Far East Branch Headquarters – Training Room

Neo met Terrance underground as promised. While she wasn't exactly ecstatic about working with new recruits, she didn't have much else to do. Her therapy sessions weren't exactly her favorite pastime. She couldn't go out into the field, she couldn't train, and nearly everyone was busy, either in hunting parties or searching for the Nova; something else she couldn't do. Alisa had made a point of spending some time with her, brewing tea, and chatting over nothing to pass the time. At this point, she was willing to do just about anything if it would make her feel even a little bit useful. For now, it seemed that imparting wisdom would be her contribution. Until she could figure out something else.

The pair got situated, Neo tapping on the console and setting up a simulation. Terrance looked nervously toward the open doorway, eyeing other God Eaters as they wandered through the halls. He gave a nervous wave to one of his teammates passing by before turning his attention to the woman in front of him. "U-Uh… are you sure you want to keep the door open? We might make a lot of noise…"

Entering the data, she turned and returned to the center, multiple targets manifesting into physical form around them. "No need. We're only doing target practice."

"O-Oh… okay." He nodded slowly, looking wide-eyed at the targets. Neo stopped at his side, looking over his weapon. She evaluated him before forming a small frown on her face.

"My God Arc is being repaired, so my assistance will be limited…"

"No worries! I'm lucky to be getting tutored at all from the famous Neo. The legendary sharpshooter who's never missed a shot!"

Neo shook her head. "That rumor's been greatly exaggerated…" Turning, she pointed at the targets. "Ten targets. Ten bullets. Shoot."

"Right. Okay, here I go!"

Neo took note of his motions, watching him fire at each of the floating red targets. His gun sounded off with each pull of the trigger, bullets soaring through the air and smashing through the targets. After firing ten shots, he nodded, lowering his gun, and turning toward the New Type with hopeful eyes.

"Um… h-how was that?"

Neo gaped at him. He must have been joking. Surely, there was no way that he had only managed to hit three out of ten targets. Sending someone like him into the field was begging for a casualty, and she was beginning to wonder how he had even managed to get authorization in the first place. Or perhaps he hadn't? She wasn't sure. She never checked. With a furrowed brow, she gave her honest opinion. "…It was awful. One of the worst I've ever seen."

"O-Oh… I see." Terrance looked downtrodden. Neo sighed and pointed at the remaining seven targets.

"Seven targets, seven shots. Again."

"R-Right." Terrance lifted his gun once more and took aim. As instructed, he fired seven bullets against the seven targets. Four out of seven. He nervously looked to his side, feeling his heart sink when he saw the expression on her face. "I-I… I know I'm not very good at this…"

"No. You're not."

Terrance deflated, weapon slowly lowering to the floor. "I get it. If you don't want to —"

Neo shook her head. "It's fine. I'm not going to send you out there with that aim. You'll be dead in a week. I don't need that on my conscience." Taking a deep breath, she looked him over and began her instruction. "We'll start with your grip."

"My grip?"

"Yes. You're holding your rifle all wrong, and your stance is…" Her eyes slowly swept over him from top to bottom. "… questionable."

Terrance blinked, looking down at himself and back up at her. "What do you mean?"

"You're standing weird… fix your posture. You can't hold it properly if you don't stand up right."

Terrance moved his legs, adjusting his position. "Like this?"

Neo shook her head. "You're overcompensating. Shift your weight so you're more centered. I understand that gun mode can be awkward, but you need to keep your back alignment straight."

Terrance nodded, determination overtaking his features. Straightening up, he held the weapon steady and balanced his weight evenly between both legs. "H-How's this?"

The New Type looked him over once more, narrowing her eyes when they landed on his hands. He had fixed his legs but repositioned his arms. Tapping his hand, she corrected again. "Fix your grip. You're a sniper, and you're holding your weapon like it's a blast gun."

"Oh, r-right!" Terrance realized his mistake, quickly adjusting his placement on the weapon. He was holding the gun correctly, but now he looked like he was ready to no-scope. "Like this?"

Neo fought the urge to sigh once more, praying to all of the gods that existed to give her patience. "…Terrance, use your sight. It's there for a reason." Once again, he adjusted angling himself to utilize his sight. But now, he was overcompensating again. His weight was off, meaning he would stumble on the kickback. Now, she finally sighed. This was getting nowhere. At this rate, they were going to be there all day. Giving up, she decided that she had had enough. "Never mind… I'll just show you."

"Huh…? Wha!"

