Far East Branch - Lobby

Following her discussion with Soma in the Sick Bay, Neo had turned her focus primarily on recovery. As nothing could be done to undo the past, she saw little sense in punishing him for prying into her personal affairs. His faux pas had led to the New Type briefly interrogating him, demanding to know how he had been apprised of her previous living situation and for how long. With no desire to incur her wrath even further, the veteran caved, telling her whatever it was she wanted to know.

The answers, however, hadn't really fazed her. Having spent the almost the entirety of her life within Fenrir's walls, she knew full well the far-reaching gaze of their all-seeing eye. The fact that all of her experimentation had been documented and recorded didn't strike her as the least bit surprising. What did alarm her was the fact that Hiroyuki had stolen that research, fleeing the country with it and her onboard that fateful flight.

Unbeknownst to her, the doctor had become aware of her experimentation, at least in part. Neo wasn't sure how he had found out, only that the revelation led him to take them on a journey overseas that would ultimately end his life. And as a result, her data files and existence had been lost to history, buried deep within the wreckage of Ontario. And they remained as such until another man, Johannes von Schicksal, uncovered them, eventually bringing them to Soma's attention. It was through that discovery that he had realized Neo's true identity as his childhood friend.

His explanation had left her with a sour taste in her mouth. After all, with the exception of Alisa, no one else in creation knew the truth of her life in the North American Branch… and she had intended to keep it that way; a secret that she would carry with her to the grave. Now, that secret had been unearthed. But so long as he kept it to himself, the New Type wouldn't hold it against him.

With the pair in agreement, Neo had continued her bedrest as though nothing had changed. She remained in the medical ward until her cells fully stabilized. With her body on the road to full recovery, she relocated to the veteran's floor to remain out of sight, as per Soma's advice. Remaining in her hospital bed proved too risky with Gunter and Kanon's frequent visits. Unfortunately, going into hiding had only solved part of the problem.

As she slowly began reacclimating to everyday activities, it became painfully obvious that Neo's aesthetic changes hadn't been the only lasting side effect of her transformation. Her strength, which had always been unnatural to begin with, was now even worse. With little control over her newfound power, the New Type found it difficult to adjust for the first few days. The poor woman found herself crushing objects, breaking utensils, and occasionally causing physical harm to the people around her, slashing and bruising Ichiro on more than one occasion when trying to offer an embrace.

And the difficulties didn't stop there.

As dangerous as her strength had become, her talons were far, far worse. Learning how to function with her new physical capabilities was challenging enough. But combined with her razor-sharp claws, even mundane tasks such as dressing herself were proving problematic. It became so difficult that within days, nearly the entirety of her remaining wardrobe had been torn to shreds. Soma's suggestion of wearing gloves had seemed logical at first, but in practice, they found the execution to be rather pointless as her claws would often tear right through the fabric itself. With no solution in sight and one outfit away from nudity, it was decided that equipping Neo with new, enhanced and improved garments was top priority.

Thus, she was to commission Licca for her new clothing line. As the engineer had dressed an actual Aragami in the recent past, she was the person of choice for the job. But as with all things involving Neo, the process itself was easier said than done. As the New Type had never had any need of finances in the past, she hadn't the slightest clue of how to go about placing any sort of order. So for assistance, she had sought the aid of the Far East's resident capitalist and his redheaded companion, the latter of which had grown paler than the Aragami child herself.

His eyes stared unblinkingly at the terminal screen as Karel explained the ins and outs of Fenrir Points, their usage, and how to access them via the terminal. He had initially found the request highly unusual, but when the New Type had offered future compensation, he couldn't bring himself to refuse. In return for teaching her basic societal functionality, she had agreed to help him with any future missions should he request it. And the blonde knew that with her track record, it was sure to increase his profits exponentially.

These assumptions had only grown three-fold upon viewing her bank account.

"WHAT THE FUCK?!" Shun's voice echoed through the halls of the lobby, startling its occupants and earning a scowl of disapproval from Major Amamiya. But the redhead couldn't bring himself to be concerned with his fellow God Eaters at the moment. He was far too preoccupied with the numbers displayed on the computer screen. "F-Four… Fourteen…" His ramblings continued under his breath following his explosive outburst. He felt lightheaded as the blood drained from his face at the sight.

NORN TERMINAL MONEY 14,711,423 FC

"How… how is… I can't…" The God Eater had never seen such a large quantity of Fenrir Points in his lifetime. And he had certainly never seen it in the possession of one who couldn't seem to care less.

Beside him, Neo raised an eyebrow at his murmurings. "Is there a problem, Shun?"

"I… what… How do you have so much money?!"

A shrug was all he received in response. "I don't know. I've never used it before."

"Never used -" Shun looked ready to faint, his head spinning at the sheer absurdity of it all. What did she mean she never used it? How was that even possible? "How did… How… How have you been surviving all this time? How do you get supplies? Clothes? Food?!"

"…I don't."

