Author's note: Reminder that Episode 1.5 replaced Episode 13, and was moved in-between episodes 1 and 2. Therefore, in order to keep MitF 24 episodes/chapters long, we are skipping over Episode 13 and moving straight to Episode 14. You can consider the anime Episode 13 to be a kind of one-shot OVA for MitF, since nothing in that episode was changed.

Thank you for being patient! These next chapters might take me a bit longer because we've moved into purely original territory now, but I'm still here chugging along.

Mastermind in the FranXX

Episode 14



GHOST

Silence.

Unending, omnipotent silence.

It was a staggering dichotomy, to compare a single location during and after a battle. From the screaming of enemies and the shrieking of weapons, to the stillness of the land. From unmitigated chaos, to simple quiet. From life to death.

Klaxosaur corpses still littered the area, though most had been salvaged and taken away by now. The beasts roamed the battlefield, harvesting those cores still intact and the bodies still repairable. Mental notes were made of those lost. Some had served since the beginning, early followers of the cause. They would be missed and mourned.

The vast majority, however, had come to this battlefield for a different purpose. The word had spread fast. Creatures of all shapes and sizes, from locations near and far. Those stationed at the Grand Crevasse had expressed their heartfelt regret, for they were not able to attend such a rare and important event. The self-replicating Conrad drones had long ago departed from their masters and were busy securing the area. Not a hostile in sight, and that was good; this nigh-religious service was not to be interrupted.

The grave had already been dug. Three Conrads were busy transporting the remains to their final resting place. It was not out of disrespect that the klaxosaurs themselves did not handle the corpse - in fact, it was the opposite. The automated, unfeeling drones were the only ones allowed to touch such a holy being, and would be destroyed as soon as the service ended.

None of them would lay their appendages on it. None of them were worthy.

They entered the hole. The Conrads pushed the two halves together with unusual reverence. The mangled limb was placed in proximity to its original shoulder and crossed over the chest with the other. The three drones climbed out of the ditch, taking care to not disturb the dirt. They separated from the crowd and stood apart, waiting to be executed.

From the silence arose an eery choir, one that soon reached a feverish intensity. To an outside observer, it wouldn't be anything more than a chaotic chorus of wails, hisses and shrieks. For the klaxosaurs, however, it had a different meaning.

This was something of profound importance.

WE INTER YOU HERE,

ON THIS FIELD OF DEATH

HAVING BORNE WITNESS

TO YOUR LAST, SACRED BREATH

NOW YOU MAY REST,

NOW YOU ARE DONE

WE WILL NOT FAIL YOU,

O GREAT, CHOSEN ONE

He was pissed. Angrier than he'd been in a long, long time. This was stupidity. Idiocy of the highest order. He thought he'd trained them better than this. Hadn't he told Alpha that they were supposed to secure the facility and persuade the love-birds to cooperate and do nothing to disrupt them?

What in the ever-living fuck was this? How could his words be misinterpreted to such a degree?

"So let me get this straight."

The Vice-Chairman sighed next to him and removed his mask. He rubbed the bridge of his nose in exhaustion. "Uh huh."

He gripped the railing, staring out the transparent, window-like wall at their dying planet. The planet he killed. The planet he had to fix.

"According to this... hastily submitted report, the Nines had the guards raise their weapons at known flight risks as soon as they entered the facility."

"So it seems."

"The flight risks then flee, as flight risks are known to do, and are pursued through Garden's forests by the soldiers who do not shoot to disable, even if they are capable of taking such shots, and even if Iota's regenerative properties are well known at this point."

"Indeed."

"They are then cornered against a tree by the Nines and intentionally provoked into taking hostile action, disabling two of our top parasites in the process."

"Yep."

"Despite all of this, they're still about to be captured and collared-" Because he knew something like this would happen! Lord have mercy, now he was putting shock collars on children! "-and then in the eleventh hour their unmanned Franxx drops from the sky, scoops them up and escapes."

"That appears to be the reality of our situation, John."

He turned to his colleague and his friend. "Gabe."

"I know, I know. I was there, remember?"

Let him vent, damn it! "I told Iota years ago that once she had humanized, once Werner finished his work and Strelizia finished its trial runs, she would be reunited with him." His grip on the railing tightened. "I gave that order! I told Werner to bring her to Plantation 13, did I not?!"

"You did."

"And I okayed the transfer to her new squad myself, did I not?!"

"You did."

"And I willingly handed over the security information to Werner as an act of good faith, did I not?!"

The Vice-Chairman took a moment to collect his thoughts. "Yes, you did."

He grit his teeth. "Then. Why. Did. They. Run?"

"John, you know the reason."

That insufferable asshole! Him and his obsessions! Why could he not just cooperate?! "Why did Werner not tell them any of this?!"

Gabe didn't respond; instead he returned his gaze out the window, to the planet below. He felt his blood boil.

"Gabe, if you tell me he still believes that stupid, asinine..."

"He still believes it."

"The universe does not work that way!" Papa roared. "Magma energy is a natural resource! It is an erratic, localized and climate-based reaction! Putting the magma back into the ground will not fix the problems and he knows that! All of the speculative research has been inconclusive! We have no data and cannot afford to waste a single drop! Why is he so obstinate?!"

"There is still a way to clear the facility," the Vice-Chairman began. "It will take longer and require more resources, but if we harvest the supply underneath Asphodel-"

"No," he hissed. "Absolutely not. I have killed over eight billion people, Gabe. I will not kill the survivors. They are the only ones still untainted. They can rebuild our civilization." Head bowed, he stared at his hands as they gripped the railing. He could see the blood of every man, woman and child he'd killed. "For the first time, there is a clear way forward. A way without sacrifice or slaughter. Strelizia's efficiency is unparalleled. All I need from them is a week. One week, to clear the facility so we can launch the Hringhorni rocket and get the servers onto Cosmos. I'll disable their collars as we leave. Those two can survive the bloodbath. Then they and the other surviving parasites can run off to who knows where. I don't care. We can give Asphodel the usual hints and coordinates. They'll come pick them up and give them a home."

He sighed and closed his eyes. "The schematics for the robot bodies have already been finalized and approved. The deployable factories are prepped and ready. Once we reach Mars, we can live off of the remaining magma energy while we transition the systems to solar and nuclear. We won't need air or water or food or sleep. We can work, all of us, on an actual, concrete solution to the problem, without those godforsaken klaxosaurs hounding us every step of the way. We can spend as long as we need. Once we have our answers we will return and correct our mistakes."

