Mastermind in the FranXX

Episode 10

THE DIVINE COMEDY

In the middle of the journey of our life I found myself within a dark woods where the straight way was lost.

The door opened. In walked Nana.

"Reporting, doctor. You wished to see me?"

Werner didn't respond immediately, lost as he was in his thoughts. Was it truly time? If he did this now, there would be no going back. One way or another, all of their fates would be sealed.

He sighed. But the princess of the klaxosaurs was active and the council was beginning to meddle. All of the pieces needed to be accounted for, and for that he needed another hand. Hachi was no longer enough. He required his Nana.

Grunting, Werner turned away from one of the room's many monitors and looked the administrator in the eye. He uttered a single word.

"Apus."

Nana's features contorted in pain. Her hands clutched at her head and she collapsed to the floor with a scream. Werner watched her seize on the floor, his features steel, mentally counting the seconds. It would take a minute for the suppression to wear off and for her mind to pull up the memories. Suppression was a finicky thing. It all depended on a variety of factors: the strength of the suppression, the stability of the person's mind, their willingness, and the complexity of the triggering reversal mechanisms, to name a few. If it was forced, the brain tended to fight back almost immediately. It tended to last longer on normal parasites due to their education, emotional training and higher YBC dosages, but even then you couldn't suppress neural pathways forever without turning them into a vegetable. That was why APE's methodology was heavily focused on childhood indoctrination... and why it was so easily disrupted.

Thankfully, his assistant had undergone the procedure of her own free will. Nana's mind was rock solid, her suppression had been willingly performed with the mildest techniques available, and the reversal trigger was classified at the highest levels of the APE hierarchy. There were only five people who knew of its existence: himself, his assistants Nana and Hachi, and "Papa", or whatever he called himself these days. Everyone else had been disposed of for security reasons. Papa had read the files and occasionally checked in for updates, as was expected. He did not trust Papa and Papa did not trust him. His assurances that everything was up to date usually sufficed.

Needless to say, Werner had intentionally omitted several things, and Papa was a fool.

Nana eventually stumbled back to her feet, teeth clenched and hands on her temples.

"Feel better?" he asked.

"Why did you..." she groaned, trying to get her head in order. "Doctor, I'm supposed to be deep cover! The liaison! This is too risky!"

"The children encountered our beloved princess on their last mission, Nana."

The color drained from her face. "W-What?! Wait! If she's active, then that means she's after..."

"Time's run out," the doctor grouched. "She's gotten impatient. We've fucked up."

She swore under her breath. "We're scheduled to arrive at Garden soon, too. This is bad. What's our plan?"

"Naomi is handling it."

Nana sighed, a bit of relief breaking through her worried features. "Alright, good. What do you need me to do?"

"There's a shipment coming in fifteen minutes. Make sure it gets into the city. Hachi normally takes care of it, but he's debriefing the kids and trying to do damage control. You only have to make sure the containers get there safely. He'll see to the unloading. After that, get in touch with our contact at 26 and schedule a flight. We will need troops. Their final procedures just finished and I need to get things prepared. I do not want to lose the 26ers and they're still close enough to save. They have value. I've updated Hachi on the situation, he has everything he requires."

She nodded quickly, understanding his words to the letter. Finally! He missed his Nana. "Understood, doctor." She turned and headed to the door.

"Oh, one last thing," he added. She twisted back to face him, waiting.

"Keep this door unlocked while I'm gone."

She blinked at him, confused by the odd directive. "Doctor?"

His lone eye focused on a particular screen, where a certain conversation was being looped by the security feed.

"I'm expecting a visitor."

"A visitor?"

Werner waved her off. "Just do it, it'll be fine. I should've paid more attention to my ethics professor in university."

The confusion never left Nana's face. But she nodded nevertheless and left the room to fulfill her objectives.

"The creature you encountered in the field is called the 'princess of the klaxosaurs'."

Spoooooky. A glance around the room told her the others thought the same. Princess, huh? She didn't know the icky klaxosaurs had princesses! Like the princess from her book? Nono of course not, she was the princess! And darling was her prince, yupyup! But still, why'd she have horns? There weren't supposed to be other horned weirdos out there!

...

Wait!

Waitwaitwaitwait the ickygross princess-thing had said 'found you' or something! Wait! Was she trying tostealDARLING?!

Gasping in horror, she wrapped her arms around darling's body and squeezed herself against him.

He glanced at her, confused. "What's wrong?"

A low growl worked its way up her throat. A challenger! "Another ickyblue washboard trying to steal my darling!"

"H-Huh?!"

Turning into him, she rested her chin on his shoulder and pouted. A bead of nervous sweat traversed his cheek.

"Z-Zero Two?" he asked, worry in his voice.

She sniffled. "Why couldn't you have red horns, darling? They're attracted to your blue-ness!"

The way he furrowed his eyebrows in thought was soooooo cute! Andand hold on! His horns were the same size as hers now! They were... beautiful...

Wait nono this was serious! That... that thing probably wanted to suck him dry and eat him for lunch! And lure him in with her blue horns! Did he prefer blue horns?! Could it tempt him like that?! Why couldn't she have blue horns! Was there some way to dye them so she could match? She needed to match! This was horrible and terrible andandand-

Darling wrapped his arm around her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Hey, hey. It's alright. Colors and horns don't matter." He put his lips against her head, kissing her hair. "If it's not a part of you, I don't want it."

That lovable and beautiful voice of his washed away her panic. Yeah! Yeah, it was okay. If that thing showed up again and tried to take darling she'd just killmurderdestroy it! Mhm! She'd demonstrate her red horn superiority! There could only be one pair of blue horns in this world and they belonged to darling, yupyup!

But juuuuuust to be safe, she held on to his arm and rested her head against his shoulder as the debriefing continued. One could never be too careful! She had to be on the lookout for weird horned darling-snatchers!

That Mitsuru boy raised his hand. "Just how important is this 'klaxosaur princess'?"

"She is the assumed commander of all the klaxosaur forces."

Wait! She was their leader?! This darling-snatching situation was superDUPERbad! She tightened her grip around his arm. Grrr!

"The... the commander?" Ichigo sputtered. "I thought the klaxosaurs were mindless beasts!"

Hachi nodded. "Normally, they are. The klaxosaur princess has the unique capability of controlling the klaxosaurs and organizing them into a united front. She is a sentient and dangerous adversary, one APE has been trying to exterminate since the earliest days of the war. For that reason, she normally remains hidden. You should not feel disappointed in your performance on this mission. You should be happy you survived."

