Northern Regions

The Klaxosaur Princess silently walkins down the empty black and blue hallways of what is now her fortress and... the Klaxosaur's last bastion. She has worked nonstop ever since her return from Plantation 86. So, now she is taking a much-needed break. What she saw in Lemur's mind was worrisome, to say the least.

She isn't walking aimlessly though; she has a clear destination in mind. However, she isn't using her tendrils or her cobra to reach her target faster for that matter. She just wants to reminisce a bit over days long gone as she continues onward. Many centuries ago, her people could be found all over this place. Now, she is the sole remaining member of the original species, the rest are either long dead or a remnant of what was their greatest achievement and, at the same time, their greatest failure.

Eventually, she reaches a set of double doors that open automatically as she approaches. Beyond is a circular room with a single walkway leading from the door to the center. The room itself is so deep that if you were to let a rock fall down, you'd be waiting for some time until it would reach the ground.

There is only one occupant in this room, a single Klaxosaur in hibernation with its head on an equal level with the walkway. The Klaxosaur itself is humanoid with massive triangular wings on its back and possesses large shoulder pauldrons with spikes protruding out of them. The core, that is located on its forehead beneath a tri-spiked crest, has a crack in it.

The Klaxosaur Princess proceeds to the sleeping giant's head at the end of the walkway. She takes a good look at it before taking a deep breath. She has doubts about doing this, but she is well aware that she is out of options.

The horn on her forehead begins to glow as she closes her eyes.

Kidemonas, please wake up.

There is a slight reaction within the Klaxosaur's core as his red eyes slowly open. He gazes at the tiny figure before his eyes that is not even bigger than the tip of his finger.

My queen... he responds in his mind, knowing that she can read his thoughts. She looks up to him with an emotionless expression, though it is only a facade to hide the turmoil inside her.

Technically I am still a princess. The ceremony for the title was never held, she replies, but you already know that...

I'm sorry, I can't help it. As the leader of our people, I see you as my queen.

Or what is left of them... I have utterly failed as a leader, she answers, lowering her head in shame. The humans have a new weapon with which they wiped out everyone at the Gran Crevasse in a single strike. I got hold of one of their leaders and peered into his mind to learn of their plans. They are preparing for their final strike in this war that has dragged on for centuries while we are driven to the brink of extinction.

Then I shall rise up once more for the sake of our species.

The princess now looks up to the core of the Klaxosaur, specifically at the crack in it.

But you'll die... she states sadly. The wound to your core was inflicted by our sacred sword. You were able to regenerate the damage you took nearly two decades ago but that scar will remain forever.

Excuse my rudeness, but I would rather die in battle, fighting for our people, than sitting idly by.

I anticipated you would say that. After all, you were there long before I was even born, being the protector and guardian of the royal family. Sometimes I think we would have been better off if you would have led us instead of me since you are far more experienced in war...

Don't say that, my queen. We would have been wiped out long ago if it weren't for you. You had the willpower to make the difficult choices, and I'm sure your father would be proud of you.

The princess doesn't respond, leading the Klaxosaur to continue.

Never doubt the choices you made. Looking back, you may grieve or weep about the outcome and regret it, but that is in the past. The only thing we can do is move forward.

Thank you, Kidemonas...

Now, what has occured since I went into hibernation to heal?

The princess takes a moment to compose herself before answering his question. The humans will soon fire their superweapon again once it's fully charged, this time on a greater scale. I've been working day and night on a countermeasure. Here is what I need you to do...

XXXXXX

It's been over a day since you were captured, give or take. At least that's your best guess. It's not like they provide you with anything more than the bare minimum in your cell. There is literally nothing for you to do but sit idly by and wait for whatever comes through the doorl. Some APE personnel could come in any moment to take you in for questioning, which is basically torturing you until you give them the answers they're looking for, or executing you for treason.

Still, the fact that about a day has gone by with Alpha being your only visitor is, in itself, worrisome. Why would they just toss you into a cell and call it a day? APE is all about efficiency, so there must be some catch to why they would just leave you here for this long. Could they be busy with something more important? Maybe this giant purple ray you saw descending towards the planet earlier is what they're currently occupied with...

