Far East Branch - Lobby

Thor's Banquet brought a great deal of challenges for the members of the 1st Unit in the following days. After Neo's outburst in the Wailing Plains, both Soma and Ichiro found themselves doing damage control. After unintentionally revealing her power to an outsider, their friend grew anxious and withdrawn, often hiding in her room and evading other members of the Den. Given her history with those privy to her power, her paranoia was more than justified. As such, the former did as best he could to soothe her nervousness, keeping her separate from Gunter for the time being. Likewise, Ichiro did what he could on his end, trying to explain away the incident as best he could.

It took quite a bit of effort to sway him, but with careful, strategic prodding, her guardian was able to convince Gunter that Neo's abilities weren't completely out of the ordinary. Instead, he led him to believe that her channeling was a result of her New Type biology, rather than anything superhuman. With some coaxing, he was even able to assure his silence, although for how long, he didn't know. For the time being, both men had a much larger problem to focus on.

With the threat of Neo's potential suitor mitigated, the two turned their attention to the New Type herself. As concerning as her reveal had been, her physical condition frightened them even more. By this point, they were well aware that Neo's Overdrive transformation had resulted in some less than beneficial external side effects. What they knew less about were her internal changes. As she had been absent from the field, any adverse effects had been unknown to them, leaving them with little more than suspicion that anything had actually changed. Now, those suspicions were confirmed.

Along with her enhanced lightning manipulation, it seemed that she had acquired more effective utilization of her ice, on top of her increased physical strength. Emotionally, she appeared to be growing unstable, with higher impulsivity and increasingly more frequent mood swings. And all of these changes were prior to her most recent folly: her unauthorized use of Lindow's God Arc. As Neo's biology had been unpredictable to begin with, this most recent change was cause for alarm. And a new discovery uncovered shortly after their return only proved their concerns to be well-founded.

After his conversation with Gunter, Ichiro had convened with Neo in his bedroom to check for any injuries. It was there that he found a black tar-like infection inhabiting her right hand. Horrified, the veteran hit the panic button, leaving no room for argument. Enlisting Soma's assistance, he all but dragged her to Dr. Sakaki's office, where the two learned some disturbing information.

. . .

After 45 minutes of debate and a physical struggle, the two men were successful in their mission to transport an aggravated Neo to Dr. Sakaki's office. Impressively, they were able to do so with minimal damage, the worst of which being a bruised arm and some scrapes. Upon finishing his probing, the Doctor sat the three of them down on his sofa, a grim expression adorning his face. His eyes swept over each of them from behind his spectacles, his lips pulling into a thin line.

Neo sat in between her two companions, body tensing under Paylor's mournful gaze. In her experience, nearly every interaction with the eccentric to date had been far from what she would describe as pleasant. Most involved poking and prodding, with the occasional invasion of her personal space. But each of those encounters had always been relatively jovial. She was unaccustomed to seeing Paylor in such a serious state and it beginning to make her nervous. They had no clue what the Doctor had found, but whatever it was, it was enough to concern him. Sensing Neo's growing anxiety, Soma decided to speak up.

"Out with it, old man. She gonna be alright?" His demand was accentuated by his scowl, which continued to intensify with each passing second.

Beside him, Neo and Ichiro said nothing. The veteran allowed his expression to speak for him, his own unease evident on his features. His frowning lips tightened as Neo shuffled closer to him. Brushing a hand against her leg to soothe her, he eyed the Doctor with equal intensity.

After a few moments Sakaki nodded, pressing his glasses against the bridge of his nose. "Indeed. More or less. Let's see… how to explain this?" Paylor paused for a moment, trying to think of the most delicate way to address the situation. "Hmm… Lindow's God Arc is stuck inside your hand. You could start transforming into an Aragami any minute now."

"…" The room fell silent, all three God Eaters staring incredulously at him as he explained himself in the most indelicate way possible. At the look on the men's faces, the Doctor quickly elaborated. "But it's not active." Turning his attention to Neo, he continued. "Maybe it's because you're a New Type. Or perhaps because of your… Hrm… unique physiology. Either way, you're in a very dangerous situation. You have to let us know if anything starts to feel weird. Alright?"

