A/N: This story features OCs and original elements as well as the GER story, may not quote the game word-for-word, and certain events may be embellished or slightly changed. It's more a novelization, less a script after all. There may be deaths, violence, swearing, gore, crime, and emotionally traumatic scenes ahead, so don't get triggered! That said, this is my first attempt at a God Eater story. Read up and enjoy~! P.S. Updates may be unpredictable, but I'll try to get one in at least monthly. I'm also a bit OCD about grammar and spelling, so minor updates will be frequent.

Prologue 1: Fenrir's "Chosen"

The Outer Ghetto was a place that thrived in spite of strife. This settlement of the Far East branch of Fenrir was a place often ignored, and for good reason. To an outsider, it was a place plagued with danger and filth as people struggled to survive. To its inhabitants, it was a sanctuary, far better off than those forced to scavenge like rats. Sure, sometimes Fenrir was slow with supplies, sometimes the Outer Wall would be breached by Aragami, and sometimes thieves or scavengers would raid them. To one girl in particular this dirty, wonderful, rugged, tough warren was home, and she wouldn't have it any other way.

Everything eighteen year-old Amy Hidaka knew and treasured was here. The violet-haired, dark-eyed, tan-skinned girl was quite striking, but only an idiot could call her vapid or thick. Growing up here, especially as a girl, ingrained an instinctive, well-honed sense of street smarts. One had to be wise and clever to survive here, and Amy knew it better than most. She had to be smarter than the others to avoid getting tricked or robbed, and Amy was quietly proud of her savvy. She worked a shop with her mother, Chidori, selling scraps brought in by the scavengers. Amy was no delicate flower; this rose had thorns.

Then there was Chidori Hidaka. Mother and daughter resembled one another both in appearance and demeanor. Most of the differences where physical: Chidori had sharp, emerald eyes and a lithe, almost cat-like build in contrast to Amy's smaller stature. A former scavenger herself, Chidori was just as clever as any Outer Ghetto resident, and had an equally well-honed sense of the streets. To top it off, Chidori was good at self-defense. Very good. She'd even killed a man or two, or so the rumors said. Amy didn't think it was a valid rumor, but at the same time wouldn't be surprised if it were true. If Amy was a rose with thorns, Chidori was a tiger with teeth; noble but dangerous.

This was Amy's life until one day.

That day was not unlike so many others before; another day of sorting and selling refuse. In the stall where she always worked, Amy was in an argument with a scavenger. He was starting to get really agitated and Amy's danger-sense pricked up.

"You cheating little witch!" The short, barrel-like man roared, "Do you have any fucking idea how rare a working generator engine is!? I demand another seven-thousand fc! In fact," he reached for the generator that he'd slammed onto the table earlier with a vile smirk, "make it ten."

Amy folded her arms, "You know the offer. We pay one hundred fc per pound for steel. That adds up to ten-thousand, five-hundred, and not a credit more! Besides, you haven't even proved that 'generator' works. It looks pretty rusty to me..."

The man's grin turned predatory. "Fine. Thirteen-thousand tops... and a date. Then we'll call it fair, princess."

Amy balked, shooting her most dangerous glare at him. "You think I'm worth only two-thousand five-hundred fc?!" she said with her most sarcastic tone, "I demand at least five for a dirty dog like you."

"Hehe, sold. That's five and a half thousand fc, and a date." The man's lewd grin widened as he produced a transaction card. "The boys won't believe what I've bought today!"

Amy took the card, flashed a sultry grin, then threw it in Barrel Man's face with a sudden scowl. "That was sarcasm, you idiot. Ten-thousand, five-hundred. Final offer." She smirked flippantly, "Unless you'd rather we pay five?"

Barrel Man's face dropped into a stupefied stare. Then, it darkened into a nasty glare. "You really don't get it do you, princess? That's not the way this works, see?" Amy noticed then that two of Barrel Man's men were stalking forward. They were both armed with machetes and wore raptorial grins as they chuckled to each other. Barrel Man smirked, "Eighteen, and my boys don't wear your pretty little head for a trophy."

