Only a mad man can get excite when the odds are turned against them. But from crazy deeds comes the build of courage.
Merciless Guardians
The walk back to the Den was a slow delaying process for the two siblings. They knew the trouble they were going to face for just letting their dad walk away like that on national television. It was one of those rare moments in history where both Old Model, Old Type, and New Type Gods Eater worked together in a common mission. It was suppose to be an epic display of mankind's triumphs, but it had turned into a joke. The whole thing was an embarrassment to Fenrir in an authority level and it gave the public the view of seeing the God Eaters as barbaric. Honestly, if it was just the cursing that would have been more acceptable. It was a common human nature to use profanity, that only would have given Fenrir God Eaters a more human feel. But when Azar just took the head of the Venus and blatantly walked away it became a symbol of monstrosity.
Fia did a good job hiding what her father did, but it only left it to ones imagination what happened behind that hand. And to make matters worse, people would be imagining him walking among them as we speak. The fear of the blood-lust he displayed would lead to a panic among the public, they wouldn't see him as their brutal defense against the Aragami. They'd see him as a possible double edged sword. But Fenrir should have expected this the moment they put a camera on a Slade during a mission, especially on Azar. It would take a lot of work to repair the damage they had done to Fenrir's relationship to the public.
"Fia Slade, what do you have to say for yourself?!" Came the lovely but still booming voice of Tsubaki. They had finally made it back to the Den with Tsubaki and everyone in the First Unit waiting for them. Damn... they should've walked slower. Their father didn't really give a damn about the authority, but Fia actually care about these people. And to be honest, her father outranked all of them anyway.
"Uhh..."
"Your language during that mission was unacceptable, and your father's actions were appalling!"
"Honestly, Tsubaki, if I'm going to possibly die in one of these missions one day I'd like for my last words not to be censored."
"!" Her answer had caught them all off guard. They never thought she thought about these things before, it was too dark for her. Not her usual sadistic dark, but the morbid dark. "Still, I expected better from you, Fia. You're too stubborn to die in battle anyway."
"Ha! You're right. I'll probably die choking on chocolate long before the Aragami ever take me out." Fia morbidly laughed about.
"Fia, please!" Tsubaki silently ordered to cease this negative topic. It wasn't good for moral, especially coming from the Den's First Unit Leader, and it wasn't good for herself. She couldn't imagine a world with the crazy brat no longer there to spread mayhem and keep them on their toes.
"Ugh, you're right. Enough of this distasteful topic. But I honestly didn't think my language was that bad."
"You told an Aragami to suck your inivisible balls."
"Heh hahaha! Yeah, I did, and she did suck them... so hard!"
"..." All remained in awkward silence for the First Unit at their leader's beyond bazaar behavior.
"Honestly, brat, what does that even mean?" Tsubaki sighed out.
"Ugh, it's her old take on Freud's theory of Penis Envy." Rangi tiredly answered.
"..."
"... What?" Soma finally asked, opening the flood that Fia seemed to have been holding back.
"It was the founding father of psychoanalysis's theories that women supposedly wished to have a penis which would cause feelings of inferiority and psychic conflict. This would be later known as Penis Envy. Although the theory had long been dis-proven, I play on the joke that women make up for this envy by the making of an invisible penis which becomes a mental and physical presence in itself. And depending on the characteristics of the female characterizes its size. The ballzy the female, the bigger the invisible dick." Fia explained in one big swoop of air, excited and giddy.
"... You are so weird... on so many levels..." Was all Soma could say to her, but it only made her giggle more.
"Why thank you very much, Soma. Means I'm not boring."
"Enough of this." Tsubaki barked out the order. "You two, why didn't you stop your father?"
"You speak as if we 'could' stop him." Rangi grunted out with a chuckle.
"?!"
"He's stronger than us, Tsubaki." Fia explained. "We cannot stop his actions by force nor are we his keepers. He may listen to us on occasion, but that is only by his choice and his choice alone. Blaise and the twins aren't here with you for a reason, they are use to Dad's antics and are just waiting for him to come back on his own."
"Ugh, and where is he now?"
"Probably getting laid."
"Fia!" "Ugh, Sis!" Tsubaki and Rangi yelled at her at the same time.