Neo lowered her head, eyes falling to her lap as she listened. While his words were far from what they wanted to hear, they didn't exactly surprise her. She wasn't sure what she had expected Sakaki to say, but that most certainly hadn't been it.

Beside her, Soma's temper flared as he sensed the woman's quickly deflating mood. "…That's it?" His eyes narrowed further as he noticed Neo's tightening grip on their teammate's hand. "That's all you're gonna say? You're not gonna do anything about it?"

"There is nothing to be done, Soma." Paylor responded, calmly as ever. Much as he wanted to help them, there were few things he could currently do to remedy the situation. With Lindow's Arc lodged within her flesh, they couldn't risk agitating the Oracle cells by trying to remove it. In the best case, it could result in permanent damage to the affected area, and all to do little more than budge it. In the worst case, it could activate her own Bias Factor resulting in an accelerated transformation, putting herself and the entire Far East at serious risk.

The dangers of an unfamiliar God Arc aside, her own physiology posed a challenge in and of itself. Due to the hyperactivity of the EVO cell, at any moment, Lindow's Arc could attempt to overtake hers or vice versa. In the most disastrous scenario, the cells could mutate; possibly even combine, leading to a result that even he couldn't hope to predict. As it stood, her very body was a ticking time bomb and she was lucky to be sitting in front of them in humanoid form.

With an aggravated sigh, Ichiro shook his head. He knew the Doctor was right. But that didn't mean he was happy about the answer. And as he saw Neo's nervous expression, he opted to remain silent on the matter. Being argumentative would only worsen the situation, possibly sending the anxious woman into a state of panic. So instead, he carefully laced his fingers with hers, sending a silent message with a gentle squeeze.

"Are you alright?"

Tightening her grip, she responded in kind.

"I'm fine."

To her left, Soma grumbled with exasperation. He wasn't in the mood for this. He had been aggravated enough, returning from his mission to find that the Den had been under attack. He had been even more aggravated to learn that that attack had been thwarted by none other than their troublemaking terror. Now, days after that same terror threw herself into a sea of lightning bolts, shortly following her recovery, he was learning that the result of that incident was her very existence now being now at risk. Could that woman not be left alone for five damn minutes without getting herself into some sort of crisis?

With his patience exhausted, he rounded on her, nearly faltering as Neo shank slightly in response. "If anything changes, you tell us. Immediately. Got it?"

Her head slowly nodded, eyes lowering to avoid his imposing gaze. In front of them, Sakaki shook his head, an image of another young woman frantically shaking her arm as a spilled Oracle cell compound attempted to latch itself to her sleeve. Like mother, like daughter, it would seem. The New Type truly had a penchant for trouble that he would never understand. Between Fida, Johannes, and Hiroyuki, it was a wonder the Doctor himself hadn't gone completely insane.

As his mind drifted aimlessly through memories of the past, a thought suddenly occurred to him. Curiosity getting the better of him, he turned his attention back to the young woman sitting between them. "By the way Neo, on an unrelated note… I have a question for you." Silently, the New Type lifted her head and observed him, signaling that he had her full attention. "Can you understand me?"

Neo blinked, a bit surprised by his unusual question. At first, she couldn't begin to fathom why she wouldn't and found herself utterly baffled by his seemingly random inquisition. It wasn't until she saw Soma's confused expression that she noticed the change: Sakaki was speaking in Japanese. Slowly nodding her head, she responded to him in the same language. "Yes."

"Fascinating. In this day and age, there are few who may call themselves bilingual. Or I suppose for you, trilingual is more accurate. Tell me, can you read and write as well?"

"I can."

"Wonderful! Hiroyuki's doing, no doubt."

She nodded, shifting her gaze momentarily to her guardian. "Yuki taught me when I was very young. Ichi ensured that I never forgot it. It is as much my mother tongue as English."

The Doctor hummed curiously as his mind drifted to the frozen tundra of Ontario. He could almost see the wooden plank, fashioned into Hiroyuki's grave marker as he pondered. At last, his eternal question had found an answer; that of who had buried his old colleague and friend out in the wilderness. It couldn't possibly have been anyone else.

