Chapter 10 - Rude Awakening

The Den

By the time the helicopter that carried the four God Eaters had touched down on the helipad, the blue sky from the morning had already faded. Instead, it was replaced by shades of orange hovering over the landscape, which signaled the afternoon.

The ride in the elevator was noisy, mostly from Kota and Eric who hadn't stopped rambling away at each other since the flight. Even though these two had only met today, they seem to get along pretty well already, Kiyoka noticed. Then again, she wasn't surprised, considering they were very much alike with their friendliness and fondness for talking. Occasionally, she joined in their conversation when either of the two prompt her a question, but honestly, she wasn't paying much attention to the topic at hand.

Her mind was somewhere else, as she wondered when she would receive the long awaited news from back home. 'Damn Carlos... He's sure taking his sweet time...' Either her chubby friend was preoccupied with his engineering work or the network has been very slow to deliver the message. She had half the mind to grab a flight back home to America if he did not get back to her anytime soon.

Sighing, her gaze fell on Soma standing next to her. The so-called Death God was a pretty reserved character to say the least. Unlike Kota and Eric, he wasn't exactly the most talkative person; a characteristic of his which she had already noticed the first time they've met. Throughout the flight back to base, he had spoken only few words every now and again, while letting out the occasional snickering. Most of the times, he was staring out the window or closing his eyes to try getting some nap; the latter attempt wasn't successful however, considering the engine noise and the chitchat. To total strangers who meet him for the first time, that would give off the perception he had a standoffish attitude, and thus he does not welcome social interactions with others.

Still, Kiyoka like to think this guy wasn't completely averse to having conversation with others. She remembered yesterday during lunch break, he had willingly spoken to her when she revealed herself as the New Type. "And how ready are you to bear that responsibility?" he asked her. It was a question that went unanswered even now.

It seemed at the very least, the hooded, young man was curious as to what a New Type God Eater could do, wondering perhaps if they were truly capable of turning their fortunes around against the malevolent gods. 'Maybe he does care about the lives of others.' she interpreted.

Before she could ponder any further, she felt a blast of warm air hitting across her face, as the lift doors slide opened. A quick survey in front of her, and she'd realized they were back in the hectic lobby. Nothing has changed inside the Den since they left for the mission. The first person to stride out of the elevator was Soma.

"Hey Soma! Wait up!" Eric called out, as he jogged after his fellow comrade.

The hooded, young man did not stop or even slow his pace, despite hearing his comrade from behind. He was seemingly in a hurry to have his mission rewards processed, so that he could retire to his room or someplace else. At least that's what Kiyoka figured a loner like him would do.

"Man, I can't seem to figure that guy out..." Kota remarked, shaking his head. "He doesn't really like to talk much, does he?"

"Or it could be that he doesn't like talking to you, Kota," Kiyoka replied, heaving a sigh. "Remember when we flew out for our mission? You was like trying to whisper to my ear, calling him a Death God..."

She shook her head. "That's just pretty rude in my honest opinion... If somebody was calling me names, and worse of all, acting like I didn't even hear it, I wouldn't give you the time of the day, that's for sure... I'd given you the cold shoulder until you have some decency to come and apologize."

"I..." Kota was left speechless for a moment. The young man had guilt written all over his face, as he briefly lowered his head. "Yeah, you're right... That was pretty uncalled for... I probably should go and apologize to him..."

"Probably?" She raised an eyebrow.

"No! I mean... Yes, I will apologize to him!"

"Good. Now, let's go get our mission rewards."

No sooner after their rewards were processed from their respective extermination missions, the four God Eaters were approached by a familiar figure in Major Amamiya. Her commanding presence in front of them, snapped Kiyoka, Kota and Eric to immediately stand at attention and salute their superior officer as a sign of respect and recognition that befitted for a woman of her rank and experience. Soma however, couldn't be bothered with the formality as he still has his hands in his jacket pockets and kept his feet apart.

