An Evangelion Self Insert because I have very little self control and think Unit-03 and Unit-04 deserve better then off screen death and Possession.
Don’t Burn Yet
- Thread starter INF-01
- Start date
- Sci-Fi Action Modern
- Created
- Status
- Ongoing
- Watchers
- 97
- Recent readers
- 0
- Threadmarks
- 11
-
Statistics (11 threadmarks, 57k words)
User Total INF-01 11
Chapter 1: Know Thyself
- Pronouns
- They/Them
Stars don't shine, they Burn. The brighter they are, the sooner their light will be no more. The more worlds they warm, the longer their memory will last.
But if you never burn at all, will you live forever?
––––
The world was on fire
Or at least that's what it felt like. My head was pounding. My ears were ringing. I was laying on something that dug into my back at all the wrong angles. Parts of me throbbed in pain as numbness overtook my extremities. Every sensation was too much and not enough and I wanted so desperately for it to stop.
It didn't, of course. If anything it got worse as my eyes cracked open. My ears didn't quite ring, the world around me sounding like it was 2 rooms over playing the music too loud. The darkness i'd been in before hardly changed, my vision obscured by smoke and whatever other particulate was hanging in the air. My next inhale stuttered as I drew in too much dust and not enough air, sending me into a coughing fit that had my chest aching horribly.
I tried to get up, if only to get lower and maybe escape the smoke, but as soon as I rose my head was spinning. I pitched forwards, and it was only years of instinct that had me tucking into a practiced roll rather than falling down whatever pile I'd woken up on.
My stop was messy, and I hardly arrested my momentum enough to avoid taking another spill, but it'd at least escaped the smoke cloud. I rubbed my chest as the last of my coughing fit subsided, my hand shifting to pat at my face to check if my glasses had managed to stay on.
They hadn't unfortunately, which sucked because visibility was already low. I repressed a frustrated sigh, unwilling to aggravate whatever injuries were on my chest again. It was unlikely I'd be able to find my glasses anytime soon, if at all, which meant I'd have to go in without them.
Slowly, I rose to my feet. My head pulsed with pain, but I just grit my teeth and bore it. My legs were shaking and I could already tell a light breeze was likely to knock me over, but I was up, and that meant I could walk. The first step nearly sent me to the floor again, but my desire to move outweighed my body's urge to curl up in a ball and sleep forever.
So I took another step, and another, hands held out in front and to my side for both balance and to warn of any objects I may run into. It was slow and painful, but my headache lessened with every step, or I was getting used to the pain. Both were equally likely and I really didn't care which it was, only that my body stopped hurting as much.
My hearing was coming back, though the more sounds I distinguished the more I wished It was all still muted. I could hear fires cracking, which explained the smoke. Distantly I could hear people calling for help as well, but above it all was the sound of a massive crash. Metal on something like the thunder of a bass drum cutting through all other sounds.
They came again and again, timing irregularly. It raised questions I didn't think I really wanted answered. Whatever was making them had to be fairly large, which meant I should probably avoid it if I could. Any further musing was cut off as the hand in front of me met something cool and smooth. A wall. I could see it mostly clearly moments later, and it seemed to stretch pretty far in either direction.
Part of me wanted to just slump against it and maybe rest my eyes for a second or two, but if it stopped moving I wasn't sure I'd be able to start again, so I shoved my body's numerous complaints to the back of my mind and began walking to the right, left hand against the wall for guidance and support. Now that I had it, I realized just how weak my legs felt. It was like walking on jelly.
But I continued on nonetheless, step after step, doing my best to breathe through the debris in the air. The lightheadedness I was feeling was probably a result of the smoke and dust I'd undoubtedly inhaled, and I was becoming increasingly concerned that I'd pass out before I could somewhere safe.
Though all concerns for myself vanished when I heard the sound of crying between the calamitous impacts. It was just barely audible if the crackling flames but it was there, and it sounded young.
I'd never been a particularly nurturing individual, but children had a nasty habit of worming their way into the circle of people I cared about. I didn't know who this kid was, but they were probably alone, and in a place like this that could be a death sentence.
So without a second thought I turned towards the sound, ignoring the protest of my legs as I hastened my pace. I tripped more than a few times, still only barely able to see my own hand in front of my face, but it seemed my sense of self preservation was still on break as I continued onwards, the crying growing louder with each passing step.
A terrifyingly bestial roar sounded, sending a jolt of primal fear shooting down my spine as the ground shook beneath my feet. The crying was interrupted by the high scream of what could only be a little girl as I dropped to my knees lest I fall harder.
It took several seconds for the vertigo to subside long enough for me to realize that with my new vantage point, the object of my reckless curiosity and concern had been revealed. A few feet before me, and blurry with distance due to my nearsightedness, was a head of dark brown hair, stained black by smoke.
But the most concerning thing was the blood. It wasn't quite pooling, but the ground was stained with more red than I could ever be comfortable with.
By now she'd collapsed back into crying, borderline sobbing, and I could feel my heart aching for her, screaming for me to do something-anything to relieve her pain.
I finished closing the gap between us, and it soon became clear why the girl was even here. She was prone, pinned beneath a metal beam. It seemed to have landed on her legs, just short of her lower back. I could tell without much examination that she'd narrowly avoided having her lower half pulped by the flaking debris. As it stood she'd probably only have a broken leg or two.
But I couldn't know for sure. I wasn't a medical professional. She could have a foot In the grave for all I knew, but that wasn't going to stop me from trying to save her. Resolve stronger the. Steel I made myself known.
"Hey, don't cry hun. I'm here to help you." I cooed as I crouched to be closer to her level. Her crying didn't stop, but it did quiet as she looked up, tears still flowing freely. Dirt was smeared on her cheeks, mixed with the tears, and there was a wound on her head bleeding lazily. She was looking at me like I couldn't be real.
The lack of a response had me a little worried, so I went on. "Can you tell me your name sweetie?" I asked, reaching out to her.
There was a moment of pause as her tears slowed from rushing rivers to mere trickles. "S-Sakura Suzuhara.."
I could barely hear her over the fire and distant thuds of whatever was happening outside whatever building we were in, but she was speaking and that was progress.
"Alright Sakura, sit tight and all get you out of there, okay?" I pushed as much confidence and comfort into my voice as possible, and was rewarded with a small nod from the girl.
With that, I stood up to observe what exactly had her pinned. It was as I'd gathered before, a metal beam presumably from the ceiling. It'd thoroughly pinned her, but not crushed her, which meant that I should be able to move the beam enough to pull her out. The trouble of course would be moving the beam and moving her.
I glanced around, looking for anything that may be able to help. It didn't reveal much, which wasn't exactly unexpected seeing as my vision was pretty shit right now, due to both internal and external factors. Then a glint of metal caught my eye. It could be nothing, but it could also be a valuable tool to be.
"I'll be right back, Sakura." I said before taking off in a jog. If I tried to run right now it'd probably end in me keeling over, but I'd recovered enough to make this light pace without my legs giving out.
I was still huffing more than usual when I reached the source of the gleam, and my headache had escalated again, but it was well worth it when I laid my eyes on my prize. A large and rather sturdy looking metal pole. Not too big for me to move, and hopefully strong enough to be used as a lever.
I braced myself for the pole's weight as I hefted it from where it'd be laying. It was lighter than I'd feared and heavier than I'd hoped, but I could move it, and that's what mattered most. Getting it back to Sakura was easier said than done, but I made it happen anyways. The pole made a less than pleasant grinding sound as I dragged it across the ruined floor, but it was fairly easy to tune it out.
"Sakura, I'm back. Are you alright?" I knew the answer was obviously no, but if things had gotten worse I'd like to be aware.
"Y-yes…but, my leg…it's…" the poor girl sniffed, and my heart twinged again. Whoever left Sakura here was going to have some explaining to do when we got out of this. On the bright side she'd only said leg, as in singular. One broken limb wasn't great but it was a hell of a lot better than 2 or more.
"I know hun, don't worry. I promise I'll get you to people who can help soon." I did my best to be warm and reassuring, though I wasn't sure how successful I was as Sakura nodded. I made my way over to the beam. As it stood it was partially supported by rubble that'd fallen with it, which was all that'd stopped Sakura from losing her lower half completely.
Maneuvering the pole was difficult, because I'd never been especially strong, and getting the pole underneath the beam was proving to be incredibly difficult. I let out a frustrated huff as I failed for the 5th time to maneuver the pole into one of the many gaps between the beam and rubble. Part of me wanted to just give up, but a much larger part told that portion of myself to shut the fuck up.
Summoning as much strength as I could, I jammed the pole into one of the gaps again, and to my surprise and delight it actually slid in. I almost overbalanced from the sudden success, but managed to maintain my footing.
"Alright Sakura, I'm about to get you out okay? It may hurt a bit, so please brace yourself." I said as I prepared to push the pole down. I'd have to find something to pin it to the floor with while I pulled Sakura out, but there were plenty of chunks of wall and ceiling around that'd probably work.
"…Okay, i'm ready" Sakura's voice was hardly above a whisper, but I heard her anyway. I have a hum of affirmation before getting to work. Slowly, I pushed down on the pole, putting more and more of my weight onto it. Nothing happened at first, but the pole gradually shifted down, and with a metallic groan and the grind of rocks on rocks, the beam shifted up. I could hear Sakura's gasp of pain as the pressure was relieved, and could only send her a silent apology as the pole grew closer and closer to the ground.
When it was close enough, I looked to my side, where a chunk of ceiling had landed vertically. It wasn't very tall, and had I stood to my full height it'd probably only come up to my waist, but it was almost certainly heavier then me, and thus perfect for pinning the pole as I retrieved Sakura. So, I carefully reached out, kneeling on the pole to keep it down as I gave the debris a slight pull towards me.
Getting the debris down without letting the pole rise and keep myself from getting crushed by the very thing I was trying to move was taxing to say the least, and more than a little awkward. my arms were screaming with exertion as I lowered the debris the final few inches. I waited for a moment with bated breath, hoping beyond hope that the whole thing wouldn't collapse and kill Sakura.
I let out a relieved sigh when it held, but the pole was already creakong, so I knew I didn't have long. I quickly moved away from my makeshift jack, settling in front of Sakura again. The poor girl was crying again, though now she had a hand over her mouth to muffle herself. Her eyes were squeezed shut, and I didn't have to ask to know moving the beam had only renewed her pain. I'd like to take this slow to ensure she didn't hurt more, but I didn't know how long the pole would hold.
"Okay Sakura, I'm going to move you now okay? You're doing so well hun, just be brave for me for a little longer alright?" It didn't feel great to ask even that much of her, but I didn't have much of a choice, and I'd rather offer even slight comfort over letting her suffer with silence.
Sakura's only response was a Nod, and with that I slowly reached out, hooking my hands under her arms I steadily pulled Sakura out from under the rubble. I could tell she was suppressing cries of pain, and for the millionth time my soul aches for this child. I didn't get attached to people very easily, but I could already feel a growing desire to protect this little girl with everything I had. Those were future me's problems though. At the moment my focus was Keeping her in one piece in the present.
It didn't take long for me to get her clear of the rubble, though I almost wished I hadn't because her leg…well it wasn't pretty. The beam seemed to have landed mostly on her thigh, likely breaking her shin if the odd angle it sat at was any indication. I was willing to bet her femur was fractured as well with how badly bruised it was, but I didn't know for sure. All I knew was that we couldn't stay here. The impacts had been growing progressively louder, which meant whatever was causing them was growing closer, which meant this building was probably only going to become even less safe.
A fact that was proven when the pole groaned loud enough to drown out all other sounds, before a metal snap followed by a loud thud, drawing a yelp of fear from Sakura. The beam has finally fallen back down, sending a cloud of dust into the air. I let out a breath I hadn't known I was holding, my eyes falling to the girl That'd just narrowly avoided death.
"Are you alright Sakura?" I asked, face creased in worry. She looked up at me, and now that I could get a close look at her face, she looked vaguely familiar.
"Y-yea…um, Th-Thank you. The others…they all left me behind when the ceiling started falling…" Sakura spoke, her voice hoarse and watery, likely from all the tears she'd cried and whatever screams for help she'd let out before. I crushed the surge of anger her words brought. She was likely with other kids, and I could hardly expect them to act rationally.
"You have nothing to thank me for. Is it okay if I pick you up? It's not safe here Sakura, and we need to get you medical attention." I asked, not entirely sure what I'd do if she said no. I certainly wasn't going to leave her, which meant if she did refuse I'd have to do my best to ensure we didn't die in here.
Luckily I wouldn't have to worry about that as Sakura made grabby hands at me despite the discomfort it must've brought while she was on her stomach. I suppressed an amused huff as I carefully scooped her up. She was small enough for me to support her with one arm which was a little unexpected, but I used both anyways, one under her while the other supported her back. She clung to me like a monkey as I slowly turned away from the rubble, mindful of her injured leg.
The cloud of debris had cleared somewhat, enough so that I could actually see a clear exit to whatever building we were in, or at least I hoped it was. There was a slight breeze coming from that general direction so it was probably a way out.
"We're getting out of here Sakura" I said resolutely, and the girl nodded into my shoulder where she'd buried her face, staining my already ruined shirt with blood and tears. My steps felt infinitely more stable than before, though that may have been because if I fell now, I wasn't the only one that'd be getting hurt. I'd always found it easier to focus, stay level headed, and get things done when other people were relying on me, and that held especially true when a life was on the line.
I continued towards the apparent exit, careful to step over any debris in my path, ignoring the distant impacts. I even began humming quietly, for both myself and Sakura. It seemed to be helping at least a little as her tears seemed to have stopped. Though with the way her breathing had evened out she could just as easily have fallen asleep. I would too the moment I felt safe after everything she'd been through. But there was a non zero chance that she might have a concussion, so I couldn't let her knock out just yet.
"What were you doing here Sakura?" I asked as I began crossing the last few feet between us and the way out. It was half collapsed, and there was glass scattered about, meaning whatever door had occupied the space was probably a glass one.
The girl shifted slightly in my arms, and I adjusted my grip accordingly as she turned to look up at me. "I-I was going on a field trip. Me…me and my class were waiting for the train to take us, but then the alarm started and…" she trailed off, and I didn't press her to continue. I wouldn't want to relieve whatever circumstance brought me here either. On the bright side I knew where we were.
A train station, which was proven true when we finally left and I looked over my shoulder at the ruined building. The place had certainly seen better days, what with all the smoke and whatever else I couldn't see because of my shit eyes. I turned to face forward, focusing on moving on. We were obviously in the midst of some sort of disaster, so there was probably a field hospital around somewhere. It'd just be a matter of actually finding the place.
Which…wasn't going to be easy. Luckily neither me or Sakura weren't bearing any particularly life threatening injuries so I wasn't being pressed for time. Now if I could just figure out where exactly we-
My mind came to a sudden halt as a deafening crash and rumble shook the very air around me. My hair stood on end, an awful buzzing feeling engulfing my right side. Every cell in my body collectively schemed for me to move. I'd never been one to ignore my instincts,saved by then too many times for me to count, so I barely hesitated as I leapt to the left, sending a silent apology to Sakura as my sudden movement jostled her injured leg, drawing a cry of pain from her. Fortunately, my actions proved well worth it as mere moments later something massive fell where I'd just been standing.
The massive…thing vaguely resembled a hand. I couldn't barely make out the pitch black appendage though my blurry vision, the 3 fingers ending in points rather than the rounded pads of human fingers. It more resembled a mechanical claw than anything else.
"What-what is that?" Sakura's voice shook, dripping fear and confusion that made my heart ache, but she wasn't looking at the hand that almost crushed us. She was looking up at something else. I followed her gaze, more than a little scared of what I'd find.
What filled my vision was 2 figures, their details only clear because of the sheer size of them. The entity the hand was attached to, its skin black, with massive white pauldrons in its shoulders. I could make out the shape of 2 bird-like masks between its shoulders, and bone-like protrusions around its toros protecting a bright red orb.
I knew it's name without thinking, as if the words had been engraved on the surface of my soul. They bubbled to the surface and out of my mouth as if drawn forth by the Angel itself.
"Sachiel" I spoke breathlessly, my voice seeming to echo off of invisible walls as I gave a name to the monster.
The monster that was on its back, because something was above it, straddling the Angel of water, raining blow after blow on the creature pinned beneath.
Another name came to mind unabidden, though this one from memory rather than the depths of my being.
Shogōki. Unit-01. The Berserker.
And it was fighting Sachiel.
Sachiel the 3rd Angel. The Angel of water that lay siege to Tokyo-3. The creatures that would resort to self-destruction.
The creature that was going to self-destruct in a few short seconds.
I was running before I knew what was happening. Sakura had buried her face in my chest, whimpering softly as I cradled her close, my entire being consumed by the single minded desire to put as much distance between Sakura and the imminent explosion as possible. I could hardly hear the sickening snap of Sachiel's flesh as Unit one broke the Angel's ribs to use as a bludgeon on its exposed S² engine, my blood rushing in my ears like Niagara Falls as I pushed every bit of energy I'd recovered into moving my legs as fast as possible.
I had no clue how long I had till the explosion, but I knew it was massive and had left the area around it's epicenter thoroughly uninhabitable with the heat. If Sakura and I were anywhere near it we'd probably be vaporized. A quick death, but a death nonetheless, and I would not allow that for either of us.
I vaulted over an overturned street barrier, my arm immediately coming back up to cradle Sakura. I'd been whispering comforts to her between breaths for however long I'd been running, which couldn't have been more than a few seconds, but my sense of time was horribly skewed right now and it'd felt more like a few hours. It didn't matter though, I just had to keep running. So I did, shoes pounding against concrete in a streaky yet frantic rhythm till once again my whole being cried out in warming of imminent danger.
I didn't need to turn around to know that Sachiel was wrapping itself around Unit-01, mere moments away from detonation. My vision swept the ruined street frantically, looking for something-anything to use as cover. I could've cried in relief when I spotted the alleyway. It wasn't perfect but literally anything was better than standing out in the open. I pushed my sprint even faster, ducking into the alleyway. I shifted to put my back to the wall, ensuring that both the building we'd sheltered behind and myself were both between Sakura and the imminent blast.
And then for the second time, the world was on fire.
But if you never burn at all, will you live forever?
––––
The world was on fire
Or at least that's what it felt like. My head was pounding. My ears were ringing. I was laying on something that dug into my back at all the wrong angles. Parts of me throbbed in pain as numbness overtook my extremities. Every sensation was too much and not enough and I wanted so desperately for it to stop.
It didn't, of course. If anything it got worse as my eyes cracked open. My ears didn't quite ring, the world around me sounding like it was 2 rooms over playing the music too loud. The darkness i'd been in before hardly changed, my vision obscured by smoke and whatever other particulate was hanging in the air. My next inhale stuttered as I drew in too much dust and not enough air, sending me into a coughing fit that had my chest aching horribly.
I tried to get up, if only to get lower and maybe escape the smoke, but as soon as I rose my head was spinning. I pitched forwards, and it was only years of instinct that had me tucking into a practiced roll rather than falling down whatever pile I'd woken up on.
My stop was messy, and I hardly arrested my momentum enough to avoid taking another spill, but it'd at least escaped the smoke cloud. I rubbed my chest as the last of my coughing fit subsided, my hand shifting to pat at my face to check if my glasses had managed to stay on.
They hadn't unfortunately, which sucked because visibility was already low. I repressed a frustrated sigh, unwilling to aggravate whatever injuries were on my chest again. It was unlikely I'd be able to find my glasses anytime soon, if at all, which meant I'd have to go in without them.
Slowly, I rose to my feet. My head pulsed with pain, but I just grit my teeth and bore it. My legs were shaking and I could already tell a light breeze was likely to knock me over, but I was up, and that meant I could walk. The first step nearly sent me to the floor again, but my desire to move outweighed my body's urge to curl up in a ball and sleep forever.
So I took another step, and another, hands held out in front and to my side for both balance and to warn of any objects I may run into. It was slow and painful, but my headache lessened with every step, or I was getting used to the pain. Both were equally likely and I really didn't care which it was, only that my body stopped hurting as much.
My hearing was coming back, though the more sounds I distinguished the more I wished It was all still muted. I could hear fires cracking, which explained the smoke. Distantly I could hear people calling for help as well, but above it all was the sound of a massive crash. Metal on something like the thunder of a bass drum cutting through all other sounds.
They came again and again, timing irregularly. It raised questions I didn't think I really wanted answered. Whatever was making them had to be fairly large, which meant I should probably avoid it if I could. Any further musing was cut off as the hand in front of me met something cool and smooth. A wall. I could see it mostly clearly moments later, and it seemed to stretch pretty far in either direction.
Part of me wanted to just slump against it and maybe rest my eyes for a second or two, but if it stopped moving I wasn't sure I'd be able to start again, so I shoved my body's numerous complaints to the back of my mind and began walking to the right, left hand against the wall for guidance and support. Now that I had it, I realized just how weak my legs felt. It was like walking on jelly.
