Far East Branch - Lobby

Following the Den's large-scale Karaoke party, the Far East Branch returned to normalcy. With musical performances and exhilarating tunes, the rowdy gathering had gone on well into the night. After spending the following days cleaning up the aftermath, the members of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Units continued their operations. Sakuya, Alisa, Lenka, and Kota turned their focus on recruit training and the Hannibal Initiative. Ichiro Hamasaki remained on leave while Soma continued his investigation for the Remnant Facility.

The only member that didn't seem geared towards any project in particular was the 1st Unit's remaining member. After her heartfelt song, the New Type had once again become quiet and withdrawn. After giving up on any attempts at questioning her guardian, she decided to instead spend her time feeding, gathering resources, and generally letting off increasing amounts of frustration. And while most were uncertain whether or not say anything, her teammates had most certainly noticed.

"Hibari."

The young operator lifted her eyes from her documents at the sound of Soma's voice. Shifting her gaze brought her face to face with the approaching veteran, arms crossed as he made his way towards the mission desk. Unsurprisingly, he was in a bad mood. Offering her most professional smile, the woman decided it best to avoid irritating him further. "Yes, Soma. What can I do for you?"

"Have you seen Neo?"

Hibari held back a grin at his question. She had suspected that the New Type was the cause for his concern, as seemed to be the case rather often these days. "Hmm… Yes, I believe she went on a mission."

Lifting an eyebrow, Soma fought the urge to roll his eyes. After only a couple days of rest, it seemed that Neo was up to her old tricks again. "What mission?"

"Let me see." Turning her attention to the terminal at her desk, Hibari flitted her eyes across the screen. With a few swift keystrokes, she acquired the information she needed before turning back to the veteran before her. "It looks like… Purple Sparks. Tranquil Temple."

Of course Neo was there. She was always there. The woman had an unusual fascination with the arctic and seemed to make her way to it at every possible opportunity. What, pray tell, she was hunting there was beyond him, but he was sure it was something that would raise his blood pressure. "And that is?"

"The targets listed are a Fallen Chi-You, a Fierce Kongou… oh, and a Quadriga."

"Sounds like her. Which squadron?"

"Actually… it looks like she went alone."

"What?!"

Hibari flinched slightly at his sudden outburst as Soma's temper flared. It seemed that her plan to avoid upsetting him hadn't gone as she'd hoped. The veteran's face twisted into a look of outrage as he discovered that Neo was, once again, pushing herself beyond her limits. The first two targets were of little concern. Her mobility would allow her to make quick work of them and she would simply absorb and release any electrical charge. But a Quadriga was fire-based, wielding one of Neo's weaknesses. If she were to find herself injured out there, alone…

"How fast can you get a transport?"

Expecting his question, Hibari had already sent a request through her terminal. "About five minutes?"

"Do it."

. . .

Tranquil Temple

Snow crunched beneath small feet and violet hair stood strikingly against the landscape. Neo's scythe sat comfortably over her right shoulder as she evaluated her work. Behind her was the body of her second target: the Fallen Chi-You. Upon her arrival, the New Type had first targeted the Fierce Kongou. With its sensitive hearing, luring it out into the open was little trouble. And as its primary element was spark, it posed almost no threat to her with the exception of its brute strength. She had managed to complete the assignment with minor injuries, all of which had fully healed by the time she located her next victim.

Like the monster before it, the Fallen Chi-You proved little challenge for the New Type. With her enhanced speed, power, and resistance to spark, she made relatively quick work of her opponent. A Level 1 Burst was all that was necessary to outpace the electrical martial artist. With well-placed blaze bullets and skillful close-combat, Neo was able to subdue her target with little more than a damaged ribcage.

Tearing violently into the Chi-You's body, she could feel the bruised bones adjusting back into place as her body continued its repair. She winced slightly at the familiar sensation, groaning quietly as she ripped out the core. Normally, Neo was grateful for her body's accelerated healing properties as they allowed her to hunt and feed, for the most part, as much as she pleased. But on this day, the moving parts only served as a bitter reminder of her origins. A fact that she was becoming increasingly aware of with each passing day.

