Far East Branch – Lobby

The Den lobby was filled with color. Pastels lined the walls, and assembled tables wrapped around the edges of the room, leaving a large opening in the center of the hall. Each was topped with food rations of all kinds, ranging from deserts to corn cobs. It was a hall fit for celebration, and it was just as well.

Following the battle of the mind, Neo and Lindow had returned to the physical realm, unmoving but very much alive. And, to everyone's surprise, human. After charging recklessly into battle, the New Type had struck the Corrosive Hannibal, sending both of them to the ground. They had remained that way, Hannibal and human for a brief time before engulfing themselves in blinding light. When it faded, the two were lying on the ground, as though nothing had happened. There was no way for any of them to explain what had happened between the former captain and the New Type. All they knew was that whatever Neo had done, it had worked. With the exception of his mutated right arm, the corporal had returned to his former self, mind, body, and soul, much to everyone's relief.

As for the New Type herself, she returned to a normal state as well — as normal as Neo could possibly be. The God Arc lodged in her hand had been removed, detaching itself without fuss and resting silently on the ground next to its original master. It wasn't until the pair had woken up that any insight was shed on the situation regarding the mutation. Then, chaos ensued. Upon waking, Lindow spent his first few hours reunited with Sakuya, then took to the new director's office to get a briefing, hoping to get an idea of all that transpired during his absence.

He was surprised to hear the story of Shio, an Aragami humanoid capable of advanced learning, and speech. Truthfully, he honestly wouldn't have believed it at all had he not spoken to his own God Arc merely hours before. He learned of her journey to the moon and how their unit had saved the planet, foiling the former Director's plans. He had always known that Johannes was up to something, but he hadn't suspected this. He learned of the ever-changing dynamics of the 1st Unit, including its new captains. He was also pleasantly surprised to learn that Lenka had finally found a cure and returned to the branch. But that surprise quicky turned to alarm when he learned of the most recent events involving a certain New Type and three other members of the Den. Even more so upon discovering that said New Type was locked up in an underground cage.

Having heard all of the details and catching up on current events, Lindow immediately called a meeting with the 1st Unit's leadership — Lenka, Sakuya, and Ichiro — in the office. Soma joined the group at Hamasaki's request. It was there that the four of them had a very long, detailed conversation regarding their next course of action, as well as what exactly had taken place on Aegis Island.

What occurred inside of Lindow's mind during their resonance was still a bit of a mystery to them, but after a three-hour long discussion, three things were made perfectly clear. Ren, while invisible to all but the New Type, was very much real. He was a God Arc, manifesting himself into human form following his merge with Neo's consciousness. Neo, against all odds, had managed to save Lindow, rekindling his desire to live, and bringing him back to his senses. His humanity had returned, and therefore, so could hers. And now, especially after what he had witnessed during their time in each other's consciousness, Lindow owed it to her to help Neo do so.

Thus, after a great deal of back and forth, some heated arguments, and begrudging compromise, a decision was finally made. Much to Utsugi's displeasure, it was determined that Neo would be released, albeit under heavy supervision. After all that she had done, including returning the Den's most beloved God Eater to their midst, her efforts were impossible to ignore. However, that didn't erase the threat that she posed. She was released back into Ichiro's care under the condition that she undergo immediate and severe mental rehabilitation and medical treatment, a stipulation that all members of the 1st Unit agreed on unanimously.

While Lenka was apprehensive to simply let her go after all that had happened, he knew deep down that, at the very least, he owed it to her to at least revisit his original decision. Though he was unaware to what extent, he now knew that Fenrir had been lying to him. They had deceived him not only about Neo's biology, but her very nature. They had been untruthful about his medication, where it had come from, and conveniently omitted the fact that by destroying Neo, he was essentially destroying himself right alongside of her. Such a violation of trust couldn't be disregarded. For the time being, he agreed to keep her whereabouts to himself.

