At the playground in Cerasus, a young Ichigo drew the solar system on the sandbox using a stick that had branched off from a tree. She drew a circle and labeled it "N". "Aaaaand that's Neptune!" she said with a smile.
But then it's stepped on by Hiro, as he takes a look at Ichigo's drawing. "Woah! Did you draw space!?
"Hiro!— Aw— my drawing!"
"Oh—" Hiro then steps away. His slipper left an imprint over Mars that was marked as "MA".
"Aw— now you ruined Mars! I have to fix the lines again!"
"S-Sorry..." Hiro stammered as he pouted.
Ichigo let out a huge sigh as she frowned, she then went to start redrawing the solar system while not looking Hiro's way...
Hiro, feeling guilty for ruining Ichigo's drawing, looks down. But then something caught his eye. A little white object peeking through the sand. Curious, he picks it up.
It is the white hair clip, with a bit of sand grains sticking on its body. He looks at Ichigo, with a thought that struck his head. He immediately wipes the clip clean with his shirt.
"H-Here..."
Ichigo takes notice, looking at Hiro who seemed really saddened. His hand, holding the clip, lightly trembles as it remains being reached out to her.
"Hiro...? What's this?"
"S-s-something! I-... I'm sorry..."
Ichigo looks at Hiro's troubled face as he is looking away. She felt a little sad for being upset at him. She then accepts Hiro's "gift".
"Thank you, Hiro." She grinned with a more heartful and innocent tone to herself. She puts on the clip on the upper left side of her hair. "It looks- cute!"
Hiro's eyes beamed in response and immediately looked at Ichigo. "R-really?"
"Mhm! *nod* I-... never had someone give me a gift other than my family... So..."
Ichigo hugs Hiro. "Thank you, Hiro! It means a lot to me."
...
...
Back to the present, Ichigo continued gazing at such a simple thing. She began to breathe stiffly as she cleared her throat.
...
...
As the two children play at the playground in the evening, a brief but violent quake rocked Cerasus. Many of the cars throughout the city stopped with some crashing at each other. People walking by lost their footing, with some hitting the wall. Both Hiro and Ichigo too dropped to the ground. "What was that? " Ichigo asked, beginning to feel confused and scared.
A flock of birds is flying off. They squawked in distress. The two looked up at them, watching them fly away...
A massive floating ship is seen, hijacking the entire night sky, bearing glowing, light blue lines streaking down its body. It makes a blaring, growling whirr, taking everyone's attention. People began to display their fear and confusion against this incomprehensible, floating thing before their eyes.
The two children staggered back, with Ichigo stumbling. "What is that!?" Ichigo asked.
"I-I... don't know!"
Suddenly flashes of blinding blue light appeared coming down from all around the ship. Hitting places from afar.
...
Another rumble followed, shaking the two. Hiro staggered to the ground, panting out of fear. Then, a loud roar bellowed into the sky. The children's eyes jumped in fear as they overheard people screaming.
Before they knew it, a building ahead from their right was shoved before their eyes. Glass and debris flew before it all toppled down. What was revealed to be reading through was a foot, larger than any high-rise apartment. The two noticed.
Their eyes followed, trailing through its rocky, colossal body with streaks of light blue, vein-like glowing structures, assuming a stance with its lower arms out... They see its head, in the shape of an iguana. It lets out another roar, with its light blue eyes glowing. The roar is loud enough to rumble everything as if it were a light earthquake.
The two trembled in fear... Taken into disbelief. A giant monster, treading through their city. A Klaxosaur.
But it wasn't enough, because it wasn't just one, but many more treading through Cerasus. Many buildings have toppled, along with horrific screams of people echoing into the air, some meeting their demise. Spanning further beyond the city, its neighboring ones are under attack too. Large fires are everywhere, with smoke clouding against that unknown ship that is about the size of a small planet.
Another Klaxosaur treads through, coming from behind Hiro and Ichigo. The two take their attention... watching an apartment fall over others like a domino. They are both struck with unimaginable horror... for that apartment was both their home...
"M-m-mom... ?" Hiro stuttered as he watched the building fall... and then it crashed to the ground.