With a heavy sigh, she gazed down at the squishy pulsating mass, contemplating whether or not she should return it to Fenrir. She knew that Sakaki had requested the resources, but after using so much energy, her body was begging her to replenish it. In the end, her nature drove her to devour and the bloody organ disappeared, leaving red-stained lips in its wake. Much as she wanted to enjoy it, she found herself unable to as its meaty taste was replaced only with frustration.

Then, the sound of heavy metal footsteps tore her from her daydreams. The Quadriga had finally arrived. Turning, she faced her familiar foe with little more than a tired glare. Having fought so many of their kind, she was confident that she would be victorious. While it was true that the monster wielded fire, it was lumbering and slow. Its body also bared a weakness to ice, an element with which she was growing increasingly proficient. She just had to avoid getting hit.

Flipping her scythe in her hands, she charged. The Quadriga answered her challenge, opening its rectangular missile launchers. Recognizing the motion, Neo darted to the side, accelerating as the sound of rockets exploded behind her. Reentering Burst, she zipped around the battlefield. Shifting forms, she spun, taking aim and firing three freezing piercing shots at the left launcher. Each bullet hit its mark, shattering the cells.

Smirking, she shifted back into scythe form. Taking a page from her guardian's playbook, she made a rush for the legs. Using her speed, she knelt, sliding beneath the heavy monster. With a sweep of her scythe, she hit each of the four legs, staggering it and knocking it off balance. Exiting from behind it, she came to a stop and turned to charge again. But as she made to leap, she realized she had made an error in judgment.

She had mistaken its forward lurch for collapse. In reality, it was making preparation. Throwing itself backward, the Quadriga hopped towards her like a leaden metal rabbit.

"Ungh!" Its impact knocked the wind out of her on collision. Her body tumbled through the air, landing, and sliding through the snow. With an aggravated snarl, she climbed to her feet, narrowing her eyes at the monster as it turned around to face her. The slowly opening chest cavity sent her scrambling. With a surge of speed, she leapt out of the way as the rocket exploded in her previous position, spraying snow and ice into the open air. The moisture felt cool on her skin as looped around it, pushing into Level 2. Rushing forward, she made another sweep for the legs.

This time however, she took to the air after her strike. Lifting her weapon, she took aim for the second missile launcher. With a careful swing, she landed her swipe, leaving a long red line along its length. As she landed on the ground, her feet slid through the snow before coming to a stop. A frown appeared on her face as she regained her balance after a short delay. Typically, Ichiro would be there to slow her drag… but he wasn't there right now.

The New Type rushed around its feet as it stomped into the ground, trying to crush her. She danced around it, growing slightly amused as the thrill of battle took over her. Growing frustrated with her constant movement, the Quadriga halted its thumping, digging its tracks into the ground for a full-speed charge. Predicting its movement, Neo slid to the side to evade, latching onto its leg as it passed. Her indigo claws dug deep in between its armored tracks, grounding her as she climbed her way up onto its back. Running along its body, she shifted her God Arc and aimed her barrel downward.

Carefully, she placed the tip in between its folds and unloaded a freeze bullet directly into its exhaust. Blood burst from the wound like a crimson fountain as she was thrown backwards by the recoil. Its cells unbound with a thunderous roar. Neo's cat-like body twisted through the air, distributing her weight as she landed on all fours, with her rifle as a balance. Looking upward, she snarled as her vision began to wane.

Red slowly bled into the edges of her sight as her body radiated with an ominous hue. After spending so much time in combat, she could feel the Aragami within her awakening, vying for control. The smell of its blood was intoxicating, calling her forward like a beacon as she rose to her feet. Smiling darkly, she shifted her weapon and allowed the Oracle cells to flow freely.

