Far East Branch - Mess Hall

Tatsumi and his teammates returned to the celebration of nearly all members of the Den. With his group finally back, that marked the last of the missing God Eaters, excluding Lindow. Kanon and Kota were the most excitable of the masses, all but literally jumping for joy upon their return. The most surprising of all was Hibari who was completely overjoyed. She had almost hugged him upon his arrival, but quickly controlled herself. The action wasn't missed by the 2nd Unit Captain however, who promptly invited her, once again, to dinner. Of course, to his dismay, she reminded him that it wasn't entirely out of the question… after Lindow had been found.

The other members, Karel and Shun, were grateful for Neo's assistance. Naturally, the redhead offered his thanks to their savior in his own snarky, indirect way. She had given both of them a curt response before disappearing into the elevator and out of sight. Both were confused by her sudden attitude but considering how long it had taken the 1st Unit to return after them, they assumed she was just exhausted. She did singlehandedly chase off a Hannibal, after all.

Her remaining three members fell almost immediately into discussions following their return. They spoke quietly over a meal in the Mess Hall, a strategic move on Utsugi's part to reign in both of the veterans' tempers. This conversation was a much longer one, with both working together to get the Captain off of Neo's case. She was beyond upset, as displayed by her break, and didn't need the extra aggravation.

"Lay off, Utsugi." Soma snapped, earning a scowl in response.

"Why won't you two listen to reason? Especially you, Soma. I'm surprised, considering you're the one she attacked."

The veteran shrugged, utterly unperturbed. "It's happened before. This one was actually mild." He muttered, recalling her time as Reaper when she had very nearly killed him.

Lenka however, was not amused. He stared at him, an annoyed twitch in his brow. "That isn't helping your case."

Ichiro interjected, his own patience with the situation wearing thin. "Neo hasn't hurt anyone. She has given multiple warnings, but nothing that's amounted to outright violence. Why won't you come off of this?"

"Because I don't want it to come to violence. Would you rather wait until she finally strikes?"

"So, what exactly do you want us to do? Lock her up? Cast her into the wild to fend for herself?"

Lenka sighed. "I… I don't know. But as it stands, I do know that just leaving her to her own devices is a disaster waiting to happen."

The three men fell into tense silence, the remainder of their food still sitting untouched. Utsugi was pensive, trying to think of a solution to their ever-growing problem. Ichiro and Soma exchanged a look but said nothing further. Despite their thoughts on the matter, to some degree, their Captain was right. Neo had been deteriorating ever since her return from the grave and now she was spiraling out of control. It was getting increasingly more difficult to manage her and even more so to reason with her.

Soma crossed his arms. "And how do you know that Neo is the problem? Lindow's Arc is still lodged in her hand. For all we know, it's agitating her cells. That shit can't be comfortable."

"Maybe. It's a possibility that we can't rule out. But if that's the case, then something is going to have to be done about it."

"There isn't anything to be done." Ichiro replied. "We've gone over this countless times with Dr. Sakaki. We can't risk trying to remove it. It's just too dangerous."

"Well, what about medication? Maybe there's something that can dull the effects or mellow her out."

Soma shook his head. "If there is, he hasn't found it." He inclined his head toward the other veteran, citing his extensive amount of time conducting research.

"Well, there has to be something. Besides, this is more than just her stigma. At this point, I'm concerned about her mental state."

Both men tensed at his words, each inwardly cursing. Of course, Utsugi had finally started to notice. He was an attentive commander and teammate, and frequently kept tabs on all of his members whenever possible. It was only a matter of time before Neo's behavior started setting off alarm bells. The more he spoke, the darker their expressions became.

"I've noticed her acting strangely. Weird things like muttering to herself and changing moods on a dime. I've seen this kind of behavior before… and if she doesn't start getting better, she's going to take a turn for the worse." He watched their expressions carefully, eyeing their tense body language. From the looks on their faces, they were already aware of her decline, at least to some extent. Hopefully, they could see reason before it was too late. Lenka was by no means a psychologist or mental health expert, but having grown up outside of the wall, he knew trauma when he saw it.

"I'm heading to North America soon for another refill. In the meantime, I just want to make sure that I don't come back to another debacle… or worse. Right now, Neo is a ticking time bomb. We need to reel her in before she explodes." With those words, the Captain excused himself and took his leave.

