Beware the human who doesn't have much to lose. Because once they lose that they will bring down hell.
Falling to Pieces
~(*)~
Gods Eater: Sora -
Code Name: No. 1
Gods Eater Type: Old-Type Long Blader
Current Status: MIA
~(*)~
*** Day 7 ***
It was a slow day in the Far East Branch, Umiko had let Akutenshi move around in his humanoid form. She lounged on the Entrance's lower Floor's benches, leaning on Akutenshi as she read a book that she had brought with her from the Finland Branch. She had slowly adjusted to the other God Eaters in the Branch, as they slowly eased into her changes and worked to win over her trust again.
Soma had walked onto the Floor, bored and with unlimited free time that day. Soma had just wondered around the Den with his hands in his pockets when he found himself on the Entrance Floor. That's when he spotted her, leaning her back onto Akutenshi's side as she read a book. Even when his mind wondered Soma still found himself moving toward Umiko, the whole concept was so damn frustrating to him and yet fascinating.
"Why hello there, Soma." Umiko greeted him without lifted her head from her book. "And what brings you here today?"
"... Just walking around." Soma grunted, keeping his eyes on Akutenshi. The God Arc had settled down since the months that went by. Sure he would still send warning eyes toward Soma and never truly let his guard down around him, but he was no longer openly attacking him. Apparently Soma was helping restore Umiko back to the way she was and that was all that mattered to Akutenshi. And in his own way... Soma was making her feel... happy. It has been so long since Umiko openly express herself like that around others before. Even if it had to be that damn Soma, as long as she was happy he didn't mind. Akutenshi just sucked up his aggression toward Soma and let it all out with a huff and diverted his eyes. "What are you two up to?"
"Just chill'n with the flow." She said before leaning back into Akutenshi. "Isn't that right, Aku?"
"Hmph..." Akutenshi grunted out, refusing to look at Soma.
"Ugh, what is up with you two's contempt towards each other?" Umiko moaned out in complaint. "It's irrational and uncalled for."
"..." Akutenshi and Soma silently stared at her with a raised eyebrow. Saying nothing of the past offenses no longer known to her. But she remain oblivious to their antics, keeping her eyes on her book as she turned the page.
"What are you reading?" Soma asked, noticing the large width of the book while also wishing to change the subject. He also yearned to find a way to make her look at him when they're talking, he hated the feeling of being ignored by her.
"Legends Around the World." Umiko answered, finally looking away from her book to look at him. "It's suppose to be a collections of stories categorized by the cultures they came from, all around the world. Roisin let me borrow it."
"Is that right?... Is it any good?"
"Yeah. It's fascinating how some cultures will have more stories than others. Or how some stories are similar to others in another culture. Makes it seem like the world is connected by a chain of legends, no matter how far one nation is separated from another."
"Hmph, how poetic of you. Which story are you reading about now?"
"... The legend of the Three Rulers."
"!"
"I don't know why, but... something about this story speaks to me." Umiko struggled to explain. "I can't help but feel sorry for the Ocean Queen. How much pain she must have felt by being rejected of love. How cruel it must have been for her to constantly watch the Earth and the Sky flaunt their love, while she was force with nothing. How lonely she must have been..."
"..."
"Why must the sea be forced to suffer, Soma?" Umiko looked up to him with sad curiosity in her eyes, pleading with him for an answer.
"... Because we need her tears to live."
"Because we need her tears...?" Umiko pondered his answer. "But... couldn't we also survive with just her happy tears?"
"Our world is too repulsive to work like that. As children of earth we sustain ourselves by taking her resources, regardless of the pain she suffers." Soma hissed off in sadness, mostly talking about himself than the legend. Clinching his fists in his pockets as he continued. "Children of the earth carelessly hurt the Ocean just like the Earth Queen did long ago, even the children of the ocean."
"That's... really sad." Umiko said, bringing her legs up to her chests to embrace them.
"Yeah, I know..." There he goes again, even without trying Soma made her sad. Sometimes Soma wondered if he enjoyed causing her pain. What the hell was wrong with him?