Amy swallowed hard, but kept her composure. Seeing three armed men try to intimidate her wasn't out of the ordinary here. In fact, just today she had to turn a man away who wouldn't stop staring at her chest. Actually, it was less "turn away" and more like "kick his drunk ass out the door." Literally. But that was just one old street-rat. This was a group of hardened scavengers, not a dirty old man.

Amy took a deep breath to steady her nerves. "You can't threaten me. Don't forget, you're the ones trying to make a decent credit, am I right? Kill me, and you'll be hunted like the dogs you are. If you value what little reputation you have, you'll rethink your threat!" Her words were calm, but her tone was dangerous and edged with a dark hint of intent. Subtle, but serious: that was her way of dealing with men like Barrel Man.

Barrel Man wasn't buying the intimidation for one second. He lunged over the counter, grabbing Amy by her shirt. Caught off guard, she could only yelp in surprise as she was dragged over the counter and pinned. Barrel Man grinned a nasty smile, "Check her out, boys! She's got a mouth on her, this one!"

One of the men with a face that reminded Amy of a rat grinned. "Oy, nice find, Boss. Dis's nice like. Been a loooong time since I'd had any... entertainment!"

"Paws off!" Barrel Man barked at Rat Man, "I get first dibs! Finders keepers, yeah?"

Rat Man's face fell. "Daw, fine den. S'long's I gets a turn at 'er, yeah!"

The third man, a one-eyed man with an eye-patch growled, "Oy, ain't we's be getting out now, boss? Yeh know dis's da Hidaka place, yeah? Dun wanna find out if'n dat Chidori chick is fer real, no."

Barrel Man turned over a shoulder to say something to One-Eye. Amy took the chance to knee Barrel Man between the legs. As he let out an "Oof!" of pain, she punched him in the gut with a sudden right hook. Wheezing, Barrel Man bent over as Amy drew out her knife. It was only half as long as the machetes, but Amy was good at scaring idiots like Barrel Man with it. She just hoped she wouldn't have to get more serious. She hated having to resort to violence, but violence was the language these brutes spoke best...

Rat Man lunged for Amy, but she ducked at the last moment. This left her unable to counter a grab from One-Eye. He pinned her shoulders against his body, lifting her up slightly. Amy heard the zing of a knife being drawn behind her and acted on instinct. Amy shrieked and lashed out with her knife, slashing One-Eye in the stomach. A scream from One-Eye told her that she'd hit home. Holding her stance low, Amy tried to back away towards the counter. Now that she was facing the men again, she could see One-Eye reeling and falling to his knees as he clutched a gash to his stomach. Rat Man and Barrel Man were livid. She could see that the zing she heard was Barrel Man, drawing a machete of his own.

"Shit!" Barrel Man blared, shaking a fist, "You little bitch! I was going to have some fun then let ya go, but now you've pissed me off! I'll kill ya for this!" Barrel Man pointed to Amy, turning over a shoulder to bark an order at his one standing henchman.

Amy took the small opportunity to attempt to vault back over the counter. Rat Man grabbed her by the leg and yanked her to the ground. Amy hit her head on the floor and cried out in surprise. Rat Man dropped his machete, instead opting to slam Amy repeatedly into the floor. Every blow made Amy's vision swim with stars and caused her to scream in pain.

Rat Man seemed to be enjoying the torment, sneering at her. "You like it, yeah?! Dis's fer mah pal, bitch!"

Rat Man grabbed her by the arms and slammed Amy brutally into the counter, making her vision waver and driving the breath from her lungs. Weak and shaky, Amy could only feebly try to roll off the counter and stand. Rat Man punched her again as she stumbled to her feet, this time catching her across the left cheek and spinning her around. She slumped to the ground, unable to defend herself from another sucker-punch, which luckily for her went wild as she fell.

Breathing hard, Amy glared up at her assailants, holding her knife in front of her and baring her teeth like a wild animal. Even in her weak and dizzy state, knowing she was not likely to survive, Amy was determined to defy them to the end. She knew she couldn't allow these men to see her mounting fear. Glaring with feral hate, she spat at Rat Man's face. He clearly wasn't expecting the vulgar counter, and flinched. She saw Barrel Man charge her, blade bared for a stab. Amy only barely managed to roll aside as the man's weapon bit into the cinder-block of the counter.

