Heartbreak can either make you stronger or break you. In life we all must face it at least once. For those who never have have never lived.
Protecting the Heart
The four members of the First Unit waited outside the City of Mercy for their unit Leader. Megumi stared out into the city with Soma close to her side, checking the maintenance of his God Arc.
The team noticed how Soma seemed to slightly open up to them more. He didn't snap out at others as much and he actually said more than one sentence.
But what they noticed more was how close Soma and Megumi had gotten in a matter of a single day. Sakuya found the whole thing cute, it was good to see someone getting close to Soma. They'd make a cute couple if someone just gave them a push.
Before Sakuya could plot playing Cupid, Lindow finally arrived, drawing everyone's attention.
"Hey, it's another great day to work! Return to base safe and sound. That's all."
"Huh? That's it?" Kota questioned Lindow's lack of instructions.
"You won't last long if you keep questioning him like that." Sakuya lectured Kota.
"What a drag..." Soma said in annoyance at Lindow's repetitive command.
"Good to see that except for one of us our souls are one." Lindow said looking at Megumi, making the others look as well.
"Hey," Soma said sternly at Lindow. Silently implying that 'that' was uncalled for. Sadness came over Megumi, the words rang with slight truth that the others would never know, as she lowered her head. She looked like a puppy put out in the rain.
"Haha! I'm just kidding." Lindow said, slightly surprised but pleased that Soma came to a teammate's defense. But then he looked at Megumi and saw how the joke stung her. "And don't look so sad."
"This is the first four person mission these members have performed together. Just do what you always do."
"Huh? Wait, what about you Lindow?" Kota asked, getting nervous that Lindow wasn't joining them this time.
"Well, you see I've been asked on a secret date right after this. So it's just going to be the four of you today." Lindow then pulled out his phone. Looking down at it the care-free look on his face disappeared. "If I don't get there in time my date will get mad and leave. Talk about impatient!"
Sakuya and Soma seemed too serious for this to be just a simple date. Lindow was hiding something, something that only the older surviving members were in on.
"I'm taking off now guys. My orders are as usual: Don't die, make sure you come back alive."
"They're your own orders." Soma said, cutting in. "Better make sure you follow them yourself."
"Try not to stay out too late, okay?" Sakuya added in. Lindow nodded to her and left. With him gone Sakuya was now acting command. "All right, let's go!"
This wasn't a date, Megumi could tell. Sakuya was acting too casual about this. She was in love with Lindow from what Megumi gathered, she wouldn't just sit down and take him dating others without a fight if it was a real date. Now all Megumi had to ask herself is 'what was Lindow really doing?'
Brainstorming time was over, she had a mission to get to.
"We'll split up and search for the enemy." Sakuya instructed. "Each of us will take out one Aragami. If you get done early help out your teammates."
Splitting off in separate directions, Megumi questioned why Sakuya would let Rookies go off on their own. But she didn't have long to contemplate that, because just as she was exiting the alley behind the church the Kongou came out one of the buildings in the opening.
Out of everyone else she got stuck with the Kongou while the others got the Zygotes. Well... not like she was complaining, she wanted someone tough enough to play with anyway. Skipping the monologue the Kongou rolled at her. She pulled out her shield as it tumbled at her.
The beast was a feisty one, constantly throwing punches at her like a boxer. She was able to break its wind pipes but it still kept coming. Its persistence almost made her feel bad about taking it down, she could use an opponent that could keep up with her.
Her armlet went off. She played with her target too long, the others had finished their Aragami and were coming her way to help. Soma's beacon was heading in from the north side of the church while Sakuya's and Kota's was heading in from the south alley way. Sakuya came from the clock building area while Kota actually fought his Zygote in the alley she previously came from. Even still, Soma was heading her way faster than the others.
The Kongou was winding up for a round house punch. But before it could release all its pint up energy on her it was knocked to the ground. Soma had come in from behind it with a charged strike. By the time it was down the others came from around the building and began to fire at it. Megumi barely had to do a thing. Although she found Soma's gesture sweet, it left her... unsatisfied. She lightly rubbed her neck at the tingling sore coming from her throat. To her luck the others didn't notice.