"MOOOOOOM!" He cried out as he reached out his hand, and Ichigo was left silent in shock. She began to break down into tears.
Then, a man wearing a white buttoned shirt and a black tie, grabbed a terrified Hiro and Ichigo by their hands. He has a frizzy hair and wears glasses. The two noticed him.
"D-Dad!" Said Hiro.
His father didn't respond back, because his face speaks of utmost desperation, yet he looked as if he wanted to shed his tears. He kept gripping on both the children's hands as they ran away from all this destruction.
The three arrived at a parked car. He puts the kids in the backseat and drives away in a frantic manner. The car hovers through at full speed, threading against all the debris.
...
...
Minutes later, they're speeding on the highway leading to a bridge that's connected to another city that hasn't been attacked. They're driving in the opposite lane, along with many other cars speeding.
The city can be seen on their right, being trampled by 4 colossal monsters with fires all around. Hiro is frozen, watching it all unfold behind the window, as Ichigo is curled up, crying. Hiro's dad has a tense yet sorrowful face, gripping the wheel.
"Mr. Räikkönnen... ? I-I'm... scared..." Ichigo trembled.
"Me too..." He replied...
The sound of jet fighters flying by is heard, along with explosions and gunfire. Hiro grits his teeth from anger and pain. He looks down with his eyes shut. "Mom!—" He uttered as he began to tear up with his fists clenched.
His father overhears Hiro, expressing a pained look too. He just lost his wife, the mother of their only son, and his best friend who is the father to Ichigo... All in a minute. He tightens his grip on the wheel even further, as he grits his teeth, wanting to slam his fist at it... but can't. He looks up at the sky, seeing the gigantic ship.
"What the hell is that... ?" He uttered... He blinked, trying to understand the weight of everything. He looks at the rearview mirror, seeing both Hiro and Ichigo terrified. He is worried, he's trying to keep himself together.
Then another deafening whirr blares through, catching everyone's attention. A bright blue light flashed to their right, spawning in another Klaxosaur in the shape of a reptile, yet small as a building. It comes ramming at them, and tearing through the highway, catching the three off-guard, but a blue translucent barrier with a hexagonal pattern appears at the side of their car, absorbing the hit and protecting everyone inside.
Ichigo screamed in terror as the car was sent barrel-rolling into the air. Hiro clings onto the handle above the window, panting, as his dad grips the steering wheel.
The car then crashes and rolls into the sidewalk as the barrier now encompasses the entire body. It hits through street lights one by one before making its final toss through the window of an embroidery shop. The Klaxosaur then passes by, each rumbling step shaking the entire street.
The dust settles from the rubble, revealing the car to be dented as if it was only hit by another car. Everyone groaned in pain... trying to process reality back to themselves. They unbuckled their seatbelts... before Ichigo began to break down, crying on Hiro's lap, terrified. His eyes widened, and he began to pant again out of fear.
Then another violent quake rumbled. Another stomp from a Klaxosaur. Hiro's dad is alarmed and immediately blasted out the door. He opens Hiro's door and grabs the two of them together. "Come on— Come ON!" He frantically called out.
They all ran through the street, hoping they'd find a safe place. The entire street is filled with cars that are now abandoned, some destroyed. Buildings are reduced to rubble, and some are not in their places anymore.
"Dad— Where are we going?"
"I—... We have to go underground! We need to find a subway and take cover!"
"But what if those monsters stomp through!?"
"Don't worry— They're not that strong enough! But we have to keep moving when we get there!"
"Hiro— don't let me go!" Ichigo pleaded as she continued tearing up.
"Are you alright, Ichigo?" The father asked.
"I'm just— scared!"
"Me too, me too!... But we can't stop now. Can you kids be strong for me?"
"I—.. We'll try!..." Hiro answered.
"Good... that's better than not trying! We'll make it through this! I promise!" He declared as he kept panting, composing himself as much as he could.
But then he looked away with a gulp. "God— please don't make this any worse..." He uttered with uncertainty. He checks a silver bracelet that's clinging to his right wrist. It shows a screen. Saying "29% Shield Integrity".
"Damn!—"
He focused back on what's ahead. Arriving at an intersection. Dad looks through each side.
