Aegis Island

Papers rustled quietly in the darkness of the room. Heterochromatic eyes drifted back and forth across scientific reports, lids narrowing with every page. Following Daigo Oguruma's death, Neo returned to the executive floor. This time however, she made her way into the Director's office, overriding the lock mechanisms and quickly burying herself in the research materials within.

"Hm…" Quiet murmurings were the only sounds she made as she looked over the seemingly endless documents.

It seemed the Director's plan for the Ark Project extended years, possibly a decade or more beyond hers and anyone else's assignments to the Far East. Blueprints, diagrams, and maps told the tale of various resources, organic and inorganic materials, Oracle cell components and more. Originally the Aegis Project truly had been an admirable endeavor. An Aragami-impervious utopia; a safe haven where humanity could finally live once again in peace. It wasn't until later that Johannes's plans had shifted, his new goal being one of destruction rather than salvation.

She wasn't certain when that changed, nor what had caused it. Perhaps years of watching the Aragami's decimation had drained his resolve. Maybe he felt he was running out of time. Perhaps he realized that, sooner or later, even Aegis would eventually fall victim to the ever-growing, ever-adapting threat.

Or maybe he just gave up home.

At some point, Johannes had abandoned his dreams of paradise… and instead decided on a different course of action. Rather than building Eden, he would tear the Earth and skies, bringing a flood to wash away all of existence. His goal was to leave a blank slate and plant seeds upon it to bring forth new life. For years, he had planned, building and nurturing to grow the Alda Nova, an Aragami so massive it would swallow the planet whole. And now, his plan was almost complete.

All he needed was the Singularity.

The final key of completion was Shio's core. A duality between two sides, human and god. A sigh escaped her lips as the she leaned against the chair. She wasn't sure whether to be vexed by his deceit or impressed by the pure brilliance of it all. His was no easy feat… and he had done it all right under their noses. Now, as a result, all of humanity would pay the price.

… But was that really such a bad thing?

For a moment, Neo recounted all that their species had done. What they continued to do. And what they would likely do in the future, even after venturing into the new world. Could humanity truly be saved?

Could she?

Sitting up, Neo took look at the documents once more. As her eyes skimmed over the image for the seventh time, she couldn't help but hang her head. While the idea of an apocalypse should upset her… for some reason, it didn't. Perhaps it was because she held no love for the world. It had turned its back on her long ago. Humans had made their intentions clear from the moment of her birth. Even now, they only sought to use her for personal gain… with the exception of a few.

The First Unit, with the exception of their newest member, had shown her nothing but kindness. Granted, it was likely because half of them knew nothing of her true nature. But it was still nice to be looked upon with an expression other than disdain. From Reaper to Neo, they had remained as allies by her side. For a time, she had finally been accepted… until she came.

In time, she was slowly replaced.

Upon the discovery of Shio, she found herself growing further apart, pushed aside in favor of the more preferable of the two. It all began with Alisa. She claimed to be an unconditional ally… and she had been. But as time went on, she began spending more time with the child, gazing favorably upon her. Next, was Soma. Following Spring Thunder's completion, he had rejected her very existence, saying the words that she never thought she'd hear. However, like the ally before him, he slowly came to accept the child. He embraced her, praised her, for doing the very thing he had spurned her for.

But that was all right.

Much as it had hurt her, she would survive. After all, she had survived after losing Soma the first time, and long before ever meeting Alisa in the first place. Because she knew that she wasn't alone. Even without everyone else, she had him. He always came back to her. He was always there. And he always would be. As long as she had him, she would be okay. And she was…

Until that fateful day.

That had been the final nudge, shoving her off the ledge into a sea of despair. The day eventually came that even Ichiro rejected her, quite literally shoving her to the side in favor of the Aragami child.

In a way, she couldn't blame her teammates for choosing Shio. Her purity and innocent nature was something to be both envied and admired. She was the picture of light… an image of what Neo could never be. Or perhaps, it was what she could have been, had her life taken a different path. Perhaps if she had been nurtured and embraced as Shio had, rather than abused, manipulated, and defiled.

Shaking her head, Neo dropped the papers on the desk and groaned. Her eyes burned with unshed tears. There was no sense in dwelling. Shio had won. And she deserved to… but it didn't matter. Nothing mattered. Because soon, there would be no world for any of them to live in. It was only a matter of time before Johannes located Shio. They couldn't unleash her into the wild. Yet, keeping her in Headquarters left her in a finite space. Sooner or later, she would be found. There was no way to everyone. There was no way to stop to coming apocalypse…

Unless.