...

You start to doze off amidst the thoughts of all the possibilities for what APE could be planning when you hear a faint noise that is akin to an explosion.

What could that be?

XXXXXX

"That should get their attention," Ryoken remarks, "Genista, keep firing."

Squad 13 has approached Plantation 100 with the intent to rescue you, and Genista just fired the opening salvo to take out its turrets. The defending squad of the Plantation, Squad 100, exits the docking bay to engage Squad 13.

"There's the welcoming committee," Valkyrie comments. "Let's get this done fast, people!" Delphinium orders as she leads the charge.

"Umbra, how are things on your end?" Hiro asks over the comms. "I am landing in one of the hangars as we speak," Umbra answers, "He'll be free in no time!"

XXXXXX

Meanwhile

You can hear several more explosions, followed by the alarm siren ringing throughout the entire Plantation.

That's the alarm for a Klaxosaur attack, though there isn't anything else that would attack a Plantation, except... Squad 13. I pray that it's them.

You get up and walk towards the door of your cell to look through the small window. A couple of soldiers run by occasionally and you're pretty sure that one of them said something about an intruder alert.

Only a few minutes later, you hear the sound of gunfire not far from where you are, followed by a mechanical voice yelling, "Surrender or die, Meatbags!"

The gunfight begins to die down before you see a two-meter-tall mech with an equally tall tower-shield charging down the corridor, and past your cell. The gunfire ceases shortly after. Then, you can see a familiar Umbra unit, the one in red, walking into your line of sight before turning towards your cell.

He looks at the panel next to your cell door, and upon seeing that it doesn't have a port that he can connect to, but instead just a number pad, he just rams his fist into it. "Please stand back, Master," he announces as he looks at you through the window in the door and readying himself.

You do as he says and step to the side. The door gets kicked in shortly after and slams against the opposite end of the room with a loud thud. Just as you're about to step out of your cell, you're tackled to the ground before you know it and pink hair fills most of your vision.

"Zero Tw-" you gasp but before you can say anything else, she silences you by pressing her lips on yours. You don't resist at all and give in to it as well.

A part of me feared that I was locked up in an unknown or unreachable location where I couldn't be saved... Where I couldn't see her ever again... I'm glad I was wrong.

As you and Zero Two are lying on the ground, with her on top of you, Umbra simulates a cough as best as he can and says, "I hate to interrupt but we got to go."

Your lips separate and Zero Two looks you in the eyes. "Are you not mad at me for ejecting you out of Strelizia?" you ask her. "Of course not," she replies, "But don't you ever do that again!" "I'm not planning to, I promise!" you reassure her.

The two of you get up and Umbra begins to work on removing your handcuffs. "So, what's the plan?" you ask him. "Killing every APE soldier in sight!" he chirps. "I meant the overall plan," you add. "Oh, that," Umbra responds, "Well, finding you was not a big deal and we didn't waste any time to come after you. I'll be escorting the two of you to Strelizia now so we can take our leave. There is much to discuss."

Your handcuffs come off with two clicking noises and fall to the ground. Then, Umbra takes the lead towards the docking bay where Strelizia is currently being held. You and Zero Two follow safely behind Umbra who has no problems at all with the numerous APE soldiers that come your way. He dispatches them swiftly and with deadly accuracy.

Once you're in the docking bay and enter Strelizia's cockpit, Umbra goes back to the hangar bay where he left the Phantom. Strelizia's faceplate sparks to life once you and Zero Two connect and she breaks free from the docking clamps.

As you lead Strelizia out of the docking bay, you establish communications with the rest of the squad that should be just outside. "This is (Y/N), do you copy?" you ask on your squad's frequency but get only static as a response.

That's strange...

A very bad feeling begins to creep up on you as Strelizia walks out of the Plantation onto the barren wasteland. You take a look around, hoping the rest is alright, though you could have never predicted the sight you are witnessing.

