Far East Branch - Veteran's Floor

Pens scratched across parchment as analysts rushed about scribbling notes on their clipboards. Soma stood quietly in the center of the chamber, staring nervously at the large machine. In the observatory above, his father gazed down at him with a look of irritation on his face. Of course, he was irritated. He was always irritated. It was as though his very existence brought him frustration.

Shaking his head, Soma stepped forward at the urging of the doctors, reaching slowly toward the machine. Upon it lay a large weapon, capable of slaying the ravenous beasts known as Aragami. A God Arc. He was to wield it in battle, ushering in a new age. An age in which their species could finally fight. And he would be the first among many that would stand against humanity's greatest enemy. The first God Eater. Reaching out, he carefully wrapped his hands around the handle, gripping the living weapon uncertainly. At his touch, it came to life, orbs alighting with a golden hue and the black substance pulsating around it. He was a match.

The researchers gasped with relief and delight at the scientific breakthrough, rejoicing his successful compatibility. Looking upward, he watched his father for any reaction. Any change in his demeanor. Any sign that he was pleased with him. But he offered none. Soma's heart sank as he lowered his head, shifting his eyes back to the God Arc. His mind clouded with rage as his grip tightened around the handle. It seemed there was nothing he could do to earn his father's approval. And as his anger reached its limit… he felt it. He could feel the power radiating through the blade, coursing through his veins as though an extension of himself. He heard the voiceless command echoing in his mind. The desire to kill. To destroy. To devour.

"Wait… look at this reaction!" The concerned voice of one of the doctors drew his attention, forcing his mind from the disturbing thoughts. But it was too late. The weapon hummed with malice, responding to his instability, and erupting in a blinding light. The resulting explosion rang in his ears, throwing the researchers in every direction and destroying their equipment. Panicked, he dropped the blade to the ground and gazed at the aftermath.

Blood spattered the walls and bodies lay motionless across the floor. Groans of agony escaped the survivors, those capable scrambling away from him with all of their strength. Terrified, he looked worriedly at the ones he once called kin trembling in fear.

"Monster… he's a monster!"

Soma felt his heart shatter, looking desperately up at his father. He didn't know what he expected from him. He just hoped for something, anything. Sorrow? Comfort? Concern? Johannes offered none. Hanging his head, he turned and fled from the room, leaving the death and chaos behind.

Fighting back the tears, he ran through the compound back to his room, locking the door behind him. He sat silently on his bed, resting his head on his knees as he willed his tremors to stop. Why? It wasn't fair. He didn't ask for this. Was this his fate? To spend his life alone in this world, feared and despised, as the only of his kind?

Sniffling quietly, he looked towards the terminal in the corner of the room. As he gazed at the black screen, he had a hopeful realization. He wasn't alone. There was one person in the world that he could turn to. One person that would stay by his side. She wouldn't see him as a monster. She wouldn't betray him. She wouldn't look at him with fear in her eyes. She would try to understand him… wouldn't she? Fear and doubt began to cloud his mind as he shuffled across the room. It would be early evening for her. Perhaps she would be online. Surely, she waited for him, just as he waited for her… didn't she?

Pressing forward, he forced his body to move, switching on the terminal. His eyes followed the spinning icon nervously as it searched for a connection. He waited with bated breath as the little dots went around and around. The icy grip of uncertainty clenched his heart once more as he waited for what felt like an eternity.

Then, a light of hope.

"Hey Soma! How was your day?" Her cheerful voice was like music to his ears as her face appeared on the console screen.

"Same as always." He answered, with a bit more force than intended. He flinched inwardly at his own voice as the words came out, watching as her smile turned into a frown.

"Hey, what's wrong? Did something happen?"

"It's nothing. Don't worry about it." Soma turned away as the familiar sting returned to his eyes. He wasn't weak. He couldn't be. He would not allow Neo to see his tears. Taking a deep breath, he tried to reign in his flaring temper. It wasn't her fault that he was a monster. He shouldn't take it out on her. In his heart he knew it and yet…

"…Did somebody say something?"

Right on the mark. His entire body went rigid as she questioned him, sadness evident in her voice. How did she know? How could she know?

In his silence, she pressed on. "You shouldn't listen to them, you know. Who needs them anyway? You've got me!"

For a moment, Soma could feel the clouds lifting at the sound of her comforting words. They were exactly what he wanted to hear. It was almost too good to be true. "It's none of your business anyway." He snapped back at her, his temper rising once again as doubt began to overtake him. What if it was too good to be true? What if she only stood by his side because she hadn't seen his power? Because she didn't know the truth?

