Episode 02

"The act of bringing two pairs of lips together, which we'd never heard of, was called a kiss, she said."

- Hiro

What it Means to Connect is the second episode of DARLING in the FRANXX.

Plot
The day after the klaxosaur attack, the startup ritual picks up where it left off, but in much quieter circumstances and without Papa and the other adults.

Ichigo finds Hiro, telling him that Zero Two is in their mess hall. Hiro and Ichigo enter the mess hall to see that Zero Two is sitting on the Pistil side of the room and eating food slathered in honey. Hiro sits down on the Stamen side of the room. Zorome then walks up to Zero Two and tells her that she can pilot with him as he wants, as he is better than Hiro. Zero Two gets up and sits down next to Hiro, calling him Darling. Nana then enters and notices Zero Two. She removes Zero Two from the mess hall, telling her that she is too much for the Parasites to handle.

At the dining hall, the parasites watch as Zero Two drenches her food in honey. When Zorome offers to let her ride with him, Mitsuru seems unimpressed. He is confused along with the others when she calls him "darling."

Nana says that she'll be their caretaker, just like she was in Garden.

As the stamen get ready, Mitsuru notices Futoshi eating bread, though he turns away.

The parasites enter their FRANXX. Ikuno pants, though Mitsuru seems unfazed. The four FRANXX pilot, leaving Hiro to train alone.

While Futoshi and Zorome pass a ball around, Mitsuru leans against a pole. Mitsuru says that he heard Zero Two can pilot a FRANXX alone, and asks if they seen its four legged form. He says that Hiro was just taken along for the ride. He doesn't interfere when Zorome and Hiro begin to fight.

Nana calls a meeting and the parasites all attend. They announce that Hiro will have a mock battle, possibly allowing him to be promoted. Though he's about to pilot with Zero Two, Ichigo volunteers instead. Mitsuru asks why it has to be her, as she already is partners with Goro. Mitsuru scoffs when Zero Two isn't allowed to pilot with him.

The parasites watch as the two battle. Ichigo and Hiro take a few steps forward, beginning an attack, but they fall short. After asking for a 3 minute time out, with the Franxx immobile, Ichigo kisses Hiro in order to try and get the Franxx operational. This attempt fails, and Mitsuru and Miku attempt to finish them off. However, they themselves become inoperational due to a brief squabble, and Mitsuru is surprised when Ichigo pilots alone, slamming him and Miku into a wall.

Characters

 * Hiro
 * Ichigo
 * Goro
 * Zero Two
 * Miku
 * Zorome
 * Kokoro
 * Futoshi
 * Ikuno
 * Mitsuru
 * Nana
 * Hachi

Gallery
Episodio 2