Tsubaki narrowed her green eye as she stared at Soma. As far as the Major was concerned, this young man was not setting a great example for his fellow God Eaters when he chooses not to follow a simple courteous of greeting when meeting a superior officer on deck. In the eyes of others, it would have easily be seen as insubordination, and he could face disciplinary. She made note to reprimand him later on when they were alone.

"At ease," Major Amamiya said, her eye focused back to the rest of the squad. In unison, Kiyoka, Kota and Eric stood at ease. "The top brass has made an announcement to your squad," She shot a glance at Kota. "Private Fujiki... As of today, you are hereby assigned to the 1st Unit. You will be working directly under Captain Lindow Amamiya."

Kota's mouth fell opened upon receiving the announcement.

"That will be all. Dismissed."

With the exception of Soma, the squad saluted off their superior officer. Once the Major was out of sight, Kiyoka and Eric turned their attention over to Kota. The young man appeared delighted at the news, as they noticed his mouth curved into a huge smile. He was like a kid who had just received his birthday present, and it wasn't his birthday yet.

"Congratulations man!" said Eric, his gloved hand patting his newest squad mate in the back. "You're with us now!"

"I still can't believe this... I'm in the 1st Unit!" Kota said, sounding ecstatic. "That's just freaking awesome!"

Kiyoka brought a hand to her forehead. Then, she lets out a deep sigh. "Great... As if one annoying pest wasn't bad enough already. Now there's another one in the squad..." she said, referring to both Kota and Eric.

"What you say!?" Both guys said simultaneously, as they were giving her the frown look.

"Hey, look! They're even perfectly sync too!"

Having no interest to take part in the ongoing exchanges between his squad mates, nor even to offer welcoming words for the newest comrade in his unit, Soma had turned on his heel, and marched his way towards an elevator.

"Soma! Wait!"

Soma clicked his tongue. He thought he could leave quietly without either of them noticing him walking off to go about his own business. But then as usual, someone had to make it his business to call him out. 'Why can't I just be left alone...'

He almost contemplated at the idea to keep on walking and ignore the call entirely. The person may hate his guts for it, but at least he would have some peace and quiet to himself. Besides, he was already considered an outcast among his peers. There was no end to the whispering around the corners. "Death God" they called him, as though he was a walking plague that brings only death and disease wherever he goes. Alienating one more person was hardly going to change the negative outlook that others already see in him.

But then, an innate human nature always finds a way to get the better of him: Curiosity. He wondered why that person was going through the trouble of seeking him out. As he turned round, he came face to face with his newest comrade.

He didn't think much of Kota, having observed his happy go lucky attitude. In some ways, he was similar to Eric in that regard. However, the difference is, Eric wasn't a gossiping fool who jumped straight on the bandwagon like all the other gossiping fools, who believed every bad things said about him. This guy on the other hand, spoke his mind from the same perspective as one of those idiots talking behind his back.

His icy gaze remained fixed at him. However, the young man that stood in front of him didn't even dared to look him in the eye. Instead, his head was averted, and his hand was rubbing the back of his skull, as if he was trying to think long and hard what he was about to say to him.

If he had waited anymore longer, Soma would have changed his mind and proceed towards the lift as he had originally intended to do. As it turns out however, Kota managed to look him right in the eye with his face stiffened. Then, the young man lowered his head at once. His mouth opened to speak up.

"Sorry."

Soma's piercing blue eyes have blinked a few times, upon seeing the bowing gesture from Kota and hearing his subsequent apology. The stoic expression which he always wore like an armor made it difficult for others to read how he truly felt.

"I was in the wrong... for calling you a Death God earlier on," Kota continued, standing upright to face Soma, his finger scratching briefly against his cheek. "Since we're in the same team, I didn't want any bad blood between us. So... Yeah... Sorry..."

Once again, Kota performed another bow.

Soma had to admit; it wasn't very often someone would bow down and apologizes to him. Most of his fellow peers were content to believe they've never committed any wrongdoings against him. He could hear the murmuring from the other God Eaters nearby, who have taken an interest to them, watching as if it was a drama movie. Being the center of attention wasn't something he appreciates. He had to get away from it.

