Snowball
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-Dead Weight, that are you nothing more.- I hear the complain of Soma again, as another training session fails. Can't help it, what that walking Death demands is just impossible for me.
-Again!- He orders and the simulation starts renewed.
With a sigh, I wait until my surrounding completes materializing. I'm in the same broken office from where each simulation starts, various cries and roars of Aragami sounds from varying distances. Either they are fighting each other, or have just acquired a new target.
Speaking of target, I don't understand how can he think that I'll be able to single out from this madness a Chi-You, defeat it and escape without being killed...
I've been through numerous attempts, at least two dozens so far with no chance of victory so far. I've only managed to spot my target once, but couldn't clearly engage it. Which was the result of me just trying to run around and see where would my target appear, because of that let's say... I've collected quite a bit of Aragami on my thread.
Sure, most of them turned on each other, but some of them still targeted me and I couldn't overcome their numbers. When I repeated this action on the next round, and when I couldn't find the Chi-You where it was previously Soma 'casually' remarked that 'I can't be so dumb to expect everything will be the same.'...
I wasn't dumb, just hopeful. You arrogant prick...
Something was moving near the broken office, that made me snap out of my thoughts. As I carefully peak out to see what is the source, I can see a couple of Ogretails centered around the remains of a Cocoon Maiden. The white skull beasts were busy on tearing their victim apart and consuming it ferociously. Which made me frown.
Did Grumpy up the difficulty again?
Doesn't he understand that increasing it doesn't help me at all?
As I was watching the Ogretails, a scream echoes from above that makes me freeze. A Zygote's roar is never a good sign, as the roar of the sharp eyed flier means a target has been confirmed. As I'm waiting for the agile monster to come at me, I sigh in relief as the Zygote instead releases a burst of air from it's tail into the midst of the Ogretails.
The small pack of Ogres immediately switch their attention to their attacker and let loose a collective roar. At that, I decide to sneak out of the office far away from the warring sides. Especially I make it silent as another roar joins in, making me shudder as the realization hits me that belongs to a Kongou.
This is already spiraling out of control... I'm going to get swept into it again and fail...
The last thing I saw before the end of the simulation was a purple light that swallowed everything. Literally. One second I was trying to sneak away, in the next the light covers everything, then the simulation ends in failure.
WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!
I start to fume and look up at the window where Soma is standing with a scowl.
-You have to be prepared for everything. Even for the seemingly impossible.- The God Eater calls and I can feel my eyes twitching.
What would I give to speak to that jerk about this matter...
-Since you're probably wondering what was the reason of your failure, I'll tell you Dead Weight.- Soma's glare intensifies as he stares at me and I can't help but to look away, even from that distance and through the observation window it pierces my resolve of defiance.
-That was an Ouroboros.- As he calls another simulation starts, I find myself in a wasteland behind a relatively large rock formation.
-Don't move.- The God Eater warns me and I comply.
In the distance a horrible howl echoes and I can see something large. It's an Aragami with many legs, a few bony wings and on it's head there are numerous red eyes and six horns curving in various direction. The beast starts walking towards my direction and I can feel the earth shake at each of it's steps.
Just how heavy is that thing to ma...
What... the... ?!
My head whips towards where the observation window would be located, then back towards the incoming Ouroboros. I can't help but gulp in fear, as both the quakes from it's steps and also the body grow larger as it approaches. I can only stare in fear at the gigantic Aragami, as the form grows with each passing moment.
-Ouroboros.- Soma says practically unaffected.
-Some even call them Conqueror of the Plains.- As the God Eater speaks, I can't stop staring at the Aragami. While it's still far away from me, it's already bigger than any Aragami I've ever seen. Not to mention there is still a fair distance between us, and still closing in.
-Do you understand now how out classed you are, Dead Weight?-
That's the understatement of the year... This thing is massive!
It's like a walking mountain...
-Worst of all, an Ouroboros' eyesight is far superior to any of the Zygote's or even the Sariels.- Suddenly the gigantic beast stops, let's loose a world shaking roar and slams it's right appendage into the ground.
-I would move in your place.- Soma calls casually and I comply immediately. From the ground numerous drilling spikes erupt where I was standing a moment ago and randomly around that place. The drilling appendages pop out for a few moments, then sink back in to try and skewer me anew.
-Once it spots something, the only way out of it is for one combatant to die.- The God Eater remarks as all of the drilling appendages vanish, then I notice in the distance that a purple light is focusing around the eye of the Ouroboros. The very same one that ended my previous training.
-Dead Weight, you do understand what that implies, do you?- Soma's words annoy me greatly, as a focused massive laser erupts from the Numerous eyes of the gigantic Aragami and passes through me. Though that does cancel the simulation.
I... don't ever want to meet with such a thing...
-Again.- Soma calls as the broken office once again appears.
This is going to be a long walk in Hell...
Burning.
Searing.
Excruciating.
My insides are in a constant flow of torment, feels like my inner demon is changing around some of the furniture, just for kicks. Literally I can feel something twisting inside my chest, moments before something scrapes away my flesh. As my body goes rigid from the increased pain that left me in, I can feel something weighing down my legs so that I can't flair around.
