Far East Branch Headquarters - Lobby

Soma sat silently on the couch in the quiet hall, staring tiredly at the ticking clock on the wall. It had been ten hours since Neo's disappearance. Upon his return, he informed the doctor as well as Major Amamiya of her missing state. His father hadn't returned from Europe and her guardian had been, he assumed, sleeping. He had found the door locked, which caught him off guard. Ichiro never locked his door, especially when Neo wasn't inside.

While he had been confused by Hamasaki's early night, he was slightly relieved for the opportunity to think. He was still trying to process the last 24 hours himself and was in no mood to explain to him how Neo had gone missing, once again, under his care. Even worse, it was his own doing. He had never known the other veteran to resort to violence, but when she was involved, his logic seemed to function under different parameters. He would probably punch him. And he would deserve it.

Frustrated, he leaned back against the sofa, waiting for daybreak. He was smart enough to know that finding Neo under the cover of night was impossible. The moment the darkness began to lift, he would take his leave. He needed to find her. He needed to bring her back. He needed to talk to her. And as the hands struck 5 a.m., it was almost time. Leaving as early as possible seemed the best option. He would need maximize his daylight hours if he wanted to locate his New Type. And perhaps he should head before…

BANG.

With a thunderous slam, the stairway burst open, startling everyone in the lobby. Ichiro stormed through the opening, God Arc in hand. It seemed that had made a trip to the hangar. And he looked absolutely murderous.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?!"

The lobby fell silent as the ex-commander stalked toward Soma. The news had already reached him. Contrary to Soma's belief, Hamasaki hadn't been in his room at all the previous night. He had spent nearly the entire time with the lab technicians in Sakaki's laboratory, analyzing samples and testing reagents.

But as the evening drew on, he began to feel unease. A sense of foreboding haunted him, as though something was wrong that he couldn't quite place. When it began to affect his focus, he had returned to his room. Upon his return, he was surprised to find that Neo wasn't there. Moving on, he checked her bedroom only to find it empty as well. Growing worried, he made his way to the service desk only to find that the squadron hadn't made it back. At that, his worry slowly turned to panic. It wasn't like them to take so long for a mission, and this was especially true if Neo and Soma were together.

He asked around the Den, trying to see if anyone had heard or seen anything unusual, but no one seemed to know any more than he did. His questioning had been casual and discreet, as he was careful to avoid Utsugi. Soma had given instruction that he was to remain uninformed, and he made certain to follow it… and after speaking with Paylor, it became clear why. He wasn't the least bit surprised to find that Neo and Shio had eaten through all of their reserves or that he had sent them out to collect more in order to feed their ravenous women.

Hoping that Neo was simply engorging herself into oblivion, he returned to his room, leaving the door open in case she were to return. After waiting in the dark for almost an hour, he finally fell into a restless sleep. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong with Neo. And he made a point to find out the moment he awoke.

Near daybreak, he finally got his answer. Happening upon Kota near Sakaki's office, he had gotten a synopsis of the last night's mission. It was there that he got to the source of his unease. Soma had lost his temper and Neo was gone. Enraged, he made his way immediately to the Hangar to collect his God Arc and locate his temperamental teammate. And as he saw him in the lobby, he seriously contemplated running him through.

Soma rose from his seat, returning his glare.

"I tried to stop her."

"She shouldn't have left in the first place! Why would you say something like that in front of her!?"

"I wasn't thinking…"

"Of course you weren't, you never do! And now Neo is missing, again!"

Soma fell silent. What could he possibly say? Ichiro was right. Through his own thoughtless actions, he had sent their New Type running off into the wilderness. And he couldn't even blame her. He had inadvertently called her a monster… and he was the last person in the world that she had ever expected to hear it from. He was the only person in the world that truly understood what she was. And that was why he knew just how badly he had hurt her.

Around them, fascinated onlookers watched from a safe distance whispering quietly amongst themselves as Soma's own fists began to clench. It wasn't exactly a secret that the two veterans weren't fond of one another. Despite their mutual respect for each other's prowess, there had always been a noticeable tension between them. And it seemed that it had finally reached boiling point. It would be a showdown between two of the most powerful God Eaters in the Den, and no one wanted to miss a thing.

But the curious crowd wouldn't get their wish on this day.

"Hamasaki! Schicksal! Explain yourselves!"

