A/N: This story is a two-part collaboration with Sprogster85. It will be a story focusing on two God Eaters: Robin, and Jackal. At times the stories will converge and diverge, but they are related. See Sprogster85's profile for Jackal's side of this story. It takes place after the events of God Eater Resurrection, and is an unrelated stand-alone from my other story. Read and enjoy!

O-O-O-O-O

The Valley

Forests were a rarity in this world. Those few forests that hadn't been stripped bare by fighting, wildfire, or Aragami were occupied by the Aragami, making them a terrible place to relax. Few would venture into such a place willingly, but for me, this was my favorite place. This place was a rare gem in that the Aragami tended to avoid us here. I stared up into the crown of a particularly large cherry tree, letting the sakura petals fall on my face as I gazed up at the afternoon sky. I love this place. It's one of the few places where I can forget for a moment what I am: a God Eater. I knew the serenity wouldn't last long, but I chose to indulge anyway. Besides, I still had my spear leaning up against the tree, right by my side just in case. Only a fool would take peace for granted around here. I leaned back against the tree trunk and balanced my sketchbook on my knees. I was hoping to see something interesting to draw, preferably a bird. Birds are rare though, even here. I can hear them chirping around me, so I know they're nearby. I just can't see them.

"Hey, Robin! Commander Viper is looking for you! You don't want to get yelled at again, do you?"

I recognize the voice calling my name. Well, Robin is not my "name", per se. It's my codename. My real name is Reiko, Reiko Kimura. I used to go by Rei before I adopted my codename. Some people still call me that. I think I'm pretty easy on the eyes; blue-eyed, green-haired with a ponytail that hangs to my waist. I got told that I remind people of a cat for some reason (and I'm not sure why). I'd rather resemble a bird. Not that I mind getting compared to a cat, but birds are my favorite animals.

The boy who called me came my way and gave me a look. "C'mon, Robin. Don't ignore me. If I don't bring you back, Commander Viper will tan my hide again. Now get up and come back with me already."

The boy was about the same age as I am, and I was eighteen. He was a decent-looking guy, brown eyes, dark, messy hair. I think he was American, but I wasn't sure. He went by Jackal, but nobody knew his name. The thing was, he didn't know his name either. Two months ago he showed up here, completely out of the blue. Nobody told us where he'd come from, his background, nothing. He was an alright person, competitive, but a good guy. The strange thing was, he had no memories of anything whatsoever. Nothing, not his family, not his birthplace, not even his name. The only thing he could remember was the word "jackal", which he eventually took on as his name. I assumed he had training as a God Eater somewhere else, as he had a red armlet on his arm instead of the blue ones we have at The Valley.

Oh, The Valley is what we call this facility. I was told it's located somewhere near Mt. Fuji, but I don't really know exactly where. We weren't allowed to leave the forest surrounding the facility. I've lived here for the past three months. There's me, Jackal, about twenty other God Eaters, a handful of staff, and Commander Viper living here. I was told that the Valley was a special facility, built to train elite troops to fight Aragami. Only a few God Eaters are here at any given time though. I'm not really sure why.

"Robin!"

I jumped a little at Jackal shouting my name again. "S-sorry Jackal! I was kinda lost in thought..."

"I know what'll get you moving." Jackal grinned in a way I recognized all too well. He only smirks like that when he's about to invent a competition. "Let's have a race! First one back to the Valley buys the other a mochi ice cream!"

Oh, he knows me too well! Mochi is my second favorite treat and my first favorite is ice cream. He had me hooked at mochi ice cream, and his satisfied nod indicates he saw my reaction. I don't usually indulge in his challenges, but I can't help myself if mochi ice cream is involved!

I hopped to my feet and put my sketchbook away. "Mochi!? I have to race you now! You better be ready to treat me when I kick your butt!"

He grinned and laughed, "Ha, I knew that'd get your attention, but don't get so excited you forget your Arc."

Crap! I was so wound up that I nearly made a very stupid mistake... I scooped up my God Arc from where I'd set it down. I heard him chuckle at me a little as I strapped my God Arc to my back.