Then a could surface touches onto the scorching hot center of my chest, which with the lack of functioning vocal cords only allows me to mouth a mute scream before something pierces my skin. I wince at that and finally open my eyes to see someone sitting on my legs and holding me down.
Until that moment I still wasn't really aware that I've been in a state of half being asleep only, though suddenly everything cleared. Before that someone on top could have said anything, I've hurled my upper body forward and used the momentum of that to smack my head, well the center of my forehead into the face of the other.
As the one sitting on me reeled back and withdrawn the icy cold item from my chest, without thinking I've swung my fist into the face. His face, to be exact. My hand connected with a crack, along with enough force to knock my victim back a few feet. When I had been finally released, I noticed the more subtle details.
First was that my 'attacker' was none other than C, which made me grimace. The pale girl was holding her left hand in front of her face, apparently I managed to sock her good enough. Which made me feel a bit of satisfaction, until I noticed the next ones...
Okay...
I take a deep breath and stare at the pale girl, who's shaking her head in this moment trying to remove her dizzyness.
I won't say I understand her possessiveness about me. Neither do I approve that she just up-and-comes into my room on her whim.
My left hand pulls the shredded clothes on me together a bit, to cover my wounded chest. I'm probably glaring daggers at this moment as I'm pressing my teeth together to suppress my anger.
However, for what freaking reason does she think she's able to rip off my clothes?
I stand before C, then with a quick motion yank her onto a standing position. Glaring into her shielded eyes, obscured by her left hand and parts of her mask. The hood had halfway slid back revealing some of her hair, and a large crack on the dark face protector.
"Relax, this isn't mines anyways." She calls surprisingly calmly, the claim catches me off guard and I raise an eyebrow what she can mean. It takes a few moments to notice the blood on her hand and mask.
"Naturally it's yours." C's right hand raises and points with her pale fingers at my right arm.
As my eyes wander towards where she points, I see the blackened fingers soaked in blood. Not to mention the blood dripping from them and staining not only my clothes, but also the furniture. I turn my gaze back onto the bed and notice that it's also bloodied all around, there are pieces of my ripped clothes scattered on the dirty stained sheets.
I... Uh... What...?
"Plus, I think you've a broken wrist." The girl then gestures to my hand again and I notice the unnatural way it is hanging.
"Guess who's lucky, to not be able to feel that now. Hmm?" C gives a pained smile and mutters something that I can barely understand.
"Darn it, never guessed she can hit so hard at the expenses of breaking her own arm."
With a bit of staggering steps, the pale girl advances forward then picks up the voice module enhanced tablet and hands it over to me. I take it with a bit off surprise, but can't really think straight or on how to start anyways.
"As for your unspoken and biggest question." C slumps down beside my bloodied bed and sighed in relief.
"There appears to be some... Side effect to the secondary infection which made you try and remove the source of the... 'unpleasantness'." She calls and I stare at her in disbelief.
-What?- That is all I manage to type, still not understanding it what is going on.
"Apparently, you've become allergic to foreign objects." C concludes, but as I stare at her the girl then adds a more simpler explanation.
"Clothes. You tried to remove your clothes."
-Why?-
Okay, that's not the best way to ask the question, better rephrase.
-I mean, why would I do that and. Why did I rip them off?- Then as I recall the bloody fingers and the deep gash on my chest, I realize that wasn't all.
-Why would I harm myself at all?- When C didn't do else, but don her usually malicious grin I couldn't help, but snap at her.
-SPEAK!- Though, the voice of the tablet was just as calm as so far, I've made to look angry enough to convey my feelings.
"Sure." The pale girl still grinned, which for some reason made me feel very uncomfortable.
"For a price that is."
-I have a little over 15 thousand Fc.- I've admitted, no reason to hide it though.
-Makes me doubt it's enough.-
"Ah no, nothing such insignificant than Fc for now." C chuckled, in return I've quenched my fist ready to slug her another one should she demand another moronic offer.
"I just want you."
At her explanation I just blinked at her, might have made a stupid face also. I dunno, can't see myself from the outside anyways. So I scratched the back of my head, then tilted my stance a bit to the right.
-Why?- I asked, for no particular reason. Not like that would make me jump into that delusional want.
"You fascinate me, in more ways than one."
-Which disgusts me, in one more way than it should have be.-
"I'll throw in some extra for you then, Sierra." C changed tactic apparently.
"Not only will I explain what happened, I'm even going to explain why you are becoming a dead weight. Plus, on top of all that. Just for now, you'll get access to something that you didn't have ever since your recovery!"
-Okay.- I gave up. Not really caring what this is going on or about, as she was still not making sense.
-I'll bite.-
"Great!" C exclaims and holds her right arm forward, at the same time her horns start to emit purple sparks all around and I'm hit by a sinking feeling. On her extended arms palm, something seems to gather. At first it's a sphere of energy, then it starts to build and flatten. Growing from the size of a small pea into a card like form, ranging from a width of 5 cm to a height of 10 cm.
