Plantation 13 will now carry out the kissing with Plantation 26.
When we first met, Zero Two told me, "A kiss is a very special thing."
I repeat:
Plantation 13 will now carry out the kissing with Plantation 26.
Do the adults kiss?
If so,
who was it that likened plantations making contact to a kiss?
Say, what is "kissing," anyway?
You were watching all this time without knowing a thing?
Shut up, dumbass! Do you know all about it?
I-It's when two plantations are stuck together, right?
That's not all.
It's a transfer of magma fuel reserves from one plantation to another
through that big pipe.
That fuel is essential for both the adults and us to live.
FRANXX can't be operated without it, either.
So we can relax now, right?
Not exactly. This is a large-scale transfer of magma energy.
I've heard it'll attract a huge number of klaxosaurs.
Are you serious?
A huge number, huh?
Don't worry.
If we work together, we'll be fine. We even have Strelizia now.
Hiro...
Yeah.
Hiro's right.
A grand ceremony was conducted with the utmost solemnity.
The children of Plantation 26's FRANXX squad were also in attendance,
and they seemed a lot more calm and composed than us.
Boys and girls!
The dreadful klaxosaurs are sure to attack the magma reserves in great numbers.
The fate of these two plantations rests squarely on your shoulders, parasites.
You are strong!
We believe that you will surely bring us victory!
Being treated like VIPs gave our morale a big boost.
But at the same time,
we clearly sensed the coming of a fiercer battle than we had ever experienced before.
Hey, Hiro. Wake up.
It's morning. Rise and shine.
Are you okay?
Your body was burning up like crazy.
I'm perfectly fine. If anything, I feel really light on my feet.
You're not lying, are you?
Of course not.
I actually want to go train right now.
Okay, then.
Yesterday's ceremony was something else, huh?
I was so excited, I had trouble getting to sleep last night.
Plantation 26's squad leader seemed like a nice guy.
Is he the kind of guy you'd like to ride with?
Better him than the boys we're stuck with.
Don't you agree?
No. I don't really care.
Wow, what a wet blanket.
It gives you a real lift when the adults have high hopes for you, huh?
Yeah. It shows they really need us.
"Boys and girls! You are strong!
We believe that you will surely bring us victory!"
And I'll be the one who leads us to that victory!
You mean Hiro will.
Oh, yeah. You really shone in the previous battle.
But how are you feeling? All good?
Well, yeah. Everything's fine.
Awesome!
Looks like the "three times and you die" rumor was all nonsense, then.
That, or he's extremely compatible with her.
Thanks.
But we wouldn't have won without you guys.
I had a hard time keeping up with everything happening, but it all felt just right.
If I can keep riding, I hope you'll let me fight with you as part of the team.
Don't get cocky, man.
All you did was get through the one time.
Do you really have to be such a spoilsport?
Zorome...
Huh?
I'll do my best not to be a burden.
Let's keep fighting together.
O-Okay...
Jeez, fine. Keep it up, all right?
Big words, little man.
Oh, shut up! I just, uh...
You know, as the team's ace pilot, I'm trying to...
Okay, okay.
Breakfast time!
Breakfast, breakfast...
Hang on, Hiro.
Your collar was bent out of shape.
When will you learn to take better care of these things?
By the way, I was amazed you realized what I was going for in the last battle.
Well, I have known you forever.
I knew you'd work something out.
I'm glad you trust me so much.
I was going to yell at you if you'd messed up, though.
Wow, hardass.
Anyway, back then...
Morning, darling!
M-Morning.
This way.
Uh, wait...
You're a girl! Why're you coming to sit here?
And that's my seat...
Y-Yeah! Get back to your table!
Pipe down.
Take your seats already. It's time to pray.
But... my seat...
Want to sit over here, then?
Can I really?
May Papa never thirst.
May Papa's heart be filled with peace for eternity.
Let's eat.
Here, darling.
Say, "Ahh."
Like it?
Y-Yeah, it's good.
You can eat my share.
Lucky him. I wanna try something like that, too.
Why not ask your partner, then?