Shun gaped at her, uncertain of whether she was joking or not at this point. In truth, Neo was as serious as a Vajra attack. She had never once purchased an item in her entire life. She had never needed to. As a child, anything and everything she needed was provided for her as she wasn't allowed to freely roam the compound. As she grew older, anything she wanted was supplied by her guardian, which typically wasn't very much.

As her body regenerated naturally, she had little need for Restore Pills and O-Ampules. As she had never worked in a group, she didn't require Restore Posts, traps, or other such contraptions. And as she was highly sensitive to grenades, she simply didn't use them at all. Any food or drink she required, she would ask Ichiro… and if she couldn't find him, she would use her growing electrical capability to overload the vending machines and take whatever fell.

With no use for economic knowledge or operation, she had never once given even a moment of thought to Fenrir Points or any currency for that matter. But the organization's systems were primarily automated, leaving her earnings to credit her account following quest completion, regardless of whether or not she ever actually used it. As a result, her Fenrir Points had been accumulating over the course of her entire God Eating career, ranging from her first deployment in North America to her most recent disappearance in the Far East.

Beside her, Karel shook his head as he continued navigating through the different menu screens. "If you displayed better management of your finances, you would see an accumulation in your account."

Silence.

Brown eyes gazed incredulously at the back of Karel's head. Neo watched as the gears turned, his mouth opening and closing as he tried to make sense of his friend's comment. Finally, Shun nearly exploded in response to his backhanded remark. "Managed my - Karel, that's over ten million Fenrir Points. Ten million! This chick is absolutely loaded! That would be enough to pay off my loans more than ten times over."

"…Loan?" Neo tilted her head slightly to the side, turning her attention to the blonde once more. She had heard the phrase before in reference to Shun but had never gotten any form of explanation. Since she was learning about spending already, it seemed to be a good time to ask.

But rather than answering her question, Karel simply shook his head. "Don't worry about that for the time being. With an account like yours, loans aren't something you need to concern yourself with." Moving the cursor to another screen, he brought up the display of potential clothing designs as well as options for customizations and special requests. As her eyes carefully followed his movements, he decided to take advantage of her attention. "Since you're learning about purchases and payment, I suppose now is as good a time as any to mention the black market."

"…Black market?" Neo inclined her head once more, now showing even more confusion at this new concept.

"Well, they call it that. But personally, I prefer the term 'rare finds.' If you ever need something particularly difficult to find, come to me. I can get it for you, and at a reasonable price."

"Rare finds…?" Quiet mutterings under her breath momentarily piqued the blonde's interest. A few things came to mind as Neo followed his cursor across the terminal screen. For a moment, her mind drifted back to a magazine she had read many weeks ago. What was that pastry called again? A cupcake?

Beside her, Shun's expression shifted, his own mind reeling with devious thoughts. Turning his hopeful eyes in her direction, he shot her sheepish grin. "Actually… speaking of loans. You think -"

"I sincerely hope the two of you aren't propositioning our New Type?"

The redhead jumped at the sound of a familiar voice approaching him from behind. Strolling casually in their direction was Neo's companion and confidant, regarding the three of them with amused interest. Shun's mouth snapped shut, his eyes drifting guiltily towards the wall. He had been so excited by the possibility of financial assistance, he hadn't considered the possibility of consequences. Perhaps getting a 'loan' from her wasn't the wisest decision. Not if he would have Hamasaki to deal with.

His concerns were irrelevant in the end, as Neo's attention had already been lost. At the sight of her guardian, she rushed toward him, leaving the Long Blade user all but completely forgotten.

"Ichi!" Their bodies collided as she practically tackled him, wrapping her covered arms around his midsection.

"Oof!" A sharp exhale was the only sound that escaped as her arms constricted around his abdomen, forcing the wind out of him.

At the sound of his grunt, Neo's voice lowered to a quiet murmur. "Sorry." Frowning, she hung her head slightly and loosened her grip.

Above her, the veteran chuckled and shook his head. A gentle hand lifted her chin as he offered a kind smile. "Don't worry about it. Come to think of it, what are you doing running around out here anyway? And is that - are you wearing my shirt?"

"Karel is helping me buy things." Neo gave him a toothy grin, completely disregarding his question.

His smile widened, gently unlacing her arms from his waist. As his hand felt the familiar fabric, he could see that she was indeed wearing one of his shirts, the long sleeves falling adorably over her clawed hands. "I can see that… Let me rephrase. Why aren't you resting?"

Her wide smile quickly fell into a small frown. "Because you wouldn't let me come on the mission with you."

"Neo, I've told you a dozen times. You're not authorized for combat. Your body is still recovering, and your God Arc -"

"Was there anything else you needed?" Karel stepped away from the terminal, gesturing toward the desktop. Having finished his explanation, he had left the screen on the Craft Equipment page. "Just go through like I showed you, and they should be ready in a couple days' time."

"Thank you." Neo's voice as she switched her attention startled him, leaving Ichiro to simply watch with a stunned expression as she walked away. Returning to Karel, her mirth faded, as she shifted to a neutral, almost bored state. He hadn't seen a change so dramatic since her days as a puppet. How strange for such a habit to suddenly resurface.

