Aegis Island

Small feet padded silently through the deserted corridor. After leaving Soma behind, the New-Type had made her way through the Forgotten Carrier, searching for an entranceway into Aegis Island. While she was certain that multiple pathways existed, most of them were likely somewhere underneath of the Den. And since returning to Headquarters was no longer an option for her, she would need to find another gate. Thankfully, doing so was far from an impossible task. The city surrounding her was massive, and large networks of tunnels ran through the ground below. Surely, one of them had to lead her to her destination.

A few days of searching proved her suspicions correct. Following the occasional call of the Nova, she was able to find a hidden entranceway along the edge of the city, not far from the coastline. Moving through the tunnels, she quickly found herself deep underground. When she reached it, Neo quickly found herself at the center of different dilemma. It seemed that locating the path to Aegis Island was the easy portion of her journey. The real challenge began once inside, navigating the various networks and avoiding the stringent security measures and wandering guards. Thankfully, most of the underground walkways consisted primarily of long, straight corridors and hallways… perfect for allowing maximum acceleration.

And she utilized every inch of them, eluding the detection apparats and slipping through the trackers. Once she deciphered the timing, rushing between the cameras and alarm systems became a matter of agility. With careful movements, Neo was able to worm her way deep within the caverns where she emerged into treasure trove.

Beneath the island was a massive containment chamber, housing rows upon rows of Aragami cores. It seemed that most of their hard-fought spoils came there… although what they were needed for, she did not know. Of course, she had worked up an appetite breaking and entering and saw no harm in a little indulgence. Alone in her own personal heaven, the New-Type quickly helped herself to a small feast.

After engorging her stomach nearly to the point of sickness, she reentered the halls and continued her search. Unfortunately, doing so proved a bit more difficult than the first time around. Having stuffed herself so thoroughly, she found her movements slightly more sluggish than they been previously. And as a result, she made a mistimed charge, tripping the alarm and nearly activating one of the island's security measures.

Deciding that it would be best to avoid unnecessary exploration for the time being, she climbed, wandering the stairwells in search of a quiet place to rest out of sight. Surely, there must be living quarters somewhere on the Island. With those thoughts in her mind, she began her ascent through the island.

In the end, she never found her destination, having gotten herself lost in what appeared to be the executive wing. Luckily, it seemed that the Director had prioritized the lower floors, leaving her current location with almost no security measures. And during the time day, it was, for the most part, relatively deserted. She naturally used this to her advantage, slipping quietly the hallways, listening carefully for movement and scrutinizing door labels. Her initial mission was entirely forgotten, but while she found no place to rest her head, she found something far more interesting.

Among the various offices, including the Director's, she found one belonging to someone she assumed had long left the Far East. Contrary to her initial belief, it seemed that Daigo Oguruma had simply gone into hiding. Ending his tenure at the Den, he had left to reside on Aegis Island, bringing all of his research and medical supplies with him. What on Earth was he doing there? Curious as she was, the New-Type sought to find the answer. With a strong wave of current, she overloaded the locking system, forced her way in, and took a look around.

What she found made her blood run cold.

She found countless documents and discs of data, detailing various experiments over the course of Oguruma's career. She found records of all of the 'patients' he had brainwashed, both on official Fenrir business and recreational experimentation. Among them were both Alisa's profile and her own, the latter being far longer and more complex. But it wasn't the reports that fueled her rage. Instead, it was the anticipated result.

Skimming through Alisa's documents, she discovered that her medication had been a suppressant, aimed to manipulate rather than to treat. Even worse, she learned that the New-Type's medically induced coma had held far more sinister intent than she had originally believed. With the woman out of their control, the decision had been made to decommission her… through termination. With the use of potent poison, her friend's slumber would become eternal, slipping seamlessly into death and burying her secrets with her.

It had in fact, been Neo's interference that unintentionally saved her life, waking her from her sedation during their first resonance.

Neo could feel her hands tremble fury at the thought. It seemed that they were far more similar than even she had realized. There was truly no end to humanity's avarice.

They had manipulated and exploited Alisa.

They had groomed and used her.

And when they had no further need of her, they tried to exterminate her… just like her.