With Utsugi safely out of ear shot, the two veterans visibly sagged with exhaustion. They were running out of time. While he hadn't said it outright, they couldn't help but feel that his words had been a finely veiled threat. He was leaving for North America. If they didn't find a way to improve her…

Soma shook his head, refusing to even think about it. By and large, Lenka was a good person. He was a kind and compassionate young man who generally tried to see the good in everyone. He cared deeply about those around him and would do anything to ensure the safety of his comrades. And it was for precisely that reason that he'd follow through on his promise. If he truly believed that Neo posed a threat to the general public, he would cast aside his camaraderie and turn her over to her captors. And there was no doubt in his mind. If the North Americans got their hands on Neo again, they would kill her without hesitation or remorse. Or depending on who got ahold of her… possibly even worse. Sighing, he looked once more at his teammate. "You heard him. Now what?"

"No clue."

"Great. Guess we're screwed."

"Don't talk like that…" Ichiro muttered, ignoring his half-playful jab. It was true that he generally had a plan for everything involving Neo. That was, after all, his job. But even he didn't have all the answers and there was no playbook for this kind of situation. Under the orders of his original mission, should she show any signs of decline, he was to exterminate her immediately before she could deteriorate further. She was way beyond that line at this point… and so was he.

"Anyway, we need to figure out what's wrong with her. Soon. Utsugi's not a bad person, but he'll make good on his threat."

"I know that Soma, and I'm trying. That's what makes this so frustrating."

"What does?"

"This whole situation. I don't know what's wrong with her, and I don't know how to help her. I have some ideas, but…"

"Explain."

Ichiro shook his head. "By all accounts, she's displaying signs of post-traumatic stress, and a bad case of it too. These days, you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone without it, but this is different."

Soma tensed, listening intently to his musings. He should have known that Ichiro would recognize the signs. He seemed to have a great deal of knowledge surrounding psychology and chemistry, likely resulting from a combination of his heritage and the New Type he was charged with. Yet somehow, he remained oblivious to the overall situation… or so he thought. Until now.

"To my knowledge, Neo has no reason to suffer such serious symptoms. Her entire life has been underground or in the field, and the latter was almost always with me. She had very few opportunities to undergo any form of serious trauma. You could count the number of places she visited on one hand… which means that something must have happened to her inside of Fenrir's walls."

"You think that's a possibility?" Soma asked, feigning ignorance as his teammate brainstormed. He had sworn not to betray Neo's trust, and so far, he hadn't. But if the other God Eater pieced it together himself, then that would be out of his control.

Ichiro narrowed his eyes briefly. "It's the only possibility."

"What if there is something in the database? Neo is one of two Managarm survivors. There has to be some info on her."

"Yeah, about that…"

Soma blinked, lifting an eyebrow at this new discovery. "You found something?" To his frustration, Ichiro shook his head.

"No. That's exactly the problem."

"…Elaborate."

"There's nothing, not even in the hidden the archives. Everything has been destroyed. Like they were trying to erase her very existence…"

Soma froze. So, it was true then. When Ichiro's father had gathered all of her information, he had truly intended for them to disappear from the face of the Earth. There could be no trace not only of her whereabouts, but of the fact that she ever existed in the first place, lest someone try to find her or worse, attempt the project again. Every piece of data remaining on Neo was obliterated… and what was left was brought with him on the plane. And that evidence now resided there, locked away within the Far East's headquarters. Ichiro would never be able to locate the information. There was nothing left to find.

The only way that he would ever know the truth was if someone told him. And the only people alive that knew about it were Sakaki, Alisa, Neo, and himself. Neo would never tell him and would likely kill anyone who tried to. Alisa could only tell him the extent of what she had experienced, which was only the tip of the iceberg. Ichiro had no reason to suspect that Sakaki would know anything, so he would never bother to ask him. That left only one with the burden of enlightening him. Fantastic.

Soma was far from pleased at having such a task thrust on him. But at this point, one thing was perfectly clear: Ichiro needed to know the truth. He had the knowledge, connections, and resources to get her the help that she needed. But he could only use them if knew the extent of her damage. Neo would probably hate him for it. Gods knew that woman could hold a grudge… but if it was a choice between losing his friendship or losing his friend entirely, he would choose the former. Resigning himself, he finally relented.

