Author's note: I've always had people asking me the same question over and over again. When's the next update? When's the next update? When's the next update? People, please, please, PLEASE, READ MY PROFILE. There's a reason I've put it up there. I can't guarantee the date of the next update if someone asks.

IF YOU ANY OF YOU READERS ARE GOING TO ASK ME OF WHEN THE NEXT UPDATE IS, I'M NOT GOING TO RESPOND.

The reason why is because I'm trying to get all of you hooked on my story. If I rush through this, you people won't like my story. Simple, right? It's better to think how the story goes instead of thinking of speedy updates. SO PLEASE, PEOPLE, BEAR WITH MY SLOW UPDATES. I MAKE UP MY SLOW UPDATES, WITH BETTER CHAPTERS.

With all said and due, let's get this story started!

The golden rays from the sun continued shining down on her. The wind gently blew on her back, as her long silver hair slowly flapped in the air. The soft gust warmed her back, as she stood on the helicopter pad. Alisa closed her eyes, as her ears twitched at the faint whistling of the wind. She inhaled, and held her breath for a few seconds. She then exhaled, letting it escape. She inhaled again, then exhaled. Inhaled, then exhaled. Inhaled, and exhaled. Alisa continued repeating the process until her shoulders became calm again.

Concentrate. Once we get there, all I need to do is use that to locate him.

"Hey! Alisa!"

Alisa opened her eyes, hearing a voice from behind. She turned around, seeing Kota wave at her from afar.

"Kota…"

The scout ran to her, saying, "Hibari just finished with the mission file. We need everyone's signature for approval."

"Okay." She nodded.

The two young God Eaters made their way to the den's gate. As they both walked, Kota spoke up. "A three-man search though, huh? I hate to admit it, but Hibari has a point."

"That we won't be able to cover much ground?" Asked Alisa.

"Yeah."

"Don't worry; I have an idea on how to find Drake once we get there."

Kota's ears perked as he heard that. "Really? How?"

"I'll tell you once Soma's with us."

"Huh. The last time we did a search and rescue was about…..what? 3 months back?"

"When Lindow was MIA? I remember you proposed that crazy plan on the Tranquil Temple."

Kota gave a wide grin while he recalled everyone's reaction. He remembered how Drake and Alisa gave a disapproving look at him. Gathering all the ladies, while walking around the Tranquil Temple, just to lure out Lindow. He recalled the code name he came up with during that one mission. "The Lovely Lindow Luring Lineup!"

"Oh, no….. Don't bring up that name again." Said Alisa, exasperated by Kota's ridiculousness.

Kota laughed heartily at Alisa. The two walked in short silence. As he reminisced about the Double Date mission, Kota suddenly lifted his head, as if a light bulb went off. Alisa immediately noticed the scheming look on his face.

"Oh, and speaking of plans for a search-"

"DON'T." she said flatly.

"Hey! Wait a sec! You haven't even given me a chance to explain myself!" complained Kota.

"Please. Don't give me that. I just know by the look on your face that you're going to come up with something even more ridiculous compared to before."

"But this plan will work."

"Says the person whose last plan obviously failed."

Kota gave a nervous laugh to Alisa's criticism and scratched his head.

"Be serious about this Kota. We don't have time to joke around."

"Keep wearing that frowning face and it'll be stuck that way." He commented.

Alisa scowled at Kota, making him flinch by her icy cold glare. "Y-you're right! Let's not waste any more time!" Not wanting to make the situation worse for himself, Kota briskly ran to the den gate.

Alisa simply watched him take his leave; despite the jokes Kota threw at her, she sighed while a small smile crept on her face. Always the mood maker. He never stops to impress others with those antics of his. She thought to herself. Alisa followed Kota to the den gate.

As they made their way down to the front desk, Hibari and Soma were sitting on one of the couches. A lone piece of paper and a few pens were on the table. Alisa could see Soma's signature on the paper.

"Hey, there you are. You two ready?" asked Soma.

"Yeah, we are." Replied Alisa.

"Then sign here you two." Said Hibari.

The two grabbed a pen, and signed on the mission file. As they finished, Hibari took the paper and examined it. She gave her usual smile and said the one line she always said to any God Eater. "You be careful out there, all of you."

They all nodded, and headed to the den gate.

As they entered into the hangar, Licca greeted them. "Hey guys." She said. "Your God Arcs are A-Okay; no problems whatsoever. Your cases should be at the helicopter."

