Episode 14

"She puts a curse to drain the life out of stamen, the one who's not human. I can't consider her as one of us anymore. Even if she's considered as the key to save the world, even if as a result of that I'm hated by the person that I consider the most important."

- Ichigo Punishment and Confession is the fourteenth episode of DARLING in the FRANXX.

Plot
Hiro had just awoken from his traumatic experience. His frail body still lying on Strelizia's pilot seat. She has just entered stampede mode, overloading their connection and sending Hiro through a vicarious journey into Zero Two's mind. It was a journey to forgotten memories. A brief moment of silence ensued as tears slowly made their descent upon both their faces.

-You were the girl with the picture book back then, weren't you?

Stunned, Zero Two slowly turned around. She sobbed:

-You saw?

-Sorry. I forgot. But even then... you were waiting under that tree... for me.

A smile followed on Hiro's face, but fatigue almost had him fall to the floor. Zero Two catches Hiro before he collapses. Cherishing Hiro in her arms, she inquired:

-You were my darling from back then, weren't you? ...Then all this time...

Zero Two stops, terrified to think of what she had done to Hiro and Squad 13 as a whole. The room then let out a long sigh, interrupting the moment as Ichigo throws Zero Two off Hiro and tumbling towards Goro. He takes a brief look at Zero Two but was surprised to find her crying.

-Hey! Are you alright?

Zero Two was at a loss for words.

Ichigo yelled, trying to revive Hiro. The other FRANXX wait.

When they returned to the docking facility, Hiro was taken for treatment. Zero Two realizes what Hiro meant when he said he wanted to understand her better.

At an APE hospital room, Nana notes that his yellow blood cell count has gone far beyond what the human body can handle and his saurification could begin at any moment.

Meanwhile, Zero Two hastily treaded along the cold dreaded hallways of the treatment facility, anxious to talk to Hiro but was stopped by Ichigo.

-Out of my way. I need to see my darling.

-You can't be serious! Do you realize who put Hiro in that bed? You're never getting anywhere near Hiro again.

The rest of Squad 13 quietly observed as the air begins to boil around Ichigo. Goro, worried, tried to calm Ichigo down.

-She must be worried about Hiro, too, you know.

Miku added:

-That's right. Why are you getting so worked up?

Furious, Ichigo exclaimed:

-All this time, you've deceived Hiro and exploited him. And you just tried to make him lose his humanity.

Zero Two clenched her teeth, nearly shattering a fingernail. Upon hearing such news, the rest of the parasites were startled and asked Zero Two. Annoyed, she tells them to shut up and mind their own business.

-Satisfied? Now let me see my darling.

Ichigo blocks Zero Two again.

-[...] I thought we had finally become teammates.

-...Teammates? I couldn't care less.

As she tried to push Ichigo aside, Ichigo grabs her arm. Ichigo then followed with a barrage of insults. Tension builds when she finally decides that Zero Two no longer has a place in Squad 13...

Hiro wakes up to find himself surrounded by his teammates. His strangulation marks clearly shown. He quietly observes his surroundings. As other teammates cheered to see Hiro recover, he asked:

-Hey. Where's Zero Two?

Other members of Squad 13 nervously glanced at each other when Ichigo reveals that she didn't let her come. The tense air was then cut short as Ichigo assured Hiro not to worry as they'll keep Hiro safe, so he should get some rest. They all leave, wishing Hiro well but Hiro stops Mitsuru.

Hiro says that he made a promise to him before he got an Elixer Injection. Mitsuru is surprised, but never mind that as it was a long time ago. He says he'd forgotten about it. Just as Mitsuru was about to leave, he remarked:

-Any other stamen would've died long ago. I see you've got devil's luck. Listen to Ichigo. learn your lesson and stay away from Zero Two.

Hiro smiled:

-But... I've still got something to ask her.

After Mitsuru had left, he pondered that after that day, his aptitude kept decreasing. Though he felt like he died, she gave him a new life. He thinks it must be because he drank her blood. Zero Two sits in her room getting more and more anxious, biting her nails.

Squad 13 gathered in the strategy room to hear Nana and Hachi briefing on their next mission in Grand Crevasse.

-Your mission is to neutralize every Klaxosaur inhabiting this structure and take control of the area

-Furthermore, this is a joint operation with the 9's and FRANXX squad from each plantation.

-The opening salvo will be fired 27 hours from now. Squad 13 is scheduled to be part of the sixth wave

-Unlike other times, the enemy will counter with numbers. This will, without a doubt, be your most difficult operation to date.