Enraged, Neo continued her investigation of the office in search of any further information regarding her New-Type companion. No further records or documentation were found. But she found something far better. Hidden within his belongings was a small dark injector containing the poison intended for her companion, as well as its antidote and notes on their administration. It was then that she hatched a frightening plan. Collecting both instruments, she made her way through the halls, keeping outside of sight as she searched for the missing doctor.

Unfortunately, finding him proved far more challenging than she had initially assumed. Her wandering led her into the heart of Aegis, where she discovered a sight far beyond anything she could have ever imagined. Something far more interesting distracted her from her task as she gazed upward at the mass dangling from the ceiling. Up above was the head of a goddess, larger than any structure she had ever seen with vine-like strands of hair stretching across the entire area. No, in fact, they stretched across the island itself, making up a decent portion of its support structure. How could something like this even exist? Was this the creature that had been calling to her?

Down below, the New-Type's fears were renewed as she gazed upon the monstrosity, the world-eater. With this, Johanne's recreation mythology wouldn't just be possible… it would be far, far worse. Possibilities plagued her mind as the image of her friends, drowning in the coming flood filled her mind.

But she had little time to ponder.

Footsteps echoed through the clearing, startling Neo and sending her shrinking into the corner out of sight. She had gone to great lengths to make it this far. She wouldn't risk capture by gawking like an imbecile. Her hair stood on end as the heels clacked against the metal floor, drawing further into the center of the arena until… wait… was that?

Her body flinched, crouching low at the sound of the alarm and remaining completely still. It didn't take long for her to realize that the security's warnings hadn't been for her. It seemed that she wasn't the only person trespassing on forbidden ground. Her Vice Commander, quickly followed by their blonde New-Type were standing in the center of the room. Their eyes drifted through the hall, expressions of concern dawning their faces as the lights illuminated. Neo considered for a moment revealing herself, if only to help them get out of sight.

"Welcome to the Aegis. I had a feeling it would be you two. So tell me, what do you think? Are you crushed that it's nothing like the paradise you were sold? Hehehe."

But as the Director appeared, rising from a crane on the lower floor, she thought better of it. Frowning, she remained silent and still, listening as he berated her teammates. Her mouth twitched as the man shameless taunted her comrades, revealing his plan and confirming her suspicions. So, it seemed that he truly planned to destroy the planet, wiping out all life on it to repopulate with his chosen people. Neo smirked at the irony of the situation. And they called her a monster?

Perhaps there was a way that the Nova could stopped. Something so large would be near impossible to destroy, but perhaps there were alternative. Of course, she hadn't the slightest clue of what the Aragami truly was, let alone its inner workings. She would need to gather more information if she were going to find any success. Solidifying her resolve, she considered doubling back and making her way to the Director's office… until a familiar voice reached her ears.

"It's been a while, Alisa. This is your fault. Wouldn't it have been better to just slip into death? If that coma had lasted forever?"

Daigo Oguruma. The man that she had been searching for appeared in the hall, brazenly announcing his horrid plan to both Sakuya and the New-Type herself. She felt her blood boil as his lips curled into a menacing smile. She calculated the risk of tearing him limb from limb for a moment… ultimately deciding against it. At the moment, she still needed him alive, and so couldn't risk destroying him. Yet.

But her thoughts were interrupted as Alisa gasped. She watched in confusion as the doctor recited words that, to her, held little meaning… until she remembered. Realizing where she had heard them, she her chest clench. Then, she felt horror as Alisa turned her God Arc on her teammate, a clouded look in her eyes. There was nothing that Neo could do. Sakuya could never hope to outrun her, and even at her fastest, she wouldn't reach them in time with the woman at such close range.

But she didn't need to.

The Vice Commander rushed bravely forward, calling out to her, trying to bring her back. And miraculously, Alisa overcame her command, overriding her programming and firing a harmless recovery bullet at their Vice Captain. A sense of wonder washed over Neo as she watched the New-Type collapse into Sakuya's arms. If only she possessed such strength… The doctor shared her astonishment, stammering and stumbling over his words in utter disbelief.

