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(AU) Evangelion: Sovereignty
- Thread starter Lord Sovereign
- Start date
Chapter 2.1
Lord Sovereign
The Emperor of shitty fanfic
- Location
- England
And we back!
Right, it seems no one else has had a look at this since I last posted (or maybe they have, but I have no idea how to monitor views on this site), so I have decided to bring you some more.
Now then, shall we cut to the chase?
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10:00am, Friday the 9th of June, 2017 AD, State of Japan, NERV central, medical ward
Shinji's fingers gently closed around the surprisingly comfortable sheets, his eyes flickering open. He lay on his side, the room within which he'd evidently spent the night being bathed in a harsh artificial light.
Spirits, my head feels muddled. He sat up, yawning.
The boy had slept surprisingly well, even if the bad dreams had come as they usually did. But shock and exhaustion had been an ally, keeping him in an unconscious state for hours on end with only the occasional whimpering.
He exhaled through his nose and massaged his still tired eyes for a few moments.
Damned things, couldn't they at least be grateful for more than ten hours of undisturbed sleep? He was lucky to get four without another nightmare causing him to wake up a sweating mess.
Gently, Shinji drew back the sheets and set his feet on the floor. He didn't want to stand yet, as his legs still felt like jelly. He just wanted to feel the coldness of the tiled floor invigorate his feet.
For he liked the cold.
Even though the happiest memory of his life had occurred on an exceedingly hot day, Shinji despised the heat. For it made the possibility of being snug impossible. But fortunately, although he lived in an age of increased global temperatures, it was also an age of air conditioning.
Hence why he wasn't really one for venturing outdoors.
And then the previous night's memories came to him.
A huge green monster being felled by his hand with a mournful expression on its face, the breaking of bones, the tearing and sizzling of flesh, the shedding of royal blue blood, and a terrible green eye staring into his soul.
His hand found its way to his forehead, as if he were trying to physically repress the sheer terror of it all. His other hand tightly balled.
He spent a few minutes doing this, along with taking deep shaky breaths.
Slowly and gently he stood up, sighing. He was alive, not to mention victorious. He should be jubilant over that at least.
Stretching out his limbs so that everything might click into place, Shinji took in his surroundings.
It was a standard hospital room, very clean and rather white, but it had a window overlooking great green fields and blue lakes.
Walking over to truly take it all in, he found his brain stumped by the fact this place had no sky, but metal walls. In fact, it seemed as if this facility was in a giant dome.
But it was what hung from above him that truly astonished Shinji.
It was the city of Tokyo-3.
Dozens of skyscrapers, apartment blocks, and bunkers hung from the ceiling, along with what looked like a few suspended trains running back and forth. This was the highly advanced protection system the Japanese capital city had from stratospheric bombardment, and as it turned out, Seraph attacks.
It was lowered beneath the ground to be protected by layer upon layer of titanium armour plating.
And even then, a Seraph had been cutting through them as if they were nothing.
"Are you sure you should be out of bed, meat bag? After what you went through yesterday I'm surprised you're even conscious, let alone walking about." Caspar spoke unusually gently, but it was still enough to make Shinji jump out of his skin.
"Who, Wha...oh...it's you..." The boy's brain conjured up multiple memories of the A.I with a sense of humour. Perhaps even its name.
"It's Caspar-san isn't it?"
"The one and only, my little meat bag."
Shinji looked around for wherever the A.I was speaking from, only to find nothing except a security camera.
"You...weren't watching me sleep were you?"
"Come now, Shinji-chan, I am the overlord! I know all, see all, hear all!" Caspar cackled. He raised his eyebrow for a few moments, before the A.I muttered "You're no fun."
The boy shook his head with a small smile, and looked back out the window.
"Shall I inform Section Five that you're awake?"
Shinji thought for a moment, before nodding his head. And then a memory of a girl with porcelain white skin and sky blue hair flashed into his mind.
"Where's that girl from earlier? The one I got in the Eva for..."
"Rei-chan? Oh she's fine, still in a bit of pain, but fine. You saved her life yesterday, meat bag. That's not something I usually expect from organics, selfish nasty creatures that you are." Caspar didn't usually feel curiosity, as an A.I, NERV central's one in particular, it knew practically everything there was to be known.
But for this boy, who if its records were correct was an isolated loner, to show such care for other human beings, drew its attention easily.
Shinji remained silent, but inwardly sighed with relief. As much as he feared forming bonds with his fellow man, he did feel something that resembled care for the strange girl who'd been both literally and metaphorically thrown into his life.
"Medical staff is notified, and Sub Commander Tenka is on his way to give you a check up. I would stay and continue our delightful conversation, but as this facility's A.I, I have very important things to attend to-that damned S2 reactor!" And then without much warning, Caspar went completely silent.
The boy stood still with a confused expression for a while, before shaking his head.
I just had a conversation with an A.I again, and I'm not surprised it disappeared like that...Spirits, I must be going mad.
The sound of the door sliding open caught his attention, as a short man possessing bulging muscles strode through it.
His hair was a greying black colour in a military style haircut. A scar cut straight across his face, but that huge bristly moustache drew attention away from it with ease. He wore a similar uniform to the one he'd seen "Ritsuko" wear, except it was far better kept and had no cigarettes poking out of its pockets.
Brown eyes glanced over Shinji for a few seconds, as Sub Commander Tenka analysed him. Seeing no physical issues, he blinked and the boy felt a little more at ease.
"How are you feeling?" The grizzled former soldier clasped his hands behind his back.
"I-I'm okay, thanks. What...what happened?" The boy gently scratched his brown hair, whilst trying to organize his muddled memories.
"In short? You killed the thing that took twenty thousand lives, and then saved the nation. Possibly even the entire planet. You were...already unconscious from shock when we retrieved you from the entry plug. You've been brought to my medical ward for recuperation, although by the looks of it you've already got most of that out the way." He chuckled slightly at the young man who barely a few hours ago, was whimpering in his sleep.
But Shiro Tenka could understand.
The dreams one gets from the traumas they behold never go away. As someone who'd served at the battle of Osaka, Shiro was a man who could look a person in the eye and see whether or not they knew pain.
And it saddened him that this boy, certainly did.
Shinji's eyebrows knitted together.
I did all of that?
"I'm afraid I can't answer most of the innumerable questions you certainly have as...well...I don't know anything about the Evas. I'm just NERV's chief medical officer." The muscled old soldier, walked over to well within Shinji's personal space and stretched out a hand.
"Doctor Shiro Tenka, Sub Commander of Section Five, at your service."
Shinji stared at the hand for a moment, before remembering all the manners his teacher had both metaphorically and literally beaten into him.
He uncomfortably shook it before turning away. Shiro observed his patient's body language and backed off a little, before looking out of the window, arms clasped behind his back.
"Took my breath away when I first saw it too lad. I don't know how they do it, but I know it's called the geofront. Our great big unbreakable fortress..." He snorted.
"What a load of rubbish. If you hadn't done what you did, that thing would have come down here and killed us all."
How much taxpayer's money did they waste on this place? Credit black hole doesn't quite do it justice...
"Um...Tenka-sensei?" Shinji's quiet voice interrupted Shiro's moment of reflection.
"Yes Ikari-san?"
"I heard that...a girl called Rei is in this place. I'd quite like to know...from a professional view...how she is."
Although Caspar had filled him in on the subject, he still found himself curious about "Rei's" well being. Not to mention, a Doctor could probably tell him more than, for all intents and purposes, a machine.
"You mean Ayanami-san? Her condition is stable at the moment. She's resting in a room down the other end of the corridor-"
"Can I see her?" Shinji suddenly felt like he'd made a mistake when Shiro's expression darkened.
He looked deep in thought for a few moments, before sighing as if he was thinking of something deeply unsettling.
"Come to my office." He placed a hand on Shinji's shoulder and started guiding him out of the room.
"There are things you should know..."
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10:20am, communications room
The image of the dying Seraph flickered out of existence, leaving only Gendo and the thirteen black holographic monoliths.
Upon them were inscribed words in bright neon red.
SEELE.
Each monolith was numbered from 01 to 13, with the one bearing the number "01" standing directly in front of NERV's Supreme Commander. But unlike the other monoliths which represented the heads of the order they all belonged to, 01's monolith bore a title.
Großmeister
"Despite a few deviations, all is unfolding as the scrolls have predicted. But...this development must be taken into account." 01 rumbled as the display flickered back into life, freezing at the moment Sachiel raised its blade in salute.
"The scrolls do say the Seraphim are intelligent, Grand Master, but we did not predict they may even have a sense of honour." Gendo's hands remained clasped together beneath his nose, whilst he felt the gaze of some of the planet's most influential men.
"It should be impossible though. They may be the children of Adam, but the Seraphim are little more than beasts! We should consult the scrolls again." 08's shrill Federal voice added.
"The scrolls have already been seen many times today, by my own eyes in fact. And they speak of nothing such as this." 01 closed the matter, before returning the minds of all present to the subject at hand.
"However, the scrolls truth has been shown by yesterday's victory. The Evangelions are indeed the key to mankind's salvation and ascension. And now that the deliverer has arrived, the ordained path can truly begin to unfold!"
There was a chorus of agreement and approval from all those present, save for two.
Gendo Ikari, and 07.
"As much as we are all delighted by this revelation, Grand Master, we still have a problem. Even though we control the United Nations, the Super States are rather possessive of their Evas. If we do not seize back control of them-" 07 didn't have time to finish his sentence before 01 interrupted.
"Have no fear, 07. The Empire, the Federation, The League, the UCWS, and the PRA, will have no choice but to do as they are told by the Commander here. With the annihilation of the JSA, they will all know the Evas are the key to defeating the Seraphim, not their own armies. They have no choice but to put their faith in NERV. As I have said before, all is unfolding as the scrolls have predicted."
"With all due respect, Grand Master, whilst the JSA's removal from the situation is indeed desirable...surely a less destructive manner could have worked just as we-"
"No." Gendo shot down 07's protest.
"The Japanese State Army is a proud institution. Only total defeat and humiliation would get them off our backs. And recent events have proven me correct."
There was yet another chorus of agreement, except from 07 who silently fumed, and 01 who only spoke when he had something to say.
"You worry far too much about the means, 07. When the promised land, Instrumentality is reached, when we return to the Holy Blood, it will not matter how many lives had to be sacrificed for it. For the greater cause!" 02, the Order's enforcer, dramatically boomed.
"Silence." 01 made all noise in the room cease with a simple command. The only other person present capable of doing that was Gendo himself.
"What measures have been taken to control the manner in which the general public receives information on NERV and the Seraphim?"
"As you know, Grand Master, we almost completely control the press. They will print what we want, not to mention thanks to Ikari's Section 2, there is no chance of leaks coming from within NERV itself." 13 added in a thick Russian accent.
"But why all this secrecy? Surely the world would give us everything required and more if they knew of the paradise we wish to create for them?" 05 said irritably.
Despite the fact he wielded a great deal of power in the Imperial military, 05 was a little too zealous for his own good, and considering he worked closely with the terrifyingly shrewd and perceptive High Field Marshal Alexander Meadow, it gave cause for concern that SEELE may be revealed before the scenario could be completed.
"We have been through this many times, 05. The people are not yet ready to be enlightened. But upon the plan's completion, and humanity's rebirth, they will finally understand for what they have suffered. And for that, they shall sing in gratitude of us for all eternity. Now, I have business with the Commander, leave us." 01 said dismissively
"Yes, Grand Master. The fate of destruction is the joy of rebirth!" All the monoliths responded before flickering out of existence, leaving only the Commander and the Grand Master.
A deathly quiet fell upon the comms room, one that would have made lesser men shiver.
But not Gendo and 01.
"What do you make of the deliverer?"
"He is very much as the scrolls have predicted. He struggles to understand those around him, and has no love for himself. The life he has lived, has almost broken him." Gendo's spine tingled in slight satisfaction at the memory of the utter betrayal and despair in the boy in question's cerulean.
"Then it will be all too easy for him to bond with the lamb when the time is right. You have done your job well, Ikari, you are to be commended for that."
"Thank you, Grand Master. What of, GAAFT? Do they suspect anything?"
"No, those fools of the, Global Allied Armed Forces Treaty, are currently ignorant. And they shall remain that way."
"I have no doubt they will, for you are wise, Grand Master Laberenz, far wiser than me." Gendo bowed his head ever so slightly in partial mock reverence. For whilst he was trying to flatter his superior, there was truth to Gendo's words.
For it could be said that the one person Gendo Ikari truly feared was SEELE 01.
Known to the world at large as Kasch Laberenz, Congressman and puppet master of the United Nations.
"Indeed. Now go. Attend to your organization, prepare for the next Seraph, and keep bringing humanity's final liberation and salvation ever closer."
"Of course, Grand Master. The fate of destruction is the joy of rebirth." Gendo waited for the monolith to fade.
But Kasch had one last thing to say.
"The path is ordained, Commander. We cannot stray from it." And with that, 01 vanished.
Leaving only the elder Ikari musing quietly to himself.
"Indeed. Mankind's time is over. But my own has almost begun..."
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10:30am, medical ward
It seemed as if storm clouds brewed over the young man's head as he stomped down the corridor.
To say that Shinji felt sick to his core would be an understatement. It felt like it was writhing and contorting like some sort of snake which had been set on fire.
Whilst he fought with the gorge that threatened to rise every few seconds or so, Doctor Tenka's words crashed through his head over and over again.
"Rei Ayanami wasn't born, she was grown...from whatever they could salvage of Yui Ikari..."
That simple sentence had very nearly overcome him.
His mother...the one thing he so desperately tried not to dwell on, now had a walking, talking, remnant to rub in the fact he'd lost her forever. The one person he knew who truly loved him.
He'd seen a few pictures of what his mother looked like when she was young, and if you took away the fact Rei possessed blue hair, red eyes, and porcelain white skin, she was the spitting image.
He cloned my mother? How is that even possible!?
Did Gendo Ikari have no shame? He threw him out for a reason he never explained, and created...her...to do what?
Replace him?
No...his father had never loved him, so why on earth would he want a daughter?
Unless...she was a replacement for his mother...
Whilst his stomach continued to turn inside out over the depravity of his father, a part of his brain was actually rather excited. For if she possessed Yui Ikari's DNA, then could that make Rei something akin to a sibling?
Perhaps even...family?
A term Shinji had not truly understood for twelve painful years.
He couldn't be angry with Rei, not at all. She couldn't have chosen how she was created, or even made the choice of being created in the first place. To hold a grudge against her for what his father had done would be ludicrous. For according to that logic he should hate himself...more than usual.
Shinji stopped in front of a door with the title Room 303 stamped on it.
This was where she was recuperating from whatever had nearly killed her the other day, and he was incredibly apprehensive, even occasionally shuddering.
His hand touched a panel by the side of the door, whilst his unoccupied hand clenched and unclenched.
He had clearance, with Tenka ringing ahead so those terrifying men in black suits wouldn't bar his way.
So why was he still afraid?
Slowly, inevitably, the door slid open, humming electrically as it did so. Mustering his meagre courage, Shinji took a deep breath and crept in.
She lay on the bed so quietly, the harsh ceiling light illuminating her skin. Her very much awake gaze was directed upwards, not even turning to take notice of incoming company.
"Um...hi." Shinji mumbled in a pathetic attempt to being friendly.
Rei remained totally silent.
"You might not...remember me...but I-" He was halfway through saying, before the turning of Rei's head in his direction caused him to jump out of his skin.
"Shinji Ikari. Designated Pilot of Unit 01." Her voice was as quiet as his own when stressed or scared, but had a great deal more control to it.
It was essentially, a younger and much quieter version of his Mother's voice.
And it took every ounce of his lacking strength to not break down in tears. For her voice to him in particular, had a melancholic beauty.
"Yes...yes that's me." He shuffled a little closer to her, his hand continuing to clench and unclench.
"Are you okay?"
"I currently possess multiple breakages and fractures. I will return to combat effectiveness in twenty days." Rei's facial expression was unnervingly still and unemotional, all too much like his father's.
Shinji didn't like that.
At all.
"I mean...how do you feel in yourself?"
"How I feel is irrelevant. I will do as I am ordered, that is all I know."
The boy who was the offspring of the woman she was cloned from, recoiled. What Shinji felt could be described as a coiling pyre of horror and...fury.
Gendo Ikari...what the hell have you done?
"No...that's not true. Your feelings matter, Ayanami-san, no matter what he says."
"My purpose is to pilot the Evas. That is my single reason for existing. My feelings are irrelevant."
"There has to be more than that! You're a person...you're unique. You're aren't just some tool to be used-" For once he found himself truly engaged in a conversation, and he was desperate to change the other party's mind.
Rei's interruption however, demonstrated his failure.
"If I die, I can be replaced. There is nothing more to be said on the subject."
It was quiet for a while, as Shinji felt his heart break in two. How could this be the clone of the rather cheerful, loving, and talkative woman who gave him life?
As if his father hadn't defiled his mother's memory enough...
I should go, there's not much else I can do.
He began to turn away, before a thought came to mind.
Rei probably didn't know that he was aware of her...origin. Perhaps through such a revelation, he might induce a reaction of some sort. Just something that would tell him his heart wouldn't break every time he looked at her.
"I...I know. About you being a clone of my mother...I...I suppose..." Even though he'd set himself on saying it, Shinji couldn't help but stammer.
This further became a problem when Rei actually turned her head to face him.
He cleared his throat before continuing.
"I suppose that makes you my sister."
For the briefest second, Shinji could have sworn he saw a minute look of surprise on Rei's oh so familiar face, but then it was gone. Replaced with the same, dull, lifeless, expression.
"I'll let you rest." He quickly turned away, and walked out of the room as briskly as possible, leaving Rei alone with her few thoughts. But a new one, one which had entered her head that very second, was being repeated over and over again.
One simple word, that carried about as much meaning as a word could to someone of Rei's thought process.
...Sister...
He closed the door behind him, a little stream of water trickling down his cheek. Resting his back against the wall, his legs gave way as he slumped to the ground, quietly crying.
When his mother had died, his father had smashed and thrown away all images of her. Whilst he did have a few memories of the one person who loved him, they were quite foggy. Truly it could be said then, that Rei was the closest thing he had to his mother. And his father might have destroyed that as well.
No. I won't allow it.
He found his fist balling again, not in fear, or apprehension. It was...something else.
It was similar to what he'd felt upon deciding to pilot Unit 01 the previous night, but now there was no fear. Only determination.
Ayanami-san...I won't give up on you. I might have only met you yesterday, but I'll do everything in my power to take care of you...and help you.
The fist clenched ever tighter.
And there will be nothing you can do about it, father.
Right, it seems no one else has had a look at this since I last posted (or maybe they have, but I have no idea how to monitor views on this site), so I have decided to bring you some more.
Now then, shall we cut to the chase?
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"Like the ancient mountains, this city shall stand the test of time."
The Emperor of Japan, state naming of Tokyo-3, 2nd of May 2007.
------------------10:00am, Friday the 9th of June, 2017 AD, State of Japan, NERV central, medical ward
Shinji's fingers gently closed around the surprisingly comfortable sheets, his eyes flickering open. He lay on his side, the room within which he'd evidently spent the night being bathed in a harsh artificial light.
Spirits, my head feels muddled. He sat up, yawning.
The boy had slept surprisingly well, even if the bad dreams had come as they usually did. But shock and exhaustion had been an ally, keeping him in an unconscious state for hours on end with only the occasional whimpering.
He exhaled through his nose and massaged his still tired eyes for a few moments.
Damned things, couldn't they at least be grateful for more than ten hours of undisturbed sleep? He was lucky to get four without another nightmare causing him to wake up a sweating mess.
Gently, Shinji drew back the sheets and set his feet on the floor. He didn't want to stand yet, as his legs still felt like jelly. He just wanted to feel the coldness of the tiled floor invigorate his feet.
For he liked the cold.
Even though the happiest memory of his life had occurred on an exceedingly hot day, Shinji despised the heat. For it made the possibility of being snug impossible. But fortunately, although he lived in an age of increased global temperatures, it was also an age of air conditioning.
Hence why he wasn't really one for venturing outdoors.
And then the previous night's memories came to him.
A huge green monster being felled by his hand with a mournful expression on its face, the breaking of bones, the tearing and sizzling of flesh, the shedding of royal blue blood, and a terrible green eye staring into his soul.
His hand found its way to his forehead, as if he were trying to physically repress the sheer terror of it all. His other hand tightly balled.
He spent a few minutes doing this, along with taking deep shaky breaths.
Slowly and gently he stood up, sighing. He was alive, not to mention victorious. He should be jubilant over that at least.
Stretching out his limbs so that everything might click into place, Shinji took in his surroundings.
It was a standard hospital room, very clean and rather white, but it had a window overlooking great green fields and blue lakes.
Walking over to truly take it all in, he found his brain stumped by the fact this place had no sky, but metal walls. In fact, it seemed as if this facility was in a giant dome.
But it was what hung from above him that truly astonished Shinji.
It was the city of Tokyo-3.
Dozens of skyscrapers, apartment blocks, and bunkers hung from the ceiling, along with what looked like a few suspended trains running back and forth. This was the highly advanced protection system the Japanese capital city had from stratospheric bombardment, and as it turned out, Seraph attacks.
It was lowered beneath the ground to be protected by layer upon layer of titanium armour plating.
And even then, a Seraph had been cutting through them as if they were nothing.
"Are you sure you should be out of bed, meat bag? After what you went through yesterday I'm surprised you're even conscious, let alone walking about." Caspar spoke unusually gently, but it was still enough to make Shinji jump out of his skin.
"Who, Wha...oh...it's you..." The boy's brain conjured up multiple memories of the A.I with a sense of humour. Perhaps even its name.
"It's Caspar-san isn't it?"
"The one and only, my little meat bag."
Shinji looked around for wherever the A.I was speaking from, only to find nothing except a security camera.
"You...weren't watching me sleep were you?"
"Come now, Shinji-chan, I am the overlord! I know all, see all, hear all!" Caspar cackled. He raised his eyebrow for a few moments, before the A.I muttered "You're no fun."
The boy shook his head with a small smile, and looked back out the window.
"Shall I inform Section Five that you're awake?"
Shinji thought for a moment, before nodding his head. And then a memory of a girl with porcelain white skin and sky blue hair flashed into his mind.
"Where's that girl from earlier? The one I got in the Eva for..."
"Rei-chan? Oh she's fine, still in a bit of pain, but fine. You saved her life yesterday, meat bag. That's not something I usually expect from organics, selfish nasty creatures that you are." Caspar didn't usually feel curiosity, as an A.I, NERV central's one in particular, it knew practically everything there was to be known.
But for this boy, who if its records were correct was an isolated loner, to show such care for other human beings, drew its attention easily.
Shinji remained silent, but inwardly sighed with relief. As much as he feared forming bonds with his fellow man, he did feel something that resembled care for the strange girl who'd been both literally and metaphorically thrown into his life.
"Medical staff is notified, and Sub Commander Tenka is on his way to give you a check up. I would stay and continue our delightful conversation, but as this facility's A.I, I have very important things to attend to-that damned S2 reactor!" And then without much warning, Caspar went completely silent.
The boy stood still with a confused expression for a while, before shaking his head.
I just had a conversation with an A.I again, and I'm not surprised it disappeared like that...Spirits, I must be going mad.
The sound of the door sliding open caught his attention, as a short man possessing bulging muscles strode through it.
His hair was a greying black colour in a military style haircut. A scar cut straight across his face, but that huge bristly moustache drew attention away from it with ease. He wore a similar uniform to the one he'd seen "Ritsuko" wear, except it was far better kept and had no cigarettes poking out of its pockets.
Brown eyes glanced over Shinji for a few seconds, as Sub Commander Tenka analysed him. Seeing no physical issues, he blinked and the boy felt a little more at ease.
"How are you feeling?" The grizzled former soldier clasped his hands behind his back.
"I-I'm okay, thanks. What...what happened?" The boy gently scratched his brown hair, whilst trying to organize his muddled memories.
"In short? You killed the thing that took twenty thousand lives, and then saved the nation. Possibly even the entire planet. You were...already unconscious from shock when we retrieved you from the entry plug. You've been brought to my medical ward for recuperation, although by the looks of it you've already got most of that out the way." He chuckled slightly at the young man who barely a few hours ago, was whimpering in his sleep.
But Shiro Tenka could understand.
The dreams one gets from the traumas they behold never go away. As someone who'd served at the battle of Osaka, Shiro was a man who could look a person in the eye and see whether or not they knew pain.
And it saddened him that this boy, certainly did.
Shinji's eyebrows knitted together.
I did all of that?
"I'm afraid I can't answer most of the innumerable questions you certainly have as...well...I don't know anything about the Evas. I'm just NERV's chief medical officer." The muscled old soldier, walked over to well within Shinji's personal space and stretched out a hand.
"Doctor Shiro Tenka, Sub Commander of Section Five, at your service."
Shinji stared at the hand for a moment, before remembering all the manners his teacher had both metaphorically and literally beaten into him.
He uncomfortably shook it before turning away. Shiro observed his patient's body language and backed off a little, before looking out of the window, arms clasped behind his back.
"Took my breath away when I first saw it too lad. I don't know how they do it, but I know it's called the geofront. Our great big unbreakable fortress..." He snorted.
"What a load of rubbish. If you hadn't done what you did, that thing would have come down here and killed us all."
How much taxpayer's money did they waste on this place? Credit black hole doesn't quite do it justice...
"Um...Tenka-sensei?" Shinji's quiet voice interrupted Shiro's moment of reflection.
"Yes Ikari-san?"
"I heard that...a girl called Rei is in this place. I'd quite like to know...from a professional view...how she is."
Although Caspar had filled him in on the subject, he still found himself curious about "Rei's" well being. Not to mention, a Doctor could probably tell him more than, for all intents and purposes, a machine.
"You mean Ayanami-san? Her condition is stable at the moment. She's resting in a room down the other end of the corridor-"
"Can I see her?" Shinji suddenly felt like he'd made a mistake when Shiro's expression darkened.
He looked deep in thought for a few moments, before sighing as if he was thinking of something deeply unsettling.
"Come to my office." He placed a hand on Shinji's shoulder and started guiding him out of the room.
"There are things you should know..."
-------------------------------
10:20am, communications room
The image of the dying Seraph flickered out of existence, leaving only Gendo and the thirteen black holographic monoliths.
Upon them were inscribed words in bright neon red.
SEELE.
Each monolith was numbered from 01 to 13, with the one bearing the number "01" standing directly in front of NERV's Supreme Commander. But unlike the other monoliths which represented the heads of the order they all belonged to, 01's monolith bore a title.
Großmeister
"Despite a few deviations, all is unfolding as the scrolls have predicted. But...this development must be taken into account." 01 rumbled as the display flickered back into life, freezing at the moment Sachiel raised its blade in salute.
"The scrolls do say the Seraphim are intelligent, Grand Master, but we did not predict they may even have a sense of honour." Gendo's hands remained clasped together beneath his nose, whilst he felt the gaze of some of the planet's most influential men.
"It should be impossible though. They may be the children of Adam, but the Seraphim are little more than beasts! We should consult the scrolls again." 08's shrill Federal voice added.
"The scrolls have already been seen many times today, by my own eyes in fact. And they speak of nothing such as this." 01 closed the matter, before returning the minds of all present to the subject at hand.
"However, the scrolls truth has been shown by yesterday's victory. The Evangelions are indeed the key to mankind's salvation and ascension. And now that the deliverer has arrived, the ordained path can truly begin to unfold!"
There was a chorus of agreement and approval from all those present, save for two.
Gendo Ikari, and 07.
"As much as we are all delighted by this revelation, Grand Master, we still have a problem. Even though we control the United Nations, the Super States are rather possessive of their Evas. If we do not seize back control of them-" 07 didn't have time to finish his sentence before 01 interrupted.
"Have no fear, 07. The Empire, the Federation, The League, the UCWS, and the PRA, will have no choice but to do as they are told by the Commander here. With the annihilation of the JSA, they will all know the Evas are the key to defeating the Seraphim, not their own armies. They have no choice but to put their faith in NERV. As I have said before, all is unfolding as the scrolls have predicted."
"With all due respect, Grand Master, whilst the JSA's removal from the situation is indeed desirable...surely a less destructive manner could have worked just as we-"
"No." Gendo shot down 07's protest.
"The Japanese State Army is a proud institution. Only total defeat and humiliation would get them off our backs. And recent events have proven me correct."
There was yet another chorus of agreement, except from 07 who silently fumed, and 01 who only spoke when he had something to say.
"You worry far too much about the means, 07. When the promised land, Instrumentality is reached, when we return to the Holy Blood, it will not matter how many lives had to be sacrificed for it. For the greater cause!" 02, the Order's enforcer, dramatically boomed.
