid and pointless, that it was doing more harm than good... but that would just make everything worse, wouldn't it? The blonde sighed heavily as he sat on the steps, truly stumped at what to do now to remedy things.

Watching all of this unfold from an observation room in the Administration Building, Hachi and Nana stared in befuddlement at the monitors that displayed the children taping parts of the house off. They had witnessed the entire confrontation between members of the squad, and were almost at a loss for words.

"This is highly unusual... I've never seen anything like this." Nana said without looking away from the monitors, her brows furrowed in concern.

"It's not beyond possibilities for some members of squads to disagree, but to act like this..." Even Hachi was unsure what to make of it.

"We should report this to Dr. Franxx. He told us to alert him if they behaved different than normal." The man suggested and his red-haired companion nodded in agreement.

"Good idea." She then went to the larger computer and typed in a few keys to send a video call request. They didn't have to wait long, about twenty seconds, before the feed was accepted and the old man with the half robotic face appeared on screen.

"It's rare for you two to call me like this... Is something wrong?" Usually it was Franxx reaching out in his own scheduled time to check in on things, if at all. The rest of the time they simply sent in written reports along with the footage of the squad's activities. He wasn't wrong in that them calling him was unusual since until now everything was normal.

"Not in an emergency sense - yet - but we can't help but express concern for the situation that is currently unfolding." Nana clarified, and the scientist on the screen perked up at this some.

"Oh? What kind of situation are we talking about?" Now they had his full attention, as he was hoping it was a breakthrough of sorts that he had been waiting for.

"Sir, they have begun feuding amongst each other and even divided up the house into separate territories. The girls have completely turned against the boys." Hachi answered him.

"Really...? All of the children were feuding?"

"For the most part, the girls were upset with the boys and both sides had varying emotional responses. It was the angriest I've ever seen some of them." Nana said.

Varying emotional responses, eh? Including anger... This was not the news Franxx was expecting, but it was still something nonetheless. They were finally showing outward displays of emotional behavior, acting irrationally on their feelings rather than logic like most children. It was a satisfactory development.

"Interesting..." Franxx muttered to himself as he smoothed his mustache. "How old are the children at this point?"

Nana was the one to answer, having spent the most time with the children, having raised them practically since birth. "Mitsuru is the eldest, he'll be sixteen years old in February. The rest are fifteen as well."

"From the sounds of it and your reports of late, it must be attributed to puberty." Franxx hypothesized.

"But, sir..." Hachi began uncertainly. "It's highly unprecedented for squads to have so many go into puberty at once. Almost unheard of."

"Usually it's only one or two at most that enter puberty at a given time." Nana added in agreement.

"Ahh but this is not your typical squad, you'll remember. They were chosen for a very specific purpose in my experiment and this news has certainly made things turn more interesting."

"Doctor, I really think it best for us to intervene immediately." Nana said with concern. "The APE manual clearly states that such issues be dealt with in a timely manner. What if HQ learns of this? What if this ruins their ability to pilot together?"

"Dear Nana, what would be the point of this experiment if we did that? Simply continue to observe them as they are, and only intervene if absolutely necessary. Detail all your observations thoroughly, and whatever happens do not tell the geezers at HQ. Is that clear?"

"Crystal, sir." Hachi answered firmly. Nana, however, hesitated to do the same as she still held her reservations about allowing things like this to progress. She knew this was important to the experiment that the doctor was conducting but what good could come from allowing them to be hostile to each other? It could ruin the whole squad.

"Nana...?" Franxx pressed lightly when he received no reply from her.

"Yes, Doctor..." Nana finally responded, still unsure about all of this but deciding to go along despite her better judgement. She prayed this wasn't a mistake on her part.

"Very good. I look forward to hearing how things conclude, hopefully all works out for them. Until next time." Then the feed was cut off and the screen went blank, leaving the two alone once more to keep watch over their charges.

"Once they've had time to themselves, I'm positive they'll see the error of their ways." Hachi said in a stiff attempt to reassure Nana, who made a small smile in response. It didn't help, but she appreciated the effort.

"Yeah, hopefully you're right..."

---

December 9 - 2136

It had been over thirty-six hours since the fight, and things had not changed for the better, but not for the worse either yet. To Nana and Hachi's amazement, the children had doubled down on their argument instead of attempting to seek a resolution.

There were now signs posted on both sides of the house, banning entry to anyone who wasn't of that biological sex. The girls held firm on denying the boys entry into the dining room during dinner the first night, and all of yesterday as they enjoyed a private meal where they stuffed themselves silly with the boy's share.

The ladies - with the exception of Kokoro - had been certain that they were going to win this war since there was no way the boys could hold out forever with no access to food or the baths. The unbearable feeling of being dirty was bound to get to them eventually, and no Human being could survive starvation.

"They'll be crawling on their hands and knees, weak from hunger, any time now." Miku laughed as they made their way downstairs for breakfast. "I give them three days, tops. Four if they're stubborn but I doubt Futoshi will hold out that long."

"Mmm, something smells really great." Kokoro said, trying to change the subject. She didn't want anymore talk about her partner, especially if it was in the negative like that. Thankfully it worked as Miku's eyes brightened at the mention of food.

"I'm starving, I can't wait to see what it is!" Miku said as she sped faster down the stairs.

Only to halt when she reached the landing, and took in the sight of the dining room. The girls were puzzled at her sudden stop, until they reached her side and also saw what she was looking gobsmacked at.

"W-What...?" Miku whispered in disbelief.

