I've been chosen to represent all of us children.
My code is 016.
I'll continue to show my gratitude to Papa
Don't.
Don't give him that look of admiration.
and do my best so we can all work toward our goals.
He's a filthy traitor!
How unusual.
You never oversleep.
Did you have a nice dream? Your face is all red.
Well, we're going ahead.
Man, I'm starving!
If you place your hopes in anything, they will be betrayed.
Promises will go unfulfilled, and faith will be let down.
That's why I swore to myself that
I wouldn't expect anything from anyone anymore.
That way, I would never be hurt again.
We killed 25 in total today.
The enemies were all the same type of Conrad-class, just like on the other days.
Thanks for the report.
Due to your efforts, the S-Planning in this area is proceeding smoothly.
That said, you need to improve your kill count, codes 326 and 196.
Your Parasite Score is dropping, too.
I just wasn't feeling well today.
That isn't enough to explain this.
Anyway, keep it up and defend the work area from tomorrow onward, too.
That is all. You're dismissed.
Twenty-five... That takes their kill count in this area to over 90.
Yes.
Their kills over the past fortnight are 3.7 times greater than in their first.
It'd be unthinkable for any other team to achieve such rapid growth.
If their simultaneous puberty and competitive spirit,
the things you called "problems,"
are drawing out the full abilities of these children...
Impossible. That would be a total refutation of our prior methods.
But what if that's exactly what Dr. Franxx is after?
What are they even doing here?
Nana called it S-Planning or something.
Digging for something, maybe? That's an excavator, right?
It's probably nothing good.
I'm about to choke from the stench of klaxosaurs.
The fact that we're on this special mission proves that we've grown stronger.
It's all thanks to you. You always try so hard to help carry my burden.
O-Of course I do!
If anything happened to you, it'd be my responsibility!
Thank you, Futoshi.
Kokoro...
H-Hey, I'll keep working to be the best partner you could have...
So... could you promise to be my partner forever?!
Sure. I promise.
Really?
It's a promise, okay? I'll protect you always and forever!
Could you give it a rest? You're starting to gross me out.
Just cut the comms. I can feel my ears rotting off.
You overheard all that? That's dirty!
Seven enemies closing in from nine o'clock.
They're the same Conrad-class klaxosaurs.
Again? Do they have a nest nearby?
All units, prepare for combat!
What's wrong, Chlorophytum?
Hey, Mitsuru!
Mitsuru?!
The Child Fever...
It came sooner than expected.
It's a good thing the others could take out the enemy without Chlorophytum.
For now, I'll give him an antipyretic.
It's only a stopgap measure, but it should show an effect by tomorrow.
Code 326 has already had the procedure, huh?
He's always had a frail body.
But Mitsuru was the only one who received that injection and came back.
What are you talking about?
The Elixir Injection,
a highly concentrated drug that induces more yellow blood cell production.
It greatly increases one's parasite aptitude.
All that aside, has Mitsuru always been that way?
He didn't used to be.
He would always follow Hiro around.
No way! That's the biggest shocker I've heard in a while!
So how'd he end up butting heads with him all the time, then?
I have no idea, either.
But I think it started not long before he took the injection.
Come to think of it, Hiro changed a little back then, too.
The Elixir Injection has a survival rate of 15%, right?
I didn't know Mitsuru had taken such a risky injection.
I wanna be like you, Hiro.
I want to fight together with you in a FRANXX.
But they say I can't if I stay like this, because I'm too weak.
If I take that injection and come back alive,
will you pilot a FRANXX with me, Hiro?
Damn it!
Okay, you seem to be out of the woods for now.
Let me pilot a FRANXX.
It might be too early. Wait a bit—
Let me pilot.
This doesn't look good.
If this keeps up, he might become a pruning target.
"Partner shuffle"?
This isn't a order. It's simply an option available to you.
Take this chance to talk it out with your partners,
and if anyone wants to try the shuffle, ask.
We don't need this shuffle.
After all, I've already promised to protect you forever.
Right, Kokoro?
Yeah...
Is something bothering you, Zero Two?
Remember when I asked you to speak your mind with me
because I wanted to get to know you better?
Did you?
Yeah.
So if anything's weighing on your mind right now, tell me—
That's a pain, honestly.
We can understand each other just fine by piloting Strelizia.
Give it a rest already.
You know what caused this mess, don't you?
What are you trying to say?
Drop the act, would you?
Stop it.
It takes courage to face up to others and to yourself, huh?
Seriously, what's your point?
You want to be acknowledged, but not by Papa or the adults—
Shut up! I told you to drop it!
That suits you much better than acting all cool and aloof.
But I'm not like you.
So, is there anyone who wants to try riding with a different partner?
Let me try a pistil-to-pistil connection, please.
Pistil-to-pistil? But...
I want to try it out as a backup plan for emergencies when we've lost a stamen.
Would you help me, Ichigo?
What? Me?
Please.
Sure, I guess.
Very well. Let's try it.
Anyone else?
Let me try riding with Mitsuru.
What? But Kokoro...
Y-You promised...
I'm sorry, Futoshi.
160 seconds have passed since connection commencement.
Both units show no change in numbers.
How's it look, Ichigo?
No good. I don't feel a thing.
Delphinium's numbers remain unchanged.
Timing out.
Genista's score has crossed the minimum required.
It remains in the lower range, but it is stable.
I suppose that'll do for now.
I knew it wouldn't work without a boy.
I was serious, you know.
Laugh at me if you must.
Why? Did I do something wrong?
I tried my hardest for Kokoro's sake!