The blonde one - Kokoro? - swallowed nervously. "H-Happy we... survived?"

"Do we... know what she was after? She had to come out for a reason, right?" Ichigo's partner asked.

Why did he glance at them?! No! Stop looking at darling! Stop iiiiiit! This wasn't making her feel better at all!

"We do not. Her motives are a mystery."

Hiro groaned as he sunk into the water. As always, things were complicated. Had the doctor lied to them again? Did he have a truthful bone in his body? Hadn't he said the 'klaxo sapiens' or whatever were extinct? So what the hell had that thing been? Why could they hear it talking to them and what did it mean? Were the klaxosaurs of all things bothering them now too? For crying out loud! Was it talking to him? Zero Two? Strelizia? He was so damn confused.

"So? So? What's it like?"

He cracked an eye open, glancing at Zorome. "Huh?"

The boy's stare pierced his soul. "Don't 'huh?' me, you dirty rebel! You two sleep together every night! What's it like? Don't leave us hanging!"

Why the hell were they always so curious? Every time, it was always a new question. 'What's that thing where you connect your lips?' or "Do the horn massages feel good?' or 'Why doesn't my partner smile at me like she smiles at you?'. It never ended!

"It's comfortable," he grunted in reply.

"Comfortable?" Zorome parroted. "Comfortable? That's it? C'mon dude, details! You two are always together, aren't ya? Isn't there anything after that? Papa knows she's a looker!"

The boy's arms came out of the water, his hands making an hourglass shape. That was not okay.

"Zorome," he threatened. Argentea's stamen rolled his eyes, but lowered his hands nevertheless.

"Okay, okay! Touchy."

Goro grinned, scratching his cheek. A bead of sweat ran past his finger, but whether it was from the exasperation or the steam was anyone's guess. "You do have to admit, Hiro, you relationship with her is one of a kind. Girls are weird sometimes, too. I don't know whether to envy you or include you in our breakfast prayers."

Hiro leaned against the edge of the bath and stared at the water. "Zero Two is just... I don't know how to describe it." He smiled, various memories flashing before him. "I don't need anything else."

"Yeah. So you've told us," Zorome muttered.

Futoshi's gaze was curious and eager. "But what's it feel like? To be that close to someone?"

He rolled his head, staring up at the ceiling. "It feels like... like she completes me. Without her I feel like half a person. A... glass half empty, or a bird with one wing."

He didn't need to look at them to know they were peering at him like he was crazy.

"Your horns have gotten longer again, Hiro. Are you sure you're feeling alright?"

It wasn't often that Mitsuru spoke up, or even joined them in the post-sortie bath. His concerned stare freaked him out a bit. A noncommittal shrug was the reply. Whatever, he didn't care what they thought.

...But he did care about the scent that just walked into the changing room. What was she doing? The boys had the bath for this hour, she knew that. He glanced over at the door and got up to investigate.

"I'll be right back," he told them, not waiting for a response. He grabbed his towel, spent a moment to dry himself off and then wrapped it around his waist.

Imagine his surprise when he opened the door to find her crouching over his clothes, her face shoved into his boxers.

She wasn't wearing her headband, either.

"Mmmm..."

...

Hiro cleared his throat to get her attention. Zero Two's head snapped up, eyes widening, and she twisted her head in his direction. Her nose was still shoved into his underwear. A pink tinge began spreading across her pale cheeks.

This situation seemed familiar. "Hmm," he thought, cupping his chin. He squinted at her. She stared at him. There was a long pause.

"Aha!" he said at last. He tapped his fist into his open palm and then thrust an accusing index finger in her direction. "I get it! You're a pervert!"

Her blush deepened. Caught off guard by the situation, she stood up and sped out of the changing room, his boxers still in hand.

"Wha-" he stammered. "Why, you little...! I gave yours back!" he hollered after her, giving chase. "You're supposed to give mine back, too!"

She raced down the hall. "Never! I'm not done with them yet!"

Not done with them?! He picked up the pace, gaining on her as she entered the foyer and vaulted over one of the couches. Leaping after her, he attempted a lunge and sailed past as she twisted out of the way.

"Too slow, darling!" she giggled. "Your underwear is mine!" She rolled back over the couch, using it as a barricade.

Damn it! She was too nimble! He could probably beat her in a pure sprint, but she had the advantage in dexterity. Think, think! A sinister idea took shape in his mind.

"Zero Two, you know I was wearing those, right?"

"Of course! That's why I was sniffing them!"

She was so brazen! Did she have any shame at all?! But two could play at that game!

"That means I have nothing on underneath this towel!"

"Right! Waitwait wha-"

Taking advantage of her momentary confusion, he high-jumped onto the couch, flashed her a toothy grin and flung his towel to the wind.

Blinking in shock, her eyes slowly trailed a line down his body. He could feel her gaze eating him alive, committing every inch to memory. Those beautiful mint green orbs came to rest on his waist. A hand covered her crimson face.

Was she... drooling?

"Darling... is so..."

She fell backwards but he managed to get to her side fast enough to catch her. She'd passed out, a goofy grin stretching from ear to ear. Carrying her bridal style, he raced up the stairs two at a time, opened the door to the attic and carried her inside. He kicked the door shut with his foot. He laid her blushing, unconscious form down on the bed and grabbed a pair of fresh boxers and shorts from his dresser. But before he could get a new shirt, a pair of slender arms wrapped around his abdomen and held him in place.

"Don't move, darling!"

The speed of her recovery was downright impressive. She tugged him back towards the bed and then crouched down, spread her legs and lifted him up. It was a suplex. She twisted in midair so they both landed harmlessly on the mattress.

"W-Whoa!" he yelped. He rolled onto his back and sat up to find her staring at him, greed and lust in her eyes. Grabbing his shoulders, Zero Two climbed onto him before he could scramble away and planted her rear in his lap. The pressure of her hips had Hiro shutting his eyes and clenching his teeth. She leaned in close with a sly grin.

"Have you always had that klaxosaur-clubber, or is that another side effect?" she whispered. Her bottom jerked against him and she moaned in surprise. "Holy crap!" she breathed.

"I think I... may have gained an inch," he groaned.

The blush dusting her cheeks was telling. "You're gonna ruin me. I'm not gonna walk for a week."

He could feel himself sweating. The feeling was definitely mutual. "Is that a bad thing?"

Her nose was in his throat and he heard her take a good whiff. She lingered there for a moment before pulling back. That familiar drugged haze had clouded over her eyes. Then she grinned, licked her lips and tackled him onto the bed. Pink hair fell around him like a curtain. Her breath tickled his jaw.