"Alright, I think we've had enough of the melancholy." Akutenshi stated, speaking out for the first time and breaking the two out of their gloom. "Umiko, perhaps it would be best if you put the book down for now. A good video from the Terminal ought to cheer you up, I'm sure you have something to watch in your room."
"Hm... maybe you're right." Umiko got up, closing her book. "Thanks Aku, I think I'll do just that."
"..." Akutenshi waited until Umiko disappeared inside the elevator before facing Soma with a livid face. "Don't ever force your guilt on her like that again."
"!"
"I tolerate you, because you seem to be making her happy." Akutenshi informed Soma as he got up from his seat and headed for the stairway. "Anything else is unforgivable. You've wronged her in the past, don't ever hurt her again."
"..." Soma couldn't counter Akutenshi as he told him off, because the God Arc was right. Man what a handful, when did he start carrying so much baggage?
Meanwhile, down on the Veteran's Floor, Umiko had finally made it back to her room. Placing the book on top of the desk beside her bed, she decided to go over to her Terminal and watch some videos. Scrolling through the database, she couldn't find anything she wanted to watch. Then, as if taunting her, she turned her head around to look at the disk sitting on her coffee table. It was like it was calling to her to read its files, to see what it had to offer.
She had waited for a while to receive a sign whether or not she should look into the disk. Her mind had given her an answer, and she would follow through. Walking over to her coffee table she picked up the disk. Taking it back to the Terminal, she put it in and clicked on the first video to pop up. Watching as the video played on.
*** Day 8 ***
Garland was slightly frustrated that one of his finest soldiers got 'abducted' by four rouge God Eaters while out on a normal mission. Two days have passed and none of the Search Parties could come up with anything. This was madness. Or, perhaps... this was planned.
"Sir, both First Units have been searching and still no signs of No. 1." One of the Branch's scientist informed to Director Garland. "Perhaps we should call No. 2 back to aid the search."
"No, not yet." Garland responded, crossing his fingers with arms resting on his desk as his chin rested on his hands. "This calls for drastic measures."
"Sir?"
"Ready the new core dosage." Garland smirked. "I'll bring No. 2 home once it's prepared."
*** Day 9 ***
Dr. Sakaki was busying himself with minor experiments as he waited for his plan to play out. Umiko's stubborn nature still thrived, but in a different way. She refused to disobey orders, and yet her curiosity still compelled her to hold on to the disk. Sooner or later she is bound to give in to her inquiring and watch the disc, she just had to break through her experimental programming. His friend in the shadows had already acquired Sora, all needed to do now is to prepare Umiko as much as possible for her turn.
A big slam of his door bursting open rang out in his laboratory as Soma stormed in, with the others from the First Unit following in behind him.
"Hey guys, what's with all the commotion?" Dr. Sakaki asked them with his usual fox-grin.
"We have a little problem, Doc." Soma angrily grunted, roughly dropping down on the lab's couch with a huff as he crossed his arms.
"?"
"Umiko has been acting strange lately." Sakuya further explained. "We were finally making progress with her, Umiko was opening up to us and then suddenly it all stopped."
"What do you mean?"
"She just started acting more distant with us since yesterday." Alisa explained. "And now she rarely leaves her room."
"Any idea what's going on Doc?" Kota asked.
"What makes you think I would know?"
"Because whenever Umiko starts to act strange, you're always there to play a role." Soma stated slightly peeved.
"Or you." Lindow lightly mumbled.
"Not now, Lindow." Sakuya elbowed him as she whispered.
"You wound me, Soma." Dr. Sakaki said dramatically as he playfully acted sad, holding his hands over his heart. "I'd hoped you would think better of me after all this time."
"Tst, no matter how much time passes by you will always be a conniving, sneaky jerk." Soma retorted. "However, I can tolerate you more than I did my old man."
"Ouch." A sweat drop went down on Dr. Sakaki's head. "As much as that stings, you may be right about this one."