The boys were already sitting at their usual table, happily munching away on a wonderful looking breakfast consisting of an egg and spinach quiche, sliced ham, and a side of beans. One in particular with more gusto than the others as the girls walked into sight of the doorway.

Goro turned and looked over his shoulder at them, before giving them a smile.

"Oh, sorry. We've taken over this area. We noticed you girls didn't properly tape off the dining room on your side, so we decided it was fair game."

Since the tape Miku laid down had ended just before the front doors to allow space for the two sides to exit the house, there was a significant gap that - with some clever adjustment - would allow the boys entry into the dining room. So they simply woke up earlier than the girls and took some more tape then dragged a haphazard curved line along the floor to block them off from breakfast.

And that was the loophole the boys used to significantly decrease the amount of space the girls had access to on their own side.

The girls all had a mix of expressions on their faces at this development. Kokoro stood with her hands folded in front of her and a lost look on her face as she was unsure of what to say or do. In truth she thought this was a fair punishment considering they had denied them food all day yesterday.

Ikuno and Ichigo bore similar looks of annoyance and disgust, while Miku trembled with building anger.

"No fair!" She whined childishly. "You're heartless!"

"You're right. These rules aren't fair, for either of us." Goro agreed, being sincere. That sincerity was severely watered down, however, when Zorome began loudly moaning at the taste of the quiche he was shoving into his mouth.

"MMM~! Today's breakfast is extraordinary!" He gushed in a bragging manner, small bits of quiche flying from his big mouth as he rubbed it in.

"All of us could always just drop this silly fight, you know... and eat together as a squad again." Goro suggested with a gentle smile, hoping with all his might that they would just say yes. Unfortunately, that would not come to be.

"It's a trap." Ikuno said with narrowed eyes.

"Agreed." Ichigo said with just as steely a gaze aimed at the boys.

Miku, drooling at the mouth and feeling weak from hunger, began to cross over the line. The temptation of food so great that she was almost willing to do the exact thing she had said the boys would do just minutes ago, and without having gone a day without food on top of that.

Two sets of arms quickly shot out and wrapped around each of hers, holding her back from stepping over.

"Don't go, Miku!" Ichigo exclaimed from her right.

"They're trying to provoke us." Ikuno told her sternly from her left.

The two then proceeded to drag the whining girl back up the stairs and away from sight of the boys. The redhead fruitlessly struggled in their holds, shouting a pitiful "No!" as she was pulled away from the delicious aroma of the ham as well as the yummy-looking egg and spinach quiche.

Kokoro, unsure of what else to do, simply followed behind out of concern for her friend. The boys sat in the dining room and continued eating, watching them all go with various reactions.

The blonde watched them go in disbelief, stunned by their ability to be so petty. Even Miku looked like she was going to break at that point, and she was known to be the most petty of all of them.

Goro sighed heavily. "Stubborn to the end, huh? Talk about pigheaded."

"That's a female for ya." Zorome said with his mouth stuffed with quiche. "Mmm~! Not so fun when the sock is on the other foot, huh?"

"I think you mean shoe..." Futoshi corrected, only to shrink back in his seat when Zorome whirled his head to glare at him.

"Shut up, Fatty!"

"Moron..." Mitsuru muttered under his breath before he took a sip of his tea, his voice going unnoticed by the others.

Goro ignored Zorome's ignorant comments and went back to his food, chewing slowly as he mulled over what to do next. This fight wasn't getting them anywhere and at this rate their capacity to synchronize might be permanently affected from all this tension.

If something didn't happen to change the current situation, their whole squad might implode on itself. And Goro couldn't bare to see that happen.

As the boys continued eating, Futoshi noticeably ate much slower than usual now, his own thoughts consumed by the ashen blonde who just went upstairs. She still wasn't making eye contact with him, he couldn't help but notice during the short confrontation just now, and it hurt him greatly.

He had been hoping to cross paths with her and try to apologize by now, but she seemed to always be somewhere else. Futoshi was scared to think she was doing it on purpose.

"Hey, guys..." At Goro's head looking up in acknowledgement Futoshi hesitantly asked him. "Do you think I... I act creepy towards Kokoro...?"

"Nah! I think the girls are just overreacting!" Zorome instantly responded with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Spiders and such are creepy, you're just you."

Futoshi smiled at his friend, but inside he still felt so unsure so it came out as more of a grimace. Goro was quick to give his own opinion on the matter, though, to properly reassure him.

"I think what he's trying to say is the other girls may have taken it out of proportion on Kokoro's behalf. No one can speak on how she feels but her, and I'm sure if you just give her some time she'll come around and talk to you about it. She's not that cruel, she's probably just as confused."

The auburn-haired boy sighed sadly, before going back to picking at his beans. The memory of Kokoro's face as she turned away from him in discomfort, refusing to look him in the eye, it made his appetite start to wane away.

Futoshi didn't want Kokoro to ever look like that ever again... his heart couldn't bear it.

But what if there was something else about him that she just didn't like? How was he supposed to know what it was? And how could he fix it...?

---

Later in the afternoon, inside the greenhouse amidst the peaceful silence of the flowers and shrubs within, a lone voice could be heard talking to them. Lamenting on her recent woes.

"You plants have it so easy..." Kokoro sighed as the can she held showered the white lilies. "All you need is some water and sunlight, a comfy bed and you're as happy as can be. I wish I could be so lucky..."

