Chapter 48

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE GOD EATER FRANCHISE HOWEVER I DO OWN MY OC.

Name: Cedrick Esparza

Gender: Male

Hairstyle: Style 7 (Dark Brown)

God Arc: Burning Maiden (Short Blade), Apega Blaze (Sniper Rifle), Kurogane Tower (Shield)

Blood Art: Fatal Riser III

The rest of the day passed by without much happening. Upon arrival back at Friar, the four of us hung around the lobby for a while and talked. There wasn't much for me to discuss but just being near my friends is enough for me. They didn't have to confront me, but they did. They knew it would only be a matter of time before I got killed or I got somebody else killed and, after Romeo's death, nobody wants to see another member leave the unit in such a way. When Julius returns, we'll try to continue on like before. The only difference being that we are now a man down. He may no longer be alive, but we will remember him for all of our lives. I smile as I think of the good times we've all shared with Romeo. I don't think it's possible to forget him; not that I'd want to. With his death, I have a bigger role. I now know what it is like to lose somebody on the battlefield. I've learned the lesson that not even the Blood Unit is invincible. No, we are just like every other God Eater. One wrong move could kill us. That's why I need to make sure to keep a closer eye on my team. I'm sure they all feel the same way.

Not too long after we had a chat, we all split up to do whatever we wished. I decided to see how progress with the Blood Bullets was coming along. Surprisingly, Ciel wasn't working on the Blood Bullets. She wasn't even training. I guess that she must do more than that. Come to mention it, what are Ciel's other hobbies? We've talked about work a lot as well as Blood Bullets, but never about what she does when she isn't working. I know that Nana likes to cook and that Gilbert likes to fiddle with his God Arc to try and improve it, but what else does Ciel do other than trying to make Blood Bullets? I'll have to find her so that I can ask.

Thus, I set out to find Ciel. The first place I decide to visit is her room. Quite frankly, I already know that she won't be there. I know that she doesn't really spend a lot of time in her room. Like I said, she's usually working. A God Eater doesn't usually work from inside their room. The only thing they could do is to mess around with their terminal. Ciel mustn't have many things in her room if she is hardly in it. After all, I keep a few things in my room relating to hobbies but I haven't really had a chance to use them yet. I wonder if Ciel is the same. Regardless, I knock on the door a few times and, as expected, receive no response.

"Ciel? Are you in there?" I voice my thoughts but, again, don't receive a response. With Ciel not being in her room, I decide to head elsewhere to find her.

Not finding Ciel in the lobby, I head up the lift to the Friar's garden. I had searched the whole of the lower floor before deciding to go up to another floor. Come to think of it, I should have searched for her in the garden before. I've met her in here a few times before, thus, it doesn't surprise me when I see her leaning against the tree near Romeo's grave. What does surprise me though, is the book in her hand and the location she has decided to read in. As I approach her, I get a better look at the book in her hand. My first impressions were wrong. It is not a book in her hands. Instead, it is a play with which I am pretty familiar with, 'An Inspector Calls'. Judging by how it look like there is an equal amount of pages either side of the one she is on, I'd say she was about half way through it.

"I discovered, not that night but two nights later, when we met again - not accidentally this time, of course" I hear her speak the words that I assume are on the page in a deeper voice than usual. It sounds as though she changes the tone of her voice for each character in the play.

"Hi, Ciel." I speak before coming to a stop about half a metre in front of her. I notice a slight jerk in her arm that looked to be about to turn a page.

"Cedrick?" She was definitely surprised by my presence. I merely smile at her expression before I speak up, keeping the smile on my face as I did so.

"You like to read?" I may have just stumbled upon one of Ciel's interests. She smiles back at me as she gets over her initial surprise.

"Yes, I've often found myself enjoying to read. I've a few books in my room-"

"Books? Or plays?" I ask amused at my own humour.

"I take it that you know what I'm reading then." She tilts her head to one side as if to say 'I've been caught' with a larger smile on her face than before. "I do like to read plays more than actual books. I have more of them in my room than books."

"You must have an ancient taste. The first performance was in 1945." I have read this play before and found it to be very good. "Is this your copy?" I ask her, genuinely intrigued. I read this back whilst I was staying with my Uncle at Fenrir HQ, he has quite the number of books and plays. He is probably what contributed to my interest in reading.

"Yes, I've had it for quite some time."

" I didn't know that reading was one of your hobbies. How did it become that?" The very thing that I had set out to find Ciel to do is happening. I am learning more about her and what her interests are when she isn't working. However, I notice that a more gloomy look replaces the smile on her face.

"Back at Magnolia Compass, I would often divulge into the orphanage's literary section. I would read when I wasn't training in martial arts and the likes." Her voice mirrors her expression. I don't like it.

"Why are you reading here?" I had to change the subject. I didn't want her to continue in her depressed, reflective state. To answer my question, she looks to the side and I follow her gaze. She looks to Romeo's grave.

"You were reading to Romeo." It wasn't a question. I didn't need her to confirm that she was. It was clear. "Sorry to interrupt." I bow slightly between the two of them. I guess that would explain why she was reading out loud.

"Oh, don't worry about it." Ciel quickly speaks up in a dismissive tone.

"You don't mind if I stay and listen, do you?" I ask to her surprise but once she gives me a smile I know her answer.

I leaned against the tree as well as she continued reading aloud. She was clearly nervous about using different voices to voice the characters but with a little encouragement, she continued using them. At the end of the play, I applauded her for her enthusiasm towards reading. During my claps however, I could hear the claps of another person. At first, I thought it was Romeo, but after realising that that is not possible, I notice the only member of Blood not to stay on Friar walking towards us, having gotten back from Fenrir Headquarters. Ciel and I both stand up straight.

"Captain Julius. How was your trip?" She speaks in her working tone.

"It wasn't too bad. There were a few hiccups here and there but I'll tell you all of that later. Right now, could you give the Vice Captain and I some time to speak?" Julius speaks and Ciel leaves the garden. As she does so though, I find myself beginning to worry again. I had forgotten all about how Julius wanted to speak with me once he had returned.

"You wanted to speak with me?" I ask him but can hear the worry in my voice. Surely he must have heard it too.

"Don't worry, Cedrick. There's nothing to worry about. Would you mind accompanying me on a mission?" Julius asks, to my surprise. Of course, I accept his offer despite still feeling the effects of the earlier mission against a Yan Zhi and Borg Camlann. I can only hope that we will be against easier opponents.

I mustn't have hoped hard enough. As we stand on the battlefield and stare at the beast, the many eyes of a mountainous creature stares back at us.