Fool. I was a fool. How could I prevented myself from losing my humanity when I never lost it in the first place? My vainly struggles, my hatred over my body, it was all for nothing. After a month and half, I finally made peace with my Aragami side, and it because of Rina. Yeah, she showed the error in my view, our humanity lies in our heart, not in our body.
The hall towards First Unit veteran quarter was empty as usual. Only two persons lived in here, certain grouchy man and Lindow's fiancée. It should be three, but my sister rarely returned, she spent most of her time in my room instead. I paced on carpet covered floor and stopped at the said grouchy man's room.
"Soma is in there, I can hear him." White-haired Aragami girl behind me spoke.
"Yep, I can hear him too." I nodded. I knocked the door softly. No answer. I knocked it again, a bit harder this time. Still no answer. I banged the door in annoyance. "Oy grumpy, I know you're in there."
A harsh cursing, a loud thud, and few steps later, the door opened, revealing angry blue jacketed man with a glare that could send most people away in terror. Too bad, it didn't work on Aragami.
"The hell do you want?"
I moved aside, allowing Shio to come forward. She held a pack of cookies in her hands. "We made yo-"
The door slammed in front of me. I stopped talking and sighed. Another day, another slammed door. Fine, I wouldn't give up. He was the reason we made these cookies. I wanted him to opened up to others, so we kept visiting him. Whether it was for delivering cookies or chatting. Needless to say, he harshly sent us away.
"Um... Is Soma um... he... doesn't like us?" Shio looked slightly down.
"It's not like that, he faces some difficulties. Don't mind him, let's deliver these cookies to others." I patted her head.
"Yeah!"
We returned to my room after delivered our cookies to Sakuya, Kota, Alisa, and my sister. Shio actually helped me bake these cookies. It was hard to believe, few days ago she merely clueless child that barely able to talk, now she perfectly capable to make complete sentences, although some of her speech pattern remain unchanged.
We sat on my sofa back in my room. I read another newly released maintenance guidebook while Shio scribbled doodles on blank papers.
"Hungry..." Shio muttered. She stopped scribbling and turned her head, looking at my knapsack longingly.
"Huh? You just ate Sariel leg moment ago."
Yep, Sariel leg. Shio ate all Borg Camlann parts I had two days ago, so I hunted down unregistered Sariel in Valley of the Blue Ice and gathered its part. Now I almost run out of it too.
"Not enough..."
"Damn it, bottomless stomach..." I mumbled softly.
"Damn it!" Shio innocently mimicked my word. Apparently, she also had enhanced senses.
'Pfff good job. You've done it once again.'
"Not again..." I groaned. "Shio, that's a no-no. You mustn't speak like that."
"Why? Because... bad word?"
"No, because you aren't old enough." Nope, I wouldn't fall to the same mistake twice.
"Oh... Um... Okay?"
"Good girl." I rubbed her head.
'Sly fox.' Rei grumbled.
I would've laughed if I wasn't interrupted by elevator bell and rapid stomping noises in the hall. I recognized these stomps, it was Rina. Half minute later she crashed into my door and opened it roughly, as I predicted.
"Sis! I'm in serious trouble."
"What?! What is it? Explain it!" I jumped to my feet and approached her. Her breath ragged and thin sweat covered her forehead.
"Wait... Let me... catch... my breath..." She took series of deep breath. "Okay... There're two nasty rumors spreading in the Den right now."
"About you?"
"Wrong..." She shook her head. "About us."
"Shit... Someone noticed me?"
"Yes. First rumor is about me being bipolar or having split personality!" Rina yelled.
"You what?!"
"Yes! Some God Eaters said sometimes I act normal, other days I became Prithvi Mata, cold and frightening. Some even said I'm far more dangerous than Soma when I'm like Prithvi Mata! Can you believe those morons!" Rina shouted. Combination of annoyance and embarrassment decorated her face.
"What? Where the hell they got this absurd Prithvi Mata? It hilarious." I tried to restrain my laugh to no avail.
"No! Stop laughing! It's embarrassing..." She pouted at me.
"Hahaha, sorry, sorry." I pressed my hands to my mouth.
"Meanie... This rumor spreading because of you and your disguise." My sister grumbled.
"And the second rumor?" I regained my composure and stopped laughing.