Shun raised an eyebrow at the pendulous swing as well, his mouth twitching at the unusual sight. He recalled a similar reaction in the training room months ago when she and her guardian had finished their song. Was she always prone to such violent mood swings? Or did such behavior only occur when her guardian was involved? Either way, it gave him the creeps.

Neo inclined her head in the blonde's direction, nodding her gratitude. "Call on me."

Karel smirked, turning to take his leave. "Count on it."

As he sauntered off towards the Mess Hall, Neo returned her attention to the Norn terminal. Her eyes illuminated as she looked at the screen. There were so many options to choose from, nearly endless possibilities. What would she buy? In what colors? What would be the most comfortable? The most functional? The list of questions went on and on as she scrolled through seemingly endless pages of clothing options.

From behind, Ichiro narrowed his eyes, observing the woman as she typed with glee. Her emotional swings were beginning to concern him. From what he could tell, Neo hadn't displayed any signs of instability since her awakening. Her spirits had lifted slightly, which he had considered to be a good thing. And overall, she had become more expressive than he had seen in weeks. Her strength and appetite were beginning to return and of course, her stubbornness and penchant for mischief right along with them. Yet something was off about her. Something in her smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. He would have to keep a close watch on her moving forward.

. . .

Tranquil Temple

A deafening screech tore through the frozen air, followed by a muffled thump. The Fallen Zygote spun downward, its two halves sliding through the snow on impact. With the final nuisance neutralized, the 1st Unit Captain extracted the core. Shifting his blade into gun form, he turned towards his teammate with a satisfied grin. "All clear!"

"Great!" Kota pumped his fist in the air, returning the gesture with a wide smile. "Let's find our target, take it down, and get home for some Bugarally!"

"The area is still unstable. Keep your Arc up." Soma turned his eyes skyward, sparing not even a glance at the scowling gunner. Ignoring his pouting, he keened his senses and listened. So far, the monster had eluded them, staying just barely out of sight and out of his range. At this point, he was beginning to grow wary. What was taking so long? Their target wasn't very quick on its feet, and it was so large that they should have at least caught a glimpse of it by this point. Something was wrong.

Utsugi watched him carefully, brows furrowing in suspicion. While it was relatively normal for Soma to display bouts of irritation, they were typically more targeted. Now, it was unfocused and lacking any real bite. It was as though he were in a trance of sorts, only paying half attention to the world around him. There was only one reason that the veteran behaved in such a manner. He was worried about something. What had him so concerned? The Captain opened his mouth to voice that very question when the other God Eater froze, his eyes widening in surprise.

Soma's body went rigid, ears ringing as the alarm bells sounded. After an eternity of radio silence, he finally felt an Aragami presence; a large one. And it was moving rapidly across the landscape. He couldn't think of any creatures that could traverse terrain with such speed… and for a moment, he was tempted to call Hamasaki to ensure their New Type hadn't snuck out of Headquarters. It wouldn't be the first time, and it was certainly a very Neo thing to do. Then, something quickly changed his mind.

A deafening roar thundered through the air. From the guttural rumble, it sounded like their target. But it didn't sound like a challenge. It sounded like distress… and it was coming from the west. Gripping his God Arc, Soma turned and bolted in the direction of the noise. "Let's move!"

Lenka and Kota quickly followed, rushing after him. Their feet crunched through the snow as they twisted and turned, navigating the abandoned city streets. The gunner frowned as they traveled, noting the emptiness of the winding pathways. While the tundra wasn't necessarily a hotbed for Aragami activity, it was highly unusual to see the area completely deserted. It was like someone had already come through, clearing the space for them prior to their arrival.

But that didn't make any sense. As far as he knew, very few teams had been assigned to cover the Tranquil Temple in recent days. And since Neo was currently on bedrest under the watchful eye of her guardian, it was unlikely that she had followed them. So, what could have possibly done so much damage in such a short amount of time? Surely, it couldn't have anything to do with the rumors…

"Whoa…" Lenka slid to a stop, rounding a corner into an open area near the town's center.

The buildings were in disarray, far more so than their typical state. Snow and debris were thrown in almost every direction. Blood littered the ground, staining the landscape red and painting the wooden structures surrounding it. And in the center of the destruction was a large mass that all three God Eaters recognized. It was rent nearly beyond identification, but the track-like legs and open chest cavity gave them confirmation. It was their target for that mission: the Quadriga… and it was already dead.

In its flesh were large claw marks, unlike any they had ever seen. Three of its limbs were twisted and bent at unnatural angles. The other was lying a good distance away, tossed haphazardly to the side. And in its chest was a gaping hole, where the core had been violently removed. Something had slain their target, in the most aggressive way possible. Something large. Something powerful. Soma's expression darkened as he drew closer to examine the grizzly scene.

It seemed Sakaki's hypothesis was correct.

. . .

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

Fun fact: These are not random numbers. I actually opened my original save file and took a look at my funds. Honestly, considering Neo's overactive tendencies, this amount might still be a little low.