Far East Branch – Executive Floor

Gunter's fingers drummed uncomfortably against his opposite forearm. Across from him, Soma sat on the couch arm, looking pointedly in any direction other than his own. Both were still reeling from their most recent mission and dangerously close call with the Second Nova. It had been nearly two hours before they located Neo again. After her harrowing encounter, she had managed to find her way from the main streets, fled the city and made her way into the open wasteland.

After collecting her, Soma rushed her right from exfiltration and straight into the medical wing before filing a report. This was all before sending a mass message to a select few of their members requesting their immediate presence. The summons hadn't included the 2nd Unit striker, but as he had been present during the mission, it wasn't sensible to exclude him. Although it felt as though Soma would have preferred otherwise. Gunter wasn't sure what the other veteran's problem with him was, only that he really didn't want to get on his bad side, not anymore. Not after what he had seen.

The more Gunter thought about it, the more the questions started circulating in his mind. About her, about him; about them. His mind was filled with possibilities. Images of lightning bolts, ice clouds, frozen javelins, and claws. His fingertips came to a standstill as their owner spoke his thoughts. He hadn't learned his lesson. Curiosity, as it so often did, won out.

"Hey Soma… can I ask you something?"

At the sound of his voice, the other veteran felt his irritation immediately rise. It was bad enough that he was stuck in a room with him while he waited for the others. Now, he wanted to make small talk? Sighing, crossed his arms, keeping eyes forward. "What?"

"Feel free not to answer, I'm just curious… Are your powers similar to Neo's?"

"Powers…?" All displeasure dissipated, replaced with confusion at the unusual inquiry. There were any multitude of questions he had been prepared for. That was not one of them. Turning, he shifted his gaze to the other God Eater who met his eye. In them, he could see nothing, no sarcasm or otherwise malicious intent. Just genuine interest. "The hell are you talking about?"

"You know, Aragami power… You're both hybrids, right?"

"…" Silence filled the air between them, Soma's uncertain expression slowly morphing into a scowl. It was a fair question, and one that he had admittedly asked himself many times. The differences between them were vast, and he often questioned the reason for that. His Bias Factor was a portion of her own. What was it that separated them? When he replied, it was with slightly less hostility. "I don't have any special abilities. Not like that."

"You… don't?" Gunter blinked. "I thought it was a Managarm thing…"

"It's more of a Neo thing," Soma corrected, letting his arms unfold and lean against the arm rest. "We're both half Aragami, but we function differently."

"Differently…? How so?"

"In most ways, honestly. I can sense Aragami like she can, but that's essentially where our similarities end." His answer was met with a pregnant pause, thoughts clearly going through the other's mind. If he didn't know any better, he would think Gunter almost looked… disappointed?

"You don't have her speed or strength?"

"No." Soma paused for a moment, giving his answer a bit more thought. Realizing his mistake, he corrected himself. "Well, not exactly. I am stronger and faster than any human, that much is true. So, I guess in that sense I do. But it's nothing like hers."

"She's that strong…?" Gunter asked. Neo's physical capability was nothing unfamiliar to him at this point, but it was something he had always expected to be shared between the both of them. To now learn that she was physically stronger even than Soma was alarming.

He slowly nodded. "She's managed to overpower me a few times, and I have no hope of catching her once she starts to accelerate. In terms of raw power, between the two of us, she is more capable… and that's not even considering the possibility of Overdrive…"

"Overdrive?" Gunter asked. "What's Overdrive…? Is that another ability of hers?"

"No, it's…" His words trailed off. Soma pondered whether or not he should answer his question. Gunter had been surprisingly accepting of Neo, and himself for that matter, all things considered. But accepting lightning powers and rapid regeneration were one thing. Transforming into an entirely different being was another. He was beginning to wonder if Gunter's open mind had any limits… and whether or not this information would surpass them. It may even change his perception of Neo forever. No. Soma was almost positive it would. "Never mind."

"Oh." Now Soma was sure of it. Gunter definitely looked disappointed. "Am I… not supposed to know?"

"You don't want to know. Trust me."