But I continued on nonetheless, step after step, doing my best to breathe through the debris in the air. The lightheadedness I was feeling was probably a result of the smoke and dust I'd undoubtedly inhaled, and I was becoming increasingly concerned that I'd pass out before I could somewhere safe.
Though all concerns for myself vanished when I heard the sound of crying between the calamitous impacts. It was just barely audible if the crackling flames but it was there, and it sounded young.
I'd never been a particularly nurturing individual, but children had a nasty habit of worming their way into the circle of people I cared about. I didn't know who this kid was, but they were probably alone, and in a place like this that could be a death sentence.
So without a second thought I turned towards the sound, ignoring the protest of my legs as I hastened my pace. I tripped more than a few times, still only barely able to see my own hand in front of my face, but it seemed my sense of self preservation was still on break as I continued onwards, the crying growing louder with each passing step.
A terrifyingly bestial roar sounded, sending a jolt of primal fear shooting down my spine as the ground shook beneath my feet. The crying was interrupted by the high scream of what could only be a little girl as I dropped to my knees lest I fall harder.
It took several seconds for the vertigo to subside long enough for me to realize that with my new vantage point, the object of my reckless curiosity and concern had been revealed. A few feet before me, and blurry with distance due to my nearsightedness, was a head of dark brown hair, stained black by smoke.
But the most concerning thing was the blood. It wasn't quite pooling, but the ground was stained with more red than I could ever be comfortable with.
By now she'd collapsed back into crying, borderline sobbing, and I could feel my heart aching for her, screaming for me to do something-anything to relieve her pain.
I finished closing the gap between us, and it soon became clear why the girl was even here. She was prone, pinned beneath a metal beam. It seemed to have landed on her legs, just short of her lower back. I could tell without much examination that she'd narrowly avoided having her lower half pulped by the flaking debris. As it stood she'd probably only have a broken leg or two.
But I couldn't know for sure. I wasn't a medical professional. She could have a foot In the grave for all I knew, but that wasn't going to stop me from trying to save her. Resolve stronger the. Steel I made myself known.
"Hey, don't cry hun. I'm here to help you." I cooed as I crouched to be closer to her level. Her crying didn't stop, but it did quiet as she looked up, tears still flowing freely. Dirt was smeared on her cheeks, mixed with the tears, and there was a wound on her head bleeding lazily. She was looking at me like I couldn't be real.
The lack of a response had me a little worried, so I went on. "Can you tell me your name sweetie?" I asked, reaching out to her.
There was a moment of pause as her tears slowed from rushing rivers to mere trickles. "S-Sakura Suzuhara.."
I could barely hear her over the fire and distant thuds of whatever was happening outside whatever building we were in, but she was speaking and that was progress.
"Alright Sakura, sit tight and all get you out of there, okay?" I pushed as much confidence and comfort into my voice as possible, and was rewarded with a small nod from the girl.
With that, I stood up to observe what exactly had her pinned. It was as I'd gathered before, a metal beam presumably from the ceiling. It'd thoroughly pinned her, but not crushed her, which meant that I should be able to move the beam enough to pull her out. The trouble of course would be moving the beam and moving her.
I glanced around, looking for anything that may be able to help. It didn't reveal much, which wasn't exactly unexpected seeing as my vision was pretty shit right now, due to both internal and external factors. Then a glint of metal caught my eye. It could be nothing, but it could also be a valuable tool to be.
"I'll be right back, Sakura." I said before taking off in a jog. If I tried to run right now it'd probably end in me keeling over, but I'd recovered enough to make this light pace without my legs giving out.
I was still huffing more than usual when I reached the source of the gleam, and my headache had escalated again, but it was well worth it when I laid my eyes on my prize. A large and rather sturdy looking metal pole. Not too big for me to move, and hopefully strong enough to be used as a lever.
I braced myself for the pole's weight as I hefted it from where it'd be laying. It was lighter than I'd feared and heavier than I'd hoped, but I could move it, and that's what mattered most. Getting it back to Sakura was easier said than done, but I made it happen anyways. The pole made a less than pleasant grinding sound as I dragged it across the ruined floor, but it was fairly easy to tune it out.
"Sakura, I'm back. Are you alright?" I knew the answer was obviously no, but if things had gotten worse I'd like to be aware.
"Y-yes…but, my leg…it's…" the poor girl sniffed, and my heart twinged again. Whoever left Sakura here was going to have some explaining to do when we got out of this. On the bright side she'd only said leg, as in singular. One broken limb wasn't great but it was a hell of a lot better than 2 or more.
"I know hun, don't worry. I promise I'll get you to people who can help soon." I did my best to be warm and reassuring, though I wasn't sure how successful I was as Sakura nodded. I made my way over to the beam. As it stood it was partially supported by rubble that'd fallen with it, which was all that'd stopped Sakura from losing her lower half completely.
Maneuvering the pole was difficult, because I'd never been especially strong, and getting the pole underneath the beam was proving to be incredibly difficult. I let out a frustrated huff as I failed for the 5th time to maneuver the pole into one of the many gaps between the beam and rubble. Part of me wanted to just give up, but a much larger part told that portion of myself to shut the fuck up.
Summoning as much strength as I could, I jammed the pole into one of the gaps again, and to my surprise and delight it actually slid in. I almost overbalanced from the sudden success, but managed to maintain my footing.
"Alright Sakura, I'm about to get you out okay? It may hurt a bit, so please brace yourself." I said as I prepared to push the pole down. I'd have to find something to pin it to the floor with while I pulled Sakura out, but there were plenty of chunks of wall and ceiling around that'd probably work.
"…Okay, i'm ready" Sakura's voice was hardly above a whisper, but I heard her anyway. I have a hum of affirmation before getting to work. Slowly, I pushed down on the pole, putting more and more of my weight onto it. Nothing happened at first, but the pole gradually shifted down, and with a metallic groan and the grind of rocks on rocks, the beam shifted up. I could hear Sakura's gasp of pain as the pressure was relieved, and could only send her a silent apology as the pole grew closer and closer to the ground.
When it was close enough, I looked to my side, where a chunk of ceiling had landed vertically. It wasn't very tall, and had I stood to my full height it'd probably only come up to my waist, but it was almost certainly heavier then me, and thus perfect for pinning the pole as I retrieved Sakura. So, I carefully reached out, kneeling on the pole to keep it down as I gave the debris a slight pull towards me.
Getting the debris down without letting the pole rise and keep myself from getting crushed by the very thing I was trying to move was taxing to say the least, and more than a little awkward. my arms were screaming with exertion as I lowered the debris the final few inches. I waited for a moment with bated breath, hoping beyond hope that the whole thing wouldn't collapse and kill Sakura.
I let out a relieved sigh when it held, but the pole was already creakong, so I knew I didn't have long. I quickly moved away from my makeshift jack, settling in front of Sakura again. The poor girl was crying again, though now she had a hand over her mouth to muffle herself. Her eyes were squeezed shut, and I didn't have to ask to know moving the beam had only renewed her pain. I'd like to take this slow to ensure she didn't hurt more, but I didn't know how long the pole would hold.
"Okay Sakura, I'm going to move you now okay? You're doing so well hun, just be brave for me for a little longer alright?" It didn't feel great to ask even that much of her, but I didn't have much of a choice, and I'd rather offer even slight comfort over letting her suffer with silence.
Sakura's only response was a Nod, and with that I slowly reached out, hooking my hands under her arms I steadily pulled Sakura out from under the rubble. I could tell she was suppressing cries of pain, and for the millionth time my soul aches for this child. I didn't get attached to people very easily, but I could already feel a growing desire to protect this little girl with everything I had. Those were future me's problems though. At the moment my focus was Keeping her in one piece in the present.
It didn't take long for me to get her clear of the rubble, though I almost wished I hadn't because her leg…well it wasn't pretty. The beam seemed to have landed mostly on her thigh, likely breaking her shin if the odd angle it sat at was any indication. I was willing to bet her femur was fractured as well with how badly bruised it was, but I didn't know for sure. All I knew was that we couldn't stay here. The impacts had been growing progressively louder, which meant whatever was causing them was growing closer, which meant this building was probably only going to become even less safe.
A fact that was proven when the pole groaned loud enough to drown out all other sounds, before a metal snap followed by a loud thud, drawing a yelp of fear from Sakura. The beam has finally fallen back down, sending a cloud of dust into the air. I let out a breath I hadn't known I was holding, my eyes falling to the girl That'd just narrowly avoided death.
"Are you alright Sakura?" I asked, face creased in worry. She looked up at me, and now that I could get a close look at her face, she looked vaguely familiar.
"Y-yea…um, Th-Thank you. The others…they all left me behind when the ceiling started falling…" Sakura spoke, her voice hoarse and watery, likely from all the tears she'd cried and whatever screams for help she'd let out before. I crushed the surge of anger her words brought. She was likely with other kids, and I could hardly expect them to act rationally.
"You have nothing to thank me for. Is it okay if I pick you up? It's not safe here Sakura, and we need to get you medical attention." I asked, not entirely sure what I'd do if she said no. I certainly wasn't going to leave her, which meant if she did refuse I'd have to do my best to ensure we didn't die in here.
Luckily I wouldn't have to worry about that as Sakura made grabby hands at me despite the discomfort it must've brought while she was on her stomach. I suppressed an amused huff as I carefully scooped her up. She was small enough for me to support her with one arm which was a little unexpected, but I used both anyways, one under her while the other supported her back. She clung to me like a monkey as I slowly turned away from the rubble, mindful of her injured leg.
The cloud of debris had cleared somewhat, enough so that I could actually see a clear exit to whatever building we were in, or at least I hoped it was. There was a slight breeze coming from that general direction so it was probably a way out.
"We're getting out of here Sakura" I said resolutely, and the girl nodded into my shoulder where she'd buried her face, staining my already ruined shirt with blood and tears. My steps felt infinitely more stable than before, though that may have been because if I fell now, I wasn't the only one that'd be getting hurt. I'd always found it easier to focus, stay level headed, and get things done when other people were relying on me, and that held especially true when a life was on the line.
I continued towards the apparent exit, careful to step over any debris in my path, ignoring the distant impacts. I even began humming quietly, for both myself and Sakura. It seemed to be helping at least a little as her tears seemed to have stopped. Though with the way her breathing had evened out she could just as easily have fallen asleep. I would too the moment I felt safe after everything she'd been through. But there was a non zero chance that she might have a concussion, so I couldn't let her knock out just yet.
"What were you doing here Sakura?" I asked as I began crossing the last few feet between us and the way out. It was half collapsed, and there was glass scattered about, meaning whatever door had occupied the space was probably a glass one.
The girl shifted slightly in my arms, and I adjusted my grip accordingly as she turned to look up at me. "I-I was going on a field trip. Me…me and my class were waiting for the train to take us, but then the alarm started and…" she trailed off, and I didn't press her to continue. I wouldn't want to relieve whatever circumstance brought me here either. On the bright side I knew where we were.
A train station, which was proven true when we finally left and I looked over my shoulder at the ruined building. The place had certainly seen better days, what with all the smoke and whatever else I couldn't see because of my shit eyes. I turned to face forward, focusing on moving on. We were obviously in the midst of some sort of disaster, so there was probably a field hospital around somewhere. It'd just be a matter of actually finding the place.
Which…wasn't going to be easy. Luckily neither me or Sakura weren't bearing any particularly life threatening injuries so I wasn't being pressed for time. Now if I could just figure out where exactly we-
My mind came to a sudden halt as a deafening crash and rumble shook the very air around me. My hair stood on end, an awful buzzing feeling engulfing my right side. Every cell in my body collectively schemed for me to move. I'd never been one to ignore my instincts,saved by then too many times for me to count, so I barely hesitated as I leapt to the left, sending a silent apology to Sakura as my sudden movement jostled her injured leg, drawing a cry of pain from her. Fortunately, my actions proved well worth it as mere moments later something massive fell where I'd just been standing.
The massive…thing vaguely resembled a hand. I couldn't barely make out the pitch black appendage though my blurry vision, the 3 fingers ending in points rather than the rounded pads of human fingers. It more resembled a mechanical claw than anything else.
"What-what is that?" Sakura's voice shook, dripping fear and confusion that made my heart ache, but she wasn't looking at the hand that almost crushed us. She was looking up at something else. I followed her gaze, more than a little scared of what I'd find.
What filled my vision was 2 figures, their details only clear because of the sheer size of them. The entity the hand was attached to, its skin black, with massive white pauldrons in its shoulders. I could make out the shape of 2 bird-like masks between its shoulders, and bone-like protrusions around its toros protecting a bright red orb.
I knew it's name without thinking, as if the words had been engraved on the surface of my soul. They bubbled to the surface and out of my mouth as if drawn forth by the Angel itself.
"Sachiel" I spoke breathlessly, my voice seeming to echo off of invisible walls as I gave a name to the monster.
The monster that was on its back, because something was above it, straddling the Angel of water, raining blow after blow on the creature pinned beneath.
Another name came to mind unabidden, though this one from memory rather than the depths of my being.
Shogōki. Unit-01. The Berserker.
And it was fighting Sachiel.
Sachiel the 3rd Angel. The Angel of water that lay siege to Tokyo-3. The creatures that would resort to self-destruction.
The creature that was going to self-destruct in a few short seconds.
I was running before I knew what was happening. Sakura had buried her face in my chest, whimpering softly as I cradled her close, my entire being consumed by the single minded desire to put as much distance between Sakura and the imminent explosion as possible. I could hardly hear the sickening snap of Sachiel's flesh as Unit one broke the Angel's ribs to use as a bludgeon on its exposed S² engine, my blood rushing in my ears like Niagara Falls as I pushed every bit of energy I'd recovered into moving my legs as fast as possible.
I had no clue how long I had till the explosion, but I knew it was massive and had left the area around it's epicenter thoroughly uninhabitable with the heat. If Sakura and I were anywhere near it we'd probably be vaporized. A quick death, but a death nonetheless, and I would not allow that for either of us.
I vaulted over an overturned street barrier, my arm immediately coming back up to cradle Sakura. I'd been whispering comforts to her between breaths for however long I'd been running, which couldn't have been more than a few seconds, but my sense of time was horribly skewed right now and it'd felt more like a few hours. It didn't matter though, I just had to keep running. So I did, shoes pounding against concrete in a streaky yet frantic rhythm till once again my whole being cried out in warming of imminent danger.
I didn't need to turn around to know that Sachiel was wrapping itself around Unit-01, mere moments away from detonation. My vision swept the ruined street frantically, looking for something-anything to use as cover. I could've cried in relief when I spotted the alleyway. It wasn't perfect but literally anything was better than standing out in the open. I pushed my sprint even faster, ducking into the alleyway. I shifted to put my back to the wall, ensuring that both the building we'd sheltered behind and myself were both between Sakura and the imminent blast.
And then for the second time, the world was on fire.
Last edited:
- Location
- Seattle, Washington, USA
Well, that's an interesting insertion point to Evangelion. Possibly a short-lived one considering the force of that blast, but interesting.
The real question though, assuming he survives, is how thoroughly Tokyo-3 is wired for sound, and did the Magi notice someone said the Angel's Name?
The real question though, assuming he survives, is how thoroughly Tokyo-3 is wired for sound, and did the Magi notice someone said the Angel's Name?
Chapter 2: The Deafening Sound Of Silence
- Pronouns
- They/Them
When a tree falls in a forest, and nothing is around to hear it, is it even real? Did that tree's existence matter? Was it's life and death worth anything?
Maybe not to you, but the squirrel that called it home may disagree.
——
I didn't recognize the ceiling above me. I didn't recognize the mattress beneath me either, or the pillows under my head, or the sheet covering me. Nothing about this room was familiar, and as memories came rushing back to me I knew exactly why. I couldn't imagine a more fitting situation given the circumstances. I could only really guess as to how long it'd been since Sachiel's death. I'd probably been out longer than Shinji seeing as I didn't have the pleasure of being inside a giant semi-sentient biomech when the explosion hit.
Thought I didn't hurt too bad, and Sakura had be-
I jerked up, jostling the various tubes and wires connected to my arm as. Sakura! I'd been holding her when the explosion happened. She'd been in my arms and now she was gone and it had dread pooling in the bottom of my stomach. Had she survived? Was she okay? I didn't know, and I wasn't sure what I'd do if I didn't find out soon. I could hear my heart monitor beeping faster and faster as I prepared to rip the cords in my arm out and turn whatever hospital I was in upside down looking for her.
Though just as my hand closed around the various wires connecting me to the machines, the door to the room slammed open. My grip on the IV and other worries slacked just a bit as my gaze shot up to the doorway. In it stood a somewhat haggard looking nurse, her breath coming in short puffs. She'd obviously run here, which meant I was probably being monitored. Why exactly was beyond my care at the moment.
Me and the nurse were both silent. I was as still as a statue whole she shifted slightly with each breath. The silence between us dragged on for 1 beat, then 2, then a 3rd and 4th till the nurse finally caught her breath. She straightened her posture, no longer gripping the door frame as she smoothed over her ruffled scrubs. Her hair was still a little messy but she looked a hell of a lot calmer, if a bit nervous.
She approached me, and my eyes tracked her the whole way. Finally, she dined to break the void of conversation between us.
"Please don't pull out your IV. It was a bit of a struggle to get in to begin with"
I hesitated, then slowly let go of the tubes in my arm, instead clasping my hands together if only to occupy them. The nurse's shoulders sagged minutely at that, and I felt a pang of guilt run through me. The life of a healthcare professional was one fraught with stress and anxiety that knew no bounds, and I should really be doing a better job of adding as little to that as possible.
The nurse settled not far from my bedside, producing a clipboard from…somewhere. "Right then Khamuro-if I may call you by your given name that is. I have a few questions I'd like you to answer if that's alright"
The nurse spoke, but the words went right over my head, because she'd called me…Khamuro, and that wasn't my name. My name was…..my name was…..it started with….
I tried again and again to conjure up what was one of the most fundamental parts of my being, but every time I tried, I was met with nothing, or rather I was met with something unfamiliar and yet familiar all the same. Part of me agreed wholeheartedly that my name was indeed Khamuro. Khamuro Lee Shang to be exact, but another deeper part of me was certain that that was completely incorrect. But all attempts to think of anything else ended in failure…
I didn't shake my head, but I did dismiss the more then a little unsettling thoughts for now. Names and memories were a problem for future me, because the nurse was looking at me with increasing worry, and a hospital room in Tokyo-3 was not the place I wanted to have an identity crisis induced breakdown.
"R-right, ask away" I said, putting on a smile I knew looked shaky. The nurse looked skeptical, and wrote something down on her clipboard before speaking to me again.
"Of course, now first up, Khamuro, what of the last 48 hours do you remember?" She questioned. That'd be easy to answer at least, seeing as most of my recent memories were likely from the last 2 days. It also meant I'd been out cold for at least 12 hours, probably more. I wasn't sure how forthcoming the Nurse would expect me to be, but I'd always preferred to foster goodwill, and right now the best way to do that was by being as honest as possible.
So, I told her everything. From my sudden and painful awakening to my tumble down the debris pile and discovering the loss of my glasses. She wrote something else down when I mentioned that, before asking me to continue. So I did, until I got to Sakura that is. The worry over her condition hadn't faded, only been shunted to the side. Now it was making itself the center of my attention again, and I had no intention of dismissing it.
"The Girl, Sakura. Is she okay? Can I see her?" I didn't particularly care that I sounded desperate towards the end. I needed to know if she was okay yesterday.
The the nurse looked surprised for a moment, but then started giggling, and I felt indignation surge in my chest. I was just about to ask what was so funny when she finally answered me.
"Ms.Suzuhara is alright. She's actually across the hall. It was very difficult to separate the two of you, and even then she insisted on being nearby." The nurse had a teasing tone to her voice, and I couldn't help my cheeks heating up. Her tone turned apologetic as she went on. "She's not quite cleared for visitors yet, but she has asked for you. You'll be allowed to see her as soon as her parents have arrived."
I nodded in understanding, even if I wasn't very happy about it. Knowing that Sakura was okay would have to suffice for the time being. In any case, I had a story to finish, so I continued on.
From leaving the train station and almost dying in the crossfire between Unit-01 and Sachiel to the last moments I remember before the explosion drowned my perception in heat and light, I regaled the Nurse with all that I could recall. She nodded along with each word, stopping me occasionally to ask for elaboration. By the time my story was done I was honestly feeling more than a little tired. Reliving what was easily the most harrowing experience of my life hadn't been very easy…
"Alright. Thank you Khamuro. Do you know why you were in Tokyo-3?"
I cringed internally. This question was guaranteed to come up sooner or later, and I'd only really formulated one way to answer, and it was the same way I'd answered the first question: honesty. I Simply shook my head. If I was being asked to recall the events that brought me to the hospital they'd probably suspected I was having memory issues. Which Wasn't entirely untrue, and Incredibly convenient for me, which I planned to take full advantage of.
"Okay…" the nurse said, writing on her clipboard again before looking back up. "Okay, last question and I'll be handing you over to Dr.Akagi. On a scale of 1 to 10, how much pain are you in?"