The flowers remained quiet, naturally, but their swaying movements as she watered them almost seemed like a subtle way of saying "Go on, tell us more" to her, so she kept venting her feelings to them. It was very therapeutic for her, as the flowers listened without judging, without prejudice or bias.

To them, all her problems were insignificant. If only it were that simple for her, too.

"Things have gotten so bad at the house, there's tape everywhere and signs, it's quieter than usual unless someone's arguing... I hate it so much. The other girls are still bearing grudges, and nothing I say seems to get through to them."

She genuinely had been trying to be a voice of reason, even talking to Goro privately to see what they could do on both sides to get them to reconcile. But it seemed he wasn't having any better luck with the guys, as Futoshi was scared of confrontation and Zorome was being as petty as his partner.

"What if we suddenly have a mission? How are we supposed to sync up well if our bonds are strained like this?" Kokoro gasped at this train of thought. "What if we can't connect anymore because of it?"

The blonde paused in her watering, biting her lip in fear of that possibility. She didn't want any of this to happen, but she was at a loss of how to fix it. She had never been in a situation like this before, and it was frightening because she felt so lost.

Almost on the verge of tears, she muttered. "I just don't know what to do to help..."

"Who are you talking to?" A male voice asked out of nowhere.

"EEK!" Kokoro shrieked as the watering can flew up out of her hands from her jumping in fright. The metal can went soaring a few feet across the green house, water spilling out as it went, before clattering noisily to the ground.

Hand over her now racing heart, she spun around and her startled eyes met those of Mitsuru.

"M-Mitsuru... You startled me." Kokoro said with a blush building on her cheeks from embarrassment as she went to pick up the dropped can. The young man's expression didn't phase from the stoic look that he usually sported, even as he stood with a hand on his hip.

"You're not going to ban me from entering the greenhouse too, are you?" He asked in a haughty tone that was almost taunting. As if he was challenging her to even try it. Kokoro's eyes went wider and she began furiously shaking her head, her long wavy hair flying about.

"No, no! I would never do that! Just because the others are wanting to continue fighting doesn't mean I do..."

Mitsuru stared at her silently for a few moments, judging her words for what they were before finally shrugging.

"At least one of you sees reason." Mitsuru sighed, before wandering further in to browse at the current state of the plants. It seemed every time he came in they were just slightly different looking; more lively. Which only spoke volumes of the care that was going into them.

The ashen blonde watched him taking in the plants, and seeing an opportunity to share her hobby with someone Kokoro quickly tried taking it.

"I know you said you didn't care for gardening... but you know, there's all kinds of hidden meanings to flowers that not many people know about. A language of flowers, if you will, it's really fascinating." Kokoro said with a smile. "Every flower has it's own unique message that can be read if you know what you're looking for. Like did you know roses come in all kinds of colors? And each color has it's own meaning, too.

"The red ones mean passion, the pink ones represent femininity and sweetness. The yellow ones mean friendship, and the white ones..."

She trailed off in her rambling when she realized Mitsuru didn't appear to be listening, the same uncaring expression never leaving his face as he stared at the plants.

"Am I bothering you...?" Kokoro asked quietly as she lightly poured water over some Daffodils to distract herself.

"No more than usual." He replied aloofly.

Kokoro frowned, unsure what to make of that answer, as it was rare for them to communicate with each other outside of squad missions. Mitsuru always kept to himself and she found herself too intimidated to approach him on her own, no matter how much she wanted to.

It was only through rare meetings in the greenhouse like this where she managed to get the courage to talk to him without feeling like a burden. Something about the flowers around her filling her with a little more confidence.

"I'm sorry... I guess I just wanted to have an actual conversation with someone that wasn't about the fight. Do you mind...?"

"It's utterly stupid..." The boy spat as he glared through the glass windows towards the house. "That lazy idiot wants to be stubborn and thick-headed, and our mighty leader tries to make me suffer with him. I'd hardly call that a reasonable solution."

Kokoro blinked, not expecting him to go on a small rant like that. But it made her happy, because he was being honest about his true inner feelings, something that was near impossible to see with his constant guarded expressions.

During the last couple days, Mitsuru just went MIA and kept completely out of sight of everyone, she had assumed to avoid the aggravation from the ongoing war of the sexes. But unlike the others, he didn't seem to be at all disheveled or unkempt. In fact, he looked the same as he usually did, spotless and well-groomed with his hair slicked back but looking healthy.

"I couldn't help but notice you still seemed rather well-kept despite her and the others trying to enforce that rule on you." She pointed out to him, noting with slight embarrassment that he smelled almost as nice as the plants when he passed her.

"That's because I have been taking my baths early in the morning when she's asleep. If the others were half as smart they could have done the same." Mitsuru scoffed as he picked up a pair of pruning sheers for cutting shrubs, examining them in his hand as he gave a couple testing snips to the air.

Kokoro's eyes widened slightly at that, having never considered the fact that the baths were left open and defenseless when they had all gone to bed at night. Unbeknownst to her, it should have been something that her squad leader thought of, considering she had also used the bathrooms privately at night at one point in the recent past.

"But Goro's your roommate, right? Why not ask him to go with you?" Surely, if Mitsuru had thought of that solution he would have told the other boys, too, wouldn't he?

The boy shrugged his shoulders as he put the sheers back down. "I tried one time, he rolled over and kept snoring. I gave up trying after that."

Kokoro couldn't help it, she let out a peel of laughter that chimed through the entire greenhouse. Mitsuru glanced over in her direction, not sure what he had said that was so funny.