"So you do have something to do with this." Sakuya pushed at him to go on.
"Perhaps..."
The door slammed opened again, this time with Umiko storming in. Her face was stoic, but a bottled up fury still found its way to surface on her face.
"Umiko, what's got you all fired up?" Dr. Sakaki wondered as she marched up to him, at the computer screens. She saluted him before handing Dr. Sakaki the disc. "Oh, my disc! So you've found it, thank you so much! Needless to say you didn't watch it did you? I'm sorry to ask but the contents contained to it are extremely important."
"Yes, I did watch it."
"!" She was so open, she didn't even try to cover her tracks. This was not like her at all, or at least... what she use to be.
"I'm sorry for the infiltration, Director Sakaki, I should not have broken proto-call. But I thought this was some kind of test, it seemed like you were asking me to watch it."
"I see... and how much did you watch?"
"Everything, Sir. Your illegal smuggling of an Aragami into the Den, your documentation of yours and most of the First Unit's daily interaction with said human-like Aragami."
"!" The others gasped. Dr. Sakaki had exposed Umiko to videos of Shio. Wait... he had videos of Shio?
"Your actions would be considered a crime against Fenrir. However, since the case has been covered by HQ, I can assume we are to turn the other cheek."
"Is there more?" Dr. Sakaki insisted, trying to get Umiko to acknowledge her part in the videos.
"Yes..."
"Tell me, Umiko. How did it make you... feel? What do you think about what you saw?"
"To be honest, Sir... aside from Mr. Amamiya..." They all stood on the edge of their seats, waiting for her answer. "I think you're all a bunch of dicks."
"!" That was not the answer they were expecting nor the one they were hoping for.
"Frankly, I was disturbed that there was another individual that had a resemblance to me, now I understand why you all behave like you know me. But over time as I continued to watch I began to feel sorry for her." Umiko explained. "The individual seemed to be singled out, used, and discarded. Especially by you, Director Sakaki. I admit Director Garland uses me and Sora, but at least he's honest and straightforward about it."
"!"
"She seemed to have affection for you, Soma." Umiko looked Soma straight in the eyes, it took all his will power to keep in that gasp as his face burned red and his eyes shot wide open. "But she always came in second place to the Aragami girl, Shio. And that did not sit well with her, whenever you'd turn to look away her face would sadden and fall. At one point in the video she almost started to cry."
"!" It hurt Soma worse when she threw it in his face. As stoic as she was now, Umiko was able to detect emotions that Soma could not, even when he was directly there.
"You guys weren't any better." Umiko accused, pointing at Alisa, Kota, and Sakuya. "You all looked at her suffering in pity, and did nothing to comfort her. I found it strange that you all kept calling her your friend yet you left her hanging, friends don't do that."
"Umiko..."
"If it's alright Mrs. Amamiya, after watching those videos I think I'd prefer to be called No. 2 from now on. The name Umiko just has a terrible ring to me now."
"You're Umiko Yukino, why can't you see that?"
"No, Mr. Schicksal." Umiko denied. "I am No. 2. And I wouldn't have it any other way. The young woman in those videos was weak and broken, I have no affiliation with her."
"For heaven's sake, you're Umiko Yukino!" Kota insisted to her. "You use to work in this Branch as the First Unit Leader! We use to go on missions and watch Burgurally together! You love that nasty First Love Juice!"
"... I'm going to need better proof than that." Umiko said coldly at Kota while crossing her arms under her chests. She was growing tired of being these peoples' replacement for a person that was gone. "Anybody can simply say something and expect since I have no memories of my past that I'd just believe it. For all I know I could just be a copy of this Umiko Yukino, created deep within secret labs of Fenrir. Do you have any documenting proof that I worked here?"
"!" Damn, she had Dr. Sakaki there. Garland and went through their systems and deleted all data concerning Umiko. There was nothing they could put on the table for her.
