User blog:Roinelll/God Eater Next - Volume 1 - Segment 11

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======== G. E. N. - 1 - 11

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May 6th 02:23 PM

It was a room completely shrouded in darkness, but not entirely empty. Inside it hidden from the eyes of anyone were multiple machines all serving one single purpose. To keep the one in the very center of the room asleep, the one whose body was now being observed by someone. And that person was now rather angry, that his phone buzzed for the umpienth time signaling his presence was required elsewhere.

"It appears so that I must go away soon. I promise, you don't have to wait much longer any more." The voice naturally wasn't recognized as his audience was in a forced and deep slumber, yet the man coulnd't help to not say it aloud. He reached with one of his arms towards the tube containing his most prized legacy and caressed its surface gently. With a sigh and a steeled resolve the man finally turned away and sought the exit of the room.

"Yes?!" After answering the still buzzing phone he snarled in it angrily, anger that he would have liked to vent on the fool daring to rouse him.

-Mr. Reinhardt, patient #31 has arrived.- From the other end of the line a quit voice answered knowing the superior all to well to ward off his anger.

"Oh?! I see." The lead researcher of Fenrir HQ brightened up once hearing the response and cut the line. It was over 2 years ago since the last suitable patient had been found, and this time he wasn't going to let the chance slip from him so easily. One of the Fenrir helicopters was waiting for him to board and take him to his destination.

Altough his trek had taken a couple of hours and soon night was going to fall, he arrived filled with hope anewed. He had spent the time during the travel to read trough the files of his patient, Sierra Declaine. The picture attached revealed a young girl with emerald green eyes with a tinge of purple ring encasing her iris due to an eye anomalie, along with a golden-red colored hair cut in a short bob. What he learned from it filled the researcher with various feelings. Partially he was excited, however his other part knew it all too well how it is going to end.

---

As she had awoken, once again a different ceiling greeted her. The girl looked around and noted with certainity she had been again transferred to somewhere else. This time the room was rather simple, actually way simpler than it should have been as it contained the bed she was lying in, a chair and herself only. The few belongings she had were laid beside her on the bed in a neat manner, which reaised some curiosity inside her.

A few hours went past since she had awoken entirely uneventful. In that time she did get up and walked around the room, even exited it to search her surrounding. Yet everything was empty, she had been deposited in an unused wing of some building she was sure of god knows where only. After returning to the room she had waken up and tried to think about what is going to happen next she heard footsteps closing in as if waiting only for her return.

The girl figured that she wasn't left alone unattended for sure, so whoever is coming to get her will most probably explain the situation. Eventually with confident steps a man walked in to the room. He was rather tall, a few heads taller than her for sure compared to the height she reached of 150 cm should the girl stand. He then turned to the girl and waited for a few moments, the man was wearing a white long labcoat and underneath a white shirt and white trousers. His hair was rather short and some grey stripes mixed into the dark brown color. The dark eyes looked at her with an intensity, yet weren't directly locked on to her which puzzled the girl even more.

"Hello Sierra, I can call you Sierra, right?" Taking the only furniture left in the room he first turned the chairs back towards the girl and sat on it, his face betraying no emotions.

"Call me Reinhardt, Erik Reinhardt. I'm the one who owns this facility, amongst many others." As the girl nodded as acknowledgement, the researcher continued his introduction. The girl, Sierra reached to a small board placed at the side of the bed. It was an A5 sized writing pad, attached with a pen to use with it. If the girl wanted to communicate this was one of the choices available to her, since according to the doctors her vocal cords had been malformed ever since her birth.

"--So I'm getting kicked out? Although, if the head shows himself before someone like me, then that's rather surprising.--" After a short while she finished scribbling on it and showed the sentences she had written to the researcher. She did contemplate to add another thought to it that surfaced at his last words, namely that was she amongst his possessions? Somehow that feeling was creeping inside her, especially as his unnerving gaze swept past her.