"It's... it's... uh... I..." My sister suddenly became a nervous wreck. Faint pinkish blush climbed her cheek.
"They said... I... in...g ...ma" She whispered it so soft that my enhanced hearing couldn't make it out.
"I can't hear you, speak louder."
"Theysaidimdatingsoma!" My sister sputtered.
"Hah? Speak slowly will ya?"
"Theysaidimdatingsoma" She covered her face with her hands. The blush intensified, now it brightly red.
"They said what? Come on, you can't seriously expecting me to understand that."
"They said... I'm in da...ting... Soma" She mumbled.
My body crashed onto soft carpet on the floor. I laughed, hard, so hard that I fell from my sofa. My sister dating that grumpy man? Ludicrous.
"Why are you... laughing?" White-haired Aragami girl talked amid my laugh.
"Ahahahaha... It's priceless... ahahahaah"
I laughed and laughed. Rolling on the floor, crashing table leg, and stopped after I bumped my head on bed leg. My sister had left her spot. She now lay on my bed, hugging my pillow tightly and muttering incomprehensible word.
"Ahahahaha... aaah, that's pure comedy..." Slowly, I sat up and walked to my bed. "Sorry, I couldn't help it. Can you explain it?"
"Meanie." She turned, facing me, and sat up. "I don't know the details but it started around three days ago. Someone saw you hanging a bag of cookies on his doorknob, then saw him eating cookies on the next day. Put two and two together and you'll get me giving cookies to Soma."
"Wait, they suspect you dating Soma because of single cookie bag?" I stared incredulously at her.
"Yes, it's sounds weird, but that's exactly what happened. I don't know why they cared for such trivial matter."
"Hm... What about the first rumor?" I grinned.
"Do I really have to explain it?" Her voice mixed with annoyance.
"No, obviously it was me that caused it." I rested on fluffy bed beside her. "My bad, I can't turn my Oracle field off."
My hands raised, grasping empty air above me. I examined my hands. Unbelievable, this very same hands I had since I was born now made up entirely from Oracle Cells, yet nothing changed. Tenderness, colors, shape, it remained unchanged. Heck even I couldn't tell the difference, unless I got wounded.
"I'm hungry..." Shio murmured.
"Ah! Sorry I forgot your food." I stood and grabbed my knapsack. There were only two parts left in it. "Here, go ahead."I handed her part of Sariel skirt.
"Thank you..." Shio gladly took it and began eating.
"Erm... Sis? I run out food for Shio." I lifted my near empty knapsack. "Can you help me? Her appetite almost too much for me to handle."
"Again? Alright, I'll call other members."
Once again, First Unit gathered in Dr. Sakaki's office, forming half circle around Shio and Dr. Sakaki. He glanced Shio, then to his notes, then to Shio again.
"Good day to you. Working hard, I imagine, yes? Thanks to you, Shio's natural intelligence has skyrocketed. She is nearly at an adult level of comprehension and conversation." Dr. Sakaki began to speak.
"I did really good! Thank you! Thank you all! Shio bowed at us.
"Hoo, adult level you say?" I looked at Dr. Sakaki. "I had a feeling she grew up, but I didn't think it would be this much."
"It's amazing, you did a good job Shio." My sister patted her head. "Anyway, I called you all here because Rena has no more food for Shio."
"Yep, only single piece of Sariel left, will you help me?" I asked to First Unit.
"I'm in." Kota spoke. "Got nothing to do, plus Rina helped me a lot, so it's time to return the favor."
"I understand. I'll help you." Alisa agreed to help me.
"Of course Rena, of course." Sakuya spoke.
"Leave me out of this." Soma denied my request.
"Nopee, that won't do, you have to come with us Soma." I replied.
"Why should I?" Soma scoffed.
"You owe Shio. She helped me bake cookies for all of you, now it's your turn to help her. Besides..." I smirked at my sister.
"That's an order!" She playfully added.
"Damn you."
We headed to Forgotten Carrier for a 'Date' with Shio. According to Dr. Sakaki many small Aragami like Ogretails and Fallen Zygote roamed in the area. He also mentioned a Fallen Chi-You detected in that place.