"Hamasaki."

"Yeah?"

"Got any free time tomorrow?"

"I might, why?"

"Make some. I need to speak with you."

. . .

Far East Branch - Lobby

Neo wandered the halls, her eyes downcast. Having locked herself in the safety of her room, she had taken to anything she could find to try to distract herself from the reality in front of her. For a while, she succeeded, finding entertainment in reading the romance novel she had borrowed from her childhood friend. It was a fascinating read filled with all sorts of tropes, encounters, and interactions that she would probably never experience in full. She had burned though more chapters than she cared to count before finally stowing the book away in its safe location.

And that was where she had made her mistake.

In putting the novel away, she immediately caught sight of the blue spine of the second book that Soma had lent to her. It was a book on Oracle cell technology and theory, a topic that normally, she would greatly enjoy. But today, it left a bitter taste in her mouth. Oracle cells and their effects were the last thing she wanted to think about.

Almost immediately, her mind returned to the images she had envisioned. Those accursed images that proved with nary a doubt that Lindow's fate had been all but sealed. She wasn't entirely ready to accept it, still believing in her naivety that he could be saved. But she knew deep down that it was a lie. One that soon, she would need to admit to. She couldn't keep what she had found silent forever. In particular, there were certain people that needed - no, that deserved - to know. Chief of which was his older sister. Neo didn't even want to think about telling Sakuya.

Now in a foul mood, she stored the borrowed books back in their secure hiding place and escaped from her room as fast as she could. She contemplated going for a late-night hunt, but quickly thought better of it. After all, the Corrosive Hannibal was still out there somewhere, and if she encountered him, she would be faced with a choice that she wasn't ready to make. Next, she considered strolling through the town, taking in what sights she could find and enjoying the night sky. But considering her dreadful directional sense, it wasn't the most intelligent decision.

Although, in all fairness, it was nearly impossible to miss the towering spires of Fenrir's headquarters. From what she could recall, it was how she had found her way home in the first place after escaping from Gunter. Perhaps a little walk wouldn't hurt. Or so she thought. Making her way into the lobby, she strode towards the entrance doors to freedom. And as she reached them, they slowly began to open with one of the final squadrons returning for the night. And it was the last one that she had expected, or wanted, to see.

Walking through the doors with a stupid grin on his face was Otto, chatting with his friend Caleb. It was odd to see a smile on the man's face and to be honest, she had come to the acceptance that he couldn't. As they caught sight of one another, his mirth evaporated and immediately replaced itself with the scorn she had become so accustomed to. Her glare was almost strong enough to kill, pausing him in his tracks for a moment. But the New Type didn't have time to dally. For where there was bully and coward, there would almost always be…

"Neo!"

… Casanova.

A deep sigh escaped her lips as she resigned herself to the inevitable interaction. At this point, there was no hope for escape. Not without being blatantly obvious that she was avoiding him. If she tried to run from him, he would probably pursue her. And Neo simply didn't have the energy. Turning her head, she acknowledged him, waiting patiently for Gunter to approach her.

Otto's glare intensified as his friend strode passed, their existence entirely forgotten at his chance to finally speak with her again. "I haven't seen you since our last date."

"I've been preoccupied." Neo shrugged.

"My teammates have told me all about your exploits. You've certainly been busy, haven't you?"

"Yes."

"Thank you for advising Annette, by the way. Her combat strategy has gotten way better. It's like night and day."

Neo paused at that statement, a small grin spreading across her lips. Koenig was still following her advice, and apparently, it had helped her tremendously. At least she was of use to someone.

"Anyway, it looks like you're free now, right?"

"Didn't you just walk through the door?" She snapped; a bit more harshly than she had intended. Gunter, of course, brushed it off.

"Yeah, but I don't mind."

Neo crossed her arms. "…You're incorrigible."

"Only for you, love." Gunter said with a wink.

His display earned a quirked eyebrow from both Neo and Caleb. He was certainly being forward this evening. Otto just rolled his eyes, more than used to his pickup lines at this point. If he was trying this hard, he was probably going to make a move. Gunter ignored the both of them, his current focus on the woman staring up at him. She looked exasperated, but clearly too tired to argue. Whether or not that would bode in his favor remained to be seen.