Tsubaki's voice tore through the silence of the murmuring lobby. From the stairwell, her imposing form stomped down the stairs, clipboard threatening to shatter under her iron grip. Behind her was Utsugi, who had apparently been giving a report on the second floor prior to the start of their argument.

Neither man said a word. Each was far too focused on the other to bother acknowledging her presence. As the sound of her heeled boots approached them, Ichiro finally addressed her, his eyes never leaving his opponent.

"I'm sure you're already aware."

"…about Reaper? Yes, I am aware and a search unit was recently dispatched. Wait for their report."

"You expect me to do that?"

"I do, and you will, unless you'd prefer to wait in an iron cell."

"They won't be able to cover enough ground and she's been missing through the night. They don't have any idea where she might be at this point."

"And you do?"

Ichiro fell silent. She was right. He hadn't the slightest clue where she could have gotten to at that point. He knew Neo well enough to determine what type of places she would seek out, but there were far too many places that matched that description. He also knew that she was capable of covering a tremendous distance, and that wasn't even at full speed. Assuming she had traveled through even half of the night, she could literally be anywhere. They were stuck.

Until Hibari's words gave him an answer.

"Major! We have an emergency!"

"What is it now?" Growing aggravated, Tsubaki turned and made her way toward the desk looking ready to kill. She was just about out of patience.

"Aragami activity in the Western City. A lot of it!"

"What?"

Turning the screen, Hibari showed the major a map of the Far East… and she was absolutely right. Not far from the Forgotten Carrier, various red dots were gathering at an area near the center of the city. They were moving in unison, flocking towards a single point.

"What… is this…?"

"I'm not sure… but the search unit is heading in that direction. They'll be completely overrun. They have to retreat"

"Very well… Give the order."

Watching the screen, both veterans frowned. There was only one explanation for such sudden activity. They had found her. Turning, Ichiro eyed Soma with furious eyes. Returning his expression, the other veteran simply nodded. While they were far from civil at this point, both men knew what they needed to do. They knew where Neo was. Now they needed to bring her back. Settling on a temporary ceasefire, they made their way towards the entrance doors… and behind them an earsplitting crack echoed through the hall. Tsubaki's clipboard had finally snapped.

"And just where do you think you're going?"

Ichiro didn't turn around. Shoulder's vibrating, he responded through clenched teeth. His patience was gone as well.

"To the city."

"You will do no such thing."

"Watch me."

Tsubaki glowered, storming toward them. She had had just about enough of his insolence. His fists began to trembled as he listened to the sound of her approaching footsteps. She hadn't the slightest idea of the disaster that was soon to follow, and he wasn't going to tolerate any further interruptions. He couldn't afford to. Not when Neo was in danger. He could feel his mind beginning to leave him as his vision faded into red. He was losing control.

"I will not allow any further insubordination!"

Ichiro snapped.

Whirling, he lifted his massive weapon and swung. Soma leapt back, startled and every member in the lobby gasped as his blade stopped merely an inch from her menacing face. Tsubaki didn't flinch, but her gaze was pure venom.

"Then I will cut you down where you stand!"

No one uttered a sound. They had never seen anyone dare to disrespect the Major in such a blatant disregard for authority, let alone threaten her. And he had brazenly done both at once. Had he lost his mind?

And Soma watched his shimmering eyes, he realized that he very well may have. Hamasaki wasn't himself… had his eyes grown even lighter?

"…You understand what this will mean."

"Do what you will. After she's safe."

His patience exhausted, Hamasaki turned and stormed from the room. He was well aware of his actions. He was also well aware that this wasn't his first offense. He wasn't sure what would happen to him upon his return. Nor did he care. Behind him, Soma's eyes drifted to the Major. She returned his gaze, daring him to defy her as well. And for the first time… he did.

Turning, Soma left the lobby, following Ichiro through the doors and leaving the lobby in stunned silence.

. . .

Forgotten Carrier

The two men rode silently in their stolen vehicle as they peeled across the landscape at maximum speed. The dial on the speedometer trembled as they drove, leaving a trail of dust behind them. Soma road passenger, his sensing searching for any incoming threats. Furious as he was, a part of him couldn't help but be mildly entertained.

He had certainly never seen such a look on Tsubaki's face before in the many years that he had known her. He had not only disobeyed orders, but he had threatened a superior officer with every intention carrying it out if necessary. And to make matters worse, he had then taken unauthorized use of a Fenrir vehicle. He truly lost all regard for safety and protocol when Neo was involved.

