She's mine and mine alone.

Hiro was sitting in the meeting/mission room as Hachi said "We received orders to Sortie from HQ." Futoshi said "Eh? They want us to fight already?"

Hiro leaned back with his hands behind his head, he completed his Daily Mission yesterday and he finished up this morning. He had 2 Mystery Chests waiting for him now, but he held off and looked at his normal Quests, ignoring the conversation that was going on in the room, seemingly daydreaming.

[Quests]

[Cooking takes work! Make 50 new dishes (11/50) Reward: Upgrade Cooking Talent, Recipes for every Sweets Dish on EARTH]

[Don't be a Thief! Give the Lover's Necklace to it's rightful owner. Reward: ???]

[You're a Mech-Pilot, you need to learn how to fix things! Learn Mechanic Talent. Reward: Boosted Mechanic talent by 3 levels]

[You're a Mech-Pilot, you need to learn how to fix yourself! Learn Medical Talent. Reward: Boosted Medical Talent by 3 levels]

[When you're not a Mech-Pilot, you need to learn how to defend yourself! Learn Fighting Talent. Reward: Boosted Fighting Talent by 3 levels]

[Feel the rush! Ride with Zerotwo again. Reward: Bloodline fusion +20%]

[You're too lonely, I feel bad for you! Make a friend. (CANNOT BE ZEROTWO) Reward: GIVEN (Completed)]

[You're a contradiction, stop being that! (Part 1.) Fully merge your souls. Reward: ???, Legendary Mystery Chest]

[You're a contradiction, stop being that! (Part 2.) LOCKED]

Hiro chewed on a toothpick as he looked at the Quests. He and Goro did Fighting Training yesterday for a few hours, although he didn't have the fighting talent yet, he did complete the [Make a friend] Quest.

He smiled a bit to himself. He had the Impurity Cleanse (Intermediate) reward ready to go, but he didn't use it just yet. He was waiting for more items, just like with Mystery Chests, then he could use them all at once.

Or...

He had an idea but he wasn't sure how it would work. He suddenly said "Clank, what's the highest Grade for Impurity Cleanses." Clank replied "Flawless." Hiro hummed "One time is all you need? Forever?" Clank dinged and Hiro mumbled "That must be beyond X rarity, no?" Clank coughed and replied "It's X actually, because it doesn't change your body or purify your bloodline. It only clears all the gunk from your body that is naturally there. With the flawless grade, all of it is expelled and it continues to work forever, automatically filtering out the Impurities from your body before they can accumulate."

Hiro replied "So, it becomes a passive basically." Clank responded "Basically." Hiro hummed and said "Anything is giftable correct?" Clank dinged and Hiro asked "But what's the difference between me just giving something to someone?" Clank snorted "How could it compare!? When you gift someone something using the system, it cannot be taken away. The item is permanently bound to the person and they get a bit on the system depending on what you give them."

Hiro tilted his head and said "So if I give an item the item can go into a system space or able to change appearance like the Zerotwo plushie? The Talents and powers I give just show up like mine? It's a sub system attached to you?"

Clank responded "You can say that, but at the same time not really." Hiro frowned and said "Explain." Clank explained "Items can't go into a space because they aren't the owner of the System after all, the item is able to change appearance just as it could when you use it, but only through yourself. The skills, bloodlines, powers, etc. show up as they normally would but they cannot access their status. Only you can see it and they can feel it, like they suddenly awakened a power."

Clank paused for a moment before continuing "It's a subsystem and I'm the Admin, while you're the Owner. I can subvert and interfere with the subsystem as I like but you can stop me. You can even set restrictions on my rights to interfere with the subsystem, as well as give the subsystem more rights, coming close to what you can do with it, though the limit is seeing stats, unlocking talents on their own, and gifting to others."

Hiro narrowed his eyes and Clank added "Also, there can be only one subsystem. After that, whoever you gift things to will not be able to see anything, just have a feeling of their new powers. So you don't have to worry about an endless chain of subsystems appearing."

Hiro replied flatly "There probably won't be too many gifts going out to too many people. If any... It is possible to upgrade Mystery Chests?" Clank said simply "10 to 1 for the next rank up. There's 5 Ranks, Legendary is only the 3rd."

Hiro clicked his tongue and said "Not worth it at all... How about upgrading the Daily Quest Mystery Chest a rank?" Clank was silent for a few moments before saying "You can only get lucky." Hiro clicked his tongue and stopped talking to Clank, tuning back into the conversation outside.

Nana said "It should be noted that Strelizia will not participate in this mission. You're all going to have to defend the Plantations by yourselves in the future." Hiro cracked a smirk and closed his eyes as Hachi said "All hands prepare to board."

The rest left, leaving Hiro and Nana in the mission room.

She looked over at him and said "Are you feeling better?" Hiro smiled and said "Much better. Though..." he stopped speaking and shook his head. Nana said "Hm? What is it?" Hiro replied "Nothing, don't worry about it." Nana nodded and turned to the screen.

A while later

Nana was looking at Ikuno and Mitsuru, who couldn't connect. Hiro was leaning his back on a wall with a sneer as Nana said "What happened? Are you not feeling well?" Ikuno shook her head and said "No, nothing like that..."

Nana smiled softly and said "Alright. I guess I shouldn't be too surprised. You've always been a built unstable... We'll run some tests on you tomorrow." Mitsuru said "Pardon, but if I may, is it possible the two of us simply have a compatibility issue?"

Nana smiled "A lot of teams go through this at first, but don't worry. It isn't grounds for splitting you two up." Mitsuru rolled his eyes and said "Is that so..." Ikuno was looking down, ashamed of herself.