He would return to collect his medication, giving his report on what he had found — or more specifically, not found — then, he would return, bringing an extra supply for Hamasaki's investigation. This would now be his third trip back to North America without any results, and the scientists would undoubtedly start growing impatient. Without an endless supply of their compound, it was only a matter of time before they gave him an ultimatum, or possibly cut him off entirely. But if all went according to plan, that wouldn't matter.

The medication they were using was Ichiro's design. It was modified to suit a new purpose, but the compounds were of his own creation. Even better, he had no need to rely on a supply of E3 Bias Factor. He had direct access to the source, assuming she was willing to cooperate. If he could reverse engineer the process, Ichiro could recreate the medication, eliminating the need for the North Americans and effectively ending Utsugi's dependence on them.

With all of that established, the three captains formulated a new strategy. Utsugi would return as planned, acting as though nothing had happened. Major Amamiya and Dr. Sakaki would do their best to conduct damage control following all of the incidents that had taken place in the Far East branch. Ichiro and Neo would travel to Russia, to work with the leading minds in psychological research to get her the help she so desperately needed and assist Utsugi with his own research both during their stay and upon their return. Alisa would accompany them, returning to her home country, both as moral support for her closest friend and to act as a linguistic mediator should the need arise. Soma and the rest of the 1st Unit would remain behind to conduct business as usual and try to do damage control on their own side among other God Eaters in their ranks. Neo's whereabouts would remain confidential, and they hoped that by the time she returned, the worst would have blown over.

For now, the assumption among the Den was that her release was temporary, for the biggest event of the year.

Neo leaned against the far wall, watching the happy couple twirl around the dance floor. She had learned of this practice from Soma's romance novel; the first dance. Following a wedding, the bride and groom would open the floor as the guests of honor in a display of unity and love to signify their union. The concept of marriage itself was utterly foreign to her, of course. But from the looks on Lindow and Sakuya's faces, it was clearly a happy occasion. Although it made no sense to her, she was still happy for them.

When the song ended, Neo raised her hands with the other attendees in applause. As a new one began, she watched other partygoers take to the floor, following the pair for their second dance. For once, the New Type didn't join them. Instead, she remained by the wall, eyes following the other members as they found partners and twirled around the room. Kota and Alisa made an interesting pair, looking charming together in their formal attire. Seeing the light flush on her friend's cheeks brought a smile to her face as the two disappeared into the crowd. Kanon and Shun made an even more amusing pair, pink and red hair standing out like strobe lights near the center of the floor. Even Karel had gotten in on the action, as Neo spotted him near the corner with Annette.

Her grin faltered slightly as she continued to look around. Seeing so many smiling faces together, Neo suddenly felt very lonely. Her guardian was currently missing, having wandered off with Utsugi following the ceremony. And as he was the only person in the Den who would dare ask her to dance, she was left to her own devices, trying her best to ignore the dirty looks from members of the 2nd and 3rd Units. With a silent sigh, she instead turned her attention to the food tables, contemplating if she should partake in one of their many sweets. She was so focused; she didn't notice the other God Eater approaching her.

Her heart nearly leapt into her throat when a head of platinum white hair appeared suddenly in her periphery, resting atop smooth tanned skin. Turning her head, Neo looked up to find Soma standing beside her. He was looking dapper in his black suit, with his blonde hair surprisingly tamed and under control. It was strange to see him without his navy-blue hood, which had at that point all but become as permanent a fixture as her azure scarf. He looked incredibly handsome… and very, very Soma.

"Hey."

"Hey."

The two exchanged simple greetings, each looking only briefly at the other before quickly looking away. Their relationship had been that way since their return, as strained as it was awkward. Neo wasn't surprised, considering that their most recent interaction had been her blatantly defying instructions before disappearing into an alternate dimension. She had expected him to be upset with her, so it was nothing out of the ordinary. The problem was that Neo hadn't expected to survive her encounter. She had intended for their last interaction, a calm and peaceful conversation, to be their last. In fact, the two hadn't spoken since their brief exchange on Aegis Island and now, standing beside him alive and well, she wasn't entirely certain what to do.

