Forgotten Carrier

The days that followed were busy ones. News spread quickly that the Nova had escaped, sparking rumors throughout the Den surrounding what exactly they were up against. People talked of a devastating monster, capable of stealing the life force of anything it touched. They spoke of its cunning, the way that it was able to outmaneuver even the infamous Assault Squad. And, in doing so, had decommissioned their most powerful soldier. It didn't take long for discussions to spiral out of control. And the worst part of all of it was… they weren't entirely wrong.

The Nova had escaped them. But not before destroying Neo's God Arc, leaving her weaponless and as time went on, very, very hungry. Whether she was armed or otherwise, the fact remained that there were still certain needs unique to her that wouldn't go away simply because she was temporarily benched. And unable to hunt for herself, she was left with little else to do than remain inside the Den and wait for her body to restore herself. That was the frustrating truth she had come to begrudgingly accept.

Which was why she had nearly tumbled out of her bed when Soma had approached her with a wild scheme.

Per their discussion, it was unanimously agreed among the unit that the Nova must be contained. It wasn't possible to destroy it with their current technology, but it was imperative that they didn't allow it to grow any stronger. And Soma's late-night conversation had given him a spark of inspiration… in seeing his comrade's weakened physical state. The best way to stall the Nova was to drain it the same way that Neo had been. By cutting off its fuel source.

Thus, all units were so ordered — while exercising extreme caution — to begin a new large-scale operation, aptly named "the culling." While the home front worked to find a solution for their predicament, the ground troops were assigned to eradicate as many Aragami as they safely could. In essence, it was more or less a free-for-all, with the goal being to thin out the Aragami numbers, all while carefully avoiding their new adversary. A mission that couldn't possibly have suited their New Type any better. So, after determining the whereabouts of the Nova, it was decided that Neo would be able to kill two birds with one stone: to assist in the operations while satiating her hunger. That was how she found herself accompanying three other soldiers acting as her personal escort. It was the perfect plan.

If only the same could be said for their team structure.

At the front of the group, Kota walked carefully along the city streets. As their scout sergeant for this mission, his job was to lead the team back to what he had discovered early during his tracking. Walking closely behind him was Neo, looking around and keeping her senses peeled for any incoming threats. Behind her was Gunter. As one of the 2nd Unit's heavy hitters, he was selected for the mission after having finally been cleared for deployment. He hadn't been aware of the team's composition until the last minute. Though he didn't refuse the assignment, he made a point to keep a safe distance from the New Type and ensured that she remained in his sight at all times.

Finally, bringing up the rear, was Soma. He had been a replacement for their group, also at the last minute. Utsugi was originally meant to fill the spot, but his presence was required in the lab for testing. The veteran had merely been in the area, making his way from the mess hall upon overhearing the conversation. Initially, he had had little interest in adding to his already overflowing workload… but upon identifying his captain's replacement, he made the executive decision to keep an eye on them. For safety, of course.

"Hmm… strange. The area's clearer than it was last time. There was a whole horde of them here the other day." Kota muttered to himself, peeking around a corner. He saw nothing. "Hmph… Sensing anything, Neo?"

The New Type shrugged. What she could sense was faint, likely a result of lingering Bias Fields. It wasn't so much that there was nothing there. It was that she could sense a great deal of things, though none of them felt anything more than mundane. The Nova was last sighted near the Wailing Plains. The most they were going to find around here were small fry.

"Hmm? Oh, heads up, guys!" Kota called, drawing her attention eastward. A small group of Ogretail and a Sariel stalking lazily up above. Perfect. "Alright, everyone ready?"

Neo nodded silently, flexing her fingers in preparation. Soma grunted, keeping an eye on their final member. He was eyeing the woman closely, gripping his weapon with uncertainty. Then, Gunter shook it off, focusing on their new opponents. "Yeah… Let's do this."