Entering the city, Soma scowled as a pair of Zygotes passed overhead. They were getting close. Beside him he saw Ichiro's knuckles turning white as he gripped the steering wheel.

"Soma."

He silently turned his head. It was a small, subtle movement; just enough to show that he was listening.

"If anything happens to Neo… I swear to all of the Gods that you will follow her."

The veteran said nothing. After witnessing the look in his eyes, he knew that he would make good on his threat. Or at the very least, do everything in his power to do so. He had already seen firsthand how willingly he would lay down his life as they left the Infernal Subway. Ichiro had no fear of death. He feared only losing her.

As the approached the city, his entire body froze. His clouded eyes stared blankly in front of them, his lips pulled tightly in a straight line. Noticing his shift in demeanor, Ichiro's eyes drifted to his left. Watching him, he began to feel a sense of dread wash over him. He had seen a similar expression in the Infernal Subway, although he hadn't had any explanation for it then either.

"Soma, what's - hey!"

He rose from his seat and leapt forward from the moving vehicle, earning a startled noise from Hamasaki who swerved to avoid running him over. What the hell at gotten into him?

"Soma!"

Ichiro pressed the gas, taking pursuit as the other God Eater rushed down the city streets. He could no longer hear him. His mind was fogged, overshadowing his rational thought. His legs moved on their own, his body following the siren's call. Neo was near. Soma rounded a corner and Hamasaki followed, the tires squealing against the roadway as they slid across the ground.

As the clearing came into view, he jammed on the breaks, nearly crashing into the God Eater who had now become still.

"What the hell, Soma?!"

He didn't respond. He stared forward, his legs slowly beginning to move once again. What was wrong? Glaring, he pressed his hand against the wheel, blaring the horn directly behind him.

"…Huh?!"

Looking blankly around, he suddenly came to his senses. Where the hell was he? And when had he gotten out of the truck?

"The hell?"

"That's what I want to know."

"I don't -"

His sentence was interrupted as the tell-tale screech of a Zygote echoed up ahead. Foregoing his explanation, Ichiro shut off the truck and jumped out, grabbing his God Arc. Soma did the same, retrieving his weapon and following after him. As they rounded the corner, both men froze. Their thoughts left them as they entered the clearing. They were at a loss for words, aghast at the scene they had walked into.

It was nothing short of an absolute massacre. Bodies littered the ground in almost every direction, with layers of gore so thick that they cloaked the dirt below. The walls of the buildings ran red and the smell of blood hang so heavily in the air that it threatened to suffocate them. In the center of the carnage was their target… and she was inconsolable.

Her scythe swept endlessly, whirling and spinning, cutting down any and all that drew near. Soma felt his stomach clench as he looked upon the disgusting sight. The recording of the aircraft had been nothing compared to this display of raw savagery.

Why… An incoming Fallen Zygote fell to her blade.

I didn't ask for this… Two Ogretails met their end with a sweep.

Her body moved on its own, driven solely by instinct and fury as a war raged on in her mind. The words of countless people echoed in her head as she recounted the many encounters throughout her life.

"I've never seen anything like it before… she's not even human."

"What unholy creature is this?"

"A monster… she's a monster!"

"She won't stay harmless forever. We should destroy her while we have the chance."

"I don't know what Hiro is thinking, keeping that thing in the here. It's like he almost thinks its human."

"What?! He lets her around his son? He's out of his mind."

"She's a fiend… a sin against humanity."

Neo fell still as her mind continued to race. She was tired. She was so very, very tired. She thought that of all people, he would understand. Even if Ichi couldn't, Soma could because they were the same. They were results of the same experiment. They were both crimes against nature. She thought they shared understanding as the only two of their kind… but she was wrong.

Compared to her, Soma was nothing more than a moderately advanced human. He was the basis of all God Eaters. And temperamental as he was, his aggression was born of rage and mistreatment. He shied away from his Aragami side, doing his best to assimilate with human society.

But Neo was the opposite. She had embraced her other half. She happily consumed sustenance from whatever she could find without regard for social norms. Her aggression was born of instinct. While her early years had been relatively harmless, the researchers had been right. No matter how much she tried to ignore it, her very nature drove her to kill; drove her to devour. Even as her vision turned red at that very moment, she was driven purely by her inborn desire to destroy. It was for that reason that she had come to accept one of her many, many names: The Dark Child.

