When you throw something away and go by any means to get it back, there's no guarantee that you'll get it back the same.
The Call Back
"Congratulations on getting back your Gods Eater, Director." The filtered voice on the other screen line said to Dr. Sakaki. Again he had a secret meeting in the early hours, and again he converse with the mysterious figure on the other line in the shadows.
"All in a day's work." Dr. Sakaki joked over the filter, then he turned serious again. "I've done my end of the bargain. You do your part."
"No need to worry, we'll retrieve Sora all in good time. You just do your part and keep Umiko occupied until we've given Sora the cure."
"Do not take too long, I worry about the mental state of my Gods Eater." Dr. Sakaki commented with weariness. "I fear that the sudden return to her old Den could cause too much stress on her already fragile grasp of memory."
"Then you just need to refresh her." The person on the other line suggested. "You use to love recording the process of your experiments, why not show her one of your... recent experiments."
"I'm a little concern what the sudden amount of information would do to her."
"Life is nothing but of a gamble. What do you have to lose?"
"Hmph, more than you know." Dr. Sakaki retort. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have an important guest coming soon."
*** Later that Morning ***
Umiko's Chopper had just touched down on the Far East Branch's Chopper lift. She had jumped off it with a single luggage bag, stuffed to the brim. Umiko wore her usual white bodysuit and had many more of the same ones in her baggage. With her luggage strapped over her shoulder and held by one hand and her God Arc in the other, she had all she needed for her temporary time away from home. She watched as the Chopper flew away towards her Branch before she entered her newly assigned Den.
She had been slightly taken by surprise when Director Garland had announced her temporary transfer. It came from out of nowhere and so suddenly, it would be a lie if she said she wasn't a little scare. She was alone in a foreign Den with no one to relate to, and... there was something about this place that made a shiver run through her spine and her hairs stand up.
But she felt so foolish letting these emotions get the best of her. She was better than these petty thoughts, she was No. 2. And she had a new Branch to meet.
She walked into the Branch, pass the God Arc Hangar, and took the Mission Elevator that automatically lead to the Entrance. The ride up was quiet and peaceful, enough for her to prepare herself for what would greet her on the other side of those elevator doors. The sound of the doors opening signaled to her that she had arrived.
She walked out onto the Floor, ready for the stares from the people on the Floor at the sight of a new face in the Den. But she wasn't prepared for the reaction that she got.
"Umiko!" Kanon cheered.
"Hey guys, Umiko's back!" Shun called out to the others on the Floor.
"Umiko!"
"Umiko, welcome back!"
"Hey, how've you been?!"
"!" Umiko panicked as strangers started shouting her name and circling around her. Startled, she jumped into the air and turned her arm not holding the God Arc into Devouring-mode and clung herself up to the ceiling. She looked back down at the people as if they were crazy and slightly hissed to warn them to back off.
"!" Kanon took a step back, holding a hand over her mouth to keep herself from screaming.
"Jesus, Umiko! What happened to you?" Tatsumi gasped to her in shock.
"Lovely..." Gina commented as she looked up at Umiko in awe. The others turned to stare at her in disbelief. "What? She looks like she could eat a whole Aragami alive, I like it."
"Only you would find an Aragami Transformation side-effect charming, Gina." Karel teased at her before looking back up at Umiko with serious concern. "But still, what's happening to her?"
"Everybody calm down." Dr. Sakaki said, running from the side elevator along with Licca and the First Unit. "Sorry everyone, I should've warned you earlier. Our guest is suffering from... amnesia."
"!" They all gasped and started to murmur among themselves at the news.
"The sudden overwhelming presence of many 'strangers' startled her." Dr. Sakaki explained. "Everyone, please go about your business. You can visit her in intervals of smaller groups later if you want, but right now we need her to settle in."
Slightly upset that they wouldn't be able to see Umiko yet and the fact she didn't remember them, they all scattered and parted from the Lounge Floor. Dr. Sakaki looked up at Umiko from her spot on the ceiling along with the First Unit.
"You can come down now. The crowd has been dispersed." Dr. Sakaki ordered up to her.