A heavy sigh was her answer, shoulders relaxing as she gave in. He reminded her of one of the characters in Soma's novel who was, supposedly, head over heels for the protagonist. Neo didn't really get most of it but, according to the literature, it was supposed to be a good thing. She would never understand why this man was so fascinated with her, but perhaps it could be beneficial. If there was one thing Gunter was good for, it was distracting her from her problems. "I'm going for a walk. You can come if you want."

Having said her piece, she maneuvered around him and headed towards the doors. Gunter smirked, walking briskly after her. "Don't wait up." He joked, calling over his shoulder to his friends. Caleb shrugged, wandering off towards the Mess Hall for some much-needed sustenance. Otto shook his head and headed for the stairs to hit the showers.

"Stupid skirt-chaser."

. . .

Far East Branch - Veteran's Floor

Inviting Gunter turned out to be a good idea after all. As a result of his frequent trysts, he was surprisingly knowledgeable about the area. He knew all of the best places to get away from other people and some of the most beautiful vistas. Their walk led them to different parts of the town including a large, quiet clearing as well as a nice spot overlooking part of the city. She didn't know how long they had been out nor how many places he had taken her to, but before long, her worries were slowly ebbing away.

Following their little adventure, the two returned to the Den and grabbed something to nibble in the Mess Hall. More accurately, Gunter nibbled. Neo ate a pile nearly three inches high. After finishing their meal, Neo found that she was still tense, her mind drifting back to familiar crimson eyes. She didn't want to return to her solitude… to the visions and voices inside her head.

So instead, the New Type found herself in one of the last places she would ever expect.

Gunter's room was surprisingly cozy, with soft colors and even softer fabrics. She wasn't certain where he had gotten such nice upholstery from. Possibly the black market. It seemed an excessive use of one's time and money to acquire such finery, but there was no denying that his bed and couch were ridiculously comfortable. Neo let out a quiet sigh as she sank into the bed, her body nearly swallowed into the sheets. Perhaps she would purchase a set of her own the next time Karel turned up.

The blonde watched her dive into his bed, an eyebrow raising at the sight of it. The back of his mind wanted to celebrate. Gunter could think of a time not too long ago when the idea of Neo jumping into his bed would make him jump for joy. That wasn't to say that he wasn't still tempted by the visual as she gently toyed with his comforter. But for some reason, at this point, it was somewhat of an afterthought. Even still, he couldn't help but comment, the jest leaving his lips before he realized it. "Wow, hopping in bed already?"

To his surprise, Neo sat up in his bed and shrugged. "I will have to speak with Karel. These are very comfortable."

"Well, I do aim to please." He replied with a playful wink. Strolling casually through the room, he carefully sank down beside her.

"I see. Do people frequent your furniture?" She asked, her head tilting curiously to the side.

"Uh… something like that." He muttered. While he would typically proclaim such a thing with pride, admitting it to Neo was somehow… embarrassing. As though he was concerned for her judgment. Like her opinion of him actually mattered.

"They are privileged to do so. These are the softest sheets I have ever felt."

Gunter's brow raised at the unusual phrasing. He paused for a moment, contemplating his next move. He could question her about it and in doing so, get an answer to what he'd been wondering for some time. He weighed the possibilities of inquiry or silence, an in the end, curiosity won out. "Oh? Do you frequent different beds?"

"Hmm…" Neo grew pensive, carefully considering his question. "I suppose it depends."

"Eh?" Gunter blinked. A bit taken aback by her answer. It certainly wasn't what he had expected. "I… don't understand."

Neo lifted her gloved fingers, counting off each one as she listed her various bedroom experiences. "Well, Ichiro's bed is always nice and warm. It's a great place to go when I have nightmares. Soma's bed is comfortable, but a little firmer. I only sat on it once before he kicked me off. Alisa's bed is plush and it always smells like flowers…"

The longer Neo spoke the wider Gunter's eyes became. His question been intended to get a gauge of the woman's experience. It never hurt to know what he would be working with. Instead, it had revealed a surprising revelation. Not only had his question gone right over her head, but it had flown off somewhere into the atmosphere. Whether she was willfully ignoring his inuendo or completely oblivious to it was beyond him. Either way, it was a rare glimpse into the New Type's mind, giving him a chance to observe how she operates. Of course, what he found was about as far from his expectations as possible.