"What? You wanted the truth, the truth is nasty. He is most likely at home with Mom, getting it on. I'm as disgusted by saying that as you are hearing that, they are my parents after all."
"Then we have to go get him back."
"No need for that, Tsubaki. He'll come back on his own... in a better mood." Fia insisted. "I suggest we'd just leave him be for now."
"Never knew you were such a pervert, Sis." Rangi mocked, much to Fia's tired un-amusement.
"Shove it, Kitchen Table." She shot back at him.
"?!" Rangi didn't get it, but Soma and Kota did. And they were fighting whether to hold in the laugh or be embarrassed.
"Hey, Tsubaki, if we're finished. I'd like to go to sleep." Fia yawned at the end of her sentence, proving that she was tired. Whether physically or mentally would be left up to interpretation.
"You still need to be punished, as the one representing the Far East Branch the responsibility fell to you to keep your father in check, and the fault. So for the next week your tea rations are withheld."
"(Sigh) That seems fair enough."
"And your First Love Juice is banned from you for four days."
"Oh come on! That's just cruel and unusual punishment!"
"Tough luck for you." Tsubaki smirked at finding Fia's weakness. That information would be good to have if she ever turns into her father.
*** The Next Morning ***
The next morning was a groggy wake-up for Fia. Her morning tea had been halted until next week an all her First Love Juice and their soda machines have been closed off to her. Tsubaki had sent Sakuya to sweep her room of all the First Love Juice and tea she had. Sakuya looked apologetic as she worked, but she continued doing her duty to the best of her ability. Telling Fia that she'd hold on to them for now until Fia could get them back... and she'd make sure Lindow didn't drink the First Love Juice.
Fia had let Sakuya leave with her precious morning elixirs without a fight or protest. Because unknown to her Unit, she had a secret stash. She kept a couple of First Love Juice cans between her mattresses as an emergency stash. She can put them in the fridge to cool them down right now, since everyone was most likely still asleep. If she rationed them out, she could probably last for the four days she has to.
But as her hand felt around between her mattresses she came up with nothing. Panicking, her eyes widened as she became wide awake. Jumping off the bed, she felt around between the mattresses with her whole arm. When she still felt nothing, she used both arms. Having enough, she lifted up her top mattress, the news crushed her hope... Nothing... there was nothing there. Her emergency rations were gone! But how?! No one could have possibly known about them. Who could have possibly found them-
"Soma!" She hissed off.
Rising to her feet, she stomped toward his room without care she was still in her pajamas or her wild bed hair. He was the only one with the possible knowledge of their whereabouts. And the only one with the skill to detect and extract them without her knowledge. Without even knocking she burst into Soma's room, looking as mad as a cat stuck in the rain as she slammed the door shut. Soma was shocked awake by the sudden intrusion, but it turned into a smirk when he realized it was her.
"Took you long enough."
"How did you know? When did you take them?"
"Regardless of the answer you're not getting them!"
"You!" Fia growled at him only making him smirk wider.
"You can't cheat your way out of a punishment, Fia. What kind of teammate would I be if I let you?"
"An awesome one!" She retorted back. "And what kind of teammate breaks into another teammates' room while they're asleep?!"
"Heh, think of it as payback, Kettle."
"I want my juice back." Fia demanded.
"You're not getting them back." Soma remained defiant.
"Fine, there are other ways to make you talk."
"?!" Soma's eyes widened as she walked over to his counter... toward his coffee maker. "What are you doing?"
"Tell me where you hid my First Love Juice?"
"No."
"(Sigh)," She let out a long tired breath as she grabbed his mug and poured herself a cup of coffee. It was an automatic coffeemaker, as long as you put in the coffee beans the day before it would automatically start making a batch of coffee at the set time. And this coffee was freshly made only minutes ago. Taking a sip she let the hot liquid flow down her throat much to Soma's vexation.
"!"
"Ooo, it's bitter." Fia idly commented, playing with Soma's irritation as she drank the whole cup. He usually would sweeten his coffee with the sugar ration he had in the cabinet under the counter, but Fia was in too much of a rush to bend down and get it. "Personally I'm more of a Vanilla Mocha person. Soooo, are you going to tell me where my juice is or are we going to keep going?"
"No." Soma hissed out.