She looked down at him, seeing that only him and the First Unit remained. Umiko spotted Soma among them, making her heart flutter and clinch at the same time. Sightly frustrated with herself, she jumped down. Catching herself with her Devouring-mode arm as she changed it back to normal along the way. She rose to her feet again and saluted her momentary Director.
"No. 2, reporting for duty, Sir." Umiko said to Dr. Sakaki, standing tall. "Awaiting your orders, Director Paylor."
"... Welcome to our Den, Umiko." Dr. Sakaki said, trying to recover himself from the disappointment in her robotic response. "Sakuya and Lindow will lead you to your old- I mean your room. You can spend the rest of the day unpacking and looking around if you like."
"Lindow?" Umiko looked among the group, not being able to recalling meeting someone with that name from this Branch before.
"Right here." Lindow greeted to her, trying to keep his usual cool, as he waved to her with his Aragami hand.
"!" Umiko walked closer to him, awed by his arm as she looked it over with curiosity. "It's... it's just like ours."
"?" Ours? It took Lindow a second to remember what Sakuya had said about Umiko having a twin brother.
"But where's your number? Are you an original like us, or perhaps you're a natural?" Lindow grabbed the top of her head and pushed her away from him. "?"
"Sorry, I'm neither." Lindow said sadly down at her. This was the Rookie that risk all to save his life and now she didn't recall any of it. All that they had been through together were erased by the blank look in her eyes. "I just had a good comrade that had my back..."
"Comrade..." Umiko thought aloud as she moved away from Lindow's hand. "Yeah... those are good to have. Do you still have that comrade?"
"No... apparently she went some place far away." Lindow sighed.
"Ah... oh, that's a pity. I hope you can get her back, losing comrades is a sad thing."
"Yes... I hope so too." Sakuya place a comforting hand on Lindow's back before he got any more down.
"Perhaps this is enough for today." Sakuya patted Lindow's back then turned to face Umiko again. "We'll take you to your room now. You must be tired after such a long trip here."
"Hm, I am a little."
"We'll just let you guys be on your way." Licca said to them as she approached to take Umiko's God Arc while wearing her protective gloves. "I'll just take your God Arc to the Hangar for you."
"Back off." Umiko turned serious, stepping back from Licca and getting into an aggressive stance while holding her God Arc close to her. Licca was confused by Umiko harsh reaction.
"It's my job, Umiko. I have to check your God Arc for maintenance." Licca said to her only pausing from her pursuit for a second.
"That is not necessary, I can take care of that by myself."
"Don't be ridiculous, Umiko. You don't have the training to handle the upkeep of your God Arc by yourself. Now just hand it over." Licca insisted talking to Umiko as if she were a stubborn child as she reached in to grabbed Umiko's God Arc. Licca was still looking at Umiko like the person she use to be, the same old stubborn trickster of a Gods Eater. But that was the biggest mistake she could make. Umiko told her to back off, and Licca didn't heed her warning.
"Don't touch him!" Umiko roared at her, pupils slitting as she fell into a Blood Rage. Her teeth morphed into fangs that she showed to Licca as she went to strike Licca with her returned Devouring-mode arm.
"!" Licca was frightened at the crazed look of rage in Umiko's eyes. The same girl that risked her humanity to save her and the Den during that Aragami infiltration had just struck her with the intentions to harm or possibly kill. She was hurt and terrified all at the same time, this wasn't the Umiko she knew... this was a monster. And this monster was coming in for another strike.
The first attack caught the others off guard. Umiko's voice had changed, sounding as if she was speaking under water. They couldn't do anything as Umiko's Devouring-mode arm bit into Licca, making her flinch back in fear. Licca shook in fright, holding her injured arm as she stared at Umiko in terror. Umiko had moved too fast for them to do anything about it. But they jumped on her the moment she tried to take a bite out of Licca again... with her actual teeth.