"Alright, it's fine... Now get up." he said.

"Does this mean we're cool?" Kota asked, sending an upward glance at him.

"I said it's fine, didn't I?"

Sighing, Soma turned round, and resumed his walk towards the elevator, lest his newest comrade decided to pester him any further.

Kota breathed a sigh of relief. At any rate, he was pleased that he listened to Kiyoka's advice to follow through with his apology. With their relationship restarted, he and Soma can start all over again as fellow squad mates without the bad lingering feelings.

Eric stood beside Kota, his lips curled into a small smile as he watched the back of Soma distancing further away. "That Soma... He may not seem like it. But his actually a pretty nice guy, once you get to know him. Just give it some time. He'll open up to you eventually."

Standing not too from behind the two, was Kiyoka with her arms folded in front of her chest. She nodded a few times, satisfied with the positive outcome of the exchange between Kota and Soma. With Kota patching things up with Soma, she could relax with the knowledge that there shouldn't be any tension in the squad.

"Anyways, congratulations, kiddo," Kiyoka said, as she walked up and slapped Kota on the back. "Try not to step on any empty cans next time."

Kota made a pouty, sulky face. He wanted to make a retort against his older comrade, after she reminded him of his embarrassing blunder during the mission. But nothing came to his mind, and he lets out a sigh in defeat.

"Hey, where you're going?" he asked, noticing her walking towards the lift.

"To my room," she answered, as she brought a hand to her mouth to cover the yawn. "I'm tired. Gonna take some rest."

"Seriously!? You're going to sleep on your day off?" Kota had an incredulous look on his face. "Come on. It's only just afternoon. Let's hang out!"

It never ceases to amaze her how easygoing and carefree Kota can be, considering there was a major operation tomorrow afternoon, where all the God Eaters in the branch except for the trainees were needed.

"Geez, Kota. I ain't your wife, y'know," Kiyoka replied bluntly, as she stopped her walking abruptly and turned round to face her young comrade, showing her scowl face. "I don't have to follow wherever you go. You wanna hang out with someone, go ask your boyfriend there," Her head motioned over to Eric. "He'll be inclined to do it."

"Hey! Not cool!"

Eric was seemingly not impressed with her assuming he had intimate relationship with Kota. Likewise, Kota looked just as peeved as he was.

With her two squad mates staring daggers at her, she felt she had some explaining to do for the reasoning behind her cranky mood. "Look, I haven't arrived here that long ago," she began, after heaving a sigh. "I'm still jet-lagged from the flight. Not to mention those missions I've been doing lately... aren't exactly helping to ease my fatigue..."

"Hmm. That's true," Kota said, rubbing his gloved hand against his chin. "Well, go ahead and rest up then. Guess I'll go hang out with Eric."

"Thanks."

Outer Ghetto

Kiyoka felt the breeze hitting against her bare legs, as she walked down the pathway in great strides. But still, her face did not show any hints of being fazed. One of the perks of being a God Eater, was that the Oracle cells allowed the body to adapt to different temperature. While everybody else would be shivering on a cold night, she and her fellow God Eaters on the other hand will be as right as rain.

Up ahead of her, she could make out the rows of brightly lit scrap metal shacks, which contrasted with the night sky. It was a place where the majority of the Far East Branch's population lived in. The Outer Ghetto.

Unlike the wealthier residents who lived in the inner districts, these working class families didn't have the same luxuries as they did. Nonetheless, not everything was entirely bad in the ghetto, if the smiling children playing around in pristine clothing and the intoxicated workers singing the night away were of any indication. What's more, she noticed one of the residents using the water pump outside his house, and saw the crystal clear fluid pouring down into the bucket. At the very least, it seems the Outer Ghetto residents have access to clean water, which is a rarity for those living outside Fenrir protection.

She ambled into the district with nary a second glance from the residents. As a matter of fact, she saw three other of her comrade-in-arms presented in town, visiting their families and friends, meaning a God Eater's appearance wasn't particularly an unusual sight in this part of the city, and she could blend in without being the center of attention.