But she didn't have long to revel in her friend's victory, clapping her hands over her ears and shutting her eyes to the flash bullet that would soon follow.

When the light faded, the Director and Oguruma were left standing alone in the open hall… or so they thought. And as the Russian doctor made his way into the caverns, Neo stealthily followed. She knew where he must be headed… and she would head him off.

She looped back through the hallways, waiting patiently for his arrival. Surely, with no further work to do, he would be returning to Russia. Little did he know, that he would never live to see his homeland again. He had attempted to destroy Alisa not once, but twice, and held little remorse either time. Someone like him didn't deserve to live… but she wouldn't destroy him yet. She still needed him… so she would take a page out his own playbook and use him. Then, once he exhausted his usefulness, she would dispose of him.

As he rounded the corner, she struck.

"Gah!"

The doctor stumbled forward, clutching his neck as Neo administered the poison. She watched him struggle, looking blearily around for the source of his pain. His clouded eyes widened as she stepped slowly in front of him. "What?! Ugh… It's y-you…"

"It's been a long time, Daigo. I hope you don't mind. I borrowed some of your supplies. You really shouldn't leave these sorts of things lying around… someone could get hurt." A smile tugged at her lips as he gazed up at her with hateful eyes. It was nice to see him on the receiving end of his misdeeds.

No, it was beyond nice. It was poetic.

A few moments passed in silence. Neo waited patiently before him, allowing the poison to work into his system. Then, as the sound of wheezing reached her ears, she slowly brandished her secret weapon. Twirling the green syringe between her fingers, she observed his reaction. It didn't take him long to receive her message.

"Wh-What… What do… you want?"

Neo answered within a moment. She already knew what she wanted. It was decided long ago. "Freedom."

"Heh… heheh…"

Patiently, she awaited his decision, watching as he gasped for breath. He wouldn't last much longer, she knew. Either he would heed her request… or he would die. The latter option of course, wouldn't bode well for her. But like most of the scientists she had encountered, Oguruma was a coward. He would undoubtedly choose life.

Within moments, he proved her right, reaching into his coat pocket for the familiar device.

A gentle sigh escaped her lips as the familiar melody reached her ears. She relaxed into the melody, letting the song calm her as she swayed slowly in time to the music. Then, the song began to reverse. It was easily one of the strangest sounds she had ever heard, the haunting sound bordering on nightmare fuel. But what followed made it all worth it.

"Specimen… 13…"

At the sound of her designation, Neo felt her world turn upside down. Every thought, every repressed memory, every fragment of her mind, all awakened as her chains were lifted. No longer would she be found by her mortal chains. No longer would she be hindered in her functionality, her limiters now removed. She felt peace as body and mind once again became their own… and with it, a voice that had long since gone silence. A presence within her that, until now, had remained in peaceful slumber.

Slowly, she lifted her arm, gazing at the smooth skin. Then, she rent her own skin, watching the blood flow, dripping to the floor. Finally. She was free.

Stepping forward, Neo jammed the syringe into Oguruma's neck, administering the antidote and watching him sputter on the floor. He coughed and writhed beneath her, greedily gulping the air around him as his organs began to function once again. It was a pathetic sight. It amused her. Reaching forward, she offered a hand to him, pulling him to his feet and steadying him as he wobbled. She let him go as he stabilized and watched interest as he walked away, blissfully unaware of the eyes following him.

He had no idea.

"This is your fault, you know." Daigo froze at the sound of Neo's voice, empty, hollow, and devoid of all empathy. "Wouldn't it have been better to just slip into death?"

She could practically see his body shivering as realization dawned on him. He had exhausted his usefulness to her. He was never meant to be saved. Foolishly, he attempted to flee, barely making two paces before she descended upon him. Her eyes detected movement as a hand slipped into his pocket. One glimpse of the device told her all she needed to know.

Her arm moved on its own, clutching his wrist and squeezing with unhindered might. She could feel the tendons and muscle snapping beneath her fingers as the ultrasonic device slipped from his grasp. His arm trembled beneath her, both in fear and pain… and the sound of his cries were music to her ears. It was at that moment that a truly horrendous idea crossed her mind.

I swore that I would find it. I swore that I would tear out its core and crush it.