Of course. That had to be it.

With a bitter laugh, Soma's expression hardened, glaring at her through the screen. "Maybe you should go too. What do you need with a monster like me?"

Neo gasped. Her eyes blew wide, mouth falling open as he all but snarled at her. Yet she didn't run in fear. She didn't hide. Instead, she did the opposite, and reached out to him. "You're not a monster, Soma. You're -"

"What?!" He shouted, losing the battle as his rage won out. He felt instant regret as the girl jumped at his harsh tone, making him feel even more like a beast than he already was. But he didn't want to hear the rest of her sentence. He couldn't. It would be too painful. He couldn't allow himself to remain close to her. While he wanted nothing more, he knew that one day, she would learn fear. And when she did, she would betray him as well. It was only a matter of time.

But Soma felt his resolve waiver as his friend fell silent, her lips trembling as she turned her gaze downward. His heart clenched as her eyes watered, clouded with hurt. "Hey… I-I didn't -"

"I want to show you something. But you have to promise not to tell anyone, okay?" Neo's expression shifted, her mood swinging so violently it threatened to give him whiplash. He had been fully prepared for her to run away. To sign off of the Norn and never speak to him again. Instead, she once more reached out to him, entrusting him with a secret. He couldn't betray her trust. Not now.

"I won't. I promise." He nodded, steeling himself as she turned away from him and faced her back to the screen. He watched with fascination as she lifted her shirt, revealing her smooth, brown skin. Was she undressing for him? Why? Within moments, the answer became clear.

As the shirt reached the back of her neck, he saw them. Growing from her shoulder blades were two appendages. They were short in length, hidden beneath her clothing, but clearly attached. In fact, they looked eerily familiar. They looked like…

. . .

"Hey there, Soma! How was your day?" A small, elated voice echoed through the Norn, a cheerful face appearing on the screen. Her black hair swished back and forth as she swayed to keep her balance on the step stool. Her lips pulled into a familiar smile, as they always did, displaying her evident joy at his presence. Neo was always happy to see him, something he couldn't say for most that he encountered.

"Hey, Neo. It was same as always."

Her upward lips fell downward at her friend's saddened tone. "Are people being jerks again?"

Soma shrugged. "No more than usual."

"Did something happen?" Neo's voice lowered, her cheerful disposition ebbing away as her expression shifted to a more serious one. Incidents like these happened fairly often, ranging from snide, backhanded comments to outright mistreatment. It was something she was fairly familiar with, and was always willing to extend a listening ear, should he wish to talk about it. As it turned out, on this day, he did.

"I cut my arm."

"Oh no!" Neo's expression shifted, her eyes widening with concern as she gazed into the screen. She stood on her tiptoes, as though trying to get a better look at him through the computer monitor. Her silliness made him smile, the events of the day already seeming a little lighter.

"I'm fine now. It was yesterday."

"Okay. So… what's wrong with it?"

"Nothing. That's the problem." Lifting his arm to the camera, he rolled back his sleeve. Along his tan skin were thin lines, all but vanished where a deep gash had been merely hours before. "I had to get eight stitches, but…"

"It's already gone." Neo finished his sentence, frowning as her friend deflated. She could see the pain in his eyes as he covered his wound, looking towards the floor. The look on his face told her all she needed to know. The doctors must have mentioned something about it. "So, you heal fast. That's a good thing, right?"

Soma shook his head, smirking slightly at her carefree attitude. "It should be, but…"

"Come on, don't make that face. Think about how useful that can be. You can get hurt as much you want to and get back up again. We could play as much as we want, or as rough as we want!"

"Of course, you would try to make a game of it. You're so weird." He sighed, fighting back another smile.

"I'm just saying, it's nothing to be ashamed of. Here, I'll show you!"

. . .

That was Neo. Always trying to help him. Always by his side, even when he tried his best to shove her away. Never faltering or losing faith in him, even when he lost faith in himself. The second survivor of the Managarm project and only other person in the world like him. No, she was even more than that, these days almost resembling more Aragami than human. Yet somehow, that fact didn't bother him. In fact, the idea actually brought him a strange form of comfort.

It felt nice to know that there was someone who understood his struggle. His battle with his other half, always threatening to overtake his very nature. She understood better than anyone. And she had entrusted him with that knowledge. He had kept his promise to her. Soma had never told anyone Neo's secret, even to those he considered allies. Part of him wondered if she would keep her promise to him…

"Gah!" Soma shot up from his bed, eyes regaining focus as he jolted from his restful, half-sleeping state. Still groggy he rubbed his face, grumbling as sand stuck to his lashes. Why was he thinking about something like that? Why was he thinking about her, yet again? When had he even fallen asleep? Groaning, he straightened his jacket and glared at the wall. This was getting ridiculous.

