Forgotten Carrier

The lift rode slowly upward, carrying its occupant to the highest floor of the building. While it wasn't unfamiliar to her, it certainly wasn't a place Neo had ever expected to return to. She had visited her destination once in the past, albeit without permission, and the result had been the ruination of a pristine white sofa. Since then, she had generally avoided the location, seeing no real reason to visit the man personally. While he was no enemy of hers, she had little desire to spend any significant time around him. Regardless of whether he threatened her directly or not, he was still a man of science.

And men of science were not to be trusted.

Soft feet padded silently down the hall as she approached the doorway to his office. For what reason had he summoned her, she wondered. It would be the first time to her knowledge that he had personally requested her presence. Perhaps her behavior had finally pushed him beyond his limits, and she was being called to receive appropriate punishment. Or instead perhaps he wanted to commend her on her stellar performances of the God Eating variety.

In any case, she would not refuse him. How could she? He was technically harboring her, against the wishes of many she was sure, within his branch. It was in these walls that she had found safety and solace, far from the clutches of her abusive captors. At the very least, Neo owed it to him to hear what he had to say. With that thought in mind, she steeled herself, finding her resolve, and opened the sliding door.

"Neo. Welcome."

A respectful nod of acknowledgement preluded her greeting as her eye watched him carefully. "Director."

"You've done me proud…"

Her eye narrowed slightly at his immediate praise. He was opening the conversation with flattery. To some, such compliments would bolster their pride… but Neo knew better than to be fooled by the flowery words of men. It meant that he had a motive. While it was true that her prowess on the battlefront was nearly unmatched in the Far East branch, it was highly unlikely he had summoned her simply to sing her praises. He had never done so before, and her strong performance dated to shortly after her arrival.

No. This man wanted something from her. Humans always wanted something from her.

"I have an assignment here that I mean for you. I charge you with this mission, to be given highest priority and executed in secrecy."

An eyebrow raised slightly at his declaration, her interest piqued. As a member of the Special Operations Division, top secret missions were not uncommon for her. In fact, she was more surprised she hadn't been assigned sooner. When the two of them weren't averting utter catastrophe, they were usually investigating Aragami activity in their downtime. More specifically, they were often sent to study new and unusual species. Would his mission be the same or did he wish to ask something different of her?

"A unique Aragami was detected off the coast of Aegis Island. All scouts indicate that it should still be near the Pacific shallows."

Indeed, it was so. The Director wanted her to hunt down an Aragami, and a special one at that. It was a fascinating assignment to say the least, but it wasn't the mission requirements that concerned her. Her problem instead was the location he had provided her. A knot began to form in the pit of her stomach as Johannes continued… followed closely by a sense of foreboding as he confirmed her suspicions.

"Hunt down this Aragami. But be wary, it possesses a unique and dangerous intelligence."

Neo felt her eye twitch beneath its fabric as the words reached her ears. How typical. Humans had said the same of her once, many years ago. She had heard it so many times that she began to wonder for only a moment if he was actually referring to her… but the whimsical look in his eye told her otherwise. He was far too excited, too intrigued to be talking about her. There was no malice or disdain in them.

"When you do find this creature… You are to execute it and extract its core immediately. Ensure that the core is intact. Then bring it back here to me."

Her silence brought a frown to his face as her eyes drifted downward. Of course that was what he wanted. It made sense that he desired Shio. Everyone did… but his own motivations were far more sinister than the others. More alarming still, it meant that he knew of her existence. How long had he known? Was it possible he had known of her whereabouts all this time? Was the voice calling her actually meant for Shio? What did he want her for, or more specifically her core? Questions without answers swirled endlessly in her mind, growing in a voluminous crescendo before finally coming to a screeching halt as she was hit realization. But it was no matter. Johannes would not have her.

She would not allow it.

"I don't need to tell you how important this is. It could very well be the key to our survival."

"… Key to our survival?" Neo finally spoke, giving the Director a moment of pause.

Having been silent for the entirety of briefing, her voice was surprising to say the least. Of course, hearing her voice in general was still unusual to him and the bite in her tone only added to his confusion. "Indeed. It is imperative that I have it in my possession. You needn't concern yourself with -"

"You need it for Aegis." Neo interrupted again, her expression hardening as his own grew entertained.