Jackal just gave me a playful look and bent over his knees. "Ready? On the count of three..." I nodded in reply and crouched to a ready position. "One..." I squared up my stance, ready to go.

"Two..." I leaned forward, not willing to lose to Jackal.

"Pineapple!" I made a false start and tried to stop. Instead, I tripped and fell over, sending a puff of cherry petals flying as I landed facefirst in the grass. He burst out laughing again and started slapping a leg as I glared from the ground.

"Ow! It's not funny," I protested as I rolled to my feet, "You bully."

"Sorry," his words said one thing, but the impish grin on his face said another, "I didn't mean to."

As I shot Jackal another stare, I noticed some movement in the distance. I looked past Jackal, approaching a few steps to get a better look. I soon saw that it was Commander Viper. He was walking my way with a stern look on his face. Viper could be a scary-looking guy; he always had this look like he was angry, which sometimes made it hard to tell if he actually was mad. If he locked those green eyes on you, he'd give you the same glare whether he was praising you or scolding you. Unnerving. He had short, wild red hair and a beard that trailed down to his chest; he was a very distinct man. To top it off, he was easily six-foot eight inches. To me, he looked like a grumpy giant. Then again, I'm only four-foot eight. Most men (and most everyone for that matter) look huge to me...

Viper stared down his nose at us, settling on Jackal first, "I thought I ordered you to bring Robin back, Jackal, and I told you to make it fast. Did I not speak English?"

"Sorry..." Jackal straightened to his full height and bowed, "My bad."

Viper's scowl deepened and he stamped a foot. "'My bad?' You know better than to speak to your superiors like that! Show some respect, whelp!"

"Sorry sir!" Jackal bowed again, "It won't happen again, sir!"

"That's more like it." His glare turned on me next and I swallowed hard. "Don't think you're off the hook either. You were supposed to be back for your debriefing at 1300 hours! Do you know what time it is now?"

I looked down at my watch and flinched. It was 1305. Normally, I wouldn't worry so much about five minutes, but this was Viper we were talking about here. This was the same man who once made me do two hundred push-ups for accidentally showing up to drill with my shirt inside-out. Who knew what kind of punishment he had in store for me this time...

Viper had to have seen the expression I made, because his scowl softened slightly. He still had that resting angry face though. "Stop your flinching. You will not be punished... this time. Today is a special day for both of you."

"Special?" I asked, "How do you mean?"

"I'll tell you, so shut up and listen because I won't repeat myself!" he growled. I said nothing in reply, but I broke eye-contact and stared at my feet. I hate confrontation and arguments. When Viper starts going off at me like this, I just want to disappear...

Seeming satisfied at my response, or lack of as it were, he cleared his throat. "That's better. Now then," Viper started to pace as he looked between us, "today is the day your training will conclude. From this day forth, you kids will be true God Eaters."

"Woo!" Jackal leaped into the air, pumping a fist in excitement, "Hell yeah! About time! I'm so tired of doing nothing but training all the time!" I nodded my agreement and smiled. Today was graduation day! How could I have forgotten that?

"However!" Viper raised his voice, cutting our delight short, "There is one last thing I need from you brats."

Jackal's mood deflated immediately. "Should've known..." he grumbled with a sigh.

"Sir?" I asked.

"You two need to come with me. Hurry it up." Viper spoke as he turned on his heel and walked back in the direction of The Valley.

"Hey, Robin..." Jackal shot me a mischievous smirk, "Three!" then tore off across the meadow, leaving me momentarily stunned. That little minx was still trying to race me!

"H-hey!" I protested as I rushed to catch him, "That's cheating!" He just laughed as he bolted ahead of me. I rushed to catch him. As I shot ahead of Viper, I heard him grumble something about "those kids," but I wasn't listening. Mochi was on the line here! I couldn't let Jackal win!

Soon, The Valley came into view. Despite its name, The Valley was actually located in a meadow in this forest. It could be a little hard to spot, because it was covered in camouflage netting and tactical paint. If you didn't know where to look, it would be easy to overlook this place and walk right by it. I knew exactly where to look, and I rushed straight for the door. Jackal was right at my side, almost matching me. I leaned to increase my momentum... and I fell again. My foot was snared by something on the ground, and I wound up on my face. I caught a glimpse of Jackal whirling around to face me.