The smell of hot piping food that came from the food stalls lined up on the street had reached her nose. Having not eaten any meals since breakfast in the morning, it made her mouth water. As she looked around, one particular building caught her utmost attention with patrons coming in and out. Unlike the other buildings, it was build mostly from wood rather than scrap metal. The entrance itself had a latticed sliding door, along with the decorations of banners and paper lanterns - all of which resembled the appearance of a traditional Japanese restaurant.

Curiously, she decided to check out the building in question. The first thing she noticed upon entering said restaurant, was the pleasant cozy atmosphere as the rowdy patrons clinked their glasses together and laughed away, while the chef over at the kitchen was happily preparing the grilled meat. The chef had even spared the moment to smile and nodded at her, acknowledging her presence in his establishment.

"Kiyoka! Over here!"

With raised eyebrows, Kiyoka darted her head left and right, wondering who had suddenly called out to her. Then, her crimson eyes fixed at the woman garbed in a stylish black and green dress seated over at the counter, waving a gloved hand at her: Sakuya Tachibana. The presence of the 1st Unit Vice-Captain in the pub was most unexpected for her. Her lips curled into a small smile, as she made her way over to Sakuya.

"Well, this is a pleasant surprise," Sakuya said, gesturing her fellow comrade to sit down beside her, "I didn't expect to see you here."

Kiyoka obliged, and took her seat beside the Vice-Captain. As she did, a beaming smiling waitress dressed in a dark yukata with intricate flowery design approached her. She ordered a mug of draught beer before she turned towards Sakuya, "Well, I was hungry. Couldn't be bothered buying ingredients to make dinner, so I decided to dine out. Anyways, I could say the same thing about you. I didn't think this was your kind of place..."

"Oh, why's that?" The Vice-Captain asked, intrigued.

"Well, I kind of thought you'll be more at home in one of those fancier restaurants at the inner district..."

As she said that, Kiyoka could easily imagined Sakuya, who looked the part of a classy lady, sitting alone over at the bar of an upscale restaurant, while sipping her glass of red wine. To see her eating and drinking among the common folks in an inexpensive gastro pub wasn't quite the image she had in mind.

"Those fancy restaurants you're talking about are a rip off," Sakuya said, as a matter of fact, waving her gloved hand away dismissively, "At least here, I know the prices are reasonable. And the food's pretty good since the chef actually cares about his work."

"Well said."

It appears both her and her Vice-Captain think alike. Her lips curled into a small smile when she saw the same waitress returning, bringing her mug of fresh draft beer as well as a small bowl of edamame beans to go with it.

After thanking the waitress, her gaze drifted back to her lager laid right in front of her, noting its small head of foam and pale golden color. She couldn't resist the temptation as she tilted the content of the glass into her mouth, feeling the crisp and refreshing taste down her throat. Placing the mug back down, her hand instinctively reached for one of the young green soybeans.

"How are you settling in so far?" Sakuya asked, after she took a swig off her beer.

"I'm still not used to the time around here," Kiyoka replied, still chewing the soybean. "I woke up in the middle of the night, thinking it's morning. But it ain't. And then by afternoon, I start to feel real sleepy."

"Just give it a few more days. You'll get used to the pattern eventually."

"I sure hope so. Wouldn't wanna end up dozing off during mid-battle. That would be problematic..."

"It shouldn't come to that. My advice, just avoid sleeping during the daytime. Get out in the sunshine as much as you can. You could even do a light exercise. And speaking of exercise..."

Suddenly, an idea sprung to Sakuya's mind, "Would you be interested trying out yoga?"

"Yoga?"

"Yeah. You see, I've been doing yoga lately. Thought it'll be nice to change up my workout routine from time to time. It's pretty fun. It'll be even more fun if I had a partner to try out some poses together."

"Sure, why not," Kiyoka replied without hesitation, "Ain't like I have better things to do around here. And beside, it's not a bad idea to stay in shape."

"Exactly. The fitter you are, the easier it will be to fight the Aragami," Sakuya nodded in agreement, sharing the same sentiment as her fellow comrade, "Great, then let's meet up in the gym tomorrow morning."