"What do you think, dah-ling?"

Returning the favor, he lifted his head and sniffed her neck. The scent washed over him, lifted him into the sky and onto the clouds. Hiro felt his head spin.

"If we don't find a solution to this hormone thing soon, I'm thinking we're gonna end up humping each other in the middle of the night and loving every second of it."

She unbuttoned the collar of her matching uniform, exposing some of that tantalizing, creamy white skin. "I'm starting to get these really awesome dreams, you know."

"Hm? About what?"

Her tongue flicked out. She licked a line up his cheek, shivering in pleasure. "About you tearing off my clothes..."

...Holy shit.

"...and bending me over."

He desperately tried to hold onto his self control. It was slipping through his fingers. Hissing, he grabbed her and reversed their positions. She was on the bed now, looking up at him with a coy grin. Heart pounding, he realized he was holding her wrists above her head. This was dangerous.

Then she spread her legs as wide as possible, her skirt riding up around her thighs. Her feet planted into the mattress and she arched her back, lifting her lower body off the sheets and up towards him. She'd angled her crotch at his own, presenting herself to him. Ripe for the taking, willing and ready, with only some easily removed fabric separating them.

Holy hell, that innocent little lip bite.

"...Mate me?" she mewled.

Every single fiber of his being screamed at him to comply. To do what she asked and mount her right then and there, consequences be damned. But he couldn't. He couldn't. He knew what would happen! Hiro repeated his mantra, his oath. Not yet, not yet, not yet, not yet! They both knew the scents and pheromones affected her much more than they did him! It was on him to resist! He had to resist!

Damn it all!

He growled and lowered himself on top of her. She quivered in uncontrolled lust.

"Soon."

His lips slammed in to hers. She welcomed him openly, the outside world forgotten.

But the stars that marked our starting fall away.

We must go deeper into greater pain,

for it is not permitted that we stay.

"Nobody told me who we are or where we came from or why we were being trained as goddamn soldiers!"

To become adults, damn it! Papa had told them! Told all of them? What was so complicated about that? Why was he so weird?! Why did he ask questions when they already had the answers? He was just an idiot! So why were his words so freakin' stupid? Why couldn't he stop thinking about it? Aaaaaagh!

Zorome squeezed his eyes shut and clawed at his head as he stomped down the hall, frustrated. Every time he so much as looked at Hiro, he'd spend the next fifteen minutes fighting off the gnawing sensation. The idiot rebel's rambling would always pop up and he could do nothing but repeat what he'd always known. Papa had given them life. They fought for Papa. He taught them well. He didn't want to send them off into combat, but they were the only hope against the relentless klaxosaurs. Like all the others that had come before them, once they proved their worth they would be allowed into the city as adults, where they could become immortal and live in paradise for all eternity. So he fought! And he fought well!

But it didn't make sense! He was loyal, so why did Hiro fight better? Why were he and that stupid girl of his so powerful? Why did their Franxx kick so much ass and why did he and Miku struggle to keep up? They weren't loyal! Hiro had flat out told them that! Surely Papa knew? Why wasn't anything done about it?

"Or maybe they're scared of them."

Fuckin' bullshit! Papa wasn't scared of anybody! Papa knew everything, saw everything, planned for everything! That was why they continued to fight back the klaxosaurs despite being so outnumbered! It was because he was a strategic genius! He sent the orders to Nana and Hachi, Nana and Hachi told them what to do, they won. There was nothing to be scared of! Like sure, he was concerned Miku would get hurt and sometimes they cut it pretty close, but they were improving! They were getting stronger and proving themselves! Surely they'd be allowed into the city soon? He'd already killed like thirty-something klaxosaurs... even if most of them were Conrads...

That was still more than all the other squads! Right? And wait! He'd wandered right by the elevator! It was a perfect opportunity! He should go to the city and check! And if he got in, that meant he was official! He was an adult! Then he'd grab Miku and they could go have fun in the city, get their treatments and kick back and relax!

Grinning, he raced down the hallway, past the briefing room and hangar, towards the elevator. He reached for the button.

"...What are you doing?"

A shiver crawled down his spine. That voice! He'd never even heard her approaching! How was she so sneaky?!

Twitching, he turned around to find Miku glaring at him, her hands on her hips.

"M-M-Miku!" Her eyes narrowed at his nervous laugh. "I was just... uh..."

"Doing something you're clearly not supposed to be doing."

The... the nerve! It was his right to check! One of his duties as a parasite! "Oh... oh yeah? And what are you doing?!"

She cocked her eyebrow! Aaaaargh, she was so stupid! "I was checking on Argentea. You almost ran me over as I walked into the hallway."

Whaaaaaaat?! He hadn't even seen her! That liar, no way!

"I totally didn't! You probably ran into me!"

Her eyebrow twitched! Wait, was she going to hit him? Shit shit shit!

Clenching her fists and grinding her teeth, she stalked over to him, daggers in her eyes. "You're such an idiot! Honestly, Zorome! Why can't you have some manners? Is that any way to treat a lady?"

Why was she always so confusing? Hnng! "What are you even talking about! You're so weird, Miku!"

She sputtered, then looked away with a huff, crossing her arms under her chest. "Hmph! You should try learning something from Hiro, maybe! He's always at Zero Two's beck and call. Clearly he's doing something right! If we tried that, our numbers might improve more!"

Hiro was the last guy he wanted to think about right now! "Like hell I'll learn something from him! Hiro's a weirdo! And didn't you think Zero Two was creepy?"

"That was when I thought the rumors were true, duh! He grew horns for her, idiot! That's so cute! You never do anything like that for me!"

Papa save him! She never made any sense! She thought the girl was weird and now she doesn't have a problem? What the hell? "Argh, whatever! Now are you coming with me or not?!"

"Of course I am! Someone needs to keep you out of trouble. And if you do something stupid Nana will come to me about it and she'll nag my ears off! Honestly!"

She was so bossy! So much for his peace and quiet! Sighing in annoyance, he pushed the button and waited for the elevator. They stood around awkwardly, refusing to make eye contact with each other. Eventually the elevator arrived and he thumbed the ground level. He could see her peering at him from the corner of his eye.

"Why're you lookin' at me like that?" he grouched.

"You're trying to get into the city again, aren't you?"

"Yeah! And what of it! Maybe we've managed to kill enough klaxosaurs this time! Ever considered that?"

