Far East Branch - Executive Floor

"Neo, calm down. You're not making any sense."

After bowling Gunter over in the weapons hangar, Neo made a beeline straight for Director Sakaki's office. In the process, she had nearly tackled two other God Eaters, Shun included, as well as come dangerously close to breaking down a stairwell door. She had made such a commotion that she had gotten the attention of Major Amamiya, who was far from pleased with her behavior.

Her attempts to halt the New Type ended in failure as Neo was able to maneuver around her and evade her grip. This infuriated Tsubaki to the point of pursuit, which was extremely convenient as she was one of the people that she needed to see. The New Type explained as such when they arrived at Paylor's office before launching into a long-winded tirade about all she had discovered. Unfortunately, her babbling was far less coherent to those around her than in her head, requiring her to slow down and explain the situation from the beginning.

After completing her slower, much more intelligible version of the tale, both the Major and the Director stood in stunned silence. Neo looked cautiously between the two of them, growing concerned that they didn't believe her. After all, any mention of Ren seemed to earn questioning looks from the people around her. But considering that he was present among the new recruits, surely Tsubaki, at the very least, would be understanding. But strangely enough, neither of them said anything about the new medical recruit at all, instead focusing on the finer details of her story.

Slowly nodding his head, Paylor took a deep breath. "That is indeed a Resonance, you describe. It should be unique to New Type God Eaters. And you say Lindow yet lives?"

"Yes."

Her confident affirmation earned a skeptical look from Major Amamiya. A straight posture and a defiantly set jaw told them she meant every word. Even still, Tsubaki couldn't help but feel suspicion. "This is the power from before that brought Alisa out of her coma? Are you certain?"

Neo nodded again, her expression hardening into one of pure determination. She had grown used to people giving her sideways glances during her time there, and she was well aware that many in the Den thought her unhinged. But this was something she wasn't willing to budge on. Their Ex-Corporal's life depended on it. If they wouldn't listen, then Neo was prepared to take matters into her own hands. "Yes, I'm certain. I know what I saw. Lindow lives."

The Major shifted her glance towards the Doctor, considering Neo's claims. On the one hand, it was by far the wildest thing that the New Type had come up with yet. And from what she had learned from Hamasaki upon her arrival, she had a vivid imagination that sometimes bordered on the fantastical. But in the event that she was telling the truth… "I mean, it's all rather farfetched. Still, thank you for coming to us. I trust you were discreet with the others?"

Neo paused for a moment, thinking back to the number of people she had nearly flattened in her quest to reach them. "I… haven't told anyone, if that's what you're asking."

Tsubaki nodded her head. "Good. It wouldn't do to get their hopes up only to plunge them back into despair. I'm not sure if…" Her voice trailed off into silence, her eyes drifting to the floor. But Neo understood her intentions.

I'm not sure if Sakuya could handle it.

From his desk, Sakaki slowly nodded his head. Neo was many things, but a liar certainly wasn't one of them. If she claimed she saw Lindow in the Tranquil Temple, then there must be at least some truth to it. "Only one thing to do. The first order of business is to investigate the area you saw in the vision. Around the old temple, I believe?" Neo nodded her head, inviting him to continue. "Now, tell me everything you remember about Lindow. If he's lost Armlet control, his situation could be very grim indeed. I'll need something of his to link the signal. I'll need to ensure that it's him."

"…Something of his?"

"Correct. And we will have to take every possible precaution. It is crucial that the infection does not spread any further."

"Understood."

. . .

Following her conversation with the executives, Neo found herself aimlessly wandering around the halls. She had succeeded in her mission to share her newfound knowledge, but strangely, felt she had little to show for it. Granted, she wasn't exactly sure what she had been expecting to happen. It wasn't as though they were going to send all hands out into the wilderness searching desperately for someone that may or may not still be alive. That would just be foolish.