Neo didn't have a God Arc, the best she could do was position him herself. Which is precisely what she did. Moving around behind him, she reached forward and wrapped her fingers around his arms and torso. Then, she began to move him, posing him like a life-sized figurine all the while, taking note of his grip. His body tensed beneath her fingertips as she moved him, tapping his legs to redirect them and shifting his arms until he was holding it the right way. A careful hand trailing against his back had him shooting up straight, lips pressed together in a tight line.

"There…" With his positioning correct, Neo returned to his side, pointing to the three remaining targets. "Now shoot."

He did. Terrance took aim and fired, careful to keep the stance she instructed him. All three bullets hit their mark, right through the center, shattering the targets. His eyes blew wide. "I… I-I did it!"

"Yes, you did." To his side, a small smirk tugged at her lips. When she turned to face him, it fell into a frown. Her brow quirked, taking note of his tense posture and bright red face. "…Are you feeling okay? You're not sick, are you?"

"Huh? Oh, n-no! I'm okay."

"Are you sure? Your face is turning —"

"Perfectly fine!" His voice raised an octave, his hands shifted uncomfortably around his holds. "U-Um, can we go again? Er… I-I mean, can we go another round? No, wait —"

Neo shook her head and turned, making her way back to the console, keeping an eye on the fidgety recruit. What a weird kid. Within moments a new round of targets had appeared similar in size and shape to the previous ones. They were in different positions this time. "Again."

"Right!"

Ten bullets. Ten shots. Six targets hit. Terrance looked ready to jump for joy; he had never managed such accuracy during his own training. There weren't many snipers in the 3rd Unit, and those that were, were occupied with the Nova efforts. Gina was always a possibility, but if he was being perfectly honest, she frightened the life out of him.

"Better," Neo complimented, giving a genuine nod in his direction. "Let's build on your success. Can you continue?"

"Yeah!" Now, he was excited. Enthusiasm growing, he flexed his fingers and prepared again while Neo reset the simulation.

"Ten targets, ten bullets. Again."

"Right!"

They continued for a couple of hours, with his instructor raising the difficulty in tiny increments. By the end of their session, he had shown surprising improvement. With his bullets smashing through the final target, Neo gave a nod of approval. "Not bad… You're doing much better."

"Well, it's all thanks to my teacher!" he replied, placing a hand on her shoulder. Neo tensed beneath him, lifting a brow in his direction at his forwardness. It was unlike humans to try and touch her so, never mind getting so close to her to begin with. Strange, considering his unit. Maybe Otto hadn't gotten to him yet. Stepping back slightly, Terrance averted his eyes. "Do you, um… could we maybe… do this again, sometime?"

"I guess. Not sure why you want me though."

"Because you're amazing!" Terrance blurted, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. "I've learned so much just today… And you're a New Type too, and…"

Neo sighed. "Fine."

He looked like she had just offered him the moon, he was so excited. "R-Really?! Awesome!"

"Yeah. Anyway, if that's all…"

"Oh, yeah, of course! Um… see you later?"

"Sure."

Neo strode across the room, through the large doors, and into the hallway, leaving Terrance behind. The young soldier hummed, running a hand over his sleeve where her fingers had touched. His smile faltered, watching her disappear around the wall.

. . .

Far East Branch – Rookie's Floor

After her session with Terrance, Neo was nearly exhausted. All of that socializing had made her tired and all of that talking had made her thirsty. She wandered the hall, tapping idly along the wall as she went. Her plan was to get a drink and make her way back to her room where, hopefully, she could finally finish reading the book Soma had loaned her. It was getting interesting, albeit a bit confusing. Watching the two characters tiptoe around each other boggled her mind to no end. Honestly, why couldn't the character just tell the protagonist how they felt? It all seemed so tiresome.

Reaching the vending machines, Neo looked over the options humming quietly to herself. Her eyes ran over each choice, carefully considering what she wanted. She was nearly out of juice ration. The ones in the machine should taste the same, right? Making her selection, she entered her data into the system — she had been scolded numerous times for shorting out the circuitry — and purchased her Love Juice.

The gears whirred and grinded, coming to a stop before offering her prize. A flick of her wrist and the juice was hers, carefully angling a finger over the tab to pop it open. It was only at that moment that she noticed a flash of yellow in her periphery. Startled, she whipped around to find her teammate sitting by his lonesome on the bench. He had been so quiet for once; she hadn't even noticed him sitting in the corner.

"Kota…? What are you doing here?"

"Just hanging out," he answered, though his worried expression didn't agree with the flippancy of his tone. Of course, she didn't need to hear his voice to know that something was bothering him. The fact that he hadn't accosted her on sight said it all. She took a few steps toward him.