Eventually she managed to get her giggles quieted, a beaming smile still lighting her face as she promised him. "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me. I never thought banning you from the baths was very fair in the first place."

The way she was smiling at him made him start to feel a little uncomfortable, if the strange feeling in his chest was anything to go by. He finally turned away to face the glass instead, his eyes still making out her reflection clearly.

Out of nowhere, he found himself asking her a question. "So how long are you planning to avoid your partner...?"

Kokoro froze, her shoulders jerking upwards as she stood tensely, unable to find a decent response to reply with. While she didn't care for the situation the squad was in, she couldn't deny it gave her an excuse to have some space away from Futoshi to think to herself.

"..." She remained silent as she still couldn't find the words, not even to a boy that wasn't her partner.

"During the argument, Ikuno mentioned creepy staring. It was on your behalf, I take it." Once again, hit the nail on the head.

It was true, during one of their baths over a week ago Kokoro had confessed to the other girls that she had been feeling awkward around Futoshi lately. He was always his kind and courteous self around her, but she couldn't help but notice that he would often stare at her for prolonged periods of times. Usually when he thought she wasn't paying attention, but she could literally feel his gaze on her as she tried to resist fidgeting in place.

It was just something she had said in private to try and get some advice on what to do, and one suggestion from Ikuno had been to just be honest and tell Futoshi to knock it off. However, Kokoro couldn't help but feel hesitant to do so, as he wasn't technically doing anything wrong, she felt perhaps she was just overthinking it.

"She shouldn't have said that..." Kokoro finally murmured, and Mitsuru raised a brow at her reflection in the glass.

"Why not? If she hadn't then Futoshi wouldn't know your true feelings since you seem keen on keeping them to yourself for some reason."

Kokoro looked down at her fingers fiddling around the watering can, a small pout forming on her lips when she found she couldn't argue with him. It wasn't like it was meant to be malicious, she just didn't want to stir the pot more than it already had been.

Mitsuru glanced at her, before scoffing at her expression.

"If he makes you uncomfortable, you should open your mouth and tell him so." He lifted his hands in the air as he shrugged. "How else is he supposed to know what he's doing wrong and change it? He's clearly not the type to read social queues very well..."

Sadly, Kokoro had no choice but to acknowledge he had a fair point. Perhaps her avoidance had been a far bigger part of the problem than her initial impression. Even if it wasn't the main cause of the fight, her inaction still didn't help matters in either scenario.

"... You're right." She admitted in a soft voice.

"Of course I am, it's common sense. He can't learn and correct his behavior if he doesn't know it's making you feel bad. This is why you need to communicate with him, otherwise you're not just hurting yourself in the long run."

Kokoro couldn't help but think it was hypocritical of him to tell her all this when he himself was unwilling to let others in at all. Unwilling to communicate other than to criticize or mock them. In a rare moment of confidence, after taking a deep breath full of floral support, she found herself voicing the question that suddenly bubbled up in her throat.

"If that's true... why don't you take your own advice?"

It was asked in the softest voice, nothing accusatory about it considering her thoughts a moment ago. It was imploring, almost begging. It made the boy go stock still, caught off guard by the assertiveness of the question, despite it being asked so gently.

Mitsuru's hard eyes stared into hers, but she was unwilling to break their connection as she held strong, unwilling to let him intimidate her away from wanting an answer.

Unfortunately, she wouldn't get one today...

"AHEM!"

The two instantly turned their heads towards the source of the loud exclamation, both observing the redheaded figure standing in the doorway with practically opposite reactions.

"... And there's my cue to leave." Mitsuru rolled his eyes as he bee lined it for the door, side-stepping around the angry looking pig-tailed girl who stood with her fists on her hips.

Kokoro couldn't help but be disappointed, as it felt like he would have stayed a while longer if not for the interruption.

"What were you doing, Kokoro?! Conversing with the enemy?!" Miku hissed at her with crossed arms.

Kokoro gasped. "E-Enemy? But the boys are still our team mates! How can we ever make peace if we never talk to them?"

"We're not making any peace until they apologize and switch up their act! In the meantime, we have to keep the greenhouse since they took the dining room. We can't let them think they've won! Now... is there anything edible in here?"

Kokoro let out a heavy sigh, her fingers idly fiddling with the watering can in her hands as she wondered how much longer this would go on.

How long were they going to continue to be so... dysfunctional?

Outside, hidden behind a tree far enough away from the house, Mitsuru took out the bottle from his pocket. Opening the cap, he tilted it and let the pills within slip into his palm. He quickly threw into the back of his throat and swallowed heavily, feeling the medication go down none too comfortably.

With the reason for his journey outside complete, he made his way back to the house.

---

December 10 - 2136

On this day, just three days after the war between boys and girls began, everything came to a climax...

As if the food situation wasn't the worst part - which it actually was - there turned out to be other repercussions to the fight that hadn't been considered at the start. While the girls had initially considered keeping the bathroom to themselves a win, they now realized this left them stuck with all the cleaning duty every time they wanted to use it. Before they only had to clean it half the time, now they were doing it full time.

"I can't believe we're stuck doing this again!" Miku screeched as she paused to wipe sweat off her brow. "It's not fair, they're the ones who slack off and we're the ones who have to be punished?"

"It's not technically a punishment if we're volunteering to do it in the end..." Ikuno pointed out in a deadpan tone as she moved the brush back and forth over the tiled floors.

"Who's 'volunteering' here?! As if we had a choice!" Miku demanded haughtily while she furiously scrubbed at the floor.