The battle was a quick one. Kota dispatched two of their adversaries with a pair of blasting bullets, one of which separated the Ogretail's legs from its body. Soma and Gunter worked together, bringing down the Sariel in record time. Neo took out the remaining three, using a combination of her own natural weaponry. Between her physical strength, elemental warfare, and claws, she was able to punch, throw, electrocute, and rend all of her enemies with little more than a light sweat. While she was one against many, her lithe, nimble body allowed her to handle them without too much trouble. It felt strange to her doing battle without the aid of her mechanical partner. A pastime she had not practiced since her time in the wilderness.

Gunter watched her almost in awe, trying to determine whether to be amazed or afraid. It wasn't a difficult decision; it was a little of both. The fact was, he had always admired her power… he had just never suspected she would use it on him. But against someone else, he could truly appreciate it. He had once thought her little sparking trick was impressive. It was nothing compared to what he was seeing now, Neo unrestrained. Without the shackles of secrecy chaining her down, she was an entirely different person. Even without her God Arc, she was a force to be reckoned with. Her movements were rapid, her power freely unleashing at will — she could also control ice, he had now learned — even her claws which she utilized to great efficiency.

The more he watched her, the more he thought about it. How closely he had brushed with death by her hand. On this mission was the first time he had ever seen an Ogretail fly through the air, much less someone throwing it. Neo was strong. Dangerously strong. Frighteningly strong. Her claws ripped right into the creature's flesh. She had nearly decapitated another. He understood now why so many still called her Reaper. She was death itself. Nothing that stood in her path survived. Any and all who crossed her did so at their own risk.

…So, why was he alive?

He had seen her use her strength on his two comrades; Caleb bending the vending machine in half and Otto getting sent clear across the hall. Gunter himself had not a prayer against her as her clawed fingers wrapped around his neck. The fact that she hadn't torn his throat out right then and there. The fact that she hadn't simply snapped his neck like a toothpick. Neo was capable of holding back, he knew that now. And that was the only explanation for his survival of that encounter. He couldn't help but wonder…

"Hmm?"

Suddenly, the woman of his thoughts was nowhere to be found. He looked around, eyes scanning the area for any sign of violet. Where had she gotten off to? He was growing concerned, moments from splitting off from the group when Soma addressed him. "Don't worry about her, she's fine."

Gunter blinked. "Huh? What —"

"She just went…" Soma paused, taking a moment to assess the situation before shaking his head. "Just leave her alone. She hasn't gone far."

Begrudgingly, Gunter heeded his command, instead taking a look around the area once more. It was quiet and devoid of life save for the three of them in the clearing. Near the edge of a building stood Kota, looking over the slain Sariel's body. Soma wasn't far from him, leaning against a wall, and staring off into the cloudy sky. Looking down, he lowered his gaze to his comrade's feet where he saw… nothing.

The 2nd Unit soldier had to blink for a moment, double checking his vision to ensure he wasn't hallucinating. He could have sworn there had been five Ogretails when they arrived. Replaying the battle in his mind, he confirmed with himself. Kota had destroyed two of them with a blast bullet; Neo had dispatched the remaining three. So, why were there only four corpses? Something wasn't right.

"Hey, Soma!"

"What, Fujiki?"

"Come here a second… I need a second opinion on something."

Soma groaned, hoisting himself from his resting spot. He grumbled, but made his way over, leaving Gunter by his lonesome. With his team leader preoccupied, it didn't take long for him to make his way down a nearby street. Though Soma had assured him of her safety, he couldn't shake the feeling; he didn't like the idea of her wandering alone unarmed. A stroll around the bend took him to a nearby alleyway. Soma told him she wouldn't have gone far, and he was correct.

The alleyway was darkened, light obstructed by nearby buildings, casting a shadow over Neo's form. She was crouching, low to the ground with her hands rifling through something he couldn't see. Whatever she was doing, she was intent on it, piquing his curiosity. He meant to call out to her but paused at the sound of squelching flesh echoing off the building walls. Gunter's first and immediate reaction was to grip his blade, steeling himself for whatever was approaching. But when nothing appeared, he faltered trying to figure out what he was hearing. The sound of tearing and spattering blood drew his attention back to the alleyway where Neo remained engrossed in her activity. He wondered if something was wrong… was she alright?

