Far East Branch - Lobby

The days following the Aragami incursion proved uneventful for the Far East. Alisa, Kota, Lenka, and Sakuya continued forward with the Hannibal investigation while Soma spent his time primarily working on remnant recovery. Ichiro and Neo remained in the Sick Bay for a short while longer, with both being later released one after the other. And their return could not have come at a more convenient time.

Thanks to Neo's reckless stunt, the damage to the weapons hangar had been greatly mitigated. Licca was able to return to work within 24 hours and happily did so with renewed vigor. After saving her life, the least she could do was honor her word. Using the parts retrieved by the 1st Unit, she made good on her promise to deliver functioning God Arcs in a matter of days. Ichiro's Buster Blade was fully repaired, freeing the veteran to return to combat whenever he wished. Following its completion, the upgrades to Neo's Variant Scythe were finished as well, allowing the New Type to finally conduct field operations once more. And as luck would have it, neither one of them could have picked a better time to return.

"Slow down, Otto. I can't understand you." The sound of the operator's concerned voice echoed through the empty hall. Her fingers tapped wildly on the keys as she searched through the Norn database. "Hold on, you're breaking up. You said you're where?" Her speech raised in volume as she typed, going from worried to panicked as she listened to the voice on the other end of her radio.

Her clacking keys and frantic ramblings soon reached a second pair of ears, approaching from the stairwell doors. Hearing her tone, Soma quickened his footsteps, shifting course to the operation desk. "Hibari, what's -"

His question paused as she lifted a finger to silence him. "You guys found what?! Oh no. No, this isn't good. Is anyone injured?" Her typing speed increased even further as the other man's voice babbled through the receiver. Soma's eyes narrowed slightly as he watched her, his patience waning as her conversation drew to a close. "I understand. Okay. Hang tight. I'll send backup to your location."

Soma's scowl deepened, his eyes watching the frazzled woman spin from her computer screen. He didn't need to hear their whole exchange to know the news wasn't good. The word "backup" had told him as much. For that reason, he was wholly unsurprised when Hibari turned her pleading eyes in his direction. Before she could open her mouth, he sighed and beat her to the punch. "Shun again?" He rolled his eyes, more than accustomed to this particular course of events.

But to his surprise, Hibari shook her head. "Not this time. It's Gunter."

"Gunter?" Soma parroted her, his own voice mirroring her disbelief. He wasn't very familiar with the German God Eater, nor his level of skill. He did know however, that he had never once heard the man call for backup since his transfer to the Far East Branch. Shameless philanderer that he was, he had little respect for the man as an individual. That being said, he did however, have respect for him as a combatant. Whatever had pinned his team down must have been serious trouble. Could it be…?

Turning back to her computer screen, Hibari continued. "Yes. The Defense Unit were out on patrol in the Wailing Plains. He says they've found a herd of Vajra."

"An ambush… anyone hurt?"

"No casualties at this time, but serious injuries have been reported. I've requested a retaliation squad to assist them, but…"

"Damn it." Soma crossed his arms, tapping his fingers against his forearm in frustration. He knew what the operator was going to say. All hands were currently tied working on the Hannibal Initiative. Any available combat units were already in the field leaving only himself to take on an entire horde of angry monsters, Vajra no less. While he had faced worse during his career, they were certainly not his favorite creature to face in large numbers. They were unpredictable and quick in their movements, impulsive, electrified, and…

'Wait a minute.'

His platinum head shot up as realization hit him. He wasn't alone. Not anymore. As of 11:00 hours that morning, there were two God Eaters newly reauthorized for field operations. And, after spending so much time in recovery, at least one of them was probably itching for a fight. "Contact the Major and the Defense Squad. Tell them help is on the way."

. . .

Wailing Plains

"Damn it!" Brendan growled with irritation, rolling to the side beneath an incoming paw. Shifting his eyes, he looked over towards Otto's unconscious form lying unmoving in the mud. Lifting his shield, he deflected another blow with a grunt as the force sent him sliding across the wet earth. Raising his voice, he shouted to Tatsumi as he forced the enemy backward. "How's he doing?"