"(Sigh)." She poured herself another cup, swirling it around in his mug to get on Soma's nerves as she slowly drank it. "I can do this all day if I have to, Soma. Either way I'm gonna get my morning caffeine. The question is are you?"
"Grr!" Soma growled at her as she poured the last cup of coffee from the can into his mug. The nerve of this woman, she had the guts to come into his room and drink his coffee out of his own damn mug!
"Last chance, Soma. I would hate for you to have to tap into your tomorrow's ration."
"Like hell I am!" He yelled at her, jumping out of his bed to take his mug from her. But she played keep away, leaning it away from him as far as her arm could as he trapped her between him and the counter. "Give it to me."
"No!"
"Give me my damn coffee, woman!"
"Give me back my FLJ!"
"No!"
"Then say cheerio to your coffee!"
"Like hell!" He leaned in to her with more vigor as he tried to get his mug back, forcing Fia to bend onto the counter. She stretched to her tippy-toes trying to keep Soma away, but he was persistent and slightly taller than her. He was closing in on her when Kota barged into the room.
"Yo, Soma! We've got a mission today with Fia, so get-"
"!" Soma froze like a deer caught in a headlight as Kota froze in shock. Soma had Fia in a questionable position, and didn't help the matter that she was in her usual pajamas.
"Soma... what's going on here...?"
"This isn't what it looks like." He tried to defend, but Fia had placed his mug in his face and on his lips for a forced sip.
"Like hell it is!" Fia huffed back. Shoving the mug in his hands and pushing Soma away from her with a bump from her hip. "This jerk stole my stash and I am retaliating."
"Heh, it's not stealing if you aren't suppose to even have it."
"Is it not breaking-and-entering if you're not breaking anything as you enter?" She retorted back.
"Clam it, brat." Soma huffed out, leaning back into the counter. "We've got a mission to get to."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. In the City of Mercy, I got it. I got the email last night, yah jerk." Fia waved off, still angry that she wasn't getting her FLJ this morning. Stomping her feet as she passed Kota for the door. "Jokes on you, Soma. You guys are the one that'll have to deal with me when I go through withdrawal."
"?!"
"What was that all about?"
"Don't worry about it."
"You guys having your first couple's quarrel?" Kota teased.
"Grr, can it, Kota."
*** Day 1 ***
"We got another mission dealing with those Ravana again, Fia." Kota nervously pointed out. She was getting edgy and she was getting worse with each passing hour. As they all noticed when they gathered together to have dinner in the Mesh Hall. Her fingernails were tapping into the table and her legs were restless like a cricket's. Didn't help much that her face was angrily scrunched up. "It's just like yesterday in the Wailing Plains. Only this time we're dealing with one."
"Not those damn spider-dogs again! I hate those Ravanas!" Fia ranted. "Those cheap bastards always play dirty! And run around like crackheads high on PCP! If you say I have to fight another one of those fuckers again today, I'm going to kick your balls!"
"S-sorry!" Kota nervously whimpered out. "I-if it makes you feel any better, its only one of them and two Fallen Kongou."
"That makes it worse! Now I have to worry about Aragami rolling on me and leaping at me tonight?! (Sigh) God, I need a FLJ."
"Tough luck, woman."
"Screw you, Soma." She growled at him which he returned with another growl.
"Bite me, woman."
CHOMP
"!" She actually bit him... in the ear.
"Hey, that taste awfully familiar..."
"!"
"No time to dwell on it now." Fia sighed out, getting up from her seat. "Come on, Kota. Let's get this over with."
"Wait!" Sakuya called out, getting out of her seat along with Alisa.
"We'll come along too." Alisa replied. "It'll be hard on you guys without a medic with how cold it gets in the Tranquil Temple."
"Sure, the more the merrier." Fia consented as they all left the Mesh Hall for a long night's mission. Leaving Lindow and Soma alone at their table.
"..."
"I think she remembers your taste."
"Shove it, Lindow."
*** Day 2 ***
Fia had a mission with Lindow coming up soon. But she made no move to find him, or even leave her room. Her temper was rising and her withdrawal was getting worse. She had taken it upon herself to lock herself in her room to avoid others so they wouldn't suffer her unjust retaliation. She was laying on her room floor in a cold sweat as Lindow came to get her.