"But in order to do any of this, John, we need to find the children."

"At this point I'm just going to assume Strelizia's tracker was disabled as well. Am I wrong?"

The Vice-Chairman's silence was his answer.

"Have those incompetent Nines continue their search. This is on them. They screwed up and they have to fix it. Make that clear." He looked Gabe in the eye. "And once they do find them, they will tell those kids that all I want to do is talk to them. Have them brought to one of our facilities so I can contact them personally."

"They could be anywhere."

He thought for a moment. "Is their squad still at Garden?"

"I believe so. Let me guess: send a message and tell the staff that they're to be brought in for questioning?"

Papa nodded. "Do it. Bring them to a conference room. They are not to be harmed. We'll take care of this charade ourselves."

He could tell it was frigid outside. If they left Strelizia, they'd probably freeze to death overnight. The blizzard was ferocious. He didn't know where they were, nor their ultimate destination. They didn't have any food, water or permanent shelter. By all rights, he should've been panicking.

But, if he was being honest with himself, he had never been more relaxed. Every part of him, from his soul to his skin, soaked in the warmth. Legs spread straight, he was leaning against several of the cables, which were radiating a dull, throbbing heat. A byproduct of the magma core, perhaps? He didn't know. It didn't matter.

Her intoxicating scent filled his nostrils and drowned him in its caress. Zero Two was wedged in between his legs, her back against his chest. One of their coats was serving as a makeshift rug, separating them from the cold metal of the cockpit. Her head was tucked under his chin; the second jacket was serving as a blanket.

He tightened his grip around her stomach and pulled her into him. The cables had wound themselves around the cabin, keeping the heat inside. A small opening had been left in front of them. Together they watched the outside world, as Strelizia thudded through the horrid blizzard, bound for parts unknown.

Or, at least, he was watching.

His free hand continued massaging the area between her horns, where her long lost headband had once resided. He was pretty sure her eyes were closed. And she was... ah... purring?

It was adorable. Words couldn't describe how much he loved her.

"Mmmnnn~"

So damn cute!

He placed a tender kiss against the back of her head. Snuggling like this was bliss incarnate.

"Your horns got larger," he breathed into her hair. "Want to shorten them? We still have the file."

"Nope!"

He wasn't expecting that answer. "No?"

Zero Two shook her head, grinning, and spent a moment to readjust the jacket. It had shifted a bit, uncovering his feet. once it was fixed she scooted back into his chest and sighed in happiness.

"My horn size doesn't matter. I want them to be the same length as yours!"

The tether quivered with his pride. "I think that deserves more head pats."

Her smile was radiant. She straightened and pushed back against his shoulder. A pale cheek nuzzled his own, a pink bang tickled his jaw.

"Yours got bigger too, you know."

"Did they?"

The question was genuine. Their escape attempt had forced his attention elsewhere, and they lacked their mirror. It wasn't like he could see them. Hell, he couldn't even feel them!

Actually... could he?

He spent a moment to focus. Yeah, he could... sort of. It was a dull, odd sensation, the same way someone could 'feel' their teeth.

"Yup!" she giggled.

He was curious now. He'd never managed to get a good read on what her preferred horn size was. It wasn't like she was hiding it from him - on the contrary, whenever he searched her mind, her thoughts about his changing body were plain as day. But by the time he got to 'darling's horn size', she'd usually devolved into a blushing mess and the thoughts were lost.

This was quite important. He needed to please and impress her, after all, and aesthetics were part of that.

He rubbed his cheek against hers. "How do they look?"

Turning to him, her mint orbs glanced at his horns. Then they roamed down his face. A dusting of pink spread across her visage.

"...Amazing."

Perhaps it was due to their proximity, but the air left Hiro's lungs. The love he felt radiating off her - the raw, overwhelming obsession - left him stunned. The way her eyes shone, the way her hair fell around her shoulders, messy and free. Her lips, her jaw, her horns, nose, ears and markings and body. Everything! What had he done to deserve her? Who had he pleased? How could he be so blessed? To have someone so perfect, so gorgeous and kind and caring...

"What length do you prefer them?" he murmured, leaning in. "Longer? Shorter?"

She bit her lip, thinking for a moment. The hairpin glinted and sparkled from underneath her bang. Good, it had survived the chaos as well. They had everything they required. All they needed now was some food and shelter.

"Keep them like that," she whispered at last. "Not too long, not too short."

There it was, his answer! The current size it would be, then. Anything for her. "Just right?"

"Mhm."

They shared a kiss. The journey continued.

"How are you feeling so far?" he asked once they separated. "Hungry? Tired?"

She shook her head. "Not yet! I'm okay. I hope this storm dies down soon, though, so we can search around. What about you?"

He thought for a moment. "I'm fine, too. Although..."

Her content expression was replaced by concern and worry faster than he could blink. "What is it? Darling?"

Embarrassment tinged his cheeks red. He scratched his cheek, a bit sheepish.

"It's... strange. I haven't needed a bathroom break in days."

...

"Pff!"

Wha-

"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

His face was glowing. "Th-This isn't funny!"

She'd collapsed against his chest, holding her stomach as she shook in laughter. He couldn't help cracking a grin in spite of himself. Her laugh was just another thing he loved. It was contagious as heck, too.

"S-Sorry, sorry!" she gasped, winded. "It's... it's okay! That's normal!"

Eh? "Normal?"

Still grinning, she nodded as she wiped away her tears. "I've... never needed to use the bathroom! I asked the doctor about it a long time ago, when I was younger and didn't know what a toilet was. He said I was 'hyper-efficient' or something, that I was better at processing food." She paused, thinking. "I spent all day sitting there, trying to force something out, but it never happened. I hated it... just another reason I was a monster."

She smiled when he kissed her cheek. "You kidding? That's a great feature, not a bad one! I wish it had happened sooner."

Even so, that... made a surprising amount of sense. If their bodies weren't wasteful and could use all the energy they got from food, then...

He looked down at his hand, opening and closing his palm repeatedly. Ohhh.

"But doesn't that mean we need to eat more, too? We probably go through the energy faster, don't we?"

