Code 000: The FranXX of Black and White

August 25th Part Three

(Other half of updated chapter :D)

In the dining hall, most of the stamen and pistils had finished their meals with roughly half an hour left for the night. To their surprise, instead of caretakers or any adults changing the dishes, the bottom of the buffet table elevated itself to reveal a wheel-based mechanism that automatically moved the entire table out a sliding door. Soon the table returned with its contents swapped out for refreshing fruits and desserts. 

Kirito was both intrigued and disappointed at the robotic feat, expecting he would finally be able to know more about the caretakers. He redirected his attention to Code 090 who had just departed from the stamen table, moving with his chair as he approached Asuna who had Ichigo and Miku sitting beside her. His action gained a couple of confused stares, especially from the black swordsman who continued eyeing him with suspicion. Asuna heard his chair being set down behind her, making her turn her seat around to face him. Soon Miku turned her head to finally realize Code 090's arrival, jolting slightly before quickly rotating her chair similar to Asuna's. The other girls of Squad 13 except Ikuno, who happily resumed her chat with the girls of 26, paused to observe their encounter.

"Hello there Code 046." smiled Code 090.

"Hi Code 090." said Asuna, thinking how his sudden appearance presented her with the opportunity to ask more about her 'previous life'.

"I wanted to-"

"Sorry Code 090, but can I ask you something?" He paused and gave her a curt nod, allowing her to continue, "Have we met before?"

His smile disappeared as he sighed, "Well it's quite a while so I wasn't sure if you would have remembered me." He clears his throat before resuming, "We met in the Garden a couple of years ago with a group of other children our age. After talking with your partners, I remembered you used to have lighter brown hair before too,"

Ichigo's eyebrows furrow in confusion, "Wait I thought you said you and Kirito were separated in your own private room."

"Is that so?" murmured Code 090.

"I-Um..." stuttered Asuna, frantically trying to think of something to say.

Aware of her struggles to understand his story, Code 090 resumed, "How about this? At the time, we recently heard about this child 2 years our junior, Code 016."

Kokoro mused, "Hiro was known outside our age group?"

"Yeah," nodded Code 090, "Originally, I was one of many who also wanted a name, but couldn't since he stopped." He turned to face the orange-haired pistil, "Yet you tried starting the name train again, at least within our section. You used to go by the name Shiro. Remember that?"

The more Asuna heard about her supposed younger self, her head began to ache as she tried to imagine these scenarios. Kokoro, Miku, and Ichigo listened intently with slight confusion since some parts of his story somewhat contradicted the memories Asuna had shared before.

Shortly, only one name popped into her mind "Mako," Asuna mumbled that name without realizing it, making Code 090's eyes widen.

"Haven't heard that name in a while." He smiles at her, "So you do remember. What happened to you since then?"

'Then?' thought Asuna. She had no recollection of that name and these memories yet she still feels like she has met him before. She shook her head, "I'm sorry but if I did know you, I don't remember anything." Her response made Code 090's smile fade away. Noting, Asuna asked, "What happened the last time you, uh, saw me?"

Code 090 leaned back into his chair as the memories easily flooded back to his mind, "You were separated from our section. The adults came and took you away for some reason. I don't know what happened beyond that so I thought you were just being transferred all this time."