Be careful what you wish for or you just might get it.
Legend of the Three Rulers
The Chopper ride back was an awkward one. The others took there initial seats while Umiko and Sora sat in the far off corner across from each other. Umiko rested her God Arc between her legs as her arms embraced it and her chin rested on its pummel. Soma found this choice of position odd since the God Arc was a guy not short of just an hour ago. But the blatant look in her eyes said that this was nothing outside of platonic. Sora, on the other hand, wasn't doing any better either. He rested his God Arc on his knees as he sat with legs open. They blankly stared at each other as they converse in their own worlds.
"You need to change, your white has been stained." Sora commented.
"Yes, another suit destroyed in the line of work."
"Are you in pain, Umiko?"
"No, the bullet is out and I am healing. I sense no fragments left behind."
"That's good, I hate seeing you in pain."
"Hate? We barely even know the meaning of the word, can we even begin to comprehend the feeling of hate?"
"I believe so... We can feel pain, so perhaps we can feel the other emotions we just don't know how."
"Was there ever anyone there to teach us?"
"I don't know."
"Those strangers said they know me, they seemed... agitated?"
"Do you remember them?"
"I don't know. I don't even know if we were born naturally or through test tubes."
"Do not bother yourself with petty thoughts. It will only trouble you."
"Yes... just like emotions."
"What emotion do you think is the most hindering?"
"Love." Umiko answered with the slightest hint of hate and animosity. "It'll kill you and break you and cut out your heart. Love is a weakness that weighs you down. I will not make room for such a weakening emotion."
"I see... so then... does the same apply for me to you?"
"No..." Umiko answered, her voice was back to normal but softer. "I will always make room for you."
"I see... I guess, it's likewise for me..."
"My God, it's like watching toasters communicating with each other." Alisa said to the others, disturbed by their blatant stares as they converse with each other while blocking out the others.
"It's just a strange habit they picked up." Garland explained, brushing the subject off. "It's like we're glimpsing at their own little private world. If it doesn't bother their work I have no problem with it."
"Tst, ridiculous." Soma grumbled out with slanted eyes and arms crossed. He didn't like how close the two were and how they blocked out everyone else. His eyes shined with rage at Umiko's indirect confession of love. She would tell this guy she had only been around for a couple of months that she would make room in her heart for him and yet she wouldn't even let Soma touch her? And she did so blatantly and with so much indifference. What the hell did this guy have that he didn't?
The pestering question rang through Soma's head as the Chopper landed back at the Branch. Unlike their morning landing the Chopper landed in the building back docks, landing to the side out of the pathway of God Arc Soldiers.
"No. 1, No. 2, return your God Arcs to your room. You won't be needing them anymore today." Garland ordered to them as the Chopper's propellers came to a stop. "And No. 2, get changed. I expected you two to be done by the time we get to your lab area."
"Yes Director." They both said before rushing off into the Den with a speed that made them seem like a blur. Garland chuckled at the fact that by the time they had gotten out of their seats the two of them were already gone.
"Hmph, let's go get them. It's time I show you my First Units." Garland said as they followed after the two at their own pace.
"Units?" Dr. Sakaki questioned.
"Yes... I split it into two. Each one led by No. 1 or No. 2. The uniform colors indicate which Unit Leader's team they're in, I believe you've already encountered a couple of them today. Each one consentingly dosed with a massive dilution of No. 1 and 2's dosage and enhanced with strength 1.5 times greater than a regular Gods Eater. Their group unit was chosen based on their God Arcs elemental characteristics. With time and observation, we plan to increase the dosage to the appropriate amount."
"Appropriately? You mean you have more mindless Zombies wondering around your Branch?" Soma snide at him.
"No, they had a minor dosage. The worse case for them is that they forgot what they had for breakfast the day before." Garland smirked as he saw Soma's hands clenched into fists. "Umiko and Sora just got the unlucky break. Mostly you can look at the two as a brilliant control group."
"Don't talk about her as if she's some lab-rat."
"I'm sorry to disappoint you, Soma. But she is."
"Bastard..."
