As Squad 13 gazed at the beautiful blue ocean in front of them, Zorome and Futoshi could barely contain their excitement. They both shouted in unison, "THE OCEAN!" They both then made a break for it as they jumped in.

"How childish," Miku scorned. "Being on break doesn't mean you can get carried awa-"

She was then interrupted when Kyouko ran out to the ocean as well. "COUNT ME IN, GUYS!" She was wearing a black bikini and had her shoulder-length brown hair tied back in a similar manner to Ikuno, while Yasuto wore black swim trunks. As she jumped in, Yasuto joined her, both of then laughing as they had fun.

"I can't blame them," Kokoro replied to an annoyed Miku. "Even the oldest of us can let loose, so why can't we? Besides, this is the first ocean we've seen that's safe to swim in."

As Goro placed an umbrella up, he called out to the parasites in the water, "Make sure you guts don't go too far out!"

"We know," Yasuto replied from the ocean. "We've dived in worse waters than this!"

"They must be referring to their combat experience," Ichigo noted to Goro. "I know that some parasites are trained in deep-sea diving and exploration. I bet they are, too."

"Is there anything they're not trained in?" Goro then laughed.

Earlier

Yasuto and Kyouko joined Nana, Hachi, and Dr. Franxx as they met with Hiro and Zero Two in the loading bay of Cerasus. As they met up, Werner started with, "Zero Two, I'm glad to see you're okay!"

"All thanks to my darling," Zero Two cheerfully replied. "You know, you didn't have to come all this way. We would have been fine."

Hiro then raised his hand. "So, who are you, again?"

"Ah," Werner replied. "Code 016, Hiro. I am Doctor Werner Frank, or Doctor Franxx, the creator of the Franxx Program." He then shook Hiro's extended hand. "It is a pleasure to meet you."

"We have known Dr. Franxx for most of our lives," Kyouko explained to Hiro. "In our final year in the Garden, we were his understudies, and he was the one who suggested we graduate a year early. Since then, we've become so close that often, me and Yasuto often refer to him as Werner or Doc."

Nana added, "We also have another visitor for you to meet, Code 016."

"No need for an introduction," said a blonde young man as he stepped into the light. "We're sure to run into each other again soon." He then approached Hiro. "So, you're the first person to survive a third ride, huh? I must say, I have taken a great interest in Squad 13 and its exploits."

Yasuto thought to himself with hidden contempt, "Of course he had to stick his nose into this." He then cordially re-introduced himself to the man. "We have already met before, but I'm glad to see you work with us again, Nine Alpha."

"Same to you," Nine Alpha replied. "You and Code 099 were always a great pair on the battlefield. I think an experimental squad like Squad 13 is a great fit for you. Be sure to keep Nine Iota safe for us." He then chuckled.

Zero Two rolled her eyes at the mention of her old name. Kyouko also shook Nine Alpha's hand, despite her own contempt for him.

Present

Miku, Kokoro, and Kyouko played a three-way volleyball game on the sand of the beach. Miku readied herself as she excitedly yelled out, "Ready!"

"Alright," Kokoro replied before she served the ball, hitting it to Miku. "There!"

As she did, however, Kyouko looked over to her and became distracted, slightly blushing as she looked over at her chest. Suddenly, however, she was knocked back into reality when the ball hit her on the top of the head, knocking her to her knees but not to the ground. "Agh, fuck!"

Miku, concerned, asked her as she rushed over, "Oh my God, are you okay?!"

"Yeah," Kyouko replied as she brushed sand off of herself. "I wasn't paying attention." She then chuckled. "But, I'm fine." She then served the ball to Miku. "Damn it, curse my bisexuality."

Meanwhile, out in the water, Zorome, Futoshi, Goro, and Yasuto enjoyed the sights to see on the beach, namely the girls. "It seems like the girls are 50% cuter today," Zorome noted to the gang. "I don't know why."

"Sure is a sight for the eyes," Goro replied.