As they conversed, Soma sat quietly beside her, dumbfounded. He had heard her speak the language before, in private with Hamasaki. However, he had only heard Sakaki do the same on one occasion fairly recently. Although, considering the Doctor's age, it wasn't really surprising. Glancing to the side, he observed her companion, who said nothing during the pair's exchange. Naturally, Ichiro would be able to understand them, since Japanese was his own native language. Making a mental note, he reminded himself to ask about it later.

Having sated his curiosity, Sakaki reverted to English, regarding all of them with a smile. "Now then, getting back to the matter at hand. As it stands, the best that any of us can do is keep a close eye on Neo's condition. I will help in any way I can to find a solution. In the meantime, gentlemen, I leave her in your care. Please see to it that she doesn't get into any more trouble."

His request was met with incredulity as Ichiro gaped at him in utter disbelief. Soma merely snorted, knowing full well that there was no possible way of keeping that woman out of trouble. If the two of them joined forces and worked in tandem, they might be able to mitigate any damage at best. Left to her own devices, he would give her a few hours at minimum, or a couple of days at maximum before she found herself involved in another incident.

For now, all the two of them could do was remain hopeful as Neo made her way silently from the room.

. . .

Ichiro's heavy sigh echoed through the empty rest area; his irritation only rivaled by his exhaustion. Following their discussion in Sakaki's office, Neo had run off on her own, leaving him and Soma to their own devices. Of course, in doing so, she had increased the likelihood of mischief, but the veteran couldn't bring himself to worry about it at the moment. There were other matters that required his attention. Observing his wrist with tired eyes, he scowled. 'The hell am I going to do now…'

"That was a big one… you alright?"

"Huh?" The dark cloud looming overhead dissipated in an instant, Brendan's voice startling him back into sentience. Lifting his head, he found himself staring back at the 2nd Unit Vice Captain, wearing a look of mild concern.

"That sigh. It sounded pretty heavy. Everything okay?"

"Oh… yeah, I'm good." Ichiro muttered, earning an even more worried look as Brendan parted his lips. Noticing his expression, he shook his head, halting the other God Eater in his tracks. "Neo's fine too. I've just got a lot on my mind."

"You guys have been through a lot… I get it." Brendan smiled, taking a seat across from him on the other couch.

Ichiro observed him, taking a look over his features as he sat down. The Vice Commander didn't look outwardly damaged, but his mild limp hadn't escaped the veteran's scrutinizing gaze. "Don't worry about us for now. I should be asking about you. How're you holding up?"

"Never better." Brendan smirked, leaning back against the couch cushions.

Ichiro frowned slightly, his eyes drifting toward his ankle. "Doesn't look that way to me. Either that, or you've got an odd way of showing it."

Brendan's eyes followed his gaze downwards, sighing as they fell upon his slightly swollen leg. Chuckling, he shook his head in amusement. "I guess it's true then. Nothing gets past you, huh Hamasaki?"

The veteran shrugged, lifting his gaze back to meet Brendan's own. "It's my job to be observant."

"I would think so. And after Thor's Banquet, I can't say I'm surprised. I guess it's true what they say about Special Ops."

At Brendan's words, Ichiro paused. Since arriving in the Far East, his primary concern had been Neo's wellbeing. Therefore, his observation had also extended to those around her. But since the New Type rarely concerned herself with other units, he hadn't spent a great deal of time learning about their individual members. The fact that Brendan Bardell originated from North America hadn't escaped his notice. It had simply never occurred to him that the rumors surrounding their organization may have reached him. Deciding to err on the side of caution, he smiled at him. "Well, that depends on what they say."

The other man shrugged, his tone indifferent. "Nothing bad, really. Specialized units, best of the best, elite hunters, and all that. To be honest, I always thought it was a bunch of nonsense since no one I know has ever seen one."

"I see. So you doubted the unit's existence?"

"Well, yeah. I mean, the West has a lot of crazy stories and most of them are pretty outlandish."

"Oh? Like what?"