Soma was feeling similarly distressed. Unlike his fellow Managarm child however, he wasn't entirely sure why. Being around Neo had become increasingly difficult in recent times. He had greatly enjoyed their time together prior to her disappearance, even though they had been exclusively through the bars of a cell. It was strange having their roles reversed; for once being the shoulder to lean on instead of the other way around. It was an unfamiliar sensation, but not an unwelcome one. In fact, he hadn't minded the idea of doing so more often. Which was exactly why learning of her escape had shaken him to his core. He was angry and hurt by Neo's betrayal. That she would run off on her own even still after their exchange was deeply upsetting.

But that wasn't the only problem.

Soma had accepted — and more or less forgiven — the New Type's decision. Defiance was her middle name, and he had started to come to terms with that. No, rather it had been the way that he felt upon learning of her whereabouts. The possibility of losing Neo again had been far too close for comfort and truly brought to light just how much he cared about the stubborn New Type. It wasn't surprising, considering that she was essentially his only friend for most of his life. But this time had felt different. The first time she had slipped away from him, he felt lost. He felt isolated. He felt alone. But the pain was manageable. This time had been almost unbearable. The idea of finding her mangled body, assuming there was any body left to find, wasn't just upsetting. It was utterly terrifying. It had felt like his entire world would come crashing down around him, leaving nothing but debris. When had Neo become so important to him?

Braving a glance to his side, he took another look at her, trying to take his mind from the heart wrenching thoughts. Focusing his gaze, he went over each and every detail, taking in her appearance. Much like her first makeover, Neo had gone all out for this event, primarily with the help of Alisa. Her hair was nicely done with a little swoop covering her left eye, and her visible one was accentuated with a light dusting of liner and dark shadow. Her lips were coated a thin shimmering layer of moisture-resistant gloss and the gentle blush on her cheeks gave her skin more life. Her dress wasn't too dissimilar from Alisa's, maroon ruffles falling to her knees. It seemed she still hadn't fully gotten the hang of heels however, as her feet were adorned with a pair of simple, yet stylish, black flats.

In short, she looked absolutely stunning.

Soma could feel his courage waning as he looked her over, being brought violently, once again, to the realization that Neo was an adult woman. A bullheaded, difficult, frustrating, brilliant, endearing, beautiful —

"Soma?"

Her gentle voice tore him from his spiraling thoughts, returning him to the present. It was only at that moment that he realized she was staring back at him, apparently having taken notice of his gaze. How long had he been staring at her? Apparently, long enough to get her attention. His resolve crumbled as he locked eyes with her, watching her unnatural pupil dilating with curiosity; head tilting in the adorable way that it always did. This woman was going to be the death of him, he was certain… But not before he made good on his intentions. He had a reason for approaching her on this day and he was determined to see it through.

But, despite that determination, the words wouldn't leave him. In fact, his mouth wouldn't open at all. He was frozen in place, eyes focusing on any direction but her own. He didn't understand it. It was only Neo. Why was he so nervous? The answer was a mystery. And he could tell from the twitch of her pillowy lips that she was growing impatient. Why wouldn't she be? He was just standing there like a confused idiot. Racking his mind, he tried to come up with a course of action. He had to do something, or he was going to lose his opportunity.

Finally, he gave up and aborted his original mission. If speech was failing him — as it so often did — then he would move to plan b. Grunting quietly, he awkwardly extended his hand toward her, doing his best to keep it level despite his growing nerves. Neo's round eyes blew wide open at the gesture, mouth nearly falling open by his sudden offer. He wasn't sure if she was surprised or confused. With Neo, anything was possible. For good measure, he flicked his eyes toward the dance floor and inclined his head to clarify. For a few moments, the two remained stock still, staring at one another. He had nearly accepted rejection when she finally recovered, placing her gloved hand in his own.

