Far East Branch - Rookie's Floor

After the successful collection of the Nova remnant, the 1st Unit returned to base with heavy hearts. Following Neo's injury, she had withdrawn from the three of them, sitting silently in the corner of their transport. Her moods had shifted once more, apparently wanting little to do with her teammates at the moment. And upon their return, they found that the situation back at Headquarters wasn't much better. Despite increased search efforts, Lindow still hadn't been located, only adding to the group's overall stress.

Now, in addition to every other unit, the Assault Squad was also coming under strain as each of its members wrestled with their own individual problems.

Ichiro was growing increasingly absent from the unit, spending more and more time in the laboratory with Dr. Sakaki, much to Neo's dismay. Kota and Sakuya were understandably growing depressed over the lack of progress surrounding their missing Corporal. Utsugi was growing uneasy facing his ever-looming stigma, carefully counting his remaining medication phials. Soma was worried about all of the above, most of all Neo and her deteriorating mental state. Her behavior during Divine Shadows confirmed his beliefs. Neo had tossed aside any and all concern for her personal health.

And after embarking on yet another string of missions with "Ren," Soma had had enough. Carefully tracking her movements, the veteran worked in tandem with the team's other female New Type in the hopes of cornering her before she could depart on another quest. It was time to finally put their plan into action.

That was how Neo found herself, once again, sitting quietly on Alisa's couch with two steaming cups of tea between them. Today's flavor was a subtle rose blend with a sweet aroma served in a gorgeous porcelain cup with intricate floral patterns. Steam lifted gently from the surface of the beverages, with residual sugar collecting at the bottom of Neo's cup. She was having a difficult time enjoying it.

Her eyes stared blankly into the red liquid. It reminded her of the Merlot that Gunter had savored not so long ago. Ever since their date, Neo had been feeling frustrated with both herself and the situation. As such, she had taken to avoiding him, much to the poor man's endless confusion. It wasn't so much that he had done anything wrong, but their conversation had left a bitter taste in her mouth.

Despite her best efforts, Neo couldn't get Gunter's dejected expression out of her mind. She had seen that look once before on her guardian's face in the Tranquil Temple, when she learned the truth of his mother's death. While the look was frightening enough to see on Ichiro's face, it was even more alarming to see it on the other's. She had come to know the blonde as a picture of confidence, unflappable and unshakeable as he strutted through the world like he owned the planet.

But on that night, he looked nothing of the sort. His once bright emerald eyes had faded, filled with nothing but anger, sadness, and regret. He looked so small. So vulnerable. So broken. A husk of a man who had everything stolen from him. And it was the Vajra that had done it all. A thunderous cat-like species of Aragami. Her species.

Of course, Neo had absolutely nothing to do with the loss of Gunter's loved ones. She hadn't even been in the same branch at the time, somewhere between being trapped in a cage and lost in the arctic wilderness. Yet still, she felt somewhat remorseful. She couldn't help but fear the day that he discovered the truth. His emerald orbs would no longer look upon her with curiosity, but with disdain. Surely, he would reject her should he learn what she truly was. At the very least, he certainly wouldn't kiss her anymore.

"Neo, what's wrong?"

Her eyes slowly lifted from the now still surface of her beverage. Alisa had noticed her staring silently into her cup for some time. At first, she simply assumed she was letting it cool. But after a while, she began to see the hollowness creeping up in her expression. It was the look that signified her crossing over into a dark realm. It was just as she had belted in her song some time ago. Something was eating at her from the inside.

"Huh?"

"Something's bothering you. Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Just tired."

Alisa slowly nodded, taking a small sip of her tea. "I can tell. To be honest, I've actually been meaning to speak with you about that." Neo tilted her head, meeting Alisa's concerned gaze with her own. "I've noticed that you've been pushing yourself a lot lately."

"How so?"

"Well, for one thing, you've taken on more missions in the last few weeks than half of us combined. And since Lindow's search was reinstated, it's gotten even worse."