"Lots of stuff. Experimental facilities, super soldiers, hit squads, you name it. But, of course, you were there longer than I was. I'm sure you've heard 'em all by now."

For a moment, time stood still. Brendan's lips moved, but no sound escaped them as the world around him fell into silence. Experimental facilities? Super soldiers? While his mutterings hardly sounded like much to consider on the surface, Ichiro knew better than anyone the validity of his bedtime stories. As far as he knew, there was only one person on the planet that matched both of those descriptors… but how had the Vice Commander heard about them? Just how far did the rumors spread and to what level of detail? While the other man seemed skeptical about the idea, it would be unwise to ignore him any further. Resigning himself to keep an eye on the other God Eater, Ichiro mentally groaned as yet another item was added to his to-do list.

"…Hamasaki."

"Hmm?"

Eyeing him with concern, Brendan sighed. "I lost you there. You sure you alright?"

"Yeah… Just tired."

At the look of pure exhaustion on the veteran's face, Brendan nodded. "Of course, you are… we kind of put you in a tight spot. Actually, that's why I was looking for you. I wanted to thank you guys for your help back there. We would've been toast without you."

Replacing his smile, Ichiro nodded, willing his eyes to stop drooping. "Any time. I'd rather some lost sleep than a lost comrade."

"Haha… right, right." Rising to his feet, Brendan looked over the other man once more. "Well, I won't keep you then. Get some rest, alright? See you around, Hamasaki. Hopefully, under better circumstances."

"Back at you." Ichiro smirked, nodding his acknowledgment as Brendan took his leave. The veteran watched him go, following his movements all the way to the elevator until he disappeared. Once he was out of sight, he leaned back against the couch, wondering where the New Type had run off to this time.

. . .

Far East Branch - Rookie's Floor

Soft aromatic scents wafted through the air, filling the room with smells of springtime. The gentle clinking of metal against porcelain caught Neo's attention, drawing her from her pensive state. Lifting her eyes from the coffee table, she met Alisa's gaze. With a cheerful smile, the blonde sat across from her, placing two saucers on the table between them, teacups resting on top.

"I added about four spoons of sugar. Is that alright?"

In response, Neo gently gripped her cup's handle, lifting the beverage to her lips. She took a moment of pause, testing the temperature with a small sip. Her previous encounter with tea had ended with a badly scalded tongue and a number of shattered glass objects. Since then, she had learned a valuable lesson regarding caution when handling the delicate drink. Satisfied, she took a second, larger sip, smiling as the warmth spread through her body. "It's delicious. Thank you."

"Of course!" Alisa's smile widened as she took a sip of her own drink. It had been some time since the other New Type had joined her for tea, and she was more than happy to accommodate her. She would never be able to understand how Neo could stomach such a high sugar content, but that was simply one of her many quirks. "I actually just got this one. It's a mango spring tea."

"It's very sweet. I like it."

Nodding, Alisa took another sip of her drink before gently placing the cup back on its saucer. "So, how are you feeling?"

Neo shrugged, pausing for a few moments to savor the warmth of the cup radiating against her skin. "I'm fine. I haven't been breaking things as much."

"Oh, that's wonderful news." Alisa grinned, earning a smirk in response. Neo had been struggling with her newfound strength since awaking from her comatose state. It was a relief to learn that she was finally getting it under control. "It must be nice to return to some sense of normalcy."

"It is." In truth, Neo was happy to be able to enjoy time with Alisa again without damaging half of her bedroom furniture. She was happier still to be able to let her guard down, leaving her gloves and eyepatch discarded on the edge of the table. It was nice to relax with her friend, free from fear of judgment or discovery. After her blunder with her German companion and the news regarding Lindow's God Arc, she needed the chance to unwind.

The two enjoyed their tea in comfortable silence for a few minutes, appreciating each other's company. After watching her friend ponder for a bit, Alisa decided that she could no longer contain her curiosity. "Speaking of normalcy…" She lowered her teacup, staring intently at her companion. "What's going on between you two?"