"Alright, nice work everyone. We made record time today." Sakuya praised. "Let's returned to the Den. It would be good to go home and fresh'n up early today."
They all nodded and followed Sakuya to the pick up point. Megumi was slightly paler than usual as she dwindled in the setting sun. A light flickered off the building in front of her. Turing around she looked. She could've sworn she saw something... something familiar. Just as she was heading in the direction of the flickering light to investigate an arm grabbed her, stopping her progress.
"Don't wonder around now." Soma said, pulling her toward where the others went. "We're heading back to the Den."
Following Soma's tugging hand she continued to look back. The feeling of missing something important hung over her shoulder along the way.
As they turned the corner into the alley of the church a Vajra with a crimson mane appeared from behind the building far off in the direction she was looking. It stared at the direction they were heading.
*** Back at the Den ***
As the First unit returned to the Branch's Entrance they were greeted by someone they didn't expect to come back so soon. Lindow was lounging on the Entrance Floor's couch like he didn't have a care in the world.
Happy to see him, Sakuya approached. "So you managed to make it back before us. Good work today." She smiled at him.
"Yeah, I managed to wrap things up earlier than expected. How'd you guys do?"
"As per your command," Soma answered, "the same as usual."
"Right," Sakuya agreed. "We fulfilled our mission, and didn't lose anyone."
"You should've seen us! Brilliant teamwork!" Kota added in with excitement. "We were so tight!"
"I don't recall you being of much use." Soma said, stomping on Kota's enthusiasm.
"What? I was more useful than Megumi this time around." Megumi would've taken offense to that if what Kota said wasn't true.
"Don't get cocky. She just got an unlucky hand in the deal. That Kongou was more hyped up than they usually are."
"Aw, you're just in a good mood since you got the chance to come in and save the day." Kota teased. "Like a knight in shinning armor swooping in to save the princess."
"W-what the?!" Soma was tongue tied at Kota's words.
In embarrassment he covered more of his face with his hoodie as he turned redder from Sakuya's giggles and Lindow's chuckled.
"Haha, is that so. Then I guess it won't hurt to go on more dates in the future." Lindow said lightly.
"Huh? Aren't you suppose to hook me up with girls first?" Kota said, Megumi believed he was quoting the bro-code.
"Huh?! Right, like you could handle a girl." Lindow said it jokingly, but Megumi could still hear the undertone in his words.
"Staff announcement! The 7th unit successfully detached the core of an Ouroboros. All Engineers report to Lab No. 5." The announcement repeated the message for good measures.
The Entrance boomed with excitement while Megumi shied away from the elevator as the staff headed to Lab 5. She didn't like scientist. But something about the announcement made her pale.
"What's an Ouroboros?" Kota asked. "Is it powerful?"
"It'll pop up if you search the Terminal." Soma answered in annoyance. "Do your homework for a change."
"It's something. I... don't think we're ready to take on just yet." Sakuya added in. Soma noticed how pale Megumi had gotten.
"What, are you scared?" He asked her sarcastically.
"Don't worry. I'll protect you, princess." Kota playfully dramatized while trying to sound like Soma.
"Why you little-" Was all Soma could growl out as the First unit, with the exception of him and Megumi, burst out laughing. Megumi still smiled which made him turn red again. "Damn you, shut up."
"Whoa, yes sir." Lindow said playfully before getting up. "Okay, I have another date coming up so I'm going in for a hearty meal."
A melancholy face made its way onto Sakuya and Soma as Lindow walked off. But he didn't noticed, his mind was too busy thinking about what happened on his mission today.
Lindow was breathing heavily as sweat dripped down his brow. The rain cooled him down as he prepared for the enemy to charge in again.
This Aragami was giving him a run for his money. But what did he expect from the colossal of the Aragami world. The thing looked like Katulu for heaven's sake. This 'thing' was... an Ouroboros.