"That's what I thought." Umiko said before turning away from them to face the door. "I know who I am. It appears to that you don't. So let me say it to you one last time: I am No. 2, I will remove all obstacles in my path as I continue with my main mission. And I will continue to diligently serve this Branch until my Director calls me back."
Once she was done, Umiko walked toward the door. Heading out that door, along with their chance of getting her memory back naturally. Dr. Sakaki had one more card up his sleeve that he didn't want to use, but at this point in his plan he had no choice.
"Wait!" Dr. Sakaki called out to her, as her Acting Director she had no choice but to obey. She stopped mid step out of the door. "What if I give you proof that you were born in this Branch's Outer Ghettos? What if I show you your mother?"
"!" All of them turned toward Dr. Sakaki at his accusation. Of course he would have that information, being the Director with everyone's file he would remember that little detail about hers. The others were starting to feel like jerks for not taking the time to get to know Umiko, they didn't even know she had a twin younger brother. Umiko turned her head back toward Dr. Sakaki with a serious look in her eyes.
"You best not be joking, Dr. Sakaki." Umiko said frigidly. "Director or not, I do not take jests like this lightly."
"This is not a joke." Dr. Sakaki insisted. "I can take you to her right now if you want."
"... Show me."
*** Outer Ghetto: Sector L7 ***
Dr. Sakaki had lead the First Unit out into the Outer Ghetto where they based themselves on top of a Quick-mart roof to observe Umiko's old house. The place was a wreck, either Umiko's mother let the house go or Umiko and Sora grew up in a rough life. Even Kota lived in a better house than that. And that's when they saw her...
Taiyoko Yukino, the woman had let herself go in grief. Her once straight raven hair that shined in the sun was now uncombed and lost its slick. Her skin had become a sickly pale. She should have been provided food rations from Fenrir and yet she was so thin it looked like she had barely eaten in days. But her eyes... her blue eyes were so hollow. Far worse than Umiko's ever were, her eyes reflected the soul of a broken spirit. She brainlessly swept her front porch, void of the world and everything around her. Mrs. Yukino was not a pretty sight to see, the others could barely fight the overwhelming will to turn there head away from her. It felt like they were doing her wrong by looking at her while she was in such a run-down state.
But Umiko couldn't look away from her, her crimson eyes stared at her hollow blues. The others thought that Umiko was recollecting her. They say that the bond between mother and child is one of the strongest bonds you can find. But they were mistaken when Umiko finally spoke...
"You are a cruel man, Dr. Sakaki." Umiko practically growled while still looking at Taiyoko. "Do you take pleasure in toying with people and giving them false hope? I warned you not to joke with me."
"Umiko, I swear to you, this is your mother."
"No..." Umiko sadly replied. "I see a broken woman who has lost everything because of Fenrir's inability to defend. I see a woman that as a Gods Eater I have failed to protect. And I must fight harder to repent for her agony and so that her sacrifice will not be in vain."
"Umiko, if you just go down to her, she can tell you herself that she is your mother."
"What sadistic words you speak."
"?!"
"I am not that woman's daughter, nor is Sora her son. Going to her now would just tear her apart. Playing with that woman's heart strings by flaunting me in front of her like I'm her child then breaking them once I tell her I don't know her."
"!"
"It's not just me you're damaging now, it's her." Umiko said bitterly. "And I shall have no part in this."
Umiko stormed off, jumping from roof to roof back to the Den, with no need to wait for a Chopper pick-up. In the end, Umiko spoke the truth. At that moment she wasn't Mrs. Yukino's daughter, to show her Umiko in the state she was in now would be like making Mrs. Yukino relive losing her again. Dr. Sakaki's plan had backfired on him. He had gambled all that he had on a wild card, and the House took the prize.
*** Day 10 ***
Sora had been kept drugged and tranquilized for what he believed to be several days now. They refused to unbind him at any point, forcing him to receive his nutrition from an IV and to piss in a pan. They kept him in the dark, placing a bag over his head, leaving him with no recollection of where he was. His heightened senses could only help pick up that he had traveled a couple miles on Jeep, boarded a Chopper that mostly crossed the Pacific Ocean, landed on another continent, and travelled by Jeep the rest of the way while only taking a few amount of rest stops. But his senses failed to detect the direction or continent that he was on.