"Silence." 01 made all noise in the room cease with a simple command. The only other person present capable of doing that was Gendo himself.
"What measures have been taken to control the manner in which the general public receives information on NERV and the Seraphim?"
"As you know, Grand Master, we almost completely control the press. They will print what we want, not to mention thanks to Ikari's Section 2, there is no chance of leaks coming from within NERV itself." 13 added in a thick Russian accent.
"But why all this secrecy? Surely the world would give us everything required and more if they knew of the paradise we wish to create for them?" 05 said irritably.
Despite the fact he wielded a great deal of power in the Imperial military, 05 was a little too zealous for his own good, and considering he worked closely with the terrifyingly shrewd and perceptive High Field Marshal Alexander Meadow, it gave cause for concern that SEELE may be revealed before the scenario could be completed.
"We have been through this many times, 05. The people are not yet ready to be enlightened. But upon the plan's completion, and humanity's rebirth, they will finally understand for what they have suffered. And for that, they shall sing in gratitude of us for all eternity. Now, I have business with the Commander, leave us." 01 said dismissively
"Yes, Grand Master. The fate of destruction is the joy of rebirth!" All the monoliths responded before flickering out of existence, leaving only the Commander and the Grand Master.
A deathly quiet fell upon the comms room, one that would have made lesser men shiver.
But not Gendo and 01.
"What do you make of the deliverer?"
"He is very much as the scrolls have predicted. He struggles to understand those around him, and has no love for himself. The life he has lived, has almost broken him." Gendo's spine tingled in slight satisfaction at the memory of the utter betrayal and despair in the boy in question's cerulean.
"Then it will be all too easy for him to bond with the lamb when the time is right. You have done your job well, Ikari, you are to be commended for that."
"Thank you, Grand Master. What of, GAAFT? Do they suspect anything?"
"No, those fools of the, Global Allied Armed Forces Treaty, are currently ignorant. And they shall remain that way."
"I have no doubt they will, for you are wise, Grand Master Laberenz, far wiser than me." Gendo bowed his head ever so slightly in partial mock reverence. For whilst he was trying to flatter his superior, there was truth to Gendo's words.
For it could be said that the one person Gendo Ikari truly feared was SEELE 01.
Known to the world at large as Kasch Laberenz, Congressman and puppet master of the United Nations.
"Indeed. Now go. Attend to your organization, prepare for the next Seraph, and keep bringing humanity's final liberation and salvation ever closer."
"Of course, Grand Master. The fate of destruction is the joy of rebirth." Gendo waited for the monolith to fade.
But Kasch had one last thing to say.
"The path is ordained, Commander. We cannot stray from it." And with that, 01 vanished.
Leaving only the elder Ikari musing quietly to himself.
"Indeed. Mankind's time is over. But my own has almost begun..."
------------------------------
10:30am, medical ward
It seemed as if storm clouds brewed over the young man's head as he stomped down the corridor.
To say that Shinji felt sick to his core would be an understatement. It felt like it was writhing and contorting like some sort of snake which had been set on fire.
Whilst he fought with the gorge that threatened to rise every few seconds or so, Doctor Tenka's words crashed through his head over and over again.
"Rei Ayanami wasn't born, she was grown...from whatever they could salvage of Yui Ikari..."
That simple sentence had very nearly overcome him.
His mother...the one thing he so desperately tried not to dwell on, now had a walking, talking, remnant to rub in the fact he'd lost her forever. The one person he knew who truly loved him.
He'd seen a few pictures of what his mother looked like when she was young, and if you took away the fact Rei possessed blue hair, red eyes, and porcelain white skin, she was the spitting image.
He cloned my mother? How is that even possible!?
Did Gendo Ikari have no shame? He threw him out for a reason he never explained, and created...her...to do what?
Replace him?
No...his father had never loved him, so why on earth would he want a daughter?
Unless...she was a replacement for his mother...
Whilst his stomach continued to turn inside out over the depravity of his father, a part of his brain was actually rather excited. For if she possessed Yui Ikari's DNA, then could that make Rei something akin to a sibling?
Perhaps even...family?
A term Shinji had not truly understood for twelve painful years.
He couldn't be angry with Rei, not at all. She couldn't have chosen how she was created, or even made the choice of being created in the first place. To hold a grudge against her for what his father had done would be ludicrous. For according to that logic he should hate himself...more than usual.
Shinji stopped in front of a door with the title Room 303 stamped on it.
This was where she was recuperating from whatever had nearly killed her the other day, and he was incredibly apprehensive, even occasionally shuddering.
His hand touched a panel by the side of the door, whilst his unoccupied hand clenched and unclenched.
He had clearance, with Tenka ringing ahead so those terrifying men in black suits wouldn't bar his way.
So why was he still afraid?
Slowly, inevitably, the door slid open, humming electrically as it did so. Mustering his meagre courage, Shinji took a deep breath and crept in.
She lay on the bed so quietly, the harsh ceiling light illuminating her skin. Her very much awake gaze was directed upwards, not even turning to take notice of incoming company.
"Um...hi." Shinji mumbled in a pathetic attempt to being friendly.
Rei remained totally silent.
"You might not...remember me...but I-" He was halfway through saying, before the turning of Rei's head in his direction caused him to jump out of his skin.
"Shinji Ikari. Designated Pilot of Unit 01." Her voice was as quiet as his own when stressed or scared, but had a great deal more control to it.
It was essentially, a younger and much quieter version of his Mother's voice.
And it took every ounce of his lacking strength to not break down in tears. For her voice to him in particular, had a melancholic beauty.
"Yes...yes that's me." He shuffled a little closer to her, his hand continuing to clench and unclench.
"Are you okay?"
"I currently possess multiple breakages and fractures. I will return to combat effectiveness in twenty days." Rei's facial expression was unnervingly still and unemotional, all too much like his father's.
Shinji didn't like that.
At all.
"I mean...how do you feel in yourself?"
"How I feel is irrelevant. I will do as I am ordered, that is all I know."
The boy who was the offspring of the woman she was cloned from, recoiled. What Shinji felt could be described as a coiling pyre of horror and...fury.
Gendo Ikari...what the hell have you done?
"No...that's not true. Your feelings matter, Ayanami-san, no matter what he says."
"My purpose is to pilot the Evas. That is my single reason for existing. My feelings are irrelevant."
"There has to be more than that! You're a person...you're unique. You're aren't just some tool to be used-" For once he found himself truly engaged in a conversation, and he was desperate to change the other party's mind.
Rei's interruption however, demonstrated his failure.
"If I die, I can be replaced. There is nothing more to be said on the subject."
It was quiet for a while, as Shinji felt his heart break in two. How could this be the clone of the rather cheerful, loving, and talkative woman who gave him life?
As if his father hadn't defiled his mother's memory enough...
I should go, there's not much else I can do.
He began to turn away, before a thought came to mind.
Rei probably didn't know that he was aware of her...origin. Perhaps through such a revelation, he might induce a reaction of some sort. Just something that would tell him his heart wouldn't break every time he looked at her.
"I...I know. About you being a clone of my mother...I...I suppose..." Even though he'd set himself on saying it, Shinji couldn't help but stammer.
This further became a problem when Rei actually turned her head to face him.
He cleared his throat before continuing.
"I suppose that makes you my sister."
For the briefest second, Shinji could have sworn he saw a minute look of surprise on Rei's oh so familiar face, but then it was gone. Replaced with the same, dull, lifeless, expression.
"I'll let you rest." He quickly turned away, and walked out of the room as briskly as possible, leaving Rei alone with her few thoughts. But a new one, one which had entered her head that very second, was being repeated over and over again.
One simple word, that carried about as much meaning as a word could to someone of Rei's thought process.
...Sister...
He closed the door behind him, a little stream of water trickling down his cheek. Resting his back against the wall, his legs gave way as he slumped to the ground, quietly crying.
When his mother had died, his father had smashed and thrown away all images of her. Whilst he did have a few memories of the one person who loved him, they were quite foggy. Truly it could be said then, that Rei was the closest thing he had to his mother. And his father might have destroyed that as well.
No. I won't allow it.
He found his fist balling again, not in fear, or apprehension. It was...something else.
It was similar to what he'd felt upon deciding to pilot Unit 01 the previous night, but now there was no fear. Only determination.
Ayanami-san...I won't give up on you. I might have only met you yesterday, but I'll do everything in my power to take care of you...and help you.
The fist clenched ever tighter.
And there will be nothing you can do about it, father.
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Turing Decidable
𝕘𝕒𝕣𝕗
- Location
- Belgium
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Query: You called?
Arrogant fucking bastard.
Death is too good for you.
...well, that cat is out of the bag. One has to wonder about Tenka's motives behind telling him. Might be I'm just seeing enemies where there are none, but you can't be too paranoid where Evangelion is involved.
Yeah, the relationship between Gendo and Rei in the series was more than a little creepy.
Here's to hoping there will be many heartwarming scenes with Shinji and Rei to come yet!
Chapter 2.2
Lord Sovereign
The Emperor of shitty fanfic
- Location
- England
As is routine for us now, I'll post a segment of a chapter every day until it's completed, and then give it a break for a few days before resuming.
Well, now that's out of the way, shall we dive straight into this?
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1:00pm, Tokyo-3, Kobashi's den
Coffee.
This miraculous liquid was currently all that prevented Misato descending into the realm of sleep. The dark rings hanging under her eyes were like a weight dragging her head down.
Picking the cup up, she took a sip from the piping hot liquid. Looking to her right, she could see her somehow completely awake friend type away on an Ipad, with a determined look upon their thirty-one year old face.
To say Ritsuko had been excited earlier that day, would be an understatement. She'd dashed into the protective dome covering the Seraph's remains, only to find the damn thing's body had set as hard as rock. Things eventually got so desperate, she'd resorted to trying to smash the chest open with a sledge hammer. And this was only after she'd tried the power drill...
"Perhaps a timed explosion..." The faux blonde took a break from typing, sipping her own coffee.
"You really want some samples from it don't you?" Misato raised an eyebrow.
"Well of course. Wouldn't it just be fascinating to see how they work, or how their DNA structure is set up?" Were these younger days, Misato would have expected Ritsuko to start bouncing up and down at any second.
Sadly, this didn't happen.
Fourteen years of being abused by Gendo Ikari would break even the strongest of people...and Ritsuko bless her, was never that strong to begin with.
"Do we really need to know the details? I mean, all we need to know is how to kill them." Misato shook her head.
Ritsuko turned off her Ipad and leaned back, sighing a little.
"And that is why you aren't a scientist. But even you should see the importance of knowing thy enemy."
"They're meant to be beyond us in every single way. Why bother trying to understand something that can't be understood?"
"So we shouldn't have even tried to understand the Chinese?"
Misato explosively harrumphed.
"Oh for Spirits' sake, Rits-chan, you know what I mean. Why are you taking their side anyway?" She growled, as her friend's expression softened.
"I know it's quite tetchy for you, and I understand, Misato-chan. I really do. I'm just saying there are so many things we don't know about the Seraphim. For example, they might actually be an entire sentient civilisation instead of random eldritch abominations."
They stared at each other for a few moments, before Misato started roaring with laughter.
"Hey, I did say for example." Ritsuko harrumphed, but couldn't repress her smile.
------------------------------
Half an hour later, the two were being driven through the city of Tokyo-3 in one of NERV's giant Mitsubishi lorries, the likes of which would haul cargo from one end of the country to another. Within the now populated streets, soldiers of the Tokyo-3 garrison tramped along, making sure the roads remained clear for NERV's personnel to do whatever they did. Which for all intents and purposes was a total mystery to the men and women of the JSA.
Above them all, dozens of Kaze squadrons darted about, the normally deafening roar of their engines being drowned out by the strange humming noise FCVs produced. And above the city today, resided three of the two hundred metre long monsters. This was not just a show of power, it was a message.
Life goes on as usual, everything is under control.
Like hell it is
To say Misato felt relaxed would be an understatement. For within this ordinary vehicle, existed a paradise.
An air conditioned paradise.
"This...is Man's triumph over nature." She stretched out her now bare arms and exhaled. In this age of constant and unyielding heat for the Japanese people, they would enjoy the cold whenever and wherever they could.
Ritsuko however, had never really been bothered by either. In both hot and cold conditions, she would wear her dark grey uniform and white lab coat.
With a box of cigarettes usually poking out of one of her pockets...
But today, the faux blonde didn't feel like filling the compartment with disgusting smoke, so ultimately their ride didn't end with Misato gasping for air due to holding her breath.
There was a sound of ringing, promptly followed by Ritsuko fumbling about with her pocket before producing a touch screen phone. Whilst she placed it to her ear, Misato kept looking out of the window, taking in Tokyo-3's skyline.
Just like home...
Tokyo.
Not Tokyo-2 or 3.
Old Tokyo.
The place in which she was born and raised.
Despite it being so crowded, Misato didn't have an overly unpleasant childhood, having a fair few friends, and at least one loving parent. But then Second Impact happened. And all that she held dear was washed away by both water and nuclear hell fire.
"...Misato-chan?" Ritsuko's finger prodded the woman in question's shoulder.
"Hmm, what?"
"That was Tenka-sensei on the phone, he says Ikari-san is ready for collecting whenever."
Misato sighed quietly as she fell back into her seat with a pained expression of guilt.
"How's he doing?"
"Physically fine, but he took a few knocks in that fight, and the shock of...what...he saw last night has left his memories a little muddled." Ritsuko maintained a straight expression, but inside even she felt a little ill over what had transpired the previous evening.
Poor kid. Came here to talk to his father, then we threw him into battle...Spirits, necessity can be evil sometimes.
"Soon as we finish up here, I'm going to get him." Misato said, more to herself than anything.
Ritsuko understood. No sane person didn't worry for the people they cared for. Not to mention the faux blonde herself felt something that might resemble worried sick over a certain teenage girl with blue hair...
-----------------------------------
Their journey had ended by one of the massive cranes which was currently transporting NERV's newest equipment to wherever it needed to go. The reason the two were here, was because they'd needed to sign for their newest Seraph killing machine as it was delivered by the disgruntled JSA.
The Pallet Rifle.
In short, an eighty foot long assault rifle that fired high explosive rounds coated in the same sort of energy that ship mounted positron cannons used. They were designed for use on, and by, FCVs.
Thirty rounds of ammunition, all to be expended in a six second long squeeze of the trigger.
Truly a magnificent yet terrible example of Mankind's aptitude for war.
The other reason the two were there, well at least as far as Misato was concerned, was her car was parked here.
Having removed herself from the lorry, Misato had gotten back into her rather skin hugging black dress, with red jacket slung over her arm. Despite getting a few looks of absolute disgust from JSA soldiers, especially the female ones, and some murmurs of "call that slut a soldier?," she paid them no mind.
For in many ways, Misato was every bit as much of a soldier as they were.
Were she not devoted to NERV and it's cause of destroying the Seraphim, the Lieutenant Colonel would have happily donned JSA dark blue. Even if she did dress somewhat...revealingly...Misato was a soldier at heart, and possessed great respect for the men and women of the Japanese State Army, who truly had no hope of standing up to a Seraph, but by the Spirits they'd fought.
And would continue to fight against the twelve yet to come.
Well, at least according to the Commander.
Having signed for the rapid fire WMD, and giving a respectful nod to its JSA overseers, Misato now found herself placing a hand upon the blue door of her now repaired car, which had been dropped off at that point a few minutes prior.
"Mind if I hitch a ride?"
She very nearly jumped out of her skin, but upon seeing Ritsuko briskly walking over to her, Misato resumed a more comfortable stance.
"Sure. What for?"
She would never refuse a friend's request, but would question it. Just showing that underneath all the tight dresses and party girl attitude, lurked a shrewd and intelligent woman. A woman that only two other human beings had ever seen.
"I...need to check up on Ayanami-san. Tenka-sensei is a highly competent individual, but she is...unique. Therefore she falls into my field of expertise." Ritsuko said in an almost expressionless tone.
But Misato knew all too well what the faux blonde sounded like when she was concerned.
"Hop in, I'll just ring on ahead to let them know you're coming too." She smiled, gesturing at the passenger side seat, to which Ritsuko obliged.
Misato started dialling the Medical Ward's number on her phone, whilst mulling over Sub Commander Akagi's rather strange relationship with the blue haired clone.
As much as Ritsuko refused to admit it, and even showed plain disgust at times, Misato was quite confident that her friend did care for that dead woman's replicated bag of flesh. To her own shame, Rei unsettled the NERV Combat operations director, with for one being a clone and how utterly ethereal she was...in every single way.
But on the other hand, Misato hadn't raised Rei from its, as she would say, birth in a murky tank of LCL.
--------------------------
2:00pm, NERV central, medical ward, waiting room
He could still feel it.
The pain of his arm being snapped in two. His eye being gouged out by white hot energy. Cut marks across his body. And now...something that felt like fire constantly stabbed into his shoulder.
He understood that pain now.
Shinji was mistaken in believing seeing footage of his fight would give him peace of mind on the matter. Instead, he only felt sheer dread over the prospect of him possibly having to pilot Unit 01 again.
That thing was not a war machine. It was a monster.
None of his questions could be answered, for all staff in the vicinity were just as clueless as him. And as for Caspar...the word "classified" cropped up a great deal.
And thus, he was left sitting by himself waiting to be taken away from this place.
As much as he wished to honour his promise to her, he still felt a little...uneasy around Rei, and would like to not be in the same building as her for a while, so as to get his feelings on the matter in order.
How long had she been alive without him knowing?
She seemed some sixteen years old, roughly his age, but Shinji knew his Sister was probably closer to twelve or thirteen, as with cloning being what it was, a clone could be grown and animated at whatever age the creator deemed fit.
How much money must NERV have if it can make clones? More to the point, how much is the UN in their pocket to let them do this?
He ran a tired hand through his hair, as despite doing hardly anything, the day had been exhausting in a way. Clearly the emotional shock was a little much for his weak mind.
"You alright there?" Tenka's gruff voice hauled Shinji out from his own little world by the scruff of his proverbial neck.
"Um-yes...I'm fine. Just waiting..."
"For Lieutenant Colonel Katsuragi?"
"Yes that's right." Shinji nodded, almost to himself. His eyebrows furrowed as Tenka started to chuckle.
"What?" The young man tilted his head.
"Oh...oh...it's something of a joke among our staff. Katsuragi-san is a formidable soldier, but she has absolutely no concept of what direction is. She's worked at this place for years now, and still gets lost." The older man shook his head, as a slightly louder laugh escaped his lips.
"Don't worry, I've sent Caspar-san off to give her directions. She'll be along soon."
Before Shinji could mutter a "thanks" however, Tenka was called away by one of the nurses.
He spent a little longer sitting there, even twiddling his thumbs after a while, when fiddling with his newly returned bag had stopped amusing him. However, eventually some slow, timid, footsteps started echoing across the waiting room, as a shadow loomed over him.
She was late, but he wasn't angry. You can't get angry when someone didn't mean to cause problems.
"Are you okay?" Misato held her red jacket sheepishly.
Shinji eventually met her gaze, and smiled a sad smile.
"I'm really not sure, Katsuragi-san."
---------------------------
2:30pm, Commander's office
"He's going to have us shot." Eiji stated as a matter of fact, whilst he fought to keep his balance.
Spirits, this "cybernetic limb" is a right fucker to work...
"Don't be a pessimist, Eiji. There's far too many of them in this world as it is." Kiyoshi rolled his eyes ever so slightly, while Seiichi looked genuinely annoyed.
To be frank all three men were highly concerned about the situation they were in.
They hadn't been allowed to leave the complex, and now they'd been summoned here. Not to mention heated debates between the General and Ikari had been rumoured to be heard earlier that day.
But still, they stood smartly to attention, helmets held under arms, well kept uniforms making them stand out from the futuristic, yet drab, cream cloth that the staff of NERV wore.
The office was a foreboding place, dark, quiet, empty, and extremely utilitarian. Not to mention the bizarre tapestry of some sort of tree stretching from the door to the desk on the floor, unsettled the veterans. The only thing more spine chilling than this place, was the person to whom it belonged.
All of a sudden, an older man walked forth from the blackness, nearly causing the three men to jump. But when the features of Vice Commander Fuyutsuki in his grey uniform came into view, they relaxed.
For it was known the Commander's lackey was a good deal less...awful...than his master.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Commander Ikari is indisposed at the present moment, so I'll be informing you of your new deployment " Kozo stood in front of them with a warm expression.
New deployment? The crew of the Akuma looked at each other with both confusion and dread.
"Due to reasons of security, I'm afraid we cannot permit you to leave the city. But with General Motichka's...persuasion-" The old man smiled when he heard the younger men chuckle. For the General's temper was known to be legendarily short, and was something of a joke among her soldiers.
"-Commander Ikari has deemed it unnecessary to conscript you into NERV or have you shot. So effectively immediately, you are now reassigned to the Tokyo-3 garrison."
The three men stared back at him with stunned expressions. To say the idea they would be put into one of the most prestigious parts of the JSA, would have been deemed ludicrous some months before.
But now...not much seemed ludicrous to the lone survivors of the 1st armoured division.
"I am sorry you cannot rejoin the Eastern Army, but rules are rules unfortunately." Kozo quietly sighed, being all too aware of the attachments soldiers form to one another.
The three men snapped to attention and bowed their heads.
"My thanks to General Motichka for not letting him shoot us." Kiyoshi half smiled, half grimaced.
The old man nodded before gesturing at the door.
"I'll be sure to pass it on. We have repaired your tank. You are free to report to your new commanders, I have staff prepared to show you the way."
The crew of the Akuma bowed again, as soldiers of the JSA did not salute civilians, and briskly walked out single file, closing the doors behind them.
Kozo stared at their exit point for a few moments with a saddened expression, before turning away.
---------------------------------
"Told you." Eiji smugly grinned whilst limping on his brand new limb, as they were led back to their cramped mobile home by a youngish looking technician.
"I prayed to Amaterasu you were wrong, but as it always fucking is with you, you were right. Thank the, Spirits for the General!" Seiichi grumbled, but felt his spirits soar.
Mikasa...I'll see you soon.
"One day, Private First Class Fukui, I'll see you be wrong." Kiyoshi's mouth curled into a small smile, as best his burned face could.
"And on that day, a giant naked albino woman will turn us all into orange juice." Eiji beamed gleefully as his comrades broke into sniggering, whilst the technician cast a confused gaze over his shoulder.
"You say some of the most brilliant shit I've ever heard, Eiji." Seiichi clasped him on the back.
And then the three nearly walked into the stiffened and saluting technician.
"What are you-?" Kiyoshi stopped his annoyed growl as Gendo Ikari stalked past them, flanked by two black trench coated members of NERV's feared Section Two.
Their secret service.
But the three proud soldiers of Japan would not, nor would they ever, salute him. They saluted only their Country, its Emperor, Parliament, and protectors. This man headed a private initiative, and took a great deal of Japanese money with no properly given reason.
To the JSA, this made NERV among the lowest of the low.
Gendo found it amusing to see the looks of sheer hatred and disgust these men threw at him, as if they thought his actions were unforgivable.
Not unforgivable, necessary. Simple fools, one day you will understand.
And thus he walked out of sight, the gazes of the three men trailing after him.
"What a cunt." Eiji spat on the ground. He'd been filled in on what the poor kid they'd picked up yesterday had been put through...by his own father.
He'd had never been good with, nor really liked children. But...no child deserved to be treated like that. And no child deserved to be used as a soldier, which Geneva should be throwing a huge hissy fit about. But alas, the bastard king had such cowards in his pocket.
"It was a good thing you weren't there last night, Eiji. I really think you'd have tried to kill him." Kiyoshi tore his gaze away before patting the still frozen technician on the shoulder, causing him to jump.
By the Spirits, you people truly are Japan's last line of defence aren't you?
After another good ten minutes of walking, they reached the corridor that led directly to the parking lot they'd come from the previous afternoon.
Waving their guide away dismissively, whilst forcing Eiji to ignore the technician's look of absolute disdain, it was not long before they were all sitting within the uncomfortable and humid metal box that was a Type 2 Yoroi.
Otherwise known as home.
"Everything is working as it should be...front armour repaired...A-T field activated and expanded, rail gun online...ready to go sir." Eiji looked up at his superior from his driving seat, helmet firmly placed upon his head.
The Sergeant smiled, before nodding.
"Get us out of this creepy hole."
"Hai!"
The S2 engine began to hum, and the Akuma rumbled forward.
At the turret control, Seiichi felt the tank bump and jolt as it went along, feeling like closing his eyes. For all this movement made him feel sleepy.
He hadn't slept a wink last night, not after what he'd seen of that fight. The poor kid was lucky to even be alive, even if his foe appeared to have some concept of honour. Kiyoshi couldn't actually watch, his gaze firmly fixed on his black boots, a look of shame and rage upon his face.
Especially when "Shinji" started screaming.
Turning his thoughts to more positive things, the twenty-seven year old felt himself warm up. In a way, that wasn't caused by the humid conditions of his Tank.
Tokyo-3...the damned Capital. Cushy patrols, military displays, all the sights and sounds...
He blinked as the tank drove out through the entrance point 18, broken barrier still there with furious Section Three trooper, who hurled no small amount of verbal abuse at them, and the sun shining brightly through his periscope.
And you Mikasa. I want to hold you again so badly...
Well, now that's out of the way, shall we dive straight into this?
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1:00pm, Tokyo-3, Kobashi's den
Coffee.
This miraculous liquid was currently all that prevented Misato descending into the realm of sleep. The dark rings hanging under her eyes were like a weight dragging her head down.
Picking the cup up, she took a sip from the piping hot liquid. Looking to her right, she could see her somehow completely awake friend type away on an Ipad, with a determined look upon their thirty-one year old face.
To say Ritsuko had been excited earlier that day, would be an understatement. She'd dashed into the protective dome covering the Seraph's remains, only to find the damn thing's body had set as hard as rock. Things eventually got so desperate, she'd resorted to trying to smash the chest open with a sledge hammer. And this was only after she'd tried the power drill...
"Perhaps a timed explosion..." The faux blonde took a break from typing, sipping her own coffee.
"You really want some samples from it don't you?" Misato raised an eyebrow.
"Well of course. Wouldn't it just be fascinating to see how they work, or how their DNA structure is set up?" Were these younger days, Misato would have expected Ritsuko to start bouncing up and down at any second.
Sadly, this didn't happen.
Fourteen years of being abused by Gendo Ikari would break even the strongest of people...and Ritsuko bless her, was never that strong to begin with.
"Do we really need to know the details? I mean, all we need to know is how to kill them." Misato shook her head.
Ritsuko turned off her Ipad and leaned back, sighing a little.
"And that is why you aren't a scientist. But even you should see the importance of knowing thy enemy."
"They're meant to be beyond us in every single way. Why bother trying to understand something that can't be understood?"
"So we shouldn't have even tried to understand the Chinese?"
Misato explosively harrumphed.
"Oh for Spirits' sake, Rits-chan, you know what I mean. Why are you taking their side anyway?" She growled, as her friend's expression softened.
"I know it's quite tetchy for you, and I understand, Misato-chan. I really do. I'm just saying there are so many things we don't know about the Seraphim. For example, they might actually be an entire sentient civilisation instead of random eldritch abominations."
They stared at each other for a few moments, before Misato started roaring with laughter.
"Hey, I did say for example." Ritsuko harrumphed, but couldn't repress her smile.
------------------------------
Half an hour later, the two were being driven through the city of Tokyo-3 in one of NERV's giant Mitsubishi lorries, the likes of which would haul cargo from one end of the country to another. Within the now populated streets, soldiers of the Tokyo-3 garrison tramped along, making sure the roads remained clear for NERV's personnel to do whatever they did. Which for all intents and purposes was a total mystery to the men and women of the JSA.
Above them all, dozens of Kaze squadrons darted about, the normally deafening roar of their engines being drowned out by the strange humming noise FCVs produced. And above the city today, resided three of the two hundred metre long monsters. This was not just a show of power, it was a message.
Life goes on as usual, everything is under control.
Like hell it is
To say Misato felt relaxed would be an understatement. For within this ordinary vehicle, existed a paradise.
An air conditioned paradise.
"This...is Man's triumph over nature." She stretched out her now bare arms and exhaled. In this age of constant and unyielding heat for the Japanese people, they would enjoy the cold whenever and wherever they could.
Ritsuko however, had never really been bothered by either. In both hot and cold conditions, she would wear her dark grey uniform and white lab coat.
With a box of cigarettes usually poking out of one of her pockets...
But today, the faux blonde didn't feel like filling the compartment with disgusting smoke, so ultimately their ride didn't end with Misato gasping for air due to holding her breath.
There was a sound of ringing, promptly followed by Ritsuko fumbling about with her pocket before producing a touch screen phone. Whilst she placed it to her ear, Misato kept looking out of the window, taking in Tokyo-3's skyline.
Just like home...
Tokyo.