Her hand rushed forward, plunging deep within his chest. Warm blood spattered across her cheeks as his face twisted in pain. The smell was intoxicating, drawing her in. "I… freed… you…" His pleading voice excited something within her.

Destroy.

"A grievous mistake… that will be your last." Her fingers wrapped carefully around the pulsating organ.

"Heh… you really… are…"

His words went unfinished. Tearing the heart from its owner, Neo crushed it in palm as his body collapsed into a heap on the floor. The doctor was no more. There was nothing left for her there.

Yet still, she lingered, her eyes drifting cloudily towards the lump of bloody muscle, the voice growing louder in her mind. It was so warm…

Devour.

"Urk!" Neo shook her head, tossing his shattered heart to the floor. Turning, she moved on, going back the way she came.

. . .

Far East Branch - Sakaki's Office

Tempers flared in the office as every member of the First Unit stood on edge. Upon their return to the Den, Neo's body had been swiftly transported to the doctor, possibly moments from death. Through the careful use of O-Ampules, Restore Pills, and a desperate recovery bullet, the team managed to pause her deterioration, buying her just enough time to reach Headquarters. Working through the night, Sakaki had managed to stabilize her, but her condition remained critical. For the time being, there was little more any of them could do than wait.

With nothing but time, the doctor had called all of them into the office for a briefing. After her display, there was no hiding her condition. As such, it was decided that the truth of Neo's origins would finally be revealed. Her birth as Specimen 13, her place in the Far East branch, and her unique biology. The revelation had come as a terrible shock to both the Major and the First Unit alike. More accurately, two members in particular.

Kota had simply stared in utter disbelief, unable to process the information. Sakuya, already apprised of some knowledge, was more surprised by the finer details. The archives she found had explained nothing of this. Soma, Alisa, and Ichiro were unaffected as the three of them already knew.

But the member taking it worst of everyone was Utsugi.

Having only recently returned to the Far East, he had already suffered substantial whiplash simply from its state. Then, in searching for his distressed teammates, he had unintentionally located the North American's missing asset… standing in a circle of his incapacitated teammates. After shooting the Aragami on sight, he was surprised to find that his teammates were relatively fine, save some singed hair and twitching limbs. Then, after nearly being beaten to death by one of the very members he had been trying to save, he learned an even more harrowing discovery: the missing specimen was Neo.

Now, he was conflicted. He cared deeply for his team, of which Neo was a part. His drive to protect his comrades was strong, rivaled only by his hatred of Aragami. The New-Type fell under the category of both.

And that was precisely the problem.

"You said it yourself. You have no idea what state she's gonna wake up in!" Lenka growled, earning a dangerous glare from her protective companion.

With most all questions answered surrounding the New-Type, one remained. What they were going to do with her in the interim. In her comatose, critical state, Neo posed no threat to anyone… but when she awakened, it would be a different matter entirely. In the past, they had been faced with a similar dilemma, with no one certain whether she would awaken as Reaper or Neo.

Now, in her overdriven state, the situation was far more severe as there was no telling which half of her would maintain control. She posed a far greater to the Den than she had in her previous state. Should she awaken as Neo, it would simply be a matter of keeping her separate from medical personnel. But were she to awaken as the Dark Child, it would spell disaster as her rampage would quickly make all of their work in saving the branch a moot point. Some members, like Sakuya, Amamiya, and Utsugi wanted to err on the side of caution, entrapping her in the metal cage she had arrived in. Others, like Soma, Ichiro, and Alisa were staunchly opposed. Kota and Paylor were undecided.

Sakuya sighed, trying to ease the tension between the two God Eaters. "I understand your apprehension Hamasaki, but…" Her eyes drifted slowly to the floor as the image of their pitiful New-Type resurfaced in her mind. "Utsugi isn't entirely wrong. On Aegis, Neo attacked even you on sight. There's simply no telling what she'll do..."

His expressions softened slightly as he eyed the Vice Commander, noting the concern in her voice. But while her intentions meant well, she simply didn't understand. "With Neo, it is always difficult to tell what she'll do. But I promise you that if you try to cage her, you're all but guaranteeing her aggression."