After a long distance of travel they dragged him into a facility and took him down in the basement, where they had him tied to a chair for two days. No... it wasn't a chair. Judging by the cold feeling of metal tickling his back, Sora would say that he was on one of those old experiment tables. Strapped down with leather straps near his shoulders, waist, and legs. And then tied down again by steel chains, for extra precaution. Who ever had taken him had been preparing for him.
The bag had been taken off his head long after he had been strapped to the experiment table while in one of his periodical induced slumbers. He was stood up on the bed, slightly tilted back. The room was a darkened place, all he had was his hearing and smell. He was left alone in the silence of the room, nothing spoke except the dripping of a water pipe. The smell of mildew began to reach his nostrils as it grew from the tiny puddle. A cold air blew in to the room from outside, and the birds were starting to sing. Judging from that info it must be early sunrise.
Sora had no strength to struggle as the tranquilizers still played an effect. But his immunity was stronger than most, each dosage they gave him had to be stronger than the last or given periodically as his body began to rebuff the tranquilizers. Even so, it would take awhile for his strength to return. And if he did manage to escape, where would he run in this foreign location? Who would he contact? They've taken his communicator and disengaged his tracking device on his armlet. But that wasn't important to him now, what matter to him most was what have they done to his God Arc.
He began to turn his head wildly, searching for his Kaminari. Relief flushed over him as he spotted her on a God Arc Hangar, stationed beside him. Just as he was analyzing his situation, Sora heard the sounds of the basement doors creaking and the sound of multiple footsteps echoing off the wall. He had recognized the heavy steps of the God Eaters that abducted him, but the light step of boots were a new one to him.
"I see that you are conscious, Sora. But you're still unable to move."
"!" That voice! He knew that voice, it was one of the first one's he had heard since he awoken from his dark slumber. "Dr. Rumiko?"
"That's right. I'm happy to see that you remember me, Sora." She smiled at him as she pulled the switch to turn on the rooms head light.
"Why? Why are you doing this?" He tiredly asked, fighting the new wave of drowsiness that was coming over him due to the tranquilizers.
"To save you."
"I don't recall asking to be saved, ma'am."
"You don't even know that you need to be saved."
"And you do?"
"You don't understand, Sora." Dr. Rumiko insisted to him. "Director Garland is using you. Toying with you like a puppet as he benefits himself by experimenting on you, regardless of the side-effects."
"Of course I know that, I've known that from the start. But that is my purpose. I am a tool, meant to protect and preserve mankind's place on top of the food chain."
"Even your sister?" Dr. Rumiko tried to reason with him. "For heaven's sake, he made you hide your sister from the fact that she was gathered and did once work for another Branch."
"He said it was to protect her." Sora responded, voice slightly softening at the mention of Umiko. "He said that the Branch she was stationed at was hurting her badly, and that it would be better if those memories were not recollected."
"And you believed him?" Dr. Rumiko mockingly jeered.
"How could I not believe him when the first time I see my sister her face was twisted in pain, her eyes were blood shot, and tears soaked into her cheeks?!" Sora growled at her, despising the tone she was using toward him.
"!" This was an unforeseen development, last time she'd check both of the twins showed no signs of being able to use or be able to concept emotions. But now that she looked at Sora, he had regain his own individuality. Though his personality had returned in tack, his memories were still lacking. "Needless to say, your father would have wanted a better life for you both than this."
"What do you know about me? I don't have a father."
"!" His words wounded her.
"Nor a mother. All I have is a sister, who will be hell to pay once she finds out I'm missing." Sora continued on, smirking at the thought of his sister tearing this place apart in order to find him just as he would for her.
"Oh we won't have to worry about that for awhile." Dr. Rumiko informed as Sora's smirk began to falter. "I have a friend keeping her occupied until we're done with you. Then we can move on to treating her next."