Futoshi asked him, "So, you're one of us?"

"I always thought you double-digit pilots were goody-two-shoes," Zorome told Goro and Yasuto.

"Not at all," Yasuto replied gleefully. "Trust me, Zorome, me and Kyouko have done some odd stuff before."

"Exactly," Goro added on. "We're guys, too."

"While you guys can gawk at the other's," Yasuto told the other three. "I'll sit back and enjoy looking at the one that matters the most."

Zorome, slightly annoyed, remarked, "Don't tell me you and Kyouko do that darling crap Hiro and Zero Two do, too."

"Nah," Yasuto shook his head. "We're past that. We've become so familiar with each other that we can't imagine life without the other, but we can still be casual and friendly without being too over the top like those two." The four of them then saw Kokoro and Miku collide with each other on the beach as Kyouko ran over to help.

"Your partner is like Kokoro physically," Zorome told Yasuto. "But older."

Futoshi quickly replied to defend Kokoro, "Kyouko's great, but nothing can compare to Kokoro!"

On the beach, Kyouko laughed as Kokoro and Miku got up, sand falling from them. "Oh my God! You two need to get on my level with this game!"

"Agh," Miku replied as she got up. "I think the string on my top is getting undone." She then held up her top with both of her hands and the strings.

"I'll fix it," Kokoro replied as she looked at it and began to tie it back up. As she did that, Kyouko fixed Kokoro's right strap. "Huh?"

"It was beginning to fall," Kyouko replied. "Wouldn't want it falling off on the beach now, ri-?" Suddenly, she felt her bikini top completely slip off, and wind impact her bare chest as she paused. "Uh... It fell completely off, didn't it?"

Miku looked at her with her eyes wide. "Kyouko, it did..." Kyouko could tell that she was slightly envious of her bust size. "And the boys are staring."

Kyouko turned around to see Futoshi and Zorome looking at her in awe while Goro blushed and Yasuto laughed, much to the shock of Kokoro and Miku, who both said, "SO YOU TURN AROUND TO FACE THEM?!"

Not caring, she picked up her bikini top and began to put it back on. "What is it? Yasuto's seen me naked before. It's no big deal. I used to be really embarrassed about it like you guys, but a few years of being familiar with people changes that. By the way, can you tie the back, Kokoro?"

"Sure," Kokoro replied as she tied the back of the top, still wondering how and why she felt so comfortable in a position she herself would be red in the face about. "You're insane for doing that."

"Maybe I am," Kyouko joyfully replied and giggled.

A few minutes later, Yasuto approached Ikuno and Mitsuru as he exited the water. "Come on in! You're missing out, you two!"

"No thanks," Ikuno replied. "I'm content with sitting here and reading." She then showed him the cover of a murder mystery novel she was reading.

"There is something else we can do," Mitsuru suggested. "I found something interesting. You and Kyouko might be interested in it."

"Here we are," Mitsuru replied as the whole gang walked upon a ruined city near the beach. "I had no idea this was back here at all."

Miku, curious as to the ruined sights around her, asked, "What exactly is this place?"

Kyouko explained as she opened up a duffel bag she had been carrying, "This is a Pre-Klaxosaur City. This is how humanity lived before we were forced into the plantations by the Klaxosaurs. It was a much simpler time then, but not terrible." She then slipped socks on before she put on two rubber boots and a thick orange coat with yellow stripes that went down to the knees.

Hiro, wondering what kind of clothing Yasuto and Kyouko were putting on, asked, "Uh, what is that?"

"This is Damage Control Level F gear," Yasuto explained as he then put a tank of compressed air on his back. "It consists of a pair of rubber boots that you can pull up to the hip, a long coat that goes down to the knees, a hood that goes under your coat, a red helmet, gloves, and a self-contained breathing apparatus. Damage Controlmen are trained to conduct minor repairs, fight fires, perform rescues, and decontaminate weaponry and other gear. Level F gear is meant for fire suppression and rescue, but also can be used for other purposes." He then secured his helmet. "It's heavy, too. We brought the duffel bags for our Level F gear here in case something came up."