At first, especially considering her volatility, he had simply assumed her coy. Now, he was starting to believe otherwise. It wasn't that she was challenging him, so much as that she simply didn't understand. Either that, or she was too embarrassed to address such topics directly and did an excellent job of hiding it. Though he had initially brushed off Otto's crude comments, he couldn't help but begin to suspect that he may be correct. It was not only likely that Neo had never been with a man before. It was entirely possible that she had never so much as given it a single thought. She was blissfully aware, floating through life as she pleased and free from societal norms and practices. She was so clueless, he almost felt bad about inviting her to his room. To defile one so innocent was almost a crime.

And it wasn't until that moment that he realized. He had no desire to do so. Well, that wasn't entirely true. He would be more than happy to accept the offer should she give it. He genuinely enjoyed the idea of sharing both a bed and physical connection with her. It was more so that he didn't mind doing otherwise. It was true his endless chasing had initially frustrated him to no end. But now, it no longer bothered him. He was no longer concerned with how long he would have to wait. He was just happy to be around her. Especially after her adamant avoidance in recent days.

"Kota's bed is kind of bouncy, and it's surrounded by Bugarally stuff." Neo finished her list, carefully running through it in her head to make sure she didn't miss anything.

Gunter only laughed. "Haha! Wow, that's a lot of beds, Neo."

"Yeah… I suppose it is, isn't it?"

"But you missed one."

"Did I?"

Gunter nodded, a small grin forming on his features. "You didn't list your own."

Neo fell silent. He raised a valid point. It was a detail that she had certainly glossed over… and hadn't expected him to notice. "I… admittedly, I don't spend a lot of time in it."

"Is it that uncomfortable?" He asked, a playful lilt to his question.

"No. Just… lonely."

Gunter's face fell slightly. It had been meant as a joke, but she was clearly unamused. In fact, she almost seemed upset. Perhaps he had hit a sore spot. "I take it that means you don't like sleeping alone?"

"Not if I can help it."

At her answer, he found all forms of amusement slowly fading away. His emerald eyes swept over her, taking in her sagging form and downcast expression. It was a frightening contrast to the walking picture of strength that he had come to expect from her. It seemed that he had unintentionally caught her in a rare moment of vulnerability. A jolting reminder that she was still human, despite her dangerous appearances.

Seconds passed as he watched her, his mind drifting slightly as he took in her body language. It was such a strange state to see her in and he wanted nothing more than to lift her spirits. But at the moment, he wasn't entirely sure how. He wouldn't bother asking what was wrong. Chances were, she wouldn't tell him and in the worst case, she may end up lashing out. Neo was secretive that way. But perhaps there was still something he could do. Something he could offer her that she might be willing to accept.

"W-Well, uh… you can… you're free to stay here tonight…" He mumbled, slowly averting his eyes as her head turned in his direction. Extending his offer had been far more difficult than he expected it to be. How many women had he invited into his bed? More than enough that it should have been easier. Yet still, he could feel the warmth rising to his face under gaze.

"You want me to stay… with you?" She asked, a curious tilt to her head as she observed him. This was a first. She had never been invited to stay by someone before. Soma had made a point to kick her out of his room, given the chance. Ichiro, while he never rejected her, had never actively requested her presence. To be honest, she wasn't sure how she felt about it. She didn't really mind the idea… but it was very confusing to her.

Gunter began to fidget, trying to will the fire to leave his cheeks. He wasn't sure how to read her expression. Was she offended? Was she upset? No. Perhaps she was unsure. Of course, she would be. Neo didn't trust him. She had no reason to, especially given his reputation. Growing worried he may have overstepped, he quickly backpedaled. "O-Only if you want to, of course. We don't have to do anything more than sleep."

"…What else would we do?"

"…"

Gunter got his wish, the warmth leaving his face. It went in the opposite direction, draining the color from his olive complexion. There was no doubt. She really was clueless. It was strange. It was confusing. It was adorable. It was… Neo.

Shaking his head, he turned back to her with a amused smile. "Well… you mentioned something called Bugarally?"