Zero Two nodded. "I think it depends on how much we eat? The more we eat at once, the longer we can go between meals. But when we get hungry, we get... uh, hungry! Yupyup!"

"We better find some place habitable soon, then."

"Can we... ask where it's taking us?" She looked over at the pistil terminal. "U-Um... Strelizia? Where are we going?"

But Strelizia had stopped moving. A low growl echoed through the cabin. Concerned, Hiro peered at the opening, into the storm. His eyes widened.

"Zero Two, look."

She followed his gaze and her own shock grew. Her arms grabbed onto him in a protective manner. A soft hiss escaped her bared teeth.

Through the blizzard, barely visible, was a giant snake, its mouth wide open. Sitting on the tongue, posture regal, was-

Found you.

"Shit," he whispered. "Strelizia? I think it's time to go."

The mech twisted its head in another direction, looking for an exit. But wherever it looked, more klaxosaurs appeared. The beasts had formed a perimeter. Had they been followed? Tracked?

At last. You have escaped your cage. We have been waiting.

The snake untangled itself, separated into two. The girl seated herself in the cobra's mouth. The viper slithered forward.

"What do you want? We... we aren't here to fight!" Zero Two urged. The cables they were resting against now wrapped around them. "We just want to be left alone!"

Show us.

He grit his teeth. Why was everyone bothering them?! It never ended! "Show you what?"

The bond. Show us the bond, hybrids, so that we may judge you.

The viper opened its maw and lunged.

Strelizia spun away as the snake sailed past. It raised the tail and prepared a retaliatory stab, but was caught off guard when the creature twisted and slammed its body into the mech's side. The Franxx stumbled but caught itself; the viper had disappeared into the storm.

It scanned its surroundings, watching and waiting. Then Strelizia dodged backwards, right as the snake erupted from the snow and ice. With a burst of thrust the mech reversed its trajectory and slammed into the klaxosaur, bringing it to the ground. The tail rushed forth, attempting to impale it, but the snake was too nimble. It twisted and turned, avoiding the blows through sporadic contortions of its body. The beast eventually freed itself and slithered back to its master.

We are not impressed.

That little... she was so arrogant! The girl glanced at the viper.

Go on.

The creature approached them again. Strelizia crouched and lowered its center of gravity, preparing to move, but paused. The klaxosaur had stopped.

The klaxosaur was changing.

Its head fractured and disappeared into the back. Armored segments shifted faster than their eyes could follow. It reared up, limbs sprouting to support its new posture. Reptilian ligaments twisted into new shapes of varying sizes - shoulders, joints, a torso and head. The tail thinned and folded in on itself, then looped around and attached to its hip. The tip of the tail snapped and separated from the rest of the appendage. A robotic hand reached over and pulled it from its confines.

Its eyes flashed to life. Hiro felt his blood run cold.

"That's... a..."

What do the humans call them? 'Franxx'? How naive. How ignorant.

From the tail turned scabbard emerged a weapon, sharp and dangerous. The pristine metal reflected the snow spiraling through the air. The black machine held it away from its body. The bladed edge ignited into a brilliant yellow-orange.

"Darling..." Zero Two whispered. "That weapon. D-Doesn't that... look like a..."

His throat was dry. "It doesn't make sense."

They'd read of them, years ago, in the old history books the doctor had provided, the ones on human history. It was an ancient, historic weapon, used for thousands of years. It had decided wars, crowned heroes and felled tyrants. Up until this moment, he had never even seen one. And yet... but, no! They were mindless beasts! His mind screamed at him, told him it was fake, impossible, wrong. But his eyes saw the truth.

A klaxosaur was wielding a sword.

A sword... with an edge of magma energy.

The snake - the mech - charged forward. In a single smooth motion, Strelizia's tail had grown its handle. With both hands it raised the spear aloft, blocking the downwards swing of the counterpart's sword. The ground trembled from the force behind the blow. A black and blue knee was lifted; Strelizia was keeled over at the waist. Its growl sent his head spinning. Twisting with deceptive agility, the klaxosaur maneuvered its weapon and drove the pommel into the back of Strelizia's neck, sending it to the ground. The black machine walked around it, sword pointed and ready to strike.

Are you this unworthy, child? If you do not show us, you will die.

"There... there has to be something we can do!" Zero Two rasped. "It needs our help! It can't do this alone, darling!"

Think, damn it! He had to think! "But how can we connect without our suits? There's no other..."

His head shot up. That footage, from that operation. That power, that strength! And they'd done that... by...

Urgency in his every movement, Hiro turned to Zero Two. She returned his look, her own eyes desperate. They shared a nod and intertwined their hands.

"Together..." they spoke in unison.

Eyes closed. Horns touched.

The world went white.

We-

-are...

Who knew how long they'd been searching through this office. An hour? Longer, maybe? They were breaking all the rules in the book, but at this point they just didn't care. They weren't leaving until they got answers. Until they knew when, where, how, and most importantly: why. Why. Why, why, why? Why were they test subjects? Why had they been experimented on? What was that old doctor trying to do? They needed reasons. Hiro and Zero Two were their squadmates. They had a duty to find the truth. It was obvious to her now - this was why he didn't trust anyone. This was why he obsessed over her so much and why he kept to himself for all those years.

He thought he was in danger. Thought she was in danger. Hiro and Zero Two had always been in 'hostile' territory, even in Plantation 13, and the rest of them had been none the wiser. But no more! No! They would find out the truth. All of them.

"Find anything?"

She sneezed. Again. Ugh, there was so much dust everywhere! This was gross!

"Just this." She handed Goro the piece of paper, a simple logged transmission. He held it close and read it aloud while the others continued tearing apart the room.

"Subject 01-6 continues to deteriorate and has begun demonstrating irrational behaviors and thought. Concerned over a potential escape attempt. Doors have been locked as a precautionary measure. Death of Subject 01-12 believed to be a contributing factor to former's actions."

"Are they talking about Hiro?" Futoshi asked.

"Maybe? I'm not sure," Goro replied. "There isn't any date marked, either. It's so... vague."

Mitsuru called him over, still seated at the computer. "Let me see, Goro? I'll run a search."

Goro handed him the paper. The other boy glanced at it, then began typing and clicking. The rest of them continued searching in the meantime, but most of what they found was irrelevant and too complicated to understand. Medical files, dosages, notes on klaxosaurs? For research purposes, maybe? To identify weak points?