"You look pretty solemn for 'just hanging out.' Is something on your mind?"

With a sigh, Kota relented. He knew there was little point in trying to avoid Neo's scrutiny. And it wasn't like he was hiding it anyway. "I'm just… concerned."

"Concerned? About what?"

"About Soma."

Neo blinked. "…Why?"

"Well, I thought I'd give him a break, so I brought him a juice box… He said I was disturbing him and shooed me away."

"That's Soma for you."

"Yeah, but he's just wound so tightly these days, you know? By the way, if you're heading to his lab, watch yourself, okay? If you get on his nerves, he's liable to snap." Kota sighed. "I just hope he's doing alright…"

That got her attention. She hadn't seen the veteran in a number of days. Among all members of the Den, he was one of the busiest. When he wasn't tracking Nova, he was writing reports for the scientists. When he wasn't doing that, he was out in the field culling possible targets. When he wasn't doing that, he was gathering supplies, bringing back sustenance for her since she was no longer capable of providing it for herself. He was spread thinner than cream cheese on a cracker; it wasn't surprising that he was lashing out at people. Even so, that didn't stopped her from feeling concerned. Frowning, she finally popped open her can and made her way toward the bench. "How is he doing?"

"He's been back and forth between the lab and Sakaki's for days now. I mean, I'm used to seeing it from Hamasaki, but at the very least, he takes a break every now and then. I think. But Soma… I don't know when he's sleeping…"

The bench creaked quietly under the added weight, Neo seating herself next to him. The juice felt heavenly in her parched throat, taking a long drag before leaning back against the wall. "Huh. Soma's been doing research…? That's new."

"Yeah. I guess he dug out some of his mom and dad's old research notes or something. That's… what he said anyways. He was grumbling about his dad and, you know how Soma gets when he's on a rant like that. He can curse very creatively."

"Hehe…" Neo chuckled. Though she had never seen him in one of those particular moods herself, she had heard stories about them from other soldiers. Considering his personality, it wasn't that far of a stretch. "That sounds like Soma…"

"Yeah… but see, he had this look in his eye. It was drive, but almost excited. I was glad, really."

"Excited…?"

"Mm-hmm. He seemed to be getting past all this. Accepting his parents, regardless of the, uh… problems. And then the Nova they created turns into something like this… It's more than one guy should ever have to deal with. I know it'd be way too much for me to deal with."

"It would be a lot for anyone, Kota."

"Yeah, but it's not only that, it's —" he grabbed at his beanie, letting out an exasperated sigh. "It's the same thing that happened with Alisa! I… I don't know how to help him. How to… make it better again."

Her gaze softened. She took another long drink from her can while she digested his words. "I'm… not sure either. I've been asking myself that question for a long time."

"Oh yeah… you guys have known each other for like… ever, haven't you?"

Neo nodded. "Since we were children."

"Right. That makes me happy, you know? I mean, originally, he told us you were dead… I guess he thought you were, I don't know. I-I mean! I'm glad you're not! Obviously." Neo smirked. "And it's really great that you get to be yourself again. I never really liked the whole mindless super soldier thing. It was really creepy."

"Good to know."

Kota blinked, grumbling at his own foolishness. "I didn't mean — I just… I just mean you've been through so much; you know? Like, way more than any of us have. It's… inspiring, how tough you are." His eyes widened with realization. Then, he suddenly deflated. "And of course, I always come whining to you for help…" he sighed. "I'm so pathetic. You do so much, and I'm just…"

She frowned, gently nudging him with her leg. "You're just as much help as I am, Kota… probably even more so."

He scoffed. "Yeah, right. I've seen you on the battlefield. Even without your nifty features, you're way stronger than I'll ever be."

"Probably… but that's basically the gist of it. My capability starts and ends with the battlefield. Which at the moment, makes me pretty much useless. But you… you're helpful outside of that."

"I don't know… seems kinda far-fetched, doesn't it? It would be pretty sweet if that's true though."

"It is true." Neo shifted, lifting a leg, and turning on the bench so she was facing him. "All I seem to do is cause trouble for people… make their lives more difficult. But you do the opposite. You raise everyone's spirits. Don't underestimate the importance of morale in a unit. It keeps people motivated. I don't think you realize the positive effect you have on others…"

Kota blinked. "You… You serious? Like, actually serious?"

"Kota… you even got me to smile. That's a feat in and of itself, right?"

"I… never thought of it that way. Thanks, Neo!"