Even still, she had hoped that she could have done more. Lindow was among one of the first people Neo had encountered upon her transfer to the Far East… and also the first to show her genuine compassion in a very long time. With the exception of Ichiro, she had simply accepted that the vast majority, if not all humans, were selfish, evil creatures, and wanted nothing to do with them. Her Ex-Corporal had been the first in line to proving the opposite. That there was kindness in the world, no matter how small.

As she thought about it, she found herself growing increasingly depressed. What if it had been all for nothing? What if Lindow had perished shortly after her final vision? There was no guaranteeing that he was still alive at that very moment, no matter how well he may have looked in her resonance. In fact, the longer he survived, the higher the chances that he may have undergone transformation. From what she could tell, he had already started and progressed relatively far.

The image of the Susano'o's pink eyes appeared in her mind, startling her back into the present. She shook her head to banish the thoughts, not wanting to think about the possibilities. The thought of executing Lindow made her heart wrench, even more so considering how close she was to ending up in the same position.

With a sigh, she looped down yet another hallway and made her way back towards the lift. Dwelling on the situation wasn't going to bring Lindow home any faster. There was no sense in running in circles over it and, at the moment, she was sworn to secrecy. Any and all concerns she had on the matter would need to be kept to herself. And if she was being honest, that only made the weight even heavier.

"What up, Neo?"

"Hmm?" Her head lifted at the sound of Kota's voice, his bright red hair catching her eye as he exited the elevator. It seemed he had business with the executives as well. Either that, or he had followed her to the upstairs floor. It was entirely possible that he had been one of her near victims and come after her to complain. Either way, she would figure it out shortly.

"Didn't expect to see you up here." He smirked, nodding towards the empty hallway. Visits to the executive floor were rare for him, and even rarer for the New Type.

"I didn't expect to see you." She retorted, lifting an eyebrow at his own presence.

"Haha… fair point. I came to report to Major Amamiya from my scouting mission."

"Scouting mission?" Neo's expression perked up at the mention of his most recent assignment. Her first thought was to question Kota on his findings. If he had been performing reconnaissance, there was a possibility that he had seen something.

But as soon as the thought crossed her mind, she abandoned it, Tsubaki's words ringing in her head. It wouldn't do to give anyone false hope, least of all, him. Kota, while perfectly friendly, had one of the loosest pairs of lips in the Den. Anything said to him would quickly reach everyone else. And for that very reason, she knew what his answer would be. Had he seen anything suggesting Lindow's safety or whereabouts, she would have heard about it long ago.

"Yeah. I was checking out some activity in the Wailing Plains. Crazy stuff. What are you doing up here?"

"I was just checking on Ichi. He's been spending a lot of time with the Director lately."

"Oh, yeah. He has, hasn't he?" Kota pondered, readily accepting her explanation without fuss, much to Neo's relief. "Well, anyway, I should get going before I get yelled at."

"See you."

"Back at ya!" Kota maneuvered around her, making his way in the direction she came. Neo was about to reopen the lift doors when Kota's voice brought her pause.

"Oh, that reminds me!" Turning, the New Type lifted an eyebrow at his sudden announcement. "Lenka and I are finally holding our get-together later this evening. Y'know, to celebrate our new recruits. I figured you might wanna come, since Ichiro's gonna be there and all."

Neo simply gazed at him, watching as he waited patiently for her answer. Rumors of a gathering had been circulating Headquarters for the past couple of weeks. Something Kota referred to as a 'shindig.' Recently, she hadn't spent a lot of time with Ichiro or any of the members of her team for that matter, and tonight may serve as a perfect opportunity. In fact, a wild night of crazy shenanigans could be exactly what she needed to take her mind off her current worries.

With a shrug, she weakly nodded her head. "Yeah. Sure."

"Alright!" Kota pumped his fist in the air, far more excited about her attendance than she had expected. "I can't wait! Oh, it's gonna be Karaoke too, so make sure to bring your A-game!" Turning, he bolted off down the hall with a spring in his step, calling and waving behind him. "See ya tonight!"