Lindow and Kota went to grabbed her arms, stopping Umiko as she leaped for Licca. She kicked and struggled against their hold, slightly drooling as she roared out at Licca. When Umiko was actually proving to resist their hold, continuing to walk toward Licca, Soma jumped in to restrain her from the back. Holding Umiko around the waist as he used his enhanced strength to pull her back.
Umiko still struggled to reached for Licca, holding her God Arc with all her might. Alisa and Sakuya gathered around Licca to inspect her injured arm and her state of mind as she started to cry. Umiko hated the sound of her sniffling cries. She despised weakness and self-pity. But worst than that, Licca's tears made something inside Umiko feel guilty. But how could that be? She did nothing wrong, the woman tried to take away what was hers even after she told her no.
"Woman!" Umiko shouted at her as the boys dragged her away towards the elevator. Licca flinched as Umiko called out to her, bolting her head up in attention and fear. Umiko's rage also made Alisa and Sakuya look up in attention. "If you ever lay your dirty little hands on my God Arc you'll be sorry! I swear it! YOU'LL BE SORRY!"
Licca remained silent and shook until Umiko disappeared behind the closed doors of the elevator. Once Umiko was gone, Licca broke down into tears. Alisa and Sakuya embraced her in comfort as Dr. Sakaki somberly patted her back in apology.
"I'm so sorry, Licca. I was not fully prepared for her return. I should've warned you about the changes. Umiko doesn't allow anyone to touch her God Arc. She gets highly aggressive about that."
"B-but why? I'm her friend! Why would she... how could...?" Licca couldn't even finish her question as the tears rained down from her.
"That's not the old Umiko you use to know, this one's... different." Dr. Sakaki stated to her. "We'll just have to stay strong until we can get the old Umiko back."
"..." Licca nodded her head as her crying turned into silent whimpers.
"Come on, those bite marks just barely broke through flesh." Sakuya soothed to Licca as her and Alisa guided Licca to the Sick Bay. "Let's get you patched up, okay?"
Dr. Sakaki sighed at the chaos that had transpired just moments ago. He felt like he was in way over his head. It has barely even been Umiko's first day back and already things had gone to hell. If he had any plans of restoring things back to the way they were he had a long way to go.
*** Day 2 ***
The First Unit were out on a mission in the Wailing Plains. Rain poured down on them, fogging the earth around them as they took cover behind the remains of a building. Hiding their position as they spied upon their target Chi-You species. A pair of Sekhmets and Fallen Chi-Yous walking around the perimeter as they scouted for food. The Aragami were too close together, making it dangerous for the team to jump out and face them.
Lindow had taken his role again as First Unit Leader after Umiko's sudden transfer and still had the title at Umiko's return. She knelt down on the ground, waiting for the right moment to strike. Sakuya and Alisa hid behind the building across from them, steadying their breath as they readied for the moment when at least two of the Aragami would disappear behind the other corner.
But Umiko got impatient, she had no idea what they were waiting for. Having made up her mind, she rose to her feet and marched out to face her targets.
"Umiko, what the hell are you doing?! Get back here!" Lindow whispered loudly to her as he tried to pull her back, but she was out of reach.
She continued into the fog, indiscriminately striking the first Aragami she approached. All four of them turned and growled at her, rushing toward her for action.
"Damn it!" Lindow hissed out as he came out from his hiding spot to come to Umiko's aid, Sakuya and Alisa followed suit.
But Umiko didn't need much help as she slammed her God Arc down on a Fallen Chi-You's head and sliced it in two. Devouring its core with her God Arc as her other arm bit off the upper half of the other close Fallen Chi-You, in devouring-mode. The extraction and direct devouring gave her a rush as she went into a Blood Rage. Experiencing a muscle boost with slitted pupils and glowing eyes as the Aragami boost took place. The others provided cover fire on a Sekhmet as Umiko went after the other one.
Throwing her God Arc like a spear, she impaled the Sekhmet in the chest. Rushing toward it as she pulled out Caligula blades from her arms and bombarded it with relentless slice attacks. Once the Aragami was at its last life, she reached down for the handle of her God Arc, still impaled in the Aragami's chest. Commanding it into Devouring-mode, devouring the core while still implanted inside the Aragami. Pulling her God Arc out as the Sekhmet fell to the ground.