The fifth song had begun when the pair entered the dance floor, doing their best to ignore the surprised looks from onlookers as they passed. Kota's jaw nearly hit the floor at the sight of him and he looked ready to make a comment before a jab from Alisa silenced him. The surprises of the evening only continued to grow as Soma gently took her hand. Neo hadn't entirely been expecting him to lead, especially considering his aversion to the activity. But she certainly hadn't been ready for his motions, fluid and graceful like a Managarm swan. It made no sense. Nothing about the past month or so made sense. After a particularly elegant spin, Neo could no longer contain herself.

"Soma… I thought you couldn't dance…" she mumbled, trying and failing to suppress the awe in her voice. To her surprise however, the other God Eater didn't respond with irritation or sarcasm. Instead, he looked her dead in the eye and offered a most devious grin.

"I said I don't. I never said I couldn't."

This time, she couldn't stop it. Her mouth fell open in utter shock, eyes widening at both the realization and the response. She had no idea who this playful trickster was spinning her on the dance floor, but there was no way it was her childhood friend. Her expression was too much, sending the other God Eater into a low rumble as he laughed. He hadn't seen a look on her face like that since they were children. At his reaction, Neo's immediate response was annoyance. He was laughing at her! But she couldn't maintain it. Instead, she found her own lips curling into a smile as she joined him. Lost in their own little world, the two continued on, blissfully unaware of Lindow and Sakuya's smiles as they passed them by.

Near the elevator doors stood another member of the 1st Unit. Following his discussion with Utsugi, Ichiro returned to the main hall to locate Neo. Leaving her alone for too long was never something he enjoyed doing, especially considering their most recent circumstance. In fact, were she not surrounded by familiar members of her unit at a wedding reception, he wouldn't have left her alone at all. He figured so long as he returned before the introduction of a wedding cake, she couldn't get herself into too much trouble.

Upon his return however, he was surprised to find her violet head of hair swaying around the dance floor, and even more surprised to see it paired with a head of platinum. He found himself watching them, despite himself, unsure what to make of the unusual sight. Neo was dancing. With Soma. Soma was dancing. And to top it all off, she looked… happy. Very happy. Conflicting emotions were not unfamiliar to him, but he was certainly not accustomed to such a strange combination. Confusion. Jealousy. Happiness. Sadness. Astonishment. It seemed this day couldn't get any more unusual. It only took the sound of a quiet voice to prove him wrong.

"Hey there, Romeo."

He turned his head to follow the address, blinking in confusion when he saw the source. Standing beside him, looking gorgeous and alarmingly normal was —

"…Gina?"

If he had felt puzzled before, now he was completely baffled. He had never seen the sniper outside of her battle gear and the closest thing she had ever worn resembling clothing still looked like combat garb. To see her standing there in a midnight blue, fitted dress resting against her slim figure was pleasant, but slightly unnerving. Like a femme fatale searching for her next target.

Thankfully, Gina wasn't offended. She laughed at his response, seemingly having expected that exact response. "What are you up to?"

"My job." Ichiro replied, nodding his head in the direction of Neo.

Gina followed his gaze and smirked. Of course, he was watching her. She would never understand that man, so seemingly indecisive. Had a world that revolved around her, swiped the top spot in the entire Far East, and somehow, couldn't find the courage to tell her. Looking back to him, her smile faltered. His expression was stoic, offering little more than neutrality, but she knew better. Aside from being depressed, he was likely painfully bored with his partner occupied. And conveniently enough, so was she. Shrugging her shoulders, she decided to give both of them something to do. "Well, I'm no New Type, but if you're looking for a dance partner, I've got time."