What? I'd rather ask a cute girl, like Kokoro.
We see, we do.
What's with you? So easily influenced.
One more time. Say, "Ahh."
Over here,
we have fixed times for waking up, bathing, and going to sleep. All of it.
Everything's laid out for us, even the clothes we wear and the food we eat.
This entire forest was built to fine-tune the parasites' numbers, apparently.
Is that why there's a ceiling, too?
Probably.
But even with the ceiling, it does rain here.
"Rain"?
Yeah. Water comes pouring down from the ceiling.
Wow, I wanna see that! Do it for me!
I can't. Papa and the others decide when it happens.
I wanna see it right now.
Do it.
But...
By the way, why'd you suddenly ask me to show you around?
Why? Because...
I'm going to live here, too.
Wh-What's a girl doing here?
Stay out of the boys' wing!
S-Sorry! We'll be right out!
Let's go, Zero Two!
The heck?
Look at them, holding hands and all.
Zero Two is going to remain here for a while.
Papa gave her permission.
Does that mean Hiro's an official parasite now?
That's still under consideration, but I'm assuming it'll happen.
Ichigo.
Make Zero Two feel at home.
What do you think?
About what?
How Hiro was acting today.
Well, it's been a long time since I saw him smile so much.
Yeah. But what if he was forcing himself to be all cheery?
Did he say that?
Nah. You know he wouldn't tell us straight up.
Look, you could talk to him—
Goro.
Worrying about Hiro is fine, but we've also got ourselves to worry about.
What's that supposed to mean?
The upcoming battle will be fiercer than any we've experienced.
You're my partner. If you're not focused, I can't do my best, either.
Why me, and not him?
What's the difference between Hiro and me?
Mitsuru?
What is it?
Oh, uh, I saw you walking in here.
Are you okay? You've been looking uncomfortable for a while.
I'm fine.
Is there anything I can do for you?
You never lean on others—
Are you pitying me?
I didn't mean to...
Leave me alone.
This room is yours to use.
I'd rather have been with my darling.
You're going to live here for a while, right?
Then you'll have to follow our rules.
Don't expect any special treatment.
Also, take care of Hiro.
I don't need you to tell me that.
My darling belongs to me.
Hiro doesn't belong to anyone.
You're pretty bossy, huh?
Thanks for the compliment.
Hey, Goro!
Your FRANXX all have unique designs.
What are you talking about?
We thought that was standard.
Of course not. Our FRANXX have similar bodies and equipment all around.
That makes it easier to fight as a team.
Huh...
I've been told you're a hastily-assembled test team.
Is this your first taste of kissing?
Yeah.
I see.
We are vastly more experienced.
If there's anything you don't understand, just ask.
Me!
Me, me, me! I've got a question!
Have any children from your squad become adults?
"Become adults"?
He probably doesn't know.
Oh, that's what you mean.
Not from our squad, no.
Really? Have you at least heard any rumors about it?
No, sorry.
What the heck?
You really care about that, huh, Zorome?
I'm not a simpleton like you, Futoshi!
How peculiar.
I mean, your nicknames.
Code 016 was the one who started coming up with them, I think?
You've heard of Hiro?
Yeah. He's famous among us children.
You guys are really unusual.
Your FRANXX designs are all over the place,
and you refer to each other by nicknames instead of codes.
What's the point of that?
H...
Hiro!
What is with these abnormal yellow blood cell counts?
I'm amazed he's even alive.
Yeah. It's a polar opposite reaction to the other parasites that rode with Zero Two.
It'd be dangerous to let him ride with her again when we don't know the cause.
But we need Strelizia in the upcoming battle.
The next time is the third.
Hey, Hiro!
What's wrong?
Nothing...
Nothing, my ass!
Are you hurt?
How long has that been there? Since you rode with Zero Two?
Tch...
Hey!
Don't pilot Strelizia again.
That's for me to decide.
You know the next time could kill you, don't you?!
Goro... I feel really alive right now.
I haven't felt this way in a long time.
I want to give it my all in the upcoming mission.