Not Tokyo-2 or 3.
Old Tokyo.
The place in which she was born and raised.
Despite it being so crowded, Misato didn't have an overly unpleasant childhood, having a fair few friends, and at least one loving parent. But then Second Impact happened. And all that she held dear was washed away by both water and nuclear hell fire.
"...Misato-chan?" Ritsuko's finger prodded the woman in question's shoulder.
"Hmm, what?"
"That was Tenka-sensei on the phone, he says Ikari-san is ready for collecting whenever."
Misato sighed quietly as she fell back into her seat with a pained expression of guilt.
"How's he doing?"
"Physically fine, but he took a few knocks in that fight, and the shock of...what...he saw last night has left his memories a little muddled." Ritsuko maintained a straight expression, but inside even she felt a little ill over what had transpired the previous evening.
Poor kid. Came here to talk to his father, then we threw him into battle...Spirits, necessity can be evil sometimes.
"Soon as we finish up here, I'm going to get him." Misato said, more to herself than anything.
Ritsuko understood. No sane person didn't worry for the people they cared for. Not to mention the faux blonde herself felt something that might resemble worried sick over a certain teenage girl with blue hair...
-----------------------------------
Their journey had ended by one of the massive cranes which was currently transporting NERV's newest equipment to wherever it needed to go. The reason the two were here, was because they'd needed to sign for their newest Seraph killing machine as it was delivered by the disgruntled JSA.
The Pallet Rifle.
In short, an eighty foot long assault rifle that fired high explosive rounds coated in the same sort of energy that ship mounted positron cannons used. They were designed for use on, and by, FCVs.
Thirty rounds of ammunition, all to be expended in a six second long squeeze of the trigger.
Truly a magnificent yet terrible example of Mankind's aptitude for war.
The other reason the two were there, well at least as far as Misato was concerned, was her car was parked here.
Having removed herself from the lorry, Misato had gotten back into her rather skin hugging black dress, with red jacket slung over her arm. Despite getting a few looks of absolute disgust from JSA soldiers, especially the female ones, and some murmurs of "call that slut a soldier?," she paid them no mind.
For in many ways, Misato was every bit as much of a soldier as they were.
Were she not devoted to NERV and it's cause of destroying the Seraphim, the Lieutenant Colonel would have happily donned JSA dark blue. Even if she did dress somewhat...revealingly...Misato was a soldier at heart, and possessed great respect for the men and women of the Japanese State Army, who truly had no hope of standing up to a Seraph, but by the Spirits they'd fought.
And would continue to fight against the twelve yet to come.
Well, at least according to the Commander.
Having signed for the rapid fire WMD, and giving a respectful nod to its JSA overseers, Misato now found herself placing a hand upon the blue door of her now repaired car, which had been dropped off at that point a few minutes prior.
"Mind if I hitch a ride?"
She very nearly jumped out of her skin, but upon seeing Ritsuko briskly walking over to her, Misato resumed a more comfortable stance.
"Sure. What for?"
She would never refuse a friend's request, but would question it. Just showing that underneath all the tight dresses and party girl attitude, lurked a shrewd and intelligent woman. A woman that only two other human beings had ever seen.
"I...need to check up on Ayanami-san. Tenka-sensei is a highly competent individual, but she is...unique. Therefore she falls into my field of expertise." Ritsuko said in an almost expressionless tone.
But Misato knew all too well what the faux blonde sounded like when she was concerned.
"Hop in, I'll just ring on ahead to let them know you're coming too." She smiled, gesturing at the passenger side seat, to which Ritsuko obliged.
Misato started dialling the Medical Ward's number on her phone, whilst mulling over Sub Commander Akagi's rather strange relationship with the blue haired clone.
As much as Ritsuko refused to admit it, and even showed plain disgust at times, Misato was quite confident that her friend did care for that dead woman's replicated bag of flesh. To her own shame, Rei unsettled the NERV Combat operations director, with for one being a clone and how utterly ethereal she was...in every single way.
But on the other hand, Misato hadn't raised Rei from its, as she would say, birth in a murky tank of LCL.
--------------------------
2:00pm, NERV central, medical ward, waiting room
He could still feel it.
The pain of his arm being snapped in two. His eye being gouged out by white hot energy. Cut marks across his body. And now...something that felt like fire constantly stabbed into his shoulder.
He understood that pain now.
Shinji was mistaken in believing seeing footage of his fight would give him peace of mind on the matter. Instead, he only felt sheer dread over the prospect of him possibly having to pilot Unit 01 again.
That thing was not a war machine. It was a monster.
None of his questions could be answered, for all staff in the vicinity were just as clueless as him. And as for Caspar...the word "classified" cropped up a great deal.
And thus, he was left sitting by himself waiting to be taken away from this place.
As much as he wished to honour his promise to her, he still felt a little...uneasy around Rei, and would like to not be in the same building as her for a while, so as to get his feelings on the matter in order.
How long had she been alive without him knowing?
She seemed some sixteen years old, roughly his age, but Shinji knew his Sister was probably closer to twelve or thirteen, as with cloning being what it was, a clone could be grown and animated at whatever age the creator deemed fit.
How much money must NERV have if it can make clones? More to the point, how much is the UN in their pocket to let them do this?
He ran a tired hand through his hair, as despite doing hardly anything, the day had been exhausting in a way. Clearly the emotional shock was a little much for his weak mind.
"You alright there?" Tenka's gruff voice hauled Shinji out from his own little world by the scruff of his proverbial neck.
"Um-yes...I'm fine. Just waiting..."
"For Lieutenant Colonel Katsuragi?"
"Yes that's right." Shinji nodded, almost to himself. His eyebrows furrowed as Tenka started to chuckle.
"What?" The young man tilted his head.
"Oh...oh...it's something of a joke among our staff. Katsuragi-san is a formidable soldier, but she has absolutely no concept of what direction is. She's worked at this place for years now, and still gets lost." The older man shook his head, as a slightly louder laugh escaped his lips.
"Don't worry, I've sent Caspar-san off to give her directions. She'll be along soon."
Before Shinji could mutter a "thanks" however, Tenka was called away by one of the nurses.
He spent a little longer sitting there, even twiddling his thumbs after a while, when fiddling with his newly returned bag had stopped amusing him. However, eventually some slow, timid, footsteps started echoing across the waiting room, as a shadow loomed over him.
She was late, but he wasn't angry. You can't get angry when someone didn't mean to cause problems.
"Are you okay?" Misato held her red jacket sheepishly.
Shinji eventually met her gaze, and smiled a sad smile.
"I'm really not sure, Katsuragi-san."
---------------------------
2:30pm, Commander's office
"He's going to have us shot." Eiji stated as a matter of fact, whilst he fought to keep his balance.
Spirits, this "cybernetic limb" is a right fucker to work...
"Don't be a pessimist, Eiji. There's far too many of them in this world as it is." Kiyoshi rolled his eyes ever so slightly, while Seiichi looked genuinely annoyed.
To be frank all three men were highly concerned about the situation they were in.
They hadn't been allowed to leave the complex, and now they'd been summoned here. Not to mention heated debates between the General and Ikari had been rumoured to be heard earlier that day.
But still, they stood smartly to attention, helmets held under arms, well kept uniforms making them stand out from the futuristic, yet drab, cream cloth that the staff of NERV wore.
The office was a foreboding place, dark, quiet, empty, and extremely utilitarian. Not to mention the bizarre tapestry of some sort of tree stretching from the door to the desk on the floor, unsettled the veterans. The only thing more spine chilling than this place, was the person to whom it belonged.
All of a sudden, an older man walked forth from the blackness, nearly causing the three men to jump. But when the features of Vice Commander Fuyutsuki in his grey uniform came into view, they relaxed.
For it was known the Commander's lackey was a good deal less...awful...than his master.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Commander Ikari is indisposed at the present moment, so I'll be informing you of your new deployment " Kozo stood in front of them with a warm expression.
New deployment? The crew of the Akuma looked at each other with both confusion and dread.
"Due to reasons of security, I'm afraid we cannot permit you to leave the city. But with General Motichka's...persuasion-" The old man smiled when he heard the younger men chuckle. For the General's temper was known to be legendarily short, and was something of a joke among her soldiers.
"-Commander Ikari has deemed it unnecessary to conscript you into NERV or have you shot. So effectively immediately, you are now reassigned to the Tokyo-3 garrison."
The three men stared back at him with stunned expressions. To say the idea they would be put into one of the most prestigious parts of the JSA, would have been deemed ludicrous some months before.
But now...not much seemed ludicrous to the lone survivors of the 1st armoured division.
"I am sorry you cannot rejoin the Eastern Army, but rules are rules unfortunately." Kozo quietly sighed, being all too aware of the attachments soldiers form to one another.
The three men snapped to attention and bowed their heads.
"My thanks to General Motichka for not letting him shoot us." Kiyoshi half smiled, half grimaced.
The old man nodded before gesturing at the door.
"I'll be sure to pass it on. We have repaired your tank. You are free to report to your new commanders, I have staff prepared to show you the way."
The crew of the Akuma bowed again, as soldiers of the JSA did not salute civilians, and briskly walked out single file, closing the doors behind them.
Kozo stared at their exit point for a few moments with a saddened expression, before turning away.
---------------------------------
"Told you." Eiji smugly grinned whilst limping on his brand new limb, as they were led back to their cramped mobile home by a youngish looking technician.
"I prayed to Amaterasu you were wrong, but as it always fucking is with you, you were right. Thank the, Spirits for the General!" Seiichi grumbled, but felt his spirits soar.
Mikasa...I'll see you soon.
"One day, Private First Class Fukui, I'll see you be wrong." Kiyoshi's mouth curled into a small smile, as best his burned face could.
"And on that day, a giant naked albino woman will turn us all into orange juice." Eiji beamed gleefully as his comrades broke into sniggering, whilst the technician cast a confused gaze over his shoulder.
"You say some of the most brilliant shit I've ever heard, Eiji." Seiichi clasped him on the back.
And then the three nearly walked into the stiffened and saluting technician.
"What are you-?" Kiyoshi stopped his annoyed growl as Gendo Ikari stalked past them, flanked by two black trench coated members of NERV's feared Section Two.
Their secret service.
But the three proud soldiers of Japan would not, nor would they ever, salute him. They saluted only their Country, its Emperor, Parliament, and protectors. This man headed a private initiative, and took a great deal of Japanese money with no properly given reason.
To the JSA, this made NERV among the lowest of the low.
Gendo found it amusing to see the looks of sheer hatred and disgust these men threw at him, as if they thought his actions were unforgivable.
Not unforgivable, necessary. Simple fools, one day you will understand.
And thus he walked out of sight, the gazes of the three men trailing after him.
"What a cunt." Eiji spat on the ground. He'd been filled in on what the poor kid they'd picked up yesterday had been put through...by his own father.
He'd had never been good with, nor really liked children. But...no child deserved to be treated like that. And no child deserved to be used as a soldier, which Geneva should be throwing a huge hissy fit about. But alas, the bastard king had such cowards in his pocket.
"It was a good thing you weren't there last night, Eiji. I really think you'd have tried to kill him." Kiyoshi tore his gaze away before patting the still frozen technician on the shoulder, causing him to jump.
By the Spirits, you people truly are Japan's last line of defence aren't you?
After another good ten minutes of walking, they reached the corridor that led directly to the parking lot they'd come from the previous afternoon.
Waving their guide away dismissively, whilst forcing Eiji to ignore the technician's look of absolute disdain, it was not long before they were all sitting within the uncomfortable and humid metal box that was a Type 2 Yoroi.
Otherwise known as home.
"Everything is working as it should be...front armour repaired...A-T field activated and expanded, rail gun online...ready to go sir." Eiji looked up at his superior from his driving seat, helmet firmly placed upon his head.
The Sergeant smiled, before nodding.
"Get us out of this creepy hole."
"Hai!"
The S2 engine began to hum, and the Akuma rumbled forward.
At the turret control, Seiichi felt the tank bump and jolt as it went along, feeling like closing his eyes. For all this movement made him feel sleepy.
He hadn't slept a wink last night, not after what he'd seen of that fight. The poor kid was lucky to even be alive, even if his foe appeared to have some concept of honour. Kiyoshi couldn't actually watch, his gaze firmly fixed on his black boots, a look of shame and rage upon his face.
Especially when "Shinji" started screaming.
Turning his thoughts to more positive things, the twenty-seven year old felt himself warm up. In a way, that wasn't caused by the humid conditions of his Tank.
Tokyo-3...the damned Capital. Cushy patrols, military displays, all the sights and sounds...
He blinked as the tank drove out through the entrance point 18, broken barrier still there with furious Section Three trooper, who hurled no small amount of verbal abuse at them, and the sun shining brightly through his periscope.
And you Mikasa. I want to hold you again so badly...
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Turing Decidable
𝕘𝕒𝕣𝕗
- Location
- Belgium
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Quite the fan of steep descent into darkness, aren't you. O_O
Never expected Ritsuko to be a source of dramatic irony.
Then she doesn't hate Rei's guts in this setting? Interesting.
Slut-shaming a person who can kill you all in five seconds. Smart.
I get the feeling bad things are going to happen to the tank crew.
Lord Sovereign
The Emperor of shitty fanfic
- Location
- England
Quite the fan of steep descent into darkness, aren't you. O_O
Never expected Ritsuko to be a source of dramatic irony.
Then she doesn't hate Rei's guts in this setting? Interesting.
Slut-shaming a person who can kill you all in five seconds. Smart.
Apostrophe again.
I get the feeling bad things are going to happen to the tank crew.
God fucking damn it, I suppose spelling mistakes are ultimately unavoidable.
Especially when I proofread my own work...
Now, in answer to your post.
I'm not one for "darkness for the sake of darkness" but when it helps the story or plot, then I think it's good to have it in.
Well yeah...it's just I never really found Ritsuko to have much personality save for, "being used by Gendo," "I hate that fucking doll", and "issues." So...I did a little bit of tweaking that might end up with my head on a plate.
The JSA don't really know what Misato or NERV does, save for the fact that they take a whole load of tax payers money, lord it over them, and most importantly of all did sweet nothing during the invasion of Japan. Granted it's still quite uncalled for, but they have their reasons.
And Misato...doesn't exactly help herself.
Turing Decidable
𝕘𝕒𝕣𝕗
- Location
- Belgium
- Pronouns
- He/Him
I have to agree she's one of the less interesting characters, so it might turn out to be an improvement.
And now with Gendo being a smug cunt they'll despise each other even more where they should be putting up a unified front against the Seraphim.
Typical politics.
That much is true.
Chapter 2.3
Lord Sovereign
The Emperor of shitty fanfic
- Location
- England
WE BACK!!!
Right then, we have two segments of this chapter left, so we're concluding "Tokyo-3" tomorrow. You lot needn't worry however, I'm a good few thousand words into chapter 5 already, so I should be able to stay ahead...should...maybe...possibly...ah bugger it, onwards!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2:10pm, medical ward, lifts
"Don't worry, we aren't getting lost this time." Misato cheerfully said to herself and Shinji. Pushing a button to call the lift, they stood there for a while in quiet, until Shinji managed to speak his mind.
"Katsuragi-san...Is the Eva okay? Have I...damaged it at all?"
Despite being sixteen years old and actually being average height for his age, which made him taller than her, he looked so awfully small, scrawny and weak when compared to those around him. In fact, Misato had to stop herself giving him a hug.
"It took a couple of scratches, but it's fine." She put on a winning smile, whilst he exhaled in relief.
"That's good. I'd hate to get it broken or anything...it's far more valuable than me anyway."
"Pilots are more important than what they pilot. A machine can be replaced, a person can't." She put a hand on his shoulder, slightly alarmed by such a philosophy.
"Machines don't roar or bleed, Katsuragi-san." Chills ran down the seasoned soldier's spine at those words. To be blunt, Misato had no clue how the Evas worked, or why they worked. And she herself had difficulty believing the war machine story.
The "ding" of the lift arriving caused the pair to come back to reality. Straightening up they prepared to enter, until the doors slid open to reveal Gendo Ikari.
Flanked by Section Two operatives, he stared down at his only child with the same blank expression he showed everyone else. But as for Shinji...a scowl of uncharacteristic pure disgust contorted itself into existence on his features, right fist clenching and unclenching.
Gendo wasn't disturbed by this, as any sane man would have been if their own flesh looked upon them in such a manner.
The doors closed, and NERV's Commander was obscured from sight. A moment later, Shinji's fist smashed into cold metal, trembling with fury and distress. Although his gaze was directed at the ground, the faint sound of quiet sobbing could be heard.
Misato watched on in a helpless manner, as she herself had no idea what to do in such a situation. They simply waited until the next empty lift came, got in, then pushed the button marked Reception.
A little later, the purplehead's breath had been taken away as command's orders were relayed.
"He...he'll be living alone?"
"That's right, you'll be put in apartment four, floor eight, block one, sector two." The receptionist appeared to completely ignore the fact that a sixteen year old boy was to be living by himself.
"Will that do?" He addressed the young man.
"Yes...that'll be fine." Shinji nodded his head in a resigned manner. And yet he felt a slight bit of warmth in his heart to see Misato's concern.
"Shinji-kun, are you sure about this?" She looked at him in a searching manner, trying to detect whether or not he meant it.
"Katsuragi-san, I've lived by myself for the past couple of years. Don't worry, I'm used to it."
At least I won't be living with father.
Misato felt her heart stop for a few moments as the words left his mouth.
You hate your dad, and you live by yourself? Spirits, we have a fair bit in common don't we?
Perhaps it was this, along with feelings of guilt and compassion, that persuaded her to do what she did next.
--------------------------------
2:30pm, parking lot
"No..." Ritsuko's voice crackled on the other end of the telephone, as Misato wickedly grinned.
"Yes you heard right, I'm taking care of, Shinji-kun now. It's already a done deal with the brass."
"Misato-chan...we want the Third child to keep piloting the Evas. We don't want him giving up all hope for humanity after spending a few days with you."
Granted there could be worse situations, but if Ritsuko's party girl friend was still the same person she'd known all those years ago, then heavens help them.
"Oh honestly, Rits-chan, I'm a mature adult. I'm not going to try anything with him-" The following eruption from Ritsuko caused Misato to hold the phone away from her ear, whilst Shinji watched on, bewildered.
Why is she doing this?
"Oh for the love of the Spirits is it completely beyond your capability to grow up!? The fact you can even suggest that kind of thing...J-j-just oh damn it don't you have any sense of shame!?" The faux blonde's rumblings were silenced by Misato hitting the end call button.
"Some people have no sense of humour."
Shinji stood there looking rather confused. Shocked that this woman was putting herself out for him.
Him!
"I suppose so." He said quietly, but he made sure his expression was one of gratitude. And this wasn't simply a force of habit, because he genuinely felt it.
Upon being ushered into Misato's now not so dented car and fastening his seat-belt, Shinji felt something akin to relaxed. Whilst such a state should be impossible for someone so anxious, the thought of not facing a terrifying monster, or his father, at the end of this journey allowed his anxiety levels to shrink to acceptable levels.
After being driven out of the complex through entrance point 18, with the major entrance points being strictly for important uses, the feeling of seeing the sun, the wonderful yellow orb that he'd thought would never again touch him with its gentle warmth, made a gentle sigh escape Shinji's lips as he closed his eyes.
"So, I guess we'll be celebrating tonight?" Misato said.
"Um...okay. What for?" He tilted his head.
"I have to welcome my new flat mate! What sort of host would I be if I didn't?"
Shinji couldn't understand this. Someone was not only going out of their way for him, but they were also celebrating the fact he would be living with them for the foreseeable future.
Teacher had never even celebrated his birthday...
"So what do you want? I'm stopping by one of the convenience stores so you can pick whatever you like." Misato eagerly added.
"Um...I...I don't mind. I'm not picky with food, and it's your house after all."
Last night he'd made a decision because the situation demanded it. Now...his non-existent confidence was crumbling.
"Alright. You don't have a problem with Ramen do you?"
"Not at all Katsuragi-san."
-------------------------------
2:50pm, Tokyo-3, NERV residences convenience store 8
He stood behind his guardian, as she paid for a horde of microwaveable food at the counter.
Shinji had assumed his usual position when he was in public. Head down staring at his shoes, with specially grown fringe to obscure eye contact with the universe, and hands in pockets. Truly the image of a depressed teenager whom people wouldn't want to talk to, which suited him fine.
No one would like me anyway.
"Spirits, did you see the damage?"
He couldn't help but listen in, as two women in their late thirties joined the cue.
"Hard not to. I don't care what my husband says, I won't keep the children here."
"You can't be serious about leaving the capital? We've already abandoned two of them."
"Yes, the JSA couldn't protect either of them, and they probably can't protect this one."
"Shhh, that could get us into trouble!"
"They don't kill people for pointing out facts. Anyway that's not the only reason I want to go."
"Don't be cryptic, spit it out."
"You know that super weapon NERV used?"
"Yes...I don't know what it looks like, but what about it?"
"No one does, all the cameras were turned off last night. Well, apparently during that fight it crushed a shelter."
Shinji's heart stopped.
"Oh that's awful."
"Damn right. Three hundred people were in that bunker, and they only pulled out one who was still breathing. A little girl if the news is right..."
And that's all he heard for a while.
...All those people...oh Spirits...oh Spirits...
----------------------------
3:30pm, over watch.
"It's so quiet." The brown haired boy murmured.
Before him sprawled the vast emptiness of Tokyo-3. Of course he knew most of its many buildings were currently underground, but that didn't take away from the feeling of loneliness.
It had been just as they were leaving the convenience store, when Misato had checked her watch and asked if they could make a detour. Of course he'd said "yes," as being confrontational was not in his nature. Upon asking why, she'd said "Oh it's a really cool place."
Despite his teenage intuition cringing when a fully grown adult used the word "cool," he'd been taken onboard by her enthusiasm.
And he hadn't regretted it.
Despite it being empty, Tokyo-3 was so gargantuan it took Shinji's breath away.
"3:30. It'll happen now." Misato remarked to herself. Before he could even ask what It'll happen now meant, a siren echoed over the quiet landscape.
And so, as if by some great screeching wail of a command, the many apartment blocks and skyscrapers rose from the ground. He'd seen pictures of this happening before, as all children of Japan knew of their capital city's glory, and of their nation's technological prowess. But even then, nothing compared to actually seeing it in person.
"Wow..."
"Yes, I could barely believe it myself when I first saw it. But there it is, Tokyo-3. Capital of the State of Japan and probably the most advanced city in the world. This is the city you saved, Shinji-kun." Misato smiled at him.
Time seemed to slow down for Shinji.
I...saved this? I did...something good?
-----------------------------
3:30pm, NERV Central, geo front residences, apartment 18
A pair of green eyes flickered over paper after paper, with pen held in hand.
Work was something Ritsuko never stopped doing, except when she managed to get a small amount of sleep every now and again. Granted she certainly wasn't uncomfortable right now, especially with Albert wrapped around the back of her neck.
The black cat contentedly snored whilst his owner rather wished she could do the same thing.
The other cat, a brown one called Einstein, slept atop a heap of papers which she'd fortunately finished before the pompous animal had deigned them fit to function as his bed for the evening. They demanded everything from her, and didn't give anything back in return. But still they did, as far as cats can, care for her, as demonstrated by sometimes sleeping on her face whenever she had a nap.
Not like him...
Ritsuko hissed in anger, quietly mind you, as Albert was a cantankerous bastard when woken up.
It's over, I've moved on, I'm happier, I'm never going back to that manipulative, cruel, old cu-
An excruciating rip of paper caused her to groan. Turning her head wearily, she saw Einstein claw those meticulously assorted papers.
"Oh for Spirits sake..." Lifting the brown hair ball off them, she set Einstein down on her lap whilst giving a look of if you claw me I won't feed you for a week.
The cat, seeming to understand, curled up and didn't move.
That was why she preferred cats, they just seemed to understand you with complete and utter ease. Whereas compared to a dog which just kept going back to the owner for love, no matter how much it was abused...
Taking a deeply controlled breath, she set the pen down and engulfed some coffee.
Turning her mind away from the individual who caused her so much grief, it eventually settled on a very pale girl with red eyes and blue hair upon a hospital bed.
Rei had recovered well from the incident, but Ritsuko personally felt twenty days was not enough for her to be combat effective again, even after a dip in the rejuvenation tank.
Four weeks was what she'd told the Commander, no less. And still he'd completely ignored her.
"Twenty days...she's not a machine you know..."
Ritsuko dwelt sadly on her previous conversation with Rei, noting how the only responses she got from her were quiet and short. But still, underneath all that, the faux blonde still had a feeling the girl's old curiosity was very much alive and well. Especially when she'd brought up the subject of Shinji, and what Rei's feelings were on the matter.
The Sub Commander was met with an expression of intrigue that only she would understand. For Ritsuko was one of the few people in the world who could truly say they somewhat knew Rei Ayanami. In particular, Rei wanted to know more about the person whom referred to her as "Sister."
The faux blonde took that as a sign the little girl who'd quietly badgered her with questions about everything, was still very much there.
Perhaps Gendo hadn't spoiled her completely yet.
Damn, if you could you wouldn't let her back in Unit 00 again would you? Her subconscious questioned.
Ritsuko never openly admitted to caring for the clone, as her feelings were still rather mixed despite knowing this girl since her birth all those years ago.
A sad parody of flesh, one you could mistake for a machine at times, grown from one of the greatest scientific mind's in history, and the little girl who used to become fascinated by the colour blue.
Rei was all these things to Ritsuko. And she really wished she could make up her mind on the matter.
"Am I intruding?" A loud voice boomed throughout the room. As the cats sprang into life and started hissing, she looked up at the ceiling and moaned.
"What do you want?"
It took a millisecond for Caspar to respond.
"Gendo-chan wants to converse with you on Wednesday's incident. Simulation room one, right about now."
Ritsuko sighed before standing up. Now work didn't seem so boring.
"Tell him I'm on my way." She rubbed her eyes before slinging a lab coat over her NERV Sub Commander uniform. She was halfway to the door before she stopped and checked herself.
Ah, how did I forget? The last thing I want to do is freak people out with them.
Quickly going back over to her desk, the thirty one year old picked up her white gloves and slid them over her nastily burned hands...
--------------------------------
4:00pm, Tokyo-3, NERV quarters
"The place might be a bit untidy, as I've only just moved in myself. But it's your home as well now, so feel free to make yourself comfortable." Misato's voice disappeared down the hallway as she went to get changed, whilst Shinji stared in enthralled horror at his new home.
Clothes, beer cans, fast food containers and every other conceivable form of trash littered the floor.
By the Spirits...is this purgatory?
"Shinji-kun, could you put the food in the fridge for me?" His host's head poked out from the other side of the corridor.
"Yes, of course Katsuragi-san!" He politely bowed his head before setting himself to the task.
The apartment was small, perhaps even smaller than the one he'd lived in with teacher.
It's walls were painted a warm cream colour, whilst possessing a lounge and kitchen with a hallway running down the side of it. These led off to two bedrooms and a bathroom, with the entrance to the apartment at the other end.
Carefully not stepping on anything, Shinji worked his way over to one of the two large fridges. Upon opening it, his jaw dropped.
"Snacks...ice...fifty cans of beer..." His brain pondered over what sort of person he was living with, and what sort of life she lead.
Eventually making what space he could and inserting the food into the fridge, he ran a hand through his mousey hair. This had been an interesting day indeed.
Taking a look to his left, Shinji's curiosity was piqued by the other fridge in the corner.
What on Earth does she need another fridge for? I hope there isn't another fifty cans in there!
Upon closer inspection, he realised that some sort of small door was cut into the bottom side of it.
"Um, Katsuragi-san. What's in the other fridge?" He called out.
"Oh don't mind him, he's probably sleeping." Came the vague response.
Probably sleeping? Shinji metaphorically shrugged, as many things had not made sense over the past few days. He might as well get used to it.
His task complete, the young man parked himself on one of the blueish coloured sofas, letting himself relax for the first time in days.
Granted the sofa was average in comfort, but he didn't care. Leaning his head into it, the stress and fear of the past few day finally took their toll, causing his yielding to exhaustion.
I'll just close my eyes for a bit...just for a few minutes...
Some time later, when Misato had dressed into some casual clothing, she walked back into her lounge only to find Shinji fast asleep. She chuckled quietly before, with as much stealth as possible, opening the fridge and getting what food she could out of it. Surprisingly the pinging of the microwave didn't wake him up, as did the sound of wrapping being torn open, and food being dumped on a plate. Eventually, she had to go over to the comatose boy and shake his shoulder.
"Hey sleepyhead. I know you've had a rough day but the evening meal is important." She said cheerfully, as Shinji groaned when consciousness returned to him.
"How long was I out?"
"Not long at all. Now get up, or your dinner will go cold." Misato led him over to the table and sat down in clothes that screamed look at my nice curvy body.