"That's exactly the point." Lenka interjected, growing frustrated with his fellow veterans. "She was unpredictable in her normal state. Now, she's just plain dangerous."

Alisa stepped forward, shaking her head. "Neo can be a little… impulsive at times, but her antics are harmless. Most of the time. It hardly warrants putting her in a cage."

"It isn't the point of her 'antics', Alisa. It's a matter of safety. You are talking about keeping an Aragami in general population."

"She isn't an Aragami." Ichiro shot back, irritation evident in his voice. "Regardless of whatever form she takes, she's still Neo."

"I know that… and maybe she is only half, but that doesn't make her any more safe."

Soma twitched slightly at the implication, his own irritation beginning to rise. "You gonna put me in a cage too?"

Lenka's expression shifted slightly, realizing his mistake. "Soma, that's completely different."

"How so?"

"Look at her! She literally has claws and fangs. Her heart is a core. She's more Aragami than human!"

Soma scowled. "That's what happens when you screw around with human biology."

"I'm not arguing that. But regardless of their intentions, we have to face the reality in front of us. Humans tried to create an enhanced God Eater, but they failed. Instead they created a -"

"Say it. I dare you." Ichiro snapped, his eyes flashing with dangerous rage.

"Enough!" The Major's voice cut through the tension in the room, halting their bickering. She had been listening to both sides of the debate for some time and she could see the discussion was going nowhere. "All of you have raised valid points."

Paylor stepped forward, nodding solemnly as he looked around the room. "Quite so. It is true that Neo poses a quite a threat in her feral state. But at the moment, she is relatively harmless. But I would remind you that as it stands, we have a larger to address. Confined or other, keeping her in the Sick Bay is not simply not an option."

Alisa nodded. "He's right. God Eaters are returning to Headquarters. If someone were to see her like this…"

The room fell quiet, Soma's face twisting into a scowl. Alisa was right. As it stood, there was no telling how long Neo was going to remain in that state. In fact, she may never revert at all… and rumors spread throughout the Den like wildfire. If someone spotted her, it would be a disaster.

Suddenly, Kota's voice broke the silence. "Guys… maybe nobody's wrong here… and I think there may be a solution."

Tsubaki's eyebrow raised, eyeing the young God Eater carefully. In times like these, he would be the last person anyone would expect to impart wisdom. But after leading them to the underground passageway into Aegis, no one knew what to expect. "Well, let's hear it. What do you suggest?"

"What about the underground containment chambers? After the incident at Spring Thunder, I got a little curious and did some digging. I found some archives detailing the Managarm Project, you know, the start of it. Sorry Soma."

Soma rolled his eyes and sighed. Was there no one in the Den capable of minding their own business?

Taking his silence as acceptance, the gunner continued. "Anyway, I remember a testing room in one of the videos. I think they used it to contain Aragami for experimentation… it can't be that hard to repurpose into a medical ward, right?"

The room fell silence once more, Kota's words hanging heavily in the air as they considered their options. It seemed that once again, the young redhead was full surprises. Always paying attention in the most unusual places, he had discovered a perfect holding chamber for their injured teammate. The room was filled with testing equipment, many of which could easily be used for monitoring. The tables were more than large enough to accommodate her, and the reinforced walls should be enough to buy them time should they need to subdue her. Best of all, the rooms were deep underground, far beyond where any God Eater would ever think to tread. The chances of someone stumbling across her were slim to none.

After a few moments of careful consideration, Sakaki finally spoke. "That's… correct. Kota is absolutely right. A wonderful idea. Splendid!"

Amamiya shook her head, fighting back the urge to sigh at his ever-changing moods. "Very well. Neo will be hereby transported to the underground holding chamber for the remainder of her recovery. This will allow her to remain unrestrained, while keeping the safety of Headquarters in careful consideration." Her eyes swept around the room, silently searching for any objections. Seeing none, she concluded her order. "It shouldn't need saying but… this discussion, and Neo's location, does not leave this room. Is that clear?"

"Ma'am." Every member in the room nodded in understanding. Lenka said nothing, glaring absently toward the wall.

"Good. That will be all."