Forgotten Carrier

"How…" Ichiro muttered, his eyes sweeping carefully over the New-Type's sleeping form.

"I… I don't know." Alisa shook her head. "By all accounts… it shouldn't be possible, but… somehow -"

"She still lives." Soma finished her sentence, a scowl forming on his face. With the excitement over, the veteran focused his attention on the air around him, trying to gather something, anything from the woman lying still beneath them. Surely enough, he could feel the familiar pull, the alighting of his senses when Aragami were near. It was faint… but it was there. "I can feel it."

Beside him, his fellow veteran sprang to life. His previous rage forgotten, he immediately set to work. Digging through his supplies, he searched for every piece of medical equipment he could find: Restore Pills, bandages, O-Ampules, anything to buy time. Climbing to her knees, Alisa did the same, emptying her own satchel and adding her supplies onto the ground between them. Her resonance and Soma's senses had confirmed that Neo's heart was still beating… but none of them knew for how long.

"Can you reach Headquarters?" Ichiro tossed his bandages to Alisa, carefully lifting Neo's body as she unwound the roll. Above them, Soma quickly opened his radio, listening carefully for any sign of life. Upon hearing nothing but static, he attempted his cellphone as well.

"No good. The signal's still jammed."

"Of course it is…" Alisa grumbled, carefully working the fabric around Neo's stomach. "Any chance a rescue squad's on the way?"

Angling her body, Ichiro shifted her, following Alisa's movements. "It's likely. By now, they've probably started tracking your bio signals. But that isn't the issue here. Right now, the problem is -"

"Time." Soma knelt, emptying his pockets and adding his supplies into what was now growing into a substantial pile.

Ichiro nodded solemnly beside him. "Exactly. We don't know how much longer she can hold on."

"As long as she needs to." Soma muttered, collecting one of the injectors from their pile.

Shifting his grip, her guardian tilted her again, angling an arm in Soma's direction. The other veteran grasped the lifeless limb, nodding his thanks as he went to work steadily administering the medication. For the second time in his life, he found himself grateful for his other half. So long as he could sense her, he knew she still drew breath.

Beside them, Alisa gathered a new roll of bandages, grinning silently to herself as she watched the two of them from her periphery. After watching the pair almost constantly butt heads, it was refreshing to see them working together. It seemed that they were capable collaborating after all… they simply needed something, or more accurately, someone, to act as catalyst. How ironic that the very subject that so often fueled their conflict would be the same that brought them together, even temporarily.

Groaning, Lenka carefully stumbled to his feet, wincing slightly as he moved his jaw. It certainly wasn't broken, but it was going to be sore for a few days. What the hell was that guy's problem? Shaking the stars from his eyes, he swiftly made his way towards the rest of his team to ask that very question, raising an eyebrow at their kneeling huddled forms. What the heck were they doing?

"Think that'll do it?" Alisa questioned, carefully eyeing her handiwork. The bandages were already stained, her bleeding showing no signs of slowing. Instead, they tried to focus on pressure, keeping as much of her blood on the inside as possible.

"It's gonna have to be." Soma mumbled absentmindedly, injecting an O-Ampule into her arm. His senses focused entirely on the woman before him, he was only half paying attention to their conversation.

Beside him, Ichiro clasped her twitching hand, smoothing the creases in her brow. He hadn't the slightest clue what dreams were plaguing her. But so long as he remained by her side, he would be there to help her keep them at bay. "Hang on, Neo… help is coming."

Their tranquil moment was ended abruptly as an alarmed voice startled them from their tasks. A voice from a team mate temporarily forgotten. "Neo?!"

. . .

"…Neo."

"Hm?" The New-Type slowed her pace, stopping at the sound of her name. Lost in her thoughts, she had been blissfully unaware of the veteran trying to get her attention. Turning, she focused, tilting her head slightly at his serious expression.

"I'm sure you've already figured out that riddle… You know who my father wants us to find here. The unique Aragami. He wants us to hunt Shio. All my life I've let him send me on these missions. Search and destroy. Hunt and kill."

Neo paused for a moment, a bit taken aback. It was true that they had received orders to hunt the novel Aragami. But she had never realized that the man giving the order would be Soma's father himself. As children, the veteran had been secretive regarding his parentage, never mentioning either his mother or his father. Of course, it made sense. While she had never made the connection prior to that moment, his admission explained quite a lot. It made sense that his face would appear in the background of Soma's room, peeking in through the doorway during their video conversations.

"But there is no way in hell that I will hand Shio over to that bastard. He will not lay a hand on her."

