God Eater: Infinity Paradise

15. Infection

A/N: I'M LOSING MY DRIVE TO WRITE OHMYGOD-- SALVATION--

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It was not a secret to everyone in the Den that as of late, Yuka and Soma had been trying to get into each other's throats more often then usual. The usual teasing between them had turned to bickerings every now and then, the male God Eater never failing to make retorts at the other's words, rather than keeping silent like he used to. Everyone else in the First Unit noted how irritable the two had become as of late, especially when they are out on the field. Lindow could only scratch his head, clueless. "One moment, they're chummy and all. The next, they want to slit each other's throats," he remarked with a shrug.

Whatever the cause was, it certainly affects their behavior even towards their comrades, and everyone else inside the branch.

"Red day?" C teased with a smirk, but the blonde only continued to walk past with a 'hmph', arriving later at the laboratory. The pale girl chuckled slightly as the other female disappeared behind the door, before she added, "No exceptions, huh?"

Dr. Sakaki was seated in front of his computer, continuously typing in data from the keyboard with the usual odd smile in his face. It was a sight Yuka had become used to. The only difference was that Utsugi Lenka was also present in the room, silently seating on the couch west of the door. She decided to settle down on the one on the other end of the room, the furniture sinking slightly underneath her weight.

Silence wafted through the air, the only sound being made was that from the keys being pressed, and occasionally, Yuka tapping a foot against the floor. Sakaki seemed to be too immersed to be bothered. She cleared her throat -- twice she had, in fact -- but the doctor's attention never faltered away from his screen. The deafening silence only continued to murder the two God Eaters.

"You could have quit this job," she then said, causing the raven-haired God Eater to turn to her direction. The senior was obviously talking to him, but he didn't remember telling anybody else of his current condition. Much to his surprise, Yuka turned back to him before cocking her head over to where the doctor was seated. "He told me."

Lenka shifted slightly in his seat, eyes wandering over to the odd discoloration in his right arm. It stemmed from his Armed Implant, bursting in vivid orange and purple colors. Dr. Sakaki gave him three years to live if he retires. Otherwise, he'd die an early death. "I would die either way," he answered. "I'd rather die a meaningful death."

"Perhaps if you were one of us..." He was certain that was what the blonde mumbled upon shifting her attention away from him. It was not exactly clear what she meant by that, and judging from the female's behavior as of late, asking no more is a wiser choice.

Yuka continued to speak while Sakaki is still busy. Apparently, even in her current mood, she still can't stand dead air. "It looks like the armlet suffered a cell overload, and even the current bias factor could not contain that much amount of Oracle Cells. As a result, the cells in your body go haywire the more you wield a God Arc, which would eventually consume you." After a sigh, her lips pursed together, and her arms crossed.

Wasn't that exactly her case?

Yuka's eyebrows furrowed at the thought, mind drifting off as well. Her prototype God Arc forcibly transfers Oracle Cells into her, which, by then, should cause an infection similar to that of the verdant-eyed male. However, it wasn't what was happening. Sakaki mentioned once that the nauseous and sick feeling she had in the past were caused by her body failing to keep with the continuous change. That means, her system, somehow, copes up to the increasing number of Oracle Cells. It tries to adapt.

But why...?

She threw her gaze back at the younger male, only to find him far more interested with his infected arm. Instead, Yuka turned towards the other male. "Doctor." He replied with a small 'hmm?', so she deemed he is with them and it is safe to go on. "Aren't we suffering the same kind of infection?"