Far East Branch Headquarters – Sick Bay

"Heading out on a mission later today. You're welcome to join us if you're up for it."

"What up, Neo! Gonna do another Bugarally session after the next scouting mission. We can hang out! Ya know, if you want."

"Um, about yesterday… Thanks for humoring me. I'm going to work hard so that one day I can go to pray safely by myself! But maybe… If I need help, I might bother you again…"

"Hey, Neo! Did you enjoy the chocolate assault cookie? I've got plenty more where that came from if you want more. Actually, I've been working on another pastry called a 'sniper-doodle.' Let me know if you wanna try it!"

People, people, people. Everywhere she turned, there were people. And then, even more people.

What in the world was going on lately?

Wandering down the hall, Neo peeked her head around the corner. A swift sweep to her right and left confirmed she was alone in the hallway. Perfect. Quickening her pace, she made her way to her destination, keeping an ear out for any sudden movement. For the week following her return, Neo had come to accept people's changing behavior as an unusual fluke. As many people hated her in the Den, there were always the odd ones who felt the opposite. At this point however, she was beginning to grow concerned.

It seemed she couldn't go almost anywhere without being accosted by someone for some reason or another, particularly among members of the 2nd Unit. Some of the only places she could find solace were in the medical offices during her therapy sessions, the training room, and strangest of all, her own bedroom. It seemed her residence in Ichiro's had at some point become common knowledge, making it an inadequate hiding location to keep away from curious eyes.

The last was the sick bay. People didn't tend to frequent that location, likely because those who ended up in the place didn't have much of a choice. Which, of course, was quite fortuitous for her. It was in fact, one of the only reasons she found herself looking forward to her visit; a weekly habit for collecting her medications. But upon reaching the sliding door, she found…

"Oh. Hey there."

Neo blinked. When she entered the infirmary, she hadn't been expecting to find another person. Yet, there he sat on the bed, looking utterly exhausted. Luckily for her, of all the people she could have run into, Lindow was probably among the least troublesome. Stepping forward, she made her way toward a nearby chair and sank into it, letting the door close behind her. "Hello. What are you doing in here?"

"I'm here to get my arm all examined and crap, but I'm bored out of my skull. What about you?"

"I came to get my medication. I was told to wait here."

"Oh, nice. Well, why don't you hang out? We'll shoot the breeze, have some fun." Neo shrugged. It wasn't a bad idea, and it wasn't as though she had anything else to do. It certainly beat the constant harassment.

"That's fine. How've you been holding up?"

"I've been alright… you?"

"Feeling a bit tired."

"I hear that. They've been poking and prodding at me since I got back." Lindow let out a sour laugh. "I mean, I get it. Admittedly, it's a little weird. You know, the whole God Arc for an arm thing, but I think I'll get used to it… eventually."

"I'm sure."

The corners of his mouth rose in a playful grin. As was his custom, Lindow was trying to put on a brave face for his comrades; to make the most of a bad situation. But after a few moments, his smile faltered. Finally, it slowly disappeared with a sigh. "Hey… can I ask you something?"

"If you want."

"How do you deal with it? Being… different?"

"Depends on what you mean by different," Neo replied, shifting her eyes to his side. Was he referring to her biology? Her power? Her various mental and emotional scars? Having a God Arc for a limb certainly wasn't something she could relate to. The closest comparison she could make were her appendages, which thankfully, kept out of the way.

"You know, your… uh…" Lindow gestured toward her gloved hands, folded in her lap. His words trailed off into silence, but his flickering eyes caught her attention, focusing ever so slightly on her lips. More particularly, what lay hidden behind them.

Ah.

Understanding his meaning, Neo once again gave a casual shrug. "It… takes some getting used to. But it gets easier. Eventually."

"Really? Never have any mishaps? Broken furniture, shredded fabric, flying feathers…?"

At his last one, Neo let out a chuckle. Thankfully, that was one problem she could confidently say she didn't have. Her coats didn't shed. As for the others…

"Often, actually. The gloves help to prevent tearing. I keep them on most of the time. The rest is manageable, so long as I'm mindful to be… gentle."

"Yeah, I can imagine." It had been only yesterday that he had accidentally cracked part of the bedframe with an over-tightened grip. The day before that, he had left gaping claw marks in the nightstand, trying to find the light. He didn't even want to think about how many bed sheets he had gone through, a good number of them torn to pieces simply by making the bed. Perhaps it would be wise to invest in a pair of those for himself.

"Has it been troubling you?" Neo asked.

"Eh, a little. Well, a lot, but it can't really be helped." Lindow sighed and stretched out his arms. "Damn… Where's Shio when you need her?" Lindow muttered, examining his arm. His question was rhetorical of course. He had been more than a little surprised to find out that Shio was, in fact, on the moon. A fact that, in and of itself, required substantial explanation. The woman in front of him, however…

"Shio? What does Shio have to do with anything?"