"Oh? Although, I am not going to deny that you'll have to be discharged. You see you're not the only one with a serious illness, however unlike you others have a family to back them up financially." The man introduced as Reinhardt smothered a half smile although it wasn't clear to Sierra what prompted him to do so. Sierra took the writing pad and with a press of the button erased the previous sentence and started to scribe another.

"--I understand. Actually I was ready for this ever since I've been taken care of a few years ago, I still wonder why was I still being kept under care for that long.--" After she revealed her sentence, the researcher met her stern gaze for a moment and then just like as before his stare went again unfocused. The strange ignorance the girl had gotten from the man somehow fortified that she wasn't more than some plaything before him.

"--So what's the actualy reason you've decided to appear before me personally Mr. Reinhardt?--" Sierra once again erased the sentence to write another one, much as to inquiry about her future as like trying to overcome the uneasy feeling starting to spread inside her mind.

"You're terminally ill, you do know? We can prolong your life for a few years longer, that itself is no cure at all." Once again just a gaze he didn't gave her more, as the words shattered the attempt of the girl trying to calm herself. She had been transferred from place to place, always undergoing some treatment. Yet never before was she told that her status is this grim.

As the silence started to elongenate Sierra started to think about her position. About the possibility Erik Reinhardt appeared before her, something instigated her to think that she was required for him in one way or another. Maybe it would be for the best to agree to any demand that's going to be proposed, or just make the proposal herself.

"--So you want to experiment on me? Is that it?--" This time the scribbling didn't last long as her determination finally fueled her survival instinct. The man was creeping her out extremely, but at the very same time brought some sort of hope.

"Yes." At the researchers response she shivered. And through the girls mind raced the though of 'Was that really a great idea?' as another quick glance sweeped over her.

"--Since you were waiting for my response in this matter, I assume that it's not guaranteed at all. Actually, I'm more surprised that since I don't have any relatives, why didn't you just up and do something with me. Not like I could have known or even stopped you.--" Actually Sierra wasn't sure that there was nothing done to her at all, but still the presence of the man signaled something. Especially as he was waiting for something.

"You've heard of God Eaters?" Forgoing to answer the possibility of what the girl claimed yet neither declining it, he opted to raise a different subject also gifting her with another soul stirring instantenous gaze.

"--The ones to exterminate Aragami.--" There was no response from the researcher, not even a quick glance as he earlier had done. The girl started to wonder why did he bring that topic up.

"--You want to make me into a God Eater?--" Sierra blinked as she finally understood the intention, but was confused at the same time. If she could have been a possible candidate Fenrir should have sought her out way faster. Not to mention that the God Eater matches themselves were quite rare and even if by chance she would be able to become one, what purpose would it serve with her alleged short lifespan?

"A possible cure." The girls heartbeat suddenly stopped for a moment at this answer. Possible. That single word meant so much and at the same time nothing at all. Still no other explanation occured why would the researcher bring it up. Should she be able to become one then the girl should have already been notified of it long ago.

"--Funny thing is, do I have anything to lose? Even if it turns out malignant of benevolent, unless I do agree nothing will change.--" The researcher closed his eyes and didn't seem to want to open them, so she had to knock on the writing pad to promt him to read the answer she gave. As soon as her response had ben read, a shiver came over her. Sierra gulped as she realized, that this might had been a dead end after all. Still albeit it felt like grasping after the last straws, she sought an answer.

"It's not guaranteed." Reinhardt saw her reactions, but didn't care at all. In a way she had been right, he could have done with her anything he wanted to.

"--Why won't you be straight with me, Mr. Reinhardt?--" Her resolve once again ignited itself and prompted an answer from him. Finally a definiate and clear answer, not these murky comments.

"I'm in charge of a project, you have slightly less than 5% chance to survive." Which was still substantially larger than any of the previous 30 patients he had supervised and watched to perish. Even the best of them had barely 2% so while she was still at a serious dire situation, the girl still had the potential to become the very first survivor. If not then he'll have to search for the 32th one eventually, or the one after it and the next ones until he succeeds or everyone else is lost. Although this knowledge was only pertaining Reinhardt and a select few, at the answer he did saw Sierra to stare in front of herself trying to digest the information.