"Lindow doesn't have time. Neither do any of us. The threat must be culled. You know that."

"Yes, of course, but why go it alone? Neo, I… I heard about Purple Sparks. I also know that you've been doing the same thing on countless other missions."

Neo shook her head. "I haven't been going alone. Not on most of them. Usually, Ren accompanies me."

Alisa paused, taking a small sip of her tea to hide her expression. Having been briefed on the situation, she was already aware of Neo's new accomplice. It was part of the reason that they had asked her to speak with the New Type in the first place, to perhaps garner information on the subject. Slowly nodding, she hummed quietly in response. "Oh, I see. That's alright then, I suppose. I just worry about you running off alone all the time, you know?"

Neo shrugged. "Well, Ren is a combat medic. I can't imagine taking anyone safer."

"Oh, I wasn't aware of that."

"I suppose you wouldn't be. He spends most of his time in the medical ward. Keeps to himself."

"Ah, that explains it. You know, I don't remember seeing him after our briefing with the other recruits."

Neo nodded, taking a sip of her own tea. "You wouldn't have. He was with me."

"Ah, so that's where you ran off to. I was wondering. You know, I've been enjoying my time mentoring the newbies, but I can't say that I've done much with Ren. Tell me, what is he like? You seem to spend the most time with him, so I'm sure you know him best."

Neo pondered, gazing thoughtfully at the back wall for a moment. How would she describe Ren? He was an unusual character, with even more unusual speaking patterns. He had an obsession with God Arcs that seemed to go far beyond general curiosity and possessed information about things that no average person could possibly know. The only way she could think to describe him was… "Odd."

"Oh? How so?"

"I'm not sure. He's just a strange individual. He has weird speech patterns and spends a lot of time in the weapons hangar around the God Arcs. Very knowledgeable though."

"I see." Alisa raised an eyebrow for a moment at Neo's explanation. She hardly felt the other New Type had any business calling anyone else's speech patterns strange, considering her own frequent faux pas. Even so, this was helpful information. Learning about the entity that Neo was seeing could possibly help to figure out what she was projecting. "Well, I hope to take a mission with him soon. Let me know the next time you guys are heading out."

"Will do." Neo nodded her agreement, drinking more of her sweet rose tea.

With a final sip, Alisa carefully placed her teacup back on its saucer. Her hands clapped together with excitement as she fixed her gaze pointedly on the other New Type. "So, tell me, what else has been going on with you?"

"…As far as?"

"Gunter, silly! How did your date go? I heard you were out for quite a while."

Her violet hair bobbed with her nodding head. "It was fun. I've been trying to take your advice since our talk. He seems to appreciate it."

"Oh? What do you mean?"

Neo shrugged. "You know… inquiring about his health, strolling together, kissing, trying to -"

"Whoa, whoa, what?!"

"Huh?" Neo paused her list, gazing curiously at her friend's interruption. What was she so upset about? It had been her guidance she was following in the first place.

"You kissed Gunter?!"

Neo shrugged, placing her tea on the table. "In response. I wasn't sure what to do when he kissed me, so…"

Alisa nearly squealed with excitement, alarming the other New Type as she practically bounced in her seat. "Oh, my… Neo, that's wonderful!"

"It is?"

"Yes!" Her blonde waves fell over her shoulders as she leaned forward. "This changes everything!"

"It does?"

Alisa sighed, trying not to facepalm at her obliviousness. "Yes Neo, it does. It means you're taking your relationship to the next level."

"…There are levels?"

"…" Her mouth fell open, the blonde gaping at her companion. This was getting frustrating. Surely, there had to be another way to explain this. But it wasn't something she had the energy to tackle today. Instead, she shook her head and smiled. "Oh, Neo… what am I going to do with you?"

"…Brew more tea?"

"…Pfft!" Alisa nearly snorted at Neo's response, trying not to choke with laughter. Her straightforwardness would never cease to amaze her. "Sure. No problem." Reaching forward, she held out her hand to collect the empty teacup.

