Author's Note: Alright here we go again, welcome back to Rebellion in the Franxx, no rebellion yet unfortunately. But on the bright side this thing is 4,856 words before this note. Which means its about as long as the average book chapter, yay!

Disclaimer: This story is rated M as there will possibly be innuendos, Freudian slips, and hell I might even put a couple of (Dino) baby making scenes in here.

Please forgive any spelling errors, I'm a one man team and not perfect.

Goro took off his glasses, smiling at the lack of smudges or scratches on the lenses as he put them down, much like he did every night. It had been a rollercoaster of a day. The rest of the day had been him making sure Hiro didn't die from heat stroke with Zero Two sitting constantly at his side asking if he was okay. He wished his relationship was like that, but every day it seemed that his dream of that ever happening grew further and further away. He didn't know why Ichigo was unfortunately infatuated with Hiro, he couldn't place his finger on it; sure, Hiro wasn't a bad guy, but that couldn't be the whole story, could it? Why couldn't it be him? What did he do wrong? Hiro coughed in the bunk next to him, and Zero Two peered down at Hiro, her Darling.

He had gotten fond of her pet name for Hiro, mostly because it also stood as another reminder of what he couldn't have with Ichigo.

"Is Darling going to be okay?" asked Zero Two, a deep worry settling on her face for now what could only be the trillionth time.

Goro smiled, "he's been through a lot today, if you want I can teach you what to do if anything gets too serious."

"You'd do that?' asked Zero Two, her eyes seeming to brighten at the notion of being able to redeem herself.

Goro yawned, it was getting late, but he supposed that helping the two was the closest happiness he could find, "absolutely." Goro picked the glasses up, sliding them up on his nose as he popped his knuckles. "Where to start," he pondered as he looked at Hiro, who was struggling to sleep, "ah of course." Goro reached his out to Hiro's forehead, allowing the back of his hand to lightly brush against Hiro's skin.

"What's that do?" she asked.

"It's a really basic way of making sure someone doesn't have a fever," said Goro, "which is really bad if it lasts too long." Seeing the fretful look once again made him continue, "this is a sign that he's fighting Zero Two, and to put your mind at ease he doesn't have one."

She sighed, "this is still all my fault."

He could sense that she was about to break down again. Her personality had done a complete one eighty from what he had heard earlier that day. She had gone from cold and ruthless to miserable and warm in a matter of hours. He was almost surprised at the scene he had found when Hiro had passed out from the exhaustion, Zero Two had legitimately thought he had died; when he told her he hadn't, that he had simply passed out, she looked as if she could hug him. "When did she become so human?" Goro wondered as he shook his head. "People make mistakes all the time, none of us are perfect," he said reassuringly, "I've made a few in my lifetime." Of course he was referencing something she knew nothing about. When he had started regretting liking Ichigo he didn't know. All that he was aware of was his increasing sadness every time he was reminded of his goal.

"What's it like?" asked Zero Two, "living with mistakes?"

"It's hard," sighed Goro as he leaned back on the chair he had taken from the dining room, "sometimes you go on with total ignorant bliss, and other times it sits on your mind as a constant reminder."

"This is going to sit with me for a while," she mumbled as she slipped out of the top bunk, nervously biting the tip of her finger, "I don't want him to ever forgive me."

"You don't want him to?"

"No," she replied, "I don't deserve his forgiveness."

Goro shook his head again, slightly perplexed by this statement, "forgiveness isn't something that you decide you don't want; it's something given, like a gift."

"How do you figure that?"

"Look at it like this," said Goro as he picked up a small pitcher of water which was was still ice cold; he poured a small glass for himself as he continued, "if Hiro didn't love you, he would be calling you a monster much like Ichigo did; he wouldn't have sought you out even though he could barely walk."

"But that's the truth," Zero Two shuddered, "I am a monster."

"If it makes you feel better the only monstrous thing you do is slather bacon with honey," smiled Goro, "I agree with Miku, you two are pretty cute together, and his dedication is a testament to that."

"Miku said that?" asked Zero Two, "Code 390 said that?"