Ah, that was easily the most normal question I'd been asked, and the simplest to answer. Aside from a dull ache around my IV and the other cords stuck into me I felt just fine. There was also numbness on pretty much my entire back but that didn't really qualify as pain. Overall I was feeling leagues better than when I'd first awoken. Granted that was a fairly low bar considering just how garbage I'd felt before. "A two I think. The spot around my IV is a little achy, but that's it"
The nurse smiled, writing on her clipboard one last time. "Wonderful. Thank you for your cooperation Khamuro. Dr.Akagi will be with you soon, so please sit tight until then" and with that the nurse bid me farewell, and I was left alone again as the door clicked shut behind her. I sighed, my hands coming undone so I could pop my fingers one by one. The cracks were satisfying and filled the silence as I contemplated the list of questions I'd gathered.
First was of course why I was here, in Tokyo-3 Japan instead of Fort Worth Texas. There was obviously no easy answer to that question, so it was shelved as quickly as it was brought up. Second was why every time I thought of my name I could only think of one that was familiar yet not. Khamuro Lee Shang, both perfectly right and horribly wrong. Unfortunately that fell into the same boat as my first question. I could only ever speculate as to the true answer, and knowing myself I could easily waste hours counting up possible answers on both matters.
For better or worse, I was here now. I didn't particularly like that fact, but…there wasn't anything I could do about it. Best to focus on things that I could actually influence, like why I was here in Tokyo-3. Not the universe hopping part, but being here specifically. I'd arrived in time to see the duel between Shinji and Sachiel, but why? Was I visiting family, or had I somehow been involved with NERV? Those were things I could at least find out with enough digging. Though before I could formulate a proper plan of action my door swung open again.
I instantly recognized the women standing in the doorway as one Ritsuko Akagi. From her trademarked lab coat to her blond dyed neck length hair. It was…odd, seeing someone that'd only ever existed on a sceen living and breathing before me. She was just as real as me, a bonafide human being with all the joys and horrors that entailed. She didn't pause in the door like the nurse had, hardly breaking stride as she approached me, hands in her coat pockets. She exuded a sort of cool professionalism that I couldn't help but admire, and part of me wondered how a woman like her could ever fall for someone like Gendo Ikari.
"Nice to have you joining us in the land of the living Mr.Shang, or do you prefer Khamuro?" She said as she settled In a chair next to my bed. When exactly it got there I didn't know, nor care. Ritsuko was waiting for me to answer her and I didn't wanna make this awkward like I had with the nurse.
"I'd prefer Khamuro." I said quickly. The idea of people referring to me by my last name-let alone with the title Mr made me a special type of uncomfy. Ritsuko didn't bat an eye at my response, pushing onwards as soon as I'd stated my preferred name.
"Of course Khamruo. You know, you're incredibly lucky. The blast from the 3rd Angel's self destruction vaporized almost everything around it. The building you hid behind was just half molten foundations" she said casually, as if me and Sakura almost dying was as interesting as the weather. "You got away with only 2nd and 3rd degree burns on your back and a few bruises." She went on, just as conversational as when she started. "A good thing too. We would've been in some hot water if we lost you. Now, The nurse tells me your memory is spotty, so let me lay this all out now"
Ritsuko's voice brokered no argument, and the half formed sentence I'd been preparing died on my tongue. "On June 28th, 2015, you were designated the 5th child by the Murdock Report." I had mere moments to process her words before more were being flung at me. "As of July 1st, you were made an employee and ward of NERV and the designated pilot for Evangelion Unit-03-" wait unit 03!? Wasn't that one going to be corrupted by Bardiel? "-and In compliance with the Commander's request for more Eva Units in preparation for the arrival of the angels, you were transported here. Unit-03 is only a few weeks behind you"
I blinked slowly and deliberately a few times. That was…well it was a little to much to process in one go. On the bright side I had some of my most immediately important questions answered. I was here because I was going to be an Eva pilot.
I was going to be an Eva pilot.
Oh god.
My heart did something unpleasant as my heart rate monitor began beeping faster, and for a moment all I could hear was the sound of my own blood. Then I remembered where I was and who it was taking to, and mentally doused myself in cold water before my sparking panic started a wildfire.
Hospitals were not good places for mental breakdowns, regardless of how thematically appropriate it may be. At the very least this meant I might be able to help more people, especially Shinji, Asuka, and Rei. If I had the power to make their lives even a little bit better and didn't, I'd never be able to forgive myself. Even if being an Eva Pilot was generally pretty terrible, I'd make it worth it. I had to.
So I took a deep breath, carefully organizing my thoughts and emotions till they were all in their own neat little boxes I was certain my voice would come out as something at least resembling stable. "….Okay. Where will I be staying?" I questioned, mind immediately flying to distant memories of Shinji's life with Misato. If I ended up there…well I wasn't sure what I'd do, but I didn't think it'd be good for anyone.
"To be determined. The 3rd child's battle against the 3rd angel was more destructive than we anticipated, and many of the potential places we'd had lined up are gone." I nodded along. I didn't exactly have a good view of the battle, being on the ground and all, but I could imagine 2 skyscraper sized titans throwing hands would leave more than a little bit of destruction in their wake.
"For now you'll be staying in the NERV Barracks within the Geofront. We'll keep most of your belongings in storage till something more permanent is figured out. Now, any other questions?" She asked. Leaning back In her chair. It still irked me how she looked so…calm, as if nothing was wrong in the world and thus was just another perfectly normal day.
But her attitude was helping me stay grounded, and for that I was infinitely thankful. "Alright, um…how long was I out for, and is there anything outside of NERV stuff I'll be required to do?" I already had a sneaking suspicion of what'd be the case for the latter, and I'd like to know the former for my own piece of mind. It'd been evening when I'd woken up, and nightfall by the time Sachiel was blowing up, but there were no windows in the room for me to gauge the time.
"About 30 hours, though a third of that was medically induced for us to treat the burns on your back. Now that you're awake there isn't anything stopping us from getting you discharged, so we'll be leaving shortly." She said, leaning forward, her hands came out of her pockets to clasp in front of her. "As for other things we'll require of you, school is the only one. You've been enrolled in the first Municipal Junior High with the 1st and 3rd child."
I nodded, suppressing a frustrated groan. Going from having been well and done with high school of any kind to being back in middle school wasn't going to be very much fun. At the very least I was confident most of the material would be easy for me, but that didn't mean I'd enjoy it. It also answered a few more questions that were lower on my list, that primarily being my age. If I was being enrolled in middle school, that meant I was likely somewhere between 12 and 15.
Being de-aged also wasn't great. Puberty hadn't hit me very hard before, but it was still a hassle I wasn't keen on reliving. Unfortunately I didn't have a choice in the matter. With any luck I'd be able to keep any stupid teenage hormones under control with sheer force of will and my greater mental age. I let out a long sigh, allowing my shoulders to slump.
This was…so much, too much, and my ability to compartmentalize was being tested. Later I'd have to give myself time to decompress and more thoroughly organize everything, but for now I was still functional and that was the most important thing. "Okay. Is there anything else?" I asked, eyes locked on my hands. I'd been tapping out basic rudiments for a while now, and right now my hands had settled on different variations of paradiddles.
"Not at the moment, though I Should warn you that as of now you're our only active pilot. Unit-01 is being repaired, and the 1st child is on medical leave, so you'll be the provisional Pilot of Unit-00 till then.I have you scheduled for a sync test tomorrow morning" And through all of that she maintained the same causal matter of fact speech as if she hadn't just dropped another massive bomb on me. I took a deep breath, held it for several seconds, then let it out. Ritsuko did not look even slightly apologetic, and I had to squash the urge to throttle her for waiting to tell me something so critical.
"….okay." I said, doing my very best to keep my voice calm, though after all that my patience for this woman had been worn thin. As such I had little in the way of reservations about the words that left my mouth . "Dr.Akagi, I'd never presume to tell you how to do your job, but I feel like your bedside manor could use some work" I spoke with my best recreation of her own tone, looking the doctor in the eyes the whole time.
The doctors eyes widened, her mouth hanging open. A beat of silence between us before Ritsuko let out a short barking laugh. The sound was sharp and grating, and I almost jumped, but only almost. "Good thing I'm not that sort of doctor then." She said as she rose to her feet, taking a moment to smooth her jacket. "Now then, I have paperwork to do. A couple of section 2 agents will be by to escort you to the barracks soon. Have a good evening Khamuro" and with that she made for the door.
Though before walking through, the doctor paused, meeting my eyes again over her shoulder. "For what it's worth, you did a good thing saving that girl. I'm glad we have someone like you in an Eva" and before I could formulate a response she was gone, the door clicking shut. I couldn't even hear her retreating footsteps.
And then I was alone again. The silence seemed to echo off the walls as I slumped back against my bed. I focused on the ceiling, hands stilling as I went over everything I'd learned.
I was In the world of Neon Genesis Evangelion.
I was slated to pilot Eva Unit-03.
Until Rei was in fighting shape, I'd be piloting Unit-00.
I let out a longsuffering breath, focus turning inwards as I worked to organize my own head. Getting every bit of new information and the emotions attached stowed away in a manner that would let me keep moving was both a good distraction and a necessary action, which made it perfect for killing time. So I laid there, perception of time slipping away as the thoughts that'd been running around in barley controlled chaos were finally wrangled into proper order.
It could've been a few minutes, or maybe hours. It might've only been a few seconds, but I certainly wasn't counting. All I really knew was that the moment I felt I'd settled my head back into easy to comprehend neatness, my door opened for the 3rd time. This time my visitor was neither hospital staff or high ranking nerve members, but a pair of people in black suits. The man and women were both wearing dark sunglasses that thoroughly obscured their eyes, and combined with the stoic line of their mouths I had little in the way of insight on either of them.
I grew just the slightest bit nervous as the man approached me, a new nurse hurrying in after him. I held out my right arm wordlessly, my focus on what could only be the section 2 agents as the nurse went about freeing me from the medical instruments.
"Hello Mr.Shang. I'm Agent Akiko and that-" he gestured towards the women standing by the door. "Is my partner agent Tsubaka. We'll be escorting you to NERV HQ." He explained as the nurse finished removing the last tube from my arm. There was a small bead of blood that was quickly wiped away, a bandage placed over the small wound.
"Okay, you're free to leave now" the nurse said as she stepped back. The moment she was clear of my side I uncovered my legs, casting the sheet aside as I swung them over. It felt good not to sway as I stood up, though as I rose something became quite clear to me. I was…tall, relatively at least. Despite the fact that the man before me was likely twice my age I was looking down on him, if only slightly. I had half a head on the nurse that'd taken out the IV, and was also standing above the other Section 2 Agent.
Briefly I wondered if I'd somehow kept my old height before remembering that I was In Japan. The average height here wasn't that much lower than in the US, but it seemed I'd kept most traits of my old body. That meant I was hovering somewhere around 5'5" give or take an inch. I wasn't that much shorter than the average Japanese man….
I pushed the thoughts away. My height didn't matter in the grand scheme of things, especially when Agent Akiko was motioning for me to follow him.
"Please stay close to us Mr.Shang."
I nodded, giving a hum of affirmation as I resolved to make the agent's job as easy as possible. I'd been responsible for keeping people safe enough times to know how stressful a wandering-or god forbid uncooperative charge could be.
So I followed obediently, taking full advantage of my long legs to keep pace with Agent Akiko. I didn't need to look to know his partner was behind me, covering both our backs as we left my room, navigating the hospital's winding halls. It was as we were walking that something else occurred to me. Everything was in Japanese. That made sense of course, seeing as I was in Japan, but what caught my attention was that I could read it. Why exactly eluded me because I'd never learned more than the basics of the basics of Japanese as a spoken language, let alone it's over complicated writing system.
And yet the Kanji that denoted room numbers and directions made perfect sense to me as if I'd been reading them my whole life. It was surreal, and as convenient as my memory's inconsistencies. I obviously wasn't exactly complaining, since this let me casually sidestep a concern I hadn't even thought about yet, though if language barriers were going to stand in my way it almost certainly would've come up by now. It was kinda funny, because really this was only a small thing compared to everything else, and yet it held my attention all the way to the Hospital's Foyer.
Which I only realized because Agent Akiko had stopped, and it was only years of marching band that had me stopping with him. He'd raised a finger to his ear, speaking too quietly for me to hear. I took the brief break we'd gotten to look around, my eyes scanning the foyer. It was for the most part empty, though there was a couple seated in a corner speaking to each other in low tones. Part of me had expected the place to be more crowded, but if I remembered correctly, most people were in shelters when Angels came knocking.
My focus steadily returned to the 2 agents in my retinue. We still hadn't moved yet, which left me increasingly worried. I'd promised myself to do everything I could to make the Agent's job as easy as possible, but surely asking a simple question wouldn't make anything more difficult. Or at least that's what I told myself as my mouth opened.
"Is something wrong?" I tried to be as non-accusatory as possible with my inquiry, though it was difficult to gauge if I'd succeed when the majority of both Agent's faces were hidden behind opaque shades.
"Nothing to worry about. Akiko is just ensuring the car is prepared." Tsubaka answered me, wearing a reassuring smile as she did. I nodded, accepting her response without question. I figured it was probably something that mundane, but nothing quite compared to having someone confirm that a situation was indeed as boring as it seemed, and I'd savor every bit of boredom I could get. Because boring was safe. Boring meant that everything was business as usual and there were no Angles or shadowy organizations manipulating children to kill humanity.
So I savored this bit of mundanity as much as I could, because it was only a matter of time before that became a thing of the past.
Maybe not to you, but the squirrel that called it home may disagree.
——
I didn't recognize the ceiling above me. I didn't recognize the mattress beneath me either, or the pillows under my head, or the sheet covering me. Nothing about this room was familiar, and as memories came rushing back to me I knew exactly why. I couldn't imagine a more fitting situation given the circumstances. I could only really guess as to how long it'd been since Sachiel's death. I'd probably been out longer than Shinji seeing as I didn't have the pleasure of being inside a giant semi-sentient biomech when the explosion hit.
Thought I didn't hurt too bad, and Sakura had be-
I jerked up, jostling the various tubes and wires connected to my arm as. Sakura! I'd been holding her when the explosion happened. She'd been in my arms and now she was gone and it had dread pooling in the bottom of my stomach. Had she survived? Was she okay? I didn't know, and I wasn't sure what I'd do if I didn't find out soon. I could hear my heart monitor beeping faster and faster as I prepared to rip the cords in my arm out and turn whatever hospital I was in upside down looking for her.
Though just as my hand closed around the various wires connecting me to the machines, the door to the room slammed open. My grip on the IV and other worries slacked just a bit as my gaze shot up to the doorway. In it stood a somewhat haggard looking nurse, her breath coming in short puffs. She'd obviously run here, which meant I was probably being monitored. Why exactly was beyond my care at the moment.
Me and the nurse were both silent. I was as still as a statue whole she shifted slightly with each breath. The silence between us dragged on for 1 beat, then 2, then a 3rd and 4th till the nurse finally caught her breath. She straightened her posture, no longer gripping the door frame as she smoothed over her ruffled scrubs. Her hair was still a little messy but she looked a hell of a lot calmer, if a bit nervous.
She approached me, and my eyes tracked her the whole way. Finally, she dined to break the void of conversation between us.
"Please don't pull out your IV. It was a bit of a struggle to get in to begin with"
I hesitated, then slowly let go of the tubes in my arm, instead clasping my hands together if only to occupy them. The nurse's shoulders sagged minutely at that, and I felt a pang of guilt run through me. The life of a healthcare professional was one fraught with stress and anxiety that knew no bounds, and I should really be doing a better job of adding as little to that as possible.
The nurse settled not far from my bedside, producing a clipboard from…somewhere. "Right then Khamuro-if I may call you by your given name that is. I have a few questions I'd like you to answer if that's alright"
The nurse spoke, but the words went right over my head, because she'd called me…Khamuro, and that wasn't my name. My name was…..my name was…..it started with….
I tried again and again to conjure up what was one of the most fundamental parts of my being, but every time I tried, I was met with nothing, or rather I was met with something unfamiliar and yet familiar all the same. Part of me agreed wholeheartedly that my name was indeed Khamuro. Khamuro Lee Shang to be exact, but another deeper part of me was certain that that was completely incorrect. But all attempts to think of anything else ended in failure…
I didn't shake my head, but I did dismiss the more then a little unsettling thoughts for now. Names and memories were a problem for future me, because the nurse was looking at me with increasing worry, and a hospital room in Tokyo-3 was not the place I wanted to have an identity crisis induced breakdown.
"R-right, ask away" I said, putting on a smile I knew looked shaky. The nurse looked skeptical, and wrote something down on her clipboard before speaking to me again.
"Of course, now first up, Khamuro, what of the last 48 hours do you remember?" She questioned. That'd be easy to answer at least, seeing as most of my recent memories were likely from the last 2 days. It also meant I'd been out cold for at least 12 hours, probably more. I wasn't sure how forthcoming the Nurse would expect me to be, but I'd always preferred to foster goodwill, and right now the best way to do that was by being as honest as possible.
So, I told her everything. From my sudden and painful awakening to my tumble down the debris pile and discovering the loss of my glasses. She wrote something else down when I mentioned that, before asking me to continue. So I did, until I got to Sakura that is. The worry over her condition hadn't faded, only been shunted to the side. Now it was making itself the center of my attention again, and I had no intention of dismissing it.
"The Girl, Sakura. Is she okay? Can I see her?" I didn't particularly care that I sounded desperate towards the end. I needed to know if she was okay yesterday.
The the nurse looked surprised for a moment, but then started giggling, and I felt indignation surge in my chest. I was just about to ask what was so funny when she finally answered me.
"Ms.Suzuhara is alright. She's actually across the hall. It was very difficult to separate the two of you, and even then she insisted on being nearby." The nurse had a teasing tone to her voice, and I couldn't help my cheeks heating up. Her tone turned apologetic as she went on. "She's not quite cleared for visitors yet, but she has asked for you. You'll be allowed to see her as soon as her parents have arrived."
I nodded in understanding, even if I wasn't very happy about it. Knowing that Sakura was okay would have to suffice for the time being. In any case, I had a story to finish, so I continued on.
From leaving the train station and almost dying in the crossfire between Unit-01 and Sachiel to the last moments I remember before the explosion drowned my perception in heat and light, I regaled the Nurse with all that I could recall. She nodded along with each word, stopping me occasionally to ask for elaboration. By the time my story was done I was honestly feeling more than a little tired. Reliving what was easily the most harrowing experience of my life hadn't been very easy…
"Alright. Thank you Khamuro. Do you know why you were in Tokyo-3?"
I cringed internally. This question was guaranteed to come up sooner or later, and I'd only really formulated one way to answer, and it was the same way I'd answered the first question: honesty. I Simply shook my head. If I was being asked to recall the events that brought me to the hospital they'd probably suspected I was having memory issues. Which Wasn't entirely untrue, and Incredibly convenient for me, which I planned to take full advantage of.
"Okay…" the nurse said, writing on her clipboard again before looking back up. "Okay, last question and I'll be handing you over to Dr.Akagi. On a scale of 1 to 10, how much pain are you in?"
Ah, that was easily the most normal question I'd been asked, and the simplest to answer. Aside from a dull ache around my IV and the other cords stuck into me I felt just fine. There was also numbness on pretty much my entire back but that didn't really qualify as pain. Overall I was feeling leagues better than when I'd first awoken. Granted that was a fairly low bar considering just how garbage I'd felt before. "A two I think. The spot around my IV is a little achy, but that's it"
The nurse smiled, writing on her clipboard one last time. "Wonderful. Thank you for your cooperation Khamuro. Dr.Akagi will be with you soon, so please sit tight until then" and with that the nurse bid me farewell, and I was left alone again as the door clicked shut behind her. I sighed, my hands coming undone so I could pop my fingers one by one. The cracks were satisfying and filled the silence as I contemplated the list of questions I'd gathered.
First was of course why I was here, in Tokyo-3 Japan instead of Fort Worth Texas. There was obviously no easy answer to that question, so it was shelved as quickly as it was brought up. Second was why every time I thought of my name I could only think of one that was familiar yet not. Khamuro Lee Shang, both perfectly right and horribly wrong. Unfortunately that fell into the same boat as my first question. I could only ever speculate as to the true answer, and knowing myself I could easily waste hours counting up possible answers on both matters.
For better or worse, I was here now. I didn't particularly like that fact, but…there wasn't anything I could do about it. Best to focus on things that I could actually influence, like why I was here in Tokyo-3. Not the universe hopping part, but being here specifically. I'd arrived in time to see the duel between Shinji and Sachiel, but why? Was I visiting family, or had I somehow been involved with NERV? Those were things I could at least find out with enough digging. Though before I could formulate a proper plan of action my door swung open again.