As he vanished down the hallway, Neo tilted her head in utter curiosity. "…Karaoke?"

. . .

Far East Branch - Lobby

Evening arrived and, as promised, Lenka and Kota finally got to throw their second get-together. But, as this was a celebration of the new recruits, members of the 2nd and 3rd Units were also invited to join. As a result, their once small gathering quickly grew much larger than originally intended.

Within the Den lobby, God Eaters from all units gathered for the special event. What began as a small group, quickly grew into a full-scale party. And with the help of Kanon, the resident audiophile, and Kota, the gadget guru, the result was a Den-wide karaoke dance party for the ages.

All was to the great irritation of Major Amamiya, but after what they had been through, she agreed to allow it so long as they cleaned up after themselves. They had been working hard over the past few months. They deserved to let off some steam. And that was exactly what they did. Members from nearly every corner of the Far East sang, danced, and made merry, lighting up the lobby in a buzz of glamour and glee.

Among the performers were both some expected and shocking members, singing songs of all genres. The 3rd Unit's Gina rocked out with What the Hell. To no one's surprise, Tatsumi, the 2nd Unit's Captain, sang his heart out with Bad Case of Loving You. Much to his chagrin, Hibari found his efforts highly amusing, and whether or not he had actually made any progress was anyone's guess. Following a similar pattern, Gunter surprised even his friends by singing Kiss from a Rose. His performance caught the attention of multiple women, earning smiles and swoons from all of them… except for one.

The most surprising performance of all was Paylor Sakaki, performing Own Stage, much to the aggravation of Major Amamiya. Even Ichiro made his way on stage after a great deal of poking and prodding from his companion. He agreed to perform a Japanese duet of The Distance, under the condition that she provide the primary vocals. Their performance surprised a large number of the attendees, both by the sound of her voice, and the fact that she could even speak in the first place. After finishing their song, the pair made their way towards the back where Neo found an unexpected solitary figure leaning against the wall.

"Soma, you came!" Neo all but skipped towards him, earning a sigh as he realized he had finally been spotted.

Ichiro raised an eyebrow at his presence, surprised to have found him at the party. "Didn't expect to see you here. I figured gatherings like these weren't your style."

"They're not. It was the only way to shut her up." He grumbled, looking pointedly at the smirking New Type at her companion's side.

The New Type ignored his jab, smiling at him as he rolled his eyes. After a moment however, his gaze drifted downward to her clothing, which was confusing to say the least. It consisted of a black ruffled dress with a white collar. Layered overtop of it was a plaid crimson blazer with two sets of silver buttons. Beneath were a pair a pair of red and black striped thigh-high stockings and covering her feet were a pair of jet-black combat boots. But by far the strangest of all, was her hairstyle. It was pulled back in a half-ponytail, revealing her eyepatch, which was alarming considering that Neo never changed her hairstyle. Ever.

Utterly floored, Soma gaped at her. "What the hell are you wearing?"

"Babymetal."

"…What?"

Ichiro sighed, unsurprised by Soma's confusion. "It's a visual kei band from the old times. Neo found them on the Norn."

"A visual what?"

"…Never mind."

"Do you like it?" Neo inquired, tilting her head curiously in his direction as he took it all in. After her run-in with Kota, she had embarked on a quest to learn more about the practice known as Karaoke. Discovering that it was a gathering of musicians, the New Type had decided to dress as one to, in the gunner's words, 'bring her A-game.'

Soma wasn't certain what to say, more fascinated than anything else. He had never thought he'd live to see the day that Neo would cosplay. And her violet hair only added to the strangeness of the effect. She certainly looked the part of a rocker, although her small height made her look more adorable than rebellious. Giving up, he decided to answer her with a single word. "…Sure."