Calling the surrounding water to her aid, she formed a javelin of hardened ice in her palm. In her free hand, she extended her scythe, whirling in a large arc. The empowered blade hit its mark, sweeping the front of the legs as its rockets loaded. Baring most of its weight unevenly, the strike knocked it forward as the missiles launched, leaving her an opening. Completing her spin, she hurled a projectile right back at it, the icy javelin colliding with the damaged vents.

The piercing blade penetrated deep within its skin. Its bellowing rumble was followed by a loud shriek. The rockets, skewed by her interference flew off course, forcing her to duck to avoid them. Exploding, the blast threw her forward, flames singing the edge of her scarf. Tumbling into the snow, Neo shook her head, quickly scrambling to her feet as the Quadriga took aim once again.

"Watch out!"

The sound of an unexpected voice startled her, whipping around to trace the source. Turning, she came face to face with another God Eater, barrel trained behind her. With careful aim, Ren unloaded, firing four piercing ice bullets towards the enraged monster. Hitting his mark, his strike halted its attack. Instead, the monster reared backwards on its hind legs. With little time to question his presence, Neo turned back to her target and charged forward. Sliding beneath its body, she crouched, building her energy as she entered Level 3 Burst. The Quadriga lowered, its large, metal torso poised to crush her as it regained its balance.

But it never got the chance.

Lowering herself to the ground, Neo unleashed her stored energy in a blast of icy mist. The cloud engulfed her, erupting in a small explosion beneath the falling Quadriga. Startled, it stumbled again, tumbling to its side and leaving its legs flailing hopelessly against the snow. With its cavity fallen open, Ren shifted bullets and took aim. With a final icy blast bullet, the battle was won.

Neo, however, wasn't finished. Streaking across the snow, the New Type slid through the ice into the residual cloud. With razor sharp claws, she tore into the creature's open chest, aggressively ripping out the core. With little more than a grunt, she shoveled the mass into her mouth and devoured it, shivering as the power coursed through her veins. The world around her was fading as she stepped back, blood covering nearly every inch of her body. The smell was so hypnotizing. She wanted more. She needed more.

"You must regain control!"

'Grh… ah…'

Ren's voice tore through the haze, reaching her as her world faded to grey. Groaning, she fell to her knees, claws digging into the ice. The voice called to her, beckoning her. Commanding her. But she wouldn't give in. She wouldn't let it win. She couldn't.

"Remember yourself! Who you are!" Ren called to her, rushing to her side as her body trembled in the snow. Kneeling beside her, he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder as her breath came in quiet shudders. And as the crimson hue in her skin began to fade, he knew she was victorious.

"Ren…?" A quiet murmur escaped as color returned to her vision. She could feel her Oracle cells decelerating as she slowly returned to her senses. Her clenched fingers loosened and sweat beaded her forehead. Suddenly, she felt tired. So very, very tired. But her exhaustion didn't affect her very long, quickly replaced by panic as she came to a horrifying realization. Ren had brought her to her senses… which meant that he had seen everything. Her fatigue was immediately erased by fear as she slowly turned her head to face him. To see the terror in his eyes.

But when she turned, she found nothing of the sort.

Ren didn't look upon her with fear or malice. His expression was one of excited curiosity, not of scorn. In fact, he didn't seem fazed at all. Not by her raw display of savagery, her power, or her indigo claws resting calmly in the snow. And as his lips pulled into a smile, she found her panic replaced by startled perplexity.

"You… you're not afraid?"

"Not at all! I'm impressed! I have never seen such power before. A human that can battle with and without an Arc. You can use abilities unlike any God Eater. You are truly a marvel!"

"I… huh?" Neo was flabbergasted. Of every reaction she had expected from him, he had given her the exact opposite. Ren wasn't disturbed by her abilities or her nature, it seemed. He was fascinated by them. Enthralled by them. Smiling widely from ear to ear, he was positively giddy. Stranger still, she had noticed his unusual phrasing. 'A human that can battle with and without an Arc.' He almost spoke to her as if he weren't human himself.