He spots an entrance into the underground subway from afar. "There!"
They immediately advanced forward, running towards it. But as they do, the ground begins to rumble again, and loud thuds are heard from the right and afar, slowly getting louder and louder. Taking their attention, they immediately began running as hard as they could.
Desperately, Hiro's dad grabbed both the children and carried them. He then began to sprint with all his might for the subway station.
The footsteps grow louder and louder..., then a loud crash blared behind. A medium-sized reptilian-like Klaxosaur charging through the buildings. Ichigo screamed and looked away with her eyes shut.
"Almost— there!" The dad reassured as he panted.
Then, another Klaxosaur comes crashing through from the other side, ramming through the buildings. Hiro clutched to his dad as he held his breath. He sees some of the rubble come flying and almost hit them, prompting him to look away.
The two Klaxosaurs then come together, breaking through more buildings. Debris came flying and smashing each other. Dad stopped running in response, finding the two monsters standing before him. He gulped and activated the shield from his bracelet by shutting his fist, protecting himself and the kids in an enclosed, ball-shaped, hexagonal-shaped barrier. It bears cracks and is flickering. He exchanges glares with the predatory giants who look like are out to eat them.
But then a laser is shot out from behind, hitting one of the Klaxosaur's rhino-shaped heads, with a small explosion ensuing. The two Klaxosaurs staggered back, seeing three olive, sleek VTOLs, with their blasters readied out from their sides. All three start relentlessly blasting down the Klaxosaurs with big pulses of red energy.
The Klaxosaurs staggered back again as they wailed in pain. Hiro's dad stays put and protects the children, hoping nothing hits the shield. One of the monsters roared in defiance and leaped against the oncoming fire, taking damage. It tackles two helicopters, exploding on impact as the Klaxosaur tumbles down, creating another violent shake.
Dad checks what happened, seeing the two helicopters crushed as one flies off and continues shooting the Klaxosaurs down. As they get overwhelmed, the Klaxosaurs then let out a blaring cry, as they raised their heads to the mothership above. It resonated all the way with the rest of them who were all around the city and everywhere else in the east side of the world. They let out their guttural, beastly roars. All of the blue vein-like patterns in their body let out a blinding glow.
The mothership lets out a deafening, bassy whirr. Its blue lights glowed momentarily...
The ground began to shake gradually. Its intensity rises until it reaches the point of violence like a magnitude 9 earthquake. Hiro's dad dropped to his knees and clutched at the kids, protecting them. Hiro and Ichigo are hugging him as they have their eyes shut, the former holding his breath and trying not to cry whereas the other is shuddering.
The mothership's blue lights began to glow again, but this time it was bright enough that it could be seen through the clouds. It lets out a deep yet subtle, rumbling sound of pulsation that gets louder and more intense each time while it gathers in blue particles, forming into energy. Each pulse becomes quicker in succession as its pitch rises until it starts becoming one, long whirring sound.
...
A streak of blinding blue lines is shot out everywhere from the mothership with its explosive boom as if a nuke exploded from the sky, hitting various places through the East. India, Russia, Australia, the Philippines, Japan. They are digging through the ground with all its terrifying might as everything around it begins to shake way beyond what an earthquake can do. Skyscrapers come crumbling down, taking many lives in the process. Airplanes and helicopters in the air lose control and come crashing down. The sheer power of the rumble caused all three to stagger into the ground. Ichigo starts screaming and crying again along with Hiro as they hold onto Hiro's father.
Many buildings began to crumble, as some parts of the land throughout the East began to split and slowly tear itself open. Cars, buildings, and people began to fall into the abyss as the lasers didn't show a single sign of rescinding.
But then... the lasers stopped and disappeared, leaving out gigantic holes. The damages have been done. Many people who have survived looked at their surroundings, seeing the world had turned into an apocalyptic hell, as the Klaxosaurs continued treading through. Hiro's dad relents the shield and gets back up along with the kids, horrified by the sight of their city now a far cry from what it was minutes ago.
Hiro stammered, trying to form a single word as if he was just being choked as Ichigo continued tearing while frozen stiff. Dad puts his hands on his head as he pants from fear. "Fuck... fuck fuck FUCK!"