The Captain scowled, driving yet another Vajra away from Otto's body as he shouted back. "Not good. He's losing a lot of blood." He leapt to the side, narrowly avoiding an incoming bolt. Charging forward, he pushed the Aragami back, trying to keep it from his incapacitated comrade.

Not long after radioing Headquarters, the 3rd Unit soldier had noticed an unseen threat lurking in the fog. He leapt into action, placing himself in between Brendan and the incoming Vajra, successfully protecting the other man from imminent death. Unfortunately, his own shield was still recharging from a previous guard and couldn't withstand the strain of another impact. After collapsing his barrier, the Aragami had caught him with a swipe, tearing him open and taking him out of the battle.

Since then, the other three members had been playing defense, trying to keep the hungry monsters from devouring their teammate alive. Running low on supplies, none of them could risk raising him with a Link Aid. Doing so would only serve to weaken them both. Growling, Gunter charged forward, felling his Vajra with a well-placed swing of his Long Blade. As its body collapsed to the ground, he reached for his radio, calling for Hibari once more in Otto's place. "ETA on that backup?"

With the hum of static, the operator's choppy voice came through the receiver. "Yes… the… Squad should… your location. Just… safe. Soma and… minutes!"

"Hibari? Hibari! Damn it." As her voice faded into noise, he sighed and shut off of the device. The electrical storms were causing too much interference. They had no choice but to hold out for as long as they could. Turning his attention back to his teammates, he paused, realizing that one of them was in grave danger. Locked in a stalemate with his target, their leader was unaware of another approaching Vajra stalking behind him. "Tatsumi, behind you!"

His voice fell on deaf ears. Through the thunder, lightning, and howling winds, neither the Defense Squad Captain nor Vice Captain could hear him. The monster was inching closer and closer, and neither one of them could see it. As its jaws slowly opened, time stood still. The world fell away, the rain dissipating into dust and the muddy ground giving way to wooden flooring. The sound of roaring winds faded into joyful laughter. In that moment, he no longer saw Tatsumi, but a young woman… what was left of her.

'Monsters… All of them, monsters!'

Then, he saw nothing.

Gunter's body had begun moving before he realized it. He tore across the landscape, Long Blade raised in striking position as he slid through the mud. The sound that left his mouth could barely be described as human, a strange cross between a snarl and a bellow. He almost didn't recognize the voice as his own, blinded by his rage. A burst of crimson clouded his vision, and all was silent.

Slowly, sound returned. The rain pounded in his ears followed by a wet thump as a large body collapsed to the ground. Footsteps splashed as Tatsumi approached him. "Holy shit… Haas, you alright?!"

"Huh?" He shook his head for a moment, trying to bring his mind back to the present. "I mean - I should be asking you that, yeah?"

"I'm fine…" Tatsumi raised an eyebrow, looking back at his own Vajra, slain and lying in the muck. Then, he slowly turned his attention to Gunter's with his blade still embedded deep within its skull. "…thanks to you."

"Don't mention it."

The two stood silently for a moment, admiring the other's handiwork as they tried to catch their breath in their moment of pause. Their respite didn't last long, however, as Brendan's voice quickly intervened. "Uh… guys. I don't see a way out of this."

Turning, both men shifted their attention to their Vice Commander, eyes sweeping carefully in every direction. Then, they followed his gaze, observing the looming shadows hidden within the growing fog. More Vajra had appeared, attracted by the commotion. They were surrounded.

"Damn, there's no end to them." Tatsumi gripped his blade once more, his arms trembling with exhaustion. He wasn't sure how much longer they would be able to hold out. There were more Vajra than they could visibly count with others possibly in hiding… and only three of them. To make matters worse, they needed to focus not only protecting themselves, but their fallen ally as well. They were out of options and out of time. Laughing morbidly, he shook his head. "Well, at least I'll go out in a blaze of glory. Hibari's sure to notice me then, right?"

Sighing, Brendan shook his head. Leave it to Tatsumi to try and lighten the mood to the very end. "Yeah. I'm sure she will."