Silence fell over them once more. Gunter didn't press the issue further, but Soma could tell it was still on his mind. He couldn't exactly blame him for being curious. Maybe even cautious. But some things were just better left unsaid. After a few moments, the older God Eater seemed to come to the same conclusion. "Okay, just answer me this." Soma grunted, prompting him to continue. "Whatever this is, this power of hers… is it dangerous?" A few moments of silence drove him to amend his question. "More dangerous than, you know, everything else."

"Yeah. A lot more."

Gunter swallowed, nodding his head before asking his final question. "To us… or to her?"

At that, Soma shifted his gaze to meet his eye. He could see no fear in him, only concern. Though for her or himself, he wasn't sure. Finally, after a few moments of thought, he answered. "In my experience with it… both." His sharp intake of breath caught Soma's attention. He could see Gunter's mind working, digesting everything he had learned. He could also see another inquiry forming. He cut him off before he got the chance. "Look, just… the last time Neo went into Overdrive… she ended up with those claws and fangs. That's all I have to say about it."

His answer seemed adequate, Gunter finally returning his attention to the floor. There was nothing else that needed to be said about it. Whatever happened to her during this Overdrive, it was enough to change her. Permanently. As far as he was aware, she hadn't had elongated fangs when they'd first met. Although in fairness, the woman rarely smiled, so he didn't have any way of confirming that. Instead, he had to think back; to remember when she had started wearing gloves. It was very sudden, after her return from the wilderness. Before the Ark Project's launch, Neo had gone missing, leading to search parties — himself included — fanning out all over the Far East. They had never found a trace of her. Not until she suddenly appeared again in the hospital wing, without warning. One day, she was just… there. And no one had spoken a word of it. It was almost as though she had never been missing in the first place. As though…

Gunter shook his head. He was beginning to spiral. If he continued any further down this rabbit hole of conspiracy, he was going to end up on the other side of the globe. Whatever the case was, it didn't matter. All of them were here now, safe. Which led him to his final question. "…Is she going to be alright?"

His question was met with a widened stare. He clearly hadn't been expecting that one. To his unsettlement however, Soma didn't answer this time. Instead, he turned his gaze to the wall in silence. Perhaps he didn't have an answer. Perhaps he didn't know any more than he did.

Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of a sliding door. Like a saving grace, Ichiro appeared with Kota at his side. Lenka and Alisa arrived shortly after, Sakaki the last to make his way into the room. With everyone of note present, the meeting finally began. Sakaki cleared his throat, opening up out of the gate with the most important item on their agenda. "So, the Nova has shown itself once more."

Soma nodded, referencing his report. "It appeared near the Forgotten Carrier, deep within the city. We don't have any leads as to why it was there."

"It wasn't supposed to be," Kota interjected. "There was no sign of it during any of our scouting missions… we couldn't find any evidence of it anywhere in the sector. No idea what it was doing there…"

Gunter scoffed. "Well, there wasn't supposed to be a Prithvi Mata there either."

Soma ignored his sarcasm. "And it's a good thing it was." If it hadn't… no. He didn't even want to think about it.

Ichiro seemed to perk up at the mention of their uninvited guest. "Wait, you said a Mata appeared?" Soma nodded his head, earning a thoughtful hum in response. "…Well, that explains a motive."

"Care to explain?"

Ichiro nodded, strolling his way toward the desk computer where Paylor scooted aside. A few clacks of the keyboard and clicks of the mouse brought up a series of maps on the wall. "We were tracking the migration patterns of our known threats. Information gathered from the scouting squads to assist in the culling. Thank you, Kota."

"No problem!" The gunner smiled, happy to be acknowledged.

"With what they gathered; we were able to get an idea of where our soldiers should be stationed. The goal was to remove it from the Nova's pathway and limit its ability to expand further… limit its menu, so to speak." Ichiro typed a few keystrokes, bringing up another map. "This report came in from the fifth scout squadron. It shows a Prithvi Mata breaking off from the tundra. They lost sight of it and haven't been able to locate it since it slipped away. Looks like your team found it."

"Damn…" Gunter muttered. "So, it was after the Prithvi… and it traveled all the way over there?"

"It appears so… which could explain the Nova's presence in your area. The fact that you all were present is an unfortunate case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Gunter shook his head in disbelief. "So, we were just collateral damage."

