A New Generation: A ZoroMiku Story

Prologue

Miku

Miku knew they weren't going to come back. She knew it almost as soon as they left Hiro and Zero Two to return to earth. She didn't want to believe it but deep within herself she just knew they wouldn't return. It hurt her. She knew her teammates also knew this too.

Now, as Miku stood with the others and watched Zero Two's hardened body turn into ash, only to be replaced by a blossoming plant, her thoughts had been proven to be true. Zero Two and Hiro would never return. They were gone, lost to their former friends and squad members for the rest of their lives. But they had died with purpose, saving all the remaining humans from destruction, and Miku was forever grateful to them for that. She glanced over at Zorome, who was gazing down at the spot where Zero Two's petrified body had been standing for some time.

The friends had been grieving for their lost comrades for several minutes now, though they were certain that the war against VIRM had been won. Pinpricks of tears began to gather in Miku's eyes and she pressed her hand against her chest.

Ichigo, who had been sobbing for some time now, was crouched by the plant that had grown from Zero Two's ashes. She wiped tears from her eyes with her sleeve. "I'll miss them...so much. I have ever since they've been gone." Her voice was barely more than a whisper and had a mixture of joy and sorrow in it. "They sacrificed so much for us."

"I'll miss them too," Ikuno responded from where she was standing near Ichigo with Naomi at her side. They were huddled close together, tears shimmering in their eyes unshed. "But at least we know the war with VIRM is over. We're safe now."

"Hiro...I never got the chance to tell him he was selfless," Goro murmured. "I wish I could've had that chance." He moved closer to Ichigo, resting his hand on her shoulder.

"He heard us calling out to him," Kokoro said softly from where she was standing with Mitsuru and Ai. "He knows that we care about him and think he's selfless."

Zorome

As his friends departed and went back to what they were doing, Zorome noticed that Miku was hovering a bit behind the others, her eyes trained on the plant that was growing from where Zero Two had been standing for such a long time.

"You okay?" He asked as he approached his former partner.

"Yes," Miku wiped tears from her eyes as she turned to face Zorome. "I...I think I am. I believe their spirits might be in this tree. Sorry if that sounds crazy." She sniffled.

Zorome chuckled. "It does sound like something only a nutjob would come up with, but I think it could be true. Who knows? C'mon, wanna eat with me?"

Miku nodded and the two of them headed back to the Bird Nest together, trailing behind their friends. In the two years since Hiro and Zero Two had left to fight VIRM, Zorome and Miku had gotten to spend a lot of time together and Zorome began to realize how much he wanted her in his life forever. He planned on leaving the Bird Nest soon and wanted to ask her to go with him. He was planning out an idea of how he'd ask.