Darling in the Franx: Alternate Core

Chapter 18: Partner Shuffle; trials of Alstroemeria, Genista, and Chlorophytum.

Chapter 18, the one with heartbreaks and broken promises... in the original of course. In here, thanks to character development, it will be toned down a little on that part, however, that doesn't mean it won't be as exciting as in canon. What will happen in this occasion now? And will our remaining trio of shuffling couples have the skills and trust to overcome the next trial? Read and find out!

Into the show!

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Dreamland...

He saw a child version of Mitsuru go through the elixir injection process alongside the many pains it brought and was glad to see that he survived... then he saw his grief as he interacted with Hiro after he had been wiped alongside the consequences it brought and how that caused his unnecessary grudge...

He then saw Pari's past through his mind, his emotions being filled with anger and worry as she was being bullied because of her skin color and this caused her to enter a serious depression... and then he was glad as he soon saw her guiding light through it...

He then saw through Titus' mind this time, his life in isolation as he was pushed away by everyone else because of his 'eccentricities' until he met him, then it fast-forwarded to the point where he and Pari officially became partners and had a decent but lame career on their previous Plantation before cutting off as they sortied into Wolfblade's den...

Then he dived into Zero Two's memories... he did his best to stay strong as he saw everything she suffered and endured all while holding on into the hope that she would reunite again with Hiro... anger and resolve going through him as he then saw how years went by and all her efforts had been fruitless until the day she visited the 'Cerasus'... "And thanks to me, she was rewarded..."

He then looked through the memories of everyone else from Squad 13, surprise and worry filling him as he looked at them against his will...

"What's going on? Am I dreaming? But they feel so realistic... wait, they aren't dreams! They are memories! Why am I looking at everyone's memories without their consent!? How is this even possible?!"

Before his mind went into a panic, he heard a squawk and looked to see a spectral raven looking at him... it then flew away as it went through a cloud of memories that Raven didn't recognize... but for some reason, he felt familiar with the owner...

"They feel... familiar... like I know the owner of them... but why...? Huh..."

He was feeling exhausted and knew that he would soon wake up...

"But... now I have questions... that need answers..."

He unconsciously went through the corridor of the unknown memories, his senses vanishing every step, until he reached the end where the raven was perched over the picture of a familiar mecha...

"White Glint? Wait... that version is from..."

The raven then spoke as he fell unconscious: - Pray for answer to fly, Raven. –

The 'Cerasus', 7:00 am...

Raven woke up startled, that dream was a weird one...

Raven: "But was it really a dream... or a vision? Could it be that it is the LYNX Syndrome?"

LYNX Syndrome was something that happened to the pilots that either couldn't qualify during the tests or had been on the job for quite some time and their body was reaching its limit. It would usually start with hallucinations and lucid dreams before progressing towards dementia and, on some occasions, cause 'vegetative state' on the affected. Fortunately, it is easy to cure, but for many veteran pilots, this usually meant one thing: the start of the end of their careers as LYNX.