Hiro witnesses the fear his dad is letting out. He begins to shudder, reciprocating along with Ichigo. She clutches on his leg.
"D-dad?..."
But he doesn't respond. He's still trying to process everything that's around him. His eyes are twitching as well as his hands. He tries to compose himself but struggles to take even a single deep breath.
And then the ground began to rumble again, snapping him out and clutching the kids to himself again. The rumbling immediately becomes violent again, as a blue light glows through the cracks of the road. His eyes dilated in shock and shuts his fist. But the moment he did, the road ruptured, throwing all three into the air at a great height along with the cars and huge chunks of rubble. A giant Klaxosaur emerges from the depths of the Earth, letting out a roar.
Hiro's dad finds both the kids way above him while in the air. Both began to fall down to the pavement. He starts desperately clutching for the two, but his arms aren't able to reach for them yet he keeps trying and trying...
But as they are about to reach the ground, he immediately throws the bracelet to the kids. It homes for a wrist to cling on, and does so at Hiro's. Hiro closes his fist as he braces for impact with Ichigo, unknowingly activating the shield.
They hit the ground, bouncing and rolling off as everything else comes crashing down, letting out a huge dust. The Klaxosaur lets out another roar before setting off to assist his kind in their siege.
The shield stops rolling and hits a pile of rubble from a destroyed building. It happens to be filled with cracks everywhere as if it is about to give in. Inside are Hiro and Ichigo clutching to each other.
...
The dust settles... and the shield disappears. Hiro and Ichigo cough through the lingering dusty air. Hiro notices his father isn't around. "Dad!?" He looked around, along with Ichigo. The two run through, searching for him.
They returned to the street they were in. Now mangled with more debris and flipped cars. Hiro continued shouting for his dad as they looked around.
"H-H-Hiro... ?" Ichigo stuttered as her eyes widened from what was before her. Hiro looked at her, seeing her face. She slowly points to where she's looking at... A flipped red car that's piled on a man whose arm can only be seen, covered in white. The hand bears a wedding ring... It's his Dad.
"DAAAD!" Hiro shouted as he rushed to him followed by Ichigo. They both arrived at him... seeing him crushed by the car up close. Hiro begins to tear up as his breathing becomes stifled, but he tries his best to keep his composure. "D-...Dad?"
He goes to his knees and shakes his arm. "D-dad!? Wake up! I'm here!"
No response.
Hiro kept shaking his arm, hoping anything out from him, as Ichigo began to tear too while watching from behind. Hiro kept calling his name and yelling at him to get back up... but to no avail. "Dad! DAD! COME ON! GET UUUP!"
He kept trying and trying... and trying. But... nothing. Hiro stops... and begins to tremble. He begins to cry as he lays himself in his father's hand... wailing through the ruined, hellish yet grim atmosphere. Ichigo continued crying as she laid herself on Hiro's back.
...
As the two grieved... Hiro then stops crying as he continues panting and shuddering... Followed by Ichigo...
...
"I-... hate-... you..." He uttered. Ichigo slowly got off Hiro's back the moment she heard it...
"I... hate you!" He uttered again, louder. She slowly becomes intimidated.
Hiro clutches his father's lifeless hand. He grits his teeth while tearing. Shaking from anger... He lets out a few grunts.
"I HAAAATE YOOOOOOOOOOOOU!" His young voice cracked and bellowed as he looked up into the sky, seeing the mothership. His voice echoes through the entire block as Ichigo takes a few steps back, horrified.
...
...
...
The voice of Hiro screaming lingered in Ichigo's head as she let out a tear while looking at the clip... She let out a deep breath and sighed through her nose.
"That day... it wasn't just the end of peace... it was the end of the boy I once knew... That day didn't just affect all of us. It wasn't just the reason why APE existed, why the FranXXs came to be, and how it came to define what humanity can do... But it sparked a reckoning... the kind where it's not noble... the kind where it consumes the one you find someone dear... that you never knew would..."
Ichigo kept the clip under her pillow and looked into the wall as she covered herself with her blanket.
"I don't just long for peace... I—... I just hope... My best friend... Hiro... to be okay..."