"Thanks, Licca." Smiled Kota.

He and Soma walked over to the chambers holding their God Arcs. As Alisa approached the chamber with her God Arc, she noticed Drake's God Arc stood beside hers. The machine wore the same equipment that Drake used to fight the Dyaus Pita. As Alisa continued staring at it, a sudden thought came to her mind. "Licca, have you found anything strange in Drake's God Arc?"

"No, I didn't. When I took a look at the Artificial CNS, I didn't find anything."

"The what-now?" asked Kota.

Soma lightly punched on Kota's head. "She means the core. Study for once, you idiot."

"Hey! I so do study!"

"Since when?" argued Soma.

Soma and Kota started quarreling at each other.

Ignoring them, Alisa asked once more. "So you really didn't find anything Licca?"

Licca shook her head, disappointed with her findings. "Sorry Alisa, but I just couldn't. I thought I could find something within the core, regarding about the 'Pulsation of the Infinite', but no luck."

"Oh…is that so?" Alisa replied gloomily.

Licca walked over to Alisa and patted her shoulder. "Hey now, don't worry too much about it. You've got a lead on Drake's location. So, just focus on that instead. Once you three find him, we'll have him explain everything for us."

"You got that right, Licca!" yelled Kota, overhearing their conversation. "It's bad to keep secrets from your friends, so once we get that guy, we'll question him like there's no tomorrow. Hahaha!"

Alisa and Licca just smiled at Kota's enthusiasm.

"Let's not keep the guy waiting any longer." Said Soma.

"Right, you be careful you guys." Smiled Licca, as she released Alisa's shoulder.

They all nodded and walked over to the door. Licca watched them take their leave, and as they stepped out into the sunlight, she spotted their shadows from behind. She watched Alisa's back, until the doors slowly closed, blocking the vision and sunlight.

As the doors closed, a heavy clang resounded through the empty hangar; Licca held her arm with her gloved hand. The smile on her face dropped, and she lowered her head in shame. Was this the right thing? Why did I not remind of them about Drake's aragami infection? …..No; if I did, they wouldn't be able to find him. "….I can only hope that they find him unconscious. Though, the chances of that are slim…."

Alisa, Kota and Soma sat down on the seats, with their encased God Arcs lying on the interior floor. The rotor of the helicopter began to whir, as the blades continued to spin vigorously. The helicopter then rose to the air, flying off to the Tranquil Temple. White snow blew against the window, as she watched it fly through the air outside. The daylight reflected the snow, as if blinding her vision. She touched the window with her fingers, feeling the coldness being emitted. Alisa moved her head closer to the window, and her small breaths fogged the glass.

"So Alisa." Called Soma.

The new-type turned her attention to Soma.

"Once you use that, where should we search once we reach the Tranquil Temple?"

Alisa became bewildered by Soma's sudden question. "What do you mean?" she inquired.

"You know what I mean. You plan to find Drake with the resonance, don't you?"

"!"

"…..Looks like I was right on the money."

"Finding Drake with the resonance?" echoed Kota. "Is this true, Alisa?"

"Yes. I've experienced resonance with Drake multiple times. Since I've been with him, I'm able to recognize his presence. It's similar to how aragami equipment can detect the presence of aragami. I was just about to tell you two, but Soma already found out." Explained Alisa. She then turned her gaze to Soma. "How did you know?"

"Heard from Drake. Not that hard to put two and two together." He replied.

Kota watched them, dumbfounded by Soma's perceptiveness. "I thought the resonance is only an exchange of thoughts and memories."

"Different forms of resonance can occur. That depends on how much the new-type has experienced it. Remember Kota; oracle cells absorb information once they devour or come in contact with something or someone. Once they do, it takes that form. The same goes for the resonance. They're not evolving, they're just taking in info." Explained Alisa.

Kota allowed Alisa's brief explanation go into his head for a bit. He ruffled his yellow beanie trying to understand it. A sudden thought then came to Kota's mind. "Wait a sec. Alisa, if you could sense Drake through the resonance, how come you didn't do something like this for Lindow? Isn't he a new-type?"

Alisa shook her head at Kota. "It's true that Lindow has turned into a new-type God Eater, due to his arm. However, I've never experienced resonance with Lindow. I wouldn't be able track him down. I could only sense Lindow through Drake."

"Through Drake?" echoed Kota.

"You're talking about the time Drake touched Lindow's God Arc, right?"