"You are a clever one."

"So I've been told… Tell me, Director. Why ask me? Why not ask Ichiro or Soma? Both outrank me by far and surely they would be more suited to the task."

"Soma will accompany you for the search."

"…Only Soma?"

"Indeed. I believe that your team's unique… composition may prove beneficial in locating this elusive target."

Neo's lips tightened in response to his answer. Of course that was his reasoning. Despite the drastic differences between them, she and Soma did share one thing in common with one another. And it came as no surprise to her that this man was willing to take advantage of it. He was yet another wishing to utilize their power. How predictable.

It was incredibly amusing to her that humans were so quick to demonize them for their other half… until it suited them. It was the same half that they had no problem exploiting for their own personal gain. And when they had no further need of it, they wished to dispose of them. Such was their way. Humans were such fickle creatures. Neo was used to such treatment, as she had endured it throughout most of her life.

But the idea that he would drag Soma into this as well… it didn't sit right with her.

"…I see." Her response came out as a low grumble, her voice failing her as her mind continued to race over different concerns.

"Excellent. That is all. Continue to serve me well. Godspeed."

"I serve no one."

"Heheh… of course not. My apologies."

Neo ignored his delighted smirk as she turned and made for the door. Johannes shook his head behind her as she vanished into the hallway. The defiant determination in her gaze brought him both joy and great sorrow. He had seen those eyes before in a time long gone, but not forgotten. He saw Fida in those eyes.

"Heh… just like her mother."

. . .

"…Neo."

Her brisk footsteps slowed to a stop as the New-Type turned her attention. She had been lost in thought once more since arriving at their destination. It seemed that was all that she did in recent days was stare blankly off into space. That was of course, when she wasn't threatening to rip his or Ichiro's heads from their shoulders. She had been even worse since their confrontation in the hallway when Neo had lost her temper, frightening even her unflappable companion. Soma never did receive an answer to the questions he had asked Hamasaki either following her departure.

He had said nothing. He had only walked away, his eyes showing the same hollow sadness as her own.

Since then, the sinister presence he felt that day had vanished, but something in her gaze still didn't feel right to him. It was as though it hadn't left them… it had simply fallen asleep, going dormant until it would be next awakened. Trying to rid his mind of the unsettling thoughts, he decided to take advantage of this rare opportunity now that she had returned to him, even temporarily.

"I'm sure you've already figured out that riddle… You know who my father wants us to find out here."

Father…?

"The unique Aragami. He wants us to hunt Shio." Neo remained silent, her eye watching him closely as he vented his frustrations. "All my life I've let him send me on these missions. Search and destroy. Hunt and kill."

Her silent nod indicated that she was listening, her gaze softening slightly as he spoke. His words resonated deeply within her. She was familiar with his plight, having spent the formative years of her own life in a similar manner. She always followed orders, fighting on command and ending life with no more than an utterance from her masters. Always doing the bidding of someone else… never following her own desires.

What Neo hadn't expected was for the person sending them to be Soma's own father. His parentage had always remained a mystery to her, as he made a point to rarely mention his familial ties during any of their overseas conversations. In fact, he had never mentioned either one of his parents at all… but the logic behind the explanation was sound. Why else would his gentle smile appear behind him on her terminal screen?

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

Her eye flicked away from his face, drawn downward by slight motion from his dominant arm. Neo recognized this motion well. She had seen it many a time on the field of battle, typically directed towards their foes. For a brief moment, she wondered if he planned to strike her down. It would be an unexpected, but welcome decision to free her from her mortal chains… but she would find no relief on this day.

The massive blade stopped short, mere inches from her face. The rush of air tickled her cheek and fluttered her bangs. She could smell the metallic scent wafting into her sensitive nose. And suddenly, she felt an odd sense of familiarity as the scene reminded her of a time not too long ago. They had been here once before, in the Sunken Grid. She had been Reaper then. Now, as Neo, the woman still didn't flinch. She simply stared at him with a neutral expression on her face.

And much like the previous encounter, he smiled.

"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."

"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?"

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

"As are you."

Soma smirked at her backhanded smart-alecky response. At least some parts of her personality hadn't changed. "Yeah… I guess you're right."

"So what's the problem?"

"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."

"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…" Soma paused, stopping himself from speaking further.