"Doubtful. I mean, you are doing better." Her cheeks turned crimson and she turned suddenly. The hell? Was she sick or something? "B-But you still aren't there yet! You need to keep improving."

An annoyed sigh escaped his lips. Bossy, bossy, bossy. It was never enough for her!

"Hey, hey, I'm trying. It's hard, you know!" He looked away when a weird sensation poked around his stomach. "I'm glad you're patient, though."

"...Yeah."

Another uncomfortable silence descended on them for the remainder of the ride to the ground floor. The doors opened with a hiss and they were greeted by a cavernous lobby. Directly across from them were the doors they would need to pass. Apparently, they led into a long hallway that then took them directly into the city. He wouldn't know though, they were locked and only adults were allowed to enter. The lobby stretched into separate hallways, with one going to a large receiving bay and the other going who knows where. He didn't care! They were only here to try and enter!

"Let's get this over with," she sighed. "It's not like anything is going to change."

"You'll see, Miku! Today's the day! We've been kicking ass recently, they're bound to let us in!"

She was rolling his eyes. He didn't even have to look. Jeez, didn't she have any faith? He was Zorome the Great! Purpose in his stride, he marched his way right up to those doors and lifted his hand. He made to put it against the identification scanner - the device that would let you know if you were considered an adult and allowed entry.

But before his palm touched the piece of technology, the door had already opened.

...What?

He blinked.

Wait what?

He... he hadn't actually expected it to...

Zorome turned to check Miku's reaction. Her mouth was ajar, her face pale. He felt his heart hammer in his chest. Was he having a heart attack? He needed to... to calm down! It shouldn't be beating this fast!

He ran a shaking hand through his hair. The dryness of his throat made it hard to swallow.

"Let's... let's go in."

"W-Wait. Wait, Zorome! Should... should we really..."

"It... opened, didn't it? So that means..."

"B-But! There has to be some mistake, right? Right?!"

He didn't know what to think. Was it really time? Would they be able to leave? What would happen to the others? Were they... were they done as parasites? But... but surely they hadn't killed as many klaxosaurs as Strelizia or Delphinium...

Zorome shook his head, dispersing the intruding thoughts. Now wasn't the time for that! His moment was here! He could enter, Papa had said so! He looked over at Miku again and grabbed her hand.

"It's not a mistake! We've been chosen! C'mon Miku, let's go!"

I am the way into the city of woe,

I am the way into eternal pain,

I am the way to go among the lost.

"Wooooow! Look at all these lights! This is incredible!" he whispered in awe. The city was beautiful. Pristine, clean, spotless. This was the utopia they'd been told about! Holy crap, it was real! What could they do here? Where could they go? It was so big!

"It's so pretty!" Miku's eyes gleamed in wonder. Her head was on a swivel as she took it all in. The buildings stretched for what seemed like miles. Their footsteps echoed off the metallic ground in dull, crisp thuds. Behind them the central spire twisted up and up, a brilliant collage of orange and gold.

"Where do we go? Do we have to like... do anything?" Zorome wondered, scanning the horizon.

"Maybe we can ask someone?"

It was a good strategy - only, there was a problem.

The streets were empty. The doors were shut. The city was silent.

A strange and fleeting worry settled in Zorome's gut, but he tried to ignore it. That was weird. Where was everyone? Why was it so quiet? They walked down the main avenue, their thoughts and steps their only company. The silence was overwhelming. Dry, stale air chafed his throat and lungs; his nose smelled hints of something, but the scent was foreign to him and he couldn't place it. For countless minutes they continued, searching for any signs of life or activity. It was nothing like he'd been told. Where were all the adults? Shouldn't this place be a bustling hive of activity, full of sights and sounds and fun? It was paradise! Where were the parades? The games? The food? It seemed so... dull. Papa wasn't dull! Papa was lively! Was something wrong? It was freaking weird!

After what seemed like an eternity he finally caught something in his periphery. Movement! Wait, was that-

"Hey! Hey, Miku, look! There's someone! Maybe we can ask what's going on!"

She twirled in the direction of his index finger. A masked adult was walking down the road.

"Thank Papa," she whispered. "This is too creepy!"

They took off down the street after the figure. He rounded a corner and they gave chase.

But when they turned into the alley, he was gone.

The unsettling feeling lurched, multiplied in size and intensity. Now he could place the feeling - it was adrenaline. Combat adrenaline.

"Z-Zorome, maybe... we should go?"

No, not like this! This was the city! So it was a little strange, so what! There was probably an event going on! Yeah! That was all!

"N-No. It's alright, Miku! Let's just walk around for a bit longer, yeah? The adults are probably just... busy!"

She swallowed, clearly disturbed, and inched closer to him in concern. They resumed their walking. Their footsteps seemed louder. He couldn't tell if it was from his haywire senses or something else.

His dilated eye caught more movement, off the corner of a nearby building, in the shadow. Nothing there. Was he seeing things? Yeah. Yeah! He was seeing things. They were a bit deeper into the city now and the light from the spire was casting long shadows. That was all! Nothing there. Nothing there.

Wait - what was that? A red light? An orb? He'd only caught it for a second before it was gone. No, no. Relax.

"H-Hey... Zorome?"

"Huh?"

"Doesn't it... feel like we're being watched?"

Had... had she seen it too? So maybe something was...

He glanced at her. She was staring off into the shadows, her eyes nervous and wide. He followed her gaze. Nothing there. Shifting his vision, he scanned the horizon again. All was calm. Just the lights. The lights and the emptiness.

"M-Maybe it's time to go, Miku. We can come back some other time, right? We've made it but the adults are probably busy or s-something, yeah?"

Miku didn't respond. Growing panicked, Zorome snapped back to her last known position.

Nothing there.

"Miku? H-Hey! Miku?!"

Gone.

The adrenaline surged through his veins now, spiked his heart rate and tensed his muscles. His hair stood on end. Nothing there. Nothing there. The red again! No, gone! Where'd it go?! He began in a slow trot and rapidly picked up the pace, his footsteps pounding against the road. The sound hammered in his ears, slammed against his skull. A noise! Pounding, just like his! Footsteps?! He twisted in its direction. Nothing there. Where was it? What was going on?!

A pressure against his neck.

Black.

Justice caused my high architect to move,

Divine omnipotence created me,

The highest wisdom, and the primal love.

"I was all alone!"

He couldn't move, couldn't see, couldn't speak. The scream died in his throat. Something rustled beside him, moaning and muffled, but the horrid darkness obscured its source. Miku? Something else?

"You can't just go around doing what you damn well please!"

"Why can't I?"