To his cerulean eyes, the food looked...edible.
Perhaps.
Ready made was something he'd never experienced before, as his teacher had always encouraged him to cook for the both of them. Encouraged as in Shinji would starve and gain a cut lip if he didn't.
Misato had already leaned back in her seat and downed a can of beer in one much to his alarm, before slamming it back down on the table and starting to eat.
Slowly picking up his chopsticks, Shinji joined her whilst mulling over how, if he ate in the same way she did, wolfing it all down within seconds, he'd have received the beating of his life from teacher.
Ten minutes later, he found himself becoming more and more uncomfortable, especially with Misato enveloping four more cans, becoming louder and louder.
"Life doesn't get much better than this, huh, Shinji-kun!?" Her voice shook the apartment, with the boy in question shrinking into his seat and meekly replying "I suppose so."
She tilted her head in drunken confusion at Shinji's nearly full plate.
"Not hungry? Even if it's instant it isn't bad."
"No, no everything is fine...it's just I've never eaten like this before..."
She wants something from me, that's the only reason she's being nice...
"What!? Are you finicky!?" Her face was directly in his almost immediately, yellow shirt exposing a certain part of her chest.
"No not at all, Katsuragi-san, I'm really grateful for this." He tried smiling, but his quiet and cowering voice betrayed his fear. And then, to his complete surprise, she smiled back.
"Isn't this nice?" She stated, not as a question, but as fact.
"Um...what?"
"Eating with a friend is a lot better than being by yourself, am I right?" She slumped back into her seat, grinning drunkenly.
He simply opened and closed his mouth for a few moments.
"Y-Yes, Katsuragi-san."
-----------------------------
4:15pm, NERV Central, simulation room one
The gold and white giant stood there, as if frozen in time. It's mighty fist had smashed into the observation room, shattered glass that was yet to be cleaned away still littered the floor. Ritsuko couldn't help but look at Evangelion Unit 00 every now and again, her brain constantly reminding her it was deactivated.
That it couldn't move.
That even in this light it was clearly stationary and wasn't looking at her.
He'd been standing there in front of her for a while now, his back turned as she explained the situation.
"So in short, the fact is I can't tell you why it did what it did. Perhaps the synch went wrong, perhaps the restrictions failed, I don't know. What I can tell you is that Unit 00 is just as unstable as ever. And I strongly recommend we don't put Ayanami-san back in there for some time, lest we repeat the current situation." She took a deep breath, having talked non-stop for the past half hour.
Gendo didn't respond for a few moments, keeping his back turned so as to make whoever was speaking to him feel small and insignificant.
But Ritsuko was having none of that.
"Am I required for anything else, Commander?"
"I want Unit 00 ready for combat operations within three weeks." The Commander finally spoke after thirty minutes of quiet.
"That's too soon for a synch test sir. Ayanami-san is lucky to be alive it is."
"That was an order Sub Commander."
"Commander...with all due respect we have to consider the strain this has on the Pilot. A Pilot Link requires an immense amount of effort, in a weakened state it could kill her or worse." She subconsciously shuddered at the thought of "worse."
"This along with the fact that all our Pilots are children...we need to take great care-" She was stopped mid sentence by Gendo, with that commanding yet lifeless voice of his.
"There are no others who can pilot the Evas. As long as they live, that is what I'll have them do." He said in a manner indicating the conversation was over.
But Ritsuko was stubborn.
"They are not tools...Commander." Her eyes narrowed, giving him clear indication of her disapproval. However, as she well knew, he simply didn't care.
"We are finished here, Sub Commander. You are dismissed." Unable to see his small smile, Ritsuko scowled as she turned away.
But just as she was going out through the electric sliding door, she stopped.
"Did you even see Ayanami-san at the hospital today?"
Silence.
I thought so.
And with that, Ritsuko left the Commander to his own thoughts, whatever they may be, and stormed back to her apartment so as to fume for the rest of the day.
------------------------------
5:00pm, Tokyo-3, NERV quarters
"Wasn't that a fair way to divide the chores?" Misato beamed from ear to ear, whilst Shinji regretted underestimating her ability at playing "rock, paper, scissors" when drunk. Now, he was stuck with seventy percent of the apartment's chores.
"Yes, Katsuragi-san." He half grimaced, half sighed.
They were still at the dinner table, with his guardian revelling in her drunkenness and lack of coordination.
Apparently in the age before Second Impact, getting drunk was usually followed by this terrible headache called a hangover. But in 2017, a simple pill provided by any chemist would stop it happening. As you can imagine, said drug was often referred to as the best thing ever by those who took it.
Misato being one of them.
"Now, this is your home." She swept out her bare arms, so as to point out the entire apartment was indeed his place of residence.
"So feel free to take advantage of anything here...except for me of course." She had to cover her mouth with a hand, as Shinji went through many different expressions in a few seconds.
Shock.
Horror.
Embarrassment.
"I...I...um...yes, Katsuragi-san."
"Gah, yes, yes, yes, that's all you ever say isn't it? Well it's getting on my nerves!" Misato reached over the table, grabbed a tuft of his hair and started tugging it.
"You're a boy aren't you? Where in heaven's name is your backbone?" She eventually relinquished her grip as Shinji stammered another petrified "yes, Katsuragi-san."
Slumping back into her seat, the purplehead sighed.
"Oh I suppose that's just the way it is with you." She looked like she was mulling over something for a few moments, before suddenly brightening up.
"You should take a bath! Yeah that's a great idea!" She swept our her arms once again in a most dramatic gesture, completely failing to notice her charge's look of complete confusion.
"Hot water cleans the mind and soul..hic.." She put a hand to her mouth as a few drunken hiccups escaped her lips.
"I'm...I'm sure, Katsuragi-san. I'll go have one now..." Shinji tenderly got down from his seat, respectfully bowed, then walked off whilst Misato dwelt upon drunken philosophy.
-----------------------------------
He stood in front of the bathroom door, with absolutely no item of clothing upon his person. From the dining room, he could hear her occasional giggle over whatever her strange mind was thinking of.
What the hell have I got myself into? Shinji smiled slightly before placing his hand upon the door handle.
Misato sipped some water after gulping down one of those hangover pills and relaxed in the silence of the place in which she lived.
Her previous apartment had been one of the ones down in the geofront, huge and luxurious. But...she found it a too big and empty for her liking, so she'd moved up into the city where there was a fair bit more to do. And this apartment, unlike her old one, had character to it.
Then her mind began to try and remind her of something...something important that Shinji really should know.
And then she remembered.
"Shinji-kun, would you come in here for a moment, I need to talk-" She wasn't able to finish, as a high pitched shriek of terror echoed throughout the house.
With the pounding of feet, he appeared in the kitchen with a look of panic.
"K-Katsuragi-san! There's a...a...thing in the bathroom!" His high pitched voice slowly ebbed away as the thing that had scared him so, waddled past with a small towel wrapped around its shoulders. As if completely ignoring the situation around him, the Penguin went straight to the other fridge and placed its clawed flipper onto a clear piece of material next to a small door in the fridge's side.
After a brief series of bleeps and bloops, the door opened and the Penguin stepped inside his home, not before giving Shinji some sort of evil eye.
The door sealed behind him, and the bird was gone.
"What...what...?"
"Ah, that's Pen-pen. He's your other room mate." Misato smiled ever so slightly over the situation before raising an eyebrow.
"Um...you might want to cover that up." She had to raise her glass of water to her lips, so as to hide her smirk.
Shinji turned bright red as he realised his somewhat small manhood was on full display. With yet another shriek, he tore around the corner and back down the corridor, the bathroom door slamming shut behind him.
I should probably be nicer to him...but it's just too much fun! And anyway, he's probably made his mind up about me already.
Misato went back to drinking her water.
---------------------
Actual water.
Not that awful orange goo his plug had been filled with the night before, but the clear liquid which was so much lighter and more comfortable than LCL could ever hope to be.
Here, Shinji Ikari was truly relaxed.
The hot steaminess of the water could have made him fall asleep if he'd let it. But he didn't feel like drifting off into unconsciousness yet. He felt it was time to dwell upon the events of the past few days.
Spirits...It was only a few days ago that I was in Kure doing sweet nothing. But...that all feels like a lifetime ago.
He gently swirled his hand in the water, letting the tiny whirlpools he created engage his attention.
I've probably interacted with more people since I got here than I've done in forever.
Faces flashed past him in a heartbeat, but they were committed to memory. The one currently in prominent position, was this strange woman who'd decided to take him in.
Misato Katsuragi...she seems nice. As in genuinely nice, I didn't really think there were people like that anymore.
He grimly reflected on how even though it had occurred the year before he was born, Second Impact had killed most of Mankind's kindness. For that and many other reasons did he curse it.
She probably just wants something from me. Like piloting the Eva.
Shinji shuddered as that green orb staring at him seeped its way back into his mind.
I don't want to do it. But I have to...even if it is scary. Mother always said sometimes we need to do things we're scared of...I wish she was here.
His fist clenched a little, whilst a single solitary tear trickled down his cheek.
I'd be irresponsible if I let people die because I was scared. And...
His memory settled upon a hospital room with a pale girl lying upon a hospital bed.
I can't let them make Ayanami-san Pilot it. I'm not letting father use her as a tool then throw her away.
He wasn't at peace with it, but he felt as if his mind was truly made up.
I guess that settles it. I'll keep piloting.
------------------------------
Shinji stared up at his bedroom's ceiling, having not done much else for a while now.
Granted he'd first finished his bath, dried himself off, then spent a bit more time with his host.
Misato was still drunk, but unlike teacher alcohol had a very different effect upon her. When intoxicated, she somehow became even more cheerful than usual, and relentlessly teased anything that came into her line of sight. As such Shinji did go quite red at the cheeks when she kept bringing up his small beans and roaring with laughter about it.
But then the evening took a turn for the better when he was properly introduced to Pen-pen.
After giving the bizarre creature a beer can from the fridge due to it staring at him for a while, the flightless bird had hopped on the sofa and buried itself into his lap.
Henceforth, Shinji was rather fond of the male erect crested Penguin.
His bedside clock read 11:00pm, making him smile a little. Time usually went by quite slowly for him in his lonely life, but in this realm of insanity it went by faster than his father expressing emotion. He still felt uneasy, as this place was unfamiliar to him.
But that was to be expected.
Shinji tended to take a while to settle, so there wasn't anything wrong with the place, it was usually his own awkwardness making the situation difficult.
Anyway, he certainly didn't dislike it here. It was a great deal more lively than his tatty and lonely apartment back in Kure...
Indeed, he found himself rather surprised by the fact he was enjoying another's company.
His belongings were scattered around the room in boxes, moved from Kure without his permission a few days before, as if his father knew he'd be staying here for the foreseeable future. Not everything had arrived yet, but all the essentials such as clothing were here. Hence how he'd been able to pull his grey pyjamas out.
In the corner of the room however, resided his pride and joy.
His cello.
An instrument he'd taught himself to play after hearing a piece of music produced by them once before. So entranced with it, he'd saved and scraped with his money for a very long time before buying one with his own cash. Somehow he'd kept it secret from teacher for all those years, only being able to play it freely after the man died.
Where he in the mood, Shinji would have been creating beautiful sound with it at that very moment, but not now. His thoughts were still dwelling on all the events which had occurred since his leaving Kure.
His walk-man was unusually not in his ears, as HE felt his situation was best pondered in silence.
"Hey, Shinji-kun, is it okay if I come in?" Misato's muffled voice could be heard from beyond his door.
Not really knowing what to do in such a situation, he remained quiet.
A bit of light slid into the room as his door was opened. She stood there, having just finished her own bath with towels wrapped around her hair and slender body. Shinji made the wise decision of focusing on her face.
"I just thought you should know. You did a very noble, and very brave thing yesterday. You should be proud." Gaining no response for a few moments, Misato nodded in resignation as she started sliding the door shut. But not before a meek voice came from Shinji's lips.
"Thank you. Goodnight, Katsuragi-san."
The purplehead stood there for a little longer, smiling.
"Goodnight, Shinji-kun."
The door closed, and he was by himself again.
Resuming his fixation on the ceiling, arms folded behind his head, he found a full smile forming on his lips.
"Noble huh?" Shinji said quietly to himself, closing his eyes and descending into the realm of sleep.
Right then, we have two segments of this chapter left, so we're concluding "Tokyo-3" tomorrow. You lot needn't worry however, I'm a good few thousand words into chapter 5 already, so I should be able to stay ahead...should...maybe...possibly...ah bugger it, onwards!
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2:10pm, medical ward, lifts
"Don't worry, we aren't getting lost this time." Misato cheerfully said to herself and Shinji. Pushing a button to call the lift, they stood there for a while in quiet, until Shinji managed to speak his mind.
"Katsuragi-san...Is the Eva okay? Have I...damaged it at all?"
Despite being sixteen years old and actually being average height for his age, which made him taller than her, he looked so awfully small, scrawny and weak when compared to those around him. In fact, Misato had to stop herself giving him a hug.
"It took a couple of scratches, but it's fine." She put on a winning smile, whilst he exhaled in relief.
"That's good. I'd hate to get it broken or anything...it's far more valuable than me anyway."
"Pilots are more important than what they pilot. A machine can be replaced, a person can't." She put a hand on his shoulder, slightly alarmed by such a philosophy.
"Machines don't roar or bleed, Katsuragi-san." Chills ran down the seasoned soldier's spine at those words. To be blunt, Misato had no clue how the Evas worked, or why they worked. And she herself had difficulty believing the war machine story.
The "ding" of the lift arriving caused the pair to come back to reality. Straightening up they prepared to enter, until the doors slid open to reveal Gendo Ikari.
Flanked by Section Two operatives, he stared down at his only child with the same blank expression he showed everyone else. But as for Shinji...a scowl of uncharacteristic pure disgust contorted itself into existence on his features, right fist clenching and unclenching.
Gendo wasn't disturbed by this, as any sane man would have been if their own flesh looked upon them in such a manner.
The doors closed, and NERV's Commander was obscured from sight. A moment later, Shinji's fist smashed into cold metal, trembling with fury and distress. Although his gaze was directed at the ground, the faint sound of quiet sobbing could be heard.
Misato watched on in a helpless manner, as she herself had no idea what to do in such a situation. They simply waited until the next empty lift came, got in, then pushed the button marked Reception.
A little later, the purplehead's breath had been taken away as command's orders were relayed.
"He...he'll be living alone?"
"That's right, you'll be put in apartment four, floor eight, block one, sector two." The receptionist appeared to completely ignore the fact that a sixteen year old boy was to be living by himself.
"Will that do?" He addressed the young man.
"Yes...that'll be fine." Shinji nodded his head in a resigned manner. And yet he felt a slight bit of warmth in his heart to see Misato's concern.
"Shinji-kun, are you sure about this?" She looked at him in a searching manner, trying to detect whether or not he meant it.
"Katsuragi-san, I've lived by myself for the past couple of years. Don't worry, I'm used to it."
At least I won't be living with father.
Misato felt her heart stop for a few moments as the words left his mouth.
You hate your dad, and you live by yourself? Spirits, we have a fair bit in common don't we?
Perhaps it was this, along with feelings of guilt and compassion, that persuaded her to do what she did next.
--------------------------------
2:30pm, parking lot
"No..." Ritsuko's voice crackled on the other end of the telephone, as Misato wickedly grinned.
"Yes you heard right, I'm taking care of, Shinji-kun now. It's already a done deal with the brass."
"Misato-chan...we want the Third child to keep piloting the Evas. We don't want him giving up all hope for humanity after spending a few days with you."
Granted there could be worse situations, but if Ritsuko's party girl friend was still the same person she'd known all those years ago, then heavens help them.
"Oh honestly, Rits-chan, I'm a mature adult. I'm not going to try anything with him-" The following eruption from Ritsuko caused Misato to hold the phone away from her ear, whilst Shinji watched on, bewildered.
Why is she doing this?
"Oh for the love of the Spirits is it completely beyond your capability to grow up!? The fact you can even suggest that kind of thing...J-j-just oh damn it don't you have any sense of shame!?" The faux blonde's rumblings were silenced by Misato hitting the end call button.
"Some people have no sense of humour."
Shinji stood there looking rather confused. Shocked that this woman was putting herself out for him.
Him!
"I suppose so." He said quietly, but he made sure his expression was one of gratitude. And this wasn't simply a force of habit, because he genuinely felt it.
Upon being ushered into Misato's now not so dented car and fastening his seat-belt, Shinji felt something akin to relaxed. Whilst such a state should be impossible for someone so anxious, the thought of not facing a terrifying monster, or his father, at the end of this journey allowed his anxiety levels to shrink to acceptable levels.
After being driven out of the complex through entrance point 18, with the major entrance points being strictly for important uses, the feeling of seeing the sun, the wonderful yellow orb that he'd thought would never again touch him with its gentle warmth, made a gentle sigh escape Shinji's lips as he closed his eyes.
"So, I guess we'll be celebrating tonight?" Misato said.
"Um...okay. What for?" He tilted his head.
"I have to welcome my new flat mate! What sort of host would I be if I didn't?"
Shinji couldn't understand this. Someone was not only going out of their way for him, but they were also celebrating the fact he would be living with them for the foreseeable future.
Teacher had never even celebrated his birthday...
"So what do you want? I'm stopping by one of the convenience stores so you can pick whatever you like." Misato eagerly added.
"Um...I...I don't mind. I'm not picky with food, and it's your house after all."
Last night he'd made a decision because the situation demanded it. Now...his non-existent confidence was crumbling.
"Alright. You don't have a problem with Ramen do you?"
"Not at all Katsuragi-san."
-------------------------------
2:50pm, Tokyo-3, NERV residences convenience store 8
He stood behind his guardian, as she paid for a horde of microwaveable food at the counter.
Shinji had assumed his usual position when he was in public. Head down staring at his shoes, with specially grown fringe to obscure eye contact with the universe, and hands in pockets. Truly the image of a depressed teenager whom people wouldn't want to talk to, which suited him fine.
No one would like me anyway.
"Spirits, did you see the damage?"
He couldn't help but listen in, as two women in their late thirties joined the cue.
"Hard not to. I don't care what my husband says, I won't keep the children here."
"You can't be serious about leaving the capital? We've already abandoned two of them."
"Yes, the JSA couldn't protect either of them, and they probably can't protect this one."
"Shhh, that could get us into trouble!"
"They don't kill people for pointing out facts. Anyway that's not the only reason I want to go."
"Don't be cryptic, spit it out."
"You know that super weapon NERV used?"
"Yes...I don't know what it looks like, but what about it?"
"No one does, all the cameras were turned off last night. Well, apparently during that fight it crushed a shelter."
Shinji's heart stopped.
"Oh that's awful."
"Damn right. Three hundred people were in that bunker, and they only pulled out one who was still breathing. A little girl if the news is right..."
And that's all he heard for a while.
...All those people...oh Spirits...oh Spirits...
----------------------------
3:30pm, over watch.
"It's so quiet." The brown haired boy murmured.
Before him sprawled the vast emptiness of Tokyo-3. Of course he knew most of its many buildings were currently underground, but that didn't take away from the feeling of loneliness.
It had been just as they were leaving the convenience store, when Misato had checked her watch and asked if they could make a detour. Of course he'd said "yes," as being confrontational was not in his nature. Upon asking why, she'd said "Oh it's a really cool place."
Despite his teenage intuition cringing when a fully grown adult used the word "cool," he'd been taken onboard by her enthusiasm.
And he hadn't regretted it.
Despite it being empty, Tokyo-3 was so gargantuan it took Shinji's breath away.
"3:30. It'll happen now." Misato remarked to herself. Before he could even ask what It'll happen now meant, a siren echoed over the quiet landscape.
And so, as if by some great screeching wail of a command, the many apartment blocks and skyscrapers rose from the ground. He'd seen pictures of this happening before, as all children of Japan knew of their capital city's glory, and of their nation's technological prowess. But even then, nothing compared to actually seeing it in person.
"Wow..."
"Yes, I could barely believe it myself when I first saw it. But there it is, Tokyo-3. Capital of the State of Japan and probably the most advanced city in the world. This is the city you saved, Shinji-kun." Misato smiled at him.
Time seemed to slow down for Shinji.
I...saved this? I did...something good?
-----------------------------
3:30pm, NERV Central, geo front residences, apartment 18
A pair of green eyes flickered over paper after paper, with pen held in hand.
Work was something Ritsuko never stopped doing, except when she managed to get a small amount of sleep every now and again. Granted she certainly wasn't uncomfortable right now, especially with Albert wrapped around the back of her neck.
The black cat contentedly snored whilst his owner rather wished she could do the same thing.
The other cat, a brown one called Einstein, slept atop a heap of papers which she'd fortunately finished before the pompous animal had deigned them fit to function as his bed for the evening. They demanded everything from her, and didn't give anything back in return. But still they did, as far as cats can, care for her, as demonstrated by sometimes sleeping on her face whenever she had a nap.
Not like him...
Ritsuko hissed in anger, quietly mind you, as Albert was a cantankerous bastard when woken up.
It's over, I've moved on, I'm happier, I'm never going back to that manipulative, cruel, old cu-
An excruciating rip of paper caused her to groan. Turning her head wearily, she saw Einstein claw those meticulously assorted papers.
"Oh for Spirits sake..." Lifting the brown hair ball off them, she set Einstein down on her lap whilst giving a look of if you claw me I won't feed you for a week.
The cat, seeming to understand, curled up and didn't move.
That was why she preferred cats, they just seemed to understand you with complete and utter ease. Whereas compared to a dog which just kept going back to the owner for love, no matter how much it was abused...
Taking a deeply controlled breath, she set the pen down and engulfed some coffee.
Turning her mind away from the individual who caused her so much grief, it eventually settled on a very pale girl with red eyes and blue hair upon a hospital bed.
Rei had recovered well from the incident, but Ritsuko personally felt twenty days was not enough for her to be combat effective again, even after a dip in the rejuvenation tank.
Four weeks was what she'd told the Commander, no less. And still he'd completely ignored her.
"Twenty days...she's not a machine you know..."
Ritsuko dwelt sadly on her previous conversation with Rei, noting how the only responses she got from her were quiet and short. But still, underneath all that, the faux blonde still had a feeling the girl's old curiosity was very much alive and well. Especially when she'd brought up the subject of Shinji, and what Rei's feelings were on the matter.
The Sub Commander was met with an expression of intrigue that only she would understand. For Ritsuko was one of the few people in the world who could truly say they somewhat knew Rei Ayanami. In particular, Rei wanted to know more about the person whom referred to her as "Sister."
The faux blonde took that as a sign the little girl who'd quietly badgered her with questions about everything, was still very much there.
Perhaps Gendo hadn't spoiled her completely yet.
Damn, if you could you wouldn't let her back in Unit 00 again would you? Her subconscious questioned.
Ritsuko never openly admitted to caring for the clone, as her feelings were still rather mixed despite knowing this girl since her birth all those years ago.
A sad parody of flesh, one you could mistake for a machine at times, grown from one of the greatest scientific mind's in history, and the little girl who used to become fascinated by the colour blue.
Rei was all these things to Ritsuko. And she really wished she could make up her mind on the matter.
"Am I intruding?" A loud voice boomed throughout the room. As the cats sprang into life and started hissing, she looked up at the ceiling and moaned.
"What do you want?"
It took a millisecond for Caspar to respond.
"Gendo-chan wants to converse with you on Wednesday's incident. Simulation room one, right about now."
Ritsuko sighed before standing up. Now work didn't seem so boring.
"Tell him I'm on my way." She rubbed her eyes before slinging a lab coat over her NERV Sub Commander uniform. She was halfway to the door before she stopped and checked herself.
Ah, how did I forget? The last thing I want to do is freak people out with them.
Quickly going back over to her desk, the thirty one year old picked up her white gloves and slid them over her nastily burned hands...
--------------------------------
4:00pm, Tokyo-3, NERV quarters
"The place might be a bit untidy, as I've only just moved in myself. But it's your home as well now, so feel free to make yourself comfortable." Misato's voice disappeared down the hallway as she went to get changed, whilst Shinji stared in enthralled horror at his new home.
Clothes, beer cans, fast food containers and every other conceivable form of trash littered the floor.
By the Spirits...is this purgatory?
"Shinji-kun, could you put the food in the fridge for me?" His host's head poked out from the other side of the corridor.
"Yes, of course Katsuragi-san!" He politely bowed his head before setting himself to the task.
The apartment was small, perhaps even smaller than the one he'd lived in with teacher.
It's walls were painted a warm cream colour, whilst possessing a lounge and kitchen with a hallway running down the side of it. These led off to two bedrooms and a bathroom, with the entrance to the apartment at the other end.
Carefully not stepping on anything, Shinji worked his way over to one of the two large fridges. Upon opening it, his jaw dropped.
"Snacks...ice...fifty cans of beer..." His brain pondered over what sort of person he was living with, and what sort of life she lead.
Eventually making what space he could and inserting the food into the fridge, he ran a hand through his mousey hair. This had been an interesting day indeed.
Taking a look to his left, Shinji's curiosity was piqued by the other fridge in the corner.
What on Earth does she need another fridge for? I hope there isn't another fifty cans in there!
Upon closer inspection, he realised that some sort of small door was cut into the bottom side of it.
"Um, Katsuragi-san. What's in the other fridge?" He called out.
"Oh don't mind him, he's probably sleeping." Came the vague response.
Probably sleeping? Shinji metaphorically shrugged, as many things had not made sense over the past few days. He might as well get used to it.
His task complete, the young man parked himself on one of the blueish coloured sofas, letting himself relax for the first time in days.
Granted the sofa was average in comfort, but he didn't care. Leaning his head into it, the stress and fear of the past few day finally took their toll, causing his yielding to exhaustion.
I'll just close my eyes for a bit...just for a few minutes...
Some time later, when Misato had dressed into some casual clothing, she walked back into her lounge only to find Shinji fast asleep. She chuckled quietly before, with as much stealth as possible, opening the fridge and getting what food she could out of it. Surprisingly the pinging of the microwave didn't wake him up, as did the sound of wrapping being torn open, and food being dumped on a plate. Eventually, she had to go over to the comatose boy and shake his shoulder.
"Hey sleepyhead. I know you've had a rough day but the evening meal is important." She said cheerfully, as Shinji groaned when consciousness returned to him.
"How long was I out?"
"Not long at all. Now get up, or your dinner will go cold." Misato led him over to the table and sat down in clothes that screamed look at my nice curvy body.
To his cerulean eyes, the food looked...edible.
Perhaps.
Ready made was something he'd never experienced before, as his teacher had always encouraged him to cook for the both of them. Encouraged as in Shinji would starve and gain a cut lip if he didn't.
Misato had already leaned back in her seat and downed a can of beer in one much to his alarm, before slamming it back down on the table and starting to eat.
Slowly picking up his chopsticks, Shinji joined her whilst mulling over how, if he ate in the same way she did, wolfing it all down within seconds, he'd have received the beating of his life from teacher.
Ten minutes later, he found himself becoming more and more uncomfortable, especially with Misato enveloping four more cans, becoming louder and louder.
"Life doesn't get much better than this, huh, Shinji-kun!?" Her voice shook the apartment, with the boy in question shrinking into his seat and meekly replying "I suppose so."
She tilted her head in drunken confusion at Shinji's nearly full plate.
"Not hungry? Even if it's instant it isn't bad."
"No, no everything is fine...it's just I've never eaten like this before..."
She wants something from me, that's the only reason she's being nice...
"What!? Are you finicky!?" Her face was directly in his almost immediately, yellow shirt exposing a certain part of her chest.
"No not at all, Katsuragi-san, I'm really grateful for this." He tried smiling, but his quiet and cowering voice betrayed his fear. And then, to his complete surprise, she smiled back.
"Isn't this nice?" She stated, not as a question, but as fact.
"Um...what?"
"Eating with a friend is a lot better than being by yourself, am I right?" She slumped back into her seat, grinning drunkenly.
He simply opened and closed his mouth for a few moments.
"Y-Yes, Katsuragi-san."
-----------------------------
4:15pm, NERV Central, simulation room one
The gold and white giant stood there, as if frozen in time. It's mighty fist had smashed into the observation room, shattered glass that was yet to be cleaned away still littered the floor. Ritsuko couldn't help but look at Evangelion Unit 00 every now and again, her brain constantly reminding her it was deactivated.
That it couldn't move.
That even in this light it was clearly stationary and wasn't looking at her.
He'd been standing there in front of her for a while now, his back turned as she explained the situation.
"So in short, the fact is I can't tell you why it did what it did. Perhaps the synch went wrong, perhaps the restrictions failed, I don't know. What I can tell you is that Unit 00 is just as unstable as ever. And I strongly recommend we don't put Ayanami-san back in there for some time, lest we repeat the current situation." She took a deep breath, having talked non-stop for the past half hour.