Regardless, his answer was enough, earning a beaming smile from the New Type and revealing her elongated teeth.

"What up, guys?"

All three heads turned towards the head of red hair as it approached, followed closely by a blonde one.

Ichiro smirked, giving a small wave of acknowledgement. "Hey Kota. This is quite a gathering you've gotten together."

"Hehe, yeah… things got a little out of hand, huh?"

"Of course it did. You announced it to the entire Den. What did you think was going to happen?" Alisa replied, earning a sheepish grin from the gunner. At his nervous expression, she softened her own. "But… it's still been a lot of fun."

Kota perked up immediately at her approval, earning a knowing smirk from the older veteran. "A-Anyway! That was awesome you guys! I didn't know you could sing, Neo! I mean, I only understood the English parts, but it was still amazing!"

Alisa raised an eyebrow at him. "I agree. I enjoyed the music too, but it seemed a bit sad to me…"

"Did it?" Kota raised an eyebrow at her observation. He hadn't thought the song was sad. Maybe he missed something.

"I would think so. It's a song of unrequited love, from the sound of it."

All five heads turned to meet the sound of a new voice approaching. Soma twitched slightly at his arrival, glancing towards the other veteran to gauge his reaction. Ichiro frowned at the sight of him, clearly displeased with his presence. But he said nothing, not wishing to upset the New Type who, surprisingly, didn't seem to care much either way.

Kota, noticing the looks between the pair, quickly intervened. "Gunter! What up, dude?"

"Not much. Just enjoying the shows."

"I was surprised to see you perform. I didn't take you for a musician." Ichiro smirked, responding to his jab with a quip of his own.

"I'm not really. I guess you can say I was… inspired." His wink didn't go unnoticed by the other veterans, both of which didn't seem amused.

The New Type didn't respond at all. Utterly oblivious to the tension in the air, she simply nodded. "I enjoy Seal."

All five pairs of eyes turned to stare at her in utter disbelief. Soma and Kota gaped at her, looking stunned. Surely, there was no way that a woman so intelligent could be this dense. Alisa and Ichiro simply shook their heads, unsurprised by her reaction. Both God Eaters knew better than anyone that Neo was, in fact, just that dense. At least, where societal norms were concerned.

Gunter held back a sigh. It seemed he would have to find yet another method of getting through to her. Slowly but surely, he was finally beginning to understand Tatsumi's plight. His emerald eyes narrowed slightly at her guardian's amused expression. Ichiro was taking far more too much joy in his failure, it would seem. Not that he was surprised. Shaking his head, he pondered for a moment, dragging his gaze between the two of them. Then, he smirked as a mischievous thought came to mind. "Hey, Neo… why don't you sing a song?"

The New Type eyed him with confusion. "I just did a few minutes ago."

"Technically yes, but you were doing Ichiro's vocals, right? I meant sing a song of your own."

Neo blinked, tilting her head in curiosity. "…Why?"

With a smirk, he replied. "Du singst gut."

Her eyes widened slightly, her speech pausing for a moment as though she were contemplating. After a brief delay, she finally gave her response. "Danke. Sehr aufmerksam"

With a smile, Gunter nodded. "Jederzeit."

Around them, the rest of the 1st Unit members stared. Was Neo… speaking German?

Ichiro was by far the most alarmed. Not so much by her ability but by the action itself. Had Gunter been teaching her? Surely, he must have, as he didn't know anyone else in the Far East who spoke the language. Just how much time had those two been spending together?

Reverting back to English, Neo returned to the matter at hand. "But what should I sing?"

Gunter smirked. "What, you're asking me?"

"It was your suggestion."

"Oh! Sing a ballad! Love songs are so romantic." Kanon suggested, appearing suddenly behind her teammate. Apparently, she and few others had overheard their conversation.

Neo nodded, taking note of her suggestion. Then, she turned her attention to Alisa, silently seeking hers as well.