Suddenly concerned, he stepped toward her into the alley. "Neo…? Is everything —"

His words died on his lips. At the sound of his address, she turned around, looking up from her position with a similarly startled expression. But his — as far as he was concerned — was far more justified. Her face was painted dark red, with particularly large chunks of it running down her chin. Her mouth was hung slightly open in a confused 'O', a small piece of… something coating her right fang. And as his eyes drew lower, he saw what that something was.

The sleeves of Neo's clothes were rolled up, leaving her arms exposed and absolutely bathed in blood all the way down to her claws, and her right arm was still burrowed deep within a pile of flesh. A pile of flesh that used to be the underside of an Ogretail. It was the most gruesome thing he had ever seen in his life, short of his family being devoured by a Vajra. And that was exactly what he saw in that moment, there in front of him gazing back at him with her golden eye.

The shock sent him stumbling backward, nearly collapsing against the building behind him as she rose to her feet. He felt every muscle in his body locking when she took a step forward. Was this what she had left to do? It had to be, why else would she have split off from the group? Soma had told him to leave it alone, and he had ignored him. Now, he was regretting it. Though in his defense, he hadn't expected to find her with the missing Ogretail. Nor did he expect to find her eating it. And Soma knew about this. Which meant that Hamasaki knew. What more hadn't they told them? How deep did all of this go? What other secrets lay hidden beneath all the layers that made up the woman in front of him?

He was no longer sure he wanted to know.

Neo saw the look on his face and rolled her eyes, wiping her mouth with the sleeve on her upper arm. "You don't need to look so terrified. I'm not gonna eat you." Gunter swallowed, eyes growing unbearably wide at her assertion. At his expression, grimaced. "Oh… probably could have worded that better."

She was acting as though everything was perfectly normal. As though they were having afternoon tea in the dining hall. Was this normal for her? What exactly was this woman? Was this what it meant to be an Aragami hybrid? To be a Managarm child? The further he delved, the further out of his depth he felt.

Noticing that he still wasn't saying anything, Neo sighed. "Well… now you know."

"Do you always do this…? Eat them?" Gunter wanted to slap himself for opening his big mouth. He didn't need — or possibly want — to know this information. Why was he asking her? One of these days, his curiosity was going to get him killed. On second thought… it nearly had.

"…Regularly, yes." His mouth fell open, as though he were somehow surprised by the answer. Even though he had known what it would be. Maybe it was the casual tone with which she said it that was flooring him. But as her volume lowered, he felt his thought process shifting. "I… Oracle cells drive my power, so… I need to."

"…Oh," he said dumbly. What else was he supposed to say? Neo was half Aragami, and she used that Aragami power to wield her various elements. Utilizing that kind of ability didn't come for free, it only made sense that she would need to replenish it somehow. Suddenly, the mountains of food on her lunch plates started to make perfect sense. He could only imagine how many calories someone like her could burn in a day.

By the time he had finished rebooting his mind, he was startled to find her standing alarmingly close. She was nearly five feet away from him now; far closer than he would have ever planned to allow someone he had just caught consuming a ravenous monster.

She didn't approach him further. She merely stood, staring back at him with an expression he couldn't entirely place. It was blank, as it so often was since her return, likely a result of her medication and suppressive supplements. But in her eyes, he could see so much sadness and hurt. As though he had rejected her. Which, technically, he supposed he had. The look on his face was undoubtedly one of fear, possibly even disgust. How many times had people looked at her in that way? Like she was some sort of demon given human form? Probably her entire life.

The air between them was suffocating, even as Gunter made a conscious effort to soften his gaze. "S-Sorry… I just — I wasn't expecting…"

"It's jarring, I suppose, to a human."

"Uh, a little, yeah," he snarked.

"Heh."

Gunter blinked, eyes widening once more at the sound as it left her mouth. Was that… a chuckle? Testing the waters, he spoke again, his same sarcastic tone filling the air. "I mean… I prefer a hamburger and cheese, personally. But… to each their own, I guess."

"Hehehe."

There it was.