Sakaki nodded his head in agreement. "Just so. It's possible that the Nova was seeking out its unique Bias Factor, hoping to add it to its collection. Which unfortunately, in light of this new information, it was likely able to do."

"Meaning it's even stronger now…" Soma muttered, cursing inwardly at his own ineptitude. Due to his lack of foresight, the Nova had managed to sneak up on them. Again. It had only been the sudden shift; the appearance of the Bias Field that alerted him to the danger. When Gunter vanished, he had been furious with him for disobeying orders… now, he was grateful that he did. Soma could almost punch himself for such a folly. He hadn't considered the possibility of a situation like this when they decided to bring Neo along on their mission. And that mistake had nearly cost her her life. "Regardless, it doesn't matter. Chances are, it would have found one eventually, one way or the other. What matters is that Neo is safe."

There was a collective hum of agreement among everyone in the room. No matter where anyone stood on the matter of the Nova, or its progress, that was one thing everyone could agree upon. Alisa let out a sigh of relief. "I'm so glad… when I heard about what happened, I…"

Lenka nodded, turning his direction to Kota. "Come to think of it… how did the Nova manage to get away from you? The report said you guys engaged it to keep its attention… Did it give you the slip?"

At that Kota grew animated, waving his arms around and recounting the tale. "Dude, it was wild. The thing jumped over us, onto the rooftops, and took off after the other two. I fired after it, but the bullets just bounced off. I don't think it even noticed…"

"I tried to catch up with it, but the thing's too damn fast," Soma added. "It cut them off further down the street. Next thing we know, Neo is separated and running through the city."

Gunter lifted his fist beneath his chin, resting on it with narrowed eyes. A sign that he was going deep into thought. "Actually… come to think of it… did anyone else notice anything strange?"

"Strange?" Soma questioned.

Kota shrugged, hopping up and sitting on one of the desks. "This whole situation is all kinds of strange. Was there something specific?"

Gunter slowly nodded. "I could have sworn…" There was a moment of pause as he trailed off and collected his thoughts. "Look, maybe it's just me, but… did anyone notice that thing was really interested in Neo?"

"In Neo…?" Kota muttered.

"Listen, I'm not delusional. The Nova could have ended me without much trouble if it wanted to, I'm sure of it. But it didn't… it just kind of, swatted me away. Like I was insignificant… almost like I was in the way."

"It did seem oddly focused on her…" Soma seconded, recalling the incident from memory. He had seen the Nova's immediate shift in attention, the way it batted both him and Kota to side to clear a path to the others. The way it tore off after their New Type like a creature possessed.

Kota frowned. "Yeah, it was really weird… like a fan girl running after their favorite pop star or something."

"More like a predator running after its prey," Soma corrected.

"Wait a minute… you're not suggesting —" Gunter looked up from the floor, fixing the other soldier with a wide stare. "You think this thing was after Neo?"

"There's no other explanation."

Ichiro returned to the group, eyeing them with concern. He had been listening to their conversation and growing more uncomfortable with every word they said. "And you're sure about this? That the Nova was targeting her?"

Kota nodded emphatically. "Dude, you should have seen it. We couldn't get its eyes off of her."

Gunter met the guardian's eyes and fixed him with a solemn nod. "It's true, I saw it… It looked right at her."

"Hmm…"

Gunter sighed, brushing hair from his face. "Look, I won't pretend to be the soldier you are, but I've been doing this for a long time. I know Aragami's behavioral patterns; I studied them profusely training for the defense. And that thing —" he pointed to the image of the Nova, magenta face staring into the lens. "— is not normal. That attack was purposeful."

"Maybe not at first," Soma mused. "Sakaki's right, it's most likely the Nova only showed up because it was chasing its original target… but once it got eyes on Neo, that changed."

"But why?" Alisa's voice startled them; she had been so quiet throughout their discussion. "What reason would the Nova have to go after Neo?"

There was a long pause. That was the ultimate question. The one that no one had an answer to. Gunter suggested, "Maybe because she was unarmed? I mean, not technically, but… you know."

Lenka nodded. "It's possible it noticed she was the only one without a God Arc."

Soma shook his head. "No… this has happened before. When we faced Nova the first time, it was oddly focused on her. Like it wanted her."