In a moment, her head snapped up, eyes focusing on the diagram for the eighth and final time.

The Singularity. A duality of human and god.

The answer had been literally right in front of her in the entire time. Neo didn't have to stop it. She needed only to ensure that her teammates survived it. And now, she knew exactly how to do it. For the moment, Shio's whereabouts were unknown… and she planned to use that to her advantage. She would use the Singularity as a means of bargaining, ensuring her allies received passage on the Ark. All of them. Then, once their safety was guaranteed, she would hand it over to him. She would send a message before her departure to Soma containing instructions. That ticket would ensure Shio's safe passage. Then…

She would take her place.

It made sense to her. Shio was human enough now that she would easily blend into her surroundings, so long as she didn't draw too much attention to herself. And as a week had already passed, the search had surely been called off. As far as Headquarters was concerned, she was already dead. No one would even notice that she was gone, having accepted her passing long ago. She would finally leave this world, and for once, saving lives rather than taking them.

Standing from the desk, she shut off the light and made her way towards the doorway. All she had to do was wait.

. . .

Far East Branch - Aragami Containment Chamber

"Any changes?"

Ichiro turned his head slightly in wordless greeting. Kota's eyes looked hopeful as he entered the chamber, Alisa following close behind him. Within moments, his face fell as the veteran shook his head solemnly. All three pairs of eyes turned to the silver-haired, who remained silent and still as the grave.

Following Kota's suggestion, the branch's researchers had repurposed the previous experimentation chamber. Outfitting the room with medical equipment, monitors, and various other supplies, they had transformed the once laboratory in a medical ward. In the center lay Neo, sleeping restlessly on the lab table, which they had fashioned into a makeshift bed.

Her condition, while critical, remained stable. And with the bleeding finally slowing to a manageable level, she no longer required around-the-clock medical assistance. The gaping whole in her abdomen had left the doctors baffled, uncertain how anyone could possibly survive such an injury. And while Sakaki claimed to know little more than they did, he knew the reality. Neo's heart had been the deciding factor.

When Neo's stem cells fused in utero, they were quickly overtaken by the Oracle cells, melding to form her unique Bias Factor, the E3 Evo Cell. While the true nature behind the fusion remained a mystery, the result was unmistakable. Her infused hematopoietic stem cells formed a genetic marvel, a human body that lived and breathed Oracle cells. Even her beating heart, while pumping her blood through her veins, functioned similarly to a core, acting as a central point for her Oracle capability. It was through this heart that she was able to utilize elemental power and regenerate her body.

Under the effects of her weaknesses however, that regeneration was hindered, disrupting her functionality and effectively rendering her human. That was how she functioned normally. But in her overdriven state, her cells were hyperactive, multiplying and rampaging out of control, placing the strain of her body's function primarily on her core rather than her other organs. It was unknown whether or not she would have survived without medical intervention, but one thing was certain. Her hyperactive state had been the primary factor in their success. With her body functioning almost entirely on Oracle cells, Soma's clever use of O-Ampules had allowed her to hold on, giving her just enough energy to buy time. While overdrive had ultimately led to her injury in the first place, it was currently the only thing keeping her alive.

And for every moment of it, the veterans had been at her bedside. Soma and Ichiro found themselves unintentionally moving on a rotation. Some of the time, Ichiro would accompany her, helping to change her bandages and offer a gentle hand to ease her nightmares. When he needed to eat or sleep, Soma would appear, doing the same. Somehow, despite their differences, the two had come together, ensuring that one of them was always at her side.

The rest of the time, other members of her unit came to visit, offering comforting words and well-wishes. With the exception of Utsugi, every member of the squadron had come to see her. It was just as well, since placing their Squad Captain and previous Corporal in the same room was a recipe for disaster.

The pair hadn't spoken to one another since their argument in the doctor's office, both on orders of the Major and of their own volition. For the time being, it was determined that both themselves, and the rest of the unit, would benefit greatly from their separation. Within five minutes, the pair would be at each other's throats, particularly whenever Neo appeared in discussion.

Regardless, Kota would often give updates on the New-Type to their leader, even if he didn't directly ask. He knew Lenka well, and knew that he cared deeply for those under his command. Even if he held resentment towards The Dark Child, he knew that deep down, he would still be worried about Neo.

Taking a seat by her bedside, Kota sighed. "I still can't believe it, ya know?" He muttered, gazing sadly at the sleeping New-Type.

"It's not like he knew who it was… all he saw was an Aragami. You know how he gets." Alisa joined the gunner, standing beside him.

"No, I don't just mean that… I mean, all of it. The Aegis Project was all an elaborate lie. Neo's a Managarm kid, and Shio's on the moon. It's just… a lot to take in."