"--I'm in.--" The girls response came with a smile trying to reassure the researcher, aswell as strenghten the belief her choice was true. Hopefully.

"I'm actually impressed by your resolve. I'll have to make a call and make preparations for your inauguration process. In the meantime I'll ask someone to help you getting packed." Reinhardt stood up and walked out of the room not even bothering to look at the response of Sierra, however true to the words shortly after his leave there came someone to help her pack that limited things she owned and brought the girl after the researcher who was waiting inside the helicopter that brought himself here.

The one attending to her small package helped the girl up beside the man then left. Soon the flying machine lifted off and started its trek. Fascinated by the sight she was experiencing the girl was observing their surroundings in the setting sun. Albeit the landscape was at points ravaged they didn't encounter anything threathening. Somewhere along the flight she must have dozed off, because when Sierra finally awakened she found herself in complete darkness. As the girl stirred something moved along side her.

"Rest. It's late." The researcher was with her for some reason and while trying to figure out, he once again spoke.

"Tomorrow you'll become a God Eater if you're lucky enough, now rest." Reinhardt went silent with that and soon enough Sierra could hear his slow, yet periodic respiration. He went asleep and the girl tried to follow, albeit that evaded her for a couple of hours.

---

May 7th 08:00 AM

A beeping alarm jarred Sierra awake hard. If she would have functioning vocal cords she would have risen with a shriek, but all that the girl was able to make had been a gasp. The wake up call originated from the phone of the researcher who still snored ignorantly. The alarm was still ringing as Sierra took note of her surroundings, as concluded that it was a similar room where she had awoken. The only bed was taken by her, while Reinhardt still slept in the chair.

Her curiosity towards that feat was minimal, while she did get up and ventured closer to the source of the annoying sound. It was in one of the inside pockets of the coat he was wearing and she tried to fish out the phone to finally subvert the alarm.

"...ghter." The man mumbled something what's first part wasn't understood by Sierra as she finally reached her aim. And as soon as she pressed the button to end the nightmarish tone the eyes of Reinhardt opened up in that instant. Looking at the frightened girl with a glance, then sweeping it toward the device held in her arm he took it from her. Without any words the researcher stood up and left the room, leaving the girl there puzzled. Though soon he did return with two packages and passed one of them towards her.

"Fenrir rations, should you become a God Eater you'll have access to a bit more variety and quality." The man opened his package and started to munch on it's inside. It was the same product that was distributed across all Fenrir protected areas for the general populace. Already used to it's bland taste the girl ripped hers open and started to comsume it the same way. Although she did wonder why was someone like the lead researcher of Fenrir living on such basic rations.

"Come." Although their breakfast was spent silently as soon she finished hers, Reinhardt urged them to move and she could barely keep up with him. Their way led them through a number of winding passages, confusing the girls directional senses after a few minutes and by the time the two arrived to their goal she was unable to tell from where did they come at all.

They stood before a powerfully built door which gave the feeling to Sierra that the thing locked behind it should be rather valuable if they went to such lenghts to fortify it's surrounding. The researcher keyed in a code on the right side of the door into the small terminal interface and the way opened for them as the door slid into the wall.

If the girl would have been able to whistle she would have, seeing as the door itself was thicker than the lenght of her lower arm. Peeking inside curiously she saw that the room was similarly encased in a protective fortification just like the door itself, although at some points that shell was either broken, burned, peeling off and in some cases filled with holes or scratch marks. It had an oval form with a radius of some 20 metres and with the exception of 3 shapes it was quite empty.

In the middle was a stand which was roughly a head lower than her height. It's upper half raised and on the stand she saw a large half circle piece of equipment, in the upper half there was the other part of it and Sierra wondered what it's supposed to be standing for. Beside the stand and the machine interesting her stood two males.

The one on it's left side wasn't much taller than her however it still was a surprising sight. He was wearing dark sunglasses and all facial hair was completely missing from the face that the girl couldn't call handsome at all, yet wasn't disqusting either. The man was wearing old military uniform and was leaning on his weapon.