"Maybe it wants to eat her," Kota suggested. All eyes turned toward him, each wearing glares of various intensity. Soma, in particular, threatened to burn a hole through him. He gulped, before defending his point. "What? I mean, obviously, Aragami like to eat things, but maybe, like… I don't know, she's more… appetizing?"

Sakaki sighed, Lenka lifted a finger to his temples. Beside him, Alisa looked ready to lecture him into oblivion. But before anyone could speak further, Ichiro interjected. "Actually… Kota might be on to something."

"See? I'm onto — wait, I am?"

"Yeah. I mean, the two of them aren't all that different when you consider it, at least on the surface. If you look at them objectively, the Nova is just Neo in Aragami form."

"With more potent functionality," Sakaki reminded.

Soma scowled. "That makes even less sense. Aragami don't like to consume anything too similar to themselves. If anything, it should find her disgusting."

"No…" Ichiro suggested. "In fact… it may be because they are so similar that it's fascinated by her. Think about it… the Nova and Neo both share something. What do you think that is?"

"They're both part Vajra?" Kota suggested.

Ichiro nodded. "Yes, but more than that. Disregarding everything else, there is one indisputable thing they have in common. A trait that's unique only to them."

Soma's eyes widened. "…Their ability to mutate."

"Exactly. What if the Nova senses that power within Neo? What if it wants her Bias Factor? It seeks out what it doesn't have; anything novel, it wants. What's more novel than the E3? It's the only one of its kind."

"And she's the only one in the world who possesses it," Soma muttered darkly.

Kota was lost. "Wait, so… this mutating creature wants Neo because she can… mutate?"

"Because she can take the power she absorbs and wield it."

"But, uh… the Nova can do that too, so…"

Ichiro shook his head. "Soma, let me ask you something. When Neo was a child, you were the only other person she revealed herself to, right? What power did she possess?"

"I don't know, she never showed me. Her regeneration was about it… I think she started developing her electrical capability later on."

"Kota, since Neo's return, have you noticed anything change? Anything different with Neo since we first arrived?"

The gunner gave it some thought, running over his recent missions with the New Type. The most obvious change was that she had been far less reckless, and a bit more agreeable when it came to working with a team. That was to be expected after doing it for this long. But the more he thought about it, the more he started realizing. "Actually… yeah. I would say she's gotten stronger. Her abilities have sort of… expanded. Like, she's always packed a bunch with her bolts, but lately, she's been doing some pretty cool stuff with it. The electro ball is probably my favorite."

"Right… I've noticed it too. The things she can do with her ice now… it's becoming more and more similar to the Prithvi Mata. She couldn't do those sorts of things back home, not that easily. Her power… it's becoming more versatile. That's just since arriving here. And it's all because of the E3. Neo's body, as far as we've studied, can only mutate so far. But her cells themselves are always evolving. Constantly multiplying, changing, always growing stronger. Theoretically speaking, there is no limit to what she can accomplish given enough time. What if the Nova senses that?"

Soma's eyes grew wide. "…Disaster."

Gunter blinked. "Huh?"

"It would be absolute disaster. If Nova were to devour Neo…"

Ichiro nodded. "We have no idea what could happen. We don't know which attributes of hers it would get. Possibly all of them. It could develop ice and electrical power, along with her agility. It could end up with enhanced strength, or even her regeneration."

"Holy crap dude!" Kota exclaimed. "That's terrifying."

"That's not even the worst of it," Soma said.

"It's not?!"

"…What if it developed the power to Burst? To activate at will?"

Ichiro's face turned grim. He seemed to share his thoughts. "Precisely. We're talking about an armored Aragami, resistant to God Arcs, wielding three elemental powers, possibly more, with enhanced speed, enhanced strength, and the ability to constantly regenerate… and gods forbid in the worst case… it develops Overdrive."

Soma looked physically ill. "That's the worst possible scenario. If the Nova were to absorb the power of The Dark Child… that would be it. It would have unfathomable power. It would be unstoppable."

Gunter looked between the two of them, lifting an eyebrow as they went back and forth. While he was familiar with most of Neo's powers, they were beginning to lose him. First, it was Managarm children, mutations, and hybrids. Now, they were talking about Overdrive and Burst? And who the hell was The Dark Child? Before he could ask, Sakaki let out what he could only describe as disparaged hum.