"Fia... come out of there." Lindowe tiredly ordered through Fia's door. Fia had locked herself in her room all day, moaning and rolling all over the room's floor.
"Ugh..."
"Those Zygotes won't take care of themselves, you know."
"Ugh...!"
"Come on, it'll just be me and you, champ. You won't have to deal with people much today."
"Ugh, God... why did you have to make my punishment so evil?!"
"Aw, it's not that bad."
"Lindow, I want some FLJ. I 'need' some FLJ. My mornings are nightmares without it."
"I think you might be an addict."
"Says the man that can't go a day without a can of beer."
"Ouch."
"Ugh..."
"It's only two more days, hang in there, kiddo."
"Is my asshole of a father back yet?"
"No."
"Damn..."
CLINK
"Well, let's get this over with so I can return to wallowing in pain again." Fia groaned out, opening her door to accept the challenge of the day. "Let's send those Zygotes to church."
"That's the spirit!" Lindow encouraged to the last part.
*** Day 3 ***
Fia had been sent on another mission to the City of Mercy again, along with Soma, Kota, and her brother Blaise. Apparently, they were going to take down four of this new breed of Aragami that Fenrir had dubbed Yaksha Raja. Fia had never seen these Aragami before, nor did she have any idea of what she was dealing with. She was mad, cranky, and caffeine deprived. This was not going to be a fun mission. Fia didn't know what she was more upset about, the fact the Branch sent them to face an unknown Aragami without a Medic or the fact she was going on day three without her FLJ.
"So, uh, Fia... you feeling any better?" Kota nervously asked.
Her only response was to smash her head into the building to her left at the Starting Point, leaving a crater in its wall. She looked frustrated as a small trail of blood leaked from her forehead. "Roaarrr!"
"Idiot! You didn't have to do that!" Soma growled at her in anger. But he still went up to her and wiped the blood from her face. "The mission hasn't even started and you're already bleeding. Clean yourself up, for pity's sake."
"Hmph," she huffed out. Taking a Recovery Pill for the minor damage. "Never knew you were such a worry-wort, Soma."
"Save the sarcasm for another time."
"I'll stop when I get my damn caffeine fix." She growled back at Soma, thrusting her God Arc point into the ground as the other hand clawed into the wall.
"C-come on, Fia, buck up. You're already halfway done with your sentence. Just don't think about your cravings and you'll be fine. It's eas-"
"If you so much as finish that bull of a sentence I'll BREAK INTO YOUR ROOM AND BURN ALL YOUR BURGURALLY FIGURINES!"
"Eep!" Kota squeaked, silencing immediately at her threat and taking a step back. Coming at her from behind, Blaise lifted her off the ground and into a bear hug. Rocking her slowly side to side, soothingly as she seethed from her teeth.
"Easy, Fifi, easy. Think of happy things. Kittens"
"..."
"Chocolate."
"..."
"Taking out all your frustrations on the Aragami."
"!" That one hit the mark. "Ooo, that does sound nice."
"So, are you calm? You're not going to bite the poor boy's head off?"
"(Sigh) No, I'm rather fond of Kota. I'd miss him once he was gone." Slowly her brother lowered her back on the ground and released her. Once free she pulled out her God Arc from the ground and turned to Kota. "Sorry for snapping at you. I'm just testy from the lack of my addiction."
"No worries man. It's all good!" Kota happily grinned at her sincerity.
"Right! I don't know about you guys, but I'm itching for a fight. So let's get this party started!" She cheered out, jumping off of the Starting Point.
"Hey wait!" "Slow down, Sis." Soma and Blaise said at the same time. The boys immediately jumped down after her.
"You don't even know where the Aragami are!" Kota reasoned to her.
"They're to the left."
"?!" "!" Kota and Blaise were shocked by her blatant answer. Soma was just shocked that she was correct.
"You can't possibly know that." Kota shot back.
"They are in that direction." Fia insisted, taking the left direction in the alleyway. Her eyes widening with excitement as her smile turned into an evil grin. "My Aragami senses are tingling!"
"Jeez, you're starting to sound just like Soma."
"Hey!" Soma grunted in protest. "If anything she sounds like her dad."
"Don't insult me, Soma." Fia huffed in offense. "I am my own entity, with my own unique individuality."