As the gang admired their gear, Futoshi asked, "The self-whatever thing contains oxygen, right?"

"Not oxygen," Kyouko replied. "Compressed air, just like the air we're breathing now, but compressed into a bottle. These bottles carry about 60 minutes of air compressed into 5500 pounds per square inch, or about 380 bar. In reality, if you're fighting a fire, it's more like 50 or so minutes, if not only 45." She then adjusted the straps on her pack. "Anyway, these cities haven't been occupied in decades. We got this gear out because there may be dangerous gases in some buildings, so be careful."

"That sounds cool," Kokoro noted to her. "Maybe I can do that one day, too."

Later on, Kyouko and Kokoro walked into an abandoned doctor's office together. "I'll go in first." Kyouko then slowly walked in and looked around for any hazards. Inside, the reception area was overgrown with various weeds and other plants, and the books in the bookshelf were moldy. "Hmmm... Come on in."

As Kokoro walked in and looked around, she remarked, "This must be where people went to when they got hurt or sick back then."

"It was," Kyouko replied. "You can still see some of the medicine bottles inside the receptionists' area." She then pointed it out. "Medicine has come very far from then." She then noticed that Kokoro seemed fixated on a book on the floor below her. "Huh?" As she stepped out of the way, she continued to look around, but froze in her tracks when Kokoro spoke next.

"A baby? What's that?"

Immediately, Kyouko turned around and noticed that the book the younger pilot held was titled 'Your First Childbirth: What's Best For Your Baby,' much to her horror. Kyouko ripped the book from her hands and told her, "Kokoro, you are not to tell a soul about thi-"

Suddenly, they both heard the ceiling above them creak just as a male voice from behind Kokoro shouted her name. Immediately and suddenly, Kokoro was pulled to the ground just as the ceiling above them partially gave way and fell to the floor, with Kyouko jumping back. However, Kokoro was still hit by a piece of wood, knocking her out. As the dust settled, Mitsuru was heard trying to wake her up. "Kokoro, hey!"

"Mitsuru?" Kyouko then pushed away the debris and walked over just as she saw Mitsuru accidentally look down at Kokoro's partially exposed chest, blushing intensely just as she began to wake up.

"Uh," Mitsuru stammered. "She's... She's fine..."

"Ugh," Kokoro said as she staggered up and fixed her bra. "That hurt..." She then noticed Mitsuru behind her. "Oh, hey!"

"Please don't run off like that," Mitsuru told both Kokoro and Kyouko. "I can't guarantee your safety."

Kyouko then noticed she was still holding onto the childbirth book. As she decided to hand it back to Kokoro, she sighed and thought, "I'm going to regret this later, am I?" "Here," she told Kokoro. "Have it back."

"Thank you," Kokoro replied as she grabbed the book. "Why did you take it?"

"Okay," Kyouko said as she got serious with the two of them. "I need you and you to promise me that you will never, and I mean never, tell a soul that you own that book. Kokoro, Mitsuru, you are free to read it, but take that book and whatever information is in it to your graves. Nobody else can know." She was adamant the two keep the book's existence a secret, and for good reason, as Papa banned such knowledge among parasites. "If anyone finds out, you two can get in trouble. Serious trouble."

Kokoro was now scared of the book. "Why should I keep it then?"

"Because it has the true meaning of life," Kyouko explained. "That book contains the truth, and you need to know it." She then turned to Mitsuru. "Same to you."

Mitsuru then sighed, not knowing what the big deal was. "What's the big deal? Why is it so forbidden?"

"You'll both know when the time comes," she simply told them. "Now, come. We have a city to explore." She then walked out of the doctor's office, closely followed by Kokoro and Mitsuru, both of which were still unsure about the book or its significance. Indeed, the very discovery of that book would be the beginning of a series of events that would change the history of Earth forever.