Gunter laughed incredulously as he got into position, facing his back against his allies as they surrounded Otto's unconscious form. Backing against one another, they eyed their approaching enemies as they closed in. Sighing, he took one last look at the area around him. If he was to die, at least he would do so surrounded by friends. How fitting that it would be the Vajra that would ultimately be his end.

Strangely, he felt less at ease than he had expected to in what would be his final moments. He had always felt indifference in the face of death. He knew the inevitable would come for them all, and when it did, he could confidently say that he had had a fun ride. Yet somehow, he felt no peace this time. Instead, he felt only regret… yet, he couldn't pinpoint a reason why. He felt a strange sense of loss as the image of a second woman came to mind, her violet hair billowing wildly in the wind. Why was he thinking about her at a time like this?

"Wait… what's that sound?" His tranquil thoughts were quickly halted, a male voice shattering the calm.

Recovering, Gunter shook his head and replied with a grin. "Angels, Tatsumi. They're coming to take us home."

The Captain shook his head, disregarding his comrade's dark sense of humor. "No, seriously. Do you guys hear that?"

The other two paused, straining to pick up any sound over the howling gale. Then… they heard it. Through the wind and rain, another sound was barely audible. A sound familiar to them all and music to their ears. The sound of rotors. Help had finally arrived.

But their relaxation was short-lived. The even spinning of the helicopter blades was interrupted by a new sound, so loud it made all three of them jump. A noise each of them had heard only once before during The Great Barrier Breach. Like the sound of a cannon, the percussive blast echoed through the skies above, confusing even the Aragami surrounding them. Then, all fell into chaos.

The Vajra closest to them stuttered, its body trembling for only a moment as a flash of light passed through its crested head. Then, it sagged and collapsed to the ground with a loud thump. Startled, the three looked around at the surrounding horde, which now looked almost as confused as they did. Then, they bristled as the sound drew closer. Turning its attention skyward, one of the large cat-like creatures changed course. Snarling, it crouched and leapt into the air in the direction of the approaching transport, fangs bared. On the ground, the three blade wielders could only watch in horror as the Vajra took aim at their backup. Fortunately, it didn't get very far.

The cannon sounded again, a flash of light passing into its open mouth, tearing through its body, and exiting the other side. The bullet intercepted the Aragami, sending it crashing back to earth with a ground-shaking thud. Following behind it were two figures, descending from the skies above, their billowing robes giving the illusion that a pair of angels had actually answered their prayers. But as they drew closer, the navy blue and jet black coloration gave them away as their weapons lifted high above their heads.

With the aid of gravity, Soma came down on one of the Vajra like a hammer of judgment, felling it with a single Charge Crush. Beside him, Ichiro landed, driving his Buster through the neck of another. Wrenching it to the side, he tore through its flesh and severed the head from its body, painting his ebony cloak in crimson. The third and final entrance was by far the most dramatic. After reverting her extended barrel, Neo leapt from the copter towards the ground below. Like a small bringer of death, she shifted her weapon mid-flight, extending her scythe to maximum range as she landed on the spine of a third. Yanking backwards, she collapsed her handle, rending the earth and Vajra alike as her empowered blade carved a path from its face to its torso. Drenched in a fountain of blood, she hopped off of the monster's collapsing form with a quiet splash and strolled back towards her guardian.

"Boy, am I glad to see you guys." Tatsumi rejoiced, letting out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

Nodding, Ichiro stepped forward, eyeing the unconscious Otto on the ground. While he certainly had no love for the man, he had no interest in seeing him turn into an evening meal. "You guys did well. We'll take it from here. Gather your friend and make a run for it."

Tatsumi chuckled nervously, looking around at the encroaching circle. "Uh… not sure that's a good idea. Or even possible."

Soma stepped forward, brandishing his Evil One with a smirk. "We'll cut a path. The transport is heading towards the exfiltration site. Wait for us there." Turning his head slightly, he nodded to Ichiro, who inclined his head in response to his silent message. They were ready.