I instantly recognized the women standing in the doorway as one Ritsuko Akagi. From her trademarked lab coat to her blond dyed neck length hair. It was…odd, seeing someone that'd only ever existed on a sceen living and breathing before me. She was just as real as me, a bonafide human being with all the joys and horrors that entailed. She didn't pause in the door like the nurse had, hardly breaking stride as she approached me, hands in her coat pockets. She exuded a sort of cool professionalism that I couldn't help but admire, and part of me wondered how a woman like her could ever fall for someone like Gendo Ikari.
"Nice to have you joining us in the land of the living Mr.Shang, or do you prefer Khamuro?" She said as she settled In a chair next to my bed. When exactly it got there I didn't know, nor care. Ritsuko was waiting for me to answer her and I didn't wanna make this awkward like I had with the nurse.
"I'd prefer Khamuro." I said quickly. The idea of people referring to me by my last name-let alone with the title Mr made me a special type of uncomfy. Ritsuko didn't bat an eye at my response, pushing onwards as soon as I'd stated my preferred name.
"Of course Khamruo. You know, you're incredibly lucky. The blast from the 3rd Angel's self destruction vaporized almost everything around it. The building you hid behind was just half molten foundations" she said casually, as if me and Sakura almost dying was as interesting as the weather. "You got away with only 2nd and 3rd degree burns on your back and a few bruises." She went on, just as conversational as when she started. "A good thing too. We would've been in some hot water if we lost you. Now, The nurse tells me your memory is spotty, so let me lay this all out now"
Ritsuko's voice brokered no argument, and the half formed sentence I'd been preparing died on my tongue. "On June 28th, 2015, you were designated the 5th child by the Murdock Report." I had mere moments to process her words before more were being flung at me. "As of July 1st, you were made an employee and ward of NERV and the designated pilot for Evangelion Unit-03-" wait unit 03!? Wasn't that one going to be corrupted by Bardiel? "-and In compliance with the Commander's request for more Eva Units in preparation for the arrival of the angels, you were transported here. Unit-03 is only a few weeks behind you"
I blinked slowly and deliberately a few times. That was…well it was a little to much to process in one go. On the bright side I had some of my most immediately important questions answered. I was here because I was going to be an Eva pilot.
I was going to be an Eva pilot.
Oh god.
My heart did something unpleasant as my heart rate monitor began beeping faster, and for a moment all I could hear was the sound of my own blood. Then I remembered where I was and who it was taking to, and mentally doused myself in cold water before my sparking panic started a wildfire.
Hospitals were not good places for mental breakdowns, regardless of how thematically appropriate it may be. At the very least this meant I might be able to help more people, especially Shinji, Asuka, and Rei. If I had the power to make their lives even a little bit better and didn't, I'd never be able to forgive myself. Even if being an Eva Pilot was generally pretty terrible, I'd make it worth it. I had to.
So I took a deep breath, carefully organizing my thoughts and emotions till they were all in their own neat little boxes I was certain my voice would come out as something at least resembling stable. "….Okay. Where will I be staying?" I questioned, mind immediately flying to distant memories of Shinji's life with Misato. If I ended up there…well I wasn't sure what I'd do, but I didn't think it'd be good for anyone.
"To be determined. The 3rd child's battle against the 3rd angel was more destructive than we anticipated, and many of the potential places we'd had lined up are gone." I nodded along. I didn't exactly have a good view of the battle, being on the ground and all, but I could imagine 2 skyscraper sized titans throwing hands would leave more than a little bit of destruction in their wake.
"For now you'll be staying in the NERV Barracks within the Geofront. We'll keep most of your belongings in storage till something more permanent is figured out. Now, any other questions?" She asked. Leaning back In her chair. It still irked me how she looked so…calm, as if nothing was wrong in the world and thus was just another perfectly normal day.
But her attitude was helping me stay grounded, and for that I was infinitely thankful. "Alright, um…how long was I out for, and is there anything outside of NERV stuff I'll be required to do?" I already had a sneaking suspicion of what'd be the case for the latter, and I'd like to know the former for my own piece of mind. It'd been evening when I'd woken up, and nightfall by the time Sachiel was blowing up, but there were no windows in the room for me to gauge the time.
"About 30 hours, though a third of that was medically induced for us to treat the burns on your back. Now that you're awake there isn't anything stopping us from getting you discharged, so we'll be leaving shortly." She said, leaning forward, her hands came out of her pockets to clasp in front of her. "As for other things we'll require of you, school is the only one. You've been enrolled in the first Municipal Junior High with the 1st and 3rd child."
I nodded, suppressing a frustrated groan. Going from having been well and done with high school of any kind to being back in middle school wasn't going to be very much fun. At the very least I was confident most of the material would be easy for me, but that didn't mean I'd enjoy it. It also answered a few more questions that were lower on my list, that primarily being my age. If I was being enrolled in middle school, that meant I was likely somewhere between 12 and 15.
Being de-aged also wasn't great. Puberty hadn't hit me very hard before, but it was still a hassle I wasn't keen on reliving. Unfortunately I didn't have a choice in the matter. With any luck I'd be able to keep any stupid teenage hormones under control with sheer force of will and my greater mental age. I let out a long sigh, allowing my shoulders to slump.
This was…so much, too much, and my ability to compartmentalize was being tested. Later I'd have to give myself time to decompress and more thoroughly organize everything, but for now I was still functional and that was the most important thing. "Okay. Is there anything else?" I asked, eyes locked on my hands. I'd been tapping out basic rudiments for a while now, and right now my hands had settled on different variations of paradiddles.
"Not at the moment, though I Should warn you that as of now you're our only active pilot. Unit-01 is being repaired, and the 1st child is on medical leave, so you'll be the provisional Pilot of Unit-00 till then.I have you scheduled for a sync test tomorrow morning" And through all of that she maintained the same causal matter of fact speech as if she hadn't just dropped another massive bomb on me. I took a deep breath, held it for several seconds, then let it out. Ritsuko did not look even slightly apologetic, and I had to squash the urge to throttle her for waiting to tell me something so critical.
"….okay." I said, doing my very best to keep my voice calm, though after all that my patience for this woman had been worn thin. As such I had little in the way of reservations about the words that left my mouth . "Dr.Akagi, I'd never presume to tell you how to do your job, but I feel like your bedside manor could use some work" I spoke with my best recreation of her own tone, looking the doctor in the eyes the whole time.
The doctors eyes widened, her mouth hanging open. A beat of silence between us before Ritsuko let out a short barking laugh. The sound was sharp and grating, and I almost jumped, but only almost. "Good thing I'm not that sort of doctor then." She said as she rose to her feet, taking a moment to smooth her jacket. "Now then, I have paperwork to do. A couple of section 2 agents will be by to escort you to the barracks soon. Have a good evening Khamuro" and with that she made for the door.
Though before walking through, the doctor paused, meeting my eyes again over her shoulder. "For what it's worth, you did a good thing saving that girl. I'm glad we have someone like you in an Eva" and before I could formulate a response she was gone, the door clicking shut. I couldn't even hear her retreating footsteps.
And then I was alone again. The silence seemed to echo off the walls as I slumped back against my bed. I focused on the ceiling, hands stilling as I went over everything I'd learned.
I was In the world of Neon Genesis Evangelion.
I was slated to pilot Eva Unit-03.
Until Rei was in fighting shape, I'd be piloting Unit-00.
I let out a longsuffering breath, focus turning inwards as I worked to organize my own head. Getting every bit of new information and the emotions attached stowed away in a manner that would let me keep moving was both a good distraction and a necessary action, which made it perfect for killing time. So I laid there, perception of time slipping away as the thoughts that'd been running around in barley controlled chaos were finally wrangled into proper order.
It could've been a few minutes, or maybe hours. It might've only been a few seconds, but I certainly wasn't counting. All I really knew was that the moment I felt I'd settled my head back into easy to comprehend neatness, my door opened for the 3rd time. This time my visitor was neither hospital staff or high ranking nerve members, but a pair of people in black suits. The man and women were both wearing dark sunglasses that thoroughly obscured their eyes, and combined with the stoic line of their mouths I had little in the way of insight on either of them.
I grew just the slightest bit nervous as the man approached me, a new nurse hurrying in after him. I held out my right arm wordlessly, my focus on what could only be the section 2 agents as the nurse went about freeing me from the medical instruments.
"Hello Mr.Shang. I'm Agent Akiko and that-" he gestured towards the women standing by the door. "Is my partner agent Tsubaka. We'll be escorting you to NERV HQ." He explained as the nurse finished removing the last tube from my arm. There was a small bead of blood that was quickly wiped away, a bandage placed over the small wound.
"Okay, you're free to leave now" the nurse said as she stepped back. The moment she was clear of my side I uncovered my legs, casting the sheet aside as I swung them over. It felt good not to sway as I stood up, though as I rose something became quite clear to me. I was…tall, relatively at least. Despite the fact that the man before me was likely twice my age I was looking down on him, if only slightly. I had half a head on the nurse that'd taken out the IV, and was also standing above the other Section 2 Agent.
Briefly I wondered if I'd somehow kept my old height before remembering that I was In Japan. The average height here wasn't that much lower than in the US, but it seemed I'd kept most traits of my old body. That meant I was hovering somewhere around 5'5" give or take an inch. I wasn't that much shorter than the average Japanese man….
I pushed the thoughts away. My height didn't matter in the grand scheme of things, especially when Agent Akiko was motioning for me to follow him.
"Please stay close to us Mr.Shang."
I nodded, giving a hum of affirmation as I resolved to make the agent's job as easy as possible. I'd been responsible for keeping people safe enough times to know how stressful a wandering-or god forbid uncooperative charge could be.
So I followed obediently, taking full advantage of my long legs to keep pace with Agent Akiko. I didn't need to look to know his partner was behind me, covering both our backs as we left my room, navigating the hospital's winding halls. It was as we were walking that something else occurred to me. Everything was in Japanese. That made sense of course, seeing as I was in Japan, but what caught my attention was that I could read it. Why exactly eluded me because I'd never learned more than the basics of the basics of Japanese as a spoken language, let alone it's over complicated writing system.
And yet the Kanji that denoted room numbers and directions made perfect sense to me as if I'd been reading them my whole life. It was surreal, and as convenient as my memory's inconsistencies. I obviously wasn't exactly complaining, since this let me casually sidestep a concern I hadn't even thought about yet, though if language barriers were going to stand in my way it almost certainly would've come up by now. It was kinda funny, because really this was only a small thing compared to everything else, and yet it held my attention all the way to the Hospital's Foyer.
Which I only realized because Agent Akiko had stopped, and it was only years of marching band that had me stopping with him. He'd raised a finger to his ear, speaking too quietly for me to hear. I took the brief break we'd gotten to look around, my eyes scanning the foyer. It was for the most part empty, though there was a couple seated in a corner speaking to each other in low tones. Part of me had expected the place to be more crowded, but if I remembered correctly, most people were in shelters when Angels came knocking.
My focus steadily returned to the 2 agents in my retinue. We still hadn't moved yet, which left me increasingly worried. I'd promised myself to do everything I could to make the Agent's job as easy as possible, but surely asking a simple question wouldn't make anything more difficult. Or at least that's what I told myself as my mouth opened.
"Is something wrong?" I tried to be as non-accusatory as possible with my inquiry, though it was difficult to gauge if I'd succeed when the majority of both Agent's faces were hidden behind opaque shades.
"Nothing to worry about. Akiko is just ensuring the car is prepared." Tsubaka answered me, wearing a reassuring smile as she did. I nodded, accepting her response without question. I figured it was probably something that mundane, but nothing quite compared to having someone confirm that a situation was indeed as boring as it seemed, and I'd savor every bit of boredom I could get. Because boring was safe. Boring meant that everything was business as usual and there were no Angles or shadowy organizations manipulating children to kill humanity.
So I savored this bit of mundanity as much as I could, because it was only a matter of time before that became a thing of the past.
Last edited:
- Location
- Seattle, Washington, USA
Typo. NERV is an acronym.
- Pronouns
- They/Them
Thank you for catching that : )
Chapter 3: In Pursuit Of Happiness
- Pronouns
- They/Them
Everyone wants to be happy. To feel fulfilled and content, but it is in humanity's nature to desire more. To secure the future no matter what disaster may strike.
But you can't secure happiness, not forever.
————
I stared up at the Barracks ceiling. Despite the name I wasn't sharing the room with anyone, and it was honestly closer to an apartment then anything else. The little room had an attached bathroom, though I'd yet to actually use it. Instead I'd face planting into the bed as soon as I laid eyes on it. Though despite my apparent exhaustion, I'd been unable to fall asleep. My body was certainly physically tired, even after a 30 hour long nap. But my mind was still racing.
Instead of sleeping I'd been meticulously going over every last detail I could remember of the world of Evangelion, which was frustratingly little. I had the broad strokes of course, and even finer details on the more closely guarded bits of information such as the truth of the Evas, Seele's existence and their plans with Gendo, and plenty of other dirty little secrets, but acting on or even utilizing half that information would be putting up a massive 'kill me' billboard for all the major players to see.
What I needed was insight to the people around me, but outside the broader strokes of their personalities and their respective traumas I knew frustratingly little. I could fix that of course, and I had every intention of doing so. One thing I knew for sure was that all 3 of my fellow pilots were deeply lonely individuals, and they each coped with it differently. Shinji wanted to be close to people, but he was too terrified of rejection and abandonment to ever take the initiative. He let himself be jerked around like a puppet, too fearful of being discarded to ever speak up for himself-especially if Gendo was involved.
Asuka violently rejected the idea of even needing other people, and she did it so loudly that if nobody was around to hear it she was liable to self-destruct. She tried so hard to be independent that she'd accidentally made herself dependent on everyone around her, her whole identity wrapped up in other people thinking she was strong and independent, Wholly self reliant and in need of no one. And Rei…Rei made herself empty. It was the only way she could cope with being so thoroughly objectified by Gendo. She thought herself a tool, and tools didn't need connections, they need only carry out their designed task. For Rei, that was fulfilling Gendo's plans.
It was awful, and thinking about it made me wanna cry, which I could actually do now with the relative privacy the room provided. But I had no doubts that my every action and reaction had been getting recorded since I woke up in the hospital. But I still really wanted to cry.
So…I did.
I laid on my back, and in my minds eye the box I'd placed all of the unpleasant feelings being here spawned was finally opened. A stabbing ache began in my chest and spread out, making my whole body feel heavy. Tears lazily slid down my cheeks, and I let out a hiccuping gasp, a hand coming to rest over my heart as It's beats grew wild. Shinji, Asuka, and Rei weren't the only ones hurting so much. Misato was still drowning her sorrows in alcohol, too close to self destruction to be a proper Guardian. Dr. Akagi was wrapped up in a man who only saw her as a means to an end, happy to discard her morals to please him.
And that was to say nothing of individuals like Kaji. He was on the more stable end at the very least, but that didn't change the fact that he was among those who were going to die. Him, Dr. Akagi, and Misato were all slated for death alongside my fellow pilots sans Shinji unless things changed, and I think that might've been my biggest motivator. It wasn't just their emotional and mental well-being on the line. It was their lives. It was the lives of the entire human race.
There were so many people here who were being completely ruined, and I knew for a fact I couldn't help all of them-I was only one person. And acknowledging that felt like being stabbed. But as much as turned my stomach into awful knots, it was a healthy reminder. A reminder that I needed to do as much as I could for the people I could help. I…I wasn't a therapist, there was no way I could solve all their problems even if I was. The power of friendship was strong, but the issues just went so deep…
But as I wiped my tears, letting the wave of sorrow recede just as it came, I resolved to always do the one thing I could with certainty. To be there for my fellow pilots, our tactical commander, and even Dr. Akagi. I knew firsthand how much that alone could help someone, and if I worked hard enough then maybe, just maybe I might be able to save each of them from the death spirals they fell into one by one. It wasn't going to be anything approaching easy, and it'd probably hurt a lot too.
Humans were messy, teenagers a morso, and the ones I'd be working most closely with were all terrified of getting anything resembling close to people. It'd be so much easier to just leave them all be. But I had the power to help them, so what choice did I have but to do just that?
These were the thoughts that rolled around in my head as the land of dreams finally opened its embrace to me. I let out a shaky breath, the last remnants of sadness evaporating away as my mind finally slowed. And then between one breath and the next, I slid comfortably into unconsciousness.
————
My world was a rainbow, colors I had no name for stretching out to an infinite horizon. They bled into each other like paint on a pallet, swirling together to give rise to even more vibrant combinations. I could almost taste the different hues on my tongue, from the sharp tang of yellow to the bitter chill of purple. The air smelled of blood and I felt like I was suspended in molasses, sinking slowly till my feet came to rest on a cold steel Dias.
Something was behind me. I didn't know what, but the longer I looked away the more I felt compelled to turn around. I could've lasted a few seconds, or maybe years. I wasn't really sure, but eventually I gave in to the growing temptation, slowly turning to face whatever thing desired so desperately to command my attention.
My vision was filled by a towering ebony behemoth, a shield in its right hand and a Javelin in its left. I named it without hesitation, my own eyes locking with the Eva's. The rainbow's origin sat where it's—no—his feet met the ground. The entity stood stark against the space behind it, and seemed almost antithetical to what came from Unit-03's feet. The land behind it was in greyscale, full of jagged edges and shattered prisms. Rivers of black with right angles converged at the back of the Eva's feet, identical to where the rainbow started.
Bisecting the two regions, a white border the opposite shade as Unit-03s armor stretching infinitely in either direction, far beyond the edges of whatever plane we stood on. But all of that was secondary to the Eva. The focal point of both worlds, and his focus was on me. Unit-03's gaze pinned me in place, and I felt as though I was being laid bare before him.
A shiver shot down my spine as the Eva dropped his Javelin, the sharpened head imbedding itself in the ground with a thud that nearly sent me tumbling. My heart rate spiked as the massive cyborg moved. His knees bent as he kneeled before me, still towering like the giant he was, but marginally less intimidating. He lowered his free hand till it was settled in front of me, palmside up.
Blood rushed in my ears, my heart racing as my gaze flitted between the Eva's hand and face. The invitation was plain as day, but I could not for the life of me fathom why Unit-03 was offering to carry me anywhere. Nonetheless, I found myself walking forward, steadying as I stepped off of the Dias and onto Unit-3's hand. Almost as soon as I found my balance in the center of his palm the Eva rose to his feet again, raising his hand till it was level with his shoulder right.
I followed the silent command without hesitation, settling onto the Eva's shoulder. I placed a hand on the cool metal of Unit-04's neck armor to maintain my balance as he recovered his Javelin. I felt…oddly at ease here, as if I was in the presence of my closest friends. As if I belonged here, standing on Unit-03's shoulder, an ant compared to the Eva.
I shifted slightly as The Titan turned, placing the rainbow and the greyscale worlds on our left and right respectively. We began walking, the Eva's steps reverberating up through his armor and into my feet, straddling the white line as the Final destination of the rivers of void and origin of the rainbow followed Unit-03's feet. Unit-03 and my vision stayed on the horizon.
And…we continued like that. Eventually I got tired of standing and sat down, feet kicking as Unit-4 continued marching. I didn't know how much time had passed, and I couldn't find it in myself to care. The moments simply passed as the Eva I was slated to pilot put one foot in front of the other. Every step brought us closer to whatever destination Unit-04 had in mind, and for now that was enough for me.
But we'd been walking for a while now, and I was getting tired. Surely unit-04 wouldn't mind if I settled in for a little cat nap? Confident that the giant biomech wouldn't have any objections, I turned to lean back against the Eva's neck, eyelids growing heavier by the second. I let out a sigh of contentment as unconsciousness claimed me.
————
A metallic knock on my room's door was the sound that roused me, though my eyes stayed shut as my brain came back into full activity. My sleep hadn't exactly been restful, not with the rapidly fading remnants of …whatever that dream had been. I could only really recall 2 worlds, one dark and sharp, the other bursting with colors I didn't think humans were even able to see. And…something standing between them, dedicated completely to its lonely vigil.
Alas, Even those broad strokes of whatever my brain had conjured up were rapidly fading, and I was willing to wager that they'd be forgotten entirely within mere hours. That was only aided by another knock on my door, this one more insistent then the last. I sighed, slowly sitting up. My hands patted around for my glasses out of habit, before I remembered that they were probably somewhere in the rubble of the train station I'd arrived in.
I'd never really been a morning person, only ever forcing myself to wake up early out of necessity. If my body had its way I'd be unconscious till noon. (Un?)fortunately, it wasn't up to my near nocturnal circadian rhythm. I gradually dragged myself out of bed, shivering when I fully discarded the covers. I rubbed my palms against my eyes as I shambled over to the door, attempting to purge the last remnants of sleep from my face before I greeted whoever had come to wake me.
When I finally reached the door, I reached out to press a button at it's side. NERV would've been a futuristic organization back in my time of 2022, as such it hadn't surprised me that their doors were all sliding ones, not a single hinge in sight. The novelty hadn't lasted very long.
The moment I pressed the button, my door slid open with a whoosh of air and near silent mechanical whir. I flinched slightly as the harsh light of the hallway illuminated my room, luckily the person at the door was close enough for me to still distinguish despite the glare. Though even then it took me a moment to properly identify the figure as Agent Tsubaka.