"Found it."

Ichigo's attention was dragged back to Mitsuru, who had brought up some sort of list on the room's back monitor.

A.P.U.S.: SUBJECT INFORMATION

SUBJECT: 01-01 - M - DECEASED

SUBJECT: 01-02 - F - DECEASED

SUBJECT: O1-03 - M - DECEASED

SUBJECT: 01-04 - M - DECEASED

SUBJECT: O1-05 - F - DECEASED

SUBJECT: 01-06 - F - DECEASED

SUBJECT: 01-07 - M - DECEASED

SUBJECT: 01-08 - F - DECEASED

SUBJECT: 01-09 - F - DECEASED

SUBJECT: 01-10 - M - DECEASED

SUBJECT: 01-11 - F - DECEASED

SUBJECT: 01-12 - M - DECEASED

Her hands covered her mouth in disbelief. "There are... so many..."

It kept going. On, and on, and on. Dozens of subjects, all dead. How long had they been alive? Why were they dead? Who were they? What was all this?

Mitsuru eventually gave up and scrolled to the end of the list. What they saw confirmed their worst suspicions.

SUBJECT: 02-00 - F - ACTIVE - 13 - PASS - CODE: 002

SUBJECT: 02-01 - U - ACTIVE - 9α - FAIL

SUBJECT: 02-02 - U - ACTIVE - 9β - FAIL

SUBJECT: 02-03 - U - ACTIVE - 9γ - FAIL

SUBJECT: 02-04 - U - ACTIVE - 9δ - FAIL

SUBJECT: 02-05 - U - ACTIVE - 9ε - FAIL

SUBJECT: 02-06 - T - ACTIVE - 9ζ - TBD

SUBJECT: 02-07 - T - ACTIVE - 9η - TBD

SUBJECT: 02-08 - T - ACTIVE - 9θ - TBD

Separated from all the others, in its own separate row, was one additional line. Goro placed his hand on her shoulder and squeezed. Ichigo shook her head, horrified.

"No, no, no, no..."

SUBJECT: 016 - M - ACTIVE - 13 - PASS - CODE: 016

She collapsed to the floor and buried her head in her knees as the reality of the situation finally hit her.

The boy she'd admired, the boy with the nice smile and heart of gold, had seen something he couldn't accept.

The boy rescued the girl, the experimental subject Garden had tortured. Together they escaped into the snowy woods, pursued by the soldiers of a society to which they didn't belong.

They were caught and had their memories suppressed. They resisted.

And so, instead and against his will, the boy she'd admired was experimented on as well.

Ichigo balled her fists. Angry, vengeful tears streamed down her cheeks. "It wasn't our fault."

Goro sat down beside her. "Ichigo?"

"We... we were victims as much as them. We grew up in this disgusting place. They told us lies! They never told us they did these things! That they tortured Hiro and the girl he'd saved! They beat us! They won!"

Mitsuru had stood up. The rage on his face was barely concealed.

"Hiro and Zero Two keep others at arms length because they were tortured!" she screamed at last. "They can't trust anyone else! The world made them that way! The fault... the fault..."

Futoshi's knuckles were white. He glared at the back monitor, teeth clenched. "...lies with APE."

There was a knock on the door. A male voice filtered in, muffled by the barrier.

"Whoever is in there, come out at once! This area is off limits!"

She and Goro shared a panicked look. Futoshi's eyes hardened. He grabbed a chair.

"What are you thinking?!"

"It's the only way. It's our only option."

"We can destroy them. We've already taken out most. It's only a matter of time!"

"And what was the cost for those victories?"

"..."

Where was he? Where was... where was Zero Two? What was this?! He couldn't move! Why couldn't he move?! Wait - he was moving! But he... couldn't control... his legs! What was this cave? Why was it so quiet? Why couldn't he look around?

Whose hand was he holding? This wasn't Zero Two's hand! Let... let go! Why couldn't he let go?!

Was he underground? He'd never been here before in his life! Damn it! Damn it! Zero Two! Why couldn't he scream?! He couldn't talk! Why wouldn't his body obey?!

He stopped at the end of the tunnel; a dull blue light came from beyond. Words formed themselves on lips outside of his control. This voice... it wasn't his!

"Ready?"

"Ready!" replied the woman. That wasn't her voice! Where was his Zero Two?! Let go! Let go, damn it!

He continued to struggle in vain, even as the body walked into the spacious cavern. Chained to the wall was a... klaxosaur? It fought against its bindings, growled and snarled and roared its frustration to any who would listen. The collar around its neck didn't budge. Strange metal wrapped around its four legs, holding it in place. He and the woman approached.

On closer inspection, this beast... looked like...

"You poor thing..." the woman whispered.

"You've been fighting all this time, haven't you?" his foreign voice lamented.

The klaxosaur again tried to break free and run, but the effort was futile. A low growl of warning echoed off the walls as they edged closer. His free hand extended, though whether it was out of his own will, he didn't know. Out of his periphery, he saw the woman do the same. Their interlocked fingers squeezed in mutual reassurance.

"It's okay," they consoled together.

The beast turned to them, hesitant. It stopped resisting.

"We're here now."

"Entire cities, gone. Ninety-five percent of the population, dead. Ecological catastrophe. All life on this planet is on the verge of extinction. But if this works..."

"What about your mate? What about your family?"

"They understood. Some more than others, but they understood."

"You don't even know what will happen, do you, Strellic? You don't know what will come of this. It's never been tried before - never been considered before. You realize that, right? It's untested. Unprecedented."

"Argen, look at me. If we do this, if it succeeds..."

He jolted awake and brought himself into a sitting position. Where... where was he now? A bed? What was - no! Zero Two! Where was his Zero Two?!

"Zero Two!"

"Darling!"

Her voice, close! Scent, close! Right next to-

He twisted in her direction, desperate and on edge. She was... right next to him? They were in the same bed, aside one another. Zero Two stared at him for a moment, eyes wide, then threw herself into his embrace.

"Holycrapholycrapholycrapholycrap," she breathed. He squeezed her tight, inhaled her scent. Holy hell, okay. Okay, okay. They were together. It was okay.

"Are you alright?" he asked. His heart was beating faster than it ever had before. She nodded against him.