"Calling me names won't change the truth." Garland said to him before opening Umiko and Sora's room door. "It just wastes your breath.
Sora and Umiko turned to the door as they heard it open. Umiko was now wearing a clean custom-made white version Dengeki PS uniform like before, but now both of them sported their own Sweeper coats. Sora in Noir, Umiko and Blanc. On Umiko's was branded the black numbers '02' on each side of her shoulders. And on the back was embroidered a onyx silhouette of a side view of a woman with long wavy hair sitting in a waxing crescent moon, her leg dangling down while the other was bent on the edge of the moon. The only color visible in the embroider was the woman's red eye as she looked to the left. And when the Umiko and Sora stood beside each other it looked like the silhouettes were looking at each other.
Their God Arcs rested on their Hangars beside each of their Test tubes as the both of them waited for Garland's instructions.
"Well done you two. Let's head to the conference room for a briefing." Garland said, walking off with the two of them followed behind. Where Garland lead the group to the elevator to head to the Director's Floor. The Floor was the same as the one back at the Den, even with the Director's office staring back at them from across the hallway as they came out of the elevator.
Garland lead the group to the room at the right of his office. The room had a long business meeting table with many rolling chairs with a big screen on the wall furthest from the door.
"Whoops, wrong room. We need to be in the one room next door." Closing the door, Garland moved over to the door on the left of his office. This room was small and looked like a small B-rate theater. Multiple chairs gathered in rows and columns to form two massive columns, that split for walk-through room, in front of a big screen. A projector rested on a stand in the back of the room. "Here we go, please take a seat."
They all took a seat in the front on the column to the right, while Sora and Umiko sat in the column to the left. Garland turned on the projector and made his way to the front of the room. The projector came to life and played on the screen a view of the Finland Branch and a side screen taste of its forest no-mans land.
"As I've shown you before, our Branches are not so different from each other as one would think. We're both the last stand for humanity against the constant threat of Aragami outside our walls." Garland explained to the group.
Clicking the 'on' switch on the remote he picked up by the projector he changed the picture on the screen to show a pic of a Yan Zhi and its Zhou Wangs, taken by one of the Branch's Research Unit while out on the field.
"However, the Aragami in this area have been steadily evolving into more of a threat than the usual Aragami documented from your Branch or the other Branches." He clicked the remote again to change the pic to one of a Ukonvasara, a crocodile-like Aragami from the Gboro-Gboro family, submerging from a fresh water source. "They've become more aggressive and deadly. I fear that soon they will spread and expand to the other Branches."
He switch the pic again to two aggressive Garm fighting over territory with a Marduk in the ruins of a desecrated city. Then he clicked it again to show a Spartacus charging through its own created lighting in the rain as it went in for a punch at a Fierce Kongou.
"These Aragami are the products of mixtures with other Aragami with similar characteristics. They gain the abilities of their sub-species and have created more deadlier ones. If we don't change along with them, we'll be left behind on this race for survival." Garland clicked another button on the remote to allow the video the pic came from to play. The video show the vicious display of two lightning gods fighting it out to the death. The Kongou was Fierce, but the Spartacus was merciless. It's lightning electrocuted the Fierce Kongou into a barbeque that he began to dig into as the rain cooled down the smoke from the Kongou's body. Alisa and Soma had to turn away at the barbaric display as the Spartacus savagely tore through the Fierce Kongou.
"Sora..." Umiko said, breaking the silence of the group. Making them all turn in their seats to stare at her, except Sora. He continued to stare at the screen. Both of their eyes were starting to glow.
"Yes?"
"Is it just me or is this making you hungry?" Soma's and Alisa's eyes widened in shock, they couldn't believe she just said that. Was she serious? But that ravenous look in her eyes told them that she was, and it got worse when the same look appeared in Sora's eyes.
"Yes..." He practically growled/purred out the answer. "Let's eat."
"Director..." Umiko said to Garland pleadingly as Sora and her turned to face him.
"Heh, alright. Dismissed." As soon as he said that the two of them jumped out of their seats. Trying to push the other one back and jumped over their chairs, running out the door. "Hn, it's amazing how much life those two can have when they have no concept of emotions."