The Ouroboros came marching in on him. Splashing puddles up along with shaking the earth with each step. Lindow was doing well, cutting at its hind legs he was able to break the armor.
But this enraged the Ouroboros. In its berserk retaliation, it landed a good smack with its tentacles. The smack knocked Lindow into one of the buildings in the Wailing Plains.
Lindow heard a snap, followed by pain... well that can't be good. He must have cracked two of his ribs. The shock paralyzed him in place.
The Ouroboros would not wait for him to recover. Instead of devouring Lindow like any normal Aragami should, it got ready to attack. Charging up a caliber beam its horns and eyes glowed as they fired up for action. This thing didn't want to eat Lindow, he wouldn't make much of a meal anyway, it wanted to obliterate him.
Unable to get his body to move Lindow prepared himself for his fate. He found it ironic that his life didn't flash before his eyes as he was about to face his death... it must have been really boring.
The Ouroboros's beam was charged, it got ready to fire. It was releasing its be- SMASH! What the hell just happened?!
Coming out of nowhere a larger Ouroboros... no... this one was different. It was a darker color scheme, almost neon purple. It just came out of the ruins and grabbed the Ouroboros's head, smashing its skull into a nearby building before it could release. Destroying the top half of the building as debris fell from the blow.
This was bad, Lindow had heard about those advanced Aragami before. This one's name was said in whispered fear. At times it was looked upon as the Lucifer of Aragami. This Aragami was the legendary Fallen Ouroboros. On NORN this Aragami's bio only says, 'Extremely dangerous. Do not pursuit, if found on sight hide and prey it doesn't find you.'
This was bad, Lindow did not need to be meeting up with legends right now. What he needed to worry about was getting home alive.
It spotted him, there was no way it wouldn't have with all those eyes it had. As it approached him Lindow's heart accelerated, all its eyes were on him.
Unlike the Ouroboros it didn't take long to charge up. Before Lindow could even close his eyes it fired. Lindow was surrounded by its beam's blast. Expecting the beam to obliterate him, he was surprised to find himself in one piece.
Better yet, the pain in his side drastically decreased. The colossal slightly backed away. Did... did the Fallen Ouroboros just heal him? Did he just get saved by an Aragami... no... the legendary Devil of the Plains? How did it even do that?
Apparently he was going insane, because he just got saved by an Aragami that defied its Bias of predatory instinct. Never before has an Aragami attacked a species similar to its own. Checking Lindow once over for any serious injuries, the Fallen Ouroboros closed its eyes and lowered its head. It bowed to Lindow, he couldn't believe it. In its normally slow pace it turned around and returned in the direction from whence it came. Leaving a flabbergasted Lindow, stunned in his spot.
A tap on his shoulder.
Shocked out of his reminiscing Lindow jumped and turned to the direction of the hand that shot back to its owner.
"Oh, its you. Sorry about that Megumi." Somehow while in his thoughts Lindow had made his way to the Sick Bay.
'You seem hurt. Are you alright?'
"Huh? Yeah it was just a scratch. I'm just being safe than sorry." Lindow then patted her head. "Thanks for looking out for your team Rookie. Keep up the good work."
'You didn't talk much about your mission so I'm glad you're okay.'
"Aw, that's sweet. Did you miss having me on the mission. Don't worry I'll make it up to you guys on the next mission. It'll be me, you, Sakuya, and Kota."
'What about Soma?'
"Ah, Soma has a mission of his own to take care of. You just focus on your mission at hand, got it?"
She was reluctant at first but in the end nodded in compliance.
"Good. Now get some rest, we've got a big day tomorrow."
Waving goodbye she left him in the Sick Bay and headed to her room.
Once in the security of her room she pulled out her phone and dialed a number. It rang...
Ring, ring. Ring, ring.
"I should've known you'd call." Relief came over Megumi.
"..."
"Don't worry, I'm fine. Don't misunderstand, I only did it for you."
"..."
"You'd best tell your team to be careful. Next time I won't be there to save them."
The other line cut off, silence consumed the room again.