Maybe that got on her nerves. Also, lose some weight.
But I wonder what Kokoro was thinking.
She's really nice, so she must've felt she had to do something for Mitsuru.
Especially since he's so miserable.
I'm clearly the most miserable one here!
Calm down, Futoshi!
Wait! Do you think I'm pathetic?
H-Hey, Futoshi...
What does it matter who our partners are?
Like you'd have any idea how I feel!
This is a pain.
Mitsuru, try to understand how Futoshi feels.
What gives you the right to say that?
Whenever I think about Kokoro,
I feel this tightness in my chest.
But now that tightness hurts...
What is this?
I hear you.
Look, flowers. Don't they smell nice?
What are you playing at?
Mitsuru...
Why do you think humans stopped having children?
Probably because we don't need to anymore.
Really? Wasn't having a baby the most natural thing in the past?
You shouldn't waste time thinking about unnecessary things.
One look at the adults makes it clear.
We don't need others to live.
Why did you volunteer to be my partner?
Futoshi hates me now, and it's a massive pain.
Was it out of pity?
No! No, it's not like that.
Look, you should really—
We've detected what appears to be a Gutenberg-class klaxosaur to the SSW.
It's approaching us at 80 kilometers per hour.
Set up a defensive line 500 meters from the S-Planning and neutralize the target.
Genista and Chlorophytum will act as rear support.
Hold it, Mitsuru!
Promise me that you'll protect Kokoro, no matter what!
Promise?
Don't be ridiculous.
Look, you...
Wait, Futoshi. I'll be fine.
Be careful out there, Kokoro.
What's done is done. I'll do my best together with Ikuno.
Yeah.
So you... do your be—
That thing is huge!
Finally, one worth fighting!
Hold it!
No good. Its core is too deep inside.
Sounds fun!
Wait, Zero Two!
You okay?
Mind your own business!
That girl...
Where did these come from?
It's a collective mass of the Conrad-class klaxosaurs we've been fighting.
Even when attacked, they recombine and close the opening.
You damn monster!
Don't stop me, darling!
Don't rush it! Calm down!
What do we do, Ichigo? We'll never get anywhere like this.
We need to shoot at it, Ichigo.
Genista could separate it with close-range fire.
Nice idea! That'll expose the core!
Go ahead and fire a round into it!
But that plan's too risky for Genista right now.
All our lives are at risk.
We're a team, aren't we?
Fine. But don't get reckless.
Roger.
Oh, no! Some got past!
Let's go.
Yeah.
Ikuno, you're too tense. Loosen up a little.
No need to rush, Mitsuru.
I know!
You okay?
Thank you, Hiro.
Hang in there, Mitsuru.
Why are you always so...
Mitsuru?
Kokoro!
Genista's positive pulse is dropping below minimum.
Run!
Are you okay?
Th-Thank you, Ikuno, Futoshi!
Change of plans! Miku and I will stop this thing!
Chlorophytum, take care of Genista!
I'll protect Kokoro, no matter what!
Let's start over, Mitsuru.
Forget it.
If you place your hopes in me, you'll only be let down in the end.
I'm just incompetent.
You're wrong!
You're not incompetent.
What are you doing, Genista? Recommence connecting!
Do you realize the situ—
Genista has entered radio silence.
What are they thinking?
Mitsuru, you can rely on others more, you know.
I'll believe in you,
so you believe in me, too.
Are you kidding me?
...will you pilot a FRANXX with me, Hiro?
Yeah, I promise!
Hiro, I gave it my all.
I'm stronger now.
I can fight with you.
I kept my end of our promise.
With you...
Hiro, I...
Promise? What promise, again?
Believing in someone will only get you betrayed!
I was a fool for expecting anything from him!
Why?
Why make that promise if you were going to forget about it?
You were deeply hurt, huh?
So deeply that one normally wouldn't be able to recover.
But, you know,
I've betrayed and hurt someone, too.
I've even broken a promise.
I'm not the nice, gentle girl that you all think I am.
So if someone were to betray me,
I don't think I'd have any right to complain or blame them for it.
So I should forgive him, too?
That's for you to decide.
What I'm trying to say is,
these things happen with us.
We're not perfect like the adults.
But still, I want to have relationships with people.
I want to laugh and cry together with others.
Hurry up, Mitsuru!
I believe in you, Mitsuru.
What are you...
Genista's negative pulse ratio is rising rapidly.
At this rate, it will transition to stampede mode.
Stop it! It's too dangerous for you kids!
Don't, Kokoro!
Kokoro!
Stop, Kokoro!
Mitsuru?
You do the craziest things sometimes, huh?
But...
How can you trust someone else so much?
Doesn't it scare you?
You're unbelievable.
Sorry we're late, everyone!
Kokoro!
That Mitsuru... All right!
Go!
Now!
Hey, Mitsuru!
That was so dangerous! Why?
Futoshi...
Why'd you make Kokoro do that?!
Mitsuru!
Why didn't you dodge it?
Do you realize how unreasonable you're being?
Aren't you a man?
Hurting a girl is the worst thing a man can do!
If you make Kokoro cry, I'll make you pay, okay?!
I promise.
I promise to protect Kokoro from now on.
Happy now?
Mitsuru...
I loved... I loved Kokoro!
Don't worry. We'll always be together...
Until the day we die.
"These things happen with us," she said,
and she was probably right.
I don't know if I'll ever be able to forgive Hiro,
but I do know that these things will surely keep happening between us all.
When I woke up the next morning, my temperature was back to normal.
Episode 11
Partner Shuffle