"Where exactly are they going?" Dr. Sakaki asked.
"The Mesh Hall," Garland answered. "They said they were hungry."
"And you're just going to let your starved monsters run amuck in your Den?" Soma said to him with slanted eyes.
"Soma!" Alisa gasped at Soma's words. She may have been turned to stone but she was still their former Leader.
"Actually, their antics brings up the moral in the Den." Garland pointed out, clicking a button on the remote that displayed the Branch's security cameras. Showing Umiko and Sora racing down the Floor's hallway, always trying to get ahead of the other.
Unfortunately for Umiko, Sora beat her to the elevator and closed the door on her. Not one to be beaten, Umiko made a run for the stairs. She encountered a few other people along the way up, use to her antics they moved out of her way as she rushed through. She seemed to be doing better than Sora since people on other Floors kept pushing the button for the elevator. Having enough, once the elevator opened to the Entrance Floor he rushed out.
"Hey Sora Sensei." One of the God Eaters in black greeted him, noticing his haste. "Racing Umiko-sempai again?"
"Yes, no time to chat." Sora quickly answered. Kicking open the air vent on the floor, Sora jumped in. His only way to beat Umiko now was to take the short cut through the air vents to get directly to the Mesh Hall floor. The God Eaters looked down into the vent where Sora had disappeared into.
"They're at it again?" One Gods Eater in white asked to another in black.
"Yup." The other answered. "500 fc on Sora."
"A 1000 fc on Umiko." The Gods Eater in the white uniform said, fist bumping the other.
"Your on."
Back in the stairs, Umiko pushed open the door to the Mesh Hall Floor and darted to the Mesh Hall. To her surprised, Sora came crashing down from the air vent... in front of her. Refusing to lose she kicked it up a notch, forcing the Oracle Cells in her body to go into a slight excitement to add an extra boost in her legs. Her irises began to slit as she moved, noticing that she did this Sora also copied her.
Noticing the two's race, the other God Eaters on the floor began to chant for the one they wanted to win. The God Eaters in black automatically and most of the girls cheered for Sora, while the ones in white and a couple of the guys cheered for Umiko. The two were neck-and-neck, but Sora was starting to take the lead as they ran in the Mesh Hall toward the cafeteria lady.
"Come on Sora Sensei, put Umiko in her place!" One of the female Gods Eater in black shouted.
"Umiko Sensei! Show'em what girl power can do!" Another female Gods Eater shouted, but she wore a suit of white. "I've got my money on you!"
"Sora, give her hell!" One of the guys cheered.
"Show no mercy Umiko!" Another girl cheered.
Taking drastic measures, Umiko ran on top of one of the eating tables. Jumping off the table, she used Sora's head as a stepping stone as she jumped ahead of him. Almost falling down, Sora was slowed down for a second as Umiko touched-down at the finish line. In his attempts to catch up, Sora leaped at Umiko's back and tried to try and push her away from the food line. Each one of them pushing the others face away as they tried to make their order to the cafeteria lady.
"Ma'am I would like-" But Sora shoved her face out of the way.
"Please hand me a Meatloaf ration ma'am-" But Umiko pushed his back.
"Denied, Sora. I was here first." They started pushing on each other, both of the unmoving.
"Absurd. I made it here before you." Everyone in the Mesh Hall waited for the Cafeteria Lady to serve the winner.
"Sorry, honey. But Umiko got here first." Sora lowered his head in defeat while Umiko sported a subtle smile. The Mesh Hall was filled with cheers and groans of defeat. Many God Eaters fist pumped and jumped in victory, while others smack their knee in defeat.
"Keep your meatloaf, Sora." Umiko said up to Sora before looking back at the Cafeteria Lady. "I would like a Spaghetti ration, please."
"Of course, here you go, Sug." Chuckled the Cafeteria lady, overlooking Umiko's monotone request as she handed her the ration. Most in the Branch were use to the two's lack of expression. However, they all still found it strange how two with little to no skill at showing emotions could fill others with so much life.