Hiro chuckled and Mitsuru said badly "What are you laughing at? I don't see you in a uniform." Hiro shook his head and said "It doesn't matter how many tests you run. You'll never be compatible." Nana said "Hiro, that's enough." Hiro shrugged and Ikuno said "What's that supposed to mean?" Mitsuru was clenching his fists and glaring at Hiro, who looked at Ikuno and narrowed his eyes saying with meaning "You know exactly what it means, Ikuno-chan."

Ikuno somehow felt a chill and looked away, Mitsuru said "Stop." as he grinded his teeth. Hiro sighed and rested his elbows on his knees, leaning forward as he said with a bored expression "326, even if it was me as her Stamen it wouldn't work."

He didn't really want to say anything but Mitsuru was really pissing him off.

He closed his mouth and ignored the duo, not wanting to send Ikuno to her death. She was a lesbian, how could she possibly be a Parasite? The operation of a Franxx require intimate connections between man and woman, there needed to be emotion and feeling, it was basically sex.

You can do it without a connection, but it won't be good. Yeah, maybe you'll feel satisfied in the end, but it won't be as good as someone you share a connection with. In Hiro's last life, his first time was lackluster. It lasted 30 minutes and he only came because he did all the work and used her like a sex toy.

He thought it was normal, he thought he loved her, but it was a big joke in the end.

So you could say that, Hiro has absolutely no experience on a loving connection. The emotion was illusory in his last life, dangling in front of him but always moving away when he was about to grasp it. 'Love' became a word with no meaning. A word that was tossed around carelessly.

A word to deceive himself.

Mitsuru realized Hiro wasn't talking to him anymore and snorted, looking at the screen. Hiro looked at the screen and said "Why are they celebrating? They didn't even destroy the core yet..." a sweet voice sounded "Not only that... but it's not over yet."

Hiro looked over and his eyes lit up, Zerotwo skipped over and bent down in front of Hiro's face saying "How are you? Darling~" Hiro smiled and patted the seat next to him, Zerotwo sat down next to him and leaned her head on his shoulder.

Nana looked at the screen and said with a frown "This is bad... They've attracted a whole swarm of Klaxosaurs by releasing their Magma Energy." Zerotwo said "See what I mean? You should've sent me from the start." Nana turned around and said "We couldn't."

Zerotwo pursed her lips and said "Un-huh. Just remember that when they all die out there." Hiro's eyes lit up as he said "Let me and Zerotwo go down to save them."

Hachi appeared on the screen and said "Not happening. You're not an official Stamen. I can't give you permission to board a Franxx." Zerotwo got up and said "This isn't the time to be a stickler for the rules." she walked down to Nana saying "This Plantation's squad is about to be wiped out... Again. Send me out already." she got in Nana's face and added "Send me out with my Darling."

Nana said firmly "You will not be allowed to sortie."

The atmosphere was tense, when suddenly Mitsuru said "Well, if Hiro can't do it. Then I guess I'll just have to go instead."

Hiro sneered "Say that again and I'll break your mouth." he turned to Hachi and said "Stop limiting me with these garbage partners. You can't let me go, so then don't. I'll go on my own. Or you can watch 6 Parasites die with 2 more useless ones up here. Kill the squad, I don't care. But I will absolutely not have anyone else ride with Zerotwo. I don't care what you say. It's not happening."

Mitsuru shouted "What's your problem!?" Hiro looked at him and said coldly "Speak again and I'll break your arms, let's see you Pilot a Franxx then, yeah? In short, shut your mouth before I shut it for you. I'm going in, report me to the higher ups, I don't care. If I get punished for saving people then whatever."

Hachi said "Mitsuru can-" Hiro clocked Mitsuru in the face and said "Oh, look at that. He's having difficulties at the moment. Looks like I'm the only one! Who would've thought? Zerotwo, let's go." Nana was stunned and said "Hiro, wait a moment!"

Hachi suddenly said "Can you do it?" Hiro turned around and looked at him saying "I disconnected from Ichigo of my own accord. You know that. In and Out, 5 minutes easy. It's just a bunch of small Klaxosaurs, no big deal."

Ikuno helped Mitsuru up and looked at Hiro in shock, Hiro looked at Mitsuru and said coldly "Stay away from my partner. She's mine and mine alone." before leaving the room with an elated Zerotwo, skipping after him.

Nana looked at Hachi and said "Are you crazy!?" Hachi said seriously "If he says he can do it, I believe him. Keep this under wraps, do not tell Papa. Understand?" Nana nodded solemnly, Mitsuru was burning in anger with bloody lips.

Ikuno said "Are you okay, Mitsuru?" Mitsuru slapped her hands away saying "Get off me, this is your fault anyway." Ikuno looked down and backed off, feeling ashamed of herself.

If Hiro was here, he would've given Mitsuru a tight slap. She doesn't like boys, okay?! It's not her fault. She was born like that.

Though, he shouldn't expect any of them to understand. The Apes upstairs forbid any knowledge of sexual interactions, the difference between man and woman, and reproduction from the Parasites since they were the only Humans who were able to reproduce and it would be bad for the VIRM if humans started popping up everywhere.

Disgusting.

Hiro suited up and tied his hair up as he walked with Zerotwo to Strelizia. Zerotwo was all smiles on the way there, humming to herself. Hiro grinned and they got into position.

Strelizia activated without an issue and walked to the mine shaft. There was a giant hole with an elevator.

Hiro held the handles and said "You ready, Angel?" Zerotwo sang sweetly "Yes, Darling~" Hiro grinned and said "Then let's do this!" as he pushed the handles forward. Strelizia ran off the platform and jumped into the mine, shooting down like a bullet. Zerotwo and Hiro both had excited grins and thought in unison 'This is the feeling!' they looked at each other and giggled.