Sighing, Brendan shook his head. Much as he hated the idea of leaving the three of them behind to fend for themselves, he couldn't exactly deny the current state of his team. None of them were in any condition to continue this fight. Nodding to Tatsumi, he knelt beside Otto, activating a Link Aid and engulfing him in green light.

"Ugh…" Otto groaned, grabbing his pounding head as the Vice Captain helped him sit up. "Fuck…"

"You alright there, buddy?" Gunter taunted, smirking at his friend raising shakily to his feet.

"Shove it." Gunter snickered at him as he returned slowly to his senses. The field came into view, the silhouettes forming coherent patterns as he began to recognize three new figures standing in front of them. "The hell…?" Regaining his bearings, his eyes landed on Neo, who immediately returned his glare with double intensity.

"We're gonna head for transport. Can you run?" Brendan held an arm out to steady him as he straightened his posture.

"Gonna have to, yeah?" Otto grumbled, averting his eyes from the New Type.

Determining he posed no threat, Neo turned her attention to her companion. Whining, she stared up at him as she all but vibrated with anticipation. "Come ooon, Ichi, let's go! My body's so tense. I need release!"

The veteran froze, his expression twisting for a moment as he tried to process her unusual phrasing. Sighing, he glared down at the trembling woman and shook his head. "Damn it, Neo, how many times - stop talking like that."

"Like what?"

"Forget it. You guys ready?" His eyes swept over the other squadron, acknowledging their nods of affirmation. They were as prepared as they were ever going to be. Shifting his gaze to Neo, he sighed. "They're all yours, Neo. Let loose!"

At the sound of Ichiro's command, Neo took off like a bullet, scythe raised high above her head. Her teammates followed, guarding her sides as they dove into the fray. Soma opened a path for the pair of them, keeping interference at bay as the two took on the striker role. Ichiro's massive blade tore into an incoming Vajra's leg, lodging it in place and halting its movement. Using the large weapon as a springboard, Neo leapt off of it, twirling through the air and using her momentum to drive her own blade into the monster's skull. As she twisted her weapon free, her guardian was once again by her side, catching her as she landed and twirling her around into another incoming threat.

Around them, Soma moved like a whirlwind, thrusting, and swinging his Buster at any that drew too close. He was waiting for an opportunity. And within moments, as expected, Neo presented him with one. Dropping low to the ground, she spun, sweeping her scythe across the ground and through two Vajra's legs. Then, she paused, her scarf glowing dangerously as she focused her Oracle power. Within moments, Soma could feel the area around him cooling as the New Type took full advantage of their drenched surroundings to slow their enemies down. Lifting his blade, he took aim alongside of his fellow veteran, each targeting their own monster. Then, with a roar, both brought down their Busters in crushing blows against their respective target's heads.

With both collapsing to the ground, they had found their opening. Turning to the other squadron, Soma called to them before rushing back into the brawl. "There's your path. Get going!"

The four nodded, taking heed to their warning. They wouldn't likely get another chance. With Tatsumi taking the lead, the 2nd Unit's group made their way to safety, cutting through the opening in the seemingly endless sea of Vajra. Otto stumbled behind him, using Brendan as support while Gunter followed up the rear. As they rounded a building, the Vice Commander paused for a moment, looking back at the New Type, crouched threateningly on the ground. He would have to make certain to thank them later for their assistance. As he looked over her ebony garb, he felt his chest tighten, his gaze locking on her golden insignia: S.O.

'No way…'

Shaking his head, he turned and followed after his teammates. Any questions he had, he would inquire upon their return. With the last of the 2nd Unit disappearing from sight, Neo went wild. Without prying eyes, the New Type was free to fight as she pleased, transforming from a furious reaper to a whirlwind of absolute terror. Her scythe whirled around and around, taking down anything that crossed her path. To her sides, Soma and Ichiro moved around her, keeping watch to ensure her antics didn't land her in hot water.

But her newfound freedom was short-lived as a head of blonde hair caught her attention mid-spin, sending her off balance and nearly sliding through the mud. Her fumble was halted by her guardian, catching her small frame, and stopping her fall. Her target fell with a groan as her unexpected visitor withdrew his blade from its neck, an unnerving smile gracing his features. "Miss me?"