Her head tilted curiously in response as he turned away from her. She could tell that something was on his mind… but for whatever reason, he didn't want to voice it.

"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 nodded and lifted her rifle, facing her eyes forward as they made their way across the dilapidated bridge.

They searched high and low, near and far. The pair wandered through the outskirts of the city, searching under fallen debris and inside of rundown buildings. They looked over the coast and cliffside, hoping to see even a glimmer of white. But their efforts were fruitless as they seemed to find nearly every Aragami with the exception of the one they were looking for. They found Fallen Ogretails and Zygotes, Cocoon Maidens and Gboro-Gboros… but no Shio. They were beginning to grow discouraged.

Both God Eaters knew that Johannes was a determined man. What if they weren't moving fast enough? What if he grew impatient and decided that two simply weren't enough? What was to stop him from sending a second party, such as Utsugi and Shun? They would kill her without hesitation or remorse.

"Damn it… Where is she?" Soma grumbled, swinging his God Arc over his shoulder as Neo knelt beside a Fallen Zygote.

"We'll find her."

"I know we will. We have to."

"Yes, we do."

Soma turned away, fixing his eyes toward a leaning skyscraper to give Neo some privacy. He had noticed the blood dripping from her hands, and the careful ways she licked her lips. He knew that she had been feeding secretly behind him and decided it best to simply feign ignorance, pretending not to notice. His mouth twitched slightly as he tried his best to ignore the squelching of flesh as she devoured yet another core. He couldn't blame her for sensitivity on the matter, but it still bothered him to see how badly he had hurt her. As the noises ceased, Soma made a mental note to speak to her later in the evening. When they returned with Shio, he would pay a visit to her room. It was time to put a stop to this.

"You've changed too." The sound of Neo's voice caught his attention, startling him slightly.

He turned to find her standing a few feet from him, wiping the blood from her hands against her pant leg. "Huh? What're you on about?"

"You and Shio. You care about her."

"I… that's - whatever." Soma turned his head to the side, trying miserably to hide the color rising to his cheeks. Why did she always have to be so damn attentive?

"It's a good thing. 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."

"Pardon?"

"I remember another lonely little girl who once needed a friend too."

Neo's eye twitched slightly as Soma smirked humorously in her direction. "Is that so?"

"Yeah."

"Soma… are you implying that Shio and I are the same?"

He paused for a moment, his smirk fading as he grew pensive. He hadn't really given it much thought and her question surprised him. He could almost feel her careful gaze on him as she waited patiently for his answer, an indescribable expression on her face. Was it concern? Relief? Fear?

"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…"

Soma spoke the truth. In his eyes, Shio and Neo couldn't truly be compared. They certainly had commonalities between them such as their dietary habits, penchant for mischief, and insatiable curiosity. But Shio was an Aragami, and a child no less. She was innocent and sweet and saw the world in the fantastical way that only a little girl could… in the way that Neo probably could have had her life turned out differently. And while she was growing and learning every day, she still had little quirks habits that belied her true nature.

Conversely, Neo was human. She was strong, powerful, and fierce, a lethal presence on the battlefield and an imposing figure in everyday life. And unlike Shio, she saw the world much darker, though that was through no real fault of her own. More importantly, she was not a child. She was a woman. A woman that he had come to admire as a comrade and care for as friend, even though she no longer seemed to view him as such. Probably the only woman - or person for that matter - who could best him in combat. A woman who…

"…replaceable."

"Hm?" Soma left his thoughts, returning to their conversation at the sound of Neo's voice.

"Shio. I said, she's a special girl. Invaluable to the First Unit, unique, and irreplaceable."

"Yeah. She really is."

Neo nodded solemnly, her eyes finally leaving him as she turned her gaze to the sky. It was as she expected. Perhaps…

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

"Wait…"

Both God Eaters paused as the sound of a gentle voice reached their ears. A voice that both of them recognized, singing a sorrowful melody. Neither Soma nor Neo hesitated, ending their conversation and rushing in the direction of the music. She was nearby. Running through the streets, they made their way back to the cliffside, eyes peeled for any sign of the missing child. Neo pulled ahead, her body moving on autopilot as she followed the call. Soma let her, unable to keep up with her and being well aware that her senses were strongest.