A noise pounding against the floor, echoing through his soul. From the distance came a dozen glowing red eyes. He screamed again. It never escaped his lips. He was going to die. He was going to die!

"So yes! I'm reckless! Yes, I'm careless!"

He and Miku were going to die! Wait, Miku! Where was Miku?! Was Miku safe?! He was going to die! He couldn't breathe! The air was too dry! It burned his lungs! Were they klaxosaurs? Demons? Something else?! Had that princess klaxosaur thing come back for him?! He was going to be eaten! His chest heaved, his toes clenched, throat constricted. He couldn't wrench his hands free. No! No!

The eyes had gotten closer. They were right in front of him! He heard a twist of metal, a click. A soft, flickering flame. A lantern? A hand holding it? Was it human? Had he been rescued?! Had the APE guards come to get them? Papa had saved them!

The gloved hand lowered it to the floor. The red eyes gleamed. Into the light came-

"Like they were fucking ghosts!"

A finger lifted vertical, held in front of some tubed apparatus. The eyes tore through him, unseeing and mechanical. The voice was hollow, artificial, riddled with static. It scraped against his eardrums like a klaxosaur's claws against Argentea's hull.

"Shh..."

He had to calm down. He had to calm down! He'd never seen anything like it! What was it? Was it human? But where was its face? No - no, it was clearly a helmet! A soldier? Who was this? APE? But that equipment wasn't familiar! APE didn't use those things, didn't look like that! APE was regal, defined, this was... was...

The creature rasped, hissed. "It seems... some birdies have gotten lost."

The glove extended from the shadow, pawed and poked at his uniform. It came up, tore the fabric from his mouth. His lips were dehydrated. Sweat drenched his neckline. Again he tried to yell, but all he managed was a choking cough.

"Who... who a-are y-you?"

The unblinking, expressionless monster shifted, lowered itself onto a knee. Another grating, scratchy breath, slow and steady.

"Let me ask you a question, little birdy."

"I was the only one who stopped and asked why."

The light flickered. The eyes of blood shifted in the background.

"Do you ever wonder..."

"I've thought about them for years."

"...what happened to all those children?"

The demon leaned in, the apparatus clicking and wheezing. Zorome was hyperventilating. Couldn't breathe, couldn't see, couldn't think. Couldn't even wipe away the terrified tears or mucus. He stared at that horror, that impossible, inconceivable existence. The horror stared back.

The faces of the missing flashed before him. All he saw was death. Death and lies. The death of everything he'd ever known, the lies of beasts and men.

"Where did they go? Have you ever asked yourself that? Huh?!"

"The ones who went missing from Garden?"

Before me there were no created things

But those that last forever—as do I.

Abandon all hope you who enter here.

Werner turned as the door opened, his mood lifting. "I was wondering when you'd show up. Find anything good?"

"Nothing much this time around. Didn't get a chance to go library diving. Mostly military bases. Took a trip over to..."

Trailing off, the man reached into a pocket on his bulky, dark vest and pulled out a folded slip of paper. He unfurled it on the desk, revealing a faded map of the world. The helmeted figure leaned in close, tracing their route with a gloved finger. Werner could picture him squinting behind his deactivated night-vision goggles. He took a deep, hissing breath from his rebreather and looked up at him.

"Uh... Cay-nay-dah?"

"Canada."

"Canada. Shit was cold, doc. Hoo boy! We were afraid the heat setting wouldn't work, what with how little we use it. We got lucky, though. Bunch of those pre-magma solar cells there, stored pretty well. They were dead from being in the cold for so long, but it was military tech so we think they might be salvageable. Perfect fit for the packs and the old truck. Other than that it was mostly the usual. Seeds, some weapons, ammo and old body armor and such."

Werner nodded, pleased. "Any issues with the equipment?"

"Ah... Inyo was complaining about a draft by her thighs, but we don't know if it was real, or..."

"Inyo being Inyo?"

"...Yeah."

"I'll take a look at it regardless. Have her meet me in the facility before you go."

The man nodded. "Right." But then he paused and began easing his backpack onto the floor, making sure to not crimp the tube leading into the rebreather. He unzipped a compartment and pulled something out, patting away any remnant dust.

"Before I forget, I did find something in an old locker. Figured you might be interested."

Werner took the book and read the cover. 1984, George Orwell.

He didn't know whether he should laugh or cry. So he just sighed instead.

"I tried reading it as we flew in on the transport, but couldn't make it past the first few chapters. It wasn't the hardest read, but..."

The man shifted in discomfort.

"I understand, Itan."

Itan released a rasping sigh and hefted the pack onto his back. "Are... are we fucked, doc?"

The guilt hit him like a downed airplane crashing into a crowded suburb. But he fought it back down again, locked it away in places he refused to venture.

"It's too early to know for certain. We still have a chance. Go get refilled and refueled and get some rest. Your squad's already down there. Send my regards to Sagi. Hachi should be giving him an updated points of interest list."

Itan nodded as he refolded the map. "Talk to you soon, doc."

Hope not ever to see Heaven. I have come to lead you to the

other shore; into eternal darkness; into fire and into ice.

The sudden light blinded her. She squinted at the silhouette in the doorway, struggled to make out its shape. What now?! Those red eyes shifted to the newcomer and she was thankful for the momentary reprieve. Everything was so creepy! They never should've left Mistleteinn! This was a mistake, just one big mistake! Where were all the adults? What was happening? Why were her bindings so tight? Why was that weird robot-man talking to Zorome? Were they going to be killed? Her mouth was muffled, she couldn't even speak or scream or cry out for help!

"I would appreciate it if you didn't traumatize the parasites."

That - that voice! Please please please she just wanted to leave!

The weirdo stood up and turned his back to Zorome. "They were lurking where they shouldn't be."

"I will handle that. Your updated list is in the usual spot. Get a bite to eat and get your gear in order. Priority's still weapons, bullets, armor."

"Got it, got it," the thing wheezed and rasped. Its voice sent horrified shivers down her spine. She'd never heard anything so unnatural. "Itan still talking with the doc?"

"On his way."

The figure drifted towards the door. Miku could barely hear the footsteps. The others followed, just as silent; they streamed out through the exit and were gone. Then the man was over her, undoing her bindings. She coughed and wheezed, her throat dry and her muscles tense. She was still hyped up on the adrenaline. Once he'd undone Zorome's bindings he looked down on them, his expression blank.

"You two are not supposed to be here," Hachi noted.

Zorome was shaking, fear and disbelief in his eyes. "H-Hachi, who were those guys? W-Were they-"

"Children."