"It was... so weird!" She took a moment to breathe his scent, then sighed in relief. "There was this tunnel and cave! And I couldn't control my body and some gross creep was holding my hand and I couldn't punch him or bite him or-"

"I was there too!" he interrupted. He pulled away and grabbed her hands. They shared a strange look, trying to sort through what they'd seen. "I was in the man. I couldn't find you or smell you. It was... horrifying. And that klaxosaur-"

"-looked like Strelizia! It was in stampede!" she finished. He nodded.

For the longest time they sat there, hugging. He'd underestimated how reliant on her he'd become. The panic he'd felt, it reminded him of some of his attacks during those years they were separated. The waiting had driven him insane. He'd never slept well. Was she okay? Had she been hurt? Where was she now? Was she lying in a ditch somewhere, bleeding out? Had one of her missions failed? Did she know he was alive, waiting for her? Did she have a partner? And if she did, did she like her partner?

Did she still... even remem-

No. No, no, no.

She was his and only his! She owned him! He owned her! They belonged to each other! No one else! He'd kill anyone who so much as looked at her, and...

...and he was glad those stamen, those 'partners', were dead. It was a horrible thing to think, let alone say. But it was the truth. He didn't know what had done the deed and he didn't care. He knew it wasn't her; he'd seen nothing in her memories of her intentionally killing them. They always just wound up dead by the third ride. Some earlier, but always by the third.

Good.

He was the only one she could ride with.

He buried his face into her neck and felt those gorgeous locks of hair massage his scalp. Her scent, yeeeessss! Holy heck, the relief he felt! The stress released from his shoulders. Those minutes were scary and horrible, but they'd never been separated. It was a dream. It was just a bad dream, just a nightmare. It was okay. She was okay. He was okay. They were okay.

The two of them looked around once they'd collected themselves. The room was downright cozy. Spacious. Walls and floors made of quality wood. A dresser in the corner, an oil lamp on the bed stand. They were on a large, comfortable bed, built for two. Sunlight streamed in from a nearby window.

That sound... waves? It was so soothing. His panic drained away, replaced by curiosity. Where were they?

"This is beautiful!" she admired. He grinned in agreement.

"C'mon, let's go look around."

They exited the room, hand in hand. The ticking of a large clock greeted their ears. Was that the one from Mistleteinn? What was it doing here? But this den was beautiful! He'd never seen that style of furniture before. Simple, but elegant. Impressive. Such a nice table. And a fireplace, too!

"Woooooow!"

Zero Two was staring at the bowls of food, drooling. It smelled delicious. But where were the owners? This home obviously wasn't abandoned. Had they been rescued or something? Where was Strelizia? Where was that blue murder-demon? What had happened to the blizzard?

She had grabbed one of the spoons resting on a napkin.

"Zero Two, c'mon!" he chastised in a half-hearted manner. "That's rude!"

"Just a bite!" She took a scoop and shoved the spoon in her mouth. Her eyes lit up. "Mmmm! It's so good! Darling, you gotta try this!"

...Well, one bite couldn't hurt, right? She took another spoonful and held it up in front of him. He opened his mouth with a chuckle.

"Ahh!"

Holy crap! She wasn't kidding! So warm, so fresh and delicious! What was this?

"It's amazing!" he agreed. "What is this?"

She pointed over at the adjoining room. "Maybe there's something in the kitchen?"

They walked over. An open notebook was on the counter. This scrawl seemed... familiar, somehow. He read the recipe aloud.

"'Home-made clam chowder'? I'll have to remember that."

"I think I saw some clams at the beach, back then! Once we get there we can experiment!" But then she paused. "Wait. Do you hear that, though, darling? Where are we? That sounds like..." She perked up, a grin blooming on her face. "Let's go look!"

She grabbed his hand and together they raced out of the polished wooden door, not bothering to explore the rest of the house. They were in a lightly wooded area; the birds chirped in the trees overhead. Before them, aside a well, was a well-worn dirt path, leading off and then down a hill. They followed it for a ways, and were eventually greeted... by...

"This is the beach," he whispered. "Our beach."

The path had split further back. One way led off into the forest. The other had brought them here. The trees gave way to grass and grass gave way to sand. The water sparkled, clear and beautiful.

Off to their right hand side, where the sand met the rocks, was a giant, crystal-like metallic structure, something that hadn't been there before. It was impaled into the ground and towered over the surroundings, as blue as the ocean. Two orbs of light, one blue and one red, circled around it, chasing each other.

"What... is this?" Zero Two wondered in awe. "How did we get back here?"

The two floating balls halted in front of the blue tower upon hearing her voice. They watched the orbs and the orbs watched them. Then the lights vanished, as if they were never there. The structure shimmered and glowed, beckoning them forward.

For the quickest of moments, the laughter of children graced their ears.

"Do you feel that?" he asked.

She nodded. "It's like it's... pulling at me. But it's not scary..."

He tugged at her hand. "Let's go."

They strolled onto the beach of their dreams and approached the fantastical object. It hummed and pulsed. The warmth of its light soothed his skin. They walked forward, hand in hand, and extended their free arms.

The world, once again, went white.

"...We can save everything."

A forest. A silent, still forest. Where the previous one had been quaint and humble, this was incredible and magnificent.

Their breathing was the only sound he could hear. The trees were in bloom. All around them, no matter where they looked, petals fell - vibrant and beautiful, the same shade as her hair. As far as the eye could see, they fluttered to the ground, endless and omnipresent. Their legs carried them through that forest, their destination unknown, until they happened upon a clearing.

A tree of mistletoe.

Full of life and beauty, its leaves swayed in the soft breeze. The beams of sunlight caressed its boughs and warmed their skin. They dared not say a word. But there was a new addition there, something out of place amongst all that natural grace. In the tree's shadow, where they had once read her picture book, rested a tombstone of plain design, covered in grime. A frown marred his face. He had read of these. They were memorials commemorating the dead. But in such a happy place, full of growth? Who had been buried here? If this was their tree... who had died?

Up above circled a few birds.

Flap.

Flap.

He and Zero Two approached the solitary marker. Hair fluttering in the breeze, they crouched down in front of the tombstone. He wiped away the dust and dirt, revealing the name chiseled into the rock.

STRELIZIA

Flap.