"Yeah," said Goro, "same with Kokoro, everyone likes you to a varying extent, it just is going to take more time with some of the others."

"What about… her?' asked Zero Two.

"Ichigo?"

"Yes."

"I don't know about her, I think she might resent you because she…" he trailed off. He didn't want to say it, he couldn't. In his mind that would only be affirming his fears. He glanced at Zero Two, who stared back with an aloof curiosity. "I don't think I should say…"

"I have nobody else to go to for this, you're his best friend."

Goro frowned, there really was no excusable way to get out of this, "I think Ichigo likes Hiro."

SIlence, save for the soft wheezing breaths coming from Hiro, filled the room. A deafening silence. Goro realized he had just admitted two things equal in weight. In one fell swoop he had managed to admit his worst fear, and at the same time he had just planted a seed of doubt into Zero Two's head.

"Oh," Zero Two said softly, staring down at the floor. It was impressive in a sad way how that word shattered the silence, every bit of depression condensed into that one word.

"He loves you though Zero Two," said Goro, "you've got nothing to worry about."

"You don't know that."

"He told me once," said Goro, "trust me, you're the dearest person to him."

"Do you love anyone?"

There was the crucial question, one he really had hoped wouldn't get asked. Faced yet again with no reasonable excuse, and not wanting to lie to Zero Two he took a deep breath, "Ichigo."

Once again that standstill of any sound filled the room.

"Does she know?" asked Zero Two.

"I told her when we freed Delphinium from the Gutenberg class that swallowed me," said Goro, "she brushed it off, as if my words were a joke."

Zero Two cocked her head, pausing in a moment of thought before smiling as sweet as the honey she poured on her bacon, "do you know why I love him?"

"He's your darling," Goro answered matter of factly, as if he knew the answer.

"He saved me," she said as she smiled more, "he showed me what the good in humanity looked like, he's the only person I've ever loved, my Darling is a one of a kind."

"You're right in saying that," said Goro, "I don't think any of us here would have sacrificed our lives just to pilot with one person." Goro wondered for a moment then, thinking back on his words. Saurification, Nana and Hachi told him along with the rest of the squad about it. They told them that he might be changing on a molecular level. "Zero Two," asked Goro, "what is it like, being half klaxosaur?"

She sat, contemplating the question for a moment, "not much, I heal a little faster, and that's about it… it's what look like that I hate." She looked up at Goro for a moment before continuing her onslaught of questions, "why do you ask?"

"No reason," Goro blurted out, opting not to tell her that Hiro might just become the same as her, "was just curious; we should let him get some sleep, are you going to stay here for the night?"

"Is that okay?"

"It's fine," Goro replied, "you deserve to be near him."

Goro woke up with the full expectation that Hiro wouldn't be up and about the next morning. The case wouldn't be further from the truth. Hiro was up and about, and frantically asking Goro something. The words to Hiro's query being lost to Goro's ears. He had just woken up, couldn't he wait?

"Goro," Hiro said in a panic as he shook him awake, "Goro!"

"Wha?" Goro sputtered as he squinted through the bright glare of light streaming from the window above his head.

"Goro do you know what happened to Zero Two?"

"No?"

"She's missing, I don't know where she is."

Goro rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, slowly pushing himself up from the soft bed sheets which he already wished he could return to. He put his glasses on before standing up, "she was in the bunk above you last night."

"She's not there."

"Weird, lets go get everyone else, we're going to look for her."

"What, just like that?"

Goro looked at his slightly diminutive friend, noting the surprise in his face. "We'll get everyone who wants to help, it's Mistelteinn, she can't have gotten far."

"Thanks Goro," said Hiro, placing a hand on his shoulder.

They had decided to meet up in front of the Dormitory, Goro had pulled everyone he could to search for Zero Two. Of course, as to be expected, Ichigo had opted out of the search party. Goro sighed, another reminder of his failure.

"We're all here," said Ikuno, "what do you need?"

"We should split up in teams of two," said Hiro as he shifted impatiently on his feet, "I'll go with Goro, Kokoro with Mitsuru, Miku with Zorome, and Ikuno with Futoshi; does that work for everyone?"