"What do you plan on doing to us?!" Sora roared at her, rage starting to build up his strength at the thought of them experimenting on his sister as well.
"Just a simple needle shot." She said, pulling a needle with blue glowing liquid out of her labor pantsuit. "This injection should act as white blood cells in your brain, killing off all the bad Oracle Cells."
"So you're destroying us from the inside?!" Sora shouted as his eyes widened at his conclusion. "You traitor! You helped create us!"
"Yes." Dr. Rumiko simply answered as she moved in closer to him. "And now I'm going to set things right... for Mitsutsuki's sake."
"No!" Sora roared as he began to struggle against his binds, his pupils slitted as he forced on a Blood Rage. "No, I refuse to go out like this!"
"Hold him down!" Mizuki ordered as she noticed that his struggles were actually making progress.
Jake and Edgar went to hold down each of his shoulders and arms, while Silva held down his head so he didn't try to take a bite of Dr. Rumiko as she came in with the needle. Sora's God Arc pulsated at the struggles of her partner as he growled and roared out in resistance. But the tranquilizers were still in effect, he was strong but nothing compared to what he normally was. Sora's eyes widened in fear as Dr. Rumiko position the needle onto his neck.
"No!" Sora shouted, almost pleading as she injected the strange liquid into his system. With the last of his strength he cried out on last time. "UMIKOOOOOO!"
~(*)~
Umiko's eyes shot open as she bolted upright on her bed. Her heart was bounding like crazy, her body was shaking... something was wrong.
She shot out of bed, dressing in her custom-made bodysuit in five seconds. Grabbing her God Arc as she ran out of her room. Unwilling to waste time waiting on the elevator she made a run for the stairs, heading for the Entrance. Her entrance onto the Floor was not graceful nor was it calm, it was frantic.
Umiko rushed to Hibari's desk, slightly startling the poor operator as she rushed out her question.
"What is the status of Finland's Gods Eater Sora?" She huffed out to Hibari.
"?" Such a weird question to be panicked over. "You'll have to give me more information, at least a last name."
"His name is Sora." Umiko stated, signifying that that was the only name he had.
"That's still not much to work on, Umiko." Hibari hesitatingly replied. "Besides, I'm not authorized to look through other Branches database. Restrictions may be established."
"Just look for me, please!" Umiko insisted as her eyes started to get watery with concern she had no idea where it was coming from. "Sora! If that doesn't work his codename is No. 1! He has black hair and red eyes and he looks a lot like ME!"
"!" Her loud voice was starting to alarm the early risers on the Floor. "I-I'll see what I can find."
Hibari typed through the main frame locating the Finland Section of the Fenrir Branches database. Most was locked for her, except for the basic information of the Branch's God Eaters, a requirement to all Branches in order to keep track of their fighters and used for doubling-checking for transfers. She had looked long and hard through Finland's God Eaters list until she finally made it to the First Units' info.
"Got'em, Sora, No. 1. Old Type Long Blader." Hibari said, reading off the list. Getting relieved as Umiko calmed down at the reading of his file. But then panic came over Hibari as she hesitated to read the last line. "Current Status... MIA."
"... Missing... In Action?" Umiko's voice squeaked as the news sunk in. She began to shake in her placed and looked down to the floor, hugging herself as her eyes started to water more.
"It says on his file that he was taken by rouge God Eaters while on a mission with his team. Search Missions are still in progress." Hibari informed, knowing that Umiko had a right to know the details. The two of them must have been really close, from what she heard from Licca this might possibly be Umiko's brother. "I'm so sorry, Umiko..."
"..." Umiko's eyes became blank as her face froze in grief. "... I have to go..."
"Go? Go where?"
"I have to go look for him..." Umiko said as if she was just going to walk out of the Den and swim over to Finland.
"No. I'm sorry Umiko, but you're registered to remain in this Branch."
"I must go look for my brother, he's waiting for me." Her voice began to get more solid.