He paused and collected his thoughts. When was the last time that he had seen Neo anyway? It had been a few days at least. The woman had been elusive ever since their meeting in Sakaki's office, and it seemed unwise to pursue her. Of course, one could never leave the New Type to her own devices for very long… Perhaps it was time to pay her a visit. Getting out of bed, he made his way to the door.

. . .

Far East Branch - Weapons Hangar

"Your God Arc is in excellent condition." Ren stood casually in the underground hangar, looking over the Variant Scythe as Neo stood at his side.

"I try to keep up with it." Neo replied absently, running her hand along the metal shaft.

"I can see that. You care very well for your God Arc, and I'm sure it is grateful to you."

"Grateful?"

Ren nodded his head, looking back towards the scythe. "Yes. A God Arc is a weapon, it's true. But it is important to remember that it is a living organism. It is a mechanical tool, infused with Oracle cells, in short, an Aragami itself. The way a God Eater treats their God Arc can tell a lot about what kind of person they are."

"…You seem to know a lot about this stuff."

The man beamed at her, puffing with pride. "I may look young but I assure you, I have a plethora of knowledge on this topic. Let me know if you ever have a question."

Neo paused for a moment, contemplating taking him up on his offer. It wasn't every day that she met someone with a knowledge base as extensive as his. Perhaps she should take advantage of the opportunity to learn from him. Nodding her head, she looked back towards him. "What else do you know about God Arcs? Do you know the functionality behind them?"

"Of course!" Ren clapped his hands with glee, excited to share his knowledge with a fellow comrade. "As you know, a God Arc is an infused mechanical weapon. They are crafted with a CNS, an artificial core, as the base of their operation."

"This is why it knows innately to devour."

"Precisely!" Ren nodded in agreement, looking slowly back at her Variant Scythe. "Correct. That is how a typical God Arc functions. But yours is -"

"Neo." A familiar voice interrupted him, startling the New Type. Whipping to the side, she came face to face with Soma who, surprisingly, didn't look as irritated as he normally did. She blinked at him, acknowledging his presence. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm alright. There haven't been any changes." Neo replied, looking sideways at her now silent companion. "Was there something you needed?"

"Aether."

"…Huh?"

"A new species of Aragami. One's appeared at Aegis. They want us to hunt it down." Neo's face lit up with excitement, prompting a smirk from the veteran. He had a feeling that would cheer her up. "Well, what are you waiting for? Let's go."

She nodded, grabbing her God Arc out of its chamber. She had been stressed as of late, and a good hunt was exactly what she needed to let off some steam. But as she stepped forward, she paused. While she was excited to return to the field, she couldn't help but feel a little disappointed at their interrupted conversation. Then, a thought came to her mind. "Would you like to come?"

Ren smiled, looking almost as excited as she was. "I would love to!" Following, he set off after her as she made her way towards the exit.

Behind her, Soma lifted a confused eyebrow. "Obviously." He muttered, shaking his head as she bounced away. He had been the one to invite her on the mission in the first place. It wouldn't make sense for him not to come along. Sighing, he trailed after her, concerned with leaving her to wander off in such an excitable state. He would never understand that woman.

. . .

Aegis

The trip to the island was an uneventful one. The 1st Unit members sat mostly in silence on the ride there, aside from the occasional side conversation. As the Aether was a novel threat, Soma was reluctant to set out on a quest with only the three of them. As luck would have it, Kota and Lenka were currently preoccupied gathering information on the Hannibal, and Alisa and Sakuya were on personal assignment from Dr. Sakaki. That left Ichiro as the only remaining member to accompany them. And as the two had finally reached some form of understanding, Soma wasn't particularly unhappy to have him.

However, aside from their truce, it was currently their concern for Neo that had the two of them working so closely with one another. Although the Doctor had told them that Neo was stable, her ongoing changes in behavior were beginning to unsettle them both. This became even more so when they arrived, watching as she continuously looked to her side, occasionally muttering incoherent sentences

.

Ahead of them, Neo trekked onward, Ren at her side as they scanned the area for any incoming threats. The echoing screech of two targets put them on alert, the woman shifting into gun form and turning to face their foes. But before pulling the trigger, her movements stopped as her eyes widened, watching the man beside her do the exact same thing.