Dashing toward the others, dealing with the last Sekhmet, she slid on the ground as she changed her God Arc into gun-mode. Blasting the Aragami with Divine bullets along with the others as she drained off the last of her Blood Rage. With the already banter of assaults from the others, the Sekhmet went down quicker than usual. The Aragami was Swiss cheese by the time they were done with it. Umiko went over to devour the core along with the others that could.
"What the hell was that back there Umiko?!" Lindow angrily barked at her, upset and extremely worried by her brass actions.
"That was foolish what you did." Sakuya scolded at her in worry.
"I agree, you were extremely reckless out there, Umiko." Alisa seconded.
"?"
"I specifically told you to hold your position. You disobeyed your commanding officer and endangered the team."
"... I saw no threat to the team's location and acted with the conscious of insuring the safety of the team at all times. No one was hurt."
"Regardless, things could have went different. You just got lucky this time. I'm the Leader of this mission, my orders are meant to be followed."
"..."
"!" Lindow was slighted appalled and disgusted with the whole situation, here where the once stubborn unyielding Umiko use to be now stood a submissive shell, bowing to him in compliance. Alisa and Sakuya had to turn their heads away at the sight, the Umiko they knew wouldn't want them to see her like this.
"You are correct." She than rose back up, standing tall, and saluted him with a fist pumped to the heart. "Forgive me, Leader. I'm use to Leading my own team back at my Den, I've never had to take orders from anyone other than my Director. You are my Leader now, and I must respect your authority. Please pardon my insubordinate, Mr. Amamiya, it won't happen again."
"...Please stop... at ease." Lindow sighed in sudden drowsiness. "There's no need for all that. Just call me Lindow."
"?" Umiko tilted her head in confusion at Lindow's request for nonrecognition of proper respect. "Why is everyone like that at this Den? I've barely met them and they're already requesting that I call them by their first name."
"Because..." Lindow couldn't finish what he was about to say, looking into her blank eyes. "Because we're all pretty much a big family here... that's all."
"And... you want me to be apart of it?"
"You're already apart of it." 'Once...'
"This rain..." Umiko said, reminiscing aloud as she looked up to the sky. "It feels nice. I like how it touches my face..."
'Or maybe she still was...' Lindow thought to himself as he watch that happy look come over Umiko's face as the rain kissed her skin... just like how she use to do.
*** Day 3 ***
The day was done, and the missions completed. Umiko rested in her appointed room, slightly unaccustomed to sleeping in a bed besides her Testing tube. The lack of cool liquid soaking into her body, and the presence of dry warm blankets made her feel uncomfortable.
The room provided no hangar for her God Arc, so she rested it on a soft blanket on top of the dresser beside her bed. The warmth of the blankets were too distressing for Umiko, so she found herself laying on top of them as she rested on her side.
All was quiet in the Den, a handful of God Eaters were still out on missions and the rest were shut in for the night. Umiko had finally given in to slumber as the quiet darkness soothed her to sleep.
Outside in the Hallway, Soma had just returned from a late night mission on Aegis Island. He was tired and still slightly grouchy after facing a Dyaus Pita and a Corrosive Hannibal both at the same time. Slightly slouched and hands placed in his pants' pockets, he needed to rest and relax for the night if he was to be ready to face tomorrow. Out of habit, ever since Umiko had left he had found himself going into her room and resting on her couch before returning to his room to sleep. He found the scent of her in that room soothing, and found himself relaxing whenever he entered there. It was the closest he ever felt to being near her and one of the few things he had left to remind him of her, aside from the few gifts she had given him.
Once again he had found himself entering her room, it was never locked just like it always wasn't when she was there. Darkness consumed him as the door to the hallway closed. The scent of her entered into his nose, placing upon him the soothing effect it always had. However, this time it was stronger... and the bed seemed ruffled unlike before. Then it hit him. Of course, how could he forget?... Umiko was back... and still in the room.