The side door closed and helicopter rotor spun, we began our trip using Dr. Sakaki's chopper. There were only six passenger seats so one of us had to stayed behind. A debate between Sakuya and Soma ensured. Soma, being antisocial, wanted to skip this trip. Sakuya on the other hand, need rest. She said she spent whole night worked on various medical paperwork and equipment check. Although I highly doubt it, I didn't hear anyone worked in infirmary last night. Perhaps she also wanted to sent Soma along with us.
Cold wind blew on my face. Not from the window, it came from small port above my head. Unlike most helicopter, this one had air conditioner installed. Felt riding a luxury transport instead of military chopper.
We jumped from chopper as we reached our destination, ruined aircraft carrier on the coast west of the Den. Scent of saltwater and gentle breeze greeted me right when I was landed. This was my first time visiting this place; I looked at my surrounding, memorizing every details.
The sky turned orange, signaling dusk's coming and the beginning of our mission.
It was one-sided massacre. Couple of Ogretails, Fallen Zygotes, and a Fallen Chi-You against four highly trained God Eaters and two special Aragami? We'd won the battle the moment we reached this place. I was glad having friends at my side, they helped me hunted down any fleeing Aragami.
They scampered away like there was no tomorrow, undoubtedly from my Oracle field. Actually, there was indeed no tomorrow, for them anyway. Unlike others, Fallen Chi-You stood defiantly, willing to take a chance and fought us instead of ran away. Of course, it became my newest pincushion after I returned its lightning ball with waves of spikes.
My knapsack swelled from Fallen Chi-You remains. This should be enough for the next few days, perhaps. I regrouped with others at the far end of Forgotten Carrier. They were gathering usable materials from dead Aragami before gave the rest to Shio.
"Let's eat! It's time to eat! Can I eat it?" Shio looked at numbers of Aragami corpses before her, and turned at me.
"Yep, go on, eat anything you like." I nodded.
"Let's eat!" Shio sat and ate Ogretail body. She neatly tore it before stuffed it into her mouth. So she did remember my lesson about being messy. She might be an Aragami, but that didn't excuse her from proper table manner.
"Eat with me Rena?" Shio invited me.
"Why not."
The ties that binded me shattered. It disappeared along with false restraint and misguided self-loathing. For the first time since I was changed, I truly enjoyed eating Aragami. I carved a chunk using smaller version of my blade and ate beside Shio.
'So you finally come to term with your new body. Took you long enough.'
'Yep, I found the truth. No matter what am I, I'm still human at heart.'
'Congratulations. I was worried about your mental state, a needless thought it seems.'
'Hm? About my mental state?'
'You can only take so much self-hatred before you break apart.'
'That's surprisingly insightful of you.'
'Human interaction is the only thing I don't understand.'
Ogretail body got smaller with each bit we took. Suddenly, Shio stopped eating. Her head snapped at Soma as if she remembered something important.
"Soma! Soma, you wanna come eat too?"
"Damn it, she stepped on landmine." I groaned quietly.
"Hehe, whoa there Shio. We don't eat Aragami. We're human, you see?" Kota replied.
"Human? But... But... Um... Soma's Aragami says he's hungry and he wants to eat." Shio unknowingly stepped on even bigger landmine.
"What the-?!" Kota looked at Soma.
"What? Can you explain it Shio?" Alisa asked.
"Shut up! That's... I'm not a monster! I'm nothing like you! Nothing!" Soma barked out. He abruptly turned around and walked away.
"The hell man?!"
"Just be silent for once! I'm so sick of this!" Soma promptly left us.
"Soma! Um... I was alone for a long time." Shio followed Soma from a distance.
"I didn't have anybody at all... So now... Um... Is that right? So now... So now, I'm happy. Because I found you, Soma. I'm happy because I found all of you. My friends." Shio attempted to gather his attention, which worked, Soma stopped walking.
"And because I... So... So now, I get to... Um... So now..." Shio tried to speak.
A heart-wrenching sight. Shio exerted her limited vocabulary, speaking in broken sentences, all because she wanted to apologize to certain grumpy man. And the said grumpy man coldly resumed his walk and left us.
"Hey, Soma, get back here! Come on! Be moodier, Soma, damn." Kota grumbled.
"Sis? Explain it to Kota and Alisa. I'll follow him."
"Alright." She nodded at me.