Neo offered it to her, being careful to control the strength of her grip. Alisa collected the cup from her, their hands brushing lightly as she did so. It was only a moment of contact… but it was all that was needed to take her mind from her.

. . .

She looked around the familiar white room, her hands hidden carefully beneath her bedsheets. She was in the medical ward, having awakened recently from her conflict in the hangar. Her wounds had long since healed, but her body felt heavy as she sat quietly in her bed. Turning her head, she eyed the young man sitting at her bedside. His crimson eyes locked with hers as he offered his apologies.

"Oh, forgive my prattling. Here you've just woken up, and I'm talking your ear off. Why don't you lay down? You and your friend take a respite. Feel better soon." She watched as the young man nodded and rose to his feet. She watched him walk away, disappearing behind the white curtains.

. . .

She stood in the underground hangar, her eyes drifting slowly over the God Arcs in their containment chambers. Beside her stood the same man from the hospital ward, his eyes gazing at her 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."

He nodded, swelling 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."

. . .

Her vision dimmed, fading to grey as she lost control to the monster within. She could feel it clawing at her with every fiber of its being, trying to get out. She knelt to the ground, tearing the core from the slain Quadriga, devouring it like a woman starved. A small, inhuman sound escaped her as she panted. It wasn't enough. She needed more. More!

"You must regain control!"

She snarled, collapsing to her knees as she fought against the beast inside her. Her claws dug into the ice, the sound of footsteps crunching through the snow.

"Remember yourself! Who you are!" The pale-skinned God Eater knelt beside her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

She felt a weight lift from her shoulders at the Dark One's retreat, leaving her panting on the ground. As the world came back into focus, she turned to face her ally with a tired gaze.

"Ren…?"

. . .

"Ah!"

The world returned to motion around them, her teacup slipping from their grasp and shattering on the table. Glass scattered across the surface, shards colliding with other utensils. Returning to her senses, Neo jolted, her eyes following the shards as they fell to the floor. "I'm so sorry, Lissa."

"Think nothing of it." The New Type smiled, quickly rising from her seat to gather the dustbin. Her eyes shifted slightly as Neo moved, gathering the glass together in a pile. Startled, she quickly turned. "Neo, be careful, you'll cut yourself!"

Her warning, naturally, came too late as a particularly sharp piece slipped across her finger, a thin red line appearing in its wake. Then, within moments, the bleeding slowed, the skin knitting itself back together as her body regenerated. Watching the display, Alisa shook her head. "Er… never mind."

Gathering the dustbin from the corner of the room, she returned to help Neo clean up the remnants of the broken cup. The two worked silently, carefully brushing each and every shard into the bin. Neo sulked as they removed the last of them, clearly faulting herself to some degree for her shattered glass. Sighing, Alisa placed the bin down. "Neo, it's not a problem. I'll just order another one."

The New Type shook her head, eyes scanning carefully for any remaining shards. "It's not that. It's just…" Her voice trailed off into silence, her gaze pausing on a random patch of carpet as she collected her thoughts. She wasn't sure what to say to her. Alisa was her friend and cared about her. It was because of that fact she knew she had to be careful. Were she to slip and say the wrong thing or give any indication that her condition may be worsening, Alisa wouldn't hesitate to inform her guardian.

And that was the last thing she needed.

Ichiro was already watching her like a hawk as it was, in between his frequent trips to the laboratory. If he had reason to believe that she was deteriorating, she may never leave Headquarters again. With a sigh, she shook her head and thought better of it. Silence was the better option. "Forget it. It's nothing."

Alisa frowned, noticing her shift in demeanor. "Are you sure?"

"Completely."

The blonde slowly nodded her head, noting the finality in her tone. Neo wasn't willing to discuss the issue further and pressing would only succeed in irritating her. For now, she would cut her losses and relish in the things she had learned. Particularly, about the mysterious God Eater known as Ren. Having seen him clear as day, she could deduce that he was obviously a separate person, rather than any sort of split personality. He was definitely a unique entity, at least as far as Neo's mind was concerned.