A sudden shift in Soma's stance caught her attention, bringing the New-Type out of her daydreams once again. She recognized such a movement, having seen it many times before. Most recently at this proximity, it had been aiming for her as the target. At the time, she had resisted the embrace of death… now, she wanted to welcome it.

Yet her childhood friend had no intention of bringing her harm. Instead, he stopped short, pointing his Arc at her nose just as he had many months ago. "I don't want you to mistake this anger. I hate the way he manipulates us, the way he pulls strings like we're his damned toys."

"Understandable." Neo agreed with him, making no move to shift away from his blade. She shared his frustrations, having spent most of her life doing much the same thing. As a child, she had been born a weapon. Growing up, she had been used as an asset. As Reaper, she had been a puppet. No one understood manipulation better than her.

"I've seen this angle before. The third time we met, I drew my blade on you. You weren't really yourself back then, but even now you don't falter. Heh… it's strange."

"…What?" Neo tilted her head slightly, as she refocused her attention once again.

"You, Neo. You've changed. You're so different from how you were back then."

Neo felt her mouth twitch slightly at his observation. Of course she was different. How could she not be? So much had happened during her formative years, most of which Soma didn't know about. She had never told him. But those experiences had shaped her into who she was today… and she still wasn't sure whether that was a good or bad thing. But she couldn't voice her concerns. She couldn't admit her worries. So instead, she responded with sarcasm. "As are you."

"Yeah… I guess you're right."

"So what's the problem?" The New-Type prodded him.

"There's no problem. I mean to say that… you've grown. For a while, it was hard for me. It was difficult not to see you in the way I always have. In the only way I ever knew you."

His assertion didn't surprise her. It made sense that he would see her as her former self. It was the only side of her that she had ever shown to him. But she wasn't that girl anymore. She couldn't be. Perhaps that was why she had been rejected. Was it because she was different that he now viewed her with scorn? She wasn't sure. She could only ask him to elaborate upon his thoughts. "And now?"

"Now… now, I see that you aren't that little girl anymore. You're a woman. You're stronger. You're tougher and more resilient. You're…"

Neo watched him, her gaze focusing intently as she hung upon his every word. So far he had offered only compliments… a far cry from the heart-piercing insults he had skewered her with before. Part of her wanted to believe him, and to take solace in the fact that Soma may still see her in a human light. But another part of her was uncertain. She knew that her friend always meant what he said… but she had no way of knowing if he viewed her changes as a good thing. Perhaps it all depended on what he was about to say.

"Never mind. Anyway, she's around here. I know that much for sure. Still, best to stay close and sharp, there are other feral ones running around. Keep your Arc up."

Neo would never know what he had meant to tell her. It seemed that whatever his thoughts, he had no wish to share them… and she wasn't sure how she felt about that fact. But there was nothing she could do about it. So instead, she nodded and lifted her God Arc, looking forward as they made their way across the bridge.

. . .

"Damn it… Where is she?" The veteran grumbled beside her, complaining yet again about their lack of success.

Neo wanted to ease his frustration… but she was no more privy to Shio's whereabouts than he was. All she could do was offer comforting words. "We'll find her."

"I know we will. We have to."

Neo flinched slightly, kneeling discreetly towards a Fallen Zygote. She could hear the pain in his voice. Shio's disappearance had deeply wounded him.

"Yes, we do." She muttered quietly, trying to extract the Zygote's core as quickly as possible. She couldn't help but wonder if he would be similarly concerned were she to disappear as well… she doubted it. Her suspicions only worsened when saw him turn away, gazing pointedly towards a fallen building. He had been avoiding her gaze this way their entire search, averting his eyes any time she knelt to feed. It would seem that even now, he was still disgusted by her. She couldn't blame him. Perhaps he should be.

Devouring the core, she quickly rose to her feet, wiping the blood from her hands against her pantlegs. Having finished her meal, she paused. It was true that she had changed… but she wasn't the only one. "You've changed too."

"Huh? What're you on about?" He turned to face her, a look of confusion on his normally aggravated face.

"You and Shio. You care about her." Neo tried her best to hide the disappointment in her words.

"I… that's - whatever."

The New-Type continued to observe him, watching as he turned away to hide the blush rising in his cheeks. Of course he would be embarrassed. Soma had never been a person very capable of processing his emotions. He had been that way since they were children. While this particular fact had never bothered her before in the past, she couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy at his reaction. His sheepish response had only confirmed her suspicions. Even still, she felt compelled to reassure him, as she always had.

"It's a good thing." Neo began, offering a comforting smile. "She was all alone in the wilderness. She needed someone… Someone in this world that could truly understand her… and she found one. In you, Soma."