"Your orders are to remain here." Hibari firmly stated, trying to keep Umiko from doing anything rash.
"THEN GIVE ME A MISSION TO DISTRACT ME FROM THIS PAIN!" Umiko roared at Hibari, with pupils starting to slit. Hibari had jumped back in a moments fright, but the tears desperately trying to escape Umiko's eyes told Hibari that Umiko wasn't mad... she was hurt. The poor thing refused to let out her tears inside the Den, she always felt like it showed weakness to others when she had to remain strong as a Leader... that part about her never changed.
"There's... some Prithvi Matas activity along with a Dyaus Pita have been detected in The City of Mercy." Hibari quickly detailed. "They're quite dangerous, but... I think you can handle them on you own."
"..." Umiko nodded to her, before dashing off to the Mission Elevator to get out of there. Screw the Chopper, she could get to the targets' location just as fast on foot with the rage she was feeling right now.
*** The City of Mercy ***
She jumped into the open area of the sector from the building far off with a giant hole in its center, landing on one knee... right in the middle of the Dyaus Pita and its Pride. She limply rose to her feet, hanging her upper body low as her God Arc dragged on the ground.
The Aragami roared in glee at the meal that fell from the sky. Umiko payed them no mind as she slowly lifted her body upright.
"What I had in me... in the mind was you." She whispered aloud to herself. Suddenly lifting upright, shouting to herself as the Aragami leaped at her all at once. "I would die to be with you!"
She took a bite out of the Dyaus Pita that was charging right in front of her, going instantly into Blood Rage. The shock of the burst shot the Aragami back as her wings sprouted out and her pupils slitted. Her eyes began to glow and her legs began to turn into tentacles... she was going through her transformation. She shot into the air, a storm cloud gathered around her and twisted above her head. She began shooting down Divine bolts at the Aragami, destroying the ones it hit along with its surrounding area.
"All those nights I prayed... must this all be a truth?" She started to cry, the tears gently rolled off her cheeks as she continued to play target-practice with the Aragami. "I just can't believe... I am losing you!"
Realizing this was a losing battle, once a bolt struck down the Pride's Dyaus Pita. The remaining Prithvi Matas began to flea. But Umiko wouldn't have that as the tears began to pour out of her. Through it all, never letting go of her God Arc.
"ALL I HAVE IS YOU!" She cried out as her strikes became for violent. Thunder roared in the cloud above her. "All I needed was you! HOW COULD I LOSE YOU!"
She had taken out the stray Prithvi Mata and now flew to descent toward a group that stayed together. Rage, pain, and fear all consuming her as she faced them. Cornered, they decided to face her head on as she landed on the ground. Pouncing as Umiko's head was lowered, claws ready to strike as Umiko lifted her head and cried out.
"I AM LOST IN PAIN WITHOUT YOU!" Teeth sharpened inside her as she faced the Prithvi Matas. "SORAAA!"
*** Back at the Den ***
Soma had a lousy night after the little altercation with Umiko the other day. Not only had Fenrir single-handily help destroy the life of both Umiko and Sora, it had also destroyed her mother's as well. Take out the dad and they'd have the whole Family Set. Sometimes Soma wondered who was more of the bad guy, them or the Aragami?
He had lazily made his way to the elevator to head for the Entrance to get his missions. The smooth ride on the elevator slowly starting lulling him back to sleep. The sound of the elevator doors opening again shook him awake again as he walked off onto the Floor. But he bolted awake when he was greeted by his uncle in the Entrance's Lounge level as he argued with Dr. Sakaki.
"We had an agreement, Garland." Dr. Sakaki seriously stated.
"And the deal was met." Garland shot back. "You got Umiko back for awhile, now I need you to return her."
"But we barely even scrapped the crust of this experiment." Dr. Sakaki insisted.
"Ten days is more than enough for Umiko to be able to adapt to changes in Branch jurisdictions and for you to gather the data."