"New Type…?" She muttered to herself, in utter disbelief. It was only the sound of Ren's bullet that jolted her, bringing her focus back to the matter at hand. Taking aim, she fired after him, her bullet colliding with the second of the two incoming Fallen Zygotes.

As their blue bodies crashed onto the metal floor, Soma smirked in her direction. "Nice shot."

Ichiro nodded, echoing him. "You're firing faster now. There's less time between your shots. Good job."

The woman lit up with joy at their praise, smiling in Ren's direction as he lowered his weapon. Her elation didn't last long however, as the meaning behind Ichiro's words began to process. Had he not noticed Ren's bullet? Suddenly, alarm bells rang in her head, interrupting any thoughts she had. Something was approaching. Fast.

Straining her ears, she heard the sound of whistling wind before she heard Soma's warning. Crouching, she launched herself into the air twisting her body as the Aether soared underneath. Taking aim, she fired, clipping its skirt as it passed. Landing on the ground, she turned to face her enemy. Rising upward, the Aragami twirled in the air and screeched, echoing its challenge to all in the arena.

It was an unusual creature, its silver body shaped like a Sariel from the waist below. Above, it resembled a man with crimson flowing appendages billowing from its arms and ebony skin. Atop its head was a bright pink eye… which told her from the very sight of it that she should exercise caution. As expected, the Aragami attacked her again, this time with range, as it summoned four missiles of divine light. Acting on instinct, she moved, twisting and dancing in between them as they fired. She paused as the last beam soared passed her head, surprised by her own agility. It seemed that she had become a bit more nimble as well.

She had little time to marvel at her newfound changes, as the Aether went on the offensive once more. Targeting Ichiro, the monster dove, barreling toward him like a large silver bullet. Lifting his tower shield, the veteran blocked, grunting at the force of the impact as he stepped backward. This creature was much stronger than its less evolved counterparts. Shoving forward, he tried to knock it off balance, failing as it twisted itself back into the air.

Soma was right on its tail, leaping after it and placing a well-timed slash along its skirt. Lurching forward, the Aether growled, throwing its arms outward. Recognizing the familiar movement, he lifted his shield, narrowly blocking the incoming wave. The divine energy hissed as it passed over his shield.

Behind it, Neo and Ren were on the move. Mirroring each other's movements, they circled around it, firing bullets into the blinding light. When the curtain fell, both God Eaters had shifted into blade form, leaping forward with their weapons raised. At their approach, the Aether folded its arms tightly across its chest, curling into itself as it charged.

"Neo, block!" Soma shouted, trying to warn her of the incoming wave.

His words reached her only moments before the Aether did exactly as he feared. It erupted. A pillar of light, even larger than the first exploded from its body, filling the area with dazzling purple light. Neo, tried to do as he warned, lifting her buckler a moment too late. The rays collided with her, singeing her skin, and throwing her backward like a ragdoll. Her scythe, tossed from her hand, spiraled in the opposite direction, sliding across the metal floor.

"Neo!" Dropping his weapon, Ichiro rushed forward and leapt into the air to catch her flying form. The force of her impact knocked the wind out of him as he wrapped his arms around her. Twisting them through the air, the veteran absorbed the brunt of the impact, sliding painfully across the floor. Above him, Neo lay trembling as her skin smoldered and burned. In front of them, Soma shifted to defense, drawing the Aragami away from the recovering pair.

"Are you alright?" With blinding speed, Ren appeared at her side. His crimson eyes scanned up and down her body, observing the various burns. "Oh no, you're hurt!"

"R-Ren…" Neo moaned, letting out an agonizing breath as she tried to push herself from her companion.

"I'll assist you." Shifting into gun form, he fired three bullets at point black range, radiating her skin with an emerald hue.

Under the effects of his healing bullets, Neo could feel the pain ebbing away as her wounds began to heal. "Ugh… thanks."

Raising an eyebrow, Ichiro stumbled over his words. "Huh?! Uh… Y-Yeah, sure…" He watched in utter disbelief as she pushed herself upward and climbed off of him. She shifted her attention back towards the battle where, a short distance away, Soma was playing a dangerous game of keep-away. Using his agility, he strategically repositioned himself, blocking its access to his teammates.

Ren nodded, lifting his rifle with a smile. "Happy to help!"

"Right. Let's go!"

At her command, Ren followed after her toward her God Arc with a look of glee. Behind them, Ichiro rose to his feet, staring silently after her. His brow furrowed as he tried to piece together what had just occurred. He watched Neo take nearly the full brunt of the Aether's attack. He felt her limp body collide with his. He saw her trembling on top of him, racked with pained groans. Then, he had watched that her body begin to heal, the wounds vanishing as though it had never happened.