"Sounds like someone else I know."

Neo blinked at Soma's jocular response. Playful moments with him were rare, and even more so when she was concerned. He always seemed to exude such seriousness with her. His spirited side was reserved for Shio, it seemed… at least, until fairly recently. Even more surprising than his mischievous jab were his words as a whole. Was he talking about…?

"Pardon?"

Soma confirmed her thoughts as he answered, elaborating on his previous mutterings. "I remember another lonely little girl who needed a friend too." It seemed he was talking about her after all. But why would he bring up such memories now?

"Is that so?"

"Yeah."

For the briefest moment, Neo felt hope. She began to wonder if maybe, just maybe, that her old friend had started to see… "Soma… are you implying that Shio and I are the same?"

"I can't really say. You have a lot of similarities… but you have a lot of differences too. The two of you are fairly opposite… different in as many ways as you are the same. You aren't really comparable."

"Hmm…" Neo hummed and fell silent, her eyes drifting away from him as he fell deeply in thought. Her facial expression remained neutral, but inside she felt nothing but sadness. Of course Soma could never see them equally. After all, Shio was far closer to human than she was, it seemed. She knew it and yet to hear the words felt like a dagger to the heart. "You're right. Shio is a special girl. Invaluable to the First Unit, unique, and irreplaceable."

"Hm?" Soma lifted his head slightly, his eyes growing vigilant once more as he returned from whatever thoughts had enamored him.

Neo inwardly sighed at his mindless response. He was probably thinking of Shio again. Of course he was. Why wouldn't he be? Everyone always did. Shaking her head, she repeated herself, this time having his full attention. "Shio. I said, she's a special girl. Invaluable to the First Unit, unique, and irreplaceable."

"Yeah. She really is."

Neo slowly nodded in affirmation her heart wrenching at the adoration in his voice. She could see that that little girl meant the world to him. Like all the others, she had slowly managed to find her way into even Soma's icy heart. She had reached him in a way that she never could.

"But Neo, you're also - huh?"

"Wait…" Neo paused for a moment as the sound of a gentle melody reached both of their ears. Someone was singing… a quiet, sorrowful tune that left both God Eaters feeling uneasy. Shio was there.

Instinct suddenly took over, her body moving almost entirely on its own as the thought of an endangered Shio crossed her mind. In her heart, Neo could feel an overwhelming sense of curiosity as she pondered the words that Soma had cut short. What had he been meaning to say? Nothing would make her happier than to ask him, to inquire further… but now wasn't the time. Shio needed their help. Without her, the First Unit would grieve and mourn. Perhaps she would question him once they returned.

"Holy…" Neo muttered quietly to herself as she slid to a stop, the sight before her overriding all previous concerns and thought. Piled high atop a wall of debris was a stack of Aragami corpses, strewn about no differently than a pile of dirty laundry. At the mountain's peak was…

"Shio!" Soma rushed forward, shouting her name as he rushed passed. Neo quickly followed behind, her eyes focusing forward as she observed the child finishing her mournful song.

Turning towards them, Shio gazed listlessly. "Oh! What… What is this song? I don't like it… I don't like it!"

Neo frowned as she looked up at the child. The misery and fearfulness in Shio's voice emulated her own feelings. She shared the little girl's pain for reasons different than her own, but she remained silent. What she felt at that moment didn't matter. Not with Shio hanging in the balance. Right now, she had to focus on her mission, helping their cherished friend.

Soma, it seemed, was already in the process of doing so, speaking gently to her in a voice that Neo had never heard from the abrasive veteran. "It's a song of parting. That's the reason it makes you afraid."

"I don't want to go! I don't!" Shio shouted, starting defiantly at the ground below.

"The words are sad. They're singing about loss, about never seeing the one you love again…"

Neo's breath hitched as she listened to their exchange. There was that word again. Love. Where had she heard it before? It held little meaning to her, yet somehow, she knew that it was something valuable. It was something impassioned and precious…

"But… But we did see each other again. You're right there."

"Because we're different than the song. We came looking. Let's go home, Shio."

"Okay!" Shio's sadness vanished in an instant at Soma's words, her face lighting up like the morning sky.

Her shift in mood was affecting Soma as well. While he stood in front of her, leaving only his back facing her, Neo somehow knew he was smiling. And why wouldn't he? Shio brought him happiness. She brought him comfort. A light in his world of darkness. Whereas she could only bring him…

"Aaaargh!" Shio's voice echoed through the air as she screamed to the heavens, her body radiating once more with an ethereal hue.

It took only moments for Neo to pinpoint the cause of her pain. The voice had returned. It was the same that had called to them previously, summoning them to Aegis. It's voice rang in her ears, urging her to feed. To destroy. To devour.