Taking his defeat with dignity, Sora waited his turn in line, got his ration, and went to sit alongside Umiko. Other God Eaters in Black/White suits and ones without surround them, while the ones in suits started to sit around them. The others back in the Briefing Room saw how the two of them were empty inside and yet had the favor of almost everyone in this Den.
"Hmph, enough with the show." Garland said, interrupting them from their contemplations. "Why don't you two go over and eat in the Mesh Hall. Me and Dr. Sakaki have things to discuss over."
"That's a good idea." Dr. Sakaki concurred with Garland. "This will be a great chance for you two to interact with the other God Eaters."
Reluctant at first to leave the Doc alone with Director Garland, the usually fox grin of Dr. Sakaki told them that he would be fine. So they left, taking the elevator up to the Mesh Hall Floor. Making their way there, they got a couple of stares from the scattered God Eaters along the hallway that started to gossip as they passed by. They entered the Mesh Hall, not sure what kind of greeting they would get.
All in the Hall turned to them and opening started to whisper among themselves about the visiting God Eater that the Director himself went out to meet. They expected the wondering stares of new faces at this point, what they didn't expect was for Umiko to get up to greet them.
"My apologies, I should've taken into account that you guys were hungry as well." Umiko apologized to them, slightly bowing as she rested her right hand on her heart. "But you two found your way here alright."
She led them to the Cafeteria line for them to get what ever ration they desired. Once they got the ration to their liking, Umiko lead them to sit at the table where Sora and their pupils were sitting. Umiko went to sit beside Sora, to Soma's irritation. For reasons beyond his understanding, Soma rushed to the seat she was going for and took it. Unmoved by Soma's act of manifest destiny to her seat, Umiko moved to take the seat between Sora and a male Gods Eater in a white suit, to Soma's annoyance. This left Alisa to awkwardly take the empty seat beside Soma.
"So you're the God Eaters from the Far East Branch?" One of the male God Eaters in white questioned them as they sat. "What's it like over there?"
"It's kinda the same as it is here, but without the God Arc Soldiers." Alisa answered.
"Oh, that's only for now. Soon HQ will be sending at least two God Arc Soldiers to each Branch." A female Gods Eater in white said, waving the comment off.
"They're waiting to see the results our Branch gets from their usage." A female Gods Eater in black informed. "Think of us as the Test Dummy Branch."
"Say... your friend in the hood seems pretty quiet." A female Gods Eater in white said, pointing at Soma.
"Leave him be, some people just aren't talkative." A male Gods Eater in black said in Soma's defense.
"Still, I bet he's cute underneath that hoodie." A female Gods Eater in white commented, causing the other female God Eaters to giggle to Soma's vexation.
"Girls, don't disgrace the uniform." Umiko lectured to them, bringing their giggling and flirtation to a stop. "We are better than ogling boys."
"Yes ma'am." "Yes Sensei." All the girls in black and white said at the same time with lowered heads.
"Hmph, besides, Sora Sensei is much cuter anyway." One of the female God Eaters in black said proudly, causing Umiko who was impassive about the tables topic to suddenly look up at her from across the table. Sora, on the other hand, was still indifferent about the topic. She crossed her arms and let her wavy blonde hair fall over her shoulders as she lifted her head up with pride.
"Pretty bold of you to say that about Sora in front of Umiko, Iida." One of the female God Eaters in black said to the God Eater named Iida. Iida was apparently one of the few native Finnish in the First Units. Most of the members from Umiko's and Sora's Unit were transferred from the other Branches. Apparently Garland had been talent hunting for the best of the best from each Branch for his Project. Each of them in uniform were given a small dosage of liquid Aragami core, nothing compared to their Leaders' dosage, but with time their dosage will be increased until the perfect dosage is found.
"Heh, do you think I fear Umiko." Iida said to the Gods Eater before turning her hazel blue eyes back to Umiko. "You can't hog Sora forever 'Sempai.' Soon he'll be mine."
"Such a daring claim." Umiko said impassively as she stared at Iida. Soma and Alisa were disturbed by Umiko's indifference to this girl's bold challenge.