"Robin," he looked down at me and put a hand on his hip, "You are the clumsiest God Eater I've ever seen! How the hell did you trip over a tiny little tree root like that?"

I looked over my back at what had my foot. Sure enough, it was a little tree root, just barely big enough to catch the toe of my boot. I groaned in annoyance as I righted myself and sat on my legs. "Crap," I grumbled, "I guess I lost, huh..."

Jackal shrugged, "Eh, this doesn't count. I kinda cheated by surprising you, and you tripped," he extended a hand to me, "I'll treat you since I didn't exactly play fair. C'mon, up you go, you klutz." I accepted his hand and stood, dusting sakura petals and dirt off my blue uniform.

"Are you two done clowning around now?" Viper said crisply from behind me, "We have some final testing to do. Get over to Doctor Sophia ASAP, am I understood?"

"Testing?" I groaned. I hate checkups. It's always needles, and medicine, and poking, and prodding, and questions, and measurements... ugh.

Viper scowled again at me, making me break eye contact and stare at the floor, "Of course, you fool. We can't send you two off if you're infirm. Now move your carcass, soldier!" But I was not sick or anything. Oh, well. I might as well get it over with. I slump reluctantly into the facility, and get a nudge from Jackal.

"Hey, perk up, Robin," he said in an encouraging tone, "We get to finally leave this place. We'll be real God Eaters from today on. I dunno about you, but I'm psyched! I wonder where they'll send us?" I briefly ponder the thought, but I quickly fell back to reluctance. It's exciting to leave, but I still hate doctor visits...

O-O-O-O-O-O

"How's the checkups looking, Sophia?" Viper asked the young doctor.

The woman turned over her shoulder at him, her long, blonde braid swishing behind her. She then turned back to the two trainees laying on the cots in front of her. Both God Eaters were sleeping, thanks to the medicine they had taken. They were hooked up to multiple monitors and devices, all with readouts that Viper neither understood nor cared to understand. All that mattered was the simple facts.

The doctor pawed through several notes on her clipboard. "Both subjects are quite healthy and fit. No sign of maladies or disease. Their checkups are just about perfect."

Viper frowned, "Just about? That implies something is not perfect. Explain."

"Reiko's stats seem to point to poor coordination. She will need encouragement and support to overcome this. However, she has above average intelligence, and excellent stamina. She'll be a God Eater to watch; she has good potential."

"And the boy? What of him?"

Sophia cleared her throat and adjusted her glasses. "I would not be concerned with his performance. His strength and speed are both very good, and this will serve him well. Unfortunately, his neural patterns are still abnormal. The amnesia does not seem to have improved, but it has not worsened either. I think this condition may be permanent. Fortunately, this does not seem to have affected his physical or emotional status."

Viper nodded once. This was perfect. Both children were primed to fulfill his mission. He could hardly wait. "Are either of them viable candidates for the Alpha Project?"

"Well..." Sophia looked back to her notes, "Both of them show some genetic compatibility with the serum, but Reiko's projected compatibility is only 53 percent. Using her as the prime agent is extremely ill advised. She may still make a good secondary carrier though. As for the boy, his projected compatibility is 95 percent. I suspect that his amnesia has made his neural system far more compatible with the serum. He will make a good prime agent, should you choose to proceed."

"Proceed with the Alpha Project on Jackal," he ordered.

"Of course," Sophia nodded once, "I will proceed with the serum injection right away. I should be done in less than five minutes. Once the kids come to, they will be ready to leave."

Viper nodded once, satisfied with the response. His dream, his goal was about to come to fruition. It bothered him that he had to leave the future of his project in the hands of this child, but he had no choice. He had to do what he had to do for the sake of humanity's continued future. A part of him wanted to tell the children their destinies, but he knew they would rebel should they learn the truth. He could only hope that these kids could learn to forgive him for what he was going to do.

The doctor looked back up from her notes again, "By the way, where are you sending them?"

"I'm sending them to the Far East. That's where the project will truly begin..."