I trailed behind him, following him to far end of Forgotten Carrier. I crept silently, avoiding making noises and kept my distance. If what Dr. Sakaki said was true, he noticed me the moment he left the group. Still, nothing wrong with trying.
He climbed a platform on other side of Forgotten Carrier, the same platform we landed on when we began our mission.
Soma stopped. He turned around, facing at my direction, and shouted. "Stop hiding! I know you're following me."
As I thought. Having such massive Oracle field could be annoying sometimes. I stood up, smirking at him from behind car wreck.
"You got me." I sprinted and jumped, landed few feet away from him.
"Why the hell are you following me? Get lost!" He glared at me.
"Nopee." I sat on platform edge, watching my sister talked to Alisa and Kota. "I'm here to check on you. You seem... distressed? Shio didn't do it on purpose, you know?"
"Why do you care?" It was more like mockery instead of genuine question.
"I care because we're alike, you, and me, and Shio."
"Shut up! I'm not a monster like you." He barked.
"Nope, we aren't. We are human in inhuman body."
"You don't know anything about me." Soma walked to the edge of platform, preparing to jumped and left me, again.
"P73."
Soma instantly stopped. He doubled his glare. "What did you say?" Pure rage seeped into each word he spoke.
"P73, Managarm Project, I kn-"
Soma snatched my collar, lifting me off.
"How did you know that?! ANSWER ME!"
"Not telling ya." I grinned in delight. Few more buttons to push and he would snap. "I know how your father, director Schicksal, agreed to the project. I also know how you killed your mo-"
"SHUT UP!"
He slammed me down, creating large crater behind me. "You know nothing!" He pounced me, pinning me down.
"I killed them!" He punched my stomach. "I killed Eric!" He smashed my head. "I killed Lindow!" He struck my jaw. "I KILLED MY MOTHER!" He pounded me with all strength he had, causing even larger crater appeared on my back.
Glad I was an Aragami, if not I would be reduced to bloody pulp. His strength way beyond anyone I'd meet.
"I killed them all... I'm a monster."
Soma had exhausted his energy and his rage. He stopped beating me, now looking at me with ragged breath. I locked my fingers behind his head, pulling his head onto my stomach, and ruffled his hair. "It's alright Soma, let it all out. I know how it feels like, to survived alone where the others don't."
"You know nothing about it." His tone still carried bit of edge in it, but there wasn't any rage left.
"Wrong. I know it too well. My sister and I, we're the only one left from our village. Their dying scream haunted us for months. Don't blame yourself for something you can't help, Soma. You're not a monster, we are not. We stay human as long as our heart stay human."
We understood the true burden of survivor's guilt on that night, the night Lindow saved us from our ruined village. Their agony followed us in our sleep, becoming our nightmare. Their last word haunted us in our wake, whispering and repeating in our mind. Sometimes we wondered, why did we survived? Why they left us behind? Wasn't it better to just... go together?
Smell of Saltwater, dust, and sweat surrounded me. I kept my arms around him, listening his heartbeat silently. Rapid drumming at first, then it slowing down as he calmed himself, then returned to normal after some time. How nice, mine had stopped working almost two months ago, yeah, ever since that day.
"Guys, where are you?"
I heard Kota shouted. Did they come for us? Anyway, it would be bad if they found us cuddling together. We scrambled to our feet and brushed our cloth, removing debris and dust that covered us.
"Up here." I waved my hand.
"So... can you please forgive her?" I looked at Soma.
He turned his head away from me and grumbled, which I took as yes. Otherwise, he would yell and cursed me.
"What's going on?" Alisa gasped in shock.
"What happened?" My sister asked me.
Craters, cracked floor, and fist sized hole decorated this platform. First Unit stared in disbelief at destruction we inadvertently caused.
"Well... Uh... you see, we might had a bit of heated debate... I guess?" I smiled sheepishly at her.
"Debate?! Somehow I seriously doubt it." She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes.
"Oh look, our time is up, gotta call the evac" I exaggeratedly reached my headset and pressed call button. "Hey doc, it's finished, send the chopper."
"Now you ignoring me..." My sister mumbled.
Dr. Sakaki's chopper arrived. We took our ride back to the Den. While we were on our way, my conversation with Rina resurfaced. Conversation about two absurd rumors repeated in my head, it tickled my curiosity.