"But we did... and we really have no right to complain, Miku. We're the ones who declared the bath off-limits to the boys." Kokoro pointed out gently, only to shrink in on herself when the pig-tailed girl whirled her angry expression on her.

"They had it coming!" Miku would never admit she was wrong, even with the consequences being shoved in her face. She just couldn't stand that Zorome would dismiss her so blatantly and treat her so disrespectfully!

"Think of it this way, Miku." Kokoro said softly as she wiped down the lip of the tub. "We're being the better example by following through with what we say."

"Screw that! UGH! I wish the invisible caretakers would handle it, like they do with our food and laundry!" The redhead whined as she raised the broom over her head and waved it about in indignation.

"Would you stop complaining so much...?!" Ikuno snapped at her. "It's mostly your fault we're in this predicament."

"What was that?! I was just trying to stick up for the rest of us, and you went along with it just fine until now!" Miku hissed back as she pointed the end of the scrub broom at the bespectacled girl.

"Knock it off, we all put ourselves equally into this predicament. It does no good to argue about it." Ichigo scolded as she began to gather the cleaning utensils since they were just about done. Kokoro grimaced, wanting so much to point out that she hadn't wanted this at all, but all she could do was keep biting her lip as she stood up to rinse the rags out.

Less than ten minutes later, the job was done and they stood in a sparkling clean bath room once more with a fresh scent lingering in the air.

"Good job everyone, now we can figure out a way to get something to eat. We can't go on without food." Ichigo said with a weary sigh as she placed a hand over her stomach.

"Let's see if the boys are in the house, maybe we can just move the tape back." Ikuno suggested while pushing her glasses up her nose.

"Even if they are I say we do it anyway and raid the kitchen! I'm so hungry!" Miku whined, the growls in her own stomach now starting to become unbearable. They all filed out of the bathroom and started through the changing room after the supplies was put away.

"Who was the one who put the tape down in a way that left an opening to the boys...?" Ikuno asked acerbically as she gave the redhead a side-eyed glare. Said girl turned her head to snap back at her only for Ichigo to cut in sharply.

"Both of you stop it already!" The blunette chastised. "We need to remain united until this is all over."

"Personally, I wouldn't mind if it lasted forever." Ikuno muttered as they exited the changing room. Kokoro's face became horrified at such a possibility, though it went unnoticed by the others since she tailed in the back.

Miku was walking just ahead of them, so she was the first to witness the outrageous sight that made her halt in place as they reached the foyer.

"Huh?!" She shrieked, and the other girls stopped just behind her to take it in as well.

Goro, Futoshi and Zorome were casually strolling in through the front doors in nothing but their underwear, dripping wet with towels slung over their shoulders as they nonchalantly made their way to the stairs. In spite of it being the middle of Winter, the bubble they lived in still maintained a controlled temperature that still made it seem like a perfect Spring day. Ideal weather for a swim in the great outdoors.

"W-What do you think you're doing?!" Miku demanded heatedly, though it did little to shift the boys' mood as they each bore smiles.

"You told us we couldn't use the bath. So, seeing as we can't we went and took a dip in the lake." Zorome said nonchalantly as he walked past her to go up the stairs, still well within his side.

"It was actually quite fun, we should have thought of it days ago!" Futoshi added as he rubbed at his hair with the towel on his shoulders.

Ichigo narrowed her eyes at her partner, knowing it was him who had to have been the one to come up with such an idea. There was no way Zorome or Futoshi were clever enough to have thought of it on their own.

"You got to have fun in the lake... while we were stuck cleaning the bath... AGAIN?!" Miku snarled in outrage. Her fingers clenched into fists so hard that her knuckles were beginning to turn white. A complete contrast to the red flush that grew on her face as she grew more apoplectic by the second.

Not only had they taken away their food (completely disregarding that she had done exactly that as well) but they also had figured out an alternative to the bath situation too?! All the while refusing to do any housework while the girls kept up theirs?!

It didn't help when Zorome drew the straw that broke the camel's back.

"We may never have to clean again if we can just go for a swim. You girls can keep the bathroom!" He laughed as he started up the stairs. Completely unaware of the dark energy shrouding the furious redhead.

"Oi, Zorome..." Goro warned, seeing her hand reaching for a random knickknack off the small table beside the stairs, but it was too late.

"That's not fair! You... YOU SCUMBAG!" Miku shrieked.

With a mighty arm, the wooden figure was thrown a short distance before colliding right into the back of Zorome's head. The boy screamed in pain as he was lurched forward from the impact, falling to his hands and knees on the stairs before reaching up to cradle his head.

"OW!" He yowled before snapping his now angry face in his partner's direction. "HEY!"

Seeing the murderous intent written on his face, and admittedly feeling like she might have taken things too far, Miku did the first thing that came to mind and darted off. She sprinted down the hall, and Zorome was so angry at her that he didn't care about the dividing line, he leapt down the stairs and took off after her.

Miku ran a couple circles around the house to try and lose him, which seemed to work as he lost track of her after a few turns around some corners. All alone in the hall now, she tried to think fast of where to hide.

A flash of yellow caught her eye, and she turned to see the hall with the taped off rooms that still remained closed off to them. Were they locked?

"Come back here, you twit!" Zorome's voice echoed through the hall moments before she could hear his thundering footsteps, even with the carpet absorbing most of the heaviness of his stomps. Miku jerked in place before looking again to one of the doors.

He'll never think to look in there! The girl thought as she quickly opened the nearest door, happy that it was unlocked, and ducked under the caution tape to slip into the bedroom.