Noticing her expression, she pondered for a moment. "I don't know… a pop song?"

"Sing something that rocks!" Gina suggested, appearing suddenly beside her pink-haired companion.

Taking in all of their suggestions, Neo turned to Soma who had remained silent on the matter.

Unsurprisingly, he provided little help on the matter. With a lackadaisical expression, he shrugged. "Couldn't care less."

Turning, she looked towards her guardian. Ichiro paused, looking slowly between the New Type and her potential suitor. It was clear to him what Gunter was trying to do. Whether or not the German's song had been genuine, it was obviously geared towards Neo. Now, he was hoping to bait a response out of her. And much like his vexatious teammate, Ichiro couldn't resist the urge to mess with him. "Sing whatever is in your heart, Neo."

Her eye widened for a moment, expecting a different answer out of him. It seemed he was leaving the decision entirely up to her. In theory, this wasn't necessarily a bad thing. But in recent days, Neo's heart and mind had been in a very dark place. Was it really wise for her to speak her truth? Perhaps it wouldn't matter. After all, the other members of the Den would be too busy enjoying themselves to notice or care. Besides, it would be good to let out a little of her frustration through song. Reaching her decision, Neo finally turned to Gunter, the only member whose suggestion hadn't been offered. "Rock song?"

Gunter only shrugged, slowly dragging his eyes over her outfit. "Well… you're certainly dressed the part."

"Okay." With a song in mind, Neo turned and made her way back to the machine. The cheers of her teammates encouraged her, slightly easing her nervousness as she returned to the stage. The last time, she had played the role of support and Ichiro had been there to handle most of the spotlight. Now, she was alone, and nearly every eye was currently on her. But it wouldn't last for very long, as soon the whole lobby would be busy enjoying the music. Ichi had said to sing what was in her heart… so that's exactly what she would do.

Neo selected her song. And as the track began to play, Gina cheered, the sound of the heavy drums getting her blood pumping. The electric guitar strummed through the speakers with a face-paced rhythm, bringing the lobby back to life. Kanon and Alisa bounced around, while Kota and Gunter banged their heads to the music. Soma and Ichiro just smirked, watching Neo enjoy herself.

That was until the song began.

Now I'm scared to even open my mouth

Because there's something deep inside of me you don't know about

And I wish there was a way you could see

If I could show maybe I'd know if I'm a girl or a beast

Her guardian's brow furrowed the moment she started her tune. From the very first line, he understood the hidden meaning behind her words. Under duress, her vocal cords became a beacon to all Aragami that would hear it. Thus, due to the sound of her voice, Neo spent a good portion of her life in silence for fear of summoning ravenous hordes. The phenomenon had only served to further damage her already questionable opinion of herself. These days, she believed she was less human than beast.

Just take one look in my eyes

You'd see right through my disguise

He says that when I'm nearby that he can feel my every move

Alisa inwardly flinched, pausing her movements at the provocative lines. Having resonated through her memories and deepest thoughts, she too could understand the meaning behind her upbeat lyrics. The key to her true self was in her eyes, the abnormal shape of her pupils visible upon close inspection. This was particularly true of her golden iris, which was primarily why she always kept it hidden. It was a result of her unique biology, the same that allowed her to sense Aragami. Just as she could them, they could feel her every move while nearby. In this case, she was probably referring to Soma. As a fellow Managarm child, he could, quite literally, feel her movements through her Oracle cells.

When I fell apart

Yeah, something changed in my heart

As you can tell from these scars

I'm not the girl that you knew before

Still leaning silently against the wall, Soma's scowl deepened. As the only other member of their squadron privy to her past, he knew that Neo's lyrics were both literal and metaphorical. She had an array of visible scars from the markings along her wrists to the burns marring her neck, as well as countless emotional ones etched into her very being. Those experiences over the course of her life had changed her, warping her from the child she used to be into the living weapon she had become.

