User blog:Yuka Ichinose/God Eater: Infinity Paradise, Chapter 8

She hadn't been feeling well since this morning. Her head honestly felt like it was being ripped open, and there was this odd sensation in her chest that seem to make her puke. Going back to her activities the past days, she hadn't done much, apart from the usual Aragami hunting and core extraction. "You look pale," noted Hibari, their operator. "Do you feel ill, Yuka?" Her dark brown eyes studied the unusual complexion, as if almost every color had just been drained from the God Eater's face.

"Nein." Yuka quickly replied with a small smile. After asking bits regarding the missions free for taking, her eyes fell on the one that includes extracting the core of two large Aragamis. She failed to realize that she was already eyeing said article quite long enough to get the operator's attention. "Uhm..." Hibari began. "I believe Major Amamiya already has a group set for that one." The other lifted her head to look at the operator. "But the Director already has a special mission set for you and Soma." Yuka simply nodded, which was more unusual. "Though you should get a glass of water first before proceeding. You really don't look well, Yuka." A worried expression was drawn all over the operator's face, which Yuka understood why. She hadn't been feeling well since this morning.

After leaving the mission counter for the section elevator...

"Are you sick?" Came a question from a voice that seemed to halfheartedly care. "You aren't jumping around as often as you used to." She felt a hand press against her forehead, then the side of her neck. Her temperature is normal, thought Soma. "Have you not eaten anything? So that's why there are still enough rations for everyone." Before she could whine about what he had just said, he decided to walk past and leave her behind. Though, seeing that they are once again to work on a special mission, he wasn't surprised to see her follow him into the elevator. Soma pressed the buttons.

Despite having his back on her, he could feel those tired blue hues staring at him from behind. "Why are we going to Dr. Sakaki's laboratory?"

He didn't say a word.

The elevator finally stopped moving, and the doors parted. Yuka almost stumbled forward as she was dragged out of the small confined space and into the hallway leading to the doctor's laboratory. "Slow down a bit, would you please?" She asked.

The other huffed. "If we are going on a special mission together, I'm not letting you become just a baggage to me. Don't go if you're feeling weak on your knees. You'll just attract trouble."

And so, he waited outside the laboratory, after Old Man Sakaki promised that the diagnosis wouldn't take long. It didn't, which was a relief since he was ready to just go off and leave her behind. "Well, congratulations, Soma. In contrast to what I think you assume, Yuka's not pregnant of your child."

The male God Eater hissed at the Stargazer, which received a hearty laugh in response. "I've given her medicine to take for the headaches she'd been complaining about. Other than that, she's perfectly healthy. I'm sure the P73 would work just fine for her not to be a burden to you." The blonde then finally made an appearance, as the lab door opened. "Shall we go?" Yuka turned to Soma with a small, pained smile. "I'm sure the Director had been waiting for too long." He agreed with a small 'tch', as they returned for the section elevator, Sakaki calling out to him to help her out until she gets back to her toes.

Tsubaki's voice was firm and stern, as she looked down at the blonde to turn down her request one more time. "You have something of a higher priority to take care of, right? You should put your focus on that rather than nosing into other God Eaters' missions." Yuka's head hung low, for the Major's words were just right on the heart. Still, the idea of leaving three rookies to extract cores of two large Aragamis were just too much in her opinion. It should be a job for a group with more experience in the field.

Sakuya's eyes were on her. "I think, what Yuka was trying to say, is that we lack the manpower to accomplish the mission. With the Aragami species unconfirmed, there is a possibility of running to two Vajras, which would b--"

"Better." Alisa's voice silenced every word for argument, her eyes blazed with determination and enthusiasm.

"Machs gut."

***

He hadn't been staring, nor asking too much, but Soma could clearly distinguish the grimm face she bears. It wasn't just the headaches, he could tell. "Is this about Sakuya's team?" He finally asked.

And then he felt like they had just traveled back in time.

Her hand clutched the sleeve of his coat, whilst the other tightly gripped the handle of her archetype God Arc. She definitely looked like she was about to break into tears, like a little child that had just had her favourite candy stolen by an Aragami. "I... really have a bad feeling about this. Can we finish this quickly and return to Den? I'm anxious to know how the New-Types are doing." With the Aragami species unconfirmed, there is a possibility of running to two Vajras. Sakuya's words rang in her ear, which only worsened her headache.

He moved forward, forcing her grip on his sleeve to disappear. Yuka followed suit, dragging her God Arc along with her. Against a Chi-You, it should be easy. He had dealt with some before all by himself, and if Yuka would quit being an annoyance, this job would be quick once done right.

Must be a P73 thing, he thought, and afterwards cussed himself for even doing so.

She fired, sending a blast right above his head, the bullet hitting the Aragami on the torso and sending it staggering backwards. Soma took the opportunity to wield his own blade around, and keep the enemy down, Yuka acting as support with her blast gun. "Soma, switch!"

He barely noticed that she tapped his hand before running towards the Chi-You. "Don't push yourself too much," he hissed. "This'd would take longer if you end up collapsing in the midst of it." Though his words were barely heard as the predator form of Yuka's God Arc devoured the fallen monster, crushing its wing completely, and at the same time, refilling her ammo. Slash. Jump. Fire. Soma was back in the game. It wasn't helping that the Chi-You can quickly stand up and still attack them despite its broken wing. In addition to that, Yuka seemed out of herself, which is another annoyance. "Hit the lower body!" He instructed her, as he took a few steps back. (It'd be like a mission with Kanon if he doesn't stay away from the target areas.)

One. Two. Three. Four.

Smoke obstructed his vision, but he forced himself to stay alert. A quick swerve to the left and he swung his Sawblade, hitting the Chi-You's arm and forcing it down. They just have to break the head and body Oracle Cells before extracting its core completely. While the Aragami was down, both God Eaters took the opportunity of dealing more damage with their buster blades in close combat, successfully unbounding Oracle Cells.

Yuka finished it off with a devour.

Just as the core had disappeared in the mouth of her Arc's predator form, her Arc dropped on the ground, and she would have collapsed along with it if Soma hadn't been close enough to catch her. "Let's... get back to Den..." She told him.

But returning to the command center only brought them cold sweat.

"The situation?"

The air was filled with deafening silence.

"... Not good."