A chorus of affirmation sang back to Goro as he stood idly by waiting to head out with Hiro. They were in the same situation in a way. The only similarity being that their partners were missing from the group. After that their similarities stopped, leaving them in totally unique positions.

"Ready to go?"

"Yeah," said Goro, "are you sure you're going to be fine?"

"I feel great," said Hiro.

"Last time you told me that you nearly died in the cockpit of Strelizia."

"I'm not lying," said Hiro, "honestly."

"Alright," said Goro as they began walking around. He had no idea as to where to go but was instead following Hiro, who had already started them towards the lake. Goro didn't go there much, he prefered staying near the Dorm, sometimes kicking the ball they had around with Zorome. The lake was very much Hiro's domain.

"Same question to you, Goro."

Goro looked up, realizing he had been merely staring at the ground in front of him, watching his feet move one after the other autonomously, "eh, I guess I'm okay."

"You're hiding something."

"Huh?" he said recoiling in surprise, "what do you mean?"

"You look so… sad?"

"Sad?"

"Yeah," said Hiro, slowing down a tiny bit, "something happen between you and Ichigo?"

"It isn't important," Goro put on a smile, "let's go find Zero Two."

"Well if you don't want to tell me I won't force you."

"She's doing pretty badly," Goro let slip, "Zero Two that is."

"What do you mean?"

"She's going through some guilt… I think that's the word you would use to describe that."

"Guilt, for what?"

"For trying to kill you."

Hiro sighed, "I told her it was okay, it was an accident."

"I tried the same thing when you were asleep, sorry if I spoke out of line," said Goro as they popped through the woods on the other side, finding Zero Two dozed off underneath a tree, "that being said, I don't think she has ever felt guilt before." Goro paused for a moment to mull over and choose his words as delicately as possible, "She killed all her previous partners without hesitation before, maybe it never crossed her mind?"

"Maybe," said Hiro as he kneeled down next to Zero Two, "hey, Zero Two."

She jumped slightly, the violently cyan discs of her eyes reflecting the blue dome above Mistelteinn, she sat for a moment, taking a deep breath before finally speaking, "hehe, you're on your knee, you going to propose?"

Goro was, just like Hiro, slightly taken aback at the sudden light hearted joke. He was half expecting the same depressed and guilty half-hearted talk from the night before. He shook his head, they would be fine. His problems were his own.

Dr. Werner "Franxx" Frank stood impatiently as the Sages and Papa lectured him on the servitude of humanity and what the military objective of capturing the Gran Crevasse was for. Of course, at this point he had already tuned himself out, having mastered the technique years and years ago; a skill aided by the cranial implant that allowed him to temporarily cut off all sensory input from certain parts of his body. The Gran Crevasse, a large gathering of Klaxosaurs ranging from anywhere from Conrad to Gutenberg-class stood as humanity's "only hope" in Papa's eyes "Yeah, right," thought Dr. Franxx, "what a joke."

The Gran Crevasse in his opinion, stood as nothing more the pointless slaughter of the children and his Franxx, especially with the lack of reconnaissance which was only a result of the Sages' tactical ineptitude. It was also a needless expenditure of energy, munitions and their only real weapons in the war. The plan even called for the use of plantations as a rear echelon buffer. A move that made the use of them as safe havens for the rest of humanity a moot point. Dr. Franxx felt that if he really wanted to, he could devise a much less bloody battle plan in his sleep. But as much as he could, it wasn't his job. His skills belonged in the lab, making babies in test tubes, making the pilots to his machines of war.

"Are you listening, Dr. Franxx?"

Werner looked up, the ocular implant that replaced his right eye now listing the transcript of their very one sided conversation back to him. "Of course I was, I fully understand what you are asking of me."

"Good, your transport to Cerasus has already been made ready," said one of the Sages, "if even the slightest shred of evidence presents itself you are to convert Code 016 into a second klaxo-human hybrid… no matter the cost."

Werner nodded, "understood."