Rat Man meanwhile, had recovered and was charging in a fury, waving his sword wildly. Barrel Man's own weapon was chipped badly by his frenzied miss. Seeing her one chance, Amy kicked Rat Man in the stomach, then parried Barrel Man's machete with her knife. The larger weapon would've easily overpowered her knife, but the knife caught on the blade's chipped edge and gave her a brief advantage as Barrel Man tried to pull away. Throwing her weight into her strike, she succeeded in making Barrel Man stumble. Instinct took over again, and she drove her knife into Barrel Man's throat. The ringleader's eyes widened as blood sprayed wildly from the wound. With one last glare, she wrenched her knife across his throat, nearly decapitating the murderer. Rat Man rushed over to Barrel Man, shouting "Boss!?" as Amy fell back. Taking advantage of Rat Man's distraction, she sheathed her knife and grabbed the dead One-Eye's machete instead.

"Get out, maggot," she growled, "or I'll carve my name into your corpse!"

Rat Man looked a lot like his namesake upon spotting a cat. Amy just smirked darkly. "I said get out! Or are you frozen there?!"

"You're going nowhere." Amy turned over her shoulder to see Chidori just behind her. She was holding a jack-knife by its point, its aim directed at Rat Man's heart. "You tried to kill my daughter. Now you die instead!"

Rat Man actually squeaked in horror as Chidori flung the knife at him, simultaneously drawing her machete with her free hand. Rat Man spun to flee, but the blade hit him in the back solidly. Rat Man collapsed mid-step and rolled from his own momentum. He tried to scuttle out of the door, but Chidori was upon him like an animal. She drove her sword into the retreating crook's back, earning a roar of agony from the would-be murderer. He slumped to the ground, turning his head to her as he spat up blood.

"S... spare me!" he croaked weakly, "I don't... want to die...!"

"M-mother?!" Amy called, ignoring the man's cry.

Chidori raised a hand, curling it into a fist in a silencing gesture. She strode over to the dying Rat Man and cut his throat with one slash of her machete. Blood gushed from the wound in a spray as he howled one last time in pain. His scream petered out into a gurgle as the woman stood above him.

"No quarter for you. Learn the law of the Ghetto, you cockroach." Chidori said coldly as she turned back to her daughter. The last of Rat Man's life ebbed away as Chidori gave Amy an appraising look. Amy gasped upon seeing her mother covered in blood. The three ruined bodies in the doorway only amplified her fear. She opened her mouth to speak, but all Amy could manage was a rather pitiful squeak of shock.

It was over. The fight had ended, and Amy sighed wearily. All the wild emotions she'd been secreting away during the fight came out at once. Tears started to flow from her face as she stared in stupefied shock. Amy could only stare at the scene before her, shaking uncontrollably. She'd just killed two men, and watched her mother cut down another with absolutely no mercy. Amy knew it was her or them, but was still horrified at her own actions.

"M-m-m-mother... I-I-I'm... s-s-sorry!" Amy sputtered as she tore her eyes away from the horrible scene before her.

Chidori shook her head. "Sorry for living? Don't be. We do as we must..."

"I... we're killers... just like them." Amy sunk to the floor, hugging her knees and cursing herself for breaking down.

Chidori squatted down and gently hugged her daughter close. "That's true, but we killed to protect ourselves. They were going to kill for money and pleasure. Tell me, who's in the right?"

Amy looked up at her mother, hiccuping through a sob. "We are, but-"

"But nothing." Chidori extended a hand to Amy. "Come on. I'll get you to the medic. I have a report to make to the guard corps..."

Amy nodded once quietly, numbly allowing Chidori to pull her to her feet. Still reeling from the assault and her own swirling emotions, she could only follow her mother like a lost puppy. Amy couldn't care less about the fate of the three scavengers, but the fact that it was she who killed two men just now... that was almost more than she could bear.

She was so flustered that she failed to notice a man standing nearby with a clipboard, watching her intently. The raven-haired man pulled his trench coat closer about his shoulders and reexamined his notes again. Sighing to nobody in particular, the man adjusted his sleeve around the implant in his right arm and followed at a distance.

