Captain Yamata enters the lab that Major Neru wanted to meet her. Yamata salutes “Captain Yamata reporting Major.” Neru responds “At ease. I have something that might help us. At least against Oni.” Neru leads to a secure door and inputs a code into a nearby key pad. The door opens to revel a pure white crystal floating above the floor that’s roughly half of Yamata’s size. Yamata asks “What is that?” “We never bothered naming them. Zelda made these when I was young in the initial hope that we could use it to grant boons to mortals like being able to use our own weapons. However every attempt before always resulted in the mortals death so they were eventully discarded by Zelda’s orders…back when she cared more.” Neru shakes her head “At any rate the theory was that if a Angel infused their blood into this crystal it would become capable of altering mortals who touch it. I believe it never worked before because deep down the ascended in question didn’t want to so their blood responded in kind though I doubt the angels at the time wished for their death it is just the result of rejection. I want it to work but make no mistake on how easily I could be wrong. I shared what I knew with the scientist here and we have found that so long as my blood is infused with the crystal you have the best odds of success. If you fail you will die so I can’t order you to this but if you want then I won’t stop you, and even if you do succed this will likely be the most painful experience you ever had.” Yamata says “I’ll do it. We need any edge we can get.”
Neru steps to the side “Then grab the crystal and do not let go. If you let go early you will die regardless.” Yamata nods and steps up to the crystal and grabs a hold of it. Pain. Yamata didn’t even know feeling that much pain was possible as it seems to sear every nerve in her body as her eyes are clenched shut. Neru hears Yamata screaming in intense pain as her grip seems to loosen. Neru shuts her eyes “I’m sor…” Suddenly Yamata grips the crystal tighter and yells “NO! I’m not…letting go…and I’m not…dying here…” Yamata manages to force her eyes open to look at the crystal dead center. “So give me the worst you GOT YOU DAM CRYSTAL!!!”
After a few more minutes of agonizing pain the crystal pulses sending Yamata hurdling to the other side of the room as Neru yells “YAMATA!!!” and quickly rushes to her side. With effort Yamata manages to look up at Neru and weakly chuckles “So major…when’s the field trial?” Neru blinks then smirks “Your pretty tough Yamata.” “Was a…grave jumper…before we started…this. Wasn’t in my coffin…Die in the fall…or not at all.” Neru says “Ok that’s enough. Let’s get you to the infirmary.”
Tonya enters the private infirmary room to see Bip-Yap, a Crustalin, a alien species that has similarities to crustaceans like crabs and lobsters with this one being one of the shorter ones who’s head resembles a Dungeness crab with 4 crab like legs and 4 arms one of which has a pincer instead of a hand, who is currently looking over Captain Yamata with Neru standing nearby. Tonya sighs “Neru. I want you to explain to me why you choose NOT to inform me of your plan and that I only found out about it because of Bip-Yap here.” Neru grips her arm nervously “Well…I…I was worried you might try to stop the attempt. I felt this was the best chance we had to make a unit that could truly strike against ascended even if that is potentially still an uphill battle.” Tonya stares at Neru for a while then sighs “As long as Captain Yamata was willing,” Yamata says weakling “Still am” “As I was saying, as long as she is willing then no I wouldn’t have stopped you so long she was also fully informed which I trust she was. She was my best grave jumper before being on this task force, so I know she is capable of making this kind of decision. Besides she’s a merc. So this wasn’t really more dangerous then our jobs can be by default. That said NOT having Bip-Yap on hand before, during, and after was a oversight you better never make again. You live among us mortals now. A healer can’t just poof in if something went horribly wrong”
Tonya looks at Bip-Yap “So what have you figured out?” Bip-Yap taps a few things on his data pad and says “I can say she’ll live. Her body is recovering from what that…, divine blood crystal for lack of a better word, did to her. I’m also pretty certain I know what caused it to hurt like it did and killed everyone before her.” Neru asks “Why is that?” “Well.” Bip-Yap pushes a button on his data pad to bring up a visual on a monitor for everyone to see. “That is because it’s overwriting her genetic structure and violently. Half of her DNA is being actively changed from Sarange to Angel.” Neru frowns “So there is an artificial way to make an Ascendori?” Bip-Yap nods “Correct. Giving how aggressive these changes everyone before Yamata died because, and this is somewhat of a guess, the fact most ascended feel superior to mortals and most likely wouldn’t want any way for a mortal to be uplifted in anyway without their god doing so directly. This is based on the fact that a blood sample I received that the angel genetics is treating half of her body as if it’s some kind of defect or disease only instead of destroying it it’s altering it to conform.” Tonya says, “Wait so an angel's mental state is genetic” Bip-Yap says “not sure. Neru now views mortals as equals so it’s possible their mental state affects their genetics. Which is why this is working” Neru says “Wait did you imply MY DNA is altering her?” Bip-Yap cocks his head for a second then says “Hmmm… Oh right didn’t say that yet. But yes. After the changes are over any DNA test will show you as her biological mother.” Junko suddenly bolts upright as everyone but Bip-Yap yells “WHAT!?!?!?!?!”
Bip-Yap calmly sighs “Junko. Lay back down. It’s important you move as little as possible till the changes are done. Your insides are a soup from the changes and the sole reason you aren’t dead is most likely from the same thing changing you, but I can’t be sure moving won’t screw with it.” He looks at Neru “And yes. Though I’m a little confused why you are surprised Neru. It’s your blood you put in the crystal.” Neru still shocked “Ya but I thought it just unlocked the crystals power…” “Looks like the crystal served kind of like a divine version of CRISPER. It’s Neru’s DNA that entered Yamata’s blood stream and is diffently the thing overwriting her genetics at this insane speed.” Tonya asks, “Okay but why isn’t she looking more like Neru then?” Bip-Yap shrugs “Well I can think of two possiable reasons. One is that she will as the changes are still happening. The other is the fact that ascended can look however they please which could mean Ascendori look like their ideal selves they hold in their mind’s eye. Either way her appearnce might still change. I know for sure since she is becoming Ascendori that her physical abilities are going to sky rocket to the levels of Ascendori so she’s going to need somewhere to practice them till she has control over them. You think someone relearning to walk is awkward? Try doing that when you can suddenly rip steel apart like tinfoil on accident.” Neru asks “What about her soul?” Bip-Yap says “No idea. What you initially told me made me think it was just her body that needed looked at. I need very different and expensive instruments to be able to look at her soul to any capacity. Though if she is truly becoming an Ascendori then probably. Of course, if her magical abilities increase like her physical abilities will be then that would indicate a change on that level.”
Tonya says “No unnecessary risks. Get whatever equipment you need regardless of price. I want this project as your top priority.” Bip-Yap nods “Right away Grand Commander” as Bip-Yap begins to order what he needs Neru says “Grand Commander I will need to stay with Yamata.” Tonya raises an eyebrow “Why?” “This isn’t as well known, but Ascendori are not just far stronger and faster than mortals they also process sensory information and think faster as well. Until she’s use to her changes she might have a hard time understanding Bip-Yap even with the advantage of her Sarange DNA and Bip-Yap won’t be able to understand her after she speeds up till she learns to speak slowly to others. As a full ascended I can alter my processing speed just like my appearnce and help the two communicate.” “Very well. Don’t do this to her squad mates even if they are willing until Captain Yamata makes a full recovery just in case.” Tonya takes her leave.