That rare sight he had only ever dreamed of: Neo's smile. It was dyed different shades of red, with a pair of glinting fangs. Certainly, far more unsettling than he had expected. But it was beautiful all the same in a haunting sort of way. A fleeting reminder that while half Aragami, she was also half human. And it had been the human side that held back during her fear-induced rage, he was sure of it. The side that had stolen his heart right from under his nose without even knowing it. The side that still held it, despite all that had happened. The heart was such a fickle thing. If only it and his mind could come to some sort of understanding.

"Ungh…" Neo grunted, smile morphing into a grimace before she stumbled forward.

Gunter moved without thinking, rushing over, and steadying her with a hand on her shoulder. "Neo? What's wrong?"

"I… I feel, so…" Neo pushed away from him, gripping her head. It was spinning. Gunter's face was double, waving back and forth. Her stomach was turning upside down, along with her consciousness. She felt like all of the life was being drained out of her all at once, yet simultaneously, she was exhilarated. "I'm —"

"Neo!"

Gunter's shout told her the answer she had already discovered too late. But by then, she was moving, stumbling to the ground with a thud. Behind her she heard it, the loud clang of metal on claws. It sounded again, followed by a horrible sound, one that telegraphed her near demise. She staggered to her feet, whipping around to see an image of straight out of her nightmares. The Nova swiped, tossing her teammate along the street. She jolted as it turned, eyes fixing on her once more with that familiar gaze.

The area grew thick with the oppressive cloud of the Bias Field. It was growing stronger, more concentrated; she hadn't felt this much of an influence last time. Somehow, the Nova had already managed to grow in strength. Muscle memory took over, reaching for nothing as she realized with horror what was different. The Nova hadn't grown stronger… she had grown weaker. During their last encounter, she had been equipped with Licca's experimental shield embedded in her God Arc. The same God Arc that was now residing with the weapons engineer back at the Den.

The ground thumped when it stepped toward her, Neo quickly stepping back. It took everything in her power to force her body to move, leaping away as it pounced forward. She rushed to Gunter's side, yanking him to his feet mid-rise. He had just barely stabilized when it came at them again, narrowly blocking its claws once more. Gunter swung his sword in a counterstrike, forcing it back.

He moved to strike again, but a hand stopped him. "Gunter, you can't fight this. We have to run," Neo called from behind him, sending a shiver down his spine. Not at the sound of her voice, but the words that it spoke. To see her of all people displaying such fear… it was somehow more terrifying than the creature itself. But she had tangled with this monster before. If she said to run, then that's what they needed to do. Nodding, he stepped back, keeping himself between her and the Nova.

"Okay. Maybe we can join up with the others. Call —" Soma's voice interrupted him, crashing down on the Nova from up above. His strike startled it, forcing the monster away from them, eyes dripping with malice. Startled, Gunter blinked, mind only catching up a moment later.

But the veteran didn't have patience for his surprise, snarling over his shoulder. "The hell are you doing?! Get her out of here!" He didn't need to tell him twice. Before she could protest, Gunter grabbed her arm and pulled, dragging her down along the street in the opposite direction. The sound of gunfire from behind them signaled Kota's arrival. The pair ran, Gunter falling behind as she overtook him. The sound of a loud explosion and a curse from behind them drew her attention, looking over her shoulder at her engaging teammates. Her pace slowed slightly as she saw them… but no sign of their enemy.

"What the hell…?"

"Holy shit —"

"Huh — agh!" Neo shrieked, turning back around to find the Nova standing in front of them. Gunter's shield was deployed, stumbling back from its strike. The creature had followed them, cutting off their escape. She could feel every cell in her body alight, nerves freezing her muscles when she met its gaze. In those eyes, she could see the thing she had feared most. Those weren't that of a mindless monster. Neo was sure of it. And now, she was convinced it was after them.

No… it was after her.

She could hear footsteps approaching. Their allies were coming. It was déjà vu, she had experienced this once before; her allies in danger, and only one way out. And just as before, Neo knew what she had to do. Taking a deep breath, she steadied herself and made her decision. Crimson radiating from her skin, she gave a gentle squeeze to Gunter's arm. He barely had time to react as she left him with a single word. "Run."