With that, the Vice-Captain reached her hand for the food menu tucked behind the chopsticks container, "Let's order food already. I'm freaking starving."

"Yeah me too. This is my first time here, so I'm not really sure what's nice to eat. What would you recommend?"

"Then how about..."

The cheeks of both women were flushed slightly with red as the night went on. At least several empty plates laid between them. Only the bowls of half empty ramen were left in front of them. The mug of draught beer from before they had before, was long finished and instead replaced by glass of overflowing cold sake on a wooden box. The rowdiness from before had drastically quieted down as several groups of patrons have already left the premise.

They promptly left the restaurant after finishing their ramen and paying their bills. As they stepped back outside, the activity in the district was less bustling than it was earlier on with the shops closing up and residents returning to their homes.

"That hit the spot," Kiyoka said, digging the toothpick between her teeth. "I'm glad I decided to come down here. It's been a while since I had proper Japanese food to eat."

"Right. You live in America for pretty much all your life," Sakuya said, stretching her arms as she followed closely behind Kiyoka, "Can't imagine you get much opportunity to eat dishes like sashimi and ramen."

"There were a few opportunities when I was young... We used to have a whole stock of those instant ramen cups. And when we're lucky enough to have the ingredients, my mama and this neighbor made rice balls, sushi and other dishes. My most favorite was the Okonomiyaki that mama made."

A sense of nostalgia filled her when she remembered the good old days she used to stuff her mouth with full of her mother's Osaka-style Okonomiyaki, savoring every ounce of its crispy taste.

"Really? If I had known, I'd order some for you," Sakuya said, "You should try them next time you come back. They're delicious."

"Noted."

"At some point, I like to know how you ended up coming back as a God Eater."

The sudden change of topic made Kiyoka stopped in her tracks. Tossing the toothpick away, she turned round to meet her Vice-Captain's mocha eyes.

"It's just something I've been curious about since yesterday," Sakuya said, bringing her gloved hand to her chin. "Usually the God Eaters who retire... They don't just come back all the sudden. Even if there was a slim chance you were a match for the New Type, you shouldn't be obligated to return. You did your service. That should be the end of that. But then, here you are..."

A sigh escaped from Kiyoka's lips. She contemplated the idea of fabricating a false story or at least give a vague answer. Truth be told, it wasn't any of the Vice-Captain's business to learn the reasoning why she returned as a God Eater, nor does it have any relevance for the important mission tomorrow and the ones after. However, in the end, she decided to be honest with her fellow comrade.

Ultimately, she told the story to Sakuya, starting with her despair when Shinji suffered a heart attack on his fifteen birthday, how her younger brother needed the surgery to live and that Director Schicksal came to her with an offer she seemingly can't refuse. With her arms folded in front of her chest, Sakuya had her eyes widened as she listened to Kiyoka's story, realizing the burden she was carrying on her shoulder.

"Even now, I still don't know if I made the right choice," Kiyoka admitted, after a deep sigh, "There are times where I thought to myself... It's a damn foolish choice. Maybe my friend Ashley from back home had the right idea all along. That I should have sit down and discuss this with my friends first before deciding all on my own..."

With another sigh, she shifted her body and looked up to the moon lit sky, "Now... I'm stuck here. Six thousand something miles away from my home. And I won't be coming back anytime soon... Not until Aegis Project is completed, and who knows how long that's gonna take. A year? A decade maybe? Hell... Would I even get a chance to see it finish?"

Sakuya followed her fellow comrade's gaze at the moon. Having pondered long enough, she opened her mouth to speak, "For what it's worth, I don't think you made the wrong choice there. It's pretty admirable you're willing to put your family first. It's how any loved ones should act for another."

The Vice-Captain paused for a moment, as she needed to take the breather, "Listen. Try not to take everything on your shoulder. You're not alone in here. You've got the 1st Unit to count on. We'll be there whenever you need us."

"Thanks, Sakuya. I appreciate it."