"Yes! That was the most incredible display I have ever seen! I am surprised you do not use your powers more often. They could be very beneficial."

Shaking her head, Neo recovered from her stunned silence, slowly rising to her feet. "I wish I could. But most people aren't as understanding… or accepting as you are."

Ren raised an eyebrow at her change in tone. He could hear the bitter sadness in her voice as she slowly entwined her fingers. His eyes drifted downward to her clasped hands, lingering on the deep discoloration. Then, they noticed the unusual shape. The claws in place of nails. "Of your power… or your condition?"

"Ah!" Neo's head shot up, her fingers instinctively curling to hide her fingertips. Of course, it was too late, but it didn't stop her from trying. Her face paused for a moment as Ren's gaze lifted to meet her own. Then, her worried expression shifted into one of warning. She didn't know what condition Ren was referring to, so she couldn't afford to be hasty. It was possible that he had mistaken her physiology for Oracle infection.

"Don't worry. Your secret is safe with me! But it's a real shame. It's truly incredible." Ren answered her unspoken inquiry, offering her a wide and friendly smile. It was strangely familiar somehow, as though she had seen that carefree expression somewhere before.

Shaking her head, she quickly rid herself of the thoughts. She couldn't afford to trust him. Not now. "How did you even find me out here?"

"Oh! I heard from Hibari that you were on a mission. It sounded difficult and I figured you could use some help."

"I see. Well… thank you. I suppose."

"Any time!"

Neo raised an eyebrow as Ren's beamed at her. What an unusual person. "I have more cores to collect. Since you're already here…"

"Gladly! I am happy to offer my assistance."

"Hehe… alright, then."

. . .

The two God Eaters wandered quietly through the icy landscape. Meandering through the abandoned village, the pair went to work culling the Aragami population. The pair cut down and pierced through any and all adversaries that stood in their way. After her incident earlier during the mission, Neo was careful not to allow herself too much excitement, leaving a good portion of the combat to her teammate. And as Ren felled another Fallen Ogretail with his Short Blade, she couldn't contain her curiosity any longer.

"Ren."

"Yes?"

"…Why?"

"Why what?"

"You saw… everything. What I did. What I became. Does it truly not bother you? You're not… unsettled by me?"

"Not at all."

"You see nothing wrong?"

"Of course not. There is nothing wrong with you, Neo. You are like Soma, yes?"

"What?" The woman turned, her expression shifting to one of surprise at his nonchalant response.

"Your Bias Factor. You are like Soma. Your Aragami is stronger than his, true, but you are no less human than he is."

"I…" Neo was floored. Once again, she found herself questioning how Ren acquired so much information. He seemed to know so much about her, her teammates, and other members of the Den, despite his relatively short time in the Far East. Even more surprising, he knew of her origins, as well as Soma's, and saw no problem with either one of them. Just who was this man?

"Oh, Neo! Look!"

"Huh?"

"Over there! What's that on the ground?"

The New Type paused; her questions forgotten as her eyes focused forward. Following Ren's outstretched finger, her eyes slowly landed on a small black mass lying in the snow. The black sheen stuck out against the white landscape, making it painfully obvious. Moving forward, the two of them approached, kneeling down for closer inspection.

"It's… a feather?" She muttered, gently grasping it between her fingers. Squinting, she slowly turned it back and forth, observing it carefully from all angles as she held it up in the light. It was a medium-sized quill, nearly dark as night. It was soft to the touch, yet sturdy and durable. Whatever had left this was certainly not anything that she had ever encountered.

"Neo! It looks like there's more of them."

"Eh?" Neo turned, looking around for Ren at the sound of his voice. When had he wandered off? Standing, she quickly followed his call, making her way towards a wooden structure. The building was rundown with broken windows and a damaged door barely hanging onto the hinges. His voice was coming from inside.