Slowly, Shio rose to her feet, turning towards the distant dome floating out to sea. Below, Neo turned as well, her mind fading as the voice overtook her senses.

"What the hell is going on?! Shio!" Soma shouted, trying to get her attention, to stop her walking off the edge.

"I must go… I am called… " The child continued forward, her voice hollow as she gazed across the ocean.

"Come back here! Shio, come back!" Soma's voice echoed even louder as his desperation grew, the child's feet mere inches away from the cliffside as she turned towards him. Then, the glow faded… and when they did, Shio's light faded with it. Collapsing to the ground with a dull thump, she pulled a gasp from the veteran God Eater, who was powerless to stop it. "What's wrong?! Shio! Damn it! This makes no sense. We gotta get her back to the Den, now!"

Rushing forward, Soma leapt up the debris, stumbling slightly over an Ogretail as he tried to reach her. Below, Neo stared forward, her heterochromatic eyes watching as their light returned. Startled, she leapt back as she felt the ocean's breeze. Much like her counterpart, she had come dangerously close to stepping off the ledge… and Soma hadn't even noticed. Fixated on Shio, he had been completely blind to the woman behind him who had nearly suffered the same fate. And now, as she watched him cradle her in his arms, she felt her heart split in two.

His words had rang true. This must be what love looked like. Soma loved Shio. Everyone loved Shio. And why wouldn't they? She was everything that Neo was not… therefore love was something that she herself would likely never experience. But none of that mattered. What mattered was finding a solution.

The Director wasn't going to stop. He was going to keep coming for her, never ceasing in his efforts until he had the Singularity in his possession. If that were to happen, then Soma would mourn. Everyone would mourn. And if her suspicions about the Ark Project were correct, they would likely perish soon after.

A decision had to be made. Only one of them could be saved.

Turning away from them, Neo took advantage of Soma's distraction, slipping in between the buildings and out of sight. From her vantage point, she watched silently as Soma attempted to wake Shio, to no avail. She watched as his expression shifted from panicked to determined. She watched as he finally turned, addressing someone who was no longer there.

"Come on, let's head back to -" Soma's voice stopped short as he finally realized her absence. His face fell slightly, his head whipping around in different directions, his eyes scanning every crevice.

Neo couldn't decipher his expression from her position. Was he upset? Concerned? Angry? She wasn't sure… but in the end, it was irrelevant. After a few moments of sweeping the area, Soma gave up. Resigning himself to her disappearance, he carefully held the child in his arms and leapt from the hilltop. Shifting further between the buildings, she kept carefully out of sight as he ran, taking off in the direction of the Den. Her eyes closed and her ears listened, noting every thump of his footsteps as the pair drew further and further away.

After a few minutes of silence, the New-Type slowly emerged from her cover, checking once more to ensure their departure. Now that she was alone, she could begin her mission. The ocean breeze blew through her violet locks as she approached the cliffside, her eyes looking out to the white dome across the waves. She wasn't entirely what the Director's goals were, but at the moment, she had an idea. Based off of the impressions she had received, both from Sakuya and Johannes's fixation on the story of Noah, it was possible that he planned to trigger an event, likely of apocalyptic proportions. She also knew, from his own words, that he required the Singularity to do it… and based on the mission they had been assigned, it must somehow involve Shio.

But why? Why did he require Shio? What was within her that was so valuable to him, and how did that relate to the Singularity? For that matter, what was the Singularity at all?

She had no answers to her questions… but she knew where to find them.

. . .

Far East Branch - Sick Bay

Medical personnel rushed around the room grabbing instruments and gadgets at Sakaki's command. Her blood ran from the table, dripping onto the floor below. The First Unit had returned to base, but their arrival had been in no way celebratory. Instead, they burst through the doors, Ichiro carrying Neo's body. The Major had more than a few words to say to the unruly group, but quickly silenced them when she noticed the woman in his arms. With silver hair, unfolded coats, and a body stained red from head to toe, the New-Type was nearly unrecognizable. But she knew that time was of the essence.

As a result, the First Unit had split apart, leaving the Major behind and promising a full report at a later date. Utsugi stayed behind with Alisa, briefing Tsubaki on the events of surrounding the Ark Project. Soma and Ichiro took her to the Sakaki. While the veteran was still technically acting Captain of the First Unit, it was better to leave the logistics to their official Captain. The only other option would be leaving the two of them in a room together, and Soma couldn't trust them not to murder each other.

Now, both men sat silently in the laboratory with solemn faces, watching their closest friend cling to life.