Something frigid wound itself around her heart. She'd never felt it before.

"Like... like parasites? They're p-parasites, right? Right?" He was panicking and she understood why. Confusion flowed through her. Everything was so wrong! All they'd wanted was to see the adults! Why here? Why now? What was happening?!

Hachi's stoic features shifted from him to her. "They are not parasites. They are my age, removed from the program two decades ago."

Zorome's expression was one of sheer horror. "Why?" he pleaded. "Why, why? Hachi! What's going on! I don't understand! Where are the adults? What're they doing here? They - they were missing, right? Where'd they go? Where'd they come from?!"

A sigh escaped the administrator's lips. He beckoned them with a calm hand. "We were expecting these questions to occur in a more controlled environment, but it seems I have no choice. Come. We have much to discuss."

What was going on?! She wanted to go home! To the house, to her friends! She wanted to see Kokoro's calm smile and follow Ichigo's orders and see Ikuno reading her books and see Zero Two hanging off Hiro's arm! She even wanted to see the boys! This was stupid! It was all stupid! She was scared! And Zorome was scared! They were both scared and frightened and they were just kids and why was this happening?! Why them? Why!

They followed him out the door into a - a warehouse? Where were they? This was so confusing! Were they even in the city anymore?! What were all these boxes and crates? Hachi passed through another exit and they were back in the city. The lights were blinding. She didn't like them! It was too bright and too dark at the same time! This was too weird! She missed Mistleteinn!

The administrator turned and looked them over. Apparently satisfied, he began quizzing them.

"Why were the plantations made?"

Miku shared a confused, scared look with her partner before returning her gaze to Hachi. She swallowed. The saliva choked her. "T-To protect humanity from the klaxosaurs!"

The administrator's cold eyes shifted to her. "Wrong."

What? What?! How was that wrong?! They'd been - they'd been taught that in Garden! They couldn't be wrong! They couldn't! She looked at Zorome for desperate reassurance. His stare was a thousand yards. Tears streamed from his wide eyes. Shoulders slumped, he looked past Hachi, at nothing in particular.

"The plantations were constructed before the klaxosaurs appeared."

That frigid feeling was back again, stronger than before. Her hands were shaking.

"Why is the world uninhabitable?"

She didn't have enough strength to wipe her tears. Her answer this time was less certain. "Because... because of the..."

"Wrong. The magma energy extraction caused the desertification."

"What do you mean?!" came Zorome's frantic reply. "Hachi, what's going on?! Please! I'm so confused!"

Hachi responded with seven words.

"Everything you've been taught is a lie."

Because your question searches for deep meaning,

I shall explain in simple words.

One might have mistaken it for a funeral procession. Zorome and Miku followed lockstep behind Hachi, their shoulders slouched and their cheeks stained by dried tears. Hands held behind his back, posture straight, he led them through the city, all while undoing the years of Garden's education, brick by brick, piece by piece. Like rocks thrown into a glass house, did he shatter their worldviews. They no longer reacted; the children had long since accepted the concept of wrong. With every question the lie became brighter, the deceit clearer. The only truth they knew was of their partner's existence, and it was for that reason alone that Miku never let go of Zorome's hand.

"What was humanity's population at the time of initial plantation construction?"

"Eight-point-four million," Miku droned in defeat.

"Wrong."

Zorome squeezed her hand on reaction, broken and mute.

"Humanity's population on the Earth was, at the time, upwards of eight billion."

The boy stopped. Miku and Hachi stopped with him. He stared at the ground. "But... but the plantations only hold... eighty-four thousand adults... r-right?"

"Correct."

The children sucked in a unified breath, glanced at each other in mutual weakness. They were right about something? Miku turned to Hachi, tentative hope brightening her features.

"And... and there are one hundred plantations... right?" she asked.

"Correct."

The children grinned at each other, some of their former vigor returning. But any positivity faded as reality began to take hold. They paled.

"W-Wait... Hachi..." Miku whispered. "D-Do you... mean that..."

Hachi turned around and met her eyes. The girl trembled. He did not.

He had long since lost the ability to tremble.

"The number you were taught is the number of people that were saved."

An ugly, heartwrenching noise escaped Zorome's throat. Miku's shaky grip on his hand tightened.

"N-No..." the boy gagged.

"Everyone else is dead."

And I — my head oppressed by horror — said:

"Master, what is it that I hear? Who are

those people so defeated by their pain?"

And he to me:

"This miserable way is taken by the sorry souls

of those who lived without disgrace and without praise.

They now commingle with the coward angels,

the company of those who were not rebels

nor faithful to their God, but stood apart.

The heavens, that their beauty not be lessened,

have cast them out, nor will deep Hell receive them —

even the wicked cannot glory in them."

"Lied to her so she'd do their bidding!"

But... but even still...! Papa did it to protect them! They were just kids! If... if the world was really so terrible, Papa totally did it to protect them!

"So... so the magma energy was what c-caused the problems... right?"

"Correct."

Relief bubbled in his heart. He squeezed Miku's hand. Okay... okay, see! He was right!

He swallowed. Thick saliva coated his dry throat. "And Papa... c-created the plantations with the resources he had available... right?"

"Correct."

So... so Papa was a savior! He knew it! It was okay! Even if... if so many people died! He at least tried to...

"Then... Papa saved everyone he could!"

"Wrong."

His steel wall of worship wasn't steel at all. It was pig iron.

Pig iron was brittle. The relief was torn away. Something ugly festered in its place.

He tried to wrap his head around the madness. "I d-don't..."

"Zorome," Hachi began in that calm, monotonous voice. "Papa was the one who discovered and began extracting the magma energy. He did not help solve the problem. He created it."

Brittle objects were prone to shattering.

No, no! That was a lie! It had to be! It was all lies!

"W-What do you mean! Papa wouldn't... he wouldn't-!"

"In the old world, society had long operated on lesser energies: oil, natural gas, solar, nuclear to name a few," Hachi interrupted. "Oil was the standard of civilization, and it was running out, as was natural gas. Things such as solar and nuclear were, for various reasons, incapable of replacing their forerunners. People grew desperate for a solution. Eventually, one such man found the answer. That man was Papa. Upon discovering magma energy with the help of various scientists, he revolutionized the world. Magma energy's properties were incredible: a rare but powerful energy source with decent efficiency, one with seemingly no environmentally harmful side effects. Despite questions regarding its sustainability, the world quickly became dependent. Papa assured the world that with enough research, effort and funding, he could find a way to increase its efficiency to mitigate its natural scarcity. It was later discovered during these projects that concentrated, distilled magma energy could serve as a base for a serum granting immortality. Papa kept his extraction and refinery techniques a closely guarded secret and quickly became the most powerful human on the planet. He and his scientists held audience to world leaders."