The woman had foregone her sunglasses, which was part of the reason it took me so long to recognize her. Aside from that she looked basically the same as when we first met, though now that it seemed I'd actually be seeing her often, I bothered to commit her appearance to memory. I couldn't distinguish her eye color in the low light, but it was easy to tell her hair was black, done up in a neat bun.
"Good Morning Mr.Shang. Your sync test is In an hour and a half, and Captain Kitsuragi wanted you to get at least a basic tour of the HQ." She informed me, then gave me a once over. I could tell she was suppressing a smile, amusement leaking into her voice as she went on. "Though I can see you aren't exactly prepared for the day. I can give you some time to get ready if you'd like"
I nodded sleepily, suppressing a yawn. I'd never gotten the chance to really change, The only new piece of clothing on my person being a new shirt, my old one having been cut away to treat my burns. Other than that I'd been in the same clothes for 3 days. That sort of thing normally never really bothered me, but after everything I'd been through a good shower would be more than appreciated.
"Okay, I'll be waiting in the hallway when you're prepared. Please don't take too long". I nodded again, letting out a barely intelligible affirmation before taping the button again. The door whizzed shut as I turned to the bathroom, stretching my arms above my head as I walked over. With any luck a good shower would be the last thing I need to wake up completely.
I tapped the button to open the bathroom door, the lights flashing on the moment I stepped inside. I winced again at the sudden brightness, but it was a necessary evil now. Last time I'd showered in the dark hadn't ended well.
I was midway through discarding my shirt when the bathroom's mirror glinted in the corner of my eye. Up until now I'd been assuming I looked basically the same, if a bit younger, but I'd yet to see for sure. I finished taking off my shirt, tossing it into a corner out of habit as I walked towards the mirror, leaning slightly on the sink to ensure no part of my reflection was blurry from distance.
I glanced at the large bandage covering my back, which stood out rather clearly against my dark skin. It started at my shoulders and went all the way down past my waistband. Now that I was paying attention, I could feel the distinct lack of any sensation where the bandage covered.
As I turned to the mirror completely, The face that met me was like my new name, both familiar-because this body and my old one shared the same ebony skin tone-and not because that was the where the similarities began and ended. My hair was a lot shorter for one. Gone were my shoulder length locks, replaced with a curly Afro that barely obscured my ears. It was like I'd never gotten dreads and just let my hair keep growing naturally.
My eyes were almond shaped, though that change wasn't massive, it was easy to spot when I was used to something else. But the shape of my eyes was inconsequential compared to what had happened to my Irises. Before my eyes had been a mundane brown, nothing particularly noteworthy about them. Now? There was no ring of one color around my pupil.
Instead I was met with a kaleidoscope layered over a void. A brown so incredibly dark it couldn't be described as anything other than black, flecked with every color on the rainbow like someone had spilt a box of broken chalk all over asphalt. It was like a stained glass window, and I could only distinguish my pupil because it was even darker then my iris.
I blinked a few times to ensure that what it was seeing was indeed my own eye. When the colors scattered over my inky irises not only stayed, but shifted like the light refracting through a spinning diamond, I heaved out a shaky breath….
I closed my eyes, mostly because I wasn't sure if I could handle the sight of them anymore, but also because it helped me organize my head. I looked to be at least some portion Asian now, though what ethnicity exactly eluded me. My hair was as though I'd never chosen to follow in my sister's footsteps, and my eyes looked more like a painting. But Despite everything, I was still me.
I breathed in, held it for 10 seconds, then slowly let it out. As disturbing as this was, it was only another drop in the bucket. I was wasting time, and I still felt grimy from the past few days. I pulled my attention away from the mirror, finished undressing, and stepped into the shower.
The initial shock of cold water was enough to purge whatever remnants of sleep the surprise of seeing my eyes had missed, and I made the water scalding to ensure the warmth wouldn't lull me back to sleep. It was odd having no real sensation on my back, just the pressure of the massive bandage that'd stuck to me while I was out.
After I finished boiling myself alive, I stepped out of the shower and onto the rug set just outside it. The room had yet to cool, still filled mostly with steam, and I wasn't complaining seeing as it obscured the mirror and by proxy my appearance.
I dried myself quickly, Though my hair was still dripping and likely would be for several hours. I had a tour and a sync test to get to as such, I left the bathroom as soon as I was sure I wouldn't leave a puddle after every step.
Cold air met me as I left the bathroom behind. I walked across the room to the closet's door, which had a handle. I grabbed it, sliding the closet open, revealing dozens of sets of identical outfits. I wasn't sure what I was expecting, but a NERV staff uniform wasn't it. Though Dr.Akagi had outright stated virtually all of my stuff was in storage. That included my clothes.
So I put on the uniform, which ended up fitting a lot better than I'd been expecting, though seeing as plugsuits were a thing, NERV probably had every last one of my measurements down to the nanometer.
In any case, after a good shower paired with a clean set of clothes, I was feeling a lot better, and more importantly prepared for the day ahead. When I left my room, Agent Tsubaka was as she'd said she'd be, waiting just a few steps down the hall, leaning against the wall. Her head turned towards me the moment the door opened.
"Ready to go?" She asked, smiling slightly, and for the briefest moment a faked response sat on the tip of my tongue. But…I had committed pretty hard to being honest so far, so I may as well keep it up now too.
"Not in the slightest. Can't wait any longer though." I wore a somewhat strained smile. Just because I was feeling better didn't mean I was feeling good, but the world didn't stop turning just because I couldn't get up in the morning.
Tsubaka's smile softened "Don't worry, we'll only be covering the basic facilities, and our first stop will be the cafeteria.". I perked up at that, the gnawing emptiness in my stomach growing even more pronounced with the promise of food. The only sustenance I'd received since arrival had been through a tube directly into my bloodstream. As such, I was as hungry as any growing teenage boy would be.
A fact that was punctuated by a bestial growl from my stomach, drawing a laugh from Tsubaka while my cheeks heated. "Let's get going. Like you said, we can't wait any longer" and with that the agent turned on her heel, striding down the hall and presumably towards the cafeteria.
I shook away my embarrassment, briefly scrambling to catch up with her before I fell in step trialing just a few feet behind. As we walked, Tsubaka pointed out a few hallways and signs and where exactly they led. Most of it was unimportant, things like rec rooms and restrooms. I'd gathered pretty quickly that we were in the residential portion of the Geofront, where a sizable chunk of the more essential nerve staff stayed.
We didn't stay in the area long, and I was soon introduced to the quite frankly terrifying maze of escalators and moving walkways that connected various portions of NERV. I tried and mostly failed to remember the more important places Tsubaka pointed out like the Eva Cages and emergency entrances and exits, and before I knew it I was being sat down at a table in the main cafeteria.
Tsubaka had taken the seat across from me, and was currently pushing a plate of food towards me. The moment the smell of syrup hit my nose my entire world became the Pancakes before me. I knew Taubaka was probably saying something, but at the moment I was too hungry to care.
When I was able to focus on the world around me again, I immediately felt embarrassment surging. I swallowed the slice of my pancake, absently noting that half was already gone. "Ah, Sorry about that…I uh, guess I was hungrier than I thought" I averted my eyes as I spoke.
"Think nothing of it. You've been through quite a lot since your arrival here in Tokyo 3. Quite frankly I think you're handing things very well." The agent said as she continued her own meal at a far more sedate pace then myself. "There isn't very much left to cover after this, so we'll be heading to the Eva Cages for your sync test with unit-00 soon"
I nodded, returning to my food. I didn't inhale what was on my plate this time, and now that I was actually bothering to savor it, the pancakes were…good. Not great, and a far cry from the meals my grandfather made, but it was filling, and that's what I needed most right now.
All in all, breakfast was a short affair. There were places to be and things to do. As Tsubaka said there wasn't a whole lot left to cover for the tour, and we finished it off quickly.
Which meant it was time for my sync test…
As such, Tsubaka and I were headed to the Eva cages. Before we'd only passed by them, and while they weren't particularly impressive from the outside, now that we were in I could see just how grand the facilities really were. The various images I'd seen online and in the show couldn't compare to the scale of seeing it all in person. From the numerous crisscrossing catwalks to the distant forms of the Eva Catapults, it was all just so….big.
Though as Tsubaka led me through the maze of suspended walkways, I couldn't help but find my eyes lingering on Unit-00, the only Eva actively occupying its gantry. It was also the only Eva in Japan that was combat ready. Until Rei was in fighting shape it was the Eva i'd be piloting. I knew that despite its mechanical appearance, Unit-00 was just as alive as me. And yet it looked so….
Still. An unmoving statue that existed in blatant defiance of the constant motion of life. It was unnerving, if only because I understood the true nature of the creature before me.
I shook my head, pulling my attention away from the orange titan just in time to notice we were approaching Dr. Akagi. She stood on the catwalk crossing directly in front of Unit-00, wearing a wetsuit under her lab coat. LCL clung to her hair, and combined with the diving equipment sitting at her feet, the Doctor had probably been busy getting a closer look at the Eva.
Ritsuko glanced at Tsubaka and I as we slowly drew to a stop next to her, silence hanging in the air for a few seconds till Dr. Akagi chose to break it.
"So, what do you think?"
I blinked a few times, glancing between the bottle blond and Unit-00, finally settling on looking up at Unit-00's eye. I thought a lot of things, but voicing most of them would lead to me being asked questions I couldn't easily answer, so i'd just have to lie. By omission of course.
"I think you guys should've chosen a better paint scheme."
I heard Tsubaka snort to my right, followed by a small laugh from Dr. Akagi. I'd never been a huge fan of Unit-00's colors, both before and after it's refit, and i'd be damned if i didn't let at least someone know that that gaudy orange needed to go as soon as possible.
"I'll look into alternate pallets for Unit-00's refit then. By the way, you may want to lose the shirt and pants, unless you want to try getting LCL out of clothes of course"
There was a beat of silence, then 2 as I replayed what the good doctor had just said to ensure I had indeed heard her correctly. The silence dragged on for a little longer as I contemplated how much trouble i'd get into for pushing Ritsuko back into the LCL filling Unit-00's gantry.
"Dr. Akagi…did you just ask me, a 14 year old boy, to strip?" I tried my best to keep my voice from shaking, though i didn't think it worked very well, especially when the doctor looked at me like I was the crazy one.
"Yes. Clothing can interfere with the synchronization process and skew our data. Normally we'd provide you with a plugsuit, but none of the ones on hand will fit. The next best thing is removing as much clothing as possible" She spoke as if these were simple facts, knowledge as common as gravity being the force that kept everyone's feet on the ground.
"Didn't Shinji just go in with his clothes on?!" I borderline shouted as I rounded on the doctor.
Ritsuko was quiet for a moment, giving me a look I couldn't quite decipher other than the fact that I felt like a bug under a microscope. Then the moment passed and the doctor nodded slightly. "He did, but the 1st child was already hesitant about piloting and we were under too much of a time crunch to do things by the book. If you really want to keep all your clothes on I won't stop you, but it'll be your half dozen trips to the laundromat."
And then we stared at each other, a silent battle of wills raging between us.
Unfortunately, Ritsuko had capitalized on one of my major weaknesses, that being that I was incredibly lazy. Thus, i found myself sitting in the entry plug in only my underwear. On the brightside the plug wasn't cold, just the opposite actually. The warmth was like being under a nice blanket, and made having only my boxer briefs on just a little bit more bearable.
"How are you feeling, Khamuro?" A voice I identified as one Maya Ibuki rang over the plug's speakers. Up until now I hadn't interacted with any of the bridge crew, but I knew Maya would be a lot better for Ritsuko than Gendo could ever hope to be. Not that there was much I could do about it right now. Playing matchmaker had never been my forte, and now that I was in the body of a child my influence would be even more limited.
Regardless, Maya was kind and supportive. If she weren't so close to Ritsuko I'd be inclined to trust her. Alas, she was, so for now she'd be kept at arm's length.
"A lot better then before. I'm ready to go whenever" I finally answered her.
"Perfect. We'll be beginning the Synchronization procedure soon, so please sit tight till then" her voice came over the speakers again, and I nodded. I turned my attention to the camera feed of the bridge, crossing my arms as I took stock of who all was present.
There was Ritsuko of course, as well as Maya and the rest of the bridge bunnies. A few other staff members I didn't know the names of milled about, though I noted the absence of Misato. I knew I'd be meeting her sooner or later, but I thought she may wanna at least be around for my first sync test. Get to know her new pilot and all that.
Though perhaps it was better that she wasn't here. I had enough to think about as it was, and I wasn't sure how much about my thoughts the sync graph revealed.
"Alright Khamuro, we're about to start your sync test. Just relax and everything will go smoothly, got it?" It was Ritsuko who spoke this time, Maya busy typing away on her console.
"Got it" I said, steeling myself for…whatever synchronization would entail. The show didn't exactly give away much on what it felt like. All i could do now was clear my mind and Listen to the flurry of words from the bridge crew
"Inserting the entry plug." One of the unnamed staff members announced, and I felt the plug shift moments after they spoke. There was a dull metal click that reverberated through the plug.
"Plug fixed in place. Initiating first stage of connection"
I took a deep breath at that to still the rapid tempo of my heart. The part I was looking forward to the least was just around the corner now.
"Filling the entry plug. Just keep breathing normally, Khamuro" Maya spoke again, and I did my best to do just that as LCL began to fill the plug. The orange liquid steadily rose, passing my feet, knees, waist, and chest. When it finally reached my mouth, I pushed all of the air in my lungs out. My next breath was of LCL, and it took all of my self control not to cough violently. The fluid had roughly the same consistency as water right now, and tasted vaguely of blood. Fortunately, the former of those two traits changed as soon as the Plug filled completely.
"Connecting main power. Reducing LCL density now"
I sighed out a stream of bubbles as the LCL stopped feeling like a breathable liquid. It was still thicker than air, but I was no longer suppressing the urge to heave out everything in my lungs from the pressure.
"Commencing secondary contacts. A-10 nerve connection, normal." Another unnamed staff member spoke. The clips sitting on my head began to buzz faintly, and I resisted the temptation to poke them.
"Set the thought configuration to English." Ritsuko commanded. Whether that was because I was from the US here or in my former life I wasn't sure.
"All preliminary contacts established. Bi-directional circuits are open."
The moment the plug had filled completely I had been feeling…something. Trying to put a name to the sensation would be like trying to grab air. It was just…there. Now though? I could finally put a name to the feeling. It was like when someone entered a room, and you knew they'd walked through the door without looking or hearing a thing. I had the distinct impression that I was not alone. There was another person here, another soul.
I'd known there was one of course, all of the Eva's had a human soul injected into them. But I didn't think I'd be able to…feel it, at least not like this. The other entity…not, not the other entity, Unit-00. It, or rather She flitted around me, or at least that's what it felt like. There was a healthy distance between us, the kind you kept with strangers you wanted to get to know better.
Hesitantly, I…for lack of a better term, reached out. The tendril of my being stopped halfway, an invitation. I stood there alone for a moment, until Unit-00 dinged to do did the same, and the gap between us steadily closed. Though as we drew closer, there was…friction. We were celestial bodies spiraling closer together. But this was a dangerous game. Unit-00 was bigger then me, orders of magnitude so. If I drew too close her tidal forces might just tear me apart.
But even white such an axe hanging over my head, we drew closer, And soon I could feel…things coming from Unit-00. Emotions that weren't mine, and half formed thoughts attached to them. Curiosity and interest. Anticipation and concern. It made my stomach roll In The way it did on the moments before a performance at a marching band or indoor competition, the one emotion that I could tell as edges of our souls began to overlap, if only just.
Excitement.
I shivered, eyes opening slowly. I had to suppress a manic grin. My whole body felt like a live wire, cracking with energy. And Unit-00 was right there with me. She wanted to move. To run and jump and do anything other than just stand here! But we were stuck, firmly clamped into the cage. Our heart was beating out of our chest, core humming in time with it, and we knew we could break out with ease, and for a moment we considered doing just that but…
But then we may hurt people, and I didn't wanna do that. And neither did Unit-00. Her thoughts were as clear to me as my own, emotions flowing between us freely. She was as curious of me as I was of her, but now we could learn not about each other. I wanted to delve deeper, to share more with Unit-00 so that I could truly understand the Eva that fans knew the least about.
But someone was calling my name. No…not my name, at least not the one I wanted so desperately to remember. The surge of energy faded almost as quickly as it struck. My heart was still racing, but whatever giddiness had infected me was abating. I could think straight again, and was now aware that Maya was calling my name with increasing worry.
"Khamuro?! Can you hear me?"
"Y-yea, I can hear you. Is something wrong…?" I asked, concern leaking into my own voice. I wasn't sure what I'd just felt, but seeing as it had me considering breaking out of the Eva cages, There was no doubt that the bridge crew had noticed as well.
I both heard Maya's sign of relief and saw her sag in her chair, and I only felt my worry growing. It didn't abate when she spoke. "W-well, recently we…there was an incident with Unit-00, and during I pilot Ayanami was injured. We were-" Maya didn't get to finish as Ritsuko cut her off.
"Unit-00 went berserk, and the readings we had for a moment there were disturbingly similar. What were you thinking of when we activated the A-10 clips?" Gone was her casual tone, replaced with the urgency and focus of a scientist mid-experiment.
I debated for a moment. I hadn't been…thinking, not really. I just…wanted to be closer to Unit-00, to understand the mysterious prototype Eva.
So I said as much.
"…About Unit-00 mostly. I just want to know more about it." I answered.
I watched Ritsuko press a button on the console before her, watching her mouth move as she spoke with the bridge crew. I watched their conversation, anxiety growing as they continued to trade words I couldn't hear. After what felt like an eternity Ritsuko finally unmuted her mic to speak to me.
"Alight. Your Sync rate is holding at 33.2%. Not bad for your first go. But for a few seconds there it was a lot higher. Try not to think about knowing more about Unit-00 for the next few hours"
Hours?!
"I'm gonna be in here how long?!"
I could see members of the bridge crew laughing, some more openly than others, and I could feel my indignation rising as Ritsuko answered me.
"2 to 5 hours. It all depends on how much of a level head you can keep." Her tone had returned to the conversational casualness I'd grown accustomed to.
I took a deep breath, letting it out alongside my frustration and surprise. "Okay, guess ill get comfortable then"
"Not too comfortable. You'll need to be awake for the entire test"
As I groaned in annoyance, part of me wondered if Dr. Akagi found some sort of sick pleasure in watching me suffer. Regardless, I settled myself more comfortably in the Entry plug. I had a lot to think about, and seeing as I was in for the long haul here, I had pleeenty of time.
—
A/N
So, that took longer then I thought. Sorry about the delay. I've learned that trying to hold myself to an update schedule only ruins my chapter quality, so I can't make any promises on how often chapters will come out, only that they will.
But you can't secure happiness, not forever.
————
I stared up at the Barracks ceiling. Despite the name I wasn't sharing the room with anyone, and it was honestly closer to an apartment then anything else. The little room had an attached bathroom, though I'd yet to actually use it. Instead I'd face planting into the bed as soon as I laid eyes on it. Though despite my apparent exhaustion, I'd been unable to fall asleep. My body was certainly physically tired, even after a 30 hour long nap. But my mind was still racing.
Instead of sleeping I'd been meticulously going over every last detail I could remember of the world of Evangelion, which was frustratingly little. I had the broad strokes of course, and even finer details on the more closely guarded bits of information such as the truth of the Evas, Seele's existence and their plans with Gendo, and plenty of other dirty little secrets, but acting on or even utilizing half that information would be putting up a massive 'kill me' billboard for all the major players to see.
What I needed was insight to the people around me, but outside the broader strokes of their personalities and their respective traumas I knew frustratingly little. I could fix that of course, and I had every intention of doing so. One thing I knew for sure was that all 3 of my fellow pilots were deeply lonely individuals, and they each coped with it differently. Shinji wanted to be close to people, but he was too terrified of rejection and abandonment to ever take the initiative. He let himself be jerked around like a puppet, too fearful of being discarded to ever speak up for himself-especially if Gendo was involved.
Asuka violently rejected the idea of even needing other people, and she did it so loudly that if nobody was around to hear it she was liable to self-destruct. She tried so hard to be independent that she'd accidentally made herself dependent on everyone around her, her whole identity wrapped up in other people thinking she was strong and independent, Wholly self reliant and in need of no one. And Rei…Rei made herself empty. It was the only way she could cope with being so thoroughly objectified by Gendo. She thought herself a tool, and tools didn't need connections, they need only carry out their designed task. For Rei, that was fulfilling Gendo's plans.
It was awful, and thinking about it made me wanna cry, which I could actually do now with the relative privacy the room provided. But I had no doubts that my every action and reaction had been getting recorded since I woke up in the hospital. But I still really wanted to cry.
So…I did.