He thinks he's mine, he must be out of his mind

I said, "Get back" but he wants more

Now his body's on the floor

I've got this thing in my heart I have to hide

It's eating at me from the inside

Similar to the other three members, the 1st Unit Captain found himself captivated by her music. Standing near the opposite wall, he had been drawn by the sound and was now enthralled with her haunting lilt. While he enjoyed the tune as much as anyone else, he couldn't help but feel slightly disturbed. The morbid implications behind her song were cause for concern, especially when considering the fact that the New Type herself was highly dangerous. Hamasaki had assured him that Neo would harm no one further, and yet…

I found something that makes me feel alive

Yet somehow dead inside

It makes me feel, it makes me numb at once

It makes no sense, yet it still helps me see

So, am I soon to be the monster that I despise?

As her song finished, the Den lobby erupted into applause and celebration. The fast-paced, heart-racing song had excited the atmosphere, setting the party to fever pitch as she placed the microphone back on the table. With her performance at an end, the speakers returned to their music. Ironically, despite sending everyone around her into a frenzy, the New Type herself stayed relative neutral. She remained stoic, even as Gina, Kota, and Kanon swarmed around her to compliment on her performance.

Unfortunately, not everyone shared in their excitement.

Ichiro, Soma, and Alisa continued to watch her from afar, each with their own various concerns. Alisa had become familiar with Neo's ever changing mood swings, and by now had learned to look for signs of descent. And considering her behavior over the past few days, this was possible cause for alarm.

Soma found himself frowning even harder than he even thought possible. While it hadn't been enough to overtake him, the veteran had felt the effects of her music. As she poured her heart out through her words, he had felt the familiar pull of the siren's call, beckoning him forward. If her voice was calling to him, it could only mean that she had temporarily destabilized. And if she were upset enough to have lost control of her voice, it meant that her mental state was in worse condition than he originally thought.

Ichiro did nothing at all. His mind was reeling, taking in every detail of Neo's emotional performance. It was true that he had told her to sing from her heart… and that what was precisely what concerned him. If her song had been even a glimpse into the depths of her soul, then his companion was in a very dark place indeed. One that, if he didn't pull her out of soon, she may never emerge.

The sounds of the Den faded away as his eyes followed the New Type on her journey through the hall. He watched as she wandered back in their direction, nodding her acknowledgement to the other members as she passed them by. He watched as Gunter returned to her, complimenting her with words that he couldn't even hope to understand. The God Eater, he assumed, asked her for a dance as the two wandered off onto the dancefloor. Within a few minutes, he lost sight of her… but he couldn't bring himself to follow.

He was too worried. Too disturbed.

I said, "Get back" but he wants more

Now his body's on the floor

Gunter had gotten his wish, receiving a customized message in the form of a song. But he was utterly oblivious to the true meaning of it. Her rocking performance had put him and the members of the other units into a state of exhilaration. To them, it had been a wild ride to end the night. To Gunter, it had been a nice and entertaining gesture. But to Ichiro and Soma… it was none of the above.

To them, it was a warning.

. . .

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

Yes, this was a very musical chapter. It seemed like they were all overdue for a little fun.

Songs:

Bad Case of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor) by Robert Palmer

Monster Inside by NateWantsToBattle (Yes, the pronouns were changed for Neo)

Own Stage by Rosho Tsutsujimori (Yes, from Hypnosis Mic)

The Distance by Cliff Edge

Kiss from a Rose by Seal

What the Hell by Avril Lavigne

- . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . -

Translations (as always, correct me if I'm wrong):

Du singst gut - You sing well

Danke. Sehr aufmerksam - Thank you. That is very kind of you

Jederzeit - Anytime

FINAL NOTE:

Yes, Neo's costume is indeed from Babymetal, Doki Doki Morning

New costume unlocked!

Neo's outfits: h-t-t-p-s-:-/-/imgur -.-c-o-m /a/oRN8qWj