"Hey, it's no problem at all. I'm the Vice-Captain of the 1st Unit, remember? It's my responsibility to look out for my fellow squad member."

Kiyoka felt a sense of relief, having shared some of her past, which she normally would have been reluctant to do so. However, when she looked at Sakuya, there was something about the woman that made her seemed like a trustworthy and reliable character; it almost reminded her of Joshua, the late Vice-Captain of Alpha Team.

On their way back towards the base, the two women couldn't help but noticed a crowd of spectators gathered around the street. Curiously, they made their way over and pushed through the bodies until they reached the first line. Then, in front of them, they saw numerous dark-garbed guards armed with assault rifles surrounding a group of five people.

Within the group, there were two men, women and a child. Judging by their worn clothing, they were most likely refugees who entered the city for the first time. One of the women in particular had a noticeably bulging belly, in spite of her thin frame. With one hand on her tummy, her other hand grasped tightly onto the smaller one of a young girl, who was presumably her daughter.

"Rules are rules I'm afraid," said the guard in the center, with an authoritatively tone that suggested he was their leader, "You and your group will have to leave now."

"No, please! Just let us stay for one night!" One of the men in the group pleaded, "One night! That's all we're asking for!"

"Sorry, no can't do."

"For god's sake! There's a pregnant woman and her child among us! At least let them stay!"

The rest of the guards saw the cue from their leader, who nodded once, and promptly trained their guns at the refugees without the slightest hesitation. Each of the group members involuntarily flinched back at the sight of rifle barrels staring at them. The guard leader motioned his head, gesturing the group of refugees to start making their way towards the gate.

As she looked around, Kiyoka realized nobody was willing to step up and challenge the authority on their decision to evict the refugees. They all stood back and watched, including Sakuya. She shook her head, and left her Vice-Captain's side.

"Kiyoka! Wait!" To her dismay, Sakuya did not react in time to stop the advancing Kiyoka, who has decided to confront the guard leader herself.

"What the hell is going on here?" Kiyoka asked.

"I don't believe that's any of your concern, soldier," The man replied bluntly, turning round to face Kiyoka, "I suggest you mind your own business and get back in line."

The moment she caught up with her fellow comrade, Sakuya grabbed her by the arm, "Kiyoka, please... don't..."

However, Kiyoka refused to move an inch, even as her Vice-Captain made an attempt to pull her away. She continued to stare at the guard leader with narrowed eyes, "I don't understand... Why won't you let them stay?"

The man sighed and brought a hand to his temple, as if he was dealing with a nuisance, "You're obviously not from around here, are you? If you were, you'd known already about the patch test for those entering our city."

"Patch test?"

"Basically, we apply a patch for any newcomers. If it's orange, then congratulations. It means you have the potential to be compatible for a God Arc, so you and your family get to stay. However... If it's blue, then that's too bad. You didn't pass the test," His thumb pointed at the group, "Which none of them did."

"You're kidding me? The hell kind of rule is that!?" An incredulous look appeared on Kiyoka's face, "You're condemning a group of people to death... Because none of them have the potential to be a God Arc match!?"

"Maybe where you're from, your people can afford to let everyone through the gate. But we can't do that. Our resources are limited as it is. If we didn't have this selective process in place, the city would have fallen apart ages ago. Believe me, I take no pleasure in doing this. But sometimes, there are sacrifices we have to make for the greater good."

"Bullshit!"

The guard leader furrowed his brow, "Look. If you've got a problem with the rules, go take up with the Director. Now, I say this again one more time... Get back in line. Let me remind you, if you continue to interfere with the authority, you'll be court martialed."

Kiyoka gritted her teeth and curled her right hand into a fist. She almost given in to her violent tendencies to hurt the man pretty badly without fearing the severe repercussion, until the pregnant woman had suddenly spoken up in her soft voice, "That's enough... We'll leave..."

The same man, who had pleaded moments ago, was about to protest until he saw his fellow group member shaking her head with her teary eyes. Without saying another word, the group quietly headed towards the gate while escorted by the armed guards.

'This ain't right... This ain't right at all...' Kiyoka thought.