A weapon which made Sierra stare at it. It was large, ridicolously large in fact. Even bigger than the bald male in his hand were a flat sword, almost looking like he was holding a slab of flat iron. To much of her surprise he switched grip on it's handle and with ease flipped the large piece of blade to his shoulders with using a single hand. The girls mouth hung open at the fact and the other one snickered at the sight.

As her attention draw towards the source of the sound she saw a similarly clothed older man, his hair on the other hand was rather long and collected in a pony tail unlike his partners. Just like his partner he had been leaning on the weapon in his hand before him and wearing an identical pair of sunglasses, however the weapon looked much like a long rod to her which made her raise her eye brows in surprise.

"They are God Eaters, and have been deployed here in case something would go wrong." At the introduction of Reinhardt the bald man saluted and the elder just held up his right arm, targetting Sierra with his fingers and mimicked to fire a shot at her heart. At that time she noticed the huge red braceled embedding around the wrist of the elder, and as her gaze checked the bald militarist she found one just like that there too.

Finally she understood what's going to happen, this will be the initiation procedure for her. Although she wasn't sure what could go wrong, Sierra did recall that her chance of success was rather low. Sweeping her gaze across the stand she could now identify the same bracelet that the two God Eaters were wearing and it was waiting just for her.

"Go." Reinhardt nudged her towards the stand, towards her chance to become something more than she actually is. And with shaky steps she followed the order, but was stopped by the gigantic flat weapon of the bald man being held in front of her.

"Professor, we can't allow that." He was eyeing the researcher and keeping the girl at bay at the same time. Sierra looked first at the researcher then back to her roadblock a few times.

"Shut up! It's my decision, who are you to override my authority?!" Something snapped inside him as the man bellowed at the two God Eaters.

"No... Professor, we can't do that... But, neither can we leave the head of Fenrirs R&D department to undergo such an extremely risky process personally." Raising both hands aswell as trying to calm their superior the elder interfered, and in turn was the target of Reinhardts following wrath.

"And you would let Sierra do it, HUH?! You really expect me to just sit back and relax while this girl risks her very life?!" This statement widened the girls eyes as he took her side. She had been sure that her existence wasn't even noted by him so far, but this violent protective outburst confused her view about the researcher.

"Professor, we have our orde--" Trying to come to the help of the elder the bald man tried also to negotiate, but was interrupted fiercely.

"MY ORDER IS : STAY PUT! Continue." Shouting with a loud voice his command finally went trough, then he turned to the girl and nodded to proceed.

"I want you to extend your right arm, and place it inside the machine. That is a Control Armlet, through it we will inject the P42 Bias into your body. I am not going to lie, it is going to be painful as the Oracle Cells course through your body and the Armlet fuses onto your arm." Seeing as Sierra stiffened up by the events, the researcher decided to stand by her side and guide her motions. As he explained what's going to happen the top of the case lowered on the confused girls lower arm.

"Professor, at least take a step away. Please." The elder tried to reason with him, but it was to no avail.

"Second order : SHUT UP! Start!" Flinging the words with an ice cold tone he didn't even look at them. Instead his gaze went upwards to a section of the wall where his attendants were busily preparing the procedure. His hands holding at the shoulders of the girl as if trying to encourage her to stand up to what is coming.

And it came. Reinhardt was honest to her about the pain, however even he couldn't know the factor it would hit her. As she reared her head and her mouth stretched wide he could almost imagine the horrific scream that wouldn't leave her lips due to the malformed vocal cords. Sierra trashed around for a few seconds, then her head buckled and if the man itself weren't staying by her side she would have collapsed like a rag doll when she lost consciousness.

"Professor?!" Fearing that their superiors life is at stake the two God Eaters turned weapon ready towards the knocked out girl.

"Success." Reinhardt allowed himself a grin. She made it trough, Sierra. Sierra Declaine, the first success. His first success...

--- End of Chapter 2015,07,26

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