"She's not even a God Eater yet and she's already literally busting heads. I hope Shicksal knows what he's doing, recruiting such dangerous people..."

o-o-o-o-o

The medic started typing away furiously on his tablet, glancing over to Amy periodically. Amy herself sat on a cot in the medical tent, awaiting whatever the doctor was going to say. She didn't particularly care what at the moment. She was still numb from everything earlier.

"She's definitely showing signs of mental shock," the doctor said as he continued to type away, "She also has some injuries to her head: multiple contusions, possible concussion... she'll need to stay here at least for the night."

Chidori drew in a sharp breath. "Is it serious?"

"We don't know yet if-" The doctor was still typing away when he suddenly stopped mid-stroke. He stared at his tablet, then glanced to Amy, then back to his tablet. "Huh... there's a note in her file. It says Fenrir has found her genetic profile to be a match for the God Eater program. She is to be issued a full medical assessment in twenty-four hours." The doctor looked up from his tablet, looking between Amy and Chidori. "I don't know what to say. On one hand, this is fantastic news. Fenrir will happily foot the medical bill, so that's good. On the other hand... she's going to be a God Eater!"

Amy shook her head, snapping out of her stupor suddenly as her eyes widened. She couldn't have heard that right. "What!" she blurted, "Me a God Eater? Are you serious?!"

The medic held out his tablet to Amy. "See for yourself. Its right there: your medical testing showed high compatibility with the P53 Bias Factor." The medic put a comforting hand on Amy's shoulder, "I'm sorry, young Ms. Hidaka. The testing is compulsory for all Fenrir citizens as you know... I had no choice."

Amy was thunderstruck. She kept reading the note over and over, wondering if maybe she'd made some kind of mistake. Her, a God Eater? Was this a cruel joke?! On one hand, this could be the break she had been hoping for. As a God Eater, she'd be able to provide a steady source of income for her mother. She wouldn't have to deal with that risky scrap business ever again.

But thinking of risks, God Eaters were soldiers against the Aragami. Aragami! Those god-like beasts who consumed all and feared nothing but each other... the thought of even seeing one made her break out into a cold sweat. But fighting these creatures, now that worried her to no end!

Chidori was not half so composed. She shot to her feet, grabbing the medic by the collar. "What the hell do you mean by 'God Eater'! Was she chosen?!"

"Ms. Hidaka," the medic croaked, "it's not my choice! I'm sorry!"

Chidori snatched the tablet, dropping the medic, who let out an "Oof!" of pain at the roughness. "This has to be some kind of fuck-up. My daughter cannot be a God Eater! She just can't!"

"Did I come at a bad time, perhaps? I can leave and return in a few hours..."

The voice from behind her made Amy turn, flinching when she moved her head too fast. A man not much older than herself was standing in the entryway of the tent. He was a dark-haired, blue-eyed man wearing his shoulder-length hair in a loose ponytail. He was wearing a brown trench coat and black, simply made leather boots. To Amy, he looked out of place, like he didn't quite belong here. That was when she saw the implant on his right wrist.

Now she knew why he seemed so odd: this was a God Eater, here in the flesh! He seemed so human though... To hear it from others, they were supposed to be half-man, half-Aragami people who literally eat other Aragami! Rumors proved to be far more colorful than the truth, she realized. This man looked human enough, and she was relieved to see it first-hand. At least she'd still be human, and that reassurance took the edge off of her anxiety.

Only a little.

Chidori shot her gaze to the newcomer. "You..." That one word carried more menace than anything else she'd said until now.

If the man was intimidated by Chidori, he didn't show it for a second. Instead, he calmly walked over to where Amy sat, still stunned. He glanced down at his clipboard, then looked between the two women. "Which of you is Ms. Amy Hidaka?" He asked simply.

"Who's asking?" Chidori almost growled.

"Of course, my apologies." The man cleared his throat, casting his gaze between the two women again. "I am officer Ryo Hayashi of the Third Unit. I've come to escort Ms. Hidaka to the Far East Branch ASAP."