Alisa nodded at Soma. "Basically, Lindow's genetic oracle cells were burned onto him. If I touched Drake's hand through the resonance, my oracle cells would read a bit of Lindow's as well. I held Drake's hand a few times, but my oracle cells only managed to, let's say, analyzed, about ¼ of Lindow's. Whenever I'm near Drake, I could detect Lindow from afar. In other words, I can't sense Lindow without Drake."

"God Eaters, we are now arriving at the Tranquil Temple." Called the pilot.

Kota looked out the window, and spotted the ruins of the temple. The helicopter lowered itself to the ground, as the interior came with a slight thump. They could hear the noise of the rotor slowly dying down, until it finally stopped. Soma grabbed his cased God Arc, and slid the door open. Cold air bit at his skin, and he could see his own breath from his mouth. He stepped out, while Alisa and Kota followed him, encased God Arcs in hand.

"We will await for your arrival, God Eaters." Said the pilot.

"Thank you." Replied Alisa.

Soma closed the door, and the trio trudged to the checkpoint. Kota looked up in the bright sky as they walked, hearing the snow crunching underneath their shoes. The snowflakes danced in the air, as they fell. The three came across the stairs for the checkpoint, and climbed up. Creaking occasionally resounded with each step. As they came to the top, they opened their cases, pulling out their God Arcs.

"How far can your resonance track Drake, Alisa?" questioned Kota.

"About as far as those stairs from here." she pointed. "That should be more than enough, if we go around the field. I'll take the lead from here on in."

"Alright, let's go."

Kota jumped off the checkpoint, while Alisa and Soma followed pursuit. Alisa led Soma and Kota, as they began trudging through the field. She heightened her senses, while Kota and Soma kept on eye on the front and rear. They climbed the stairs; as Alisa darted her eyes around the environment, she gripped on the handle of her God Arc.

They hiked to the other side of the temple. Alisa shook her head at them, and ordered, "I can't sense anything from this level. Let's move to the next one."

The snow crunched with each step, as they moved onto the stairs. Arriving in front of the ruined temple, Soma stopped in his tracks. He turned his attention to the crumbling sanctuary, and frowned at it. Kota noticed the look on his face.

"What's wrong, Soma?"

"….I'm smelling blood from over there." He said grimly.

Kota's stomach dropped as he heard that. "What?"

"Then let's take a look." Ordered Alisa.

Kota, Soma and Alisa continued onward to the abandoned shrine; as they entered inside, a heavy stench hung in the air.

"Ugh…is that the smell you were talking about Soma?" Kota's face wrenched in disgust, as his nose picked up the scent.

Alisa instinctively placed her hand in front of her nose. She too, became disturbed by the rotten odor.

Soma simply watched their sickened reactions, not caring about the smell. "That's blood, alright."

"Soma, how are you not affected by the odor here?" Asked Alisa, as she was shocked by his tolerance on the heavy stench.

"Unlike you two, I don't overreact on every little matter."

"…." Alisa noticed a small, tattered, red bag, that laid on the floorboards. She ran to it and picked it up.

"H-hey!" exclaimed Kota.

"As I thought…" she mumbled. Alisa took a peek inside, and spotted a dark blue scarf.

Soma and Kota approached her, looking at said item over her shoulder.

"This is the scarf that I gave him during the party." Clarified Alisa.

"He still carried that? I'm surprised he still held onto it." Said Kota.

Soma looked around, as the rotting smell of blood continued to hang onto the air. "Something's not right…" he thought aloud. "We're smelling blood, but where is it?" Ever since the trio entered the temple, they smelled the rotting stench of blood. Yet, the odd thing that caught Soma's attention, was that there was no sight of it.

He turned around and looked above; as he did, Soma gasped at the sight. "What the hell?"

Kota and Alisa spotted his shocked face. Curious, the two turned their attention to where Soma was staring. Alisa and Kota felt their jaws go slack. They became dismayed at the sight just as much as Soma. Perhaps even more. As the view caught their eyes, Alisa dropped the bag onto the floor, while Kota could only whisper something in the dead silence.

"Holy crap…"

Hiding underneath the sunlight, and damaged rooftop, aragami corpses were pinned to the wall. The Fallen Ogretails' bellies were clawed, fins and scales from the Fallen Gboro-Gboros were ripped apart, and a few Fallen Kongous had gaping holes in their chests.