Alisa wasn't entirely sure what to make of it. Having dealt with psychological trauma herself and various degrees of coping mechanisms, she was familiar with mental disturbance. Yet somehow, this didn't really feel like a method of comfort. She wasn't sure how to explain it, but Ren had felt very real to her during their resonance and was most certainly real to Neo. But it didn't fit with the reality around her, particularly the fact that no one else could see or hear him. What exactly was going on in Neo's mind was a mystery. So, for now, she would report to Ichiro and Soma and continue on for the time being.

Shaking her head, she quickly changed the subject, startling the other New Type back from her daydreaming. "Well, now that that's over, you were telling me about Gunter?"

Sighing, Neo scooted back into place on the sofa. It seemed that even a resonance couldn't distract Alisa from this. Why she was so enthralled with her relationship baffled her, but she saw no harm in telling her. And so, tell her she did.

Alisa hung on her every word as she recounted details of their night, smiling, and swooning on occasion at things she considered romantic. Neo offered as much as possible without revealing any personal information. After all, if Gunter had been keeping his past quiet, it was likely he didn't want other people to know about it. Their evening was certainly a nice one, up until the moment when the alcohol got involved. When Neo finished her tale, Alisa slowly nodded her head, taking careful note of specific snippets of her story. "So, Gunter believes your lightning is a result of New Type biology?"

"For the time being, yes."

"Hmm… well, let's hope that he continues to keep it to himself."

"I don't imagine he will tell anyone about me. Ichi would kill him."

The blonde shook her head. "Well, not intentionally, no. But if he believes it to be a New Type capability…"

Neo tilted her head as her sentence trailed off, her mind working to fill in the blanks as she pondered. Then, she blinked, a lightbulb going off in her head. Alisa was right. While the plan was working for the time being, there was a possibility that it could eventually backfire. If Gunter believed New Types to wield such abilities, he may ask others if they possessed anything similar. He wouldn't be openly telling her secret, but his inquiry could invite unwanted questioning. "…I hadn't thought of that."

Noticing her expression slowly beginning to darken, Alisa quickly dismissed it. "W-Well, I'm sure he won't bring it up to anyone. I don't think he would want to violate your trust."

"…What? Why?"

And there it was again. Alisa's implications had gone right over the other woman's head. Fighting back the urge to sigh, she elaborated. "Neo, it sounds like Gunter really likes you."

"How so?"

"Well, think about it. You say he confided something very personal to you, he's been going out of his way to acquire different things simply because he thinks you'll like them. And not only did he accept your power, but he embraced it. A guy doesn't do things like that unless he really cares about someone."

"But… Ichi does all those things."

This time Alisa couldn't help herself, a heavy sigh escaping her lips as the New Type stated the obvious without even realizing it. Somehow, she had just inadvertently confirmed her guardian's feelings towards her while remaining none the wiser in the same breath. It shouldn't be possible for one so intelligent to be so dense. "Yes, of course, but - oh, never mind. Neo, the point is, I think Gunter may be serious about you."

"Okay."

"Okay?!" Alisa gaped, her voice raising an octave at Neo's unconcerned response. It seemed that she truly had no idea of the implications of her current situation. Gunter, skirt-chaser extraordinaire, the Casanova of the Far East, was slowly changing his ways, for her. Either the rumors about him were largely exaggerated or she had really done a number on him, despite the fact that she remained utterly oblivious to it.

At the New Type's blank stare, Alisa shook her head. There was far too much to unpack with this situation, and she simply didn't have the strength to address it. This would have to be a conversation for another time. Instead, she slowly made her way back towards her cabinet to retrieve another cup. "Did you still want more tea?"

"Oh. Yes, please. If you don't mind."

Nodding, Alisa carried the empty cup towards the kettle, gently filling it with more of the rosy, red brew.