Soma and her were nothing alike. He had made that abundantly clear. He had gazed upon her with the scorn she had come to accept throughout her life. How long before Hamasaki abandoned her too? He had already tried to exterminate her once. And he would do it again. If he saw her for what she truly was, he wouldn't have hesitated. And she knew it. She was tired of trying to pretend. She was tired of trying to hide. Perhaps it was time that she simply stopped. If she were to spend her existence viewed as a beast… then that's what she would become.

Lifting her eyes to the sky, she shrieked. Unrestrained and uncontrolled, she unleashed her pain in a bellowing howl. Her scythe began to extend and her body began to tremble as her Oracle Cells destabilized. Her skin radiated with a crimson hue as the Oracle power coursed within her veins. She was going into burst mode. With an infuriated roar, she spun, spinning her scythe in a massive sweep, tearing through the surrounding Cocoon Maidens without mercy.

Neo was out of control.

Growling, Ichiro leaned his God Arc against the wall and began to dig through his emergency supplies. He could tell from the crazed expression on her face that she was beyond reason. He had no other choice. They were going to have to bring her down.

"Soma. Listen to me. Neo is beyond help right now. We have to shut her down."

Soma didn't like the sound of that.

"Care to elaborate?"

"There is no way that she will listen to us, let alone return to the Den."

As the last in the current wave was slain, Neo growled, pausing to looking over the death surrounding her. Shaking his head, Soma responded.

"It's not like we could talk to her anyway. Between her scythe and her rifle, she has too much range. And she is too fast for either one of us to catch her off guard. We're not getting anywhere near her."

"Exactly. Which is why we need to get it away from her."

"What?"

"Neo isn't thinking clearly. We're going to use that to our advantage. I'm going to agitate her and lure her in this direction."

"You're insane. She'll tear you in half if you even try to touch her. You won't be able to stop her."

"I know. You will."

Finding his desired object, Ichiro pulled a small metal device from his bag. It looked like a trap of some kind, but far smaller and more compact. He had intended to use it as a backup in the Infernal Subway but hadn't been required to do so. Luckily, he always carried it with him just in case he needed it. Soma gaped at him as he held out his hand, offering it to him.

"The hell is this?"

"It's an ultrasonic device. We won't be able to use grenades with her out in the open. She'll just move away from them. We can't use them in close quarters either without putting ourselves in the blast radius. In her current state, it'll work."

"Is that even safe?"

"For us, yes."

"What?!"

"Soma, just trust me on this, alright?"

Sighing, he took the device from him, eyeing the New Type as she kneeled to the ground, tearing through one of the nearby corpses.

"And what are you going to do when she electrocutes you?"

"She can't right now. It'll be fine."

"You sure seem confident."

"Soma. I was literally trained for this. Stopping Neo is what I do."

"… Fine. What's your plan?"

"I will separate her from her God Arc and lead her in this direction. Once I aggravate her, she'll pursue unarmed. I won't be able to outrun her, but I'll get her as close as possible. When she's distracted, hit the button to activate the device."

"… Don't die out there."

"I'll try not to."

Turning, he rushed into the open clearing toward the New Type, engorging herself on a Cocoon Maiden. As he approached, she detected him. Hissing, she stood and swung her scythe in his incoming direction. Leaping to the side, he dodged her strike.

"Neo, you have to stop."

"Leave me alone, Ichiro."

"This is enough. You've done more than enough. It's time to come home."

"Get away from me."

Smirking, he leapt into the air as she swung her scythe. The handle passed underneath of him. With her weapon extended, her range was longer, but her swings were slower.

"You're coming home. Now."

"No!"

She lifted her weapon and swung again, slamming the blade into the ground as he stepped to the side.

"Stop being a brat!"

"Fuck you!"

"Language!"

"Shut up!"

There were benefits to being one Neo's closest friends. He knew all of the right buttons to press to get on her nerves and he easily drew her focus. Her blade began to glow as her agitation grew. Similarly to their battle in the Infernal Subway, Neo's scythe snapped back into place, rending the earth as it passed. With her range reduced, he turned, rushing towards the buildings hoping to set off her predatory drive. He succeeded.

She lunged after him, scythe raised as he approached a nearby structure with solid-looking support. He turned around, pressing his back against the wall to corner himself. He watched her scythe raise, following the movement of her arms. The moment her grip tightened, he leapt to the side, rolling away as her scythe slammed into the building beside him, embedding her blade into the wall. Having thoroughly pissed her off, he rushed toward Soma's location, shouting behind him.

"Losing your touch? Guess you need more training."