"Huh?" Neo nearly dropped her cup, startled by Alisa's sudden outburst. On top of being surprised by her near instant excitement, she didn't have the slightest clue what she was referring to. Tilting her head in confusion, she cocked an eyebrow in silent inquisition.

"Don't play coy with me. I'm talking about Gunter."

Neo blinked, staring back at her with even more perplexity. "What about him?"

"Did you forget? In the lobby a little while ago. He called you his girlfriend, didn't he?"

"…So?"

"So?!" The New Type gaped at her clueless companion, utterly dumbfounded. "So, when did that happen? How? I know you've been going out for a while, but I didn't think it was anything serious."

Neo simply stared, watching as her friend erupted into a series of questions. It wasn't common for Alisa to get excited, but when she did, she could be difficult to follow. More importantly, she wasn't entirely certain what the other woman was excited for. Surely a single word shouldn't kindle such joy.

At Neo's silence, Alisa questioned again, a bit more directly this time. "So? Is it true? Are you really Gunter's girlfriend? It's official?"

The New Type paused for a moment, trying to think of the best way to answer her question. Coming up empty, she decided her best option was to simply answer honestly. "…Yes?"

Her violet hair stood on end as her friend nearly squealed with elation. "Oh my - well, that's wonderful! I'm so happy for you, Neo. You know, I had heard some things… but I suppose it doesn't matter. Maybe the rumors about him are exaggerated? Anyway, he seems to really like you."

Neo fell silent, watching Alisa start off on another tangent. She took a sip of her tea, waiting patiently for her to settle down a little. Why the other woman was so exhilarated was beyond her, but if she was happy, Neo couldn't bring herself to interfere.

Noticing the New Type's silence, Alisa sighed in defeat. "I don't understand. Why aren't you more excited?"

"Should I be?"

"Yes! This is a big step, you know? And Gunter's your first boyfriend. You could at least look a little happier."

"No, he isn't."

Alisa paused, halting her rambling. Stunned by this new revelation, she rebooted, shifting gears to a new line of questioning. "Huh?! Y-You're saying you've had others in the past?"

"I have them now. Ichiro and I have been together for years."

Alisa's eyes grew wider than the saucers on the table, sputtering slightly as Neo spoke shamelessly of her scandalous love life. "Wha - Ichiro too?"

"Yes, and Soma as well. Honestly, I'm not sure why you're so surprised -"

"Soma?!" Her voice raised nearly an octave. The thought of Neo and Ichiro together wasn't all that surprising. The two had basically spent their entire lives together, and the latter wasn't exactly dishonest about his feelings. What she hadn't expected was to hear a third name, least of all the crankiest God Eater in Far East. When had she even made the time? Was it possible that she was seeing both of them or possibly even all three, at the same time behind each other's backs?

'Wait a minute…'

Alisa's racing thoughts slowed as common sense returned to her. Neo had spent most of her life trapped in a metaphorical, and sometimes literal, cage. She had minimally functioning social skills and an almost childlike understanding of the world around her. Perhaps she was looking at this the wrong way. Shifting her approach, she asked calmly. "Neo… do you know what a boyfriend is?"

Now, it was Neo's turn to look befuddled. What an unusual question. "A boyfriend. Compound word. A male that is simultaneously a friend, correct?"

"…"

With her factual response, everything started to make sense. Neo's lack of cheer, and sometimes downright disinterest in the man she was supposedly dating. Her utter lack of response when he spoke about her, brazenly showing her off as his second half. Even her obliviousness to his continuous advances, although Alisa wasn't certain just how much he had tried.

Gunter was a lady's man. While it was true that she had been spending a great deal of time with him as of late, it was likely spent doing things that one might consider romantic, such as eating together, enjoying a pleasant stroll, or going dancing; all routine things that her caretaker would do. As far as Neo was concerned, Gunter wasn't behaving any differently than Ichiro would be, and it was very possible that there had been a huge miscommunication between the two of them. Their entire relationship was based on a misunderstanding.

Sighing, Alisa shook her head. "No, Neo… that's not what it means."