Soma was already half way into the room when he noticed Umiko resting in her bed on her side. Her eyes shot opened at him as she smelt his presence in the room.
"Get. Out." She sternly whispered at him in a commanding voice. She wasn't afraid or angered by his presence, just simply annoyed that his presence disturbed her slumber after she had finally achieved it.
"Sorry... I should've known that you'd be placed here." Soma said, turning his face away from her as he blushed. All those times he would enter this room to feel close to her and now she was finally here.
"... Why do you come here?" Umiko finally spoke to him again, breaking the silence that was starting to turn awkward for Soma. "I smelt your presence here since I've moved in. You must have come here often. What draws you here?"
A relief came over Soma, she may have had enhanced senses but they were no match to his born half-Aragami ones. She didn't detect her lingering scent of hers that was slowly fading from the room. Soma had once worried about what he would do when the scent finally faded from the room, now he didn't need to worry about it for a while. But now Soma was in a rut. How was he going to tell her why he would always come here? He was pretty sure that telling her that the place reminded him of her and made him sleep better at night wouldn't run so well with her.
"Because... because this room reminds me of certain person." He said, finally looking down at her. "Someone very precious to me that I didn't realize how important they were to me until it was too late."
"Did you lose them?"
"More like she was taken from me, just like another girl I hold dear. No... I let them take her, practically chased her away. You were right, I was clouded at what was around me." Soma sighed, opening up to her after a long time of shutting himself away. "She... made me feel things others couldn't... she made me happy. I took her for granted and now she's gone."
"... Then bring her back."
"What?" Soma's eyes widened at her suggestion.
"Don't leave things the way they are if you truly care about her. Fight for her, show her how much she means to you." Umiko insisted to him with a warmth thought to be long gone. "If it were me, I'd do anything to get her back. Nobody should be left behind... or forgotten..."
"..."
"You can stay here for a while longer, if you like." Umiko quietly said as her eyelids began to droop.
"Are you sure that's okay?" Soma questioned, slightly surprised by her offer. Did sharing the same room as her brother cloud her of the possible ill-intentions of other boys?
"Just don't make any loud noises, okay." She said to him, closing her eyes to return back to slumber. Displaying her full trust to Soma while she was in such a vulnerable position.
"Thank you..."
*** Day 4 ***
Umiko sat on the bench of the lower floor of the Entrance, back up straight, waiting for her orders to be processed at the Mission Desk. Her God Arc lied safe in her room while she stood on stand-by. Licca had come up on the floor through the stairway, causing Umiko to turn to her at the sound of the stairway door opening. Licca flinched as her eyes met up with Umiko's, backing away from her on instinct.
"There's no need to fear." Umiko said to her, turning her head back to look forward. "You are not threatening my God Arc, I have no need to harm you."
"Why... would you be so rough with me in the first place?" Licca questioned to her, only slightly letting her guard down, still upset about days before. The wound had healed, but the mental mark was still there. "Even if I was trying to take your God Arc from you, I'm a non-fighter. You should've at least shown some restraint."
"You are mistaken, ma'am. I was softer with you than the last few Engineers that tried to take my God Arc from me. Most of them had broken arms and the others were placed under medical care for weeks. For reasons unknown to me, I had held back on you."
"!" Licca was shocked by Umiko's strong opposition about letting others handle her God Arc. She had found herself coming closer to Umiko due to the non-threatening presence. "Why are you so opposing to letting others take care of your God Arc? Why are you so protective?!"
"..." Umiko continued to stare ahead of her, before finally looking down at her hands which were resting on her legs. Slightly lifting up her hands, palms up, she looked as she clinched and unclenched her fingers. "Because... it's all I have."
"?"
"One day I just awoken in a tube. No memories, no life, nothing... All I had in my lonely, void of a world was a handful of memories and my God Arc. And I will never let them go as long as I draw breath."
"..."
"I have a brother, you know."
"?!"