Her expression twisted into an enraged one as she unhanded her lodged weapon and took chase. As he had expected, he was no match for Neo's speed in her current state. Even with a head start, it took no time at all for her to close the distance. After barely five paces, Neo caught up with him. Listening for her approaching footsteps, he twisted his body and turned around as she pounced on him, taking both of them to the ground with him sliding through the bloodied dirt on his back.

"Gah!"

Neo's nails tore straight through his arm as he blocked her incoming swipe that had been aimed initially at his throat. Snarling, swiped again, doubling over the wound and making it even deeper. With her attention fixated on her guardian, Soma rushed toward with a burst of speed, armed with the device. At the sight of him, she bristled and snarled at him, switching her attention to the new threat. He saw her eye glowing beneath her bangs as her lunged toward him, hands raised. Was it brighter than before?

He didn't care to find out.

Pressing the button, he activated the device, noticing an instant reaction. The device unleashed a burst of sound. While his own ears could hear the ringing of the waves, Neo apparently had it far worse. With an agonized screech, she crashed to the ground, clapping her hands over her ears trying to block the noise. Behind her, Ichiro rose to his feet, reaching into his pocket. They didn't have long. Soma stared as the familiar recorder appeared in his hands, as he worked rapidly to switch out the discs. Was he going to reset her?

Kneeling beside her, he pressed the Play button. The moment the song began, Neo erupted. She sprang to life, screaming and swiping at him. He grabbed her wrists, halting her assault as she began to flail in his grasp. She was resisting the music. Soma frowned as the song played, watching her writhing intensify as it reached its conclusion. She hadn't been free for very long, but it was obvious that she didn't want to return to her previous state. She didn't want to be Reaper again… but he wasn't sure they had any other choice.

But as the song came to an end, he didn't say her name. Not the name that he had come to expect. Instead, with her rage weakening, he tried to reason with her.

"You have to calm down."

"Get off me!"

"Please… we need to go back."

"What do you care?"

"Neo, stop."

"What does anyone?"

"Stop it!"

"Humans have no place for a monster -"

"Aiko, kike yo!"

Neo fell still as his voice rang through the clearing. Ichiro had never shouted at her before, and surely not in such an aggressive manner. But his rage was evident. His livid expression and bellowing voice stunned her into silence. She struggled no more. She simply stared up at him. The crimson aura faded from her body. Soma began wonder whether or not she was alright.

"It's time to rest now… okay?"

Neo said nothing, only nodding her head slowly. She had lost her will to fight, but for what reason, Soma didn't know. With her consent, Ichiro set to work, pulling a needle from his supply bag. Soma watched as the syringe pierced her skin, the tranquilizer disappearing into her arm. And within moments, her eyes slid closed as she fell into a deep sleep. She was finally subdued.

"Let's go."

"…Yeah."

Ichiro walked away, going to collect her God Arc. Soma picked up their sleeping New Type and made his way back toward the vehicle. As his eyes took in the grisly scene around him, his mind began to wander. At first, he had thought Hamasaki insane for even thinking of harming Neo… but now as he look upon the wreckage, it started to become clear.

His years of training and various devices, all designed to disable or otherwise incapacitate their friend. It had all seemed excessive, cruel, and unnecessary. But in the aftermath of her outburst, it was becoming evident that his assumptions were wrong. Hamasaki's mission hadn't been trained to prevent her outburst in the lobby… it was to prevent something like this. If she could do this much damage to humanity's enemy, she could decimate humanity itself. But surely, she would never do such a thing… would she?

With that disturbing thought in his mind, he gently laid her sleeping body in the backseat. His eyes wandered to Hamasaki who was returning with her weaponry. His wounds had been severe. Hopefully he would be alright. Ichiro sighed as his eyes swept over the destruction. He was going to have a difficult time explaining this one were anyone to pass through. If they were lucky, larger Aragami would pass through, cleaning up the mess they had left behind.

Climbing into the vehicle, they set off on their way back to Headquarters. Driving in silence, Soma eyed the sleeping woman in the back as they drove along the barren wasteland. Then, his eyes drifted to Ichiro, who remained focused on the road ahead of them.

"See Sakaki when we get back."

"Yeah."

With that single exchange, the two returned to silence, their intentions clear. With Neo safely collected, their feud had come to an end for the time being. They still weren't each other's favorite people, but at least they were no long hostile… at least for now. As Soma watched the world pass them by, Hamasaki frowned. The blood coating his arms concealed his truth: his wounds had already healed.