Their carcasses were encased in ice, as if it were coffins for the dead. The bodies were trapped in the uppermost part of the wall, as parts of the cadavers slightly touched the rooftop. Fragments of the frozen ice were colored with a deep red, while some blood dribbled down the wall. Gigantic claw marks were marked on the wooden wall, allowing bits of sunlight through.

Alisa, Soma and Kota could not stop staring at the gruesome sight. "Good God…" muttered Alisa.

Kota placed his hand over his mouth, as he suddenly started to feel woozy and dizzy. "Ugh, I feel like I'm going to puke." He mumbled with a croaky voice.

Soma slowly regained his composure, as he tried to calm himself down from the sudden appearance of the gory corpses. He dared not to show his moment of fear to the other two. "Well, now we know where the smell's coming from." He confirmed.

Alisa took a deep breath, as she tried to calm herself down as well. "What in the world attacked these things?"

Soma approached the scene, as he took a closer look at the damage on the walls. His eyes analyzed the corpses, as tried to deduct the situation. "So an aragami attacked these ones."

Kota grimly examined the damages. "You think a Prithvi Mata killed them?" he asked nervously.

Soma looked back on the walls, and studied the claw marks. "No, the claw marks are gigantic, and the spaces between them are wide. Almost as wide like a giant hand. Plus, the Prithvi Mata shouldn't deal this much damage to an aragami."

Alisa picked up the red bag she recently dropped. She gazed at the walls and corpses; as she did, Alisa realized which type of aragami would cause this much damage. "Wait a minute." She interjected. "I know those claw marks; that's from a Hannibal."

"Hannibal?" repeated Kota. "Well those things are able to do a lot of damage, but what about the ice? I thought those things are a fire-type aragami."

"They are. And I know those claw marks. That's definitely from a Hannibal. As for the ice, I'm not too sure about it."

Soon after Alisa finished her sentence, all of the God Eaters' armlets started to blare. Alisa's eyes widened at the signal. She knew this indicator all too well. She glanced at Kota, whose face suddenly turned pale.

If a God Eater's armlet unexpectedly started beeping, this was an indicator that all God Eaters must immediately come into the outer ghetto. A distress signal, in other words. But what's the meaning behind the distress signal?

The outer ghetto walls have been breached.

"No…." whispered Kota.

"Damn it!" cursed Soma. "Looks like we got no choice! We need to head back to the outer ghetto!"

"Right!" Kota and Alisa yelled in unison.

Without wasting another second, the trio sprinted back to the checkpoint.

After placing their God Arcs back in their cases, they dashed down the stairs of the checkpoint. As they rushed to the helicopter, they could hear the noise of the rotor, and could see it was already spinning. The pilot slid open the door, knowing the received signal.

"Bring us straight to the outer ghetto walls! We don't have much time!" Yelled Kota, as he tried to make his voice become audible over the noise.

"Understood, Sergeant Fujiki!"

The pilot moved out of the way, as Kota, Alisa and Soma jumped into the helicopter. Once they were all inside, the pilot closed the door.

ELSEWHERE….

Beyond the frozen trees and white snow, he stared at the helicopter, as it was about to take its leave. He panted heavily, and with every puff, he could see his own breath. He gripped on his right arm, and weakly held it front of him. He could see the tentacles around his entire arm be consumed by it. He clenched his fist and looked up to the helicopter.

The helicopter slowly rose in the air, and with enough of a short height, he sprinted to the helicopter. He tried not to make himself noticeable, as he ran to the blind side of the helicopter. This is my only chance… He thought. I can't leave those guys with that thing. In the next moment, he jumped up and grabbed on one of the landing skids of the helicopter. He wrapped his legs and left arm around the skid, seeing the tattered coral slacks, colored with snow.

The helicopter then rose high into the air, flying off to the outer ghetto. He could feel the cold wind bite onto his body, as it blew on his spiky blue hair. His bloody fauna suit, was torn and shredded.

He took a glance on his hand; he noticed that the color was different, as it transitioned down on his arm. The color changed from a shining deep blue, to a black tentacle. Something faintly stuck out of his arm; was it some sort of small wing? A fractured bone? No, none of those, as this unknown part on his arm could slice through things. Though it may be small, it was incredibly sharp.

No doubt that this part on my arm will eventually turn into a blade. Those guys would probably shoot me on sight. Doesn't matter though, I need to drive that thing away from the outer ghetto. And besides, it's my fault for letting it get away.

End of Chapter 15: Birth of the Blue Dragon