"Twin actually, I came to be before him. How we came to be, I do not know. For all I know, we were born inside of tubes, created by mankind simply to fight." Umiko continued on. "We've been tested and experimented on since the day we have awoken and our memories began to form again. All that remained untouched was our God Arcs. It was already too late for my brother and I, but we sure as hell would not allow them to experiment on our partners in combat. Nobody was coming near our God Arcs, no scientist or engineers, we would be provided the knowledge to take care of them on our own."
"!" Licca was nearly driven to tears, how could she not comprehend the extent of Umiko's amnesia? How could she be so inconsiderate to approach her the way she did that time days past. Of course Umiko would lash out on her, a stranger was trying to take one of the remaining things she had left in her hollowed world. "I'm so sorry..."
"?" Umiko tilted her head and looked at Licca as she sat down beside Umiko. Licca restrained herself from hugging Umiko like she use to do, that would probably be too much for her to handle so suddenly.
"Forgive me, I had no idea how much your God Arc truly meant to you that day. I work with God Arcs on a daily bases and I understand your fondness. I shouldn't have ignored your request like that."
"It's alright. I'm just glad you weren't really hurt, Miss...?"
"Licca, just call me Licca."
"Licca..." Umiko said, rolling the name on her tongue. She began to smile at Licca who returned the gesture with ten times the enthusiasm. "I like that name..."
*** Day 5 ***
The twilight sun blanketed the Forgotten Carrier with its orange glow. Basking the God Eaters there with its warm kiss. Kota and Alisa were just relaxing in its light after a long and hard mission. The Frost Fallen Gboro and Fierce Kongou were no trouble, but that Spark Fallen Borg Camlann kept them on their feet. The blasted thing just keep running away, the whole mission was more of a marathon than a fight.
Kota and Alisa caught their breath on the broken uplift on the bridge where they sat, while Umiko and Soma stayed more toward the edge. Soma mostly stayed by the edge in concern for Umiko, she had that look on her face as if she was begging to jump into the water. Umiko just stood at the edge, watching the ocean afar as the sky's colors painted its moving water. It had been so long since she'd had a swim, she longed for the cool feel of water on her skin besides the rain and her time in the shower.
"Alright guys, we should start heading back now." Kota suggested, getting back up on his feet. "It'd probably be best if we made it to the Den before dark."
"Yes I agree." Alisa concurred with him while getting up on her feet, she looked towards the others and called out to them. "Hey you two, we'd best head back now!"
"..." But Umiko didn't budge.
"Umiko?" Soma called to her.
"Why don't you guys go ahead, I think I'm going to take a dip for awhile." Umiko finally spoke.
"Out of the question." Soma growled back to her. "We move as group and that's final."
"Aw, come on, lighten up Soma." Umiko groaned at him, sounding like the girl she use to be. Soma blush at her use of his name, how it now held a familiarity to it as she spoke that he hadn't heard in a long time from her. "Where's your sense of fun?"
"It sure as hell isn't out here, woman." Soma teased back with crossed arms, grinning at her as an angry pout came over her face.
"Why don't we go ahead." Kota suggested to the two as he began to push Alisa with him from behind, toward the Starting Point. "You two go on and have fun then catch up with us when you're done."
"What are you doing?!" Alisa angrily whispered back at Kota behind her. Practically hissing the question to him.
"Let's leave them alone. I think they might be able to help each other open up again." Kota whispered back to her as he continue to push.
"... Alright I see your point." Alisa conceded to his plan. "But stop pushing me! I can walk on my own!"
Kota lightly laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his head as they continued on toward the Starting Point. Leaving Soma and Umiko alone on the bridge.
"Umiko." Soma said warningly.
"Soma." She shot back to him in the same tone.
"..."
"What are you afraid of? The water isn't going to bite." Umiko teased to him. "Unless you count the chill."
"Nrr."
"Fine, suit yourself, I'm going in." Umiko huffed at him, turning back to the water as she jumped.
"!" Startled by her jump, Soma reached out to her on instinct. Grabbing her in mid air as they fell, he held her tightly as they breached the water. Resurfacing, they took in a heavy dose of air while Soma still continued to hold her as they floated.
"Hey. You ruined my dive, you clinger." Umiko pouted.