"Alisa? I wanna ask something."
"Yes? What is it?" Alisa replied.
"The recent rumor, it about Rina?"
"Why you suddenly ask that?" My sister interrupted me.
"Just wonderin, why people cared about small details like cookies."
"You don't know?" Kota asked. "Rina is celebrity among God Eaters."
"Hah? Celebrity? How?" My eyebrow arched.
"I agree with this... brute." Alisa spoke. "Your sister is quite famous."
"Me? Famous? How?" My sister copied my tone.
"Everyone already know your achievement. Won a battle against two Gboro-Gboro, fought and destroyed a simulated Vajra, successfully killed a Prithvi Mata, lastly, severely wounding the newest black Vajra. You've done all of it alone, no less." Alisa summarized.
"Yeah! Prodigy of the First Unit!" Kota exclaimed.
"What? No it's-"
I shook my head, stopping her from denying it. Nothing wrong with bit of fame, it might come in handy one day. Not like I had any use for it. In fact, I was grateful. I hate being the center of attention.
"That's why they stared me like I'm some kind of rare animal yesterday..." My sister grumbled.
After around ten minutes, we returned to Dr. Sakaki's office. Alisa, Kota, and Soma took a seat on the couch while I leaned on the door, watching Shio rolled over the carpet, again.
Shio turned, leaned, rolled, then stopped. She sat up and watched Alisa, then turned to Kota, then back to Alisa. I guess her curiosity kicked in. She walked to Alisa and stopped in front of her, eyeing her from head to chest.
"It went well, yes?"
"Yes doc. We killed five Fallen Zygotes, six Ogretails, and one Fallen Chi-You. We also gathered everything we could use before handling the rest to Shio." My sister gave Dr. Sakaki a quick recap.
"As expected, although sending entire First Unit plus Rena and Shio seems bit-"
"Eeep!" Alisa yelped, gathering everyone's attention at once.
I almost laughed. Shio's curiosity went too far this time, she groped Alisa's chest.
"Wh-What?! I... Ah..." Alisa's cheek turned pink. She watched Shio groped her chest, unable to even retaliate.
"Soft and soft!" Shio squished it, earning another moan from Alisa.
"Pffff... Ahahahaha." My legs wobbled and gave away. I fell on my back, laughing at ridiculous scene before me.
Alisa crossed her arms, covering her chest immediately after Shio stopped fondling her.
Shio glanced at Kota. She slowly walked to him.
"Ouch... Ow... Ow..." Kota yelled.
Shio slapped his shoulders repeatedly.
"Hard and hard! Huuuuug!" Shio wobbled her head, thinking over it deeply. She turned around, facing Rina's back, then hugged her waist.
"Ah! You surprised me, Shio."
"Soft and soft!" Shio tightened her hold on Rina.
"Stop it! That tickles." My sister laughed.
"Huuuuug!" Shio released her and took few steps back. "That's weird... That's so weird..." She swung her head.
"I'm pretty sure you're the weird one here." Kota spoke.
"This is new indeed! She's starting to draw conclusions based on unique differences. She's finding specificity" Dr. Sakaki said.
"What? Between all of us?" Alisa asked.
"Indeed so! She's finding the uniqueness between people. Race, gender, personality, body-type! She's piqued by diversity, I believe!"
'Is it really that amazing?' I spoke in my mind.
'Yes. We Aragami have no gender. She beginning to understand something she never has, it's incredible. Think of it as human trying to understand Aragami instinct. Can they do that?'
'No, I don't think so.'
"... That being said, I have new request. Would you mind helping to... dress Shio?" Dr. Sakaki suddenly asked.
"Sorry, once more... You want to dress her?" Sakuya said.
"Oh don't even bother trying it." I interrupted them.
"Eh? Why not?" My sister asked.
"You see, Shio absolutely hate clothes, saying it was scratchy. I've tried Oracle infused clothing too. Guess what, she threw it away."
"No, no, no! No more scratchy and coarse!" Shio shouted.
"See?"
[Rena? Can you hear me?] Licca called me from my headset.
"Yep, what's up?"
[Come to our workshop, I have important update about our project.]
"I don't play dress-up. I'm leaving." Soma left us.