"Take it and complete the contract." As she calls, the light surrounding the object shatters and as I though a card appears. It has a large glowing purple eye in the center, and around in more than a dozen bright red slit objects.
Creepy...
-Are you trying to make me scared or what?- I raise an eyebrow, though I step closer and take a better look at the card.
-What are you, some kind of Aragami Devil or what?- I put the tablet away to grab the weird card with my left arm.
"Close, but no cigar." C calls as I take the card from her and eye it with even more suspicion. As I stare at it, the purple eye closes. I turn towards the grinning girl, then notice that my fingers are burning. I want to throw away the damn card, but it's not there any more. In fact, my fingers are turning just as white as the wound on my shoulder.
"Yeah, it's going to hurt a bit." The pale girl calls and she is still grinning maliciously.
I'm straining myself to endure the searing sensation, as my fingers are feeling like they are being torn apart from the insides. I can see the white mass crawling upwards from the fingers. It had already reached my palm and the back of my hand, which made it feel like the pain has gotten amplified many fold.
C!
I'm going to freaking murder you!
I can't help, but glare at the pale girl. That is when she stands up and pulls her hood deep into her face. When her left hand finally lowers, she holds pieces of her mask in it. While I'm instantly smitten with curiosity, at the same time terror engulfs me. I want to look into her face, but at the same time my body feels like scared stiff.
"Now then, I bet you want your part of the contract fulfilled." C says and I stare at him in a mixture of awe and anger, plus a couple more emotions that I would like to have.
"First things first, the infection triggers an allergic reaction to foreign objects just as I said. Unconsciously, your right arm ripped the clothes from the afflicted area and scarred you quite a bit in doing so. " Finally the creeping sensation of pain subsides after almost reaching up to my wrist.
Correction. It's not spreading any more, but still FREAKING HURTS!
"You have a hard time to sleep, is that right?" She asks, to which I nod in consent.
"Did you ever wonder why?"
Oh for GOD'S SAKE!
I shake my head angrily, then get back to where I put down the tablet. Only problem is, while my right arm isn't one of finesse or accuracy based, with a broken wrist it takes it out of the equation at all. All the while the left is also debilitated because of her damn trick card.
"Simple." C laughs at my failed attempt of communicating with her and I gritted my teeth and glared at her... legs.
Damn. I don't know what is she pulling, but this damn brat is on a good way to make me HATE her!
"While you are conscious Sierra, the multiple infections aren't that threatening to your body. But, when you fall asleep their activity suddenly increases." The pale girl starts playing with the broken mask fragments in her hands.
"You probably have bad dreams right? Dreams in which you can feel something is very wrong, but you can't stop it at all."
She knew...
I should have known it!
I glare at her and nod, suddenly my left hand jerks and searing pain streams across my whole body. I quickly grit my teeth again, trying to suppress the sensation.
"Which is actually good." She claims and I look upon her with puzzled expression.
"That's because you are resisting the process of turning into a Deusphage."
OH, for Fu...
Okay, okay...
While it is still unbearable, I've raised my left arm before me. The one that is suffering from the actions of C.
"As I said before, you'll just complete a contract with me. With this, you'll belong to me. And me alone." I can't see her face, but I know that she is probably giving her malicious grin again. Or an outright evil one, maybe.
"Don't worry, in a few hours it will pass."
Go to Hell!
I glare back and the girl laughs, not hiding her mirth at my current situation.
"Now onto why are you deemed as 'Dead Weight', shall we?" C asks with a chuckle and I grimace. Though I nod in the end, since she is apparently in a talkative mood.
"As you know Aragami are constantly growing stronger. And because God Eaters incorporate the same methods as those monsters, they can keep up in their own way." The pale girl explains, then goes silent for a moment as she turns towards me. Immediately fright builds inside me even more as I can feel her gaze locked onto my frame.
"Can you imagine someone who, I don't know... Is unable to progress forward and yet be still pitched against them?"
Are you saying...
"Ever since you've been struck down by the Cocoon Tail and your Chupacabra mutated, you've been unable to deploy it's Predator Form. The single thing that would be able to help you bridge the gap between you and the ever growing Aragami is now defunct." As she explains, while gritting my teeth I whip my head up to meet her gaze. Would like to, but the feel stops me and my glare is now centered on her chest.
"Although, I might have a way around that, but for now you'll have to endure it Sierra."
Another jolt runs throughout my body, originating from my left arm. Then the pain as soon it came, vanishes. Albeit my stamina is quite drained, I grab onto the tablet and start typing. I can feel C's surprise upon seeing me do that.
-Go to Hell.- Is all I can manage and the tablet drops from my shaking fingers back onto the bulk of my bed.
"Been there, done that." The girl says casually.
"As for the last part of our agreement. I've managed to work out to have your God Arc fitted out with some Upgrade Parts and a customized Control Armlet. The next time you go onto a mission, you'll be able to enjoy their benefit just as any other God Eater would be capable to." While hearing that makes me glad on some level, I don't really understand what she just said. Not to mention, that fatigue that built up so far is hitting me luck a truck and it takes a lot to even stay awake.
"But first! Let's take care of you, shall we?"
Just no, you leave me al-.