"Miku! When I find you...!" His voice faded as she quietly shut the door and pressed her back against it. She tried to quiet her breathing down as she both heard and felt the vibration of Zorome as he ran by, completely disregarding the taped rooms as she had predicted he would.

A heavy sigh left her as she let herself take a moment to get her bearings and consider what to do next. As mad as she was at the boys, Miku now found herself feeling bad for hitting Zorome like that. Sure he deserved a swift kick in the pants sometimes but to hit him in the head like that...

... But her pride made her stubborn in spite of her guilt, and she was resistant to the idea of apologizing. It's not like he would say it back!

Then, her eyes took in what room she had stumbled upon. There was a bunk bed on one side, and a single twin bed across from it on the opposite wall, as well as a desk next to the bunks. There were a couple books sitting on the desk, a fine layer of dust covering them and the table they sat on.

"Another bedroom...?"

When they explored Mistilteinn when they first arrived, they had primarily explored everything else besides the bedrooms. They had mostly assumed these rooms were empty or in disrepair, but judging by the random items still strewn about the room, this room used to belong to someone.

"Strange... Why would someone just leave their stuff...?" The redhead wondered as she stepped closer to the desk.

Though, the better question was... Where were the owners?

At the back of the desk was a simple rectangular frame, though it's contents were unclear to her with the lights off.

"Is this...?" Picking up the frame, Miku stared at the picture that lay within as she tilted it towards the window.

It was a photograph of a group of Parasites in matching uniforms that look exactly like theirs, all standing in the front of what appeared to be Mistilteinn. Children of various heights, half with what appeared to be dark hair while the other half were brunette.

Two of them had glasses, one boy and one girl. Another boy with a grin holding a thumbs up, while the shortest girl in the center held up two fingers in the 'V' sign. Each of them looked distinctive from each other despite their similarities.

They also looked so happy in here... but where were they now?

Miku kept staring intensely at the photograph, her eyes widening as the dust on the frame coated her fingers. She was now acutely aware of all the other items lying around her.

Two different colored books labeled "Diary" with a pen laying idly nearby. A forgotten stuffed teddy bear laying on the still rumpled sheets of one of the beds. A bottle of someone's perfume. A vase of long dead lilacs that hadn't been replaced in months.

Why would they just leave all this behind...? Unless...

"No..." Miku breathed out in horror as she steadily began to piece together everything she was seeing around the room. Her eyes grew ever wider and her breathing became faster and more panicked as high-pitched whimpers escaped with every gasp of air.

Suddenly, a scream unlike any the children had ever heard resonated from the bottom floor of the building, and immediately everyone was stiffening and trying to coordinate who and where the sound had come from.

"MIKU!" Zorome shouted at the top of his lungs, having recognized that scream from anywhere. All his years of spending close to that pig-tailed nuisance had made him completely in tune with most any recognizable signature of hers.

Completely forgetting his anger, he bounded through the house towards the source out of concern for his partner. The others were not far behind, even Mitsuru joining to see what happened.

Before they knew it, they were all gathered outside of the taped off rooms on the first floor. They could hear high-pitched whimpers coming from inside, and they all grew more worried about what they'd find within.

"Miku!" Zorome yelled as he kicked down the door, the wood flying off the hinges and thankfully not hitting the girl they were trying to find.

It was a surprising feat considering he was the shortest of them all apart from Ichigo, but even more surprising was he didn't gloat or check to see if anyone else was impressed. His only concern was that of the redhead sitting in the fetal position on the floor inside the room with her head in her hands.

Kokoro rushed inside ahead of the others, calling out to her best friend in relief to see her physically unharmed. Ichigo and Ikuno went in after her, brushing past Zorome who just stood there looking over her for himself before taking in the rest of the room.

"Miku...! Thank goodness you're not hurt. We were so worried." Kokoro said as she knelt down in front of the pig-tailed girl, gently grabbing her shoulders. "What's wrong, what happened...?"

Miku did not answer her. She only kept crying and whimpering into her knees as her trembling hands gripped at her bangs and forehead.

"Hey. What is this room...?" Zorome asked as everyone else peered into the room and began to look around for themselves.

Goro noticed something glinting on the floor from the light in the hall, and bent down to pick it up; A picture frame with the glass cracked from evidently being dropped. Inside the frame, was a picture of a group of children in uniforms exactly like theirs, all with pure smiling faces and posing naturally for another normal day of their lives.

"These are... Parasites."

"It makes sense." Mitsuru said, his face solemn as he viewed the photo from his spot in the doorway. "Of course we're not the first defensive squad that's been assigned here."

Goro froze in place, his grip on the frame tightening briefly. The unspoken implication was not lost on him, and it was the most despair-inducing thought that made his stomach turn in knots.

"... You're right." Goro said quietly, slowly lowering the photo to his side. Zorome looked between Goro and Mitsuru, still not fully grasping all of what they were saying.

"There must've been a Squad 13 before us." The blonde concluded in a grave tone.

"So how come they aren't here now?" Zorome asked, making all eyes turn to him as he looked back at everyone in turn. Everyone remained tight-lipped, though, each one wondering who it was that was going to break the tense silence first.

"Well... why is that?" The brunette demanded in a slight panic, the heaviness of the room starting to get to him.

Finally, it was Mitsuru who answered for them.

"... They must've been wiped out."

Gasps echoed from all parties, before a dark silence took over for what felt like forever.