First of all, the Plantation's defending squad, Squad 100, was lying deactivated to the side. The work of Squad 13 no doubt. But there were more enemies, five of them to be specific, who had your squad surrounded, and you know these five Franx all too well.

Impossible...

Archangel, Titania, Scorpia, Banshee, and Tempest encircle Squad 13. Valkyrie seems to have taken the most damage while the rest looks to be relatively alright, though they are all standing back to back.

Strelizia tightens her grip around her lance. Zero Two knows what these Franxx mean to you since she saw your memories, but right now your friends are in danger. Whoever may be piloting those Franxx, it definitely isn't your old squad, because they are long gone.

You act on instinct and charge at Tempest, who you know is the most vulnerable one of the five due to her lack of armor. Just before Strelizia's lance could connect with her target, however, Archangel jumps in-between and blocks your strike.

"I don't know who you are," you say to Archangel through the speakers, "But you're going down just for piloting that Franxx!"

Meanwhile, inside Scorpia's cockpit, Spectre 5 stops dead in his tracks as he hears your voice over the speakers. That voice... could it be? He thinks to himself.

Seeing the gap in their formation, the rest of Squad 13, minus Valkyrie, springs into action. Argentea and Chlorophytum take on Banshee, Delphinium and Genista engage Titania and Gladiolus duels Tempest.

"Spectre 5, what are you doing?" you can hear the pilot of Archangel saying over the speakers.

"Am I going crazy or did that guy sound just like (Y/N)?" Mitsuru remarks over the comms. "Less talking, more fighting!" Ikuno adds, "These guys aren't messing around!"

Strelizia and Archangel exchange several blows back and forth but neither of them is able to land a hit.

Good thing this version of Archangel doesn't have the same blade that Valkyrie now carries. But that pilot... Whoever that is, he fights just like... me?

The two Franxx break off from and stand about a hundred meters apart, staring each other down. Suddenly, you hear an all too familiar voice coming from Scorpia, "(Y/N), is that you?" Your blood runs cold at that moment as you divert your attention to its source, "Aporia?"

Unfortunately, Archangel exploits that opening to attack again while you were distracted, sending Strelizia tumbling to the ground. You mentally scold yourself while you quickly get back on track as you refocus on the enemy in front of you, though it's hard to concentrate. The rest of your squad is not doing too well against the copies of Squad 42 either.

As if that wasn't enough, the ground suddenly begins to shake violently, catching everyone off-guard. The ground erupts not too far from where you are fighting and something emerges out of it. A Klaxosaur, but not just any Klaxosaur.

Am I hallucinating?

A humanoid Super Lehmann-class Klaxosaur. Massive triangular wings on its back, large shoulder pauldrons with spikes, black armor which protects it from the waist down that has definitely seen better days and more blue than black overall. It also has sheath-like claws covering the fingertips of its hands. However, its head, confirms your hunch. The Klaxosaur's core is placed on its forehead beneath a tri-spiked crest for everyone to see. The core has a crack in it, the one you yourself inflicted over 18 years ago during Operation Gjallarhorn.

The Klaxosaur lets out a battle roar and takes action while everyone either gets back up or is still processing what they are seeing. The Klaxosaur forms a fist with his right hand and drives it towards Titania, who barely manages to dodge it.

"Everyone, scatter!" you yell into the comms, "One hit from that thing could kill you!" "T-That is the same Klaxosaur from back then!?" Valkyrie stammers as she attempts to get away. However, Tempest isn't letting anyone escape and pursues her. Her immense speed lets her catch up very quickly and she readies her tonfas to strike at her wounded prey.

Just as she is about to close the gap between them, the Klaxosaur puts his hand down like a barrier between them and blocks Tempest's attack, much to everyone's surprise. The Klaxosaur then proceeds to sweep Tempest away with the back of his hand before diverting its gaze to Valkyrie.

"GO!" it says, pointing with its other hand into the hole in the earth it came out of.

You are not sure how to react to this yourself. The Klaxosaur that effectively killed most of your squad 18 years ago is back and now helping you.