The screens presenting him Papa and the Sages mercifully shut off, leaving Werner with only the silence and occasional puff of air from the filters. "Useless bastards," he grumbled. Part of him wished he could do more, wished he didn't need to be limited by the bureaucracy of the people who orbited safely from station Cosmos, he had taken the job way back when APE was nothing more than the Lamarck club because it allowed him to expand his research. Now, years into the war, he was stuck again. Werner found himself standing at the transport ship that would take him to Cerasus, Plantation 13. Nana stood at the large ramp to the ship, being sure to keep her back to the safety of the bulkhead; avoiding getting groped by him again seemed to be her highest priority.

"Does he know?" asked Werner as he glided up the ramp into the ship, his cane clicking on the metal surface.

"Does who know?" asked Nana, confused at the question that had come without context.

"The boy, Code 016," Werner clarified, "does he know what is happening to him?"

"No, I told his squad mates with the hopes that they would break the news to him…"

"Bah," Werner said, waving a hand of disdain, "he's turning into something similar to the girl, what a marvelous outcome; albeit it is a bit unexpected."

"We don't know if it results from the piloting, or if it is from… what was it again?"

Dr. Franxx paused for a moment, allowing the initial rush of the magma turbines to pass before answering, "Ingesting her blood."

"Right," Nana said, "but we do know it's happening at a decently rapid rate, the top of his skull is beginning to calcify with Klaxosaur DNA signatures."

"So he'll have horns," said Werner, touching his metal chin in a gesture of thought, "I wonder what else."

"It may be possible for him to become inducted into the Nines at this rate," said Nana, "assuming his Saurification is accelerated as outlined by Pap-."

"Forget them for a second," interrupted Werner who was now slightly miffed at the mention of Papa.

"What are you thinking Dr. Franxx?" asked Nana.

"Assuming that there was a mutation occurring throughout his entire body turning him from human to Klaxosaur, that would mean his DNA would be viable for reproduction," said Werner, in a manner altogether too fast for Nana to really understand, "which would enable him to be the forefather of a new species of Klaxosapiens."

"Are you trying to tell me you want him to become a Klaxosaur; you're not actually doing this whole thing begrudgingly?"

"I am," said Werner, a sadistic smile on his face, "once again, my priorities fall in line with those… people."

Nana exhaled, "it never ends with you, does it?"

Hiro was something beyond enraged. Hiro was enraged because he knew; he supposed that if he hadn't known his recently uncovered past with the doctor he wouldn't have felt this way.

"You sack of shit!" Hiro yelled as he entered the small testing room that he had been escorted into, causing Dr. Franxx to raise his one remaining eyebrow. He waited for the two guards to leave before replying, "I didn't think they taught the children language like that."

This comment only fueled Hiro's anger, he could swear the old man would be smirking if he had a mouth. Then again, he of course didn't actually have half of his face, which just degraded the situation into something awkward as Hiro shot daggers at the doctor.

"Code 016," Dr. Franxx began, "I've reviewed your combat history with Code 002, and it is quite… impressive, the fight during the welcoming ceremony was a good gauge of your compatibility."

"Do you remember?" Hiro asked through gritted teeth, his anger increasing now with the doctor's nonplussed attitude, "do you remember what you did?"

Dr. Franxx paused for a moment, "yes, I do, I'll never forget."

"Then just understand that I'll never forgive you for what you did, you heartless bastard," Hiro exclaimed, "you, along with the rest of APE deserve to burn." Hiro stopped, realizing what he had just said was essentially a treasonous statement.

"Your opinion is your own, Code 016."

"My name is Hiro."

"Okay then, Hiro, I'll forget I heard what you just said if I may speak uninterrupted; I need to tell you something important."

"Important?" thought Hiro as he sat across the doctor, pushing the chair back slightly in an attempt to place as much distance between them as possible. He stayed silent and motionless, allowing the room to fill with the clicks and whirs of the various equipment in the room.

"I'll take your silence as a sign I should start," the doctor said. He began by pulling out a small notepad, the writing obscured from Hiro. "In your time before piloting, and I assume you remember from the questions you just asked me, did you ever remember feeling weird?" asked the Doctor, "perhaps scrapes and bruises from playing with your friends healed surprisingly quickly?"