Then, she was gone. Tearing off, Neo was running down the nearest street, leaving him and their teammates behind. In the moment that followed, the Nova confirmed her theory, spinning and following her into the city. She could hear her teammates shouting from behind her, but she didn't look back. She couldn't afford to. The only thing she could do now was flee. She would lead the Nova far away, lose it, and regroup with her allies later. With an open street in front of her, she entered Burst and accelerated, slowly putting distance between the two of them. By some miracle, it seemed the Nova hadn't absorbed enough power to keep up with her; in terms of speed, she was superior.

But speed would only get her so far. Her plan had worked, she had led the creature a good distance away from them. But now she was lost, rushing down the city streets with the thump of paws growing louder behind her. The Nova was persistent, she was learning, and while it didn't match her agility, it certainly boasted her stamina. She couldn't remember a time when she had been chased this far. Weaving through the streets wasn't working. She couldn't shake it no matter how many turns she took. And with her constant changes in direction, she couldn't accelerate to maximum capacity.

It was time for a new plan. She would lead the Nova out of the city and into open terrain. There was a wasteland surrounding the area. If she couldn't lose it, then she would have to outrun it. Once she was free to move as she wished, she would leave the Aragami in the dust. A solid strategy. And one that would have worked… had the New Type not possessed a terrible sense of direction. It was a single wrong turn that shattered it all, sending her sliding to a stop and nearly crashing into a wall. "Fuck!" she muttered. A dead end.

The sound of footfalls were closing in fast. She knew before she turned around, it was too late. The Aragami caught up with her, maw hanging open and gaze pointed forward. Her eyes scanned the area, maybe there was something she could do, somewhere she could go. Her options were limited; the three walls of the building surrounding her, and the street before her with the monster blocking her path. The street was an open one, if she could get around the Nova, she could outmaneuver it and try to find her way out of the city. Vajras almost always decided to pounce. With clever timing, she might be able to slip under its legs.

The Nova stepped forward, a low rumble rippling through its chest.

Neo hissed, baring her fangs in the most threatening display possible. Which, considering her current situation, wasn't very much. But she didn't need to frighten her foe; only to let it know she wouldn't go down without a fight. When it lurched forward again, she struck back, swiping her claws against its face before leaping away. The action startled it, forcing its head slightly to the side, but otherwise had little effect. Her heart stopped in her chest.

Her claws had done next to nothing. Barely even a scratch against its skin; a light penetration at best. Her resolve was wavering, and her options were few. And as the creature crouched low, blocking her only exit, it removed the last of them. Her only hope now was to somehow get over or around it. She knew her spark was effective, and she had replenished some of her energy. Maybe she could stun it long enough to get through.

All grew still as the two faced off, Neo backing away from the monster stepping forward into alleyway. Neither moved a muscle. They were calculating, hyper focused, trying to get a read on the other. So focused that neither of them noticed the temperature rapidly dropping around them. It wasn't until a loud roar sounded that both realized they were not alone. And in the next instant, the Nova was gone. It was ripped away from her followed by a loud crash.

Alarmed, Neo burst from the alleyway, looking around in confusion. Down the street was her adversary, now back on its feet, snarling at a new opponent. And one that she least expected. The Frozen Witch. The same creature that had taken everything from her was now temporarily her ally. At the very least, it found the Nova far more interesting than it found her. The sound of water reached her ears as a particularly large wave crashed against the cliffside, a hint to her location. They were near the derelict carrier. The Mata snarled, coats glowing with energy as the temperature around it rapidly plummeted. The sudden shift turned the moist air around them into a cool fog, slowly hindering visibility. An interesting tactic… one that Neo would have to remember for the future.

It was a wild turn of events, but this was not an opportunity she was willing to waste. Turning, she bolted in the opposite direction, back the way she came, leaving the two Aragami to settle their differences the primal way. It was likely that the Nova would win, and subsequently absorb the Prithvi Mata's essence as a result. A problematic outcome certainly, and one that she would have hoped to avoid. But it was either the Witch or her.

The sound of snarling and crashing bodies faded into the distance. Soon, the only thing she could hear were her own footfalls.