When had Neo gained resistance to divine? Was this another side effect of her new state…? And who was Ren? Shaking his head, he rushed back to his God Arc, deciding to ask her these questions at a later time.

"Damn it, this thing won't quit!" Soma grumbled, leaping away from yet another divine beam. In conducting his misdirection he had learned an important detail about their target. The Aether was very fond of ranged attacks. Far more than its other variants. While Soma was more than capable of keeping out of the way, he was having very little luck in trying to land any strikes of his own. He was beginning to grow frustrated when he heard the sound of Neo's voice.

"Get down!"

Soma didn't have time, or any desire to challenging her request. In their time together in the field, he had long since learned not to question Neo when she was up to something. It was better to simply get out of the way. Dropping to the ground, he dodged an incoming beam that passed shortly overhead. And as he faded from the Aragami's line of sight, his teammate appeared from behind him.

Leaping over Soma, Neo launched into the air, scythe raised. Caught in its vulnerable charging state, it was left defenseless as she passed it by, driving her blade deep within its skirts. The blow shattered the remaining bonds, tearing through and unbinding the cells. Ren was close behind, slicing through the Aether's abdomen with his short blade. Screeching, the Aragami spiraled, losing its balance and struggling to remain in the air.

Seeing an opportunity, Soma leapt back into the fray, coming down on the Aether's head with a crushing blow. The blade tore into its open eye, earning a shriek as the cells unbound. To his sides, Neo and Ren circled him, moving in synchronization as they closed in. From the sidelines, Ichiro reengaged, following suit in their circling formation.

Leaping backward, Soma removed himself from the frontline as they tightened their ring. He could see what Neo was planning to do and had no intention of staying in the middle of it. His smirk of amusement slowly faded in favor of confusion as he observed the two God Eaters rotating around the collapsed Aragami. He was more than accustomed to their antics by now, but something was different about their movements this time. Straining his eyes, he observed the two very carefully, watching for any signs of change.

Then, he saw it.

Ren leapt forward, driving his short blade into the Aragami's chest. Neo followed, burying her scythe into its skirt. Ichiro followed behind, bringing his Buster down, carving through its damaged eye and into its neck. Soma watched the carnage in disbelief as the Aether let out its final cries. But it wasn't the destruction that perturbed him. It was the way that it happened.

To the naked eye, their movements had been highly coordinated, a feat that was relatively common with the pair. But upon closer inspection, Soma could say with absolute certainty… Ichiro was mirroring Neo. They're movements had been nearly identical, with his following only a fraction of a second behind hers, but it was clear. He was following her lead. Though whether he was doing so subconsciously or through practice, he didn't know.

From what Sakaki had explained, the concept of mirroring was simple. Using Oracle cells, Aragami could send signals to one another, allowing them to communicate without language and copy each other's motions. They were able to speak without words, although the depth of their capability was currently unknown. Soma had witnessed this phenomenon before, between Neo and Shio. He believed he may have even seen it once between Shio and other Aragami. But all of those incidents had something in common: Oracle cells.

While it was true that God Eaters possessed Bias Factor, theirs were a result of injection rather than inborn biological structure. It made sense that Neo was capable of mirroring Ichiro, but it shouldn't be possible the other way around. Of course, Soma had also watched Ichiro's physiology slowly change over the past few months, which shouldn't be possible either.

"Wow, that was a tough battle. But you all handled yourselves very well. I guess the 1st Unit really is as strong as they say." Ren exclaimed, smiling as Neo extracted the Aether's core.

"More or less." She muttered, cleaning some of the blood from her shirt.

"More or less what?" Ichiro inquired, giving Neo a strange look as she wrung out her clothes.

The New Type blinked at him, looking back to Ren with an eyebrow raised. Had Ichiro not heard him? Surely, he'd been speaking loud enough to draw his attention. Her brows knitted together as she contemplated, recalling their interactions over the past few days. Now, that she thought about it, she realized that Ichiro and Soma both had been saying very little in regard to Ren. In fact, neither one of them acknowledged him at all, often ignoring his presence entirely. It was almost as if…

"Nothing. Let's get going." Neo muttered, stalking passed him towards the lift.

Ichiro watched her go. He recognized that tone of voice and it meant that, at least for now, he should leave her be. Instead, he turned to Soma to get his view on the matter. Unsurprisingly, the other veteran shared his concerned expression, looking uncertainly towards their retreating comrade. It seemed that he had noticed her increasingly unusual behavior as well.

Sighing, the two followed after her, watching worriedly as she continued muttering quietly to herself.