"Holy…" The woman in front of him slowed to a stop as she rounded a corner, her eyes fixed pointedly ahead.

And arriving moments behind her, Soma saw what had caught her attention. Before them was a wall of debris and littered atop it was a mountain of corpses. The carnal pathway trailed all the way to its peak. And sitting there above it all was…

"Shio!" Soma rushed forward, his eyes drifting over the massacre literally laying at her feet. She was swaying slowly from side to side, her eyes gazing longingly toward the island dome. As the two approached her, she finished her mournful melody and turned her attention towards them.

"Oh! What… What is this song? I don't like it… I don't like it!" Shio's voice rang with sadness and fear, visibly upset by the music.

Below, Soma called up to her, his voice holding the same sorrow as the child before them. "It's a song of parting. That's the reason it makes you afraid."

"I don't want to go! I don't!" Shio looked down at them, seemingly even more upset by the revelation of the song's meaning. Beside him, Neo looked up at her as well, her own expression darkening at the realization.

"The words are sad. They're singing about loss, about never seeing the one you love again…" Soma's voice lowered slightly as he explained. The woman beside him grew tense, her eyes shifting downward as she listened to the pair.

"But… But we did see each other again. You're right there." Shio's voice lightened as she looked down at him, confusion evident on her childish features.

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

"Okay!" Her smile proved contagious as Soma could feel the corners of his own mouth rising. They had finally found her. They could return at last. Shio would be safe… or so they thought.

The New-Type watched in somber silence. She could tell from the way they interacted with one another that his words rang true. He loved Shio… everyone loved Shio. Why wouldn't they? She was innocent and pure, kind and sweet, simple and clean. Everything that Neo wasn't. And she wasn't even human. Or perhaps maybe she was now. What was it that truly made a person human? Was it the attributes and characteristics that they possessed? Or was it something learned? Could it be the very concept of love itself? If that were true then…

…Come to me.

"Aaaaargh!"

Their heartfelt reunion was cut short as Shio screamed at the top of her lungs. Her body glowed once more with an ethereal hue, light radiating from her pearly white skin.

From the ground, Soma began to panic as the little girl rose slowly to her feet. "What the hell is going on?! Shio!"

"I must go… I am called… " Shio's voice echoed with a hollow ring as she walked slowly towards the edge of the cliff. It seemed that the past was preparing to repeat itself.

Come… Come…

"Come back here! Shio, come back!"

But this time was different than the last. Soma's words reached her. Her white hair blew gently in the ocean breeze as she turned her head, staring down at them… before collapsing to the ground.

"What's wrong?! Shio! Damn it! This makes no sense. We gotta get her back to the Den, now!"

Soma's voice wavered with unfettered worry and Neo felt her heart tear in two. She had never seen him in such a state. He was never one to behave in such a manner, often losing his temper but never his composure. It showed her just how important Shio was to him and as the voice called to her again, her eyes trembled. She stood rooted to the spot as Soma rushed forward, using the bodies as steppingstones to reach her. She watched as he embraced her, holding her tightly in his arms, as he once did her so long ago.

Come to me.

Her heart wept, but it shed no tears for herself. Instead, it mourned for her friends, watching as Soma came apart at the seams. Just the thought of losing her sent him into whirlwind of despair and she imagined the same would hold true for the rest of their comrades. Neo didn't want Soma to hurt. She didn't want any of her friends to suffer… but it was beginning to look as though such a fate was inevitable.

Humanity's last hope

Our salvation

Invaluable to the First Unit, unique, and irreplaceable

She really is

The voices returned tenfold, shrieking and echoing off the walls in her mind as she slowly backed away from her teammates. She couldn't block them out any longer. She could no longer decipher the words as they shouted over one another, threatening to tear her head asunder. Only one thing was clear.

Shio must be saved.

At the top of the mass grave, Soma lifted Shio's body gingerly in his arms before rising to his feet. They needed to get back to Headquarters. They needed to find Sakaki. They needed to help her. He wouldn't lose her. He couldn't lose her.

He couldn't lose anyone else…

Yet it seemed, in the end, that he was going to.

"Come on, let's head back to -" Soma's words died on the wind as he turned to confer with… no one. As he stood at the peak with Shio's tiny body in his arms, he came to a horrifying realization. In finding one comrade, he had lost another.

Neo was gone.