Gendo didn't respond for a few moments, keeping his back turned so as to make whoever was speaking to him feel small and insignificant.
But Ritsuko was having none of that.
"Am I required for anything else, Commander?"
"I want Unit 00 ready for combat operations within three weeks." The Commander finally spoke after thirty minutes of quiet.
"That's too soon for a synch test sir. Ayanami-san is lucky to be alive it is."
"That was an order Sub Commander."
"Commander...with all due respect we have to consider the strain this has on the Pilot. A Pilot Link requires an immense amount of effort, in a weakened state it could kill her or worse." She subconsciously shuddered at the thought of "worse."
"This along with the fact that all our Pilots are children...we need to take great care-" She was stopped mid sentence by Gendo, with that commanding yet lifeless voice of his.
"There are no others who can pilot the Evas. As long as they live, that is what I'll have them do." He said in a manner indicating the conversation was over.
But Ritsuko was stubborn.
"They are not tools...Commander." Her eyes narrowed, giving him clear indication of her disapproval. However, as she well knew, he simply didn't care.
"We are finished here, Sub Commander. You are dismissed." Unable to see his small smile, Ritsuko scowled as she turned away.
But just as she was going out through the electric sliding door, she stopped.
"Did you even see Ayanami-san at the hospital today?"
Silence.
I thought so.
And with that, Ritsuko left the Commander to his own thoughts, whatever they may be, and stormed back to her apartment so as to fume for the rest of the day.
------------------------------
5:00pm, Tokyo-3, NERV quarters
"Wasn't that a fair way to divide the chores?" Misato beamed from ear to ear, whilst Shinji regretted underestimating her ability at playing "rock, paper, scissors" when drunk. Now, he was stuck with seventy percent of the apartment's chores.
"Yes, Katsuragi-san." He half grimaced, half sighed.
They were still at the dinner table, with his guardian revelling in her drunkenness and lack of coordination.
Apparently in the age before Second Impact, getting drunk was usually followed by this terrible headache called a hangover. But in 2017, a simple pill provided by any chemist would stop it happening. As you can imagine, said drug was often referred to as the best thing ever by those who took it.
Misato being one of them.
"Now, this is your home." She swept out her bare arms, so as to point out the entire apartment was indeed his place of residence.
"So feel free to take advantage of anything here...except for me of course." She had to cover her mouth with a hand, as Shinji went through many different expressions in a few seconds.
Shock.
Horror.
Embarrassment.
"I...I...um...yes, Katsuragi-san."
"Gah, yes, yes, yes, that's all you ever say isn't it? Well it's getting on my nerves!" Misato reached over the table, grabbed a tuft of his hair and started tugging it.
"You're a boy aren't you? Where in heaven's name is your backbone?" She eventually relinquished her grip as Shinji stammered another petrified "yes, Katsuragi-san."
Slumping back into her seat, the purplehead sighed.
"Oh I suppose that's just the way it is with you." She looked like she was mulling over something for a few moments, before suddenly brightening up.
"You should take a bath! Yeah that's a great idea!" She swept our her arms once again in a most dramatic gesture, completely failing to notice her charge's look of complete confusion.
"Hot water cleans the mind and soul..hic.." She put a hand to her mouth as a few drunken hiccups escaped her lips.
"I'm...I'm sure, Katsuragi-san. I'll go have one now..." Shinji tenderly got down from his seat, respectfully bowed, then walked off whilst Misato dwelt upon drunken philosophy.
-----------------------------------
He stood in front of the bathroom door, with absolutely no item of clothing upon his person. From the dining room, he could hear her occasional giggle over whatever her strange mind was thinking of.
What the hell have I got myself into? Shinji smiled slightly before placing his hand upon the door handle.
Misato sipped some water after gulping down one of those hangover pills and relaxed in the silence of the place in which she lived.
Her previous apartment had been one of the ones down in the geofront, huge and luxurious. But...she found it a too big and empty for her liking, so she'd moved up into the city where there was a fair bit more to do. And this apartment, unlike her old one, had character to it.
Then her mind began to try and remind her of something...something important that Shinji really should know.
And then she remembered.
"Shinji-kun, would you come in here for a moment, I need to talk-" She wasn't able to finish, as a high pitched shriek of terror echoed throughout the house.
With the pounding of feet, he appeared in the kitchen with a look of panic.
"K-Katsuragi-san! There's a...a...thing in the bathroom!" His high pitched voice slowly ebbed away as the thing that had scared him so, waddled past with a small towel wrapped around its shoulders. As if completely ignoring the situation around him, the Penguin went straight to the other fridge and placed its clawed flipper onto a clear piece of material next to a small door in the fridge's side.
After a brief series of bleeps and bloops, the door opened and the Penguin stepped inside his home, not before giving Shinji some sort of evil eye.
The door sealed behind him, and the bird was gone.
"What...what...?"
"Ah, that's Pen-pen. He's your other room mate." Misato smiled ever so slightly over the situation before raising an eyebrow.
"Um...you might want to cover that up." She had to raise her glass of water to her lips, so as to hide her smirk.
Shinji turned bright red as he realised his somewhat small manhood was on full display. With yet another shriek, he tore around the corner and back down the corridor, the bathroom door slamming shut behind him.
I should probably be nicer to him...but it's just too much fun! And anyway, he's probably made his mind up about me already.
Misato went back to drinking her water.
---------------------
Actual water.
Not that awful orange goo his plug had been filled with the night before, but the clear liquid which was so much lighter and more comfortable than LCL could ever hope to be.
Here, Shinji Ikari was truly relaxed.
The hot steaminess of the water could have made him fall asleep if he'd let it. But he didn't feel like drifting off into unconsciousness yet. He felt it was time to dwell upon the events of the past few days.
Spirits...It was only a few days ago that I was in Kure doing sweet nothing. But...that all feels like a lifetime ago.
He gently swirled his hand in the water, letting the tiny whirlpools he created engage his attention.
I've probably interacted with more people since I got here than I've done in forever.
Faces flashed past him in a heartbeat, but they were committed to memory. The one currently in prominent position, was this strange woman who'd decided to take him in.
Misato Katsuragi...she seems nice. As in genuinely nice, I didn't really think there were people like that anymore.
He grimly reflected on how even though it had occurred the year before he was born, Second Impact had killed most of Mankind's kindness. For that and many other reasons did he curse it.
She probably just wants something from me. Like piloting the Eva.
Shinji shuddered as that green orb staring at him seeped its way back into his mind.
I don't want to do it. But I have to...even if it is scary. Mother always said sometimes we need to do things we're scared of...I wish she was here.
His fist clenched a little, whilst a single solitary tear trickled down his cheek.
I'd be irresponsible if I let people die because I was scared. And...
His memory settled upon a hospital room with a pale girl lying upon a hospital bed.
I can't let them make Ayanami-san Pilot it. I'm not letting father use her as a tool then throw her away.
He wasn't at peace with it, but he felt as if his mind was truly made up.
I guess that settles it. I'll keep piloting.
------------------------------
Shinji stared up at his bedroom's ceiling, having not done much else for a while now.
Granted he'd first finished his bath, dried himself off, then spent a bit more time with his host.
Misato was still drunk, but unlike teacher alcohol had a very different effect upon her. When intoxicated, she somehow became even more cheerful than usual, and relentlessly teased anything that came into her line of sight. As such Shinji did go quite red at the cheeks when she kept bringing up his small beans and roaring with laughter about it.
But then the evening took a turn for the better when he was properly introduced to Pen-pen.
After giving the bizarre creature a beer can from the fridge due to it staring at him for a while, the flightless bird had hopped on the sofa and buried itself into his lap.
Henceforth, Shinji was rather fond of the male erect crested Penguin.
His bedside clock read 11:00pm, making him smile a little. Time usually went by quite slowly for him in his lonely life, but in this realm of insanity it went by faster than his father expressing emotion. He still felt uneasy, as this place was unfamiliar to him.
But that was to be expected.
Shinji tended to take a while to settle, so there wasn't anything wrong with the place, it was usually his own awkwardness making the situation difficult.
Anyway, he certainly didn't dislike it here. It was a great deal more lively than his tatty and lonely apartment back in Kure...
Indeed, he found himself rather surprised by the fact he was enjoying another's company.
His belongings were scattered around the room in boxes, moved from Kure without his permission a few days before, as if his father knew he'd be staying here for the foreseeable future. Not everything had arrived yet, but all the essentials such as clothing were here. Hence how he'd been able to pull his grey pyjamas out.
In the corner of the room however, resided his pride and joy.
His cello.
An instrument he'd taught himself to play after hearing a piece of music produced by them once before. So entranced with it, he'd saved and scraped with his money for a very long time before buying one with his own cash. Somehow he'd kept it secret from teacher for all those years, only being able to play it freely after the man died.
Where he in the mood, Shinji would have been creating beautiful sound with it at that very moment, but not now. His thoughts were still dwelling on all the events which had occurred since his leaving Kure.
His walk-man was unusually not in his ears, as HE felt his situation was best pondered in silence.
"Hey, Shinji-kun, is it okay if I come in?" Misato's muffled voice could be heard from beyond his door.
Not really knowing what to do in such a situation, he remained quiet.
A bit of light slid into the room as his door was opened. She stood there, having just finished her own bath with towels wrapped around her hair and slender body. Shinji made the wise decision of focusing on her face.
"I just thought you should know. You did a very noble, and very brave thing yesterday. You should be proud." Gaining no response for a few moments, Misato nodded in resignation as she started sliding the door shut. But not before a meek voice came from Shinji's lips.
"Thank you. Goodnight, Katsuragi-san."
The purplehead stood there for a little longer, smiling.
"Goodnight, Shinji-kun."
The door closed, and he was by himself again.
Resuming his fixation on the ceiling, arms folded behind his head, he found a full smile forming on his lips.
"Noble huh?" Shinji said quietly to himself, closing his eyes and descending into the realm of sleep.
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Turing Decidable
𝕘𝕒𝕣𝕗
- Location
- Belgium
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Shinji is the saddest puppy of them all.
Well shit, you weren't kidding when you said the Sachiel fight would be worse than canon in some ways.
That is just adorable.
Huh. I have the urge to give Ritsuko a hug. How about that.
I assume this means Ritsuko was the one to get Rei out after the berserker incident. Good.
Lord Sovereign
The Emperor of shitty fanfic
- Location
- England
Chapter 2.4
Lord Sovereign
The Emperor of shitty fanfic
- Location
- England
Well, this is the final segment of chapter 2. Surprisingly enough, for a chapter called "Tokyo-3" this segment has little to do with the city in question. In fact, this is all about introductions.
Introductions to Shinji's future colleagues...
Enjoy.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
11:00am, Saturday the 10th of June, European League, Neue Deustches Reich, Sanssouci palace.
Rudolf Von Hohenzollern was a busy man. Even though technically as Emperor of Germany he held no power, he was a man who liked to be involved in the decision making of his Reichstag. But today was Saturday, and that meant relaxing in his family's ancient seat, the palace of Sanssouci. Away from the clean but crowded streets of Berlin. Away from all the yelling and debates that occurred within parliament.
Out here, in the depths of the German countryside, was where the forty-five year old Kaiser could put his feet up.
His favourite past time in particular was walking around the grounds of his palace, letting the delightful smells of all the various flowers fill his nose. However it was during such a walk that one of his servants had run up to him with a red face, and sweat trickling down his forehead.
"Forgive me, your Majesty, I have told her that you're indisposed but...she will not listen." The servant's exhausted expression then became confused as his Kaiser quietly laughed.
"It is to be expected...let Countess Soryu know I'll receive her in my study."
"At once, your Majesty!"
Rudolf reluctantly but briskly walked back into the beautiful halls of his palace, having no time to take in the ornate windows, paintings, or marble.
Gott have mercy on my soul if she's there before me. His subconscious muttered, knowing full well what fury the girl who wished an audience with him could unleash at any given moment.
Fortunately however, upon reaching it, his office was empty save for the two Gardes du Corps troopers standing outside.
"Your Majesty!" They saluted.
Rudolf nodded at them, before they opened the doors to his workplace.
Having sat down at his desk, not being able to take in the lavish luxuries of his office, Rudolf quickly massaged his head and fiddled with his black beard, in preparation for what was coming.
Oh Asuka, you know today is the day I like to relax...
There was a muffled sound of saluting from beyond the closed doors, swiftly followed by a dark blue coated Guardsman slipping in.
"Countess Soryu requests an audience with you."
"It is granted." Rudolf gestured towards the door which would soon let in the destruction of any and all peace and quiet he'd been enjoying that day.
And so, inevitably, the doors opened. And in strolled the Second child.
At about five foot three inches, Hauptmann of the Luftwaffe, and Countess of the Reich, Asuka Zeppelin Soryu, was of average height for a girl who would be sixteen in six months, yet in a way she somehow towered over every resident of Sanssouci, including the stern military officers who paraded around in their helmets and moustaches.
As to be expected, she was wearing that yellow sun dress of which she was so fond, which completely clashed with the 19th century style clothing of the German aristocracy. A group to which she belonged.
She stopped some ten feet from his desk, and then in an uncharacteristic manner for all save him, gave a polite curtsey.
"Your Majesty."
The head of house Hohenzollern chuckled a little at a display of respect she showed only to him, his head resting upon his gloved hand.
"So...what can I do for you today, Asuka?"
Her young and searing sapphire eyes met his old brown ones, as she inhaled deeply.
"Your Majesty, I believe I have made it very clear my wish to be deployed to Japan at the earliest opportunity?"
"Indeed you have."
"Then why am I still here?" Her arms folded, a danger sign indeed.
"You know we are loading Unit 02 onto the Seydiltz as fast as we can, not to mention the High Seas fleet still needs to be prepared...just give us a little more time..." Rudolf squirmed in his seat as Asuka's voice rose.
"All the Seraphim will be dead by the time you dummkopfs are finished! So much for German efficiency! I can't just sit out here and do nothing whilst...what's his name? Shin...Shin..." She blinked as she tried to remember the name which had made her blood boil, whilst pointing a threatening finger at her Monarch.
"I believe his name is Shinji Ikari." Rudolf offered.
"That's the guy, stupid Shinji! I can't let him take all the glory for himself! Gott at this rate Unit 03's going to get there before me...Samuel would never let me hear the end of it...Britain would never let us hear the end of it!" She started pouting, as if to herself, whilst a man who was practically her Guardian couldn't help but chuckle.
"What's so funny?"
"You of course, as per usual." His smile only grew wider as Asuka looked like she wanted to scream, thought better of it, then folded her bare arms.
"I'll ask Chancellor Mack to send more men to Hamburg, to assist with loading. Now that there has been an actual Seraph attack there isn't really much excuse for you being here. Not to mention Larue and Laberenz will probably want you off as soon as possible." Rudolf noted how her expression lightened at the reinforcement of yes you are going.
"It's a shame Evas mess with A-T fields. Otherwise I could've flown down there in one night." She sighed before looking apologetic.
"Thank you. I know it's a Saturday and all but I just hate waiting." She brushed back a strand of her hair.
Asuka's red mane was ridiculously long in his eyes, going well past her shoulders, almost down to the small of her back. She'd always had it like that, since she was a little girl. Perhaps it was kept like that to give the impression of untameable. An image that wasn't entirely wrong.
But to be frank, Rudolf didn't care. What made her happy, made him happy. And as much as he hated the idea of sending her off to some far flung land to fight horrible creatures, he was all too aware of how much his charge loved piloting, and how much Unit 02 meant to her.
Good Gott that thing unsettles me...He inwardly shuddered a little at the thought of the black behemoth NERV kept telling him was a war machine, much to his doubt.
Machines didn't make noises like that...
"It's alright. A good Kaiser should always be available to address his subject's difficulties."
"Jah." Asuka absently mindedly said before curtsying again.
"Good day, your Majesty. I won't disturb you again." She smiled that sickly sweet smile of only if you do as you're told.
"You've never disturbed me, Asuka. And you know that." He gestured at the door, with the red head nodding and walking out.
He stood there for a while, feeling his heart seize up. A promise he had never been able to fulfill kept going through his mind, as an image of a gravestone and a weeping child took over his memory.
I swear...I'll make her happy, I swear, Kyoko...
---------------------------------
10:00pm, Great British Empire, Buenos Aires.
His titanium encased foot crashed down on another armoured vehicle, metal and flesh being crushed in equal measure.
Major Samuel Meadow of the Imperial Britannic Army, grinned a fearsome grin. As a feeble artillery bombardment rained down upon him, he watched some two thousand fighters of the Argentinian Resistance Front scatter like rabbits. A quick flick of Unit 03's wrist and the flaring of his A-T field, caused hundreds of those men to be reduced to a crimson mist.
Great Britain's inexorable advance into South America had been one of the quickest conquests in history. The fractured and ruined remnants of the pre-Impact governments, or the tin pot Dictators and War Lords, had had been utterly powerless to stem the Empire's advance. In fact it was the revolts that gave them the most trouble, the ones in Argentina being the most difficult to stamp down due to the patriotic nature of its people, with even the half a decade past unrest in the reclaimed thirteen colonies paling in comparison.
How ironic, Samuel mused, less than forty years ago these people had tried to invade Warspite harbour, back when that set of islands had been called the Falklands.
Now it seemed the tables had turned.
One of the fleeing rebels had turned around and was now firing point blank at him, bullets crumpling against a wall of flickering orange light.
A navy blue armoured foot turned him into a bloody stain.
Why must you resist!? Why bring all this unnecessary destruction upon yourself!? You cannot win, you could never win! Samuel grimaced as he felt a heavy calibre shell clang off the back of Unit 03's great helm, causing a slight ringing sensation in his head.
Bloody hell Samuel, stay focused! Keep that A-T field up!
Unit 03 continued its march through the city, as tens of thousands of people scattered before the Imperial god machine. However, one should note the navy blue monster tread with great care around those unarmed.
To the people of Argentina, the Eva was the most terrifying thing their culture had ever witnessed. They'd thought they'd seen the full might of the Empire, and whilst one should tremble before it, the Imperial war machine could be opposed.
But this?
This was a demon sent from Hell itself to claim their souls. It had used no weapons except its feet and fists, and it obliterated entire blocks and legions of men in a maelstrom of energy, by will alone. This was all the proof Britain needed to show the people it ruled, there was no point in defiance. But of course, the Imperial Britannic Armed Forces were not simply going to cow these barbarians into obedience.
They would sear a scar into the people of South America's cultural memory for hundreds of years to come.
"Major Meadow." The voice of Sky Marshal Keery boomed over Samuel's comm link, as a four engined VTOL hurtled towards the Eva, proudly bearing the colours of the Argentinian Resistance Front.
"What is your command, sir?" He slammed aside one of the last remaining Argentinian VTOLs with a swipe of his white painted hand. The machine fell apart from the mere impact.
"Cease movement and focus on the maintaining of your A-T field. My fleet shall take it from here."
"Many of these people had very little to do with the uprising sir..."
"It matters not. These barbarians will make fine examples nonetheless, therefore the peoples of the conquered territories will be less inclined to reject the mercy of our glorious Emperor in future. Now, brace yourself or you may gain a few burns." The comm link went dead, and Samuel felt his shoulders slump.
Some ten thousand feet above Buenos Aires, eleven dagger shaped Imperial FCV's, painted in flashy black and gold, maintained a stationary position, having only just arrived a few minutes prior.
Upon the command bridge of the four hundred metre long Dauntless class dreadnought "Duxford," in his embroidered with gold lace navy blue tunic, khaki brown trousers, knee high black boots, and classic Imperial Sky Marshal's light blue cape, the grizzled Malcolm Keery surveyed the city below him with contempt.
So ugly when compared to Leopard. No spires, no banners, no roads, nothing. These worms suffered far less than us and yet they dwelt in their pigsty quite happily. By God this place was in need of flattening to begin with!
"Marshal! Major Meadow reports that his A-T field is at maximum power." A Lieutenant barked.
Keery nodded.
He better. Alexander will have my hide if his son comes to harm.
Turning around, swirling his cape, the portly man gestured to the crew members sitting below him at their touch screens.
"Broadcast my voice to all our forces engaged in this God forsaken piss hole. I would address them."
"Yes, Marshal!"
Turning back to stare out at the twinkling night sky from his vantage point on the bridge, Keery began to speak.
"Soldiers of His Imperial Britannic Majesty's 28th Field Army, and 5th Air Fleet! For over a week have we wasted our time with these barbarians. For over a week have we attempted to negotiate, but to no avail. Even when all else had failed, when we shelled and starved them these fools would not surrender. They had their chance. Those who would reject our mercy are far too stubborn for their own good. Let us show them, how unwise it is to be both stubborn and weak. As of this moment we shall commence bombardment of Buenos Airez, and we will not cease until every single living thing inside is a roasted and charred corpse!" He raised his arms in the air, revelling in his words.
Many of the eleven thousand souls across the fleet, and the some one hundred thousand men surrounding the city, were doing the same thing.
"Now, sing the song of victory! Hail Britain!" He yelled at the top of his lungs.
"Hail Britain!" His crew, his fleet, and the army below screamed in adulation before the second stanza of "Lion's roar," the Imperial national anthem, began to blare out on every radio frequency.
"Praise be our glorious Empire, may its rule never come to an end. The lion flag shall fly across the Earth,-!"
Samuel gently hummed along with it, whilst he watched the initial swarm of Assaye missiles hurtle down from the heavens, smacking into the ground and levelling entire neighbourhoods along with the last remaining Argentinian fortified positions, the sheer roar of the explosions drowning out thousands of death screams.
Both of rebel and innocent.
"-Sing of our homeland, that reigns above all, in this world-!"
There were some people standing near Unit 03's stationary feet, looking awestruck and horrified as their world burned around them, and yet said destroying fire harmlessly rolled off the flickering orange barrier which encased them.
Above, eleven bright blue glows slowly bloomed into existence.
"-Hail Emperor, for the pride of, our Great Britain!"
The positron beams descended from the sky like destructive holy fire, their mere touching of the ground creating craters the likes of which meteors produced. The following storm of crackling blue energy disintegrated everything else. One shot from a Positron cannon would have been enough to annihilate half the city, but Imperial battle doctrine was over the top to begin with, as was befitting of such a dramatic and grandiose society.
The music died down, and Samuel felt himself relax. He sadly looked around the ruined and charred landscape, sighing.
Stupid barbarians...why did you have to resist? Don't you understand that our Emperor simply wants what's best for us all?
He looked down at his feet to see a few dozen frightened families staring up at him.
Old, young, and weak.
"Report to all air units, there are still some non combatants in the land of the living. I request evac for them immediately." He spoke over his reopened comm link.
"By your command, Major Meadow. Evac inbound."
Soon enough a black "Harrier" class VTOL, an evolved version of the old RAF jet, swooped down towards them, its engines making a screaming noise that struck terror into millions.
Flicking his audio from private to loud, the blonde haired and blue eyed sixteen year old boy, angled his Evangelion's one eye down at the few survivors, and with a translator turned on he addressed them.
"Subjects of His Imperial Britannic Majesty Charles Sebastian Vance. Today you have witnessed our glorious Empire's might and mercy. Do not forget it." He couldn't help but smile to see a few fall at his feet pleading for forgiveness.
But unlike many of his British brothers and sisters, the Fourth child would accept such apologies.
Now however, his mind turned to his next deployment and what that entailed.
No more slaughtering helpless rebels for me. Now...now comes my real test. The Seraphim...they should make for fine opponents, if what NERV says is true...
His eyebrows knitted together upon remembering the report of the action which occurred the other day. Against a monstrous creature which had cut through the infamously tough Tokyo-3 defence lines like a knife through butter.
And then they narrowed upon thinking of the ill trained fool who somehow managed to kill it.
Shinji Ikari...enjoy your little victories whilst they last. For soon I shall demonstrate the Empire's glory to the entire world.
-------------------------------
09:00pm, North American Federation, Revere sewer system.
The faint dripping of water echoed throughout the tunnels, only for it to be drowned out by splashing as men with boots ran through them.
The girl shuddered a little and squeezed her teddy bear, the only thing she had left of home, as her protectors clicked off the safeties on their rifles. To her relief, out of the gloom came similarly dressed people holding the same sort of antique guns and home made bombs the people she was with had.
"What the hell took you so long?" The leader of the smaller group called out.
"Federal Guard." One of them spat in response.
"Shit..."
"They're fucking everywhere. If we want to survive this we need to get out of Revere, tonight." The other one emphasized before turning his gaze upon the girl.
"What the hell is this?"
"One of the escapees from the camp...she was the only one we could save."
"...why is she here?"
"Why?...We couldn't just leave her..."
"No, you leave her here now, she'll only slow us down."
"Fuck you asshole, that's not happening."
"It is going to happen if you want to live. Let the Feddies have her..." His words echoed throughout the tunnel.
"Are you insane? You've seen the camps, you know what they do!" The leader put himself between the girl and the other man, whilst members of his group stared in shock.
"Yeah and I don't want to be there. We'll make things better for them one day, but if the revolution dies here then that's the end of it. Now let's move before those Guard catch up with us..."
The other group started moving off into the tunnel, with the leader of the smaller group looking frantically back and forth before sighing.
"Hope you don't weigh too much, kid..." He lifted the girl up and put her on his shoulders, before they took off after the larger group.
-------------------------------
She didn't remember much of her early life, except it was happy.
Even in post-impact Mexico, with bandits and such roaming everywhere, she'd lived in a safe place with some semblance of order.
And then the bad men came. The bad men in grey coats and black helmets with red eyes and loud masks. They killed everyone who resisted, with bullets, bombs and...sticky fire. Then they took all those left up north, threw them into nasty places with sharp wire and cold houses, then made them work until their fingers bled.
"For your glorious Federation" was what they kept saying.
But it wasn't all bad, she'd had mother, the girl fondly reminisced.
She'd make her daughter laugh when the bones broke or the eyes bruised. But then came that day...when mother said something the bad men didn't like.
So they hit her, again and again, until she stopped moving. And never did again.
Then there was that night some days ago, when these nice people broke into the "camp" and rescued her along with a few others. They didn't last long.
Although her understanding of English was limited, the girl could tell her rescuers meant well through their tone of voice. Granted there were times when they yelled at each other, but they were always so quiet and kind to her. And they were Federal citizens, who had not known her suffering. And yet they stood against the regime they deemed a heinous bastardisation of their country.
Of the United States of America.
--------------------------------------
Will Dawson felt the girl's weight ware on him, but he didn't put her down.
He'd led his little band of rebels for nearly ten years now.
He remembered how in the year 1999 he'd joined the United States Marine Corps, and wore his uniform with pride. Until Second Impact, the collapse of the USA, and the rise of "Princeps Henry Abrams" and his Federation.
Restore the pride of America, Rome's true successor, was their rallying cry.
And for a while he'd bought it, even rising up the ranks to join the vaunted TM, the bodyguard of the Princeps, and paramilitary wing of his "Virtus" party.
Then they'd deployed him to one of the "rehabilitation camps."
His loyalty died there.
He couldn't understand how America had fallen so far, far enough to begin persecuting entire peoples for the crime of simply not being born on the fatherland's soil. How a nation meant to have been founded on truths meant to be held self evident, could work millions to death in the name of natural selection was beyond him. And to be frank, he was glad he didn't understand such evil.
Suddenly, the footsteps of the group stopped. In the very dim light, he could see the other leader raise his hand as watery footsteps echoed not too far away from them, causing all to take cover.
Quickly setting the girl down, and ushering her behind cover, Will clenched his M16 close to his chest. Utterly inferior to the "Impetus" assault rifle, but it did its job.
At the end of the tunnel, where it crossed with another in a T shape, a squad of Principe Federal Guard tramped past. Compared to the Ordos Corps, the iron fisted thugs who called themselves "a police force", the Guard was even more terrifying.
As this was Revere, built on top of old San Francisco, the Federal capital itself, the Ordos Corps contingent here had been well equipped but arrogant. They were easy to run rings around. But then Abrams had enough, and told his attack dog, TM Praetor Harrison Hirst, to put the various rebel groups in line. And thus, along with the Tutela Manipulis, an entire Legion of Federal Guard, fifty thousand men, were deployed to the city.
This being why the few remnants of "dissident movements" had been crammed down into the sewers, and even now they had to run.
The Guardsmen looked formidable, in their grey greatcoats with black helms, extensive body armour, gas masks, flowing red crests, and glowing red eye pieces. And from experience, Will knew they were every bit as capable and frightening as they looked.
But among them, catching his eye, was one wearing a white variation of the Guard uniform, except with cap instead of helmet.
Judging from her size, she was female...and young.
A TM Officer?
The squad had almost tramped past, when there was a sudden splash.
He inwardly cursed when he realised some idiot had lost their footing.
One of the Guard turned their red gaze down the tunnel. He stared for a while, then levelled his weapon and fired.