Lindow scratched his head. "Ah yeah, I guess I never brought it up. Shio is the one who saved me from all this. Helped keep me sane. For as long as she could anyway. She had this weird power… helped keep the infection from spreading further. Could really use it right about now. Maybe with some help, she could even reverse it."

'Which is why the infection froze at his arm.'

"Oh… I see." Neo nodded. So, it had been Shio's doing that prevented more permanent damage. What a strange and unique capability… but it made sense. Shio had been the one to pull even her back from the depths when she had gone into Overdrive. That she had helped Lindow too was certainly unexpected, but far from surprising. Yet another thing the child possessed that she didn't. The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. "…I'm sorry."

"Why on earth are you apologizing? You didn't do anything."

"Even so." There was truth to his words, but Neo couldn't help but feel a bit of irritation at her own powerlessness. If there was anyone in the Den who understood her frustrations from day to day, it was him. For that reason, she wanted to assist him in any way, no matter how small. She couldn't help him reverse his mutation. But at the very least, she could offer an understanding ear. A kindred spirit who knew the struggle of tearing through their nightwear with razor-sharp claws. Even if she could offer no way to undo the damage, she could help him learn to live with it. "… I'll help however I can."

The veteran perked up immediately. "Well, since you're offering…I have been having a bit of trouble during my field operations."

Neo lifted an eyebrow. "How so?"

"Well, being a New Type is supposed to be a good thing, but I can't figure it out. Honestly, you guys make it look so easy…"

"You can't shift your God Arc, can you?"

"Not even a little," he admitted. "Can't shoot worth a damn either. I was hoping if you had some free time…"

"I do. We can practice in the training hall. I'll show you what I can."

Her words brought a smile to his face. Kota had assured him multiple times that the abrasive New Type would be willing to help, but truthfully, he hadn't entirely believed it. Granted, he hadn't exactly gotten to know much about her prior to his departure. Before he became lost in the wilderness, the woman had been thoroughly brainwashed, and upon his return, shipped off to Russia. The only things he knew for certain about her was what he had learned during his briefing and what he found in her head. Perhaps Kota was right. Maybe their prickly comrade was softer than she seemed.

"Hehe… thanks, kid."

"Sure."

"Ah, Neo! What a pleasant surprise."

Both God Eaters turned at the sound of another voice, appearing suddenly from around the curtains. With a jovial grin, Sakaki walked forward, a clipboard in one hand, and a container in the other. He had been expecting her that day, just not quite so soon. At the sound of her voice, he had made some adjustments to his schedule. "I have your results for you, Lindow."

"Awesome."

"And your prescriptions for you."

"Thank you." Neo reached forward, taking the box from his hands.

"Not a problem. Thank you for keeping our corporal company. He's been complaining since his arrival."

"Ex-corporal, thank you very much."

"Just so."

"It's fine." Neo shook her head, slowly rising to her feet. She had what she came for. "I'll see you later, Lindow."

"See ya." Neo turned and made her way back toward the door, coming to a stop when he called after her. "Oh! Are you coming to the picnic?"

"…The what?"

Sakaki's smile grew. It seemed she hadn't heard. Drawing closer, he gave a gleeful nod. "Ah, of course. I had forgotten you were indisposed during the initial announcement. We have decided to gather everyone together later this week for a picnic under the full moon. It is a long-held tradition here in the Far East."

"Long-held tradition? People celebrating… the moon?"

"Indeed! People have been holding moonlight picnics for centuries. They'd bring food and flowers and thank the moon for a good harvest. Our party may have a different purpose, but our gratitude toward our celestial neighbor remains the same."

"Different purpose…" Neo paused, taking in this new information when a pensive stare. Then, she realized. "…To celebrate Shio."

"Precisely!"

That was reason enough. Not only had it been her sacrifice that guaranteed the safety of their world, but it had been her voice that had dragged Neo from the vicious depths of her own mind. Without her interference, there was little doubt she would have slain her guardian and closest friend on that day; an act for which she could never forgive herself. Even though she was hundreds of thousands of kilometers away, she was certain that she was watching them from her new domain.

"I will be there."

"Excellent!" She nodded at his exclamation. With her RSVP received, Neo made once again for the doorway, only to be stopped once again. Hearing his footsteps, she turned to face the approaching doctor with a inquisitive expression. "Before you go, I thought I might ask. I am about to conduct some more tests on our friend here. Since you are already present, perhaps I could take —"

The doctor's question was answered with a glower, lips pulling back into a threatening snarl. Her hiss sent him stepping away; her fangs a reminder that regardless of her calmer state, her patience was not to be tested. It was a message Sakaki heard loud and clear. "Understood."

With nothing further, Neo turned around and exited the room, leaving Lindow snickering and the doctor staring after her with a sheepish grin.

. . .