Yet another bird - but this one had landed on top of the tombstone, unafraid. Zero Two glanced up, blinked, then tightened her grip on his hand. He lifted his gaze.

Feathers of ruby and eyes of emerald. The bird had two heads.

What?

Flap.

Flap.

Flap.

Flap.

Flap.

Flap.

All around them, a myriad birds, different than the one that stood before them. One head and a coat of black and white. Identical to the injured creature he had tried to help in the plantation, all those months ago. Each and every one stared at them, statuesque and silent. Goosebumps tingled on his arms. The breeze was gentle and calm, but this situation was... strange? He couldn't place the feeling. He didn't feel like he was in danger. It wasn't creepy, per se, but...

What... was this?

He and Zero Two stood up again, turned to the two-headed bird. A question surfaced in his mind. He hesitated; the pause lasted for an eternity.

"...Strelizia?"

The two heads looked down, at the tombstone. He didn't understand. What did that mean? It... wasn't? But... then...

Zero Two swallowed and squeezed his hand. "What... who... are you?"

The breeze stopped. All was quiet.

All was silent.

His heart hammered in his chest. His throat was dry. He felt her nervousness through the tether.

The twin-headed bird split its focus. One head looked at her, the other, him. Its beaks opened.

"Isn't it-"

"-obvious?"

As one, the birds took flight.

Flap.

Let us fight instead. You can go. We'll protect you.

We promise.

A mechanical hand slammed into the ground. The ruby glow crawled across their skin. They could hear their heartbeat. They could feel. They could think. Snow vaporized. Steam billowed and obscured.

They lifted themselves up, raised their head. Through the water vapor flashed eyes of emerald. They tested their voice, filled with static and hoarse from lack of use.

"...one."

The girl sat up and leaned forward. Her eyes were intense.

The antagonizing machine lowered its raised sword and took a step back. Its behavior was strange, but it didn't matter. They just wanted to be left alone. And if humans and klaxosaurs alike blocked their path...

They would need... a weapon. The tail was fast and agile, but couldn't block or do enough damage. The lance could only stab and thrust... that machine could cut, too. They needed... something...

Green eyes trailed over to lance, sitting in the snow. The flat ends... they were...

Memories of a time gone by drifted through them, whispers on the wind. They grabbed the spear and stood up, concentrating. Channel it through the tail. Focus it into the emitters, coat the spearhead, sharpen it with the energy.

The klaxosaur struck out. Guided by some unknown muscle memory, they brought the weapon up to intercept. The sword was caught - by the magma axe head emitted from the flat of the weapon. They twisted the sword away, freed their polearm and unleashed a horizontal chop at the black machine's torso. The klaxosaur rushed forward, getting past the halberd's minimum range. It turned into the blow and raised the sword, diverting the strike away. The klaxosaur followed the maneuver, stepping into Strelizia to attempt an upwards, diagonal slash. They willed the shaft to retract down to their wrist and turned away at the same time. The sudden shortening of the shaft allowed them to switch the weapon's position. They extended the handle again, which now took its full shape in between the mechs. Strelizia grabbed the handle with their free hand and slammed it into the oncoming blade, halting its movement. The two combatants broke away and separated, creating distance.

It was unlike any maneuver they'd pulled off before. Their body was moving in unconventional ways, fighting with degrees of motion not thought possible for something so massive and heavy. Their opponent, too. They had never seen a klaxosaur move so...

A dangerous thought took form in their mind. They took a breath, a futile attempt to calm their nerves.

The machines... were no longer moving like machines.

Strelizia and its opponent circled around each other, weapons at the ready. They held the shaft perpendicular to their body, point aimed at the enemy, with their body low to the ground. They didn't know why... but they did. It felt... natural? The klaxosaur had rested the flat of the blade on its elbow, forearm pointed back to its opposite shoulder. Some sort of... defensive stance?

The machines...

The black mech rushed forward and raised the sword for a vertical slice. Strelizia brought up the halberd and twisted the side of their body forward. The oncoming blow was redirected away using its own momentum; the shaft was lifted upwards and swung at the thing's head. It ducked underneath, shifted its center of gravity and then slammed a foot into the back of their knee. It gave out and they were forced into a kneeling position.

...were moving like...

Strelizia tried to get back up, but it was too late. The tip of the sword was pointed at their throat.

Enough.

This little bitch! They looked past the klaxosaur and released a mechanical, defiant snarl. The demon's lips curled upwards.

We are impressed.

Huh?!

The sword was lowered and the antagonizing machine stepped off to the side. They got to their feet, wary.

You have been judged. Your phoenix has been found worthy. We are...

She paused. A strange emotion flitted over her face, then vanished.

...pleased.

The viper was no longer a mech; the klaxosaurs standing guard had parted on one side, revealing an exit. The blizzard had calmed to a simple snowstorm. A slender hand was lifted and the girl snapped her fingers. In the distance sparked a massive, white flare. They glanced from it to the girl.

Go there.

Their eyes narrowed. "Why? Why should we trust you?"

She arched a white eyebrow.

You require shelter and sustenance, do you not?

...

The bond is energy intensive, silly hybrids.

Tch! "We're eating then leaving!"

Do what you will.

Seeing their chance, they raced off in the flare's direction, which lingered before vanishing. In its place was a thin beam of light, which they assumed had originated from the same location. It was calculated to be quite a distance away from where they were, but... yeah, they could reach it in a few hours if they kept this pace!

Then he blinked and was back in his own body. Whoa. Hiro glanced down. Their hands were still intertwined. But the cables had joined them, wrapping around their wrists and fingers. He felt something disconnect from his horns. Zero Two's eyes fluttered open.

"Hey," he whispered with an exhausted grin.

"Hey."

"You okay? Everything still there?"

Her face scrunched up in thought. He chuckled. "Mhm," she murmured. She was tired too, huh? "Think so. You?"

All he could do was shrug. "Minor headache, maybe."

The cables released them fully. She groaned and launched herself into his chest. "I never knew Strelizia was so weird, darling!"

A rumbling grumble shook the cockpit, even as the now-white mech continued bounding to their new destination. They laughed, glad to be alone once more.

They'd been held in containment for almost three hours now. She hadn't seen Nana at all. But honestly, Ichigo was just glad to be walking again, even if it was under armed escort. Whatever. She didn't care anymore. They didn't serve these... monsters. As far as she was concerned, her squad were prisoners.