"I would advise you not to make such bold declaration to my Leader, Iida." Said a female Gods Eater in white. She was of African descent with long raven dreadlocks that swung over her right shoulder as her dark chocolate eyes stared back at Iida. "You are no match for her."
"Spare me, Abeba." Iida said, rolling her eyes at Abeba before turning back to Umiko. "Watch yourself 'Sempai,' soon we'll be the ones that surpass you."
"Is that a challenge?" Umiko said, getting up from her seat to stand over Iida. Not one to be overshadowed, Iida stood up to. Clashing with Umiko as she stared her in the eye.
"It's a fact, Sempai." Each time she said that title, she did it with sarcasm that lacked the respect the title deserved. "You may be Queen now, but you're going obsolete. Your thrown is on shaking ground, and you're about to be toppled down. Then you'll be forced to hide behind your Flower."
All at the table went quiet as the two stared each other down, one with a fire in her eyes while the other lacked a spark in her crimson orbs. The God Eaters in black went quiet as they waited for their Leader and the other side's Leader to react, while the ones in white got into a silent defensive. But Umiko remained unmoved, which made Iida even more agitated that her declarations didn't even break through her glacier walls.
"I admire the determination in you, Iida. However, I am too much for you at the current moment. You're so delicate and breakable to me, I can't even touch you without the concern of gripping too hard and shattering bones. But I look forward to the day when you can surpass me. Yes, the time will come when you'll need to be stronger than me." A wide smile slowly grew over Umiko's face. But it wasn't on of those happy-go-lucky smiles Soma and Alisa were use to, it was one of those beastly grins. Her eyes began to slightly glow. "Become strong, Iida. Strong enough to destroy me."
Iida was startled at Umiko's response, but did her best to keep it hidden. Sora pulled at Umiko's arm, drawing her attention. She looked down at him and calmed back into a stoic expression when he shook his head at her, then she took her seat again.
"Iida, enough." Sora said back to Iida, causing her to blush.
"Y-yes Sensei." She stuttered out and immediately took her seat.
"Speaking of names, Sensei, I've been doing some research." One of Umiko's God Eaters said, breaking through the awkward silence. Judging from her pronunciation and fiery red hair she was from the lands once known as Ireland. Her Celtic green eyes shined brightly with wick. "You know how Abeba's name is an African name for flower and mine means 'little rose' in Irish? Well, there's a story behind yours and Sora's name."
"Really? Oh do tell, Roisin." Umiko encouraged, slightly curious. Along with Sora and their guest.
"Although your names are Japanese, I think they actually come from a Chinese legend. It's kinda sad too." Roisin explained. "Once when the world was young, there lived great deities that ruled the three plains. The King of the Sky, the Queen of the Seas, and the Queen of the earths. When all the world was young and the rulers in youth, the Queen of the Seas fell in love with the Sky King. Wanting to win him over, she arrayed herself with jewels and the finest pearls from her beautiful waters. She was indeed a lovely beauty, but the king did not choose her. Instead, he chose the Queen of the earths. For he was allure by her natural charm that no jewel of the sea could replicate.
"Heart broken and torn by her loves' choice, the Sea forever beats upon the earths' shores in jealousy and cries from the sky at the rejection. Doomed to forever be alone in her kingdom as the earth and sky gracefully come together. Even some of her children soon left her to walk on the earth's land to become the Earth Queen's children. It is said that the children of the lands can never return to the waters."
They all went quiet as Roisin finished the story. Letting the legend sink in as they tried to make a comment. Soma was actually tormented by the story. Could Umiko actually be suffering from the curse of her name? Did he actually drive her away with grief by choosing Shio all those times? Something inside him made him feel sick.
"That's... actually kinda sad." Said one of Sora's male pupils.
"That... would explain a few things." Umiko commented, looking down at her hands. Soma feared that something in her subconscious might have actually made her remember her pains, but the blank look in her eyes said that she was thinking of other things. "Perhaps this is why I have a certain fondness for water."