"…If these theories are correct… then, we have quite the problem on our hands. That would make the Nova far more dangerous than we previously anticipated."

"Because it's super strong?" Kota asked.

"Because it's intelligent," Soma answered. "Most Aragami are mindless, feral beasts. They move only on instinct, devouring everything they can get their maws on. They seek nothing else. But this…" The more he spoke, the grimmer his face became. Suddenly, the words Neo spoke to him that night were becoming crystal clear.

Is it…? I'm not so sure.

What if Neo had suspected the creature's intelligence the entire time? It wouldn't be a stretch for her, that woman was intuitive, and known to shoulder unnecessary burden. But why would she have kept something like this — something so important — to herself? Was it because she didn't think anyone would believe her? Was it because she didn't trust them? Was it because… she didn't trust him?

Sakaki's voice brought him out of his downward spiral. "In any case, we now know even more about our foe. Therefore, I think it prudent that we make some changes accordingly."

"Changes?" Lenka questioned.

"Yes… particularly surrounding our New Type."

"Neo is not to leave the Den, not to hunt or otherwise. Outside of extenuating circumstances, she stays put," Ichiro declared. "Without her God Arc, she's vulnerable against the Nova."

"It's not just the Nova," Gunter added. "Before it struck, Neo was acting strange. Like… she was unsteady on her feet. She looked sick."

"Like she was gonna throw up?" Kota asked.

"Yeah."

"Damn it," Soma's outburst startled them, drawing his attention. "It's that damn Bias Field… the experimental shield is embedded in the God Arc. Without it, she has no defense. She'll take the full brunt of it."

"Doesn't help that it's getting stronger either… Hell, I even felt it," Gunter complained.

Lenka sighed. "Oh boy… she is not gonna like this."

"I don't give a damn if she likes it or not," Soma snapped. "That woman is staying in the Den, and that's the end of it. I'll barricade her in an underground cell if I have to."

Ichiro chuckled darkly. "I second that."

"What about her… um…" Gunter paused. Soma watched him trying to collect himself, a queasy expression forming on his face. "…dietary needs? I mean… that's why she was with us, right?"

Soma shook his head. "We'll just have to gather supplies ourselves." Adding even more to his to-do list was the last thing on his mind. But if it meant keeping Neo safe, he would deal with it. She had already been keeping him awake since her arrival. What was one more missed hour of sleep?

Alisa nodded and offered her support. "I'll help too. In between, I'll spend some time with her, keep her from going stir crazy."

"That's probably best…" Lenka muttered. "We all know what sorts of things happen when Neo gets bored."

"Then it's settled. We are all in agreement?" Sakaki asked.

A chorus of murmurs and nodding heads gave him his answer. "Very well… if there is nothing further, you are all dismissed. There's work to be done. Let's get to it."

. . .

Far East Branch – Veteran's Floor

The God Eater scoffed, shaking his head at the man on the other side of the terminal. "They're taking him in? You sure that's a good idea?"

"It is the best option."

"Is it? The dude's a loose cannon, he's going to cause more trouble than he's worth."

"Less trouble than if he remains there." The man sighed, tapping his pen against the desk. "It is because he is volatile that he is better off in North America. A person like him is safest when they are either neutralized or contained."

Marcus huffed. "If you say so. Anyway, how's the operation going? Have you decided on a way forward?"

"I have. I believe it is time for a little travel."

"Travel…?" Marcus hummed thoughtfully. "I see. So, that's your plan… You're gonna smoke her out."

"Indeed. And now is the opportune time, when she is sufficiently unarmed."

"Can you do that? Is everything ready?"

"All the pieces are in place. We need only an opportunity to set the wheels in motion."

"An opportunity, huh?" Marcus hummed. "Then, I'll provide you one… In the meantime, I'll —" a quiet knock on his door interrupted him. Marcus turned and looked over his shoulder, lifting his voice an octave. "Just a second!" Turning back toward the terminal, he frowned. "I'll be in touch."

With that, the screen went dark. The man chuckled, letting his pen still between his fingers.

. . .

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

Moving right along! Thanks for the kudos and comments, they really keep me motivated. Onto the next chapter!