Prisoners with no way out.

The guards ushered them into an empty, spacious conference room. Just them... and the guards that had captured them.

"Sit."

They did not. Ichigo pulled at her handcuffs again.

"Do not make this harder than it has to be," one soldier grunted. "No harm will come to you. Papa wishes for your aid. It is a great honor."

She mentally sneered. Some honor, alright. Something told her Papa was the cause for all their troubles. Zorome and Miku and now this?

And where were Hiro and Zero Two anyway? They hadn't been seen since whatever that commotion was all those hours ago! She had her suspicions - but none of the guards would answer her questions. Why wouldn't anyone answer her questions?! Ugh, it was infuriating!

She turned to the 'nicer' guard - if guards could be nice, that was. "Where are Code 002 and Code 016?"

"They are gone. They've escaped."

It wasn't the guard that responded.

That... that voice...

The members of Squad 13 spun as one to the gigantic monitor covering the back of the room from wall to wall. Sitting side by side were the Vice Chairman... and Papa.

"Hello, parasites of the Thirteenth Squadron. I'm pleased to finally make your acquaintance. I've received nothing but good reports... with a few exceptions."

"What do you mean?!" she shouted, unconcerned with the breach of protocol. "What do you mean they escaped?! Where have they gone?"

Papa folded his hands underneath his chin, the mask rendering his feelings an enigma. "I was hoping you would know. That chaos from several hours ago? Soldiers running? Does that ring a bell, perhaps?"

Was this... really Papa? Why was he so... casual.

"It... does..." she replied, her tone terse.

"I assure you, I only wish to speak with them. They are key to saving humanity from its various afflictions - both our dying planet and the klaxosaur menace. But it seems my orders were... misinterpreted... by the special forces, who are currently pursuing Code 002, Code 016 and Strelizia."

St-Strelizia!? But how?! Their Franxx were back at the Plantation, deactivated! Wait - but... but of course. Strelizia had a habit of moving when it shouldn't... which meant...

It had... rescued them?

That was... kinda cute.

Scary, but cute.

Ichigo allowed herself a bit of relief. Those two had finally done it, huh? They were finally free.

She was happy.

"Why are they so important?" Goro questioned from beside her. "Why go through all this for two parasites?"

Papa sighed. "Because they are efficient. I'm sure you've noticed how proficient they are at dispatching klaxosaurs?"

They all nodded, a bit suspicious.

"My goal is to have them clear the occupied Grand Crevasse. That is all I require of them - all I require of you. After that, you will be released from duty. All of you: Squad 13, Codes 002 and 016 and all surviving parasites."

...

What?

"Can... c-can you repeat that, please, sir?" Kokoro spoke up. "Do you... mean that we'll..."

Papa leaned forward. "Should we fulfill the objectives of the Grand Crevasse operation, you will all be free."

...

He... he had to be lying! He had to be! There was no way this... this rotten bastard would...

"And how do we know you're telling the truth?!" Futoshi roared. "Zorome and Miku are dead because of you!"

There was an ominous pause. "We never authorized any deployment of Squad 13. We received notifications of their deaths due to 'unforeseen events', but I assure you that whatever these 'events' were, they were not sanctioned by this council."

"I apologize for the insensitivity, but may I ask how they perished? They were a valuable Franxx pair. They will be missed."

"It... it was a mission to-"

Ikuno spoke up. Loudly. "It was a mission to dispatch several Gutenberg-class klaxosaurs that somehow avoided the Plantation's sensors. We were forced to undergo emergency deployment. Argentea was swarmed and destroyed. The pilots are dead. It was a hard fought battle and they will be missed."

An uncomfortable silence fell over the conference room. "I see. I'll make a note on their files. They were excellent soldiers to the very end. The council is sorry for your loss, Squad 13."

The Vice-Chairman continued in Papa's place. "It is for reasons such as this that we require an audience with Codes 002 and 016. Their cooperation will mean no more losses, no more parasites needlessly killed over pointless struggles with unthinking beasts. The APE special forces are currently in pursuit, but they have been shown to be openly hostile to Codes 002 and 016. We are afraid they will fail to calm the situation."

"So... you want us to help you find them and convince them to talk with you?"

Papa nodded. His voice was kind, paternal. "We would never ask you to trade blows with fellow squadmates. All we want is for you to search for them. When you find them, alert us, and then ask them to come back. We will not harm them. We will not separate them. We only want them to cooperate with us for a week - nothing more."

Mitsuru glared at them, the epitome of distrust. "And after that we will be free, correct? No more experiments. No more fighting. No more sacrifices."

"Indeed."

The parasites glanced between each other, trading looks of various meanings and intensity. At last, Ichigo looked back to the display and sighed.

"Well?" Papa asked. "Do we have a deal?"

She'd had a panic attack. That was the only way she could describe it. A full blown panic attack, with nothing held back. Screaming, crying, raging and dying. She'd suffocated, burned alive in her raw, terrible hate. And no matter how loud she wailed, it hadn't stopped. No more headband to help control it. No more klaxosaurs to murder and vent on.

Everything had gone to darling. That was her reality now. He was all of her coping mechanisms, all of her strategies rolled into one.

Without him, she couldn't live and couldn't think and couldn't exist. Without him, she had no purpose. Without him, she was nothing. He was her everything. She'd thought he'd been taken again. She hadn't been able to smell him, see him, taste him or touch him.

It had been worse than death. She hadn't known where he was and couldn't find him, no matter how hard she tried. It was her worst nightmare brought to life. The mere thought of it made her break out in a cold sweat, made her heartbeat skyrocket and her stomach clench.

But then she woke up in that bed and heard his voice and felt their link and found his scent and hugged him andandand the relief she felt! The mind boggling relief! It was crazy! As soon as she'd found him, the chaos had all melted away, like it was never even there. She'd been made whole again.

It had become more and more obvious to her the longer they were together. It wasn't just addiction anymore. She was dependent on him. She couldn't function if she didn't know where he was. Their connection had disappeared for maybe five minutes and she'd instantly reverted to that crazed ball of rage she hated so much.

But at the same time... darling was dependent on her, too. That same feeling was always echoing back to her through their connection. And honestly?