The flash of his gun lit up the whole rancid tunnel, showing the twenty or so rebels, and the poor bastard he hit in the head by chance.
The words "enemy sighted" and "fire, fire, fire" were screamed simultaneously.
Some of the rebel rounds found their mark, with one or two of the Guard dropping to the floor. But most of the time, they just bounced off armour or missed completely.
The Federal Guard, the soldiers who'd nearly brought the Great British Empire to heel a decade before, we're not nearly as amateur.
One by one, the rebels fell.
"Fall back, fall back!" Will yelled as he began to run, after emptying a whole clip of his rifle at the enemy.
Only to feel hot lead tear through his back.
The bullet smashed through his lungs, resulting in him crashing into the filthy water, blood issuing forth from his wound and mouth.
The girl was huddled in the corner, her horrified gaze fixed on him.
"Run..." He gurgled before life left him completely.
She didn't understand what he said, but the general meaning was understood.
A few minutes later the girl born in Mexico, so far from home, having run so very far, slumped down into the filthy water and cried. Now the bad men had taking another thing from her.
Her teddy bear was still in her arms, and she squeezed it as tightly as possible, whilst rocking back and forth. Clothed in soaking wet grey prisoners garb, she was utterly incapable of moving. As to be expected of a seven year old, having seen the things she'd seen.
Some water rippled not too far from her, as a footstep echoed throughout the tunnel. Slowly turning her gaze upwards, the girl started shaking even more.
For a pair of red eye pieces were staring at her.
The click of a safety being thumbed off echoed, as tears streamed down the girl's dimly illuminated face.
"Hands on your damn head, right now scum." The TM Junior Storm Leader gripped her pistol ever tighter as the dissident stared at her in terror. She shook her head fervently and started squealing about how she "didn't want to go back" in her native tongue.
One which the TM trooper didn't understand.
"Shut up, and hands up!" She barked, firing a shot off. Not at the dissident, but somewhere close by, so as to coerce the "brat" into obedience.
This had the opposite effect of what the Federal soldier had intended.
The girl immediately sprang up and tore away, screaming "no, no, no" again and again.
"Get back here!" Junior Storm Leader Tiffany Johnson levelled her pistol and fired. There was a squeal, and the dissident collapsed, crying.
Slowly, she walked over to the helpless "Latino", towering over her.
"Resistance is pointless, Latino, you should just accept your place."
The crying didn't stop.
"What are you whining about, I only shot you in the..."
The bullet hadn't gone into the leg like she'd intended. But into the back. Red liquid intertwined with sewage as the girl continued to cry whilst clutching her teddy.
"Johnson, what have you found?" The Guard Sergeant and his men caught up with her, finding themselves staring at a crying little girl. Most of them just remained silent as her strength slowly faded, as she garbled in a language they didn't understand.
One word over and over again. When translated, a word we would know as "Mommy."
And then she said no more.
"Junior Storm Leader Johnson, you and your squad are commanded to return to the surface. This area is clear. You have made the Federation proud this day, Foederatio sine fine!" The voice of their commanding officer crackled over the radio.
"Acknowledged. Foederatio sine fine."
Tiffany holstered her pistol and turned away, walking in what she would deem as an almost "dreamlike" state, as the fifteen year old's brain wasn't functioning properly.
Enemies of the state must die, for the good of the Federation. Was what she kept telling herself over and over again. Much to her frustration however, she wasn't believing it. The girl had questioned why she'd been sent down here, only to receive "Princeps orders" on the matter. Apparently it was so she could "grow a backbone" or something.
Eventually arriving above ground, she bid her escort farewell and made her way over to one of the local dinar bathrooms which had been cleared out due to the vast military operation underway. Once there, the Fifth child removed her mask and hat, letting her short black hair fall down and her green eyes shine with tears, before finding herself vomiting and crying uncontrollably.
------------------------------------
3:00pm, Saturday the 10th of June, 2017 AD, Union of Western Communist Republics, Socialist Russian Federation, Moscow, Kremlin
The searing Russian summer sun bared down upon the Kremlin and its red square, causing the soldiers parading through it to sweat. But they were undeterred, this army so ruthlessly trained, still filled with pride from their victories in the so called "Euro-Russian war."
One by one, to the cheering crowds of the Russian people, regiments of the Red Army marched, crimson flags with the sickle and hammer proudly emblazoned upon them fluttering brilliantly. Unlike most parades however, the President was not present. Indeed some of his right hand men were overseeing this display of their country's power. For the man was indisposed, as he had, in his eyes, a far more important matter to attend to...
This building had seen so many government changes over the years. From the Tsar, to the Soviet Union, to the Federation, and now back to Communism's loving embrace.
Being summoned to the President's office could either be a very good thing or a very bad thing, which would cause most men to shiver at the possible outcome. But Vasily Ivanov, Warrant Officer of the 20th Guards Army, was beyond fear, and in some cases feeling itself.
It did amuse him at a subconscious level however, to see the sheer splendour of the Kremlin's gold and white encrusted walls, elaborate doors, and magnificent pictures, utterly clash with the very idea upon which his country, the Socialist Russian Federation, and the Union of Western Communist Republics in general, was founded. No man was above any other. All were equal, as set forth by the writings of Karl Marx.
But as always, hypocrisy was the nature of man.
In his standard issue dress uniform, dark green trousers, tunic, brimmed cap, and knee high black shiny boots, he stopped before the doors to the office, saluting upon being confronted by two guards.
"Comrade Ivanov. You are expected." A tall member of the Kremlin regiment in dark blue uniform, saluted in return, as did his fellow guard.
Despite being taller and of higher rank than the young man who stood before them, they couldn't help but be intimidated by how well built the blonde soldier was, and how his hazel eyes displayed not a single hint of emotion.
Lowering his hand and removing his standard issue cap, Vasily nodded and was then ushered in.
At the desk, with crimson flags hanging on the office's walls, with great portraits of communist heroes such as Lenin residing next to and in between them, sat the President of the Socialist Russian Federation.
Boris Flipov.
"Comrade Flipov." Vasily clicked his heels together and saluted, to which Boris gave an acknowledging nod.
"Ah, comrade Ivanov. Please take a seat."
Vasily briskly walked over and sat down, not at all intimidated by the bald and dark brown moustached man who ruled his homeland with an iron fist. A man said to be more brutal, cruel, and savage than even Princeps Henry Abrams himself.
And he knew all too well, despite what the propaganda said, every single story about this man was probably true.
Having sat down, he placed his cap on his lap, and folded his hands awaiting to hear whatever the President wanted to say.
"I wish for your thoughts on the event which occurred last Thursday." The most powerful man in Russia, laced his fingers together and leaned back in his chair.
"There is little to say, comrade Flipov. From what the reports say, and the fact the world didn't explode, the enemy was engaged and defeated."
"Ah, but you see there is." Boris pushed a button in his desk. A hologram flickered into life, displaying humanity's first true battle with a mighty Seraph. Upon the contest of brute strength's completion, the President turned his gaze back to sixth Child, and rested his head upon his hand.
"Well?"
"I was under the impression the Pilot was inexperienced?" Vasily said.
"Your impression would be correct."
The boy's expression remained blank, but as a man who'd beheld the his training, the President was quite aware of what Vasily putting his thinking cap on looked like.
"If that is the case, then how did he make an Evangelion perform like an experienced soldier?"
Boris exhaled ever so slightly before placing both his hands back on his desk.
"We do not know, comrade Ivanov. What we do know is NERV has a lot of secrets. Too many secrets. And an organization that refuses to tell us how machines can start bleeding, or how a Pilot with no training can defeat the enemy, is most certainly not an ally. In a few months time, with Unit 05 fully operational we shall deploy you to Japan onboard the K-219. And when you are there, I am ordering you to maintain constant vigilance until the Seraphim are defeated, and follow, Supreme Commander Ikari's orders only if you deem them adequate. You are there to fight for mother Russia, not for NERV."
"Understood, comrade Flipov."
The President sighed, then folded his hands and rested his old head upon them, his eyes gazing down upon the immense amount of paperwork he'd be attending to.
"I despise that Japanese upstart. He isn't even a head of state or a government official. He's...head of a private sector that didn't even exist before the Second Impact...to be commanded by such Capitalist scum...as if I am his inferior!" He glowered before remaking eye contact with Vasily's blank expression.
"That will be all. I believe you have a day of leave today?"
"That is correct, comrade Flipov. NERV Moscow has no use for me at this moment." The Russian boy with blonde hair fastened his cap back on his head.
"What do you plan on doing?" Boris said as he pulled out a sheet of paper from his desk and started writing on it.
"I intended to eat at a restaurant." Vasily said bluntly, as the President finished writing and put his own personal stamp on the document, before handing it to the young Warrant Officer.
"This is a presidential mandate for you to use any site of leisure within this city for free. Go and enjoy your day."
"My thanks, comrade Flipov." Vasily stood up, saluted, then began to walk out of the room.
"Ivanov." The President's voice caused him to stop mid-step.
"You are a soldier of the motherland, and therefore you represent it to the international community. Do not let yourself be out shined by Imperial, Federal, European, or Japanese pigs. Russia, Communism, and the Union of Western Communist Republics, cannot afford to be sidelined. And if you should deem any of the other Evangelion Units, or NERV itself to be a threat to national security..." He let that hang for a few seconds.
"You will do what is necessary."
"I will do my patriotic duty to mother Russia, comrade Flipov. Without question."
"Excellent. Good day."
Vasily turned away and walked out of the office, already dwelling upon the thought of crushing Shinji Ikari's throat.
I will do as I am commanded. To serve the motherland is my only purpose.
--------------------------------
11:00am, People's Republics of Asia, People's Republic of China, NERV Beijing, sparring area
He strikes like a viper, swift and deadly, with a good jab to his partner's face. Unfortunately for him, she is much quicker.
The fist is caught, and an elbow is driven into Liu Zhou's nose, causing a slight trickle of blood to leak from his nostrils. Dazed, a leg hooks around his own and sure enough his balance fails him, causing him to collapse on the mat beneath him.
He groaned in pain, wiping the blood away with his sleeve before lying there for a few moments.
"Are you alright?" His partner gets down on one knee and places her hand upon his shoulder.
"I'd forgotten how much better at this you were than me..." Zhou grumbled before slowly sitting up, whilst his sparring partner, Junior Lieutenant Kim Hye of the Korean People's Army, simply laughed.
"Honestly, Zhou, you're getting slow these days." Clasping his hand, the Korean girl pulled the Chinese boy off the floor.
"Ready to go again?"
"I suppose I don't really have a choice..."
The second bout lasted a good deal longer, but once again she was far quicker and more flexible, resulting in the People's Liberation Army Captain getting knocked on his arse again.
And again.
And again.
After at least eight bouts, Zhou was quite exhausted whilst his partner was still behaving as if her legs were made of springs.
Not that this surprised him. Those who'd grown up in the shadow of Kim Jong Il were a tough breed. The life the People's Republics of Asia provided them wasn't the greatest, but it was an age of plenty for the former citizens of the People's Democratic Republic of North Korea. Their South Korean brethren however...well that was a different story. It would be apt to say they did not enjoy being part of a united communist Korea. But Beijing commanded it, and its word must be obeyed as the many peoples of Asia had learned. Usually through the baton of riot police or the edge of a bayonet.
Hye's hands found their way to her hips as she tilted her head with amusement.
"Tired already? it wasn't too long ago that we could do this for hours."
"We're not as young as we once were eh?" He ran a hand through his mop of short black hair.
"Zhou...we're both sixteen."
"In this age, my love, that is old." He smiled sheepishly as she placed her face only a few inches from his own.
"Oh are you turning your charm on, Liu Zhou? We both know you are no good at that..." And then her lips were on his for a few seconds before drawing back.
"But it will do." She chuckled, before taking hold of her boyfriend's arm and tugging him towards the changing rooms.
"You go and put your uniform on. I'll meet you back outside in a few minutes." She smiled at him before walking off.
Zhou found himself standing there for a while with a blushing face, knowing full well the NERV "Section Sixes" were probably laughing their socks off whilst looking through the security cameras in the room.
Perverted swine...
It took five minutes for him to slip out of his martial arts clothing and back into his PLA uniform. Of course, Hye was already waiting for him in her own uniform, her arms folded.
"And there I was thinking something had happened to you." Her lips curled into a smile before she took his hand in her own.
They did this a great deal, simply walking together. Enjoying each other's company, as they had done for at least two years now. Before that...well, the two had friends in the respective armies to which they were attached, but nothing came close to the bond they had now.
Eventually, their root took them up to NERV Beijing's roof, giving them a wondrous view of the smog filled skyline of the Chinese capital city.
Fortunately, with the discovery of the A-T fields, the invention of S2 engines, and the inexhaustible clean energy which came with it, the pollution of Beijing in 2017 did not require a mask to breathe. Nevertheless, Communist party officials said it would take years for all the smog to be cleared.
The two sat down on one of the compartments at the top of NERV Beijing's sky scraper, a compartment that was nowhere near the edge. Which was fortunate for Zhou, as he wasn't fond of heights.
"How has training been going for you?" Hye's grey eyes met his brown ones as she squeezed his hand a little.
"Not bad. Since they selected me as the Seventh child, all NERV's made me do is synch testing."
"Synch testing? You must be bored out of your mind, Zhou..."
"No...I've never been bored inside Unit 06."
"Yes I know, it feels warm in there. I don't know why you think that, it's freezing for me."
She'd always hated it, and it was personally disturbing that her man rather liked it inside the monster. Speaking of monsters, her hand began to squeeze Zhou's a little more, as her other hand started to nervously fiddle with a nail in the compartment they were sitting on.
That thing I saw on the news...that awful monstrous thing! It walked through the Japanese defence lines as if they weren't even there. And soon...they will send my Zhou off to fight...
Hye desperately hoped NERV was wrong, that President Cao Xu was right and there was only one Seraph, and this boy who'd pulled her out of the worst days of her life, as she did for him, would not have to go and fight. But her gut said much worse was on the way, and her instincts were rarely wrong. They'd been right about the fall of the Kim regime, the death of her parents, the failure of the invasion of Japan, and now probably this.
Please come home for me, you promised I wouldn't be alone again...
"Hye, what's the matter?" He said in an alarmed tone as the object of his affection's eyes began to water up.
"I-It's nothing..."
"I'm a soldier, Hye, just like you. I have to go and fight, it's my duty. To China, the People's Republics of Asia-" Hye found her chin being cupped, forcing eye contact between the two.
"-and to you."
The kiss lasted for quite a while, until eventually the two had to draw back for fear of suffocating.
Using his finger, Zhou gently wiped away Hye's tears and smiled.
"I will come back, I swear. I will live for you." He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her into an embrace, her head resting upon his own shoulder.
"Thank you."
The two sat on the roof for a few minutes, basking in each other's company and warmth.
"Anyway, I'm not leaving for months yet. Want to get something to eat and talk about something a bit less depressing?" He squeezed the light of his life.
"As long as you're paying."
"Honestly, Hye how could you? Pilfering the pockets of a poor innocent Captain." His smile turned into a grimace, as by her standards she gently elbowed him in the ribs.
"An extortionately well paid one. Which is lucky because we are binge eating tonight."
"You are going to eat me out of house and home!" Zhou said over dramatically, eliciting laughter from his girlfriend for a few moments, before she quietened, as a thought came to her. A thought of something she'd wanted to do for quite a while now.
"Well...we could always eat in my apartment." She whispered into his ear.
"Eh? But yours is smaller than mine..." He stopped dead in his track as his cheeks were filled with red.
"Are...are you...are you sure?"
"We've been together for two years now, Zhou. I love you, I know for sure. And besides..." Hye lifted her head up, so she could look into the deep brown eyes of the Seventh child.
"What sort of girl am I if I let my long term boyfriend die a virgin?"
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Well, that was chapter 2. What a fine batch of people Shinji is going to be working with, am I right?
This is going...really well in my view. I mean people are actively liking my shit which means a great deal to me.
So, you know the drill, a few days break whilst I give the next chapter a few touch ups (Shamshel is coming...) and then I return to shit all over Anno's creation once again.
Until next time my dear readers!
Introductions to Shinji's future colleagues...
Enjoy.
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11:00am, Saturday the 10th of June, European League, Neue Deustches Reich, Sanssouci palace.
Rudolf Von Hohenzollern was a busy man. Even though technically as Emperor of Germany he held no power, he was a man who liked to be involved in the decision making of his Reichstag. But today was Saturday, and that meant relaxing in his family's ancient seat, the palace of Sanssouci. Away from the clean but crowded streets of Berlin. Away from all the yelling and debates that occurred within parliament.
Out here, in the depths of the German countryside, was where the forty-five year old Kaiser could put his feet up.
His favourite past time in particular was walking around the grounds of his palace, letting the delightful smells of all the various flowers fill his nose. However it was during such a walk that one of his servants had run up to him with a red face, and sweat trickling down his forehead.
"Forgive me, your Majesty, I have told her that you're indisposed but...she will not listen." The servant's exhausted expression then became confused as his Kaiser quietly laughed.
"It is to be expected...let Countess Soryu know I'll receive her in my study."
"At once, your Majesty!"
Rudolf reluctantly but briskly walked back into the beautiful halls of his palace, having no time to take in the ornate windows, paintings, or marble.
Gott have mercy on my soul if she's there before me. His subconscious muttered, knowing full well what fury the girl who wished an audience with him could unleash at any given moment.
Fortunately however, upon reaching it, his office was empty save for the two Gardes du Corps troopers standing outside.
"Your Majesty!" They saluted.
Rudolf nodded at them, before they opened the doors to his workplace.
Having sat down at his desk, not being able to take in the lavish luxuries of his office, Rudolf quickly massaged his head and fiddled with his black beard, in preparation for what was coming.
Oh Asuka, you know today is the day I like to relax...
There was a muffled sound of saluting from beyond the closed doors, swiftly followed by a dark blue coated Guardsman slipping in.
"Countess Soryu requests an audience with you."
"It is granted." Rudolf gestured towards the door which would soon let in the destruction of any and all peace and quiet he'd been enjoying that day.
And so, inevitably, the doors opened. And in strolled the Second child.
At about five foot three inches, Hauptmann of the Luftwaffe, and Countess of the Reich, Asuka Zeppelin Soryu, was of average height for a girl who would be sixteen in six months, yet in a way she somehow towered over every resident of Sanssouci, including the stern military officers who paraded around in their helmets and moustaches.
As to be expected, she was wearing that yellow sun dress of which she was so fond, which completely clashed with the 19th century style clothing of the German aristocracy. A group to which she belonged.
She stopped some ten feet from his desk, and then in an uncharacteristic manner for all save him, gave a polite curtsey.
"Your Majesty."
The head of house Hohenzollern chuckled a little at a display of respect she showed only to him, his head resting upon his gloved hand.
"So...what can I do for you today, Asuka?"
Her young and searing sapphire eyes met his old brown ones, as she inhaled deeply.
"Your Majesty, I believe I have made it very clear my wish to be deployed to Japan at the earliest opportunity?"
"Indeed you have."
"Then why am I still here?" Her arms folded, a danger sign indeed.
"You know we are loading Unit 02 onto the Seydiltz as fast as we can, not to mention the High Seas fleet still needs to be prepared...just give us a little more time..." Rudolf squirmed in his seat as Asuka's voice rose.
"All the Seraphim will be dead by the time you dummkopfs are finished! So much for German efficiency! I can't just sit out here and do nothing whilst...what's his name? Shin...Shin..." She blinked as she tried to remember the name which had made her blood boil, whilst pointing a threatening finger at her Monarch.
"I believe his name is Shinji Ikari." Rudolf offered.
"That's the guy, stupid Shinji! I can't let him take all the glory for himself! Gott at this rate Unit 03's going to get there before me...Samuel would never let me hear the end of it...Britain would never let us hear the end of it!" She started pouting, as if to herself, whilst a man who was practically her Guardian couldn't help but chuckle.
"What's so funny?"
"You of course, as per usual." His smile only grew wider as Asuka looked like she wanted to scream, thought better of it, then folded her bare arms.
"I'll ask Chancellor Mack to send more men to Hamburg, to assist with loading. Now that there has been an actual Seraph attack there isn't really much excuse for you being here. Not to mention Larue and Laberenz will probably want you off as soon as possible." Rudolf noted how her expression lightened at the reinforcement of yes you are going.
"It's a shame Evas mess with A-T fields. Otherwise I could've flown down there in one night." She sighed before looking apologetic.
"Thank you. I know it's a Saturday and all but I just hate waiting." She brushed back a strand of her hair.
Asuka's red mane was ridiculously long in his eyes, going well past her shoulders, almost down to the small of her back. She'd always had it like that, since she was a little girl. Perhaps it was kept like that to give the impression of untameable. An image that wasn't entirely wrong.
But to be frank, Rudolf didn't care. What made her happy, made him happy. And as much as he hated the idea of sending her off to some far flung land to fight horrible creatures, he was all too aware of how much his charge loved piloting, and how much Unit 02 meant to her.
Good Gott that thing unsettles me...He inwardly shuddered a little at the thought of the black behemoth NERV kept telling him was a war machine, much to his doubt.
Machines didn't make noises like that...
"It's alright. A good Kaiser should always be available to address his subject's difficulties."
"Jah." Asuka absently mindedly said before curtsying again.
"Good day, your Majesty. I won't disturb you again." She smiled that sickly sweet smile of only if you do as you're told.
"You've never disturbed me, Asuka. And you know that." He gestured at the door, with the red head nodding and walking out.
He stood there for a while, feeling his heart seize up. A promise he had never been able to fulfill kept going through his mind, as an image of a gravestone and a weeping child took over his memory.
I swear...I'll make her happy, I swear, Kyoko...
---------------------------------
10:00pm, Great British Empire, Buenos Aires.
His titanium encased foot crashed down on another armoured vehicle, metal and flesh being crushed in equal measure.
Major Samuel Meadow of the Imperial Britannic Army, grinned a fearsome grin. As a feeble artillery bombardment rained down upon him, he watched some two thousand fighters of the Argentinian Resistance Front scatter like rabbits. A quick flick of Unit 03's wrist and the flaring of his A-T field, caused hundreds of those men to be reduced to a crimson mist.
Great Britain's inexorable advance into South America had been one of the quickest conquests in history. The fractured and ruined remnants of the pre-Impact governments, or the tin pot Dictators and War Lords, had had been utterly powerless to stem the Empire's advance. In fact it was the revolts that gave them the most trouble, the ones in Argentina being the most difficult to stamp down due to the patriotic nature of its people, with even the half a decade past unrest in the reclaimed thirteen colonies paling in comparison.
How ironic, Samuel mused, less than forty years ago these people had tried to invade Warspite harbour, back when that set of islands had been called the Falklands.
Now it seemed the tables had turned.
One of the fleeing rebels had turned around and was now firing point blank at him, bullets crumpling against a wall of flickering orange light.
A navy blue armoured foot turned him into a bloody stain.
Why must you resist!? Why bring all this unnecessary destruction upon yourself!? You cannot win, you could never win! Samuel grimaced as he felt a heavy calibre shell clang off the back of Unit 03's great helm, causing a slight ringing sensation in his head.
Bloody hell Samuel, stay focused! Keep that A-T field up!
Unit 03 continued its march through the city, as tens of thousands of people scattered before the Imperial god machine. However, one should note the navy blue monster tread with great care around those unarmed.
To the people of Argentina, the Eva was the most terrifying thing their culture had ever witnessed. They'd thought they'd seen the full might of the Empire, and whilst one should tremble before it, the Imperial war machine could be opposed.
But this?
This was a demon sent from Hell itself to claim their souls. It had used no weapons except its feet and fists, and it obliterated entire blocks and legions of men in a maelstrom of energy, by will alone. This was all the proof Britain needed to show the people it ruled, there was no point in defiance. But of course, the Imperial Britannic Armed Forces were not simply going to cow these barbarians into obedience.
They would sear a scar into the people of South America's cultural memory for hundreds of years to come.
"Major Meadow." The voice of Sky Marshal Keery boomed over Samuel's comm link, as a four engined VTOL hurtled towards the Eva, proudly bearing the colours of the Argentinian Resistance Front.
"What is your command, sir?" He slammed aside one of the last remaining Argentinian VTOLs with a swipe of his white painted hand. The machine fell apart from the mere impact.
"Cease movement and focus on the maintaining of your A-T field. My fleet shall take it from here."
"Many of these people had very little to do with the uprising sir..."
"It matters not. These barbarians will make fine examples nonetheless, therefore the peoples of the conquered territories will be less inclined to reject the mercy of our glorious Emperor in future. Now, brace yourself or you may gain a few burns." The comm link went dead, and Samuel felt his shoulders slump.
Some ten thousand feet above Buenos Aires, eleven dagger shaped Imperial FCV's, painted in flashy black and gold, maintained a stationary position, having only just arrived a few minutes prior.
Upon the command bridge of the four hundred metre long Dauntless class dreadnought "Duxford," in his embroidered with gold lace navy blue tunic, khaki brown trousers, knee high black boots, and classic Imperial Sky Marshal's light blue cape, the grizzled Malcolm Keery surveyed the city below him with contempt.
So ugly when compared to Leopard. No spires, no banners, no roads, nothing. These worms suffered far less than us and yet they dwelt in their pigsty quite happily. By God this place was in need of flattening to begin with!
"Marshal! Major Meadow reports that his A-T field is at maximum power." A Lieutenant barked.
Keery nodded.
He better. Alexander will have my hide if his son comes to harm.
Turning around, swirling his cape, the portly man gestured to the crew members sitting below him at their touch screens.
"Broadcast my voice to all our forces engaged in this God forsaken piss hole. I would address them."
"Yes, Marshal!"
Turning back to stare out at the twinkling night sky from his vantage point on the bridge, Keery began to speak.
"Soldiers of His Imperial Britannic Majesty's 28th Field Army, and 5th Air Fleet! For over a week have we wasted our time with these barbarians. For over a week have we attempted to negotiate, but to no avail. Even when all else had failed, when we shelled and starved them these fools would not surrender. They had their chance. Those who would reject our mercy are far too stubborn for their own good. Let us show them, how unwise it is to be both stubborn and weak. As of this moment we shall commence bombardment of Buenos Airez, and we will not cease until every single living thing inside is a roasted and charred corpse!" He raised his arms in the air, revelling in his words.
Many of the eleven thousand souls across the fleet, and the some one hundred thousand men surrounding the city, were doing the same thing.
"Now, sing the song of victory! Hail Britain!" He yelled at the top of his lungs.
"Hail Britain!" His crew, his fleet, and the army below screamed in adulation before the second stanza of "Lion's roar," the Imperial national anthem, began to blare out on every radio frequency.
"Praise be our glorious Empire, may its rule never come to an end. The lion flag shall fly across the Earth,-!"
Samuel gently hummed along with it, whilst he watched the initial swarm of Assaye missiles hurtle down from the heavens, smacking into the ground and levelling entire neighbourhoods along with the last remaining Argentinian fortified positions, the sheer roar of the explosions drowning out thousands of death screams.
Both of rebel and innocent.
"-Sing of our homeland, that reigns above all, in this world-!"
There were some people standing near Unit 03's stationary feet, looking awestruck and horrified as their world burned around them, and yet said destroying fire harmlessly rolled off the flickering orange barrier which encased them.
Above, eleven bright blue glows slowly bloomed into existence.
"-Hail Emperor, for the pride of, our Great Britain!"
The positron beams descended from the sky like destructive holy fire, their mere touching of the ground creating craters the likes of which meteors produced. The following storm of crackling blue energy disintegrated everything else. One shot from a Positron cannon would have been enough to annihilate half the city, but Imperial battle doctrine was over the top to begin with, as was befitting of such a dramatic and grandiose society.
The music died down, and Samuel felt himself relax. He sadly looked around the ruined and charred landscape, sighing.
Stupid barbarians...why did you have to resist? Don't you understand that our Emperor simply wants what's best for us all?
He looked down at his feet to see a few dozen frightened families staring up at him.
Old, young, and weak.
"Report to all air units, there are still some non combatants in the land of the living. I request evac for them immediately." He spoke over his reopened comm link.
"By your command, Major Meadow. Evac inbound."
Soon enough a black "Harrier" class VTOL, an evolved version of the old RAF jet, swooped down towards them, its engines making a screaming noise that struck terror into millions.
Flicking his audio from private to loud, the blonde haired and blue eyed sixteen year old boy, angled his Evangelion's one eye down at the few survivors, and with a translator turned on he addressed them.
"Subjects of His Imperial Britannic Majesty Charles Sebastian Vance. Today you have witnessed our glorious Empire's might and mercy. Do not forget it." He couldn't help but smile to see a few fall at his feet pleading for forgiveness.
But unlike many of his British brothers and sisters, the Fourth child would accept such apologies.