"I failed to receive any documentation of Umiko's call back to your Branch, Garland." Dr. Sakaki argued. "Any extraction of Gods Eater from any Branch otherwise is consider illegitimate and prohibited by the rules of HQ."
"Our arrangement never stated a set amount of time for Umiko's temporary transfer." Garland countered. "Besides, the rules state that such a rule can be bypassed in a state of emergency in the Gods Eater officially designated Branch."
"!"
"What the hell's going on?" Soma demanded, gaining his uncles attention at the sound of his voice. He grinned at his nephew as he registered him in the room.
"Morning Soma, how was your time with Umiko?" Garland friendly asked his nephew. "I trust she wasn't too much trouble."
"What are you doing here, Garland?" Soma ignored his banter, concerned at what his uncle's presence in the Den signified.
"Why I'm here to collect Umiko. We really miss her back at the Branch."
"Like hell you do!" Soma growled at his uncle with slanted eyes.
"Now, now, it's too early for you to be so angry. It's not good for your blood pressure, not to mention what that expression will do to your face in the long run. Pretty soon you'll be looking older than me, if you keep that up." Garland lectured to him.
"Tst, don't give that, bastard." Soma hissed. Garland sighed and brushed a hand through his hair, disregarding his nephew's antics.
"Honestly, I was hoping to just grab her and go. But she simply had to go on an early morning mission before I could get here." Garland slightly groaned. "We really needed to head back as soon as possible. What with the state of emergency our Branch is in."
"Emergency?" Soma was going to inquiry for more when the Mission Elevator doors slid open. "!"
There stood Umiko, in a bloody mess. Blood splattered her bodysuit like a Realism painting, mostly gathering on her arms as if she had been devouring Aragami with her arms. A few drops sprinkled on her face as she stared off with anger and sadness. In her right hand was her bloodied God Arc, in the other... was the head of a Prithvi Mata.
"Ah, Umiko. Good to see you again." Garland nonchalantly greeted her. But sadness clouded her face as she saluted him.
"Director..."
"So you found out about Sora?" He questioned, already knowing that she did due to her state of being. It was said that twins had a strange connection to one another, she must have acted out her grievances on the Aragami since she couldn't leave the Branch.
"!" Soma was shocked as Umiko approached his uncle with a pleading look in her eyes. What the hell was going on?
"Where is he? Where is my brother?"
"We haven't found him yet, but we've been looking everywhere for him. It looks like he disappeared off the grid, and our leads are starting to go cold." Garland explained to her. "We could use your help looking for him, that is if you wish to return right now."
"Yes! Please Director, let me return with you to my Branch, and my Unit. I shall find my brother." Umiko agreed without hesitation. In a rage, she crushed the Prithvi Mata's head in her hand as she made a vow. "And destroy these traitors who have taken my kin!"
"Hn, good." Garland smirked in approval of her antics. "We'll need you at your best for this. Pack your things, we don't have much time."
"No need, Sir. I've got all that I need in my hand." She replied, tightening her grip on her God Arc.
"Then let's not waste time." Garland said, turning toward the exit with the expectation of Umiko to follow... which she did.
"Umiko, wait. Don't go." Soma insisted, grabbing her hand regardless of the blood. But she pulled her hand out of his grip, only sparing him a glance as she continued to follow Garland.
"My brother needs me." She replied back to him. "Sorry, Soma. But I'm going back to my Branch. It has been... an interesting time at your Branch. Maybe we can do this again sometime?"
And then she turned her back to him as she walked off... this time willingly with Director Garland to the Finland Branch.
'Damn...' Soma thought with clinched fists. 'Why must I always be... so powerless?'
*** Author's Notes ***
Reference to Dead by April's song Losing You is in the City of Mercy section of this chapter.
And for those who haven't figured it out yet, that simple '~(*)~' that appears seemingly randomly around in the chapters is a symbol of an eye. ... To the best of my ability, the 'less than' and 'greater than' symbol don't seem to registered on Doc Manager. I'll leave it up to the reader to figure out the meaning behind the reoccurring eye.