If it was him, she wanted to be dependent. It was kinda funny. Applying this situation to any ickygross non-darling gave her nothing but terror. Absolute horror. She would kill herself, without a doubt. No way, never never never. The disgust, the dread! Ugh, no! Ew ew ew!

Darling, though? It was the opposite. Not being dependent was what terrified her. Not being able to track his scent, not having this invisible rope linking them. Even if they lost sight of each other, as long as she could get to him, it was okay.

But she would never ever ever let it get to that point, duh! Never again! Nope!

When they'd first met at that lake all those months ago, it was a crush. Old feelings welling up again. It wasn't like she could forget what darling looked like, or his code or other-name... but she didn't know if he was still darling - if her darling was still alive in there. She'd still had her doubts and hadn't known how long it would take to get his memories back. She'd steeled herself and prepared for the worst. It was scary. All those sleepless nights leading up to that day, ugh. What if she couldn't get him out of his cage? What if he'd... died in there, after being trapped for so long? What if he was no longer the same boy who had given her the gift of existing?

What if... he... didn't remem-

No no no no no no nonono!

She pushed herself back into his chest, extra hard. His grip around her tightened.

She couldn't lose him. Absolutely not! Not then, not now, not ever! He was too important, too center to her world and life and soul! But he was here now. She had him. It was okay. He was okay. She was okay. They were okay.

His hand parted her hair and she felt his lips on the back of her neck. Yesyesyesyesssss shhh relax, relax. It was okay, shh...

Darling was here. Deeeeeep breath, deep breath.

And then...

She grinned in pleasure and tilted her head more. He was peppering the underside of her jaw with kisses.

They'd... fallen in love all over again, hadn't they? Those distant feelings from her past, multiplied by... um... a thousand? A million? No! Infinity! Multiplied by infinity, yupyup!

It was indescribable! She couldn't even place her feelings anymore. Love? Lust? Admiration? Eternal gratitude? Dedication?

Nono, it was something... more. Something unhealthier?

Addiction. Obsession. Dependence. Reliance. Need.

Enslavement?

Mmm... yeah, that one! She was darling's slave, and he was hers! It was ownership! He owned her and she owned him.

His scent washed over her. It caressed her and loved her in the best ways possible.

And she wouldn't have it any other way! Jeez, now she needed to kiss him. She was so hopeless!

Turning her head, she leaned up and locked their lips together. Her tongue explored his teeth. Repositioning, Zero Two ran her hands through his black hair and threw herself into him, mashing their bodies together. More touch! She was so addicted, it drove her crazy! Those strong arms wrapped around her back, held her close and tight. Yes! Everything about him, yes! Moremoremore!

They broke for air. Darling cupped her cheeks. "Hey."

A calming wave of relaxation flowed from the link, soothing her fiiiire mmmm...

He leaned in and massaged under her markings. "It's okay. We were never separated."

His eyes were so clear, so... "We weren't?"

"It was a dream. Just a bad dream. We can't be separated anymore. Nobody's tracking us. We're free."

The tension continued releasing itself from her body. Just a... dream. Darling was right. "We're... free."

He nodded. "We can relax. We don't have to rush anymore. We can... slow down and enjoy it."

Huh? "Slow down?"

That toothy grin she loved so much spread across his face. "Like this. Watch."

One hand cupped her head. The other dropped to the small of her back. Darling closed the distance; she brought her hands to his shoulders on instinct.

...

Her eyes fluttered shut. She let herself relax into his arms.

...

Mmmm...

...

He retreated from her parted lips like a wave pulling away from the sand. Her spine tingled. She opened her eyes. Darling's breath tickled her jaw.

"See?" he whispered.

The grip on his shoulders tightened. "Another example!"

"Of course."

...

Like... when he'd taught her how to use the fork and knife. There wasn't any need to rush. She didn't have to devour the ham all at once. She could...

...

Mmmmmmmm!

...

...take her time... and savor... her daaaaarling. The... taste of... his liiiiips... and the texture of... his toooongue... and his... scent... and his hands on... her booooody... and his shoulders...

...

Darling... wasn't going anywhere. They couldn't be separated anymore. There wasn't... any need to rush...! She could finally slooooow down... and... enjoy him... mmm! No more cages, or people, or fighting. No more Nines, or APE, or lies. Just her... and darling. Alone at last. Their nightmare was finally over! Every second, minute, hour... together! Yessss...

...

His taste lingered on her tongue as they separated. She felt so... calm...

He nuzzled their horns. "Better?"

"Yeah..."

Something tapped their shoulders. They glanced over. Two cables were 'looking' at them. The tendrils twisted away and gestured to the opening. Turning, she and darling peered out, into the cloudy, snowy evening. Strelizia had stopped. Through the makeshift viewport was... their destination?

The mech had focused on some ancient memorial, a strange circle of mismatched, rectangular stones. Some were standing. Others rested on the standing stones, forming makeshift 'bridges'. Yet more were on the ground, half-buried by the snow, having been toppled by some event from the distant past. But what caught their attention was the object in the middle, which towered over the encircling rocks.

A monolith, pitch black in color. Strange blue markings shifted across its surface. The beam of light originated from the tip of the structure, sent straight up into the sky, where it disappeared into the clouds.

Something nagged at her. That tall thing was obviously a klaxosaur design. But the rocks were just... big rocks. Why were they there? Had the klaxosaurs put them there, too? But... why would they?

The nagging shifted to unsettling. Unless... they weren't made at the same time? Yeah, that made sense. Those rocks had been around for a long time. But why would the klaxosaurs build something like that in... the... middle...

Her discomfort multiplied and jumped into her throat.

The structure hadn't been build inside the ring...

Eyes widening, she found darling's hand and squeezed it tight.

The ring... had been build around the structure.

"What... is this?" she whispered.

As if triggered by her words, the beam of light descended with freakish speed until it shone directly on the cockpit. They squinted and shielded their eyes. It was like staring into the sun! Ugh! Unspoken words echoed in their minds - words they'd never heard, but somehow knew the meaning of. The cables coiled around them once more, leaving nothing to chance.

KLAXO SAPIENS

That... that phrase again! Nnngh, what now?! Really?! What the heck was going on?!

"What in the world..." darling groaned beside her.

The earth itself began shaking.

WE HAVE BEEN WAITING