Neo blinked; a bit surprised to see him as she corrected her stance once more. "Gunter? You didn't evacuate?"

"Not just yet. I've got a score to settle." Offering her a wink, he turned his attention to nearby target, lifting his Long Blade in an offensive position as he stared them down.

Neo felt the hairs on her neck stand on end as she observed him, her eyes narrowing with suspicion. Having spent her fair share of time with the hunter over the past several months, she had grown familiar with his patterns and mannerisms. She had seen him in public and in private, and plenty of times on the battlefield. Yet, she had never seen his eyes hold such intensity. There was something about his movements that bothered her. Something about the look in his eyes as he gazed at the Aragami. It was a look that she had come to know very well throughout her years in the North American Branch: hatred.

With a fury unlike anything she had seen before from him, Gunter leapt into the fray, his body moving with reckless abandon. Every swing of his blade stained the landscape red, as he jumped and spun, battling with renewed energy. It was as though the times they had fought in the past were an illusion, holding back his true power as he slipped across the battlefield. Or perhaps there was something else driving him entirely.

Neo didn't have time to question it. Instead, she shifted her focus to her own targets as she rushed across the landscape. Shifting into gun form, she took aim and fired at a charging Vajra, tipping it off balance and into Soma's oncoming strike. She caught his smirk of appreciation as she turned, firing yet again at another target that threatened her guardian.

Bullets and blades rained from all directions as the four of them fought on, with Neo acting as their switch-hitter. Her weapon twisted and morphed to her will, as she continuously changed roles to suit the needs of the battlefield. In between his own motions, Gunter watched in utter amazement at the display, suddenly finding his own skills painfully inadequate. While he had seen her on the battlefield more than his fair share, he had never seen her battle quite as fiercely or freely as she did by Ichiro's side. Even more unusual to him were their fluid, dance-like movements as they all but glided across the battlefield. The rumors about the two of them weren't exaggerated. They truly were poetry in motion, their very hearts and minds moving as one as they followed each other's every step.

Not far from their dance, Soma was even more confused as he watched the pair's unusual shifting motions. Having spent countless hours in the field with her, the veteran had grown accustomed to Neo's fighting style. Every detail from the way she gripped her blade to the way she pivoted her feet were etched into memory. Yet strangely, her motions on this day were not those he had grown so familiar with. The primal, almost barbarous way she gripped her handle was more akin to that of a Buster Blade than her Variant Scythe. Her movements were heavier and her footsteps more rigid. It was almost as if her style were emulating his own, or perhaps Ichiro's.

Even stranger still, her guardian's own movements were no longer conforming to their usual standard. His heavier swings were graceful, more closely resembling Neo's and his footsteps were lighter across the ground. While their movements were synchronized, their styles were mismatched. It was as though a wire was getting crossed, causing a conflict in their all but telepathic communication. But who was mirroring who in this situation?

More importantly, how was it even possible?

Lost in his thoughts for only a moment, Soma quickly realized that his focus had faltered. But that second was all it took for the tides of battle to shift. Sensing movement from his periphery, the veteran quickly lifted his shield to intercept an incoming swipe. The consequence of his mild distraction was a slightly mistimed deployment, insufficient to block the Vajra's strike. Swatted to the ground, he slid through the mud, grunting as he passed over a rock buried in the earth. Grumbling, he sat up, raising his shield once more against the engulfing light.

"Soma!"

The sound of Ichiro's panicked voice brought him to a horrifying realization: the light wasn't directed towards him. It was surrounding him. The Vajra's paw had sent him tumbling into something far worse, a charging collection of bolts. One strike from a Vajra's lightning at maximum voltage was enough to paralyze. Two were more than enough to incapacitate. Three were possibly enough to kill.

And he had no way of evading any one of them now.

Ichiro and Gunter both watched in stunned silence as Neo broke position, wrenching herself from her guardian and crossing the distance in a few bounds. Cursing inwardly at his own folly, Soma braced himself for what was probably going to be the worst shock of his life. He was prepared for the searing pain of countless volts coursing through his body, all at once. What he wasn't prepared for was a small form colliding with him with the force of a semitruck.