ROAR
"And I was right!"
"Holy crap! What is that?!" Kota shouted as they saw a Yaksha Raja for the first time.
"Looks like the Aragami are starting to take on a more Gods Eater form." Soma analyzed.
"Looks like more of reptile-man with a cannon attached to its arm." Fia suggested.
"Let's give'em hell." Blaise shouted as he readied his cannon God Arc. "We'll see whose cannon is stronger."
"I've got your back!" Kota shouted as he began to fire.
"Back me up." Soma said to Fia as she changed to gun-mode for a test run.
"It seems top heavy, aim for its legs." Fia suggested to Soma. She may have been loopy about other things but when it came to strategy she was brilliant.
"Yeah," Soma nodded to her as he began to charge at the Aragami. Taking her advice, he sliced at its feet. And like she said, it was top heavy, it came tumbling on its knees after three heavy strikes at the back of its knees. Rising to its feet again, it jumped into the air to fire a divine cannon ball at Soma, who dashed out of the way.
"Okay, so what mode's going to work for you?" Fia asked to the Aragami as she fired at it. Like answering her question it aimed at her. Shooting an attack that hit her at her long distance and even created its own sonic boom. "Blade-mode it is then."
Changing into blade-mode she rushed at the Aragami, slashing at it along with Soma. This Aragami had a habit of reloading and firing at the air to make a corrosive molten attack come from the ground. But they both were able to dodge it with ease. And they were able to keep its attention off of Kota and Blaise, making it go down a lot quicker with the extra fire.
"All right! We managed to survive today too!" Kota cheered.
"Don't let your guard down. There's still more here." Soma informed as he and Fia extracted the core.
"What?! Really? How many?"
"Three." Soma, Fia, and Blaise answered at the same time, making them look at each other questionably. "?!"
ROAR
"Who's up for round two?" Fia cutely asked making the two finger sign with her free hand.
"This one's... different." Kota nervously put to words.
"This must be the real Yaksha Raja." Fia explained. "The one before must've been just a Yaksha, a weaker version."
"Man, talk about a handful." Soma sighed out.
"Tell me about it," replied Fia. "Lucky bastard not only got cannon holding arms, but also beastly clawed arms and awesome horns on top of that."
"..." She sounded so envious, it was almost hilarious.
"What?"
"Nothing..."
ROAR
"Great, another Yaksha." Soma signed out.
"The more the better. Makes the mission go by quicker." Fia stated on the bright side. "Blaise, Kota, take care of the Yaksha. Me and Soma got the Yaksha Raja."
"Alright!" "You got it!" Kota and Blaise confirmed as they began to fire for the Aragami's attention. Kota's missiles aiming for the head, while Blaise's cannons stayed toward the legs to knock it down.
"This one seems top heavy too, focus on the legs and avoid the claws." Fia instructed to Soma as they focused on their target.
"Right." Soma nodded as they both dashed toward the Yaksha Raja. It had the claw 1-2-3 strike of the Hannibal which was easier to Dodge since the movement was familiar to them. But when the Aragami let out a divine blast sphere around it, that's when it caught them off guard. "Move!"
"Ah!" Fia cried out as they weren't able to jump back at Soma's warning in time and ended up be blasted back by the attack.
"Damn it!" Soma hissed as they both got back on their feet. Seeing it charge at her, Fia pulled her shield out at the last second. Blocking an upper claw attack, the force pushing her back a little.
"Whoa!"
"Rotten piece of meat!" Soma growled at it, devouring into its back leg which knocked it to its knees.
"Nice one, Soma." They continued to slash at it, relentlessly, until Fia delivered the final charged blow. "Don't get up."
At last, it was down. So was Kota's and Blaise's target as they final took it down by the time Fia and Soma extracted the core from theirs. Fia and Soma ran to them to extract the core.
"One more left, right?" Kota asked.
"Yeah..."
"It's by Sector H!" Fia informed as she detected it on her radar. They were in the top right corner of Sector D, making it an easy run. "And its a Yaksha too! This must be our day!"
"Get them!" Soma instructed as he charged at the Aragami with Fia.
"You don't have to tell me twice!" Blaise runner as he began to fire.