Her blonde hair bounced as she nodded in agreement. "It's true that a lot has happened. It's still hard to believe."

"Yeah… and to think Shio's core was the start of it all. How did he even find her anyway? You don't really think -" Kota's voice halted mid-sentence as Alisa shot him a fearsome glare. One look at the exhausted veteran, and the gunner realized too late that he had made a terrible mistake. Once again, his mouth had landed him in dangerous territory. In his ramblings, he had voiced the concerns that no one dared to speak.

A necessary sacrifice for the preservation of mankind. Surely you knew this when you offered your assistance.

The Director's words still rang clearly in all of their minds. Words that had plagued them since the battle at Aegis. While no one wanted to admit it, all arrows pointed in the same direction. Neo had been acting strangely ever since their new friend had arrived. She grew increasingly distant, irritable, and in some cases, downright aggressive. She would run off without warning into the wilderness, growing easily triggered over seemingly harmless events. Then finally, she had disappeared altogether. Then, despite becoming fugitives, Alisa and Sakuya found themselves invited back with immunity, along with almost every member of their squadron.

Shortly before Shio's disappearance.

It was true that the New-Type had been showing jealous tendencies, none of them ever thought that she would resort to this. Out of all them, Neo cared the most for the child, taking her under her wing as a sister of sorts. She looked after and guided Shio, and Shio admired and followed her in return. Why had Neo betrayed them? Betrayed her?

The room fell silent, the quiet humming of the machinery the only sound in the room. Alisa and Kota waited with bated breath for Ichiro's reaction. His body was tense, his eyes gazing tiredly at the wall. Then, he sighed and shook his head. "I don't blame you for your suspicion. To be honest, I was surprised myself… but I know Neo. I don't believe she handed over Shio."

Everyone grew quiet once more as the other two absorbed his words. After a few moments, Alisa broke the silence next. "I… agree with you. I can't really explain what happened, but I can't see her betraying Shio. I'm not sure went on at Aegis Island, but whatever it was, I'm sure she had her reasons."

Kota sighed. "Yeah… you're probably right. I just miss her, you know?"

Alisa nodded. "I miss her too. But Shio left this world to save all of us. We have to move forward, lest her sacrifice be in vain."

"Yeah… Yeah! We gotta make every day count!" Kota's smiled, his optimism slowly returning. "And hopefully, pretty soon, Neo will be able to join us."

"I'm sure she will. Neo is strong. She just needs time."

"Yeah, but Lenka really did a number on her. She's wrapped tighter than a birthday gift… and look at those scars…"

Ichiro's head turned, his attention shifting from the wall. "What scars?"

"The ones on her neck. Right there."

Alisa froze, body tensing as the veteran's eyes widened. Following Kota's line of sight, his gaze was drawn to her now exposed neckline. In his quest to locate her, he had nearly forgotten about his question to her. He had first noticed the discoloration in his bedroom weeks ago when he was examining her coats. With her position facing away from him, he hadn't been able to get a good look at them, and his inquiry had been halted when Soma summoned her Spring Thunder. He had planned to ask her about it later when she returned from her mission… but she never did.

Now, the concerns had returned full-force. Lying on her back, coats pooling beneath her, he now had full view of her neck. And with further inspection, he realized that Kota was right. The discoloration he had glimpsed over her shoulder was more evident towards the front. Burn marks and scar tissue was clearly visible near the center. Leaning forward, he looked closely at the damaged skin, his lips pulling to a scowl at the sight of them.

Much as he wanted to ring Utsugi's neck, he hadn't been involved in this. He couldn't have been. Ichiro had noticed the scarring long before the incident, and the markings were far too uniform to have been caused by any sort of bullet or resulting splash damage. No, the marks were too carefully placed. Too defined.

His first reaction as frustration. He had lived most of his life at her side. How had he never noticed? After careful thought, his frustration shifted into concern. Neo's habit of wrapping her appendages extended far beyond their transfer. There was a time, long ago, when she would allow her coats to flow freely and her skin hadn't been marred at the time. He wasn't sure what had caused her to start tying them, and he had assumed they were simply in the way. But once she began, she never stopped. With the exception of only a handful of incidents, he had never actually seen her without it. How long had Neo bore those scars? Did she wrap her coats to hide them from him? More importantly… where did they come from?

There was only one other person he could think to ask. Someone who had also spent time with Neo during her youth. Someone who may have the answers he sought.