Now however, his mind turned to his next deployment and what that entailed.
No more slaughtering helpless rebels for me. Now...now comes my real test. The Seraphim...they should make for fine opponents, if what NERV says is true...
His eyebrows knitted together upon remembering the report of the action which occurred the other day. Against a monstrous creature which had cut through the infamously tough Tokyo-3 defence lines like a knife through butter.
And then they narrowed upon thinking of the ill trained fool who somehow managed to kill it.
Shinji Ikari...enjoy your little victories whilst they last. For soon I shall demonstrate the Empire's glory to the entire world.
-------------------------------
09:00pm, North American Federation, Revere sewer system.
The faint dripping of water echoed throughout the tunnels, only for it to be drowned out by splashing as men with boots ran through them.
The girl shuddered a little and squeezed her teddy bear, the only thing she had left of home, as her protectors clicked off the safeties on their rifles. To her relief, out of the gloom came similarly dressed people holding the same sort of antique guns and home made bombs the people she was with had.
"What the hell took you so long?" The leader of the smaller group called out.
"Federal Guard." One of them spat in response.
"Shit..."
"They're fucking everywhere. If we want to survive this we need to get out of Revere, tonight." The other one emphasized before turning his gaze upon the girl.
"What the hell is this?"
"One of the escapees from the camp...she was the only one we could save."
"...why is she here?"
"Why?...We couldn't just leave her..."
"No, you leave her here now, she'll only slow us down."
"Fuck you asshole, that's not happening."
"It is going to happen if you want to live. Let the Feddies have her..." His words echoed throughout the tunnel.
"Are you insane? You've seen the camps, you know what they do!" The leader put himself between the girl and the other man, whilst members of his group stared in shock.
"Yeah and I don't want to be there. We'll make things better for them one day, but if the revolution dies here then that's the end of it. Now let's move before those Guard catch up with us..."
The other group started moving off into the tunnel, with the leader of the smaller group looking frantically back and forth before sighing.
"Hope you don't weigh too much, kid..." He lifted the girl up and put her on his shoulders, before they took off after the larger group.
-------------------------------
She didn't remember much of her early life, except it was happy.
Even in post-impact Mexico, with bandits and such roaming everywhere, she'd lived in a safe place with some semblance of order.
And then the bad men came. The bad men in grey coats and black helmets with red eyes and loud masks. They killed everyone who resisted, with bullets, bombs and...sticky fire. Then they took all those left up north, threw them into nasty places with sharp wire and cold houses, then made them work until their fingers bled.
"For your glorious Federation" was what they kept saying.
But it wasn't all bad, she'd had mother, the girl fondly reminisced.
She'd make her daughter laugh when the bones broke or the eyes bruised. But then came that day...when mother said something the bad men didn't like.
So they hit her, again and again, until she stopped moving. And never did again.
Then there was that night some days ago, when these nice people broke into the "camp" and rescued her along with a few others. They didn't last long.
Although her understanding of English was limited, the girl could tell her rescuers meant well through their tone of voice. Granted there were times when they yelled at each other, but they were always so quiet and kind to her. And they were Federal citizens, who had not known her suffering. And yet they stood against the regime they deemed a heinous bastardisation of their country.
Of the United States of America.
--------------------------------------
Will Dawson felt the girl's weight ware on him, but he didn't put her down.
He'd led his little band of rebels for nearly ten years now.
He remembered how in the year 1999 he'd joined the United States Marine Corps, and wore his uniform with pride. Until Second Impact, the collapse of the USA, and the rise of "Princeps Henry Abrams" and his Federation.
Restore the pride of America, Rome's true successor, was their rallying cry.
And for a while he'd bought it, even rising up the ranks to join the vaunted TM, the bodyguard of the Princeps, and paramilitary wing of his "Virtus" party.
Then they'd deployed him to one of the "rehabilitation camps."
His loyalty died there.
He couldn't understand how America had fallen so far, far enough to begin persecuting entire peoples for the crime of simply not being born on the fatherland's soil. How a nation meant to have been founded on truths meant to be held self evident, could work millions to death in the name of natural selection was beyond him. And to be frank, he was glad he didn't understand such evil.
Suddenly, the footsteps of the group stopped. In the very dim light, he could see the other leader raise his hand as watery footsteps echoed not too far away from them, causing all to take cover.
Quickly setting the girl down, and ushering her behind cover, Will clenched his M16 close to his chest. Utterly inferior to the "Impetus" assault rifle, but it did its job.
At the end of the tunnel, where it crossed with another in a T shape, a squad of Principe Federal Guard tramped past. Compared to the Ordos Corps, the iron fisted thugs who called themselves "a police force", the Guard was even more terrifying.
As this was Revere, built on top of old San Francisco, the Federal capital itself, the Ordos Corps contingent here had been well equipped but arrogant. They were easy to run rings around. But then Abrams had enough, and told his attack dog, TM Praetor Harrison Hirst, to put the various rebel groups in line. And thus, along with the Tutela Manipulis, an entire Legion of Federal Guard, fifty thousand men, were deployed to the city.
This being why the few remnants of "dissident movements" had been crammed down into the sewers, and even now they had to run.
The Guardsmen looked formidable, in their grey greatcoats with black helms, extensive body armour, gas masks, flowing red crests, and glowing red eye pieces. And from experience, Will knew they were every bit as capable and frightening as they looked.
But among them, catching his eye, was one wearing a white variation of the Guard uniform, except with cap instead of helmet.
Judging from her size, she was female...and young.
A TM Officer?
The squad had almost tramped past, when there was a sudden splash.
He inwardly cursed when he realised some idiot had lost their footing.
One of the Guard turned their red gaze down the tunnel. He stared for a while, then levelled his weapon and fired.
The flash of his gun lit up the whole rancid tunnel, showing the twenty or so rebels, and the poor bastard he hit in the head by chance.
The words "enemy sighted" and "fire, fire, fire" were screamed simultaneously.
Some of the rebel rounds found their mark, with one or two of the Guard dropping to the floor. But most of the time, they just bounced off armour or missed completely.
The Federal Guard, the soldiers who'd nearly brought the Great British Empire to heel a decade before, we're not nearly as amateur.
One by one, the rebels fell.
"Fall back, fall back!" Will yelled as he began to run, after emptying a whole clip of his rifle at the enemy.
Only to feel hot lead tear through his back.
The bullet smashed through his lungs, resulting in him crashing into the filthy water, blood issuing forth from his wound and mouth.
The girl was huddled in the corner, her horrified gaze fixed on him.
"Run..." He gurgled before life left him completely.
She didn't understand what he said, but the general meaning was understood.
A few minutes later the girl born in Mexico, so far from home, having run so very far, slumped down into the filthy water and cried. Now the bad men had taking another thing from her.
Her teddy bear was still in her arms, and she squeezed it as tightly as possible, whilst rocking back and forth. Clothed in soaking wet grey prisoners garb, she was utterly incapable of moving. As to be expected of a seven year old, having seen the things she'd seen.
Some water rippled not too far from her, as a footstep echoed throughout the tunnel. Slowly turning her gaze upwards, the girl started shaking even more.
For a pair of red eye pieces were staring at her.
The click of a safety being thumbed off echoed, as tears streamed down the girl's dimly illuminated face.
"Hands on your damn head, right now scum." The TM Junior Storm Leader gripped her pistol ever tighter as the dissident stared at her in terror. She shook her head fervently and started squealing about how she "didn't want to go back" in her native tongue.
One which the TM trooper didn't understand.
"Shut up, and hands up!" She barked, firing a shot off. Not at the dissident, but somewhere close by, so as to coerce the "brat" into obedience.
This had the opposite effect of what the Federal soldier had intended.
The girl immediately sprang up and tore away, screaming "no, no, no" again and again.
"Get back here!" Junior Storm Leader Tiffany Johnson levelled her pistol and fired. There was a squeal, and the dissident collapsed, crying.
Slowly, she walked over to the helpless "Latino", towering over her.
"Resistance is pointless, Latino, you should just accept your place."
The crying didn't stop.
"What are you whining about, I only shot you in the..."
The bullet hadn't gone into the leg like she'd intended. But into the back. Red liquid intertwined with sewage as the girl continued to cry whilst clutching her teddy.
"Johnson, what have you found?" The Guard Sergeant and his men caught up with her, finding themselves staring at a crying little girl. Most of them just remained silent as her strength slowly faded, as she garbled in a language they didn't understand.
One word over and over again. When translated, a word we would know as "Mommy."
And then she said no more.
"Junior Storm Leader Johnson, you and your squad are commanded to return to the surface. This area is clear. You have made the Federation proud this day, Foederatio sine fine!" The voice of their commanding officer crackled over the radio.
"Acknowledged. Foederatio sine fine."
Tiffany holstered her pistol and turned away, walking in what she would deem as an almost "dreamlike" state, as the fifteen year old's brain wasn't functioning properly.
Enemies of the state must die, for the good of the Federation. Was what she kept telling herself over and over again. Much to her frustration however, she wasn't believing it. The girl had questioned why she'd been sent down here, only to receive "Princeps orders" on the matter. Apparently it was so she could "grow a backbone" or something.
Eventually arriving above ground, she bid her escort farewell and made her way over to one of the local dinar bathrooms which had been cleared out due to the vast military operation underway. Once there, the Fifth child removed her mask and hat, letting her short black hair fall down and her green eyes shine with tears, before finding herself vomiting and crying uncontrollably.
------------------------------------
3:00pm, Saturday the 10th of June, 2017 AD, Union of Western Communist Republics, Socialist Russian Federation, Moscow, Kremlin
The searing Russian summer sun bared down upon the Kremlin and its red square, causing the soldiers parading through it to sweat. But they were undeterred, this army so ruthlessly trained, still filled with pride from their victories in the so called "Euro-Russian war."
One by one, to the cheering crowds of the Russian people, regiments of the Red Army marched, crimson flags with the sickle and hammer proudly emblazoned upon them fluttering brilliantly. Unlike most parades however, the President was not present. Indeed some of his right hand men were overseeing this display of their country's power. For the man was indisposed, as he had, in his eyes, a far more important matter to attend to...
This building had seen so many government changes over the years. From the Tsar, to the Soviet Union, to the Federation, and now back to Communism's loving embrace.
Being summoned to the President's office could either be a very good thing or a very bad thing, which would cause most men to shiver at the possible outcome. But Vasily Ivanov, Warrant Officer of the 20th Guards Army, was beyond fear, and in some cases feeling itself.
It did amuse him at a subconscious level however, to see the sheer splendour of the Kremlin's gold and white encrusted walls, elaborate doors, and magnificent pictures, utterly clash with the very idea upon which his country, the Socialist Russian Federation, and the Union of Western Communist Republics in general, was founded. No man was above any other. All were equal, as set forth by the writings of Karl Marx.
But as always, hypocrisy was the nature of man.
In his standard issue dress uniform, dark green trousers, tunic, brimmed cap, and knee high black shiny boots, he stopped before the doors to the office, saluting upon being confronted by two guards.
"Comrade Ivanov. You are expected." A tall member of the Kremlin regiment in dark blue uniform, saluted in return, as did his fellow guard.
Despite being taller and of higher rank than the young man who stood before them, they couldn't help but be intimidated by how well built the blonde soldier was, and how his hazel eyes displayed not a single hint of emotion.
Lowering his hand and removing his standard issue cap, Vasily nodded and was then ushered in.
At the desk, with crimson flags hanging on the office's walls, with great portraits of communist heroes such as Lenin residing next to and in between them, sat the President of the Socialist Russian Federation.
Boris Flipov.
"Comrade Flipov." Vasily clicked his heels together and saluted, to which Boris gave an acknowledging nod.
"Ah, comrade Ivanov. Please take a seat."
Vasily briskly walked over and sat down, not at all intimidated by the bald and dark brown moustached man who ruled his homeland with an iron fist. A man said to be more brutal, cruel, and savage than even Princeps Henry Abrams himself.
And he knew all too well, despite what the propaganda said, every single story about this man was probably true.
Having sat down, he placed his cap on his lap, and folded his hands awaiting to hear whatever the President wanted to say.
"I wish for your thoughts on the event which occurred last Thursday." The most powerful man in Russia, laced his fingers together and leaned back in his chair.
"There is little to say, comrade Flipov. From what the reports say, and the fact the world didn't explode, the enemy was engaged and defeated."
"Ah, but you see there is." Boris pushed a button in his desk. A hologram flickered into life, displaying humanity's first true battle with a mighty Seraph. Upon the contest of brute strength's completion, the President turned his gaze back to sixth Child, and rested his head upon his hand.
"Well?"
"I was under the impression the Pilot was inexperienced?" Vasily said.
"Your impression would be correct."
The boy's expression remained blank, but as a man who'd beheld the his training, the President was quite aware of what Vasily putting his thinking cap on looked like.
"If that is the case, then how did he make an Evangelion perform like an experienced soldier?"
Boris exhaled ever so slightly before placing both his hands back on his desk.
"We do not know, comrade Ivanov. What we do know is NERV has a lot of secrets. Too many secrets. And an organization that refuses to tell us how machines can start bleeding, or how a Pilot with no training can defeat the enemy, is most certainly not an ally. In a few months time, with Unit 05 fully operational we shall deploy you to Japan onboard the K-219. And when you are there, I am ordering you to maintain constant vigilance until the Seraphim are defeated, and follow, Supreme Commander Ikari's orders only if you deem them adequate. You are there to fight for mother Russia, not for NERV."
"Understood, comrade Flipov."
The President sighed, then folded his hands and rested his old head upon them, his eyes gazing down upon the immense amount of paperwork he'd be attending to.
"I despise that Japanese upstart. He isn't even a head of state or a government official. He's...head of a private sector that didn't even exist before the Second Impact...to be commanded by such Capitalist scum...as if I am his inferior!" He glowered before remaking eye contact with Vasily's blank expression.
"That will be all. I believe you have a day of leave today?"
"That is correct, comrade Flipov. NERV Moscow has no use for me at this moment." The Russian boy with blonde hair fastened his cap back on his head.
"What do you plan on doing?" Boris said as he pulled out a sheet of paper from his desk and started writing on it.
"I intended to eat at a restaurant." Vasily said bluntly, as the President finished writing and put his own personal stamp on the document, before handing it to the young Warrant Officer.
"This is a presidential mandate for you to use any site of leisure within this city for free. Go and enjoy your day."
"My thanks, comrade Flipov." Vasily stood up, saluted, then began to walk out of the room.
"Ivanov." The President's voice caused him to stop mid-step.
"You are a soldier of the motherland, and therefore you represent it to the international community. Do not let yourself be out shined by Imperial, Federal, European, or Japanese pigs. Russia, Communism, and the Union of Western Communist Republics, cannot afford to be sidelined. And if you should deem any of the other Evangelion Units, or NERV itself to be a threat to national security..." He let that hang for a few seconds.
"You will do what is necessary."
"I will do my patriotic duty to mother Russia, comrade Flipov. Without question."
"Excellent. Good day."
Vasily turned away and walked out of the office, already dwelling upon the thought of crushing Shinji Ikari's throat.
I will do as I am commanded. To serve the motherland is my only purpose.
--------------------------------
11:00am, People's Republics of Asia, People's Republic of China, NERV Beijing, sparring area
He strikes like a viper, swift and deadly, with a good jab to his partner's face. Unfortunately for him, she is much quicker.
The fist is caught, and an elbow is driven into Liu Zhou's nose, causing a slight trickle of blood to leak from his nostrils. Dazed, a leg hooks around his own and sure enough his balance fails him, causing him to collapse on the mat beneath him.
He groaned in pain, wiping the blood away with his sleeve before lying there for a few moments.
"Are you alright?" His partner gets down on one knee and places her hand upon his shoulder.
"I'd forgotten how much better at this you were than me..." Zhou grumbled before slowly sitting up, whilst his sparring partner, Junior Lieutenant Kim Hye of the Korean People's Army, simply laughed.
"Honestly, Zhou, you're getting slow these days." Clasping his hand, the Korean girl pulled the Chinese boy off the floor.
"Ready to go again?"
"I suppose I don't really have a choice..."
The second bout lasted a good deal longer, but once again she was far quicker and more flexible, resulting in the People's Liberation Army Captain getting knocked on his arse again.
And again.
And again.
After at least eight bouts, Zhou was quite exhausted whilst his partner was still behaving as if her legs were made of springs.
Not that this surprised him. Those who'd grown up in the shadow of Kim Jong Il were a tough breed. The life the People's Republics of Asia provided them wasn't the greatest, but it was an age of plenty for the former citizens of the People's Democratic Republic of North Korea. Their South Korean brethren however...well that was a different story. It would be apt to say they did not enjoy being part of a united communist Korea. But Beijing commanded it, and its word must be obeyed as the many peoples of Asia had learned. Usually through the baton of riot police or the edge of a bayonet.
Hye's hands found their way to her hips as she tilted her head with amusement.
"Tired already? it wasn't too long ago that we could do this for hours."
"We're not as young as we once were eh?" He ran a hand through his mop of short black hair.
"Zhou...we're both sixteen."
"In this age, my love, that is old." He smiled sheepishly as she placed her face only a few inches from his own.
"Oh are you turning your charm on, Liu Zhou? We both know you are no good at that..." And then her lips were on his for a few seconds before drawing back.
"But it will do." She chuckled, before taking hold of her boyfriend's arm and tugging him towards the changing rooms.
"You go and put your uniform on. I'll meet you back outside in a few minutes." She smiled at him before walking off.
Zhou found himself standing there for a while with a blushing face, knowing full well the NERV "Section Sixes" were probably laughing their socks off whilst looking through the security cameras in the room.
Perverted swine...
It took five minutes for him to slip out of his martial arts clothing and back into his PLA uniform. Of course, Hye was already waiting for him in her own uniform, her arms folded.
"And there I was thinking something had happened to you." Her lips curled into a smile before she took his hand in her own.
They did this a great deal, simply walking together. Enjoying each other's company, as they had done for at least two years now. Before that...well, the two had friends in the respective armies to which they were attached, but nothing came close to the bond they had now.
Eventually, their root took them up to NERV Beijing's roof, giving them a wondrous view of the smog filled skyline of the Chinese capital city.
Fortunately, with the discovery of the A-T fields, the invention of S2 engines, and the inexhaustible clean energy which came with it, the pollution of Beijing in 2017 did not require a mask to breathe. Nevertheless, Communist party officials said it would take years for all the smog to be cleared.
The two sat down on one of the compartments at the top of NERV Beijing's sky scraper, a compartment that was nowhere near the edge. Which was fortunate for Zhou, as he wasn't fond of heights.
"How has training been going for you?" Hye's grey eyes met his brown ones as she squeezed his hand a little.
"Not bad. Since they selected me as the Seventh child, all NERV's made me do is synch testing."
"Synch testing? You must be bored out of your mind, Zhou..."
"No...I've never been bored inside Unit 06."
"Yes I know, it feels warm in there. I don't know why you think that, it's freezing for me."
She'd always hated it, and it was personally disturbing that her man rather liked it inside the monster. Speaking of monsters, her hand began to squeeze Zhou's a little more, as her other hand started to nervously fiddle with a nail in the compartment they were sitting on.
That thing I saw on the news...that awful monstrous thing! It walked through the Japanese defence lines as if they weren't even there. And soon...they will send my Zhou off to fight...
Hye desperately hoped NERV was wrong, that President Cao Xu was right and there was only one Seraph, and this boy who'd pulled her out of the worst days of her life, as she did for him, would not have to go and fight. But her gut said much worse was on the way, and her instincts were rarely wrong. They'd been right about the fall of the Kim regime, the death of her parents, the failure of the invasion of Japan, and now probably this.
Please come home for me, you promised I wouldn't be alone again...
"Hye, what's the matter?" He said in an alarmed tone as the object of his affection's eyes began to water up.
"I-It's nothing..."
"I'm a soldier, Hye, just like you. I have to go and fight, it's my duty. To China, the People's Republics of Asia-" Hye found her chin being cupped, forcing eye contact between the two.
"-and to you."
The kiss lasted for quite a while, until eventually the two had to draw back for fear of suffocating.
Using his finger, Zhou gently wiped away Hye's tears and smiled.
"I will come back, I swear. I will live for you." He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her into an embrace, her head resting upon his own shoulder.
"Thank you."
The two sat on the roof for a few minutes, basking in each other's company and warmth.
"Anyway, I'm not leaving for months yet. Want to get something to eat and talk about something a bit less depressing?" He squeezed the light of his life.
"As long as you're paying."
"Honestly, Hye how could you? Pilfering the pockets of a poor innocent Captain." His smile turned into a grimace, as by her standards she gently elbowed him in the ribs.
"An extortionately well paid one. Which is lucky because we are binge eating tonight."
"You are going to eat me out of house and home!" Zhou said over dramatically, eliciting laughter from his girlfriend for a few moments, before she quietened, as a thought came to her. A thought of something she'd wanted to do for quite a while now.
"Well...we could always eat in my apartment." She whispered into his ear.
"Eh? But yours is smaller than mine..." He stopped dead in his track as his cheeks were filled with red.
"Are...are you...are you sure?"
"We've been together for two years now, Zhou. I love you, I know for sure. And besides..." Hye lifted her head up, so she could look into the deep brown eyes of the Seventh child.
"What sort of girl am I if I let my long term boyfriend die a virgin?"
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Well, that was chapter 2. What a fine batch of people Shinji is going to be working with, am I right?
This is going...really well in my view. I mean people are actively liking my shit which means a great deal to me.
So, you know the drill, a few days break whilst I give the next chapter a few touch ups (Shamshel is coming...) and then I return to shit all over Anno's creation once again.
Until next time my dear readers!
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Legend Of Desu
Frustrated easily by Rudeness and Stupidity
Bow chika wow-wow
KnightDisciple
Love God. Do Right. Fear No Man.
- Location
- Midwest, USA
...Man, I really hope something goes better for Shinji than in canon, because at this point the deck is stacked way worse against him.
Lord Sovereign
The Emperor of shitty fanfic
- Location
- England
Things may be both worse off and better for Shinji in this. It's difficult to describe.
Lord Sovereign
The Emperor of shitty fanfic
- Location
- England
...pardon?
KnightDisciple
Love God. Do Right. Fear No Man.
- Location
- Midwest, USA
As long as there's not some sort of arcane "Zero Sum Formula" at work vis-a-vis suffering vs happiness!
I believe that's in reaction to the final scene of this latest bit. The, ah, "fade-to-black" part.
Lord Sovereign
The Emperor of shitty fanfic
- Location
- England
No no don't worry, there will be none of that. (I had to quickly google search what "Zero Sum Formula" means, I am so out of touch with the modern age)
And upon your explanation, I've immediately rated that chap's post as "funny."
So...have you enjoyed my little fanfic so far? (otherwise known as unceremoniously shitting all over the original)
KnightDisciple
Love God. Do Right. Fear No Man.
- Location
- Midwest, USA
I've just seen some fan-authors posit that if they give ANY advantage to Shinji & Co, they MUST increase the "misery factor" by as much or more. Just kind of is a story turn-off for me. I get enough misery and suffering in Real Life, kind of want to have less in entertainment....
ANYWHOSKI.
Fanfic's not bad. Your prose style is quite solid, and generally easy to follow. You've certainly laid out a bleak world, but that seems to be your intent, so fair enough. I'm giving it a bit of a "wait and see" approach for now.
Lord Sovereign
The Emperor of shitty fanfic
- Location
- England
GLORIOUS!!!
I do hope the quality of the overall work will be to your satisfaction. Thank you for your kind words.
the style of prose is very good. the content is different to the usual, and more chapters are needed to evaluate if the story here is good or not.
Turing Decidable
𝕘𝕒𝕣𝕗
- Location
- Belgium
- Pronouns
- He/Him
...well that didn't take long.
What's this? Someone who cares about Asuka? And an Emperor, even?
The white man's burden, so heavy...
Yeah, drink deep of that Kool-Aid, buddy.
I like this guy al-
Never mind.
And that implies all sorts of fun stuff.
You know things are interesting when Asuka is one of the more well-adjusted Eva pilots. I quite liked this one!
- Location
- SDAT Mixtape
I just finished and... whoa.
Seriously, whoa. When I read your intro, I jumped to the conclusion you were thinking of a medium-to-large FixFic, but never mind that, you made a complete overhaul of the story - and I'm LOVING IT.
First off, kudos for the world building.
All factions, organizations and entities revealed so far are very interestingly described, even if they follow the tropes that I personally have come to expect from Clancy novels and the like, such as Russia reverting to Communism, China becoming the Asian Dragon, Britain returning to its imperial roots and the Super Racist States of America; this is not a criticism in itself, just pointing it out.
In fact, anything but, since you did manage to flesh them out in a way that doesn't feel tacked on or expository to a fault, and in my view, avoided the usual pitfalls such dialogue info dumps or misplaced (narrative-wise) exposition. Since NGE doesn't really pay much attention to anything else but the character's dramas, it's very refreshing to find a fic that brings out a vibrant, fresh and exotic universe.
This leads me to another strong point, so far.
The Pilots. Each a representative of their region and their interests, and goddamn, they act like it! Admittedly, they have just been introduced so I cannot comment farther than the fact their characterization seems on point, for the most part, but I expect great things from them, considering they will all deal with poor Shinji Ikari, introvert and the paragon o social conformity. I don't know whether you're going to explore this aspect or it will just be a background thing, but I'm very curious to see just how these different personalities and ideologies will interact with each other.
However, I'm not a fan, entirely, of your Seraphim. They are different, I admit, but the way you wrote them at the end of the first chapter... I dunno, I guess it's taste and I prefer mindless Kaiju with lasers than a sort of forgotten/hidden society. I think of them a bit like the Mu in the series RahXephon, but I'll wait and see.
(Poor Ramiel-chan, now def. best girl!)
On a more technical view, your writing is fine. Narration wise, you have a good pace, adequate to the story so far, though you could improve a bit more on the fighting scenes - Sachiel vs Unit-01 would benefit from a more energetic, raw and frenetic description, together with a bit more viscera regarding to the utter panic Shinji was feeling. The scene came off a bit mute, which is a shame, considering the description during the JSD first meet with the Seraph it was anything but.
Also, I think you should be a little more careful when transitioning between scenes, the simple italics are a bit hard to realize sometimes, so consider that. Also - don't go bonkers on the almost-soiling undergarments. The first chapter is riddled with them and it got a bit tiresome by the time Shinji got into the robot.
Anything else? Not really, expect I'm gonna follow this fervently.
Seriously, whoa. When I read your intro, I jumped to the conclusion you were thinking of a medium-to-large FixFic, but never mind that, you made a complete overhaul of the story - and I'm LOVING IT.
First off, kudos for the world building.
All factions, organizations and entities revealed so far are very interestingly described, even if they follow the tropes that I personally have come to expect from Clancy novels and the like, such as Russia reverting to Communism, China becoming the Asian Dragon, Britain returning to its imperial roots and the Super Racist States of America; this is not a criticism in itself, just pointing it out.
In fact, anything but, since you did manage to flesh them out in a way that doesn't feel tacked on or expository to a fault, and in my view, avoided the usual pitfalls such dialogue info dumps or misplaced (narrative-wise) exposition. Since NGE doesn't really pay much attention to anything else but the character's dramas, it's very refreshing to find a fic that brings out a vibrant, fresh and exotic universe.
This leads me to another strong point, so far.
The Pilots. Each a representative of their region and their interests, and goddamn, they act like it! Admittedly, they have just been introduced so I cannot comment farther than the fact their characterization seems on point, for the most part, but I expect great things from them, considering they will all deal with poor Shinji Ikari, introvert and the paragon o social conformity. I don't know whether you're going to explore this aspect or it will just be a background thing, but I'm very curious to see just how these different personalities and ideologies will interact with each other.
However, I'm not a fan, entirely, of your Seraphim. They are different, I admit, but the way you wrote them at the end of the first chapter... I dunno, I guess it's taste and I prefer mindless Kaiju with lasers than a sort of forgotten/hidden society. I think of them a bit like the Mu in the series RahXephon, but I'll wait and see.
(Poor Ramiel-chan, now def. best girl!)
On a more technical view, your writing is fine. Narration wise, you have a good pace, adequate to the story so far, though you could improve a bit more on the fighting scenes - Sachiel vs Unit-01 would benefit from a more energetic, raw and frenetic description, together with a bit more viscera regarding to the utter panic Shinji was feeling. The scene came off a bit mute, which is a shame, considering the description during the JSD first meet with the Seraph it was anything but.
Also, I think you should be a little more careful when transitioning between scenes, the simple italics are a bit hard to realize sometimes, so consider that. Also - don't go bonkers on the almost-soiling undergarments. The first chapter is riddled with them and it got a bit tiresome by the time Shinji got into the robot.
Anything else? Not really, expect I'm gonna follow this fervently.