"Yeah, I'm pretty sure I'm gonna be next to useless. My style is unique, and Bugarally was getting good. Peace!" Kota exclaimed. He scurried away, following Soma.
"And Licca called me. Okay, see ya!" I left Dr. Sakaki's office.
The elevator bell rung, marking my arrival in engineer department three floors below Dr. Sakaki's office. I strolled to our workshop. Lately, I rarely came to this place, I spent most of my free time taken care of Shio instead.
I pushed metal door leading to our workshop, and immediately greeted with surreal view.
Licca stood proudly and beamed at me. Beside her lay fully assembled half organic Link Support Device. It was a big gray and black block, taller than both of us, and cladded in metal frame. It had four God Arc slots, one on each corners.
I knew how Link Support Device looked like when it finished, but nothing could beat the feeling of saw it directly. I touched the metal block, exploring every nook and cranny of its smooth surface.
"It's finally finished..." I couldn't hide the pride in my voice.
"Technically, not yet. We haven't entered field test phase yet. As for now, I believe this device is ready for it." Licca explained.
"Thank you Licca. Leave the field testing to me, I'll find the best spot for it."
"No, Thank you, Rena. You've made my dream come true." Licca gently held my shoulder.
"Let's do one last test run before entering field testing phase." I suggested.
I walked to God Arc storage facility, grabbing Rina's God Arc, and bring it back to our workshop. Her blade plunged deep into God Arc slot on one of Device corner. I plugged cables from nearby port into God Arc Core and moved it in place before gave a thumb up to Licca. She stroked her keyboard and intensely watched monitor beside Link Support Device.
"Initialize starting sequence..." Licca announced. The device hummed. Four black pillars on each side and its central pillar rose, exposing more of its red organic cable like component.
"Engaging God Arc lock..." Three pair of metal bar rose from inside of the port, interlocking with God Arc and firmly secured it in place.
"Scanning God Arc Core..." Yellow light flooded God Arc slot, turning the God Arc Core into orange crystal ball.
"Energy booster type Core confirmed, reducing effect radius down to ten meters. Engaging main capacitors... now." Yellow streaks glowed and crawled, gradually climbed on black pillars. Soft hum earlier grew stronger and steadily rose in pitch.
"Firing Link Support pulse in... 3... 2... 1... Fire!"
Wave of Oracle energy swept throughout our workshop, engulfing us and entire God Arc storage facility.
Energy. Pure energy raged in me, filling every inch of my body with dense power. The wave energized me down to my Core, figuratively and literally.
"Whoaaaa, this is awesome!" I jumped and run around in excitement. "Feels like I have endless energy!"
"I was wondering if it worked on you since your body is different from us. Luckily, it did."
"Yeah! It worked perfectly! Wohoooo!"
It took a whole hour to spent my extra energy. Even then, it still left a piece of excitement in me. I never expected it packed such intense power, even stronger than Aragami Core. Sadly, it didn't last long. If it were a Core, it would stimulate me for entire day at very least.
I packed up and left workshop after I cleaned our mess. Normally I would stay bit longer, performing last check on maintenance equipment. But I felt restless. I remembered Dr. Sakaki and others attempted to dress Shio up, and I had bad feeling about this.
My pace increased and I glided across cold metal floor, rushing to elevator at the corner of Engineer department. I punched elevator call button and immediately set it to Laboratory section. The door closed, taking me to Dr. Sakaki's office above.
There were only two persons left in Dr. Sakaki's office, my sister and Dr. Sakaki. No sign of Alisa, Sakuya, or even Shio, and that wasn't a good sign.
"Oh, you're back." My sister greeted me.
"I think the most interesting quality is Shio's genetic makeup. So adaptable, so diverse. It might go a long way in securing a bright new future for humanity." Dr. Sakaki resumed his lecture.
Suddenly, I heard a loud crash, followed by couple of bang, and an explosion from behind the red metal door. It went open, exposing two figures covered in dirt and grime, coughing and choking from rubble.
"Um... Sh-Shio may have, uh..." Alisa stuttered.
"Crashed through the wall and fled..." Sakuya added.
"Greaaaat... Just like what I did almost two months ago." I pressed my palm to my forehead, attempting to ease mental exhaustion that about to set in.