They had... never learned any of this...

"H-How do we know you're telling us the truth?" Miku whispered.

Hachi's collected gaze shifted to her. "The doctor was employed to help create the immortality serum and witnessed all of this as it unfolded."

The doctor? That old fart? He was... he was probably off his rockers! Loopier than Hiro!

"Society back then was based on the concepts of transactions and equivalent exchange. Goods and services were delivered for notes of inherent value. These notes were called 'currency'. Immortality, then, was a coveted treasure, afforded by only the wealthiest individuals. They no longer needed food. Aging ceased. When coupled with state of the art medical care, their lives were perfect. But soon, the side effects of magma energy became apparent. Desertification became rampant. The world began dying. Immortality meant loss of reproductive function. And most importantly, the efficiency projects never went anywhere. But society could no longer cease the usage of magma energy; they had substituted one energy dependency for another. Out of a sense of duty, Papa and his scientists began development of the plantations. He told the world that he would manage to safely bring every last person into the plantations. That no one would be left behind. But the plantations were too small, construction was too time consuming. And in addition, the plantations used magma energy to operate."

This was so confusing! So weird and creepy! Reproductive function? Efficiency? None of this made sense! He just wanted to see the adults!

Hachi shifted his eyes between the two children. "The stores of magma energy were quickly dwindling. Papa was forced to halt construction after one hundred plantations were built, lest his resources be stretched too thin. He placed a price on entry into the plantations, to gather enough funds for the development of new strategies. Naturally, this meant only the wealthiest individuals of society secured their safety. The world leaders were brought aboard the first plantation so they might allocate resources through APE, effectively giving Papa control of the entire world. He tried to find a way to help everyone else. He couldn't."

He was still confused! Wait! "But... but what happened to everyone else? How did they all..."

"As the planet died, so did its ability to produce food and sustain life. The rest of the population could not afford immortality. They still required sustenance. Society began collapsing as food and energy shortages became commonplace. Law and order broke down. It was every man for himself. Papa could no longer save them. He could only protect those he had already rescued."

...

But that meant... they all...

The man's soulless stare sent shivers down his spine. "The guns on the plantations were not meant to combat klaxosaurs, Zorome."

Shatter.

Head spinning, Zorome fell to the floor. Miku fell as well, fingers still locked with his. The festering bloomed into something diseased and rotten. Desperation clawed at him. Not Papa! Not Papa! Papa had made him, created him, gave him life and purpose! He couldn't have caused this! He was a hero! No!

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

Like a broken record Zorome repeated himself, shaking his head back and forth.

"Please... no..." Zorome's defeated form looked up at Hachi again, pleading. Praying. "Ha... Hachi, please..." He rubbed his nose on his sleeve, leaving a trail of staining mucus. His voice cracked. "Please don't..."

"Papa and the rest knew she'd kill all those stamen, Zorome!"

Hachi's expression never changed, even as his gaze met the boy's. "I'm sorry, Zorome."

"Did... did they..."

"They used her as a killing machine!"

Helpless and terrified, Miku watched as he struggled to voice his words. "Did they... use her as a... k-killing machine?"

The man's eyes were unwavering concrete.

"They did."

Something in him broke.

"B-But! But what about the adults!" he heard Miku urge. "Surely we can still protect-"

"Wrong."

Snapped.

"...What?" his partner whispered.

"APE's civilization runs on magma energy and the world has run out of magma energy to supply. The mines are bringing up the last bits of the resource available to us. The klaxosaurs are in control of the final, untouched deposits. Papa has tried to remove them before. Papa failed. Left as is, the Franxx and everything that supplies them will soon run out, and the remaining humans will be at the mercy of our enemies. There is no longer enough time to convert all systems to accept older, more outdated fuel sources. Papa realized this and came up with a plan."

"A... plan?" he muttered.

"Papa wishes to leave Earth on a small arc ship in orbit, the Cosmos. The klaxosaurs are terrestrial beings and cannot access space. Once civilization is saved, he can take stock of the situation and venture through the vast beyond, as immortality permits him, until he finds a solution to humanity's problems. However, there is an issue: magma energy is growing increasingly sparse and Papa can only afford one rocket launch from his facility, the Grand Crevasse. There is not enough time to get all humans up into orbit, nor is there enough fuel for such a venture, nor is there enough space on Cosmos to fit all eight million adults."

So... they were...

Hachi's voice was ice cold. "But Papa refused to abandon humanity, so he devised a solution. He planned to upload the minds of the adults into a server, and bring that server onto Cosmos. Such a plan solved two of his limiting factors, but the upload itself required a vast amount of magma energy. When all of the other expenditures were accounted for - Franxx fuel and repairs, plantation operations, energy for Cosmos and the rocket launch - he and the council realized they simply did not have enough to safely perform the upload without compromising something else."

"S-So what did they do?" Miku questioned in trepidation.

"You wished to see the adults, did you not?"

The festering ugliness spread across his body. He and Miku got up and followed Hachi, broken and defeated.

Hachi led them to a random building along the street. The door was locked. Backing up, he lifted his foot and bashed it against the handle repeatedly until it swung open, destroyed. Upon entry Zorome's senses were assaulted by the most pungant, rotten odor he had ever smelled. Miku covered her mouth, gagging.

A masked adult was standing in the sparsely decorated room. Noticing the visitors, he turned and walk to them, his face blank. The adult paid no attention to the broken door, or the fact that Hachi had entered his home without permission.

"Greetings," said the adult.

Hachi walked through the man's form. The adult flickered and twisted and hummed, faint blue lines shimmering and coalescing. Zorome felt sick, and it wasn't just from the chemicals warring against his senses.

"W-What is..."

"A hologram, taken and developed automatically from this man's identification file. Come. He is in the other room."

The children's footsteps pounded against the pristine and spotless floor. The horrid scent only increased in potency. Hachi was waiting for them just inside the door frame. He pointed into the room. Zorome lurched, skin crawling. Miku leaned against him, her skin pale and her form stiff. She blinked away shocked tears.

A corpse.

Covered in the same simple clothes as the hologram, the body's head was completely encapsulated in a large device, a clamp around its thin, scraggly neck. A small needle was buried into the skin, where its artery should be, twisting up and away into a series of tubes that disappeared into the ceiling. It lay there, reeking of rot and shit and piss. Its body was skeletal, browning, dried like a prune.