Zero Two gnawed on her nails. Suffocating. Her jaws clenched. Her fist tight. An anxious look communicated on her face. Suddenly, Ichigo raised her hand. She demanded that Code 002 be removed from Squad 13 as of this mission. "If this request is not granted, Squad 13 will not participate in the operation. [...] We can't fight with her anymore." Nana remarks that Zero Two was set to return to the 9's as of this mission, anyway.

Zero Two protests, claiming:

-Where'd that came from? Don't go and decide my future for me.

Nana replied:

-HQ has already given this the green light. We can't keep you here any longer.

-What of Darling?

Nana shook her head. Pissed, Zero Two walked out of the room, but Futoshi stopped her. Zorome and Ichigo followed up:

-We won't let you see Hiro, no matter what.

Demoralized, Zero Two looked down at the ground, almost crying:

-Why?

When Hiro gets up, he is stopped by Miku. Zero Two is also guarded and prevented from leaving her room. Ichigo comes in to see Hiro and they chat. Ichigo had brought an apple.

-Zero Two's going back to the 9's.

Shocked, Hiro inquired:

-When?

-Tomorrow night. We have a big mission coming up.

...

-You hate me, don't you?

...

-I know you want to see her...but...I can't let you. If you do, you'll never be the same again.

Hiro stopped. He touched his neck, where the strangulation marks were.

-We're a team now [...] so please, Hiro. I don't care if you hate me. Just don't go anywhere.

-Sorry, Ichigo... Mitsuru told me I poke my nose into trouble too much... I made you all worry, didn't I?

Ichigo, delighted, told Hiro that he doesn't need to apologize. She was talking when she cut her thumb. Hiro, worried, bandaged her. Ichigo said:

-Hard to tell who's the patient now, huh?

-Seriously. You're always so clumsy, Ichigo.

-That was just bad luck!

-Then what about this, then?

Hiro commented, holding up an apple slice. It was split in half. Ichigo, embarrassed, told him that was a bunny.

-A bunny? This thing?

-Shut up. I'm getting better at it. It looks pretty close to the real thing.

Ichigo's complaint suddenly grew smaller when Hiro turned the slice around. A concerned look painted all over his face. It reminded him of Zero Two's horns.

Zero Two sat in her room, alone. Her back was leaning on the door. She continued to gnaw on her nails, recalling what Ichigo said and sadly exclaimed:

-No matter how I disguised myself as a human, I could never be one of you... but even then, darling's all I have.

Ichigo leaves the knife and apple. As she made her return to the boarding house, Zero Two broke out of her room, causing quite a commotion. She roughly throws Goro against a window. With a serious look on her face, she hissed:

-Don't stop me. I'm going to see my darling

Ichigo angrily marched in front of Zero Two:

-Would you give it a rest already? You'll see him, then what? You'll lie to him again?

Irritated, Zero Two grabbed Ichigo by the collar ,but then shook her head, almost breaking into tears, her mouth shaking:

-...No! ...You're wrong! ... I just want to talk to him...

Goro, seeing the situation, advised Ichigo to let her see him and Kokoro agrees, stating that it's sad to see them apart. Goro says:

-You can meet Hiro, Zero Two, but we're all going to be there.

When they enter the room, it's empty. Hiro had used the knife to make a rope out the curtains. He then tied the knife to it and climbed upstairs, escaping containment. Zero Two was furious. Her fist now clenching so tight that her nails digged into her skin. Blood slowly dripped from her hand.

-You lied to me

Goro, trying to light up the situation, explained:

-No. That's not it. He must have ... I know! Gone to find yo...

Zero Two snapped:

-SHUT UP!!!

Hiro unknowingly goes to Zero Two's room. He asks through the door if she knew about their past. He opens the door to find the room destroyed. He returns to the hospital to find all his teammates unconcious and her attacking Ichigo. Zero Two, with a devious grin, invites Hiro to "talk lots and lots". Hiro scolds her for being such a monster. causing Zero Two not to despise him, but to understand the damage she's made and how unfair she's been to the one she holds dearest. Feeling like she needs to be punished for her misdeeds, a depressed Zero Two consents to leave Cerasus and meet the Nines for the battle of Grand Crevasse, this time by the side of disposable stamens, leaving as Hiro cries. Ichigo grabs him and kisses him so he won't leave. 9'α greets Zero Two and shows all the stamen she can choose from. Ichigo tells Hiro that she doesn't regret their kiss and that she wants to be with him forever, which Goro overhears. She says that she's always loved him as Zero Two's ship flies overhead.

Appearances

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

Links

 * Official Website

Episodio 14