"No I don't really remember," said Hiro.

"Do you remember ever going a long time without eating?"

"Not really?" Hiro hesitantly replied, "what's with these questions?"

Dr. Franxx's face contorted into something resembling a grin; only it was a grin that had no mouth, "you're showing signs of undergoing something called Saurification, which I thought was something only reproducible in a lab; it's nothing concrete yet."

"Saurification?" asked Hiro, recalling the same word that Ichigo had seemingly let slip when he had awoken in the infirmary.

"The act of turning a human into a Klaxosapien," explained Dr. Franxx, "Code 00-"

"Zero Two," interrupted Hiro.

"Zero Two is the only living example of it," said Dr. Franxx, "Klaxosaur DNA mutates the already existing human DNA, it latches on and changes the ordering of your very being, it acts like a parasite."

"Like a pilot?"

"No," Dr. Franxx shook his head; annoyed at the odd choice in name for the pilots of his creation, which he of course he hadn't decided, "a parasite in nature is an organism that attaches to another living creature; sometimes it can be good for both, sometimes it doesn't affect the host creature."

Hiro leaned in, a small spark of curiosity in his eyes.

"In other, more occurring instances," Dr. Franxx paused, "it permanently changes the host creature."

"And that's what Klaxosaur DNA does?"

"Precisely."

"What does that have to do with me?"

"I'm not sure yet, as I said before I don't really have any solid evidence; the blood test should prove whether or not it's actually happening," said Dr. Franxx, "I have an idea on what it might entail, but let us just say you might look like your partner very soon."

"I'll get horns?"

"That and possibly more," said Dr. Franxx, "I'll send for someone to take a blood sample, then you're free to go."

Dr. Franxx got up to leave, and was almost out of the door before Hiro asked one more question.

"Dr. Franxx," he began, "what you did to Zero Two and I, was it because you wanted to, or because APE ordered you to?"

Dr. Franxx paused, the metallic half of his face gleaming in the bleach white room, "I did it of my own volition; the Sages and Papa merely encouraged it."

Hiro found himself walking up the stairs, past his floor to the attic. He had only ventured here twice before, and the second time he couldn't really remember all that well; a side effect of having the life almost sucked out of him by his one true love. Interestingly enough, he had returned from the testing with two things he had never paid much mind to before; two critically important things. On his arm he had a small bandage wrapped around the site where they drew his blood; which in the grand scheme of things was the lesser of the two important things, and in his opposite hand he held two small candies wrapped in basic clear wrap. He stopped at Zero Two's door and knocked lightly. The door swung open immediately to reveal Zero Two in a loose fitting nightgown with her limiter band held in her hand. On the floor of the room laid some sheets of paper and a few normal pencils. Upon noticing these items scattered on the floor Zero Two yelped slightly and told Hiro to avert his gaze, which he dutifully did.

"What was that?" smiled Hiro.

"A present for later," said Zero Two, "okay, you can come in."

She had moved rooms. The last one being a grim reminder of how far gone she had been. This one was well lit and lacked the scars of the old one. It was comfortable, and a bit bigger. It harbored a newfound sense of warmth, although Hiro wasn't entirely sure on whether it was because Zero Two lived here, or because she had dolled the place up with flowers and various art pieces of Misteltienn's scenery. Whatever the case it felt homelier than the rest of the Dormitory combined. The only thing that showed signs of damage was the mirror that reflected oddly in the light with its spider web-like cracks. Her gift was the only indication of her hardship in that seemingly distant past. Though Zero Two still seemed to be cautious around him, Hiro hadn't ever felt better. Knowing about his past, knowing every detail of it filled him with joy. It made him happy to be with her. Life with her was pure bliss.

"So how was testing?" asked Zero Two as she sat down against a makeshift couch; that was just an amalgamation of various pillows, "everything go… okay?"

"Dr. Franxx was there," Hiro said the smile disappearing from his face, "he remembered."