"Sure." She shrugged.

"Actually, come to think of it, it's only now I realize I've never gotten him to crack a smile. Not even once."

"Don't feel bad. I'm not sure I have either. Not in a while."

"Well, alright then! Let's make it happen! Let Operation: Laughing Soma begin!"

"Pfft!" Neo couldn't contain herself, letting out an undignified snort. His ability to uplift those around him truly was a talent. "I'm not sure that's a good idea, but… I'll be on standby. To make sure he doesn't kill you."

Kota erupted with laughter. Neo chuckled alongside of him, pausing only to finish her beverage. The two remained there in the hallway, chattering amongst themselves — Kota primarily — without a care in the world. Oblivious to the pair of eyes watching them from around the corner of the hallway.

. . .

Far East Branch Headquarters – Veteran's Floor

"So, that's it, then?" It's finished?"

"Not quite." Ichiro piled his papers together, organizing them into a small file. "The base design is functional, but there are a few more resources we need to get."

Soma nodded, eyeing his comrade's movements as he paced around the room. "Well, that shouldn't be too difficult. Get them to Licca so she can start running diagnostics. Pretty sure Neo is going to have a stroke if we keep her here much longer."

Ichiro smirked at the implication before shaking his head. "Okay, first of all, I'm not even sure that's possible. Second…" Pausing on his way to the dresser, he handed the file to Soma. "You should have known it couldn't possibly be that easy."

He took the folder, watching Hamasaki make his way to the furniture and start digging through the drawers. Flipping open the front page, his eyes skimmed over the document, growing wider with every line. "The hell…? Hamasaki, this is insane. Some of these are scarce, there's no way you're getting them in the Far East."

"Exactly." A few shirts were pulled from the top drawer, neatly folded and symmetrical. "Which is why I am heading to Europe in a few days' time."

There were a few moments of silence while his words registered in Soma's mind. Then, he balked. "You guys are leaving the branch? Now?"

"No, I am leaving the branch. Neo is staying here with you. It's… less complicated that way."

"Hamasaki, the Nova operation is in full swing, we need our strongest."

"Precisely. Which is all the more reason to get her back in action. If Licca's calculations are right, we should be able to increase the Bias Shield's efficacy. The sooner she's in fighting form, the better for all of us, including her. I'm getting concerned about her… I'm worried she's beginning to spiral."

Soma fell silent. His teammate had a point, there was no doubt Beo's mental health had been suffering from her ongoing confinement. It wouldn't do her or anyone else any good to prolong their situation any longer than necessary. Even so, he did question the safety of keeping her with him in the Far East. Not that he was complaining about her company. Thinking about it, it would be an opportunity to spend some time with her alone…

Shaking his head, he grumbled. He really needed to stop letting his mind wander. "Fine. You're not wrong, but do you really have to go yourself? You could have them shipped in a couple of days."

"I'm afraid not. Following an incident in Australia, one of these is a controlled resource. And one that is very specific in its usage. If word of its movement gets back to North America — and you and I both know it will — it'll all but confirm our residence here."

"Damn it."

"Besides… there are a few reagents I'd like to search for while I'm over there. After running some tests on those samples you gave me, I have a pretty good inkling this new compound is going to work. If what Lindow said is true, and Neo's hunch is right…"

Soma nodded. Even he couldn't disagree with that; his infection was getting worse by the day. And so long as his Oracle cells remained uncontrolled, facing the Nova wasn't an option. Even leaving the Den was risky enough. If there was any chance he was getting closer to a breakthrough, he needed to take it. Immediately. "How long will you be gone?"

"A few days at maximum. Sakaki's organized a transport, covert. I'll be leaving in the middle of the night, so I'll have to leave the task of informing Neo to you." Soma's head shot up, eyes narrowing at him in a display of pure irritation. Ichiro lifted his hands in surrender, offering a sympathetic smile. "I know, I know… I'm sorry to put that on you, but you know how she is. If she knows I'm leaving ahead of time —"

"There's no way we'll be able to stop her, I know." Hamasaki gave an apologetic nod, to which Soma rolled his eyes. "I'll let her know when you're leaving."

"Thank you. I appreciate it… I know she'll be in good hands with you."

"Yeah, just don't take too long. She was a mess the last time you left her behind."

"Haha… acknowledged."

Soma sighed, closing the file with a snap before setting it down on the table. In his mind, he was already running over how he was going to deliver the news. Hopefully, with her calmer state, she would take his absence better than the last time. If not…

With a quiet grumble, he turned and made his way toward the door. This was going to be a long week.