It was something they knew was a strong possibility each time they went out in the FRANXX, something they knew was expected of them if it meant protecting Humanity from the Klaxosaurs... But they had never considered just how bleak of a reality they were living until right now.

"...They couldn't come back alive." Ichigo said lowly with a forlorn expression.

At that, Miku sobbed harder in Kokoro's arms, her trembling increasing once more. The ashen blonde girl only held her tighter, unsure of what to say when she herself was just as fearful of that same possible fate. All of them were, and now they were forcibly reminded that this grim reality could befall them, too... That there may come a day when they went out to sortie, and they wouldn't make it back.

They would end up the same as these Parasites in the photo... These children were once here - living a life that was similar to their own. They all had their own relationships and bonds; their own hopes and dreams.

Now they were gone... and they would never get the chance to see each other or accomplish those goals ever again.

Goro lifted up the photo, taking in the picture one more time before he spoke to the rest of the squad in a firm voice.

"We won't survive unless we all get to know each other better."

Everyone looked down sullenly, each feeling their own form of guilt. They could sortie tomorrow and because of their petty feelings for each other from this whole mess they could cause the entire mission to go wrong and end up dead, or worse by causing the death of the others.

Compared to that haunting possibility, all the things they had been fighting over the last few days seemed so trivial and stupid...

"Let's make up, guys."

It was less than an hour later that the boys had got dressed, all the tape had all been removed, the signs taken down and the air of hostility was pretty much eradicated. All that remained in it's place was the desire to make the best of everything now; because they had to remember that all of this is temporary.

Zorome and Miku stood face to face, similar to how they were just days ago, only this time there was no yelling. There was only awkward silence as neither one knew how to start, and was partially waiting for the other to break.

Finally, the spiky haired boy was the one to blurt out his apology first.

"Well... I'm sorry okay? I apologize! I'll try my best to clean up after myself better."

"Hmph. I bet you'll fail..." Miku huffed, only to grimace afterwards as the response came automatically.

Zorome's head snapped up at her, looking torn between being angry and confused, unsure which he should act on first. Thankfully, Miku had realized her mistake and quickly tried to rectify it.

"... but I'm willing to be proven wrong." She added in a quiet voice. "I'm sorry for hitting you with the figurine."

"Ahh it's fine... you of all people know how thick my skull is." Zorome joked as he rubbed the back of his head, which admittedly still had a minor bump but it was steadily going away. Miku let out a soft snort of laughter, a smile easily forming on her face.

Next to step up to each other were Goro and Ichigo, the former rubbing a hand through his hair nervously and the latter staring at the floor for a few stubborn moments as she went over what she was going to say one more time. The blunette didn't want to mess things up for them anymore.

However, she didn't need to say anything at all. Goro smiled at her and extended his hand out to her. Ichigo looked at it before lifting her eyes to his, a small smile of her own forming as she reached up and took his hand to shake it.

"Next time, let's work things out together. Like we always have." Goro chuckled, and Ichigo's smile widened.

"... Yeah, agreed. I'm sorry, Goro, I should have listened to you before."

"I'm sorry, too, Ichigo." The taller boy said, gently squeezing her soft hand before finally letting go.

When it came to be their turn, it was to Kokoro's astonishment her partner dropped to his knees in front of her and bowed his head over his hands before him.

"I'm- I'm so very sorry, Kokoro!" Futoshi said with a slightly trembling voice. "I promise you I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable! Please, give me a chance to do better!"

"Oh, Futoshi..." Kokoro sputtered as she waved her hands at him. "Y-You don't have to do that, I had already forgiven you long ago!"

"Still... I swear to you I will try to respect your boundaries more and not leer anymore. I never want you to be upset with me, Kokoro. I'm really sorry."

Futoshi suddenly felt a light but warm sensation on his back, and lifted his head to see an angel staring down at him with the most serene smile. There wasn't a trace of the fear that had clouded her features several days ago, and it eased his heart immensely.

"I'm sorry, too, Futoshi. And I promise to try and speak my mind more from here on out. Let you know if something does bother me. I appreciate the others trying to stand up on my behalf, but I should have taken their advice in the first place and told you how I felt. After all, you can't know something is wrong and change it if I don't speak my feelings."

Subtly, her eyes glanced in Mitsuru's direction, who outwardly was unresponsive. Inside, however, he did commend her for actually taking his advice and doing the right thing. The girl was smarter than she looked.

Kokoro gently ushered Futoshi to his feet. "It's fine if you look, Futoshi, just try not to over do it."

"... R-Really?" He sniffled as he stood up straight. She beamed as she nodded her head yes.

"I guess I can't really blame you, either." Miku said to Zorome, who jolted in confusion. "I'm way too cute, after all. So you can do it a little, but don't take it too far!"

The brunette was at a loss for words, and couldn't think of anything else to say in response. "O-Okay, then..."

Ikuno and Mitsuru merely glanced at one another, wordlessly communicating that nothing had really changed between them. Things had not improved whatsoever but they hadn't grown worse, either. Still, they were each satisfied with the resolution, and willing to move forward with all they've learned.

The day after, Kokoro put some new lilacs from the greenhouse in the vase by the window in the spare bedroom. As she did so she couldn't help but wonder; What were the former Squad 13 Parasites thinking when they originally placed them there? What had they meant to them?

There's no way to find out now... but she still pondered it every time she changed the flowers from that point on, in their memory. She knew that in the language of flowers, lilacs represent friendship, fond memories and youth.

Perhaps they had known that, too, and that's why they kept them close?