"He did…" Zero Two's voice quieted, "did you get an answer from him?"

"Yeah."

"He did it because he wanted to, didn't he?"

"Reading my mind," said Hiro, "anyway I've got something for you."

"Ooh, what is it?"

"I can't tell you, and I can't show you either," teased Hiro, "say 'ahh.'"

She opened her mouth, just like in his memory as he plopped a small green candy on her tongue. The reaction wasn't the same as before, but it still sufficed. The smile plastered on her face was more than enough for Hiro. They sat in silence, enjoying the presence of each other as the sun slowly began to set.

Hachi stood impatiently with Nana, watching as the children filed into the briefing room one by one. In all fairness it was early in the morning, far earlier than any briefing had taken place. The last two to enter were Hiro and Zero Two, who weren't paying any mind to the large battle plan on the screen.

"If I could have all your attention," Hachi spoke over the low murmur of conversation emanating from the team, "a major operation is coming up within the next three hours; Papa has deemed the plantations and the Franxx ready to take the Gran Crevasse, taking this objective is his long standing wish." The room had fallen dead quiet now, even Zero Two and Hiro were paying attention, "Squad 13 will be riding out in the rear guard, your mission is to protect the Plantations that form the rear echelon buffer

Ichigo raised her hand, "will Code 002 be operating the squad for this operation?"

"No," said Hachi, "she, along with Code 016 will be temporarily detached from Squad 13 and assigned to the Nines."

"I didn't want Code 002 here for this operation, but why Hiro?"

"Code 016 is Code 002's official stamen; originally it was decided that only Code 002 be detached from the squad, but at the behest of Dr. Franxx they are to be considered, and I quote, 'an inseparable package.'"

Hiro raised his hand, "will this be the only operation where I'm detached from Squad 13?"

Not skipping a beat Hachi replied, "for the time being, yes; if Papa wishes for you to join the Nines, then preparations will be made for you to transfer out of Squad 13."

Hiro looked at the rest of Squad 13, who for the most part seemed happy for Hiro. All of them except for Ichigo.

"This concludes this briefing," said Hachi, "as of now you are all on mobilization notice, dismissed."

Everyone got up to go, Zero Two and Hiro being the first to leave. As the two walked down the hallway Ichigo's voice yelled down the hallway, "Hiro I need to speak with you... alone, privately."

"Privately?" Hiro asked as he turned to Zero Two, who nodded and pushed him towards Ichigo.

"Y-yes," she said, a small blush forming on her cheeks, "if everyone could go."

The rest of the squad willingly obliged their Squad Leader, all except Zero Two and Goro, who lingered just out of earshot as was planned. Goro had, on the day that Hiro had went in for testing, explained his situation.

"Hiro, I don't want you to go," said Ichigo, "I-I don't know what I would do without you, and I think… I think I love you."

"I appreciate it Ichigo," said Hiro, following the script in his mind, "but, I love Zero Two, and I couldn't just leave her behind for you, I'm sorry."

He had expected a multitude of things, being slapped, punched, or any physical abuse, but her breaking down and simply sobbing was not one of them.

"Look, I know it's hard," said Hiro as he rushed to assert himself in the conversation, "but other people still love you, you just have to take what they say to heart."

She took her time to respond, her breathing shaking as she tried to compose herself, "what makes her so much better?"

"Huh?"

"What makes her so much better than me," asked Ichigo, "is it because she kissed you, I can do that too."

Ichigo stood fool height, lips puckered. Hiro stepped back, letting her kiss the air rather than him, "no, it isn't something as small as that; I love Zero Two for reasons you couldn't possibly understand."

As he turned to walk away he heard Ichigo scream in jealousy, "is it just because she's not human?!"

"No," Hiro said as he rejoined with Zero Two, turning around one last time, "but it is a long story that I can't explain to you." The two of them passed by Goro and, almost in unison they both spoke, "good luck."

Afterword: I'm sorry for the pseudo bitchigo kiss, please don't send me death threats. Planned release for next chapter is August 18th, 2018 a Saturday. If you like what you see here support me on (link on the Reddit post that probably brought you here)