It wasn't much of a challenging they've only seen how this Aragami fights for less than a day and yet they already master how to fight it. This new breed of Aragami was big, but they only prove the old saying 'the bigger they are the harder they fall.' It was Kota who got the kill shot in the end.
"All right! Did you guys see that?! I was awesome!"
"Yes, yes. An amazing shot Kota." Fia congratulated him as her and Soma took out the core.
"We were totally awesome back there! We make a great team, we were totally in sync!" Kota said getting pumped up.
"Heh, yeah." Blaise agreed. "We did pretty good for a team that lacks a medic."
"Hey, hey, now. I have some training in the medic field." Fia pointed out.
"Yeah, enough to kiss our boo-boos." Soma teased with a smirk.
"Hey, it's kept you alive so far. Speaking of which." She said, dropping down a Recovery Wall and pushing Soma into it. While her and the other guys simply walked in-and-out of it. "If you want, I'll kiss your boo-boo later."
"Oh kiss my-"
"My, you guys sure look like you had fun." Interrupted the voice of Azar.
"!" They turned to see him sitting on top of the roof of the building to the left of the church.
"Dad, about time you came back!"
"Sorry, Sweetie. I had a previous engagement to take care of that I found hard to tear away from." He said with dark glee.
"Ugh, we don't need to know. God, I can still see the after glow, it tells it all."
"Heh..Soooo, did I miss anything?"
"A lot, actually." Fia informed, counting down the events with her fingers. "We got to fight a Ravana, we just got done fighting the Yaksha Raja breed, AND I got punished for your bull."
"Oh, come on! Sounds like you guys had all the fun while I was away."
"Serves you right for leaving me and Rangi to clean up your mess!" Fia huffed back.
"Aw, is Daddy's Little Helper angry today?" He cooed back at her, jumping into the arena to join them.
"Damn right I am! I lost my caffeine supply for a week because of you! I miss my First Love Juice." She whined out the last part.
"Well, you'll survive another day without it." He grinned, bending his top half to lean in toward her.
"Ugh, you're so heartless." She groaned out.
"Yeaahhh, I'm out." Blaise said, washing his hands of this and headed back to the Starting Point. He hated the noise Fia made when she cried and he didn't want to stick around to see her make it now.
"Hey, wait up!" Kota called out to him, following after Blaise. Fia was stomping not too far behind them. Soma was about to follow suit.
"Hey kid." Until Azar called out to him in that way that always had him irritated.
"Grh! I told you, it's Soma." But his anger soon turned to confusion as Azar tossed him a can of First Love Juice, which he caught on instinct. "?!"
"I'll let you decide what to do with it." Was all Azar said before rushing off back to the Den in his own direction.
"..." He looked at the can for a second before putting it in his coat pocket. Catching up to the others he saw that Fia was a good distance behind the others. Making her the easiest to catch up to. "Hey..."
"What?" She replied tiredly, but came to life when Soma held out a can of First Love Juice to her. "!"
"Here... you wanted this, right."
"Y-yes!" She quickly snatched the can from him in fear that he might change his mind. Opening the can and taking a chug, she savored every sip she took. It was like heaven running in her mouth. A relief for a thirst that felt like it lasted for years instead of days. She was quenched, she was freed, she was saved... by her savor. "Soma!"
"!" He grunted in surprise as she jumped him by his side and held herself off the ground by wrapping her arms around his neck.
"Thank you so much. My hero." She cooed to him as she rubbed her cheek against his. He began to grow flustered.
"To be fair, it was actually your dad who got the First Love Juice."
"Really?" But the information only made her kiss him on the cheek. "Then that makes the gesture all the more sweeter from the both of you."
"?!"
"You didn't have to give it to me if Dad handed it to you. But you did anyway, regardless of my punishment continuation." She gave him an extra squeeze as her voice softened with endearment as she rested her cheek on his. "Thanks for caring about my suffering, Soma. Most would pay it no mind. It means the world to me that you did."
"... Don't worry about it..." Soma couldn't look at her as the blush came onto his face. Her father's actions were a mystery to him. Either the man was the greatest dad or the worse. His actions where either brought on to win back the favor of his daughter after his wrongings while also making Soma look good or to mess with his mind as he held the choice of things were to go in the long run. But it could still be the bad move of the worse dad ever as his actions led his daughter into the arms of a boy.