"Uhm, guys," Futoshi asks worriedly, "What do we do?" "I suggest retreating while those carbon copies of Squad 42 are occupied with that Klaxosaur," Umbra replies matter of factly over the comms, "The way I see it, you are unable to beat them right now and Valkyrie has taken significant damage."

"Everyone, fall back," Delphinium orders as she and Strelizia help Valkyrie towards the hole that leads underground. The rest of Squad 13 follows swiftly while the Klaxosaur keeps your newest enemy busy. After everyone else jumped down the hole, you take one last look at the scenery behind you. This is nothing short of a reenactment of the past. The battle between Squad 42 and the Klaxosaur that is able to talk.

Nevertheless, Strelizia jumps down the hole and joins the others.

"I suggest sealing this entrance so that we aren't followed," Umbra adds as the stealth jet comes out of its cloaking mechanism and hovers next to your squad. Genista, Chlorophytum, and Gladiolus fire on the ceiling of the tunnel entrance to make it collapse shortly after.

"Misaki, are you alright?" Genista asks worriedly. "Yeah, I just... need a little break," she replies. "Can someone explain what the hell just happened?" Zorome blurts out immediately after that. "We just fought Squad 42, didn't we?" Goro ponders. "No, those were only Squad 42's Franxx," Mitsuru adds, "Their members, minus (Y/N), Ryoken, and Misaki are all dead."

"I don't know," you begin, "Scorpia's pilot sounded just like Aporia and he even seemed to recognize me. But how is that possible? They died many years ago..." "They even fought like our squad back in the day," Ryoken adds, "And used the same tactics against us just now, I just didn't realize it until we were almost out of commission."

"Unfortunately, there is nothing in the network about them that I can see," Umbra concludes. "Then we'll have to see for ourselves when we cross them again..." you mutter.

The Franxx of Squad 13 turn on their night vision as you tread further into this tunnel the Klaxosaur left for you as an escape with the Phantom jet hovering close by you.

"Umbra, I don't suppose you have an explanation for that Klaxosaur and why it helped us," Ichigo inquires. "If you are asking me whether I know how it is able to talk I have to disappoint you," Umbra answers, "And I can only theorize as to why it helped us." "Let's hear it then," Zorome prompts him to continue.

"The Klaxosaur Princess ordered him to," Umbra solemnly states.

"The what?" Argentea says confused. "The Klaxosaurs have a leader, so to speak," Umbra elaborates, "This is one of the many things APE never wanted you to find out. The Klaxosaurs are, in fact, not the mindless beasts they wanted you to believe. They are intelligent and sapient beings, though maybe not so much anymore. However, they are governed and led by the aforementioned Klaxosaur Princess. If the Klaxosaurs would be a beehive, then the Princess is their queen."

"Why are you telling us this just now?" Hiro remarks. "You never asked," Umbra responds, to which you can hear Hiro sigh through the comms.

"Wait... this tunnel," you begin, "Is it leading us to that Klaxosaur Princess?" "The probability of that is very high," Umbra replies, "And she apparently wants to have a word with us if that Klaxosaur left this tunnel for us."

"Well, it can't hurt to try and talk to her," Ryoken mumbles, "She did just help us out..."

XXXXXX

After about an hour of walking through the tunnel, you eventually reach a large chamber. Its interior is in the classic Klaxosaur black and blue design, but the tunnel's walls have been like that since about halfway through your walk.

In the center are two Klaxosaurs, one that looks like a cobra and one that looks like a dragon. Both of them seem to be standing guard over someone sitting on the throne, a blue-skinned humanoid figure with black lines all over her body. She possesses long snow-white hair that would brush the ground if she were to stand. In addition, she has a massive black appendage with fine blue lines that looks almost like a tail coming from her back, a matching black crown on her head and two blue horns protruding from it, one from her forehead and the other from the back of her head.

The cobra and the dragon Klaxosaurs eye your squad suspiciously while you're awe by how human the Klaxosaur Princess looks, considering the rest of her kind are ranging from the size of a Franxx to a Plantation and resemble anything but a human build.

"So, you've finally come, humans," you hear a voice in your head.

"Am I the only one who just