As though summoned by his thoughts, a sudden sound reached his ears. The door hissed, sliding open as Soma entered into the chamber. He paused for a moment, staring at the New-Type intently before grumbling and taking a seat near the wall. This had become routine as of late. As a fellow Managarm child, the veteran possessed the unique ability to sense Aragami… and he had been using it to monitor Neo. It was a useful feature that Ichiro couldn't deny made him a little envious.

But he didn't have time for that. Right now, he had a larger concern. Averting his gaze, he turned his attention to the other veteran, a question on the tip of his tongue. One that would, for the time being, go unvoiced. Soma took one look at Ichiro's face and glared at him.

"Rest."

He blinked, the sharp tone momentarily halting his thought process. He was in a sour mood again. After a moment's pause, he shook his head. "Well, hello to you too, Soma."

"Hmph."

It was now Ichiro's turn to scowl, his eyes narrowing slightly at his attitude. Granted, he was used to his cranky tendencies by this point. But he had thought that, for the moment, they had reached an understanding. He was about to voice as such when another interrupted him once again.

"He's right, Ichiro… You do look a bit tired…" Alisa seconded, noting the discoloration beneath his eyes.

Annoyed, he turned his frown to the New-Type, fully prepared to retort… but once again, never got the chance. It was Kota's turn to interject.

"Yeah, dude. I mean, you were searching for Neo before all of this. You need a break."

Sighing, Ichiro stood his ground, determined to get a word in edgewise. "I'm perfectly fine."

Alisa frowned at him. "Have you looked at yourself lately? You are absolutely not fine."

"Of course I haven't. There's no need to -"

The quiet click of a small instrument halted his thought. Moving swiftly to Neo's other side, the Alisa rounded on him, shoving a portable hand mirror into his face. Startled, Ichiro jumped, suddenly staring face-to-face with his own image.

"You just carry a mirror around with you? Why?" Kota asked, his eyes widening in astonishment.

"Never you mind why I carry it."

As the pair quickly found themselves in yet another argument, Ichiro ignored them, staring at himself with confusion. His smooth lids had become worn, wrinkling slightly from the constant strain of keeping them open. His pale skin had darkened around them, making evident his utter exhaustion. Even his hair had began to fray slightly, splitting at the ends from lack of care. He looked ready to collapse at any moment. In other words, he looked terrible.

It shouldn't have come as a surprise to him. Following Neo's disappearance, he had spent nearly every day in the field, often for the entirety of the daylight hours. Then, Johannes had struck, kidnapping Shio and dragging both him and the rest of the unit to Aegis to stop him. Then, he had finally found her there on the Island, only be electrocuted and then watch powerlessly as she sent herself into a dangerous state. Following the Director's defeat, he pursued her into the wilderness to try and reason with her. And only moments after getting her back he had lost her again, watching the light fade from her eyes.

Now, he was rotating constantly in and out of her chambers, caring for her. He couldn't even remember the last time he had had a full-night's sleep. "Hm… Maybe I could take at least a moment…"

"That's the spirit!" Kota cheered, completely forgetting his argument with the blonde New-Type. "Don't worry, buddy. She's in our hands!" Flashing his brightest smile, he earned a nervous laugh from the veteran.

"Why does that concern me?" Ichiro sighed, slowly shuffling to his feet and heading towards the exit. While he was reluctant to leave her side, he could no longer deny that he desperately needed to unwind. Reaching the door, he paused, turning towards Alisa only to find her looking right at him.

"We'll call you if anything changes." Utterly defeated, he shook his head. There really was no competing with that one. Nodding his thanks, Ichiro left the chamber and headed towards the stairwell.

With the Ex-Corporal safely out of earshot, Alisa turned her attention to the remaining veteran. "…How is she?"

Soma simply shrugged. "Her aura's weak… but it's there."

Alisa nodded. Saying nothing further, she took Ichiro's now empty seat and looked over her. Slowly, her eyes drifted upward, landing on the scarring around her neck. A solemn frown pulled her lips downward as she remembered the images and the pain. How long would they be able to keep the truth from him?

Across the room, Soma rose to his feet. Checking the clock on the wall, he made his way towards a drawer. It was time to administer another dosage… and he would have had there been any remaining. Grumbling, he stomped his way to the terminal in the corner of the room. Entering his credentials, he quickly navigated to the email application to contact Sakaki. Then, he froze.

Inside of his inbox were a multitude of unread messages received over the course of the past few days. Between Neo's disappearance, field operations, his father's catastrophe, and now Neo's recovery, he hadn't had a chance to go over any of them. Quite frankly, he wasn't concerned about any of them… until one particular message caught his attention. It had been sent few days prior, just before Shio's disappearance…

It was from Neo.