"It isn't?" Neo placed her teacup back on its saucer, leaning forward slightly and gazing intently at the other New Type. As one with a desire for knowledge, she was almost always eager and willing to learn new things. And as her assumption had been incorrect, this subject was apparently unknown to her. Alisa had piqued her interest, and now had her full attention.

"No. Neo, when someone says boyfriend or girlfriend, it means… uh…" Alisa paused for a moment, collecting her thoughts and trying to think of the best way to describe it. She had never actually tried to explain the concept of dating to anyone. She had never needed to. As a result, she was entirely unprepared and now deeply confused. "It means… someone that you have an interest in."

"I have an interest in many things."

"N-No… I mean - okay. It means someone special. That you have romantic involvement."

"…Romantic?"

"Y-Yes. Um…" Her fingers tapped anxiously as she racked her brain for a suitable answer. How was she supposed to explain this to her? "It can range from mild infatuation to expressions of love."

"Infatuation? Love…?" Neo's head tilted, signaling her puzzlement as the woman across from her tried desperately to provide her an answer.

Alisa sighed in exasperation. This was getting nowhere fast. The easiest solution would be to find the nearest dictionary to define them. But doing so would possibly invite even more questions, taking them in circles. The New Type simply had no conceptual understanding of the words or the meaning behind them. There had to be a way to help her understand. "Listen… it isn't something you can explain in words. It's just… a feeling."

"I see. And what does it feel like?"

Alisa fought the urge to sigh again, instead taking a long sip of her tea. Neo wasn't going to make this easy for her. "It… can feel like a lot of things. Like, fluttering in your stomach when they walk into a room. Joy when you're around them. A warmth from within when you hear their voice, and concern for their well-being -"

"Like Kota?"

"…Huh?" Alisa blanched, taken aback by his sudden mention. She felt a small pang in the pit of her stomach, watching the other New Type's serious expression. "Neo… Do you… do you feel that way around Kota?"

"No. But I notice you become agitated whenever Kota's around. You're less composed and more irritable, and sometimes you start to fidget -"

"O-O-Okay, that's enough!" Alisa lifted her hands to silence her friend, heat rising to her face as the New Type observed her carefully. She was growing anxious again.

"Lissa. Do you love Kota?"

"N-No!"

"Are you infatuated with him?"

"Of c-course not!"

"Then, why are you nervous?"

"I'm not nervous!"

"Are you sure? Your face is turning -"

"I'm fine!" Alisa shook her head, willing her burning cheeks to cool. "N-Never mind that. We're not talking about me right now, we're talking about you!" Quickly changing the subject, she shifted the focus back to her friend. "A-Anyway… back to the topic at hand. Do you feel any of those things? Around Gunter, I mean."

"I… I don't know." Neo spoke the truth. She wasn't really sure how she felt about her newfound comrade. He had proven himself trustworthy enough to, at the very least, be considered a friend. But she couldn't confidently say whether she felt anything more than that. It was true that she felt a level of excitement when he approached her. But that was more likely anticipation for the coming activities than with the man himself. Or was it? Neo didn't know. The only thing she knew was there was something about that word that bothered her.

Love.

Why did that word sound so vaguely familiar to her? Surely, she had heard it before, in passing, but somehow it ran deeper than that. She could feel it in the deepest corners of her mind, lost in the haze of her broken memories. Had she loved someone? Had someone loved her? She couldn't remember. It was but one in a growing list of things that were slipping her mind as of late. Perhaps she would ask Ichiro about it when she had the chance. Shaking her head, she brought her teacup to her lips and drank, trying to rid her mind of the disturbing thoughts.

"Alright. So tell me, Lissa. What sort of things do a boyfriend and girlfriend, do?"

The New Type nearly spat out her tea mid-swallow at the sudden inquiry. This woman was going to be the death of her. But looking at her curious face made her feel a sense of remorse. This was the same person who, not even a month ago, had learned to purchase her own clothing for the first time. The entire human world was new for her, along with all of its practices and social norms. It was simply unrealistic to expect her to navigate this foreign realm all on her lonesome. And as her only female friend, she was reaching out to her for help.

Sighing, she took a deep breath and threw back the rest of her cup. This was going to be a long day.