"Oof!" An unintelligible sound was the only thing that escaped him as a violet streak descended on him, forcing the wind from his lungs. As her small body pressed him further into the mud, he opened his eyes to catch a glimpse of her own. Her gaze was the last thing he saw before all of his senses were engulfed in overwhelming light.

Yet he felt nothing. No pain and no discomfort. Only the gentle vibrations of the woman above him, trembling against his form.

Groaning, Soma glared up at his childhood friend, scowling as she performed yet another reckless stunt just days following her release. He wanted to shout at her. To tell her, once again, to get off of him. But his words caught in his throat at the look on her face, eyes squeezed tightly shut with trembling lips. Sitting up, she straddled him, her coats sparking dangerously around her neck. "…Shit."

Neo's weight suddenly vanished as Ichiro hoisted the shaking woman off of him, a look of alarm gracing his features. "Soma. We have to move. Now."

Climbing to his feet, he nodded, knowing full well what was going to happen. In the past, he had seen what Neo was capable of after absorbing a single shock. Now, she had absorbed three of them and looked, quite literally, ready to explode.

"Wha -" Gunter blanched at the two of them as they moved to create distance, staring incredulously at Ichiro. "Where are you going?"

"Evacuating." Soma snarled at him, his patience completely exhausted. He had already spent countless days searching for Nova fragments and pulled two all-night missions earlier that week, only to be dragged into yet another crisis first thing in the afternoon. He was in no mood to get electrocuted on top of it.

"Wait, you're just going to leave her here?!" Both veterans paused for a moment, taking note of the other God Eater's enraged expression. As the only one ignorant to Neo's biology, he didn't realize the danger. And explaining it to him wasn't an option. They had no way of knowing whether they could trust him and, at the moment, they were in no position to ponder it.

As Neo groaned to their side, Ichiro shook his head. "Gunter, we don't have time for this. We need to move. Now."

"And leave her behind, with those things?!"

"We don't have a choice!"

"I'm not leaving her!" Gunter growled, his eyes boring holes into her guardian as Neo's body began to twitch. His rage surprised even himself as he stood his ground, his eyes drifting to the groaning woman holding her sides. He couldn't even begin to imagine leaving her behind. He couldn't understand why the two of them would. All he knew was that the thought of losing her…

"Ichi… run…" Her body trembled with every shaky breath, swaying from side to side as she held on with every fiber of her being. The New Type looked ready to vomit as her Oracle cells rampaged out of control. She could feel sparks dancing through her veins. They were almost out of time.

"Yes, you are. Move!" Soma shouted, grabbing hold of Gunter's arm. The other God Eater started, yanking against him as he was pulled towards the nearby buildings. Even outside of his weakened state, he was no match for Soma's superior strength. The veteran found himself, once again, grateful for his enhanced biology as he dragged the other man away from their unstable companion. Without a further word, Hamasaki joined him, grabbing the other arm as they forced his compliance.

"What's wrong with you?! Get off of me!"

Both veterans ignored his protests, pulling the struggling soldier to safety. Soma felt his spine tingle as Neo's Oracle cells destabilized, her groaning growing more enticing with each passing moment. The Vajra surrounding her mobilized, ignoring the three of them as her voice called them towards her. Gunter's struggles intensified as he watched, the circle tightening around her as she fell to her knees. His calls to her went unnoticed, as her raging heart thumped wildly in her ears. Then, her eyes lifted to the cloudy sky.

Dragging their struggling teammate behind a nearby structure, the pair braced themselves. Ichiro restrained Gunter as Soma let go, clapping his hands over his ears with not a moment to spare. In the following seconds, Neo erupted. With an echoing shriek, she unleashed her stored energy in a massive discharge. Light illuminated the area, Gunter gaping at her as he was dragged behind the wall to safety. His final image was Neo disappearing as she engulfed herself and the surrounding area with a blinding light.

'What the hell was that?'