"That was stupid." Soma growled.
"Yeah on record it was. But admit it, you had fun."
"Hmph."
"We still have time before the sun goes down. Come on, let's swim a little." Umiko pleaded as she pushed herself out of Soma's grip.
"Tst, fine." Soma gave in, unable to resist her when the sunlight danced on her wet raven hair and droplets of water dripped down from her.
*** Day 6 ***
Umiko had just left from the Director's office after Tsubaki had gotten done discussing with her about her work performance. She was heading to the elevator to return to her room for the rest of the day. Possibly read a book with her spare time. It was there that Dr. Sakaki had crossed paths with her. She was ready to salute her temporary Director when he bumped into her.
"Tell me? Are you one full of curiosity?"
"?" But before she could answer or ask him anything he walked away. Locking himself behind his Director's door. Sliding her foot as she turned back around to the elevator, she felt something kick on her boot. Looking down, she saw that it was one of those file storage disc for the Terminal.
It stated that it was the property of Dr. Sakaki and should be returned once found. He seemed to be busy at the moment so she'd have to come back another time. The disc also said not to watch under any circumstance, however he did ask her if she had curiosity. Did he actually want her to see it? Was this some kind of test?
Perhaps the answer will reveal itself to her in time, until then she would respect the wishes of the note and leave the disc be until it was returned to its rightful owner.
*** Back at Finland Branch ***
The Dark First Unit were out on a mission. Pupils accompanied by their Teacher on this rare occasion out on the field, much to Iida's joy. The target had been obliterated, leaving them to wonder and scout the ruin city as the White First Unit still functioned the same without their Leader, but they still missed her. Sora, however, was the one who bared the weight of the craving to see his sister again. He wished for her return, and grew saddened each day he'd wake up to find her Test tube empty.
"Oh, don't be sad Sensei. I'm sure Umiko-sempai will return to the Branch shortly." Iida comforted to Sora, trying to cheer him up.
"..."
"Admit it, Iida. You miss her too." Rafael teased. Alik chuckled at Iida's vexation from that comment and decided to join in on the fun.
"It must be lonely having no rival to go up against. Right, comrade?" Alik said in her deep Russian accent.
"Oh Shut Up!" Iida angrily pouted. "I'm grateful to get a break from that brick of a Senpai. However, it has been getting pretty quiet around here without her."
Iida quietly mumble that last part with a blush as her other two peers began to chuckle at her antics. Of course she missed her rival, Umiko's presence made Sora happy and that's all the reason she needed to having her around. And besides she was slowly starting to like Umiko since she started coming out of her stoic shell.
"We've completed our mission, let's move out and report back to the Branch."
"Yes Sir!" "Yes Sora Sensei!" His pupils saluted, happy to be able to go back and get some chow.
"What's this, the Dark King without his Wonder Twin? Have you lost the White Queen?" Came a foreign voice from the rumble behind them. The team turned toward the voice, getting their guard up.
"You!" Sora growled at the stranger, recognizing him. He was the rouge Gods Eater from before. This guy shot his sister and he still had the audacity to sit on the rumble above them without a care.
"Ah, you remember me. I'm touched." The rouge taunted. "But I do believe I failed to introduce myself last time. The name's Silva, try to remember it."
"!" Sora had recognize that name from the files. He was one of the New-Types from the America HQ Branch, a living legend to most on the West Coast. Why he went rouge Sora could not fathom.
"Sorry about your sister last time." Silva legitimately apologized. "That bullet was not meant for her."
"Bastard!" Sora roared at him, charging at him with slitted pupils as he was going into a Blood Rage.
"Oh, I angered you did I?" Silva mocked to him with a smirk. Blocking Sora's God Arc with his, feeling confident, but that slowly went down the drain when Sora turned on the chainsaw effect of his God Arc with a demon look in his eyes. "Whoa, you really are angry."
"You dare come to me and mock my sister and Director! You've taken me far too lightly!" Sora growled as him as he pressed his God Arcs rolling chains closer to Silva.