Stepping through the wobbling doorway, her eyes swept the room. It didn't take long to find Ren, his pale skin almost fluorescent against the darkened wood. He was crouched against the wall, running his fingers gently over a black pile on the floor. Making her way towards him, she saw that he was right. There most certainly were more of the unusual plumes. Lots of them. It was as though a giant bird had been flapping around within the abode, spewing its feathers across the room. Of course, birds, like most species at this point, were all but extinct. So what on Earth could have left them?

Narrowing her eyes, she gently collected a feather, placing it into her bag with the other one. Then, she turned around to inspect the room for anything out of the ordinary, hoping to find clues regarding the mysterious creature. But as her eyes fell on the shape of the building and carboard boxes piled upon the coffee table, she realized. Neo had seen this setting before, in her vision, when she resonated with Ren. It was here that Lindow had fled to and resided. It was here that Shio had cared for him, assisting him during his transformation. And if that were the case, then the feathers could only be…

Quickly turning back to the wall, Neo began collecting the quills from the floor. Carefully scooping them into her hands, she placed them securely into her bag for storage. If they belonged to Lindow then it could be a clue to his whereabouts or, at the very least, his current physical state. They could even use them to figure out what he was turning into, assuming he were still human in the first place. "We need to get these to Sakaki for analysis."

Beside her, Ren nodded his agreement. "Yes, you are correct. I believe that would be the best course of action."

Gathering the last of the feathers, Neo rose to her feet and made her way to the door. "Right. Let's call for -"

"Neo!"

The New Type nearly jumped a foot in the air as the sound of a furious voice echoed across the clearing. Upon exiting the wooden building, Neo came face to face with another member of the 1st Unit. And livid didn't even begin to describe him.

Soma glowered at her, stomping angrily through the snow. His footfalls crunched loudly as he walked, emphasizing his rage as he made his way towards her. "What the hell is the matter with you?!"

"Many things." Neo quipped back at him; her mission temporarily forgotten. It seemed that Ren wasn't the only member that had been searching for her. Stalking forward, she approached him, meeting him in the middle of the clearing.

"What were you thinking, taking on a mission like this all on your own?!"

"It was nothing I couldn't handle. Obviously."

"That isn't the point! Fire is deadly to you. You could have been hurt, and no one would've been there to help you!"

"But I wasn't. As you can see, I'm perfectly fine."

"You are not fine! Apparently, one scolding wasn't enough! You need to stop doing this!"

"Doing what, Soma?! Hunting? Feeding? You don't have to concern yourself if it bothers you so much."

Soma's temper ignited, his patience with Neo's stubbornness at its limit. Was that what she thought he was upset about? Her devouring? Raising his voice, he exploded. "This! Overworking yourself, day and night. Taking on missions that are dangerous to your health without assistance. You have a team now, Neo. You don't have to go it alone."

"That's hilarious, coming from you." Aggravated, she maneuvered around him, stomping through the snow towards the landing site. After twelve paces, she turned, returning his glare. "And you'll be happy to know that I wasn't alone." With her final retort, she turned back and stormed off into the village.

Soma watched her walk away, fuming as she vanished into the frozen tundra. He had already been in a foul mood to begin with before locating her. It was bad enough that she had come all the way out there by herself, but then she had the nerve to lie on top of it. He had scoured the entire area upon his arrival and confirmed that Hibari's assertions had been correct. There wasn't a single God Eater deployed in the sector besides herself, and he had made sure of it. It was clear to him at this point that Neo was on a warpath, determined to kill either herself or every Aragami in existence. Possibly even both.

He recognized her behavior, as it was dangerously similar to his own. When Soma learned of Neo's 'death,' he had thrown himself into his training. Missions, battles, hunting parties, and more missions, surrounding himself with anything and everything possible to distract himself from the pain. And now, it seemed, he was on the brink of losing her yet again. This time, to herself.

What he couldn't understand was why.