God Eater: Fates Entwined

8 - Of Crushed Hopes and Broken Promises

Soma was not certain if he was hearing it right.

"Besides," Yuka continued, "I don't want to leave businesses unfinished here. Yggdrasil is a long ride from the Far East Branch, and I don't want to deal with that while I'm working on studying the tree itself." Mayu looked as dejected as the First Unit's younger God Eaters, and her foster mother was consoling her with gentle caresses as much as she could. "I've only reunited with Yuu, and I do have two God Eaters in training living here."

The little girl's lips twisted to a small frown. "Why can't we bring them to the Den with us then?"

"They have an adoptive family here, and—"

"The Far East Branch wouldn't let them into the walls," Lenka finished for her, causing Yuka to sigh. "Only blood-related relatives—that is Fenrir's rule. If Iroha had been alive..." His expression grew sullen, golden eyes now looking down on the floor. "... I wouldn't bother going to the Far East Branch if they wouldn't let her in with me."

It was a sad truth, but it was the rule—Fenrir's rule. Even as God Eaters in service of the organization, there is no such thing as a special exemption. It is why there are still people living outside the walls, out in the dangers of the barren lands. Fenrir can't—won't just accept anybody that doesn't meet their standards.

Like natural selection, but orchestrated by the Fenrir Organization.

There are so many problems in this world that Yuka wishes she could solve, but she isn't the kind of god that creates miracles upon words. The gift of creation relies greatly on Oracle Cells, and it is an unknown ground as much as Nova Cells.

"You'll need a lab." Blue eyes flicked towards the source of the voice, and Yuka found Soma peering at her from behind strands of his hair. He still leaned on the doorframe, arms folded over his chest and significantly unimpressed. "You're studying the damn tree, aren't you?" Also obviously displeased by the fact that she had forbidden him of going anywhere near the tree in question. "You'll need a lab, with actual security system. In case accidents happen—because accidents do happen."

She knew he was speaking of the risks that comes with such line of work, and probably from his own experience as well with handling the Nova Remnants. (He told her about it.) But the Nova Cells from Yggdrasil's samples were not as "wild" as Soma had described his own set of specimen. In fact, they were almost submissive. When she pointed this out to the dark-skinned male, he spat, "Impossible."

"I could attest to that though," Aki then said, causing his glare to now land on her. "There really hadn't been any sort of outbreaks from Yuka's specimen cells, except for that one time I tried to have a look on them myself."

Curiosity won. "What happened?" Lenka then asked.

"Fifty centimeters away from the samples and they started behaving wildly," the older blonde began. "They thrashed against their petri dishes. Twenty-five centimeters and some of them burst into thorns. I didn't try anything closer than that. The distance ratio becomes bigger when it comes to the tree. They react negatively with the presence of anybody else. It was like they want to be left alone."

"With you," Soma frowned.

Yuka nodded. "With me."

"Well, aren't you a special snowflake?" He snorted.

"I am your special snowflake, Moony-kins."

"I am Dad's special snowflake," Mayu argued with a huge, childish pout.

With a laugh joined by the others present in the room (sans Soma), Yuka raised her hands in defeat. "Alright, sweetheart, you win. You are our special snowflake."