I laid on my back, and in my minds eye the box I'd placed all of the unpleasant feelings being here spawned was finally opened. A stabbing ache began in my chest and spread out, making my whole body feel heavy. Tears lazily slid down my cheeks, and I let out a hiccuping gasp, a hand coming to rest over my heart as It's beats grew wild. Shinji, Asuka, and Rei weren't the only ones hurting so much. Misato was still drowning her sorrows in alcohol, too close to self destruction to be a proper Guardian. Dr. Akagi was wrapped up in a man who only saw her as a means to an end, happy to discard her morals to please him.
And that was to say nothing of individuals like Kaji. He was on the more stable end at the very least, but that didn't change the fact that he was among those who were going to die. Him, Dr. Akagi, and Misato were all slated for death alongside my fellow pilots sans Shinji unless things changed, and I think that might've been my biggest motivator. It wasn't just their emotional and mental well-being on the line. It was their lives. It was the lives of the entire human race.
There were so many people here who were being completely ruined, and I knew for a fact I couldn't help all of them-I was only one person. And acknowledging that felt like being stabbed. But as much as turned my stomach into awful knots, it was a healthy reminder. A reminder that I needed to do as much as I could for the people I could help. I…I wasn't a therapist, there was no way I could solve all their problems even if I was. The power of friendship was strong, but the issues just went so deep…
But as I wiped my tears, letting the wave of sorrow recede just as it came, I resolved to always do the one thing I could with certainty. To be there for my fellow pilots, our tactical commander, and even Dr. Akagi. I knew firsthand how much that alone could help someone, and if I worked hard enough then maybe, just maybe I might be able to save each of them from the death spirals they fell into one by one. It wasn't going to be anything approaching easy, and it'd probably hurt a lot too.
Humans were messy, teenagers a morso, and the ones I'd be working most closely with were all terrified of getting anything resembling close to people. It'd be so much easier to just leave them all be. But I had the power to help them, so what choice did I have but to do just that?
These were the thoughts that rolled around in my head as the land of dreams finally opened its embrace to me. I let out a shaky breath, the last remnants of sadness evaporating away as my mind finally slowed. And then between one breath and the next, I slid comfortably into unconsciousness.
————
My world was a rainbow, colors I had no name for stretching out to an infinite horizon. They bled into each other like paint on a pallet, swirling together to give rise to even more vibrant combinations. I could almost taste the different hues on my tongue, from the sharp tang of yellow to the bitter chill of purple. The air smelled of blood and I felt like I was suspended in molasses, sinking slowly till my feet came to rest on a cold steel Dias.
Something was behind me. I didn't know what, but the longer I looked away the more I felt compelled to turn around. I could've lasted a few seconds, or maybe years. I wasn't really sure, but eventually I gave in to the growing temptation, slowly turning to face whatever thing desired so desperately to command my attention.
My vision was filled by a towering ebony behemoth, a shield in its right hand and a Javelin in its left. I named it without hesitation, my own eyes locking with the Eva's. The rainbow's origin sat where it's—no—his feet met the ground. The entity stood stark against the space behind it, and seemed almost antithetical to what came from Unit-03's feet. The land behind it was in greyscale, full of jagged edges and shattered prisms. Rivers of black with right angles converged at the back of the Eva's feet, identical to where the rainbow started.
Bisecting the two regions, a white border the opposite shade as Unit-03s armor stretching infinitely in either direction, far beyond the edges of whatever plane we stood on. But all of that was secondary to the Eva. The focal point of both worlds, and his focus was on me. Unit-03's gaze pinned me in place, and I felt as though I was being laid bare before him.
A shiver shot down my spine as the Eva dropped his Javelin, the sharpened head imbedding itself in the ground with a thud that nearly sent me tumbling. My heart rate spiked as the massive cyborg moved. His knees bent as he kneeled before me, still towering like the giant he was, but marginally less intimidating. He lowered his free hand till it was settled in front of me, palmside up.
Blood rushed in my ears, my heart racing as my gaze flitted between the Eva's hand and face. The invitation was plain as day, but I could not for the life of me fathom why Unit-03 was offering to carry me anywhere. Nonetheless, I found myself walking forward, steadying as I stepped off of the Dias and onto Unit-3's hand. Almost as soon as I found my balance in the center of his palm the Eva rose to his feet again, raising his hand till it was level with his shoulder right.
I followed the silent command without hesitation, settling onto the Eva's shoulder. I placed a hand on the cool metal of Unit-04's neck armor to maintain my balance as he recovered his Javelin. I felt…oddly at ease here, as if I was in the presence of my closest friends. As if I belonged here, standing on Unit-03's shoulder, an ant compared to the Eva.
I shifted slightly as The Titan turned, placing the rainbow and the greyscale worlds on our left and right respectively. We began walking, the Eva's steps reverberating up through his armor and into my feet, straddling the white line as the Final destination of the rivers of void and origin of the rainbow followed Unit-03's feet. Unit-03 and my vision stayed on the horizon.
And…we continued like that. Eventually I got tired of standing and sat down, feet kicking as Unit-4 continued marching. I didn't know how much time had passed, and I couldn't find it in myself to care. The moments simply passed as the Eva I was slated to pilot put one foot in front of the other. Every step brought us closer to whatever destination Unit-04 had in mind, and for now that was enough for me.
But we'd been walking for a while now, and I was getting tired. Surely unit-04 wouldn't mind if I settled in for a little cat nap? Confident that the giant biomech wouldn't have any objections, I turned to lean back against the Eva's neck, eyelids growing heavier by the second. I let out a sigh of contentment as unconsciousness claimed me.
————
A metallic knock on my room's door was the sound that roused me, though my eyes stayed shut as my brain came back into full activity. My sleep hadn't exactly been restful, not with the rapidly fading remnants of …whatever that dream had been. I could only really recall 2 worlds, one dark and sharp, the other bursting with colors I didn't think humans were even able to see. And…something standing between them, dedicated completely to its lonely vigil.
Alas, Even those broad strokes of whatever my brain had conjured up were rapidly fading, and I was willing to wager that they'd be forgotten entirely within mere hours. That was only aided by another knock on my door, this one more insistent then the last. I sighed, slowly sitting up. My hands patted around for my glasses out of habit, before I remembered that they were probably somewhere in the rubble of the train station I'd arrived in.
I'd never really been a morning person, only ever forcing myself to wake up early out of necessity. If my body had its way I'd be unconscious till noon. (Un?)fortunately, it wasn't up to my near nocturnal circadian rhythm. I gradually dragged myself out of bed, shivering when I fully discarded the covers. I rubbed my palms against my eyes as I shambled over to the door, attempting to purge the last remnants of sleep from my face before I greeted whoever had come to wake me.
When I finally reached the door, I reached out to press a button at it's side. NERV would've been a futuristic organization back in my time of 2022, as such it hadn't surprised me that their doors were all sliding ones, not a single hinge in sight. The novelty hadn't lasted very long.
The moment I pressed the button, my door slid open with a whoosh of air and near silent mechanical whir. I flinched slightly as the harsh light of the hallway illuminated my room, luckily the person at the door was close enough for me to still distinguish despite the glare. Though even then it took me a moment to properly identify the figure as Agent Tsubaka.
The woman had foregone her sunglasses, which was part of the reason it took me so long to recognize her. Aside from that she looked basically the same as when we first met, though now that it seemed I'd actually be seeing her often, I bothered to commit her appearance to memory. I couldn't distinguish her eye color in the low light, but it was easy to tell her hair was black, done up in a neat bun.
"Good Morning Mr.Shang. Your sync test is In an hour and a half, and Captain Kitsuragi wanted you to get at least a basic tour of the HQ." She informed me, then gave me a once over. I could tell she was suppressing a smile, amusement leaking into her voice as she went on. "Though I can see you aren't exactly prepared for the day. I can give you some time to get ready if you'd like"
I nodded sleepily, suppressing a yawn. I'd never gotten the chance to really change, The only new piece of clothing on my person being a new shirt, my old one having been cut away to treat my burns. Other than that I'd been in the same clothes for 3 days. That sort of thing normally never really bothered me, but after everything I'd been through a good shower would be more than appreciated.
"Okay, I'll be waiting in the hallway when you're prepared. Please don't take too long". I nodded again, letting out a barely intelligible affirmation before taping the button again. The door whizzed shut as I turned to the bathroom, stretching my arms above my head as I walked over. With any luck a good shower would be the last thing I need to wake up completely.
I tapped the button to open the bathroom door, the lights flashing on the moment I stepped inside. I winced again at the sudden brightness, but it was a necessary evil now. Last time I'd showered in the dark hadn't ended well.
I was midway through discarding my shirt when the bathroom's mirror glinted in the corner of my eye. Up until now I'd been assuming I looked basically the same, if a bit younger, but I'd yet to see for sure. I finished taking off my shirt, tossing it into a corner out of habit as I walked towards the mirror, leaning slightly on the sink to ensure no part of my reflection was blurry from distance.
I glanced at the large bandage covering my back, which stood out rather clearly against my dark skin. It started at my shoulders and went all the way down past my waistband. Now that I was paying attention, I could feel the distinct lack of any sensation where the bandage covered.
As I turned to the mirror completely, The face that met me was like my new name, both familiar-because this body and my old one shared the same ebony skin tone-and not because that was the where the similarities began and ended. My hair was a lot shorter for one. Gone were my shoulder length locks, replaced with a curly Afro that barely obscured my ears. It was like I'd never gotten dreads and just let my hair keep growing naturally.
My eyes were almond shaped, though that change wasn't massive, it was easy to spot when I was used to something else. But the shape of my eyes was inconsequential compared to what had happened to my Irises. Before my eyes had been a mundane brown, nothing particularly noteworthy about them. Now? There was no ring of one color around my pupil.
Instead I was met with a kaleidoscope layered over a void. A brown so incredibly dark it couldn't be described as anything other than black, flecked with every color on the rainbow like someone had spilt a box of broken chalk all over asphalt. It was like a stained glass window, and I could only distinguish my pupil because it was even darker then my iris.
I blinked a few times to ensure that what it was seeing was indeed my own eye. When the colors scattered over my inky irises not only stayed, but shifted like the light refracting through a spinning diamond, I heaved out a shaky breath….
I closed my eyes, mostly because I wasn't sure if I could handle the sight of them anymore, but also because it helped me organize my head. I looked to be at least some portion Asian now, though what ethnicity exactly eluded me. My hair was as though I'd never chosen to follow in my sister's footsteps, and my eyes looked more like a painting. But Despite everything, I was still me.
I breathed in, held it for 10 seconds, then slowly let it out. As disturbing as this was, it was only another drop in the bucket. I was wasting time, and I still felt grimy from the past few days. I pulled my attention away from the mirror, finished undressing, and stepped into the shower.
The initial shock of cold water was enough to purge whatever remnants of sleep the surprise of seeing my eyes had missed, and I made the water scalding to ensure the warmth wouldn't lull me back to sleep. It was odd having no real sensation on my back, just the pressure of the massive bandage that'd stuck to me while I was out.
After I finished boiling myself alive, I stepped out of the shower and onto the rug set just outside it. The room had yet to cool, still filled mostly with steam, and I wasn't complaining seeing as it obscured the mirror and by proxy my appearance.
I dried myself quickly, Though my hair was still dripping and likely would be for several hours. I had a tour and a sync test to get to as such, I left the bathroom as soon as I was sure I wouldn't leave a puddle after every step.
Cold air met me as I left the bathroom behind. I walked across the room to the closet's door, which had a handle. I grabbed it, sliding the closet open, revealing dozens of sets of identical outfits. I wasn't sure what I was expecting, but a NERV staff uniform wasn't it. Though Dr.Akagi had outright stated virtually all of my stuff was in storage. That included my clothes.
So I put on the uniform, which ended up fitting a lot better than I'd been expecting, though seeing as plugsuits were a thing, NERV probably had every last one of my measurements down to the nanometer.
In any case, after a good shower paired with a clean set of clothes, I was feeling a lot better, and more importantly prepared for the day ahead. When I left my room, Agent Tsubaka was as she'd said she'd be, waiting just a few steps down the hall, leaning against the wall. Her head turned towards me the moment the door opened.
"Ready to go?" She asked, smiling slightly, and for the briefest moment a faked response sat on the tip of my tongue. But…I had committed pretty hard to being honest so far, so I may as well keep it up now too.
"Not in the slightest. Can't wait any longer though." I wore a somewhat strained smile. Just because I was feeling better didn't mean I was feeling good, but the world didn't stop turning just because I couldn't get up in the morning.
Tsubaka's smile softened "Don't worry, we'll only be covering the basic facilities, and our first stop will be the cafeteria.". I perked up at that, the gnawing emptiness in my stomach growing even more pronounced with the promise of food. The only sustenance I'd received since arrival had been through a tube directly into my bloodstream. As such, I was as hungry as any growing teenage boy would be.
A fact that was punctuated by a bestial growl from my stomach, drawing a laugh from Tsubaka while my cheeks heated. "Let's get going. Like you said, we can't wait any longer" and with that the agent turned on her heel, striding down the hall and presumably towards the cafeteria.
I shook away my embarrassment, briefly scrambling to catch up with her before I fell in step trialing just a few feet behind. As we walked, Tsubaka pointed out a few hallways and signs and where exactly they led. Most of it was unimportant, things like rec rooms and restrooms. I'd gathered pretty quickly that we were in the residential portion of the Geofront, where a sizable chunk of the more essential nerve staff stayed.
We didn't stay in the area long, and I was soon introduced to the quite frankly terrifying maze of escalators and moving walkways that connected various portions of NERV. I tried and mostly failed to remember the more important places Tsubaka pointed out like the Eva Cages and emergency entrances and exits, and before I knew it I was being sat down at a table in the main cafeteria.
Tsubaka had taken the seat across from me, and was currently pushing a plate of food towards me. The moment the smell of syrup hit my nose my entire world became the Pancakes before me. I knew Taubaka was probably saying something, but at the moment I was too hungry to care.
When I was able to focus on the world around me again, I immediately felt embarrassment surging. I swallowed the slice of my pancake, absently noting that half was already gone. "Ah, Sorry about that…I uh, guess I was hungrier than I thought" I averted my eyes as I spoke.
"Think nothing of it. You've been through quite a lot since your arrival here in Tokyo 3. Quite frankly I think you're handing things very well." The agent said as she continued her own meal at a far more sedate pace then myself. "There isn't very much left to cover after this, so we'll be heading to the Eva Cages for your sync test with unit-00 soon"
I nodded, returning to my food. I didn't inhale what was on my plate this time, and now that I was actually bothering to savor it, the pancakes were…good. Not great, and a far cry from the meals my grandfather made, but it was filling, and that's what I needed most right now.
All in all, breakfast was a short affair. There were places to be and things to do. As Tsubaka said there wasn't a whole lot left to cover for the tour, and we finished it off quickly.
Which meant it was time for my sync test…
As such, Tsubaka and I were headed to the Eva cages. Before we'd only passed by them, and while they weren't particularly impressive from the outside, now that we were in I could see just how grand the facilities really were. The various images I'd seen online and in the show couldn't compare to the scale of seeing it all in person. From the numerous crisscrossing catwalks to the distant forms of the Eva Catapults, it was all just so….big.
Though as Tsubaka led me through the maze of suspended walkways, I couldn't help but find my eyes lingering on Unit-00, the only Eva actively occupying its gantry. It was also the only Eva in Japan that was combat ready. Until Rei was in fighting shape it was the Eva i'd be piloting. I knew that despite its mechanical appearance, Unit-00 was just as alive as me. And yet it looked so….
Still. An unmoving statue that existed in blatant defiance of the constant motion of life. It was unnerving, if only because I understood the true nature of the creature before me.
I shook my head, pulling my attention away from the orange titan just in time to notice we were approaching Dr. Akagi. She stood on the catwalk crossing directly in front of Unit-00, wearing a wetsuit under her lab coat. LCL clung to her hair, and combined with the diving equipment sitting at her feet, the Doctor had probably been busy getting a closer look at the Eva.
Ritsuko glanced at Tsubaka and I as we slowly drew to a stop next to her, silence hanging in the air for a few seconds till Dr. Akagi chose to break it.
"So, what do you think?"
I blinked a few times, glancing between the bottle blond and Unit-00, finally settling on looking up at Unit-00's eye. I thought a lot of things, but voicing most of them would lead to me being asked questions I couldn't easily answer, so i'd just have to lie. By omission of course.
"I think you guys should've chosen a better paint scheme."
I heard Tsubaka snort to my right, followed by a small laugh from Dr. Akagi. I'd never been a huge fan of Unit-00's colors, both before and after it's refit, and i'd be damned if i didn't let at least someone know that that gaudy orange needed to go as soon as possible.
"I'll look into alternate pallets for Unit-00's refit then. By the way, you may want to lose the shirt and pants, unless you want to try getting LCL out of clothes of course"
There was a beat of silence, then 2 as I replayed what the good doctor had just said to ensure I had indeed heard her correctly. The silence dragged on for a little longer as I contemplated how much trouble i'd get into for pushing Ritsuko back into the LCL filling Unit-00's gantry.
"Dr. Akagi…did you just ask me, a 14 year old boy, to strip?" I tried my best to keep my voice from shaking, though i didn't think it worked very well, especially when the doctor looked at me like I was the crazy one.
"Yes. Clothing can interfere with the synchronization process and skew our data. Normally we'd provide you with a plugsuit, but none of the ones on hand will fit. The next best thing is removing as much clothing as possible" She spoke as if these were simple facts, knowledge as common as gravity being the force that kept everyone's feet on the ground.
"Didn't Shinji just go in with his clothes on?!" I borderline shouted as I rounded on the doctor.
Ritsuko was quiet for a moment, giving me a look I couldn't quite decipher other than the fact that I felt like a bug under a microscope. Then the moment passed and the doctor nodded slightly. "He did, but the 1st child was already hesitant about piloting and we were under too much of a time crunch to do things by the book. If you really want to keep all your clothes on I won't stop you, but it'll be your half dozen trips to the laundromat."
And then we stared at each other, a silent battle of wills raging between us.
Unfortunately, Ritsuko had capitalized on one of my major weaknesses, that being that I was incredibly lazy. Thus, i found myself sitting in the entry plug in only my underwear. On the brightside the plug wasn't cold, just the opposite actually. The warmth was like being under a nice blanket, and made having only my boxer briefs on just a little bit more bearable.
"How are you feeling, Khamuro?" A voice I identified as one Maya Ibuki rang over the plug's speakers. Up until now I hadn't interacted with any of the bridge crew, but I knew Maya would be a lot better for Ritsuko than Gendo could ever hope to be. Not that there was much I could do about it right now. Playing matchmaker had never been my forte, and now that I was in the body of a child my influence would be even more limited.
Regardless, Maya was kind and supportive. If she weren't so close to Ritsuko I'd be inclined to trust her. Alas, she was, so for now she'd be kept at arm's length.
"A lot better then before. I'm ready to go whenever" I finally answered her.
"Perfect. We'll be beginning the Synchronization procedure soon, so please sit tight till then" her voice came over the speakers again, and I nodded. I turned my attention to the camera feed of the bridge, crossing my arms as I took stock of who all was present.
There was Ritsuko of course, as well as Maya and the rest of the bridge bunnies. A few other staff members I didn't know the names of milled about, though I noted the absence of Misato. I knew I'd be meeting her sooner or later, but I thought she may wanna at least be around for my first sync test. Get to know her new pilot and all that.
Though perhaps it was better that she wasn't here. I had enough to think about as it was, and I wasn't sure how much about my thoughts the sync graph revealed.
"Alright Khamuro, we're about to start your sync test. Just relax and everything will go smoothly, got it?" It was Ritsuko who spoke this time, Maya busy typing away on her console.
"Got it" I said, steeling myself for…whatever synchronization would entail. The show didn't exactly give away much on what it felt like. All i could do now was clear my mind and Listen to the flurry of words from the bridge crew
"Inserting the entry plug." One of the unnamed staff members announced, and I felt the plug shift moments after they spoke. There was a dull metal click that reverberated through the plug.
"Plug fixed in place. Initiating first stage of connection"
I took a deep breath at that to still the rapid tempo of my heart. The part I was looking forward to the least was just around the corner now.
"Filling the entry plug. Just keep breathing normally, Khamuro" Maya spoke again, and I did my best to do just that as LCL began to fill the plug. The orange liquid steadily rose, passing my feet, knees, waist, and chest. When it finally reached my mouth, I pushed all of the air in my lungs out. My next breath was of LCL, and it took all of my self control not to cough violently. The fluid had roughly the same consistency as water right now, and tasted vaguely of blood. Fortunately, the former of those two traits changed as soon as the Plug filled completely.
"Connecting main power. Reducing LCL density now"
I sighed out a stream of bubbles as the LCL stopped feeling like a breathable liquid. It was still thicker than air, but I was no longer suppressing the urge to heave out everything in my lungs from the pressure.
"Commencing secondary contacts. A-10 nerve connection, normal." Another unnamed staff member spoke. The clips sitting on my head began to buzz faintly, and I resisted the temptation to poke them.