"Ha! You see! You were destined to be alone." Iida crackled. Her words actually made Umiko flinch, Iida grinned at the slight show of pain that entered her face. "Your name has fated it, Child of the sea."
"!" Iida let out a gasp and the rest of the table was startled as Sora slammed his fist down on the table. A slight show of anger entered his eyes. "You're stepping out of your bounds, Iida."
"F-forgive me, Sora Sensei!" But Sora ignored her desperate pleas and looked off into the distance as his hand made its way to Umiko's head. He comfortingly rubbed her head to the best of his unemotional ability.
"I will never abandon you..." Her eyes began to take a softer tone and a slight smile came over her face, barely seeable to the eyes. And Soma hated every second of it. How it was Sora's words that were comforting her, not his. It was Sora's hand that was soothing her, not his. What he hated the most was that Sora was able to touch her freely while she shunned his hands away from even helping her up. What made this guy, this 'Sky,' so special?
"I know... Sora." Once his soothing hand came to a stop, Umiko got up from her seat and looked toward Alisa and Soma. "Are you guys finished? I should be escorting you to your rooms soon."
"What about Dr. Sakaki?" Alisa asked.
"The Director has most likely already taken Director Sakaki to his quarters." Umiko assured. "It would be best that you'd get your rest. There is still much for us to show you tomorrow."
"I take it you're calling it a night early, Umiko?" Sora asked, Soma flinched at the informality those two were displaying even if they were as ridged as ice. "You're not going to your Pleasant spot?"
"No, I have not been given permission today so I'm calling it in for the night." Umiko answered. "Don't stay up too late, Sora. I'll see you back at the room."
"!" Alisa and Soma were shock at the lack of care the other God Eaters had, even Iida, at the fact that those two were sleeping in the same room together. Just as Umiko was getting up, the Gods Eater sitting beside her yanked gently at her arm. Another male she allowed to touch her and yet not him, Soma was absolutely livid.
"Are we still training tomorrow morning, Sensei?" The guy was Aryan German. His dirty blonde hair that didn't go pass mid neck, his sky blue eyes. Soma didn't know him, but he already couldn't stand him just for the fact Umiko allowed him to touch her.
"Negative, Abel. We'll have to reschedule for another time since other priorities have arisen. You'll have to be on your own for now."
"Ugh, but you said you would help me with my unlocked capabilities."
"And I will... another time." Umiko answered as she gently pulled her hand out of his grip. "But you needn't worry about that now. The Director will be counting on you to show our guest your other capabilities tomorrow along with the others in the Training Room. So be prepared."
"Yes, Teacher." Abel said tiredly.
"Hm, good." She lightly put her hand on top of his head, making him gasp in shock at her volunteered physical contact. "You're one of my prized pupils, I'm counting on you tomorrow."
"I won't let you down, Teacher." Umiko nodded at him and slowly moved her hand away from him and back to her side. Turning back to the other two, she waited until they got up.
"I'll take you back to your quarters now." They followed behind Umiko as the other God Eaters, with the exception of Sora, waved them goodbye. She had lead them back to the elevator and taken them to the Veterans Floor. Umiko took them down a hallway that lead to the even bigger rooms, most likely reserved for their guest. Inside them the place looked like a five star hotel. "Two of the rooms have a conjoint bathroom, the lady in your group shall have the single. Your things have already been unboarded from your Chopper and is currently in your room ma'am. Please rest well, I will see you tomorrow."
Soma swiftly turned around, trying to finally get a chance to talk to her. But she was already gone, shutting the door behind herself after making sure they had reached their destination. Soma clicked his tongue on his teeth at missing his opportunity and the fact that she was going back... to Sora.
*** Author's Notes ***
Sorry about it being so long since my last chapter update. My laptop crashed and I was crushed, I haven't been able to bring myself to start typing again until recently. I'm not even using my own laptop right now... (Sigh) It feels like I'm cheating on it. It's been through many a journey with me, many stories, it's sad to think that it's dead now. Anyway, I think I should be okay with posting more chapters from now on. At least one a day until this story is done.