I don't want things to end in failure.
So...
You want me turn a blind eye?
Yeah.
Are you going to keep this from everyone?
Yeah.
Even Ichigo?
Yeah.
Look, you—
Sorry.
You... You're...
a complete and utter fool!
We detected klaxosaurs an hour ago, at a distance of approximately 3,000.
They number anywhere from 100 to 150.
O-One hundred and fifty?!
That number is expected to go even higher.
Their estimated time of arrival is around 33 hours from now.
No matter how we rush, we can't complete the kissing process before they get here.
So we're going to place a line of defense here, with Squad 26 at the vanguard.
Squad 13 will stand by in the rear as backup.
What? Backup?
This will be a chaotic dogfight.
Our squad can link up better if we go at it by ourselves.
Wha...
Did he just call us dead weight?
Defending the main pipe linking the two plantations together takes top priority.
So I decided to deploy a FRANXX that's capable of solo combat here.
Do we really have such a FRANXX?
Strelizia will be placed here.
Strelizia?
What are you...
Sorry we're late.
Code 002!
Did we receive Papa's permission?
Yes, we are a go.
Hiro will pilot Strelizia as Zero Two's partner.
This is the best course of action right now.
Got it.
Wait a second.
We can't fight alongside Strelizia.
The plan is final.
But...
That girl doesn't care about her allies!
We can't trust her to have our backs!
Code 002, you know what I mean.
What are you talking about?
The joint operation two years ago!
Your reckless fighting style got us isolated on the battlefield,
and I lost my partner!
Huh... Doesn't ring a bell.
Weaklings die. Big deal.
I'll keep Zero Two from going out of control.
I'm Strelizia's stamen.
What the hell, man? Treating us like dead weight...
It's the truth. We are a makeshift team.
But it still pisses you off, doesn't it?
I agree with them.
Strelizia shouldn't be part of the mission—
I've got this.
Let's show them what we're made of!
You guys don't want to take their insults lying down, right?
Y-Yeah...
He's right, Goro. Don't go all timid on us now.
What do you think, Ichigo?
We need Strelizia.
Where are they going?
I'm not going to say anything about your past with Squad 26.
But I want you to stay in line during the mission.
I'm the leader, and you will follow my orders.
Ordering me around again?
You really are bossy.
W-Wait!
I'm not done—
What?
Please don't push Hiro too hard.
Darling was the one who said he wanted to ride with me.
Yes, I know.
But try not to put a heavy burden on him, at least.
Do you want me to give him to you?
But you tried to ride with him already, and it didn't work.
Leave me out of this!
Then stay out of it.
Are you trying to suck Hiro dry?
My darling belongs to me.
He could die, you know!
Sure, he could. But that'd just mean he didn't amount to much.
You're heartless!
You really aren't human!
Human?
Human, huh?
Let me ask you something, then.
What is "human" to you people?
You'll catch a cold.
Thanks. I just went out to take care of something.
I know.
Did you see the whole thing?
Yeah.
I don't know what to do.
I'm supposed to be the leader, and he and I go way back,
but I couldn't help Hiro pilot.
I couldn't stop him.
But she's there for him now, and that's what Hiro wants.
But I... Something's wrong with me!
Ichigo?
I...
I hate this!
I can't stand it. My mind's a mess.
What's going on?
But... Hiro...
Ichi—
Hiro...
What is this feeling?
Everything smells nice after it rains, huh?
Make it rain again sometime.
Oh, right. You can't do it.
I can't say that for sure yet.
This is where we first met.
It's only because I met you that I stand here right now.
That I can pilot a FRANXX.
That's right. Your partner is me, and me alone.
You already know, don't you?
None of my partners could ever ride with me more than three times.
Yeah.
It hurts, right? The pain is unbearable, isn't it?
But it looks beautiful.
What'll it be? If you want off this ride, now's your chance.
I'll ride with you.
Even if these wings I reached out and grabbed are to snap one day,
I'll still take flight into the sky.
Because I feel that's why I'm here right now.
Episode 5
Your Thorn, My Badge