In the Administration Building, Nana and Hachi were watching the monitors that displayed the children gathered in the living room, appearing to have settled their differences.

"They finally went into the spare rooms..." The redhead commented as she crossed her arms under her bust.

"The Doctor said they would be tempted by such if we left it as is. Clearly he was right." Hachi replied.

It was a strange request, leaving the place untouched and denying the caretakers remove the possessions of the former Squad 13 members. But clearly, it had served whatever purpose the doctor had created for it, as the discovery of the rooms lead to the immediate resolution among the current squad.

"I just don't understand what the meaning behind all of this is... The Doctor is encouraging them to engage in behaviors that will surely raise red flags if Papa learns of this. Special squad or not, this won't stand if the 9's get involved."

"It is certainly strange..." Hachi acknowledged. "... but we have to obey orders. We gave him our word."

"I know, but... When he said he wanted to observe these children unsupervised, I didn't think he meant to this degree... I think the cameras also have quite a few blind spots that they can escape view with."

Hachi didn't answer to that, his face not betraying any emotions he may possibly be feeling from that information. Nana frowned, before looking back to the monitors.

"Not to mention they're so different from all the other children I've helped take care of... I can't decide if it's a good thing or not."

"If that were true, you wouldn't be so concerned with their growth, would you?" Nana didn't get the chance to try to come up with a response, as the computer began chiming with an alert from an incoming call.

A call from one Doctor Franxx.

"Speak of the devil..." Nana muttered as she hit the button to accept the call.

"Nana, Hachi." Franxx greeted as he appeared on screen. "I hope you both are well?"

"We are, Dr. Franxx, thank you." Nana responded casually enough, but you could still detect the uncertainty dwelling within her.

"How are the children now? Any new developments on the feud?" It was almost like this man had a sixth sense when it came to his experiments, always appearing right when it was most convenient.

"It appears to have been resolved, sir. The children seem to have made amends after discovering what lay inside the downstairs bedrooms." Hachi reported.

"I see, and they resolved peacefully just from that?" Franxx asked with a tilt of his head.

"Yes, sir."

"Is that all? Hmm... a satisfactory enough result, I suppose. Won't do me any good to have them hating each other forever or causing bloodshed." The scientist sighed.

Just what exactly was he hoping would happen...? Nana couldn't even begin to wonder.

"Well regardless, send me all the footage and audio from the last several days and I'll analyze them myself at a more opportune time. Other than that, is there anything else I should be made aware of at this time?"

When Nana saw Hachi didn't have anything else to say, she decided it best to voice the concerns she'd been having.

"No, but... If I may, Doctor..." She started slowly.

"Yes, Nana?"

"I must express concern with some of the conditions you have set for these children in this environment."

"Absolutely, feel free." Franxx encouraged as he waved her to go on.

"I have to point out that if I'm aware of the blind spots in the cameras, so will the higher ups at APE if they decide to check in for themselves. Now they're running amok without proper supervision and getting into fights. Things like this could get them re-indoctrinated!"

Hachi's face twitched just the slightest bit at that, but he still said nothing, allowing his partner to voice her opinion freely without disruption.

"You promised that this experiment of yours will benefit the children in the long run... but you've not been transparent with me on what exactly those benefits are?"

"Fear not, Nana." Franxx said in an almost soft tone, surprising the adult woman. "If all goes well with these children, then all children will be happier in the future."

"Heyyy! Old man! We're ready to sortie, give us our instructions already!" Hearing that voice, Nana couldn't help but perk up slightly, having not heard it in months. It was enough to momentarily distract her from demanding to know what exactly Franxx had meant by that ambiguous statement.

"Is that...?"

"I must go now. I'll be in touch soon." Before anything else could be said, the screen went blank as the caller cut off the connection from his end.

Nana let out a heavy sigh, feeling slightly disappointed. "I hope he's taking proper care of those two."

Hachi watched her silently, taking note of the melancholic look on her face as she got lost in her thoughts after that. For a woman who tended to wear her heart on her sleeve - whether she meant to or not - when it came to the children, he could only wonder what she was thinking now.

And also wonder what she would think if she knew that she was also being monitored based on her actions. That Nana was just as much part of the experiment as the children were - just for different reasons.

Reasons that Hachi had to wonder if even he was privy to them all. Was he also part of it as well...?

He didn't know, and yet he wholeheartedly trusted the doctor to know what he was doing.

---

You know, in spite of going through puberty myself once upon a time, it's quite a challenge to apply it in a world where it's heavily suppressed. Especially when - if I'm understanding it correctly - the show appears to be focusing more on the emotional part of puberty rather than just the physical.

Because that's the part they have most to worry about; According to child development, teenagers about this age usually start coming into their own unique identity and trying to gain independence. They also start thinking about or exploring romance at this age so that sounds about right for our cast here.

But! Now we have reached a very interesting part where both groups have to figure out how to go about their lives now. On the one side Hiro/Two know the truth and have to watch their back even more than ever before because of it, while Squad 13 realize only now just how fragile their way of life truly is. How will things go from here...? Stay tuned!

Fun Fact: Zero Two has displayed in both anime and manga that she is able to smell Klaxosaurs approaching from miles off, so her sense of smell is comparative to that of a canine's who can actually smell familiar objects or people from over 12 miles away. Therefore, in theory, both Hiro and Zero Two have very enhanced senses of smell to where they can track any familiar scent in the room and potentially even further away. Kinda feel bad for them in that case... some smells aren't great.

Until next time!