"Set the thought configuration to English." Ritsuko commanded. Whether that was because I was from the US here or in my former life I wasn't sure.
"All preliminary contacts established. Bi-directional circuits are open."
The moment the plug had filled completely I had been feeling…something. Trying to put a name to the sensation would be like trying to grab air. It was just…there. Now though? I could finally put a name to the feeling. It was like when someone entered a room, and you knew they'd walked through the door without looking or hearing a thing. I had the distinct impression that I was not alone. There was another person here, another soul.
I'd known there was one of course, all of the Eva's had a human soul injected into them. But I didn't think I'd be able to…feel it, at least not like this. The other entity…not, not the other entity, Unit-00. It, or rather She flitted around me, or at least that's what it felt like. There was a healthy distance between us, the kind you kept with strangers you wanted to get to know better.
Hesitantly, I…for lack of a better term, reached out. The tendril of my being stopped halfway, an invitation. I stood there alone for a moment, until Unit-00 dinged to do did the same, and the gap between us steadily closed. Though as we drew closer, there was…friction. We were celestial bodies spiraling closer together. But this was a dangerous game. Unit-00 was bigger then me, orders of magnitude so. If I drew too close her tidal forces might just tear me apart.
But even white such an axe hanging over my head, we drew closer, And soon I could feel…things coming from Unit-00. Emotions that weren't mine, and half formed thoughts attached to them. Curiosity and interest. Anticipation and concern. It made my stomach roll In The way it did on the moments before a performance at a marching band or indoor competition, the one emotion that I could tell as edges of our souls began to overlap, if only just.
Excitement.
I shivered, eyes opening slowly. I had to suppress a manic grin. My whole body felt like a live wire, cracking with energy. And Unit-00 was right there with me. She wanted to move. To run and jump and do anything other than just stand here! But we were stuck, firmly clamped into the cage. Our heart was beating out of our chest, core humming in time with it, and we knew we could break out with ease, and for a moment we considered doing just that but…
But then we may hurt people, and I didn't wanna do that. And neither did Unit-00. Her thoughts were as clear to me as my own, emotions flowing between us freely. She was as curious of me as I was of her, but now we could learn not about each other. I wanted to delve deeper, to share more with Unit-00 so that I could truly understand the Eva that fans knew the least about.
But someone was calling my name. No…not my name, at least not the one I wanted so desperately to remember. The surge of energy faded almost as quickly as it struck. My heart was still racing, but whatever giddiness had infected me was abating. I could think straight again, and was now aware that Maya was calling my name with increasing worry.
"Khamuro?! Can you hear me?"
"Y-yea, I can hear you. Is something wrong…?" I asked, concern leaking into my own voice. I wasn't sure what I'd just felt, but seeing as it had me considering breaking out of the Eva cages, There was no doubt that the bridge crew had noticed as well.
I both heard Maya's sign of relief and saw her sag in her chair, and I only felt my worry growing. It didn't abate when she spoke. "W-well, recently we…there was an incident with Unit-00, and during I pilot Ayanami was injured. We were-" Maya didn't get to finish as Ritsuko cut her off.
"Unit-00 went berserk, and the readings we had for a moment there were disturbingly similar. What were you thinking of when we activated the A-10 clips?" Gone was her casual tone, replaced with the urgency and focus of a scientist mid-experiment.
I debated for a moment. I hadn't been…thinking, not really. I just…wanted to be closer to Unit-00, to understand the mysterious prototype Eva.
So I said as much.
"…About Unit-00 mostly. I just want to know more about it." I answered.
I watched Ritsuko press a button on the console before her, watching her mouth move as she spoke with the bridge crew. I watched their conversation, anxiety growing as they continued to trade words I couldn't hear. After what felt like an eternity Ritsuko finally unmuted her mic to speak to me.
"Alight. Your Sync rate is holding at 33.2%. Not bad for your first go. But for a few seconds there it was a lot higher. Try not to think about knowing more about Unit-00 for the next few hours"
Hours?!
"I'm gonna be in here how long?!"
I could see members of the bridge crew laughing, some more openly than others, and I could feel my indignation rising as Ritsuko answered me.
"2 to 5 hours. It all depends on how much of a level head you can keep." Her tone had returned to the conversational casualness I'd grown accustomed to.
I took a deep breath, letting it out alongside my frustration and surprise. "Okay, guess ill get comfortable then"
"Not too comfortable. You'll need to be awake for the entire test"
As I groaned in annoyance, part of me wondered if Dr. Akagi found some sort of sick pleasure in watching me suffer. Regardless, I settled myself more comfortably in the Entry plug. I had a lot to think about, and seeing as I was in for the long haul here, I had pleeenty of time.
—
A/N
So, that took longer then I thought. Sorry about the delay. I've learned that trying to hold myself to an update schedule only ruins my chapter quality, so I can't make any promises on how often chapters will come out, only that they will.
Last edited:
That was great I look forward to more
Yes! Do you have any idea how rare decent Eva SIs are!?!? Unreasonably so. Still, I am very happy to be here seeing this here. The Soul inside Unit 0 has always been a subject of theory, is this Naoko Akagi'a soul? A piece of Rei l's soul maybe? And don't you think I didn't notice how you refrained from mentioning what exactly is Unit 0's color scheme as that is one of the best ways to determine which continuity Khamuro has found himself in (Either Neon Genesis, Rebuild, or a combination of both). However you placed some clues down already, Ritsuko referred to Sachiel as the "Third Angel", while it's designation in Rebuild was "Fourth Angel" maybe she is keeping the existence of the Rebuild Third Angel classified by giving Khamuro a fake designation, that or based on the color we see on Unit 00, this may be an AU mixture of both continuities. I also noticed the gravitas you implied when Khamuro uttered Sachiel's name out loud, as far as I know in the series or movies no one ever knew (or if they knew they didn't use) the Angel's names, Khamuro better be careful, if NERV catches wind of that he will be on hot water, and if an Angel hears his/her/it's name being spoken, who knows what kind of reaction we will receive? The Sakura rescue was really sweet too, it's nice to see someone doing a good thing just because it is the right and sane thing to do without being motivated by a mass of complexes that barely make sense.
- Pronouns
- They/Them
I've been procrastinating pretty hard on chapter 4 and ngl this kicked my ass right back into gear. Thank you
Chapter 4: Familiar Faces
- Pronouns
- They/Them
People are rarely what they seem at a glance. Every meeting-every interaction may prove one assumption true while opening up entirely new questions. Humans are complicated, and getting to know someone is painful.
Is that pain worth it?
————
I relaxed under the stream of warm water. Normally I went out of my way to keep my hair as dry as possible when I showered, but if I didn't wash my hair then it'd end up caked with LCL. I really didn't wanna know what that stuff would do to my curls.
So I submerged myself fully under the shower head, letting the water cascade down my entire body as I scrubbed away the more stubborn bits of LCL. I didn't want the coppery scent of the stuff clinging to me, but with how long I'd been in the plug and how much more time I'd be spending there, I wasn't sure if I could avoid it. I'd probably have to invest in some perfume or cologne if I really wanted to keep the bloody scent away.
Thinking back, the sync test had been shorter than I feared, but longer than I'd hoped. Three and a half hours of my day lost to doing nothing while trying my best not to think too much about Unit-00. I'd felt her the entire time too, hovering on the edge of my awareness with a mix of hurt and resignation.
My understanding of Unit-00 was rudimentary at best, but it felt like she'd jumped at the chance to be near someone who actually wanted to get to know her. Those were the only words I could really put to the disjointed thoughts and emotions I'd gotten after our initial…handshake so to speak. My openness and her eagerness had mixed, our mutual desire to understand each other placing us in harmony.
Under any other circumstances I'd find that just fine.
I still didn't know exactly what my Sync rate had been at first, but it had been enough to spook Dr.Akagi to some degree. Which was a net bad because I really didn't need her paying extra attention to me, not with how easily that could spiral into Gendo and god forbid Seele putting me under a microscope. Fortunately it seemed that I could keep my score in the low 30s by avoiding thinking about Unit-00.
But that was a temporary solution at best, and there was no way it'd hold up in combat. Not to mention it'd left Unit-00 feeling…sad was the only way to put it. I'd done my best to make my apologies known, but with the greater distance between us I wasn't really sure if I'd succeeded. I'd have to make a better effort next time I was in the plug, maybe even…explain. It wasn't as if the Eva could tell anyone about all my dirty secrets.
But those were all future me's problems. Right now I needed to finish purging my skin and hair of LCL, so I went back to scrubbing till my skin felt raw. Unfortunately, the smell of blood still faintly clung to me as I dressed myself in the locker room. I cringed somewhat under the restrictive feel of the Nerve staff uniform. I'd really need to see about getting at least part of my wardrobe so I could wear something more comfortable.
But that was just another concern for the future. For now this was all I had, so I'd just have to deal.
Leaving the locker room behind, I heard 2 voices chatting not far down the hall, drawing me towards them. The first figure I noted was probably agent Tsubaka, though I could only be partially sure with them being outside my clear vision range, but the second's identity was obvious from the purple blob of what was probably hair cascading down her back. I hadn't quite been dreading this meeting, but that didn't mean I was ready for it either. Alas, it was here regardless.
So I steeled myself, and approached. Drawing closer let me confirm that it was indeed Tsubaka, and the women she was talking to could be none other than Misato Kitsuragi. Moments after I'd been able to confirm their identities, Tsubaka's eyes flickered towards me.
"Speak of the Devil, and he shall appear" The Agent said, her words prompting Misato to turn around and face me. I was hit with the same bout of surrealness that'd struck when I met Ritsuko. Seeing Misato here in front of me, living and breathing, I realized that no description or screen could do her justice. The commander was beautiful, from the seemingly perfect way her hair fell to how her clothes conformed to her body in all of the right places. The major was wonderful to look at.
Fortunately I was able to move past her physical traits fairly quickly in no small part due to the deeper knowledge of her I had. That and she was notably older than me at the moment.
The moment Misato's eyes met mine, she smiled bright enough to outshine the sun. Though even then I felt a…disconnect. Her smile wasn't false, but it wasn't completely real either. Though I didn't have time to think on it very hard as Misato barreled on, headless of my contemplation.
My heart rate spiked as her smile turned into a smirk. "So you're my new pilot? Maybe I should put you on the bridge, you certainly look the part, and I like a man in uniform" Misato commented as she gave me a once over, one hand on her hip while the other rubbed her chin as if she was seriously considering the idea.
I fought down a blush, resisting the growing urge to scream. I'd kinda hoped I'd somehow be able to sidestep Misato's teasing, but it seemed I'd have no such luck. I let out an internal sign of resignation, kicking my brain back into gear so that Khamuro.exe could get to work on formulating something approximating a coherent response.
"And leave NERV down an Eva? Not a chance"
The major's smirk softened back into a smile at my words, arms crossing under her chest.
"That's the right attitude. And unfortunately we need you now more than ever. Unit-01 took a bit of a beating from the 3rd angle's self destruction, so as it stands Unit-00 is our only combat capable Eva, aaand…" Misato grimaced, expression turning apologetic as she prepared to give me news Ritsuko had already dropped on me like a ton of bricks.
"You're our only combat ready pilot. Though I'm sure the sync test already tipped you off." Misato finished, and I nodded, feeling my smile grow more fake by the second.
"Yea, Dr. Akagi already told me." I admitted, prompting Misato to let out an exaggerated sigh.
"'Course she did. Well, no use crying over spilt milk. Either way, if you've got any questions feel free to ask, otherwise I think it's best if you go relax. It's been a rough couple of days for you right?" Hints of concern leaked into the Major's voice, reminding me that for all the masks Misato wore, she was still too caring for her own good.
"There is one thing actually, though I guess it's more of a request then a question." I said, hands clasping so my fingers could tap out simple rhythms against the tops of my hands.
Misato smiled bright again. "Whatever you need, I'm sure I can get it handled soon"
"It's nothing big, just some of my clothes so I have more than this-" I gestured to the uniform I was wearing now "-to wear"
I only barely stopped myself from laughing as Misato's eyes widened, face painted in horror. "That's all you have to wear?" She sounded as appalled as she looked, and my efforts not to laugh grew closer and closer to failing miserably.
"Uh…yea, and the Uniform is nice but I'd like something more comfortable y'know?"
Misato placed her hands on my shoulders-briefly highlighting that we were on eye level with each other-before she spoke, voice serious. "Oh I know, and I promise I'll get your wardrobe back"
I stood there shocked, a distant part of me wondering why exactly my clothes would be so important. It didn't seem like I'd be getting an answer anytime soon because before I knew it Misato was bidding me and Tsubaka goodbye. I blinked a few times as the encounter replayed in my head. Misato was everything I'd expected and so much more…
The same way Ritsuko was, and the same way I was beginning to suspect everyone would be. They were people, not characters. Humans, not well written facsimiles. Intuitively I knew this, but it seemed like the more emotional part of me was still digesting it. I wasn't quite sure how that made me feel, but it wasn't good.
I turned to Tsubaka, who'd been standing quietly through my entire conversation with the major. The moment my attention was on her, she opened her mouth to speak.
"Major Kitsuragi is right by the way, you should take the rest of the day to relax. I'll be by early to pick you up tomorrow so I'd recommend not staying up too late"
I nodded, hoping that'd be more possible now that most of the distractions I used to power through the night were absent. Though seeing as I'd kept myself up for hours with mere thoughts before, I wasn't feeling especially confident. In all honesty I'd probably just end up psyching myself up for my first day of school all night so as to not be nothing more than a ball of anxiety that next morning.
"I'll do my best. Thank you by the way, for the tour that is. And uh, everything else you've done till now." My mouth moved before I could even make an attempt to stop it, and it was times like this I was glad it was basically impossible for my skin to turn red. It wasn't like I didn't believe every word I'd said, but that didn't mean I wanted to say it all out loud. In the middle of NER's hallways.
Tsubaka's smile turned soft, and she placed a hand on my shoulder. Distantly I realized this was easily the most comforting Touch I'd received since arrival, which had me shoving down the urge to cry.
"There's no need to thank me, Khamuro. Just take care of yourself, okay?"
"Okay" I said, voice not all watery or shaking with unshed tears in the slightest.
————
Misato worked fast.
I'd returned to my room after a bit of wandering around to ensure I wouldn't get myself horribly lost. I'd shed the outermost layers of the uniform-that being the jacket-but when I'd opened my closet to discard it, I found a vastly different wardrobe waiting for me.
The uniforms had been shoved to the far ends of the space, the gap between them holding a mix of school uniforms I recognized from the show and more casual clothes that at least vaguely fit my style. One look at a comfortable pair of sweatpants was all it took for me to be swapping what it was wearing right there.
I traded the uniform pants for the very same pair of sweats that'd caught my eye, and the shirt for a plain green T-shirt. It was basic, unremarkable, and totally me.
I sighed in relief at the familiar feeling the fabric brought, discarding my shoes as I meanded over to my bed where I promptly face planted. Normally my glasses would discourage such an act, but they were missing and thus unable to jam against my nose. I let out a long breath into the sheets, mind falling into relative silence.
I lasted all of 30 seconds before boredom overtook me. Normally I'd resort to reading fanfiction or watching YouTube. Unfortunately a phone was required for either of those things, and I didn't have one at the moment. I should probably ask someone about that sooner or later. Probably Misato, seeing as she was basically in charge of the pilots as my direct superior.
Without a phone I wasn't sure how to kill the time, and much as I wanted to go out and explore the Geo front now that I was coherent enough to appreciate it, that probably wasn't allowed-at least not on a whim.
I rolled over onto my back, staring at the ceiling as I let the past few days replay in my head. It was all still startlingly clear, at least for the parts where I was conscious. Seeing Misato for the first time, My sync test and the odd…everything that it had been, meeting Dr. Akagi and having my expectations shattered. Waking up in the hospital, Sakura….
Sakura!
I shot up in my bed, jumping to my feet as I scrambled to the door. I hardly remembered to grab my shoes as I slid through the door the moment it'd opened wide enough for me.
I needed to find Tsubaka, or Akiko, or anyone that might be able to get me to the hospital really. Logically I knew she was almost certainly okay, but that didn't stop me from harboring low intensity worry since leaving the hospital, and it'd only been in a crescendo since then.
My run had quickly settled into the brisk stride I was familiar with. One of the best ways to keep people from stopping you was to look like you had somewhere to be, and with how many people stepped out of my way I was doing a good job if it. I didn't really have a destination in mind other than the general direction of the Eva cages where I'd hopefully find Misato or Ritsuko.
But I Didn't run into either of them. As I made my way down the hall, a blue and white blob caught my attention, which rapidly defined into the shape of a person as the gap between us closed. It took only a moment for the identity of the person to click in my head.
Rei Ayanami.
Part of me wanted to keep walking, because quite frankly I didn't feel even slightly prepared to speak to any of my fellow pilots. But putting it off was just that, putting it off. Kicking a can down the road never solved the problem, and sooner rather than later that can would no longer be kickable.
It was better to get the meeting over with now, early starts and all that. Plus Rei probably knew where Dr. Akagi was.
Mind set, I altered course slightly, slowing my pace and schooling my expression into less man on a mission and more casual curiosity as I approached the 1st child. Her head shifted slightly in my direction, so I at the very least had her attention, if only for a moment.
"Hey Rei—er, Pilot Ayanami? Which do you prefer?" I asked awkwardly. What little confidence I'd built shattered like a plan making contact with the enemy.
Rei came to a halt just as I had, and If my own eyes weren't so unnatural I think I'd have been more unnerved by Rei's crimson ones. Instead I found them rather beautiful, or rather the one I could see. The other was hidden behind bandages, wrapped up like most of her body was. Her right arm was still resting in a sling and I was honestly wondering if she should even be walking around right now.
Rei stared at me, expression stoic. For a moment I was worried she'd just ignore me and keep walking, but just as the silence was growing too awkward for me to bare, Rei finally broke it.
"Refer to me as Pilot Ayanami. It is my appropriate designation."
I suppressed a sign, nodding along. I'd expected something along those lines as an answer. Of course, expectations and reality were two different things.
"Of course. If you don't mind me asking, have you seen Dr. Akagi or the Major anywhere?" I asked, resisting the urge to fidget or sway. I only partially succeeded.
"Dr. Akagi is in her laboratory. I have not seen Major Katsuragi today."
I smiled. "Alright thank-" aaaand she was gone, walking down the hall and away from me before I could even finish.
"…you." I finished. I didn't bother holding back my sigh this time. Befriending Rei was going to be…difficult, and that interaction only highlighted it. But Rei deserved to have more than a single person caring about her-not as a means to an end or a doll, but as the living breathing human she was, robotic demeanor be damned.
In any case, I had a direction now. I didn't know where exactly Dr. Akagi's office was, but I had a pretty good idea thanks to the tour. Fortunately for me it was a rather important location with plenty of signage directing me along the right path. Adopting the 'I don't have time for you to stop me' walk again ensured that nobody really bothered to try, and the few that did were left in the dust.
Though it seemed I was doubly lucky as the next corner I turned had me almost running head first into the veg person I was looking for. The doctor and I had both just barely stopped in time to avoid a collision, and a good thing too, seeing as Ritsuko's arms were currently occupied with a mildly intimidating stack of folders.
"I need to go to the hospital" I blurted out, only wilting slightly when one of Ritsuko's eyebrows raised. When I didn't go on she sighed in what sounded like resignation.
"The Suzuhara girl?"
"The Suzuhara girl."
The Doctor looked like she'd like to pinch the bridge of her nose, but if I was reading her right there was a bit of fondness in her face.
"Alright then, take this and follow me" She said, pushing the folders into my arms. I scrambled to keep the stack from falling to the floor as Dr. Akagi walked past me.
I looked over my shoulder, staring for only a moment before scrambling to catch up.
That'd been…much easier than I'd expected.
————
The hospital was colder than I Remembered, and I was seriously regretting not bringing a jacket, or at least a long sleeved shirt. Though that was secondary as the receptionist of the hospital's front desk looked up from her computer.
"Sakura Suzuhara? She's in room 691 dear."
"Thank you ma'am." I said, smiling bright as I bid the receptionist farewell. Tsubaka and Akiko fell in on either side of me within moments. If NERV really wanted to broadcast my status to the world there were definitely easier ways to do it, but it was kinda the agent duo's job to keep me safe. I'd feel bad asking them to go out of their way for me anymore than they were already having to.
Which was a lot. I didn't know how much they'd had to drop to come escort me to the hospital, but I was probably interrupting something. Though they'd brushed me off when I tried to apologize, So there was little I could do other than strive to be as minimal a burden as possible.
They'd both gone back to the professional agent look, sunglasses and all, so I didn't exactly feel comfortable starting any small talk, even during the awkward elevator ride up to the 6th floor. The hospital was relatively quiet, the only real sounds came from the conversation between other patients and their visitors as we passed their rooms. I counted the numbers as we passed, once again marveling at my having miraculously learned an entire language.
I felt my nerves spike again as we approached Sakura's room. It was easy to stay level headed when I had others around who really needed me to. Right now there was no one who did, which left me with little incentive to wrangle my anxieties.