Ichiro had to contain himself from chuckling at her sudden offer. Between her playful tone, coy smile, and wiggling eyebrows, the combination on her was hilarious and he couldn't help but find amusement in her shenanigans. He had never expected Gina of all people to have a sense of humor. After a moment, he returned her smile and took her hand. "I'd be happy to. Although, I must say, I'm a little surprised."

"Why's that? I can do more than shoot, you know," she fired back, following him toward the dance floor.

"Is that so? Should I be curious or concerned?"

"That's up to you, Romeo. But don't worry. I don't bite… much."

Ichiro blinked, eyes widening for the slightest moment at the sound of her devious giggles. He figured a dance couldn't hurt, but perhaps he had been wrong. What on earth had he gotten himself into? Feeling uncertain, he took to the floor.

. . .

Aegis Island

Quiet footsteps crept softly through the deserted halls. Abandoned after the events of the Ark Project, Aegis Island had become a place of avoidance for many God Eaters, both for safety concerns due to Aragami activity and practicality. As there were no operations being conducted on the island, there was little reason to frequent it. Which was precisely what had driven the curious soldier to wander there in the first place.

After waking up in a hospital bed to angry voices, Otto slowly came to his senses and returned to consciousness. While it had been a few days before his actual release, he couldn't shake the feeling of dread that something was terribly wrong. Through the hazy fog of his recovering mind, he had only captured snippets of a heated conversation as he faded in and out of wakefulness. But it had been more than enough to tell him where he needed to go.

Innocents don't kill people, Soma!

That was an accident.

Aegis?

And trust me, it's something I can't unsee.

He hadn't the slightest idea what the pair had been talking about. But it didn't take a genius to figure out that whatever it was, they didn't want people to know about it. And with the events leading up to his current situation, he couldn't shake the feeling that Reaper was somehow at the center of all of it. His was certain his answers could be found somewhere on that island. And what better time to do so than now? With a wedding reception underway, all members of the Den were far too distracted to pay attention to him, even the ever-watchful Ichiro Hamasaki.

With a forceful grunt, Otto shoved open the stairwell door, growing stiff from lack of use in the humid office area. Time surrounded by the ocean without proper air ventilation had resulted in rusted locks and swollen wood all throughout the building. But it didn't matter. He found his desired location soon enough. A small, faded sign dangling from the ceiling told him he had made his way to the executive floor.

The search began immediately. Wandering from room to room, the God Eater left no stone unturned. He went into researcher's offices and closets. He explored the bathrooms and the locker areas, and even the lunchroom for any clues that could point him towards some hidden secret. It took almost two hours of searching for his efforts to bear fruit. Reaching nearly the end of the hallway, Otto paused at an open door. It was cracked slightly, unlike the others, with a dysfunctional locking mechanism. It seemed that this one had been destroyed by the elements at some point... or possibly broken into. He was curious to find out which.

Otto quickly found his answer as he stepped inside. Upon closer inspection, he could see that the electronic keypad was no longer operational; short circuited and overloaded by electrical current. Not too surprising considering the building's location where lightning storms were common. A glance at the door label brought a smile to his face. Johannes Von Schicksal. The old Director's office. How fortuitous for him.

Once inside, he continued his investigation, searching through cabinets and desk drawers, searching for anything out of the ordinary. He found stacks of legal documents and paperwork littered about. He saw formulae, compounds, and documentation on Oracle cell functionality. He was even surprised to find a photograph of a young Soma. But upon reaching the final drawer, he finally found it. Sitting slightly askew was a hidden compartment in the bottom desk drawer, nearly invisible to the naked eye.

"What's this...?" Otto knelt to the floor, brushing away the dust from the wooden surface as he carefully slid open the drawer. What he found inside nearly brought his jaw to the floor. It was a profile of some sort, or at least a portion of one, filled with medical jargon and scientific equations. None of that was relevant to him. The only thing that mattered was the image at the top of the paper and the words written beneath it.

"Specimen 13…"