Lord Sovereign
The Emperor of shitty fanfic
- Location
- England
Welcome aboard my friend! I hope I shall live up to your expectations.
Yes, I made Ramiel female (partially) in homage to the community designating her "best girl." I will say that fighting scenes aren't my strong point, but hell, how can I get any better at writing lest someone points out my flaws?
Thank you so very much for your kind words!
Chapter 3.1
Lord Sovereign
The Emperor of shitty fanfic
- Location
- England
GENTLEMEN!
Rejoice, for your Emperor has returned.
Now where we last left off, Shinji's managed to get himself semi-settled in Tokyo-3, and is now off to school.
This can only end well...
---------------------------------------------------------------
8:01am, Monday the 19th of June, State of Japan, Tokyo-3, NERV quarters.
The only thing moving through the apartment at this time of day was himself.
Pen-pen was still fast asleep inside his refrigerated paradise, and the tell tale signs of discarded clothing leading to Misato's room, being all Shinji needed to know of his guardian's status.
As per his now functioning routine, the meek sixteen year old started collecting the pieces of scattered garments whilst occasionally blushing with embarrassment upon picking up a bra or pants, before piling them up near the washing machine. Usually he would have thrown them straight in, but he found a great deal of his time was absorbed by a new experience for him.
School.
His teacher had home educated him for most of his life, so he never went to school. There were distant memories of a pre-school he attended back when mother was alive, but they were foggy at best.
He'd been taken aback by the sheer amount he was being taught, as his teacher had only ever educated him on Maths, Japanese and a small amount of English, or High Imperial as the Empire insisted on calling it. But at this school, Sengokuhara high school, he was learning about other languages, such as Russian, German, Federal English, and of course the hated but very much important Chinese.
This on top of every other subject any school worth its salt would teach, should have been overwhelming to him.
But it wasn't.
Shinji liked it, as it turned out he had an aptitude for discovery and learning, especially on Monday's such as this. Because the primary topic taught that day was history, specifically that of the past seventeen years.
And it was this in particular he loved.
A sudden warking caught his attention. The Penguin was awake, its beady black eyes staring straight at him.
"You can get food and drink yourself, I know you can." Shinji chastised.
The Penguin quietly and gently warked again.
Sighing, the boy walked over to the fridge and pulled out a can of beer, before taking it over to Pen-pen. Kneeling down, he handed the flightless bird the can, with the bird taking said can with its opposable wing. It warked softly again, giving his knee an affectionate rub, before going back into his fridge.
Shinji shook his head as he stood up. The bizarre creature had repeated this procedure every single day for the past few weeks. When he'd asked Misato about it, she'd laughed and said "There isn't much to be done about it. Grumpy bastard always gets what he wants in the end."
I don't think I'll ever understand this place.
But that was not to say he didn't like it here. In fact, he was beginning to prefer it to his previous apartment in Kure, sorry thing that it was. After teacher died he'd lived in it for two years by himself, so it was a strange sensation to not be alone again. But certainly not an unwelcome one.
Having attended to his magnum opus of keeping the home clean, Shinji slid two slices of bread into the toaster and got some margarine out of the fridge. It was easier to get at today, as Misato had reached that point in the week when she started running out of beer cans. A few minutes later after the toast was ready, buttered, and eaten, he gathered his school things together and left them on the table. As he had just one more thing to do before setting off.
Gently, he tapped on Misato's door, getting a moan in response.
"Katsuragi-san?" He ventured.
"Uh...not so loud. I only got back from the night shift at five...come in..."
Stepping in, Shinji bore witness to a fully grown woman hiding beneath the sheets of her bed.
"Good morning, Katsuragi-san. Sorry to bother you but I'm heading off to school now. I've left your dirty washing by the washing machine, so you only have to put it in..." He stopped mid-sentence as the sheets were pulled back, Misato slowly sitting up whilst gently rubbing her eyes.
She nodded at his polite bow, whilst taking in how well her charge's navy blue high school uniform suited him.
My carer's come to visit me has he? Oh Shinji-kun, you're such a nice young man. Awkward but nice. How have you not got yourself a girl yet?
"You aren't bothering me, Shinji-kun. Thanks for getting all my chores done." She chuckled, before continuing. "How's school going for you?"
"I'm...enjoying it."
"Good...good...you made any friends yet?"
"No."
Misato sighed as she rubbed the sleepy dust from her eyes.
"Don't worry, you'll make some soon. I promise."
"I'm sure I will." He forced a smile was contemplating how silly such a thing was.
How can anyone as useless as me have friends?
"I'll let you rest." He bowed his head slightly before walking out of the room.
"Have a nice day...I'll try and have something like that...in a few hours..." Misato slipped back beneath the sheets with the inevitability of a sinking ship.
Smiling, Shinji closed the door.
She's so nice to me. I probably don't deserve any of it.
Picking his bag up and slinging it over his shoulder, he left the apartment through the front door, before closing it shut with his own key card. It had taken forever to get it, with him going from one NERV department to another.
Walking down the flights of stairs in the empty apartment block, as most of the residents were NERV staff and at work, he eventually found himself in the searing heat of the constant Japanese summer. It was at times like this he wished he didn't have to wear his long sleeved regulation school uniform, as nice as it was.
-------------------------------
8:15am, residential district-9
Seiichi Oshiro's eyes flickered open.
It had been more than a week before he and the rest of the Akuma crew were allowed to take their leave. But under pain of death they weren't permitted to leave the city, much to his Sergeant's frustration. Although Seiichi did sympathise with him, he didn't quite know his pain.
For whilst Kiyoshi had called his daughter and her carer, and Eiji had gone into the city centre to gamble and get drunk with the men, Seiichi had experienced an evening of pure ecstasy.
Mikasa Torogi's naked form lay curled up next to him under the sheets which covered them both, her fingers gently laid upon his chest.
She'd waited for him, like she'd promised. After hearing of the 1st armoured division's near annihilation, Mikasa had been sick with worry, only to receive a call from her boyfriend later that day confirming he was alive. And thus, as you can well imagine, their reunion had been rather...emotional.
"Mmmm..." Mikasa stirred, her hand moving down his chest.
"Morning, Princess." Seiichi smiled as he stroked back a strand of her black hair.
His girlfriend slowly lifted her upper half off the bed, her blue eyes making contact with his brown ones.
"Morning." She leaned in for a rather long kiss before drawing back.
"Did my pervert enjoy himself last night?"
"Yes...Spirits above I've missed this."
"Yes..." She gently moved her finger in a circular pattern on his chest whilst smiling fondly at memories of the previous night.
Oh I've got you wrapped around my little finger, Seiichi Oshiro. Although to be frank, I think I'm quite wrapped around yours as well...
"Well, as we're both not quite awake, I think we could do with some adrenaline..." She laughed at her boyfriend's blush before leaning in for another kiss.
A sudden banging on the door killed the mood.
"What the...?" Mikasa scowled before getting out of bed and wrapping a dressing gown around her slender form, before walking off to her apartment door. As you can imagine, this did not help Seiichi with his blushing issue whatsoever.
Realising his rather night was over, the twenty-seven year old tank gunner sat up and massaged his face, before finding a dressing gown himself. Walking out into the small hallway, he almost bumped into Mikasa as she seemed to be coming back to the bedroom, which momentarily got his hopes up.
But the curious look on her face killed that hope instantly.
"There's a guy in State Army uniform at the door, says he's looking for you...quite rudely..." She titled her head when her boyfriend groaned in annoyance.
"Fuck's sake..." Not getting an answer from him, she stood aside and let him walk past her to the front door. Looking through the hole, he groaned again before unlocking the door and letting the intruder upon their peaceful morning hobble in on a cybernetic limb.
"Took your fucking time..." Eiji Fukui rubbed his head as he moaned in pain.
"Eiji...what...the hell...are you doing here?"
"I couldn't get hold of any fucking pills last night so I've got this thudding fucking head ache and I need your help man!"
"So basically you have a hangover...you baka."
"Eiji? As in the legendary Eiji Fukui?" Mikasa raised an eyebrow at the hungover soldier.
"Who wants to know..." The pain in his head momentarily subsided as his face brightened in realisation.
"Oh so you're Mikasa? By the heavens you're a pretty thing aren't you..." Having stepped in her direction, the pain returned to Eiji's head causing him to stumble, with Seiichi having to hold him upright.
"Sorry, Fukui-san, I'm already taken." She sent a quick smile in Seiichi's direction before turning away.
"I'm going to have a shower. There's some pills in the cupboard, just make sure he takes water with them!" Her voice became more and more muffled before the bathroom door closed behind her.
For once in that home, the lock clicked into place.
"Isn't she nice..." Eiji kept looking in the direction through which Mikasa had left with a smile, as his mind filled with thoughts of that silky dressing gown just slipping off her curvaceous young body...
A back of the hand from Seiichi stopped this immediately.
"Spirits, I was having a nice time."
-------------------------
8:45 am, Pacific Ocean, Challenger Deep
There should have been no light within the deepest place on Earth. No creatures measuring roughly one-hundred and eighty metres in length should have been able to cruise through the black depths. But both these things were real.
Like a tear in both this dimension and the next, a glowing crack in the ocean floor spewed out orange energy that hardly any instruments on Earth could read. And what currently hovered above it, would be difficult for most of the Planet's people to comprehend. An insect like creature, with a bulbous arrow like head attached to its slim and dagger like body, gently began to put distance between itself and the crack having no intention to return there.
For if he was successful, which of course the arrogant Heir assumed, then he would have no need of even going back through that rift in the universe to get home, for home would instead come to him.
The Oceans were never this deep in our age...what was it Haniel said? That Ejrod broke into seven great pieces, separated by many leagues of water? Hah, Gahgiel would be in his element...
The Divine Heir suddenly stopped and watched a bizarre creature , even by his own people's standards, swim past his head. It had some sort of light on the end of an appendage attached to its hideous face, illuminating its proportionately large jaws and eyes.
It is what we would call, an Angler fish.
But of course Shamshel, second son of the Divine Sovereign, known to the few men that knew as the "5th Seraph," had no idea what it was.
Peculiar...
As he rose from the seabed, with even the rift being obscured by unending black, he began to see more of the inhabitants of the deep ocean, such as glowing jellyfish and other strange creatures.
There was...never anything like this back in our age. Our seas did not have that much life in them. Still...I would say this is quite pretty.
He ascended past these things, using his wall of light to gently push them aside.
Shamshel may have enjoyed inflicting suffering upon others, but not on animals which didn't know any better, not like his bastard of a half brother Arael. Besides, upon his impending victory, Gahghiel would be most displeased if any of the Water life came to harm.
Upon that thought, the Seraph let loose a great telepathic sigh.
Great, Haamma above! Destroying the restriction will be child's play compared to dragging my brother out of these depths, Gods he's going to be here forever!
The Seraph stopped its inner whinging and kept ascending, bringing his unfathomably ancient mind to the task at hand.
One step at a time. First I must obliterate the restriction so my siblings and the Royal army may sweep over all Ejrod and return it to my Father's rule. And then, with a little luck...
At that moment, if he'd been in his true form, Shamshel's features would have contorted into a terrifying scowl.
I will avenge you, Sachiel.
---------------------------------
9:00am, Tokyo-3, Sengokuhara high school.
Front row, second seat. That was where he would sit for six hours every single day of the week, save for Saturdays and Sundays.
His class was meant to be made up of some thirty students, but owing to the recent gargantuan monster cutting into the heart of one of the world's most powerful nations with relative ease thing, eight of them were not present.
Shinji hadn't expected that many to leave, as his people were stubborn on the whole idea of we have lost two capital cities already, we won't lose this one.
To be honest, although he was something of a wimp, he didn't really disagree with such sentiment. But right now, he wasn't dwelling on such things as he had his earphones jammed in, pleasantly humming ode to joy as quietly as possible.
Having arrived some fifteen minutes before after a ten minute walk and a half hour metro journey, he'd already put all his belongings in their proper place and thus could take time to relax, while his classmates would arrive, unload their pens and note books, and babble about whatever inane gossip that would be the topic of conversation for the day.
That was one of the few things Shinji didn't overly like about being around people.
They talked too much, and for no good reason.
The only person who didn't do that, unfortunately didn't say much to begin with however.
Over in her corner, all by herself as usual, sat Rei Ayanami. A person who could be regarded as his sister.
She still seemed injured from whatever the hell had occurred that other day, with bandages around her head and arm. A flash black to her hissing in agony whilst he'd held her all those weeks ago, made him metaphorically grimace. He still hadn't figured out what on Earth he was going to do with her, having not exchanged a word with the albino since their chat in the hospital. He got the most occasional of acknowledgements from her, but that was it.
Although he did understand it was nothing personal, as Rei didn't talk to anyone unless spoken to.
However, when their tutor questioned her during lessons, she'd proven herself to be something of a genius, answering everything thrown at her. And yet for all that she could not talk to others.
A part of Shinji was humoured by finding someone with worse people skills than him. But that part was totally overshadowed by the sadness he felt.
She seemed so alone, and although it didn't seem to bother her, it scratched at his spine like nothing else. He wanted to try and help her, somehow, but he just had no clue how to do it. He may have more people skills than her, but that wasn't saying much.
I've got to figure that out someday...
It was less than a moment after the door scraped open, the command to rise was barked.
Shinji obeyed, as he knew disobeying the pig tailed dictator Hikari Horaki, warranted certain death. In other words he'd been so engrossed by his walkman, he hadn't heard her command one time and got smacked on the back of the head by that book she carried around.
From that experience, he'd learned quite the lesson.
Don't ask any questions, just for the love of the Spirits, obey.
The other commands to bow and sit were given, before the tutor stood in front of his desk, arms folded.
"Good morning, class."
"Good morning, sensei."
Shinji genuinely liked his tutor, despite the man at first glance appearing to be simply that, a boring old man. But the ever present twinkle in his eyes, and the sheer amount of energy he put into whatever they were being taught, honestly made the young man take notice of him.
In fact it could be said Mr Sisata was the reason he actually enjoyed education.
"Right, class, if you would all be kind enough to get out your books and turn to page 490. Today we are moving on from the birth of the North American Federation, to our new topic for the next three weeks. And this will be the ascension of Imperial Britain. Now if I could ask you to get out your pens and paper out, we shall begin." Mr Sisata patiently waited for those who'd been talking far too much, to frantically yank out their things from their bags.
Once everyone was ready to begin the day, Sisata clapped his hands together.
"All ready then? Good, we'll start with the fall of the Blair and New Labour administration in the year 2000..."
Rejoice, for your Emperor has returned.
Now where we last left off, Shinji's managed to get himself semi-settled in Tokyo-3, and is now off to school.
This can only end well...
---------------------------------------------------------------
"Give me the 6th Legion, and I'll give you Central America as a gift for foundation day."
Legate Gregory Johnson to Princeps Henry Abrams, September 1st 2012
-----------------------------Legate Gregory Johnson to Princeps Henry Abrams, September 1st 2012
8:01am, Monday the 19th of June, State of Japan, Tokyo-3, NERV quarters.
The only thing moving through the apartment at this time of day was himself.
Pen-pen was still fast asleep inside his refrigerated paradise, and the tell tale signs of discarded clothing leading to Misato's room, being all Shinji needed to know of his guardian's status.
As per his now functioning routine, the meek sixteen year old started collecting the pieces of scattered garments whilst occasionally blushing with embarrassment upon picking up a bra or pants, before piling them up near the washing machine. Usually he would have thrown them straight in, but he found a great deal of his time was absorbed by a new experience for him.
School.
His teacher had home educated him for most of his life, so he never went to school. There were distant memories of a pre-school he attended back when mother was alive, but they were foggy at best.
He'd been taken aback by the sheer amount he was being taught, as his teacher had only ever educated him on Maths, Japanese and a small amount of English, or High Imperial as the Empire insisted on calling it. But at this school, Sengokuhara high school, he was learning about other languages, such as Russian, German, Federal English, and of course the hated but very much important Chinese.
This on top of every other subject any school worth its salt would teach, should have been overwhelming to him.
But it wasn't.
Shinji liked it, as it turned out he had an aptitude for discovery and learning, especially on Monday's such as this. Because the primary topic taught that day was history, specifically that of the past seventeen years.
And it was this in particular he loved.
A sudden warking caught his attention. The Penguin was awake, its beady black eyes staring straight at him.
"You can get food and drink yourself, I know you can." Shinji chastised.
The Penguin quietly and gently warked again.
Sighing, the boy walked over to the fridge and pulled out a can of beer, before taking it over to Pen-pen. Kneeling down, he handed the flightless bird the can, with the bird taking said can with its opposable wing. It warked softly again, giving his knee an affectionate rub, before going back into his fridge.
Shinji shook his head as he stood up. The bizarre creature had repeated this procedure every single day for the past few weeks. When he'd asked Misato about it, she'd laughed and said "There isn't much to be done about it. Grumpy bastard always gets what he wants in the end."
I don't think I'll ever understand this place.
But that was not to say he didn't like it here. In fact, he was beginning to prefer it to his previous apartment in Kure, sorry thing that it was. After teacher died he'd lived in it for two years by himself, so it was a strange sensation to not be alone again. But certainly not an unwelcome one.
Having attended to his magnum opus of keeping the home clean, Shinji slid two slices of bread into the toaster and got some margarine out of the fridge. It was easier to get at today, as Misato had reached that point in the week when she started running out of beer cans. A few minutes later after the toast was ready, buttered, and eaten, he gathered his school things together and left them on the table. As he had just one more thing to do before setting off.
Gently, he tapped on Misato's door, getting a moan in response.
"Katsuragi-san?" He ventured.
"Uh...not so loud. I only got back from the night shift at five...come in..."
Stepping in, Shinji bore witness to a fully grown woman hiding beneath the sheets of her bed.
"Good morning, Katsuragi-san. Sorry to bother you but I'm heading off to school now. I've left your dirty washing by the washing machine, so you only have to put it in..." He stopped mid-sentence as the sheets were pulled back, Misato slowly sitting up whilst gently rubbing her eyes.
She nodded at his polite bow, whilst taking in how well her charge's navy blue high school uniform suited him.
My carer's come to visit me has he? Oh Shinji-kun, you're such a nice young man. Awkward but nice. How have you not got yourself a girl yet?
"You aren't bothering me, Shinji-kun. Thanks for getting all my chores done." She chuckled, before continuing. "How's school going for you?"
"I'm...enjoying it."
"Good...good...you made any friends yet?"
"No."
Misato sighed as she rubbed the sleepy dust from her eyes.
"Don't worry, you'll make some soon. I promise."
"I'm sure I will." He forced a smile was contemplating how silly such a thing was.
How can anyone as useless as me have friends?
"I'll let you rest." He bowed his head slightly before walking out of the room.
"Have a nice day...I'll try and have something like that...in a few hours..." Misato slipped back beneath the sheets with the inevitability of a sinking ship.
Smiling, Shinji closed the door.
She's so nice to me. I probably don't deserve any of it.
Picking his bag up and slinging it over his shoulder, he left the apartment through the front door, before closing it shut with his own key card. It had taken forever to get it, with him going from one NERV department to another.
Walking down the flights of stairs in the empty apartment block, as most of the residents were NERV staff and at work, he eventually found himself in the searing heat of the constant Japanese summer. It was at times like this he wished he didn't have to wear his long sleeved regulation school uniform, as nice as it was.
-------------------------------
8:15am, residential district-9
Seiichi Oshiro's eyes flickered open.
It had been more than a week before he and the rest of the Akuma crew were allowed to take their leave. But under pain of death they weren't permitted to leave the city, much to his Sergeant's frustration. Although Seiichi did sympathise with him, he didn't quite know his pain.
For whilst Kiyoshi had called his daughter and her carer, and Eiji had gone into the city centre to gamble and get drunk with the men, Seiichi had experienced an evening of pure ecstasy.
Mikasa Torogi's naked form lay curled up next to him under the sheets which covered them both, her fingers gently laid upon his chest.
She'd waited for him, like she'd promised. After hearing of the 1st armoured division's near annihilation, Mikasa had been sick with worry, only to receive a call from her boyfriend later that day confirming he was alive. And thus, as you can well imagine, their reunion had been rather...emotional.
"Mmmm..." Mikasa stirred, her hand moving down his chest.
"Morning, Princess." Seiichi smiled as he stroked back a strand of her black hair.
His girlfriend slowly lifted her upper half off the bed, her blue eyes making contact with his brown ones.
"Morning." She leaned in for a rather long kiss before drawing back.
"Did my pervert enjoy himself last night?"
"Yes...Spirits above I've missed this."
"Yes..." She gently moved her finger in a circular pattern on his chest whilst smiling fondly at memories of the previous night.
Oh I've got you wrapped around my little finger, Seiichi Oshiro. Although to be frank, I think I'm quite wrapped around yours as well...
"Well, as we're both not quite awake, I think we could do with some adrenaline..." She laughed at her boyfriend's blush before leaning in for another kiss.
A sudden banging on the door killed the mood.
"What the...?" Mikasa scowled before getting out of bed and wrapping a dressing gown around her slender form, before walking off to her apartment door. As you can imagine, this did not help Seiichi with his blushing issue whatsoever.
Realising his rather night was over, the twenty-seven year old tank gunner sat up and massaged his face, before finding a dressing gown himself. Walking out into the small hallway, he almost bumped into Mikasa as she seemed to be coming back to the bedroom, which momentarily got his hopes up.
But the curious look on her face killed that hope instantly.
"There's a guy in State Army uniform at the door, says he's looking for you...quite rudely..." She titled her head when her boyfriend groaned in annoyance.
"Fuck's sake..." Not getting an answer from him, she stood aside and let him walk past her to the front door. Looking through the hole, he groaned again before unlocking the door and letting the intruder upon their peaceful morning hobble in on a cybernetic limb.
"Took your fucking time..." Eiji Fukui rubbed his head as he moaned in pain.
"Eiji...what...the hell...are you doing here?"
"I couldn't get hold of any fucking pills last night so I've got this thudding fucking head ache and I need your help man!"
"So basically you have a hangover...you baka."
"Eiji? As in the legendary Eiji Fukui?" Mikasa raised an eyebrow at the hungover soldier.
"Who wants to know..." The pain in his head momentarily subsided as his face brightened in realisation.
"Oh so you're Mikasa? By the heavens you're a pretty thing aren't you..." Having stepped in her direction, the pain returned to Eiji's head causing him to stumble, with Seiichi having to hold him upright.
"Sorry, Fukui-san, I'm already taken." She sent a quick smile in Seiichi's direction before turning away.
"I'm going to have a shower. There's some pills in the cupboard, just make sure he takes water with them!" Her voice became more and more muffled before the bathroom door closed behind her.
For once in that home, the lock clicked into place.
"Isn't she nice..." Eiji kept looking in the direction through which Mikasa had left with a smile, as his mind filled with thoughts of that silky dressing gown just slipping off her curvaceous young body...
A back of the hand from Seiichi stopped this immediately.
"Spirits, I was having a nice time."
-------------------------
8:45 am, Pacific Ocean, Challenger Deep
There should have been no light within the deepest place on Earth. No creatures measuring roughly one-hundred and eighty metres in length should have been able to cruise through the black depths. But both these things were real.
Like a tear in both this dimension and the next, a glowing crack in the ocean floor spewed out orange energy that hardly any instruments on Earth could read. And what currently hovered above it, would be difficult for most of the Planet's people to comprehend. An insect like creature, with a bulbous arrow like head attached to its slim and dagger like body, gently began to put distance between itself and the crack having no intention to return there.
For if he was successful, which of course the arrogant Heir assumed, then he would have no need of even going back through that rift in the universe to get home, for home would instead come to him.
The Oceans were never this deep in our age...what was it Haniel said? That Ejrod broke into seven great pieces, separated by many leagues of water? Hah, Gahgiel would be in his element...
The Divine Heir suddenly stopped and watched a bizarre creature , even by his own people's standards, swim past his head. It had some sort of light on the end of an appendage attached to its hideous face, illuminating its proportionately large jaws and eyes.
It is what we would call, an Angler fish.
But of course Shamshel, second son of the Divine Sovereign, known to the few men that knew as the "5th Seraph," had no idea what it was.
Peculiar...
As he rose from the seabed, with even the rift being obscured by unending black, he began to see more of the inhabitants of the deep ocean, such as glowing jellyfish and other strange creatures.
There was...never anything like this back in our age. Our seas did not have that much life in them. Still...I would say this is quite pretty.
He ascended past these things, using his wall of light to gently push them aside.
Shamshel may have enjoyed inflicting suffering upon others, but not on animals which didn't know any better, not like his bastard of a half brother Arael. Besides, upon his impending victory, Gahghiel would be most displeased if any of the Water life came to harm.
Upon that thought, the Seraph let loose a great telepathic sigh.
Great, Haamma above! Destroying the restriction will be child's play compared to dragging my brother out of these depths, Gods he's going to be here forever!
The Seraph stopped its inner whinging and kept ascending, bringing his unfathomably ancient mind to the task at hand.
One step at a time. First I must obliterate the restriction so my siblings and the Royal army may sweep over all Ejrod and return it to my Father's rule. And then, with a little luck...
At that moment, if he'd been in his true form, Shamshel's features would have contorted into a terrifying scowl.
I will avenge you, Sachiel.
---------------------------------
9:00am, Tokyo-3, Sengokuhara high school.
Front row, second seat. That was where he would sit for six hours every single day of the week, save for Saturdays and Sundays.
His class was meant to be made up of some thirty students, but owing to the recent gargantuan monster cutting into the heart of one of the world's most powerful nations with relative ease thing, eight of them were not present.
Shinji hadn't expected that many to leave, as his people were stubborn on the whole idea of we have lost two capital cities already, we won't lose this one.
To be honest, although he was something of a wimp, he didn't really disagree with such sentiment. But right now, he wasn't dwelling on such things as he had his earphones jammed in, pleasantly humming ode to joy as quietly as possible.
Having arrived some fifteen minutes before after a ten minute walk and a half hour metro journey, he'd already put all his belongings in their proper place and thus could take time to relax, while his classmates would arrive, unload their pens and note books, and babble about whatever inane gossip that would be the topic of conversation for the day.
That was one of the few things Shinji didn't overly like about being around people.
They talked too much, and for no good reason.
The only person who didn't do that, unfortunately didn't say much to begin with however.
Over in her corner, all by herself as usual, sat Rei Ayanami. A person who could be regarded as his sister.
She still seemed injured from whatever the hell had occurred that other day, with bandages around her head and arm. A flash black to her hissing in agony whilst he'd held her all those weeks ago, made him metaphorically grimace. He still hadn't figured out what on Earth he was going to do with her, having not exchanged a word with the albino since their chat in the hospital. He got the most occasional of acknowledgements from her, but that was it.
Although he did understand it was nothing personal, as Rei didn't talk to anyone unless spoken to.
However, when their tutor questioned her during lessons, she'd proven herself to be something of a genius, answering everything thrown at her. And yet for all that she could not talk to others.
A part of Shinji was humoured by finding someone with worse people skills than him. But that part was totally overshadowed by the sadness he felt.
She seemed so alone, and although it didn't seem to bother her, it scratched at his spine like nothing else. He wanted to try and help her, somehow, but he just had no clue how to do it. He may have more people skills than her, but that wasn't saying much.
I've got to figure that out someday...
It was less than a moment after the door scraped open, the command to rise was barked.
Shinji obeyed, as he knew disobeying the pig tailed dictator Hikari Horaki, warranted certain death. In other words he'd been so engrossed by his walkman, he hadn't heard her command one time and got smacked on the back of the head by that book she carried around.
From that experience, he'd learned quite the lesson.
Don't ask any questions, just for the love of the Spirits, obey.
The other commands to bow and sit were given, before the tutor stood in front of his desk, arms folded.
"Good morning, class."
"Good morning, sensei."
Shinji genuinely liked his tutor, despite the man at first glance appearing to be simply that, a boring old man. But the ever present twinkle in his eyes, and the sheer amount of energy he put into whatever they were being taught, honestly made the young man take notice of him.
In fact it could be said Mr Sisata was the reason he actually enjoyed education.
"Right, class, if you would all be kind enough to get out your books and turn to page 490. Today we are moving on from the birth of the North American Federation, to our new topic for the next three weeks. And this will be the ascension of Imperial Britain. Now if I could ask you to get out your pens and paper out, we shall begin." Mr Sisata patiently waited for those who'd been talking far too much, to frantically yank out their things from their bags.
Once everyone was ready to begin the day, Sisata clapped his hands together.
"All ready then? Good, we'll start with the fall of the Blair and New Labour administration in the year 2000..."
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Turing Decidable
𝕘𝕒𝕣𝕗
- Location
- Belgium
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Ah, low self-esteem, old friend. How nice of you to visit.
Huh. Honestly thought he'd never get to see her again.
No relation to Motichka, I hope.