Zorome collapsed to the floor, hands covering his mouth. Miku had turned away and was bent at the waist. Her retching and vomiting drowned out all other sounds.

"The immortality serum is never absorbed into the body," Hachi explained. "It coats the cells, acting like a preservative and freezing the individual in time. Never aging, never without energy. But because it always exists as a foreign substance, it can also be reclaimed and broken down into its base components. The 'happiness' machines, used to supply the adults with their entertainment and their dopamine, also served another purpose. Once they went under, they never woke up."

A wail escaped his dry lips. "He... he didn't..."

Hachi did not so much as twitch. Those dead eyes bored holes into Zorome's collapsed form.

"Papa made a choice. Just as before, he sacrificed the many in order to save the few. The reclaimed magma energy gave him enough supply to upload the adults of the first five plantations."

His index finger lifted, pointing from the corpse-

"And in exchange, their blood, their magma energy..."

-to him.

No. No...

"...is now fuel for your Franxx."

In that dead room of that dead city howled Code 666.

As little flowers, which the chill of night has bent and huddled,

when the white sun strikes, grow straight and open fully on their stems,

so did I, too, with my exhausted force.

"But... but at our c-ceremony...!" Miku whimpered.

Hachi was leading them onward, to an unknown location. Their legs moved on their own. They didn't care anymore.

"A few months before his magma reclamation strategy was put into motion, Papa ordered a change in dress code for all adults and staff members working with parasites. Originally, only soldiers and Garden staff members had to cover their faces. That was changed to everyone, including adults and other non-combat personnel. At the same time, holograms using the same anonymous profiles were developed, and routine behavioral algorithms modeled after their plantation's population were applied. This was done to preserve morale amongst the personnel that would remain aboard the plantations after the adults had been reclaimed."

Everything was a lie.

"Then... then why d-do we..."

"Exist?"

The word sent a jolt through his spine.

"You are a tool, a weapon to be discarded. You will not be saved. You will not be salvaged. Should Papa have his way and save his chosen few, you and everyone else will be left behind to perish, whether you survive combat with the klaxosaurs or not. You are expendable. To preserve resources, all children grown at Garden are consistently evaluated and used in some way. Those not fit to become parasites are taken. Some become guards. Others become slaves in the Franxx production facilities. Others spend their lives in the food plants. Some are judged to have no worth at all and are merely tossed into the wastes. They are not shot or executed. Bullets and electrocution require resources and energy. Disposing of worthless tools in such ways would be inefficient."

"Did they care one bit? Huh, did they?!"

Just... a tool...

"What's the point to all of this?!"

"B-But our... birthdays! And our p-p-presents!"

"Your birthdays are fake. Like all children, you are grown in batches, in vats, and then sent to Garden at the appropriate time to be educated. Squad 13 is an experimental test group, a test run by the doctor to see the effects of increased individuality and less emotional education."

But... but if that was the case...

"We just want to be with each other!"

Then why...

His voice was a little stronger when he asked his next question. "And... and what about the plantations? The ones with the dead adults? What happens to them?"

"Papa will not let the magma energy go to waste. He wishes for it to get to orbit, onto Cosmos, for future use. When a plantation has 'expired', it transfers its remaining supply to a plantation deemed 'fresher', or closer to the Grand Crevasse. If the expired plantation is close enough to the Grand Crevasse and its combat record is deemed adequate, the worthy personnel are airlifted to the battle. The parasites and Franxx are then thrown into perpetual warfare in an attempt to thin the klaxosaurs' numbers around the facility. If neither of those prerequisites are met, everyone on the plantation is left to expire. The magma energy saved from salvaging the personnel would not be worth the transportation costs. They are left to the klaxosaurs."

"Then... back then! With Plantation 26, that was..."

"Correct. Plantation 26 is now expired. We do not believe Papa will come for them."

The ugliness gnawed at his soul, burned his cold and dead heart. Miku's iron-clad grip around his hand was warm and comforting.

"You'd have just been another statistic!"

He was... beginning to understand. Hiro had always...

"I'll sacrifice my body if it means I can be with Zero Two! I'll throw away my soul if it means she smiles for me!"

...had something else. Something he knew he could trust and rely on, something that he could fight for. And all he had... was...

"U-Um... you can trust me a bit more."

He squeezed Miku's hand. She squeezed back. The warmth spread up his arm. Papa had betrayed him, had lied to him, had... had... used... him. But she had never done so! Even now, even after all this! He had his partner. And... and they could...

Hachi had led them to another warehouse, far larger than the previous one. He tapped a code on a panel and the massive doors swung up. The flurry of activity caught Zorome off guard. Men and women running this way and that, some with strange rifles, other with boxes or pieces of unusual body armor. People of all ages. Some as old as him, others older and some even younger.

"The doctor has a hypothesis," Hachi noted.

Miku's wide eyes watched as a significant group of black-clad APE soldiers grabbed rifles and ammunition off a rack. They checked themselves over and then ran off into the city, in the direction of the central spire.

"What?" he heard himself whisper.

"Taking the magma energy from the ground killed the world. He believes the reverse may also be possible."

The administrator turned to them, stoic as ever.

"Who... are these people?" his partner breathed.

"They are the children, the discarded tools, like you and I. They have chosen to fight for their survival, their right to exist. Zorome, Miku, I will ask you both one final question."

The heat spread over his chest, up his neck and down his legs. Their knuckles were white.

"You may return to Mistleteinn and pretend all of this never happened, with no marks against your APE record. Or you may pick up a rifle. Which do you choose?"

"The rifle."

His head whirled in Miku's direction. Her free hand wiped away fresh tears.

"Zorome loves Papa and Papa betrayed him! Papa wants to abandon him! That's wrong!"

The cool warmth of Hachi's gaze landed on him. "Zorome?"

He squeezed his eyes shut. Above all else, he was... he was Zorome the Great! He was not a pushover! That idiot Hiro had gotten a one-up on him!

"If I have to grow horns to do that, I'll grow the horns!"

He wouldn't just... just roll over and die! He was better than that, damn it! He'd killed thirty-something klaxosaurs already!

Clear eyes opened, stared up at Hachi. He snorted back his snot.

"SHE FOUGHT BACK!"

The adults he'd sworn to protect had been inside Argentea all along! Driving him forward!

"The rifle, Hachi. G-Give me... give me the rifle!"

Do not be afraid;

Our fate cannot be taken from us;

It is a gift.