Far East Branch Headquarters – Laboratory

The halls were silent, God Eaters settling down for the evening to rest. After yet another day of light patrolling, Gunter had returned to the Den and made his way to the higher floors. It had been days since the debriefing in which he had learned the details of Neo's troubled past. And though they had all agreed to move forward and do their part, their harrowing words wouldn't leave his mind. He couldn't understand it. How could anyone do something so heinous? And to someone so innocent. So helpless. Neo had been little more than a child.

It didn't make sense to him.

What made even less sense to him was how such treatment had managed to go under the radar for so long. How was it that no one had noticed? Surely, someone had to have been aware of what was going on in that underground facility. If not Hamasaki himself, then one of the other scientists. He wondered if perhaps, someone had known and simply didn't do anything about it. He had claimed them fugitives after all, there was no telling just how high up the chain this conspiracy had gone. It was very possible that there were people at the very top who had orchestrated the entire thing in the first place. The very thought made him shudder.

The only thing he knew for certain was that their New Type was severely unstable, and after learning what he had, it was a wonder she hadn't snapped sooner. And though he had little intention of finding himself alone with her at any time soon, he wanted to clear the air between them. At this point, he wasn't sure if any future remained between them. But what he was certain of was that he wasn't comfortable leaving things on the terms that they had. With him thinking her a murderous electrical timebomb with Oracle-enhanced claws and fangs. With Neo thinking him some sort of secret operative whose sole purpose was to forcibly breed her for the North Americans' experimentation.

How he was going to accomplish his task however… he didn't know.

The moonlight gathering was coming up in a few days. There would be tons of people, eyes everywhere, and naturally, her guardian in attendance. If he were to have any chance of approaching her, that would probably be his best bet. The idea bounced around in his mind as he made his way toward his destination; a search for the Far East's resident researcher turned branch director. Until his train of thought was violently derailed, interrupted by the sound of a loud crash.

He was currently on one of the research floors. The sound of breaking beakers and shattering glass wasn't exactly uncommon. What followed, however, most certainly was. The sound of a frustrated curse from a vaguely familiar voice. And a frightening, guttural growl that came shortly after. Concerned, Gunter hastened his pace toward the origination of the noise. He drew near, bracing himself to assist the scientists should they need it. But what he saw upon opening the door stopped him in his tracks.

There in the lab was what appeared to be a researcher, adorned in their trademark Oracle-resistant coat. And he would have thought nothing further of it if he didn't immediately recognize the person wearing it. On the floor were the jagged remains of a phial and countless crystalline shards, surrounded by their purple spilled contents. Mixing with the oddly colored pool were streams of red, pouring from the open wounds on Ichiro's hands.

It took a moment for Gunter to recover, trying to make sense of the scene before him. When he did, he quickly rushed forward, coming to his aid. Though he could hardly call the other veteran a friend, he had no desire to see him — or anyone really — in distress. Grasping a cloth, brush, and dustpan by the door, he knelt to the ground. "You alright?"

"What…?"

The sound of his voice put him on immediate alert. This was not the man that he had come to recognize. He was listless and delirious, looking around with unfocused eyes. Something was off. "Hey, what's wrong? Did you inhale fumes or something?"

"That's not… who?"

Something was very off.

Ichiro's response was utterly incoherent. Either he genuinely hadn't heard him, or he was suffering some form of hallucination. He didn't even appear to know where he was. Lifting his hand, he brushed some of the purple substance from his face, completely disregarding the glass shards still lodged in his palms. Red streaks appeared along his skin as he wiped, tearing easily through the skin on his cheek.

"Whoa, whoa, hey, watch it!" Gunter reached forward, wrenching his hand away to prevent any further damage.

It was then that Ichiro finally seemed to focus. The sudden physical contact snapped him out of his daze, bringing him back to the present with a look of total confusion. "Gunter…?"

Finally, he lifted his head, zoning in on the man in front of him. That was when Gunter saw it. Something that froze him; every bone in his body rooting to the spot. His eyes. What were once deep dark pools were now vibrant and shimmering, a very far cry from the hazel he had been sporting over the last few weeks. Gunter, like many in the Den, had taken quick notice of his use of contact lenses. And much like most, he genuinely didn't care because, like any of them, he was free to do whatever he wanted.

But the irises he now saw before him were no cosmetic alteration. That, he knew. Because he had seen that same shade before, radiating with an ominous glow; his final vision before everything went black. Dropping his arm, Gunter reeled backward in shock, eyes growing wide. Ichiro seemed to share the same sentiment, his own reaction quickly shifting to one of surprise as realization began to hit him. In the moments that followed, the situation grew even worse.

Emerald pools widened into large spheres as they angled downward, fixating on dripping beads of red. He watched in a combination of shock and horror as the bleeding slowed, then stopped completely. He didn't wait long enough to watch the skin slowly knit together. He didn't need to. Instead, he took another step backward, eyes staring hard at the golden pair gazing back at him.

"What… the fuck."