"Oh course I haven't taken you lightly." Silva grunted at Sora, looking at Sora with his one eye as he held him back. "That's why I didn't come alone."
"!" Sora eyes widened as a shot impaled itself in his back. A strange sense of drowsiness came over him. Investigating the foreign intrusion in his body, he saw that he was shot with a large tranquilizing needle. Following the projectile angle he saw that the shot came from gunner Gods Eater hiding off behind a tumbled building broken in two. He was of African descent with his onyx short hair tied in a wild ponytail and deep brown eyes. He wore a black vest with a red under shirt and black jeans.
"Woo! Nailed it!" The man fist pumped.
"Nice shot, Jake!" Sora's head shot back to the opponent in front of him. How could he have been so careless as to be distracted from the threats around him?
"!" Sora felt as Silva's God Arc changed into gun-mode, leaving the barrel now aimed under his chin.
"Time for you to go to sleep." Was the last thing Sora heard as Silva shot a tranquilizer right into Sora's chin. It must have been a heavy dosage, Sora couldn't resist the call of slumber's darkness. Silva caught Sora as he went limp into Silva's arms. "Sweet dreams."
"Leader!" Sora's team shouted as they went to recover their teacher. But a giant boomerang stop them half way as it circled by them and returned back to its owner. A female of possible Chinese descent with long black hair with red lighting put in a long pony tail on the side of her head. She had a strange God Arc the like of which none of them had ever seen before. Her red uniform top did little to cover her black panties and long black socks and leather boots.
"Get'em out of here. Edgar and I've got you covered." She called out to Silva, her hazel brown eyes sparkling in the light.
"Thanks Mizuki." Silva called out to her, haling Sora on his back as he began to run off.
"Sora! Give him back!" Iida shouted at Silva as she charged after her Leader when a Lance wielding Gods Eater jumped down in her way. "Damn you, get out of my way!"
"My apologies ma'am." The Lancer Gods Eater apologized to her while pushing up his glasses back up to his blue eyes. His blue eyes matched the same blue hue of his black and blue shirt that had a sparrow tail in the backside. It flapped in the wind with his short spiky golden hair, and contrasted with his black pants. He got in a fighting stance as he blocked Iida's path. "But I'm afraid I cannot let you pass."
"Grr, I don't have time for this!" Iida growled at him as she charged at him with her God Arc, while Alik was occupied by Mizuki and Rafael with Jake. What infuriated her was the fact he didn't fight back. This Edgar simply dodged and parried her strikes refraining himself like a gentleman to a lady. "Ugh! If you're not going to fight then move!"
"I'll have to deny your request, ma'am." Edgar said, parrying another one of her strikes. The sound of tires screeching in the distance rang out and came closer. "You are strong, ma'am, I'll give you that. But your enhancements have given you a vital flaw."
"?"
"You can't take a Stun Grenade."
"!" Iida couldn't move fast enough to block her eyes from the grenade's blinding light. It's light shot out, blinding Alik and Rafael as well. The screeching sound of tires came to a stop as Silva rolled into the area in a Jeep. Sora rested unconsciously, buckled up in the middle back seat.
"Guys, get in!" Silva called out to his team. They rushed into the Jeep as the others began to recover from their stun.
"Ugh... that burned." Iida moaned as her eyes readjusted to the light. Alarm and panic came over her as she saw them drive off with her Leader. "Sora! They're taking the Dark King!"
They used their enhanced strength to keep up with the Jeep. Iida fired at its wheels, trying to bring it to a stop. But the blasted Jeep was evasive, always taking sharp turns to throw them off. They were stronger than most God Eaters, but they still had a finite amount of stamina. Soon they found themselves tired and the Jeep getting further and further away.
"(Huff) It's no use... we can't reach them..." Rafael said out of breath. All they could do was watch as their Leader went MIA.
"No..." Iida cried out. "SORA!"
*** Author's Notes ***
All characters from God Eater - Kyuuseishu no Kikan manga belong to Bandai Namco and do not belong to me. However, the main protagonists and their pupils are mine... HA!