I took a deliberate breath to calm my nerves. It wasn't super helpful, but it was something, and that was always better than nothing.
When we stopped in front of the door, I heard laughter, and briefly wondered if I should just turn around and leave. But there was a very stubborn part of me that'd grown attached to the little girl and wouldn't let me, so instead I knocked. The laughter petered off and I heard shuffling, then footsteps.
Someone else was in the room, and before I could do even a little more mental preparation the door was sliding open to reveal a boy I could already tell was a bit shorter than me. His hair was black, his skin quite a bit darker then the people around us, but not near as dark as my own. His brown eyes met my black kaleidoscope ones.
We just…stood there staring at each other. I knew it was Toji I was looking at, especially when I noticed his trademark tracksuit. He had every reason to be here of course. His sister was in the hospital, why wouldn't Toji be spending every second he could here?
Our staring contest was interrupted by Sakura, starling Toji and I into near identical jumps.
"You're okay!"
After my heart stopped doing gymnastics, I found the Will to look past Toji, who was following my own gaze over his shoulder to Sakura. She looked somewhere between elated and relieved, and I couldn't help but smile back. Toji turned back to me, looking me up and down before seeming to decide something. I didn't know nearly enough about Toji to even bother attempting to read him.
Toji stepped aside, jerking his head towards Sakura, his face stern the entire time. With the elder Suzihara's unspoken permission I stepped into the room, though I halted mid step, pivoting to face Tsubaka and Akiko instead.
"Um…could you two stay out here please? I uh, don't wanna crowd the room" I asked, Palms pressed together. Tsubaka hesitated, but Akiko just got that knowing look adults got when they knew something you didn't.
"Of course. We'll be posted in the hall" the agent said, directing his partner away as he slid the door shut. With them gone, I turned around to face Toji again. He was standing near Sakura's bed now, arms crossed. He…really nailed the scary older brother look. Even with the few inches of height I had on him he managed to look pretty intimidating.
He could probably snap me like a twig too, which I chose not to think about in favor of looking at Sakura, who was practically vibrating in her bed from excitement. Though She didn't get to hold my attention for long as Toji spoke.
"This is him, right?"
Sakura's exuberance faded slightly, and she pouted at her brother's question.
"Of course it is! I already told you what he looks like n'stuff" she whined in the way only a child really could. Toji only rolled his, feigning annoyance before refocusing on me. I gulped, fearing briefly that I'd see the same fate as Shinji did upon their first meeting despite everything I'd done differently.
Toji crossed the distance between us, and I shut my eyes, bracing for whatever blow he sought to deliver.
But it never came.
Instead of a fist to the face or somewhere more painful, I felt the soft pressure of a fist against my chest, resting over my heart. Hesitantly, I opened my eyes, finding Toji's expression having simultaneously become more serious and softened considerably. I wasn't sure how that was possible, but I remembered my sister pulling off similar looks so maybe it was an older sibling thing.
"I owe ya' one, big time. You saved my sister's life, so you'll always be alright in my book, got it?"
I blinked, staring in open shock. I…wasn't entirely sure how to respond to that. Well, actually I was. The only valid response was yes because Toji's tone wasn't leaving any room for argument. So I nodded dumbly, trying to pull my wits back together so I could give a verbal response that was actually comprehensible.
"Don't mention it, I'm just glad she's okay" I said just before the pause was long enough to become awkward. Toji's stern expression melted into a satisfied smirk, and I released a bit of tension I hadn't been aware I was holding. It was oddly relieving to have Toji's approval
"I am! And so are you!" Sakura's excitement had returned in full, drawing a fond smile from Toji and I. He jerked his head towards her, moving to give a bit more room at her bedside. With his unspoken permission given again I approached her.
I came to a halt at her bedside, kneeling to be on level with her. Sakura reached out to me, making grabby hands. I reached back, and soon found Sakura's hands grasping mine.
"Hey Sakura, it's good to see you safe and sound" I gave her a once over now that it was close enough to see her in good detail. She was obviously looking better, her skin and hair clean. Her injured leg was encased in a light blue cast covered in crude doodles.
She giggled in response, squeezing my hand lightly. "Of course I am silky. You saved me and…well…" she looked down at our hands, cheeks reddening. It was so cute that I could've died right there, though telling Sakura how adorable she looked when she got bashful while her elder brother was right there seemed like a great way to get punched in the face.
Instead I waited patiently for her to finish, which she did after a few more moments of hesitation. Her head jerked up, her eyes pinning me in place as they burned with determination.
"Thank you! And can I please know your name!" She just barely stopped short of shouting.
There was a beat of silence, then Toji dissolved into a fit of laughter, drawing a pout from Sakura as she glared at her older brother. I let out a little giggle of my own before I answered, drawing Sakura's attention back to me.
"My name is Khamuro. It's nice to properly meet you Sakura"
The girl's smile nearly blinded me with how bright it was. "Nice to meet you too!" She didn't shout this time, but she was still full of that childish intensity. Next to me, Toji finally got his laughter under control.
"That's what you were so nervous to ask him?" Toji's tone was full of amusement. Sakura just huffed, refusing to look at him. He merely rolled his eyes at her, shifting to lean against the bed frame.
"Names Toji by the way. Won't lie, It's been a real pleasure to meetcha" he said, sliding a hand out of his jacket pockets to hold out towards me. We shared a small smile as I reached back, shaking his hand.
"Likewise. Looking forward to seeing you in school" I replied. Seeing as I was a Murdock kid there was no way I wouldn't end up in class with him.
"Your transferring in?" He titled his head inquisitively, and I was suddenly aware of where Sakura got her cuteness from.
"Yea, I'll be starting soon. It's nice to know I'll already have a familiar face."
Distantly I was aware that at some point my brian had deposited Toji in the 'friend' category. Not that I particularly minded. Toji was a great guy, and if things played out the same he'd be my comrade sooner or later anyways. Better to start building a relationship now.
Toji's smirk rivaled Sakura's smile with ease, and at this point I felt like I'd be blind by the time I left the hospital.
"'Course. I'll show you the ropes when we ya' show up, and that's a promise"
Toji's declaration seemed to ring throughout the room, and I couldn't help but believe him completely.
That wasn't the end of our conversation of course, and for close to an hour I let Sakura and Toji regale me with stories of Tokyo-3 and their years back in Osaka. It wasn't hard to slide into the sibling's dynamic, and when I finally left for NERV again I couldn't stop smiling.
Because today, I made a friend.
-
A/N
So that took a whole. . . . . .
. . . . Sorry
Is that pain worth it?
————
I relaxed under the stream of warm water. Normally I went out of my way to keep my hair as dry as possible when I showered, but if I didn't wash my hair then it'd end up caked with LCL. I really didn't wanna know what that stuff would do to my curls.
So I submerged myself fully under the shower head, letting the water cascade down my entire body as I scrubbed away the more stubborn bits of LCL. I didn't want the coppery scent of the stuff clinging to me, but with how long I'd been in the plug and how much more time I'd be spending there, I wasn't sure if I could avoid it. I'd probably have to invest in some perfume or cologne if I really wanted to keep the bloody scent away.
Thinking back, the sync test had been shorter than I feared, but longer than I'd hoped. Three and a half hours of my day lost to doing nothing while trying my best not to think too much about Unit-00. I'd felt her the entire time too, hovering on the edge of my awareness with a mix of hurt and resignation.
My understanding of Unit-00 was rudimentary at best, but it felt like she'd jumped at the chance to be near someone who actually wanted to get to know her. Those were the only words I could really put to the disjointed thoughts and emotions I'd gotten after our initial…handshake so to speak. My openness and her eagerness had mixed, our mutual desire to understand each other placing us in harmony.
Under any other circumstances I'd find that just fine.
I still didn't know exactly what my Sync rate had been at first, but it had been enough to spook Dr.Akagi to some degree. Which was a net bad because I really didn't need her paying extra attention to me, not with how easily that could spiral into Gendo and god forbid Seele putting me under a microscope. Fortunately it seemed that I could keep my score in the low 30s by avoiding thinking about Unit-00.
But that was a temporary solution at best, and there was no way it'd hold up in combat. Not to mention it'd left Unit-00 feeling…sad was the only way to put it. I'd done my best to make my apologies known, but with the greater distance between us I wasn't really sure if I'd succeeded. I'd have to make a better effort next time I was in the plug, maybe even…explain. It wasn't as if the Eva could tell anyone about all my dirty secrets.
But those were all future me's problems. Right now I needed to finish purging my skin and hair of LCL, so I went back to scrubbing till my skin felt raw. Unfortunately, the smell of blood still faintly clung to me as I dressed myself in the locker room. I cringed somewhat under the restrictive feel of the Nerve staff uniform. I'd really need to see about getting at least part of my wardrobe so I could wear something more comfortable.
But that was just another concern for the future. For now this was all I had, so I'd just have to deal.
Leaving the locker room behind, I heard 2 voices chatting not far down the hall, drawing me towards them. The first figure I noted was probably agent Tsubaka, though I could only be partially sure with them being outside my clear vision range, but the second's identity was obvious from the purple blob of what was probably hair cascading down her back. I hadn't quite been dreading this meeting, but that didn't mean I was ready for it either. Alas, it was here regardless.
So I steeled myself, and approached. Drawing closer let me confirm that it was indeed Tsubaka, and the women she was talking to could be none other than Misato Kitsuragi. Moments after I'd been able to confirm their identities, Tsubaka's eyes flickered towards me.
"Speak of the Devil, and he shall appear" The Agent said, her words prompting Misato to turn around and face me. I was hit with the same bout of surrealness that'd struck when I met Ritsuko. Seeing Misato here in front of me, living and breathing, I realized that no description or screen could do her justice. The commander was beautiful, from the seemingly perfect way her hair fell to how her clothes conformed to her body in all of the right places. The major was wonderful to look at.
Fortunately I was able to move past her physical traits fairly quickly in no small part due to the deeper knowledge of her I had. That and she was notably older than me at the moment.
The moment Misato's eyes met mine, she smiled bright enough to outshine the sun. Though even then I felt a…disconnect. Her smile wasn't false, but it wasn't completely real either. Though I didn't have time to think on it very hard as Misato barreled on, headless of my contemplation.
My heart rate spiked as her smile turned into a smirk. "So you're my new pilot? Maybe I should put you on the bridge, you certainly look the part, and I like a man in uniform" Misato commented as she gave me a once over, one hand on her hip while the other rubbed her chin as if she was seriously considering the idea.
I fought down a blush, resisting the growing urge to scream. I'd kinda hoped I'd somehow be able to sidestep Misato's teasing, but it seemed I'd have no such luck. I let out an internal sign of resignation, kicking my brain back into gear so that Khamuro.exe could get to work on formulating something approximating a coherent response.
"And leave NERV down an Eva? Not a chance"
The major's smirk softened back into a smile at my words, arms crossing under her chest.
"That's the right attitude. And unfortunately we need you now more than ever. Unit-01 took a bit of a beating from the 3rd angle's self destruction, so as it stands Unit-00 is our only combat capable Eva, aaand…" Misato grimaced, expression turning apologetic as she prepared to give me news Ritsuko had already dropped on me like a ton of bricks.
"You're our only combat ready pilot. Though I'm sure the sync test already tipped you off." Misato finished, and I nodded, feeling my smile grow more fake by the second.
"Yea, Dr. Akagi already told me." I admitted, prompting Misato to let out an exaggerated sigh.
"'Course she did. Well, no use crying over spilt milk. Either way, if you've got any questions feel free to ask, otherwise I think it's best if you go relax. It's been a rough couple of days for you right?" Hints of concern leaked into the Major's voice, reminding me that for all the masks Misato wore, she was still too caring for her own good.
"There is one thing actually, though I guess it's more of a request then a question." I said, hands clasping so my fingers could tap out simple rhythms against the tops of my hands.
Misato smiled bright again. "Whatever you need, I'm sure I can get it handled soon"
"It's nothing big, just some of my clothes so I have more than this-" I gestured to the uniform I was wearing now "-to wear"
I only barely stopped myself from laughing as Misato's eyes widened, face painted in horror. "That's all you have to wear?" She sounded as appalled as she looked, and my efforts not to laugh grew closer and closer to failing miserably.
"Uh…yea, and the Uniform is nice but I'd like something more comfortable y'know?"
Misato placed her hands on my shoulders-briefly highlighting that we were on eye level with each other-before she spoke, voice serious. "Oh I know, and I promise I'll get your wardrobe back"
I stood there shocked, a distant part of me wondering why exactly my clothes would be so important. It didn't seem like I'd be getting an answer anytime soon because before I knew it Misato was bidding me and Tsubaka goodbye. I blinked a few times as the encounter replayed in my head. Misato was everything I'd expected and so much more…
The same way Ritsuko was, and the same way I was beginning to suspect everyone would be. They were people, not characters. Humans, not well written facsimiles. Intuitively I knew this, but it seemed like the more emotional part of me was still digesting it. I wasn't quite sure how that made me feel, but it wasn't good.
I turned to Tsubaka, who'd been standing quietly through my entire conversation with the major. The moment my attention was on her, she opened her mouth to speak.
"Major Kitsuragi is right by the way, you should take the rest of the day to relax. I'll be by early to pick you up tomorrow so I'd recommend not staying up too late"
I nodded, hoping that'd be more possible now that most of the distractions I used to power through the night were absent. Though seeing as I'd kept myself up for hours with mere thoughts before, I wasn't feeling especially confident. In all honesty I'd probably just end up psyching myself up for my first day of school all night so as to not be nothing more than a ball of anxiety that next morning.
"I'll do my best. Thank you by the way, for the tour that is. And uh, everything else you've done till now." My mouth moved before I could even make an attempt to stop it, and it was times like this I was glad it was basically impossible for my skin to turn red. It wasn't like I didn't believe every word I'd said, but that didn't mean I wanted to say it all out loud. In the middle of NER's hallways.
Tsubaka's smile turned soft, and she placed a hand on my shoulder. Distantly I realized this was easily the most comforting Touch I'd received since arrival, which had me shoving down the urge to cry.
"There's no need to thank me, Khamuro. Just take care of yourself, okay?"
"Okay" I said, voice not all watery or shaking with unshed tears in the slightest.
————
Misato worked fast.
I'd returned to my room after a bit of wandering around to ensure I wouldn't get myself horribly lost. I'd shed the outermost layers of the uniform-that being the jacket-but when I'd opened my closet to discard it, I found a vastly different wardrobe waiting for me.
The uniforms had been shoved to the far ends of the space, the gap between them holding a mix of school uniforms I recognized from the show and more casual clothes that at least vaguely fit my style. One look at a comfortable pair of sweatpants was all it took for me to be swapping what it was wearing right there.
I traded the uniform pants for the very same pair of sweats that'd caught my eye, and the shirt for a plain green T-shirt. It was basic, unremarkable, and totally me.
I sighed in relief at the familiar feeling the fabric brought, discarding my shoes as I meanded over to my bed where I promptly face planted. Normally my glasses would discourage such an act, but they were missing and thus unable to jam against my nose. I let out a long breath into the sheets, mind falling into relative silence.
I lasted all of 30 seconds before boredom overtook me. Normally I'd resort to reading fanfiction or watching YouTube. Unfortunately a phone was required for either of those things, and I didn't have one at the moment. I should probably ask someone about that sooner or later. Probably Misato, seeing as she was basically in charge of the pilots as my direct superior.
Without a phone I wasn't sure how to kill the time, and much as I wanted to go out and explore the Geo front now that I was coherent enough to appreciate it, that probably wasn't allowed-at least not on a whim.
I rolled over onto my back, staring at the ceiling as I let the past few days replay in my head. It was all still startlingly clear, at least for the parts where I was conscious. Seeing Misato for the first time, My sync test and the odd…everything that it had been, meeting Dr. Akagi and having my expectations shattered. Waking up in the hospital, Sakura….
Sakura!
I shot up in my bed, jumping to my feet as I scrambled to the door. I hardly remembered to grab my shoes as I slid through the door the moment it'd opened wide enough for me.
I needed to find Tsubaka, or Akiko, or anyone that might be able to get me to the hospital really. Logically I knew she was almost certainly okay, but that didn't stop me from harboring low intensity worry since leaving the hospital, and it'd only been in a crescendo since then.
My run had quickly settled into the brisk stride I was familiar with. One of the best ways to keep people from stopping you was to look like you had somewhere to be, and with how many people stepped out of my way I was doing a good job if it. I didn't really have a destination in mind other than the general direction of the Eva cages where I'd hopefully find Misato or Ritsuko.
But I Didn't run into either of them. As I made my way down the hall, a blue and white blob caught my attention, which rapidly defined into the shape of a person as the gap between us closed. It took only a moment for the identity of the person to click in my head.
Rei Ayanami.
Part of me wanted to keep walking, because quite frankly I didn't feel even slightly prepared to speak to any of my fellow pilots. But putting it off was just that, putting it off. Kicking a can down the road never solved the problem, and sooner rather than later that can would no longer be kickable.
It was better to get the meeting over with now, early starts and all that. Plus Rei probably knew where Dr. Akagi was.
Mind set, I altered course slightly, slowing my pace and schooling my expression into less man on a mission and more casual curiosity as I approached the 1st child. Her head shifted slightly in my direction, so I at the very least had her attention, if only for a moment.
"Hey Rei—er, Pilot Ayanami? Which do you prefer?" I asked awkwardly. What little confidence I'd built shattered like a plan making contact with the enemy.
Rei came to a halt just as I had, and If my own eyes weren't so unnatural I think I'd have been more unnerved by Rei's crimson ones. Instead I found them rather beautiful, or rather the one I could see. The other was hidden behind bandages, wrapped up like most of her body was. Her right arm was still resting in a sling and I was honestly wondering if she should even be walking around right now.
Rei stared at me, expression stoic. For a moment I was worried she'd just ignore me and keep walking, but just as the silence was growing too awkward for me to bare, Rei finally broke it.
"Refer to me as Pilot Ayanami. It is my appropriate designation."
I suppressed a sign, nodding along. I'd expected something along those lines as an answer. Of course, expectations and reality were two different things.
"Of course. If you don't mind me asking, have you seen Dr. Akagi or the Major anywhere?" I asked, resisting the urge to fidget or sway. I only partially succeeded.
"Dr. Akagi is in her laboratory. I have not seen Major Katsuragi today."
I smiled. "Alright thank-" aaaand she was gone, walking down the hall and away from me before I could even finish.
"…you." I finished. I didn't bother holding back my sigh this time. Befriending Rei was going to be…difficult, and that interaction only highlighted it. But Rei deserved to have more than a single person caring about her-not as a means to an end or a doll, but as the living breathing human she was, robotic demeanor be damned.
In any case, I had a direction now. I didn't know where exactly Dr. Akagi's office was, but I had a pretty good idea thanks to the tour. Fortunately for me it was a rather important location with plenty of signage directing me along the right path. Adopting the 'I don't have time for you to stop me' walk again ensured that nobody really bothered to try, and the few that did were left in the dust.
Though it seemed I was doubly lucky as the next corner I turned had me almost running head first into the veg person I was looking for. The doctor and I had both just barely stopped in time to avoid a collision, and a good thing too, seeing as Ritsuko's arms were currently occupied with a mildly intimidating stack of folders.
"I need to go to the hospital" I blurted out, only wilting slightly when one of Ritsuko's eyebrows raised. When I didn't go on she sighed in what sounded like resignation.
"The Suzuhara girl?"
"The Suzuhara girl."
The Doctor looked like she'd like to pinch the bridge of her nose, but if I was reading her right there was a bit of fondness in her face.
"Alright then, take this and follow me" She said, pushing the folders into my arms. I scrambled to keep the stack from falling to the floor as Dr. Akagi walked past me.
I looked over my shoulder, staring for only a moment before scrambling to catch up.
That'd been…much easier than I'd expected.
————
The hospital was colder than I Remembered, and I was seriously regretting not bringing a jacket, or at least a long sleeved shirt. Though that was secondary as the receptionist of the hospital's front desk looked up from her computer.
"Sakura Suzuhara? She's in room 691 dear."
"Thank you ma'am." I said, smiling bright as I bid the receptionist farewell. Tsubaka and Akiko fell in on either side of me within moments. If NERV really wanted to broadcast my status to the world there were definitely easier ways to do it, but it was kinda the agent duo's job to keep me safe. I'd feel bad asking them to go out of their way for me anymore than they were already having to.
Which was a lot. I didn't know how much they'd had to drop to come escort me to the hospital, but I was probably interrupting something. Though they'd brushed me off when I tried to apologize, So there was little I could do other than strive to be as minimal a burden as possible.
They'd both gone back to the professional agent look, sunglasses and all, so I didn't exactly feel comfortable starting any small talk, even during the awkward elevator ride up to the 6th floor. The hospital was relatively quiet, the only real sounds came from the conversation between other patients and their visitors as we passed their rooms. I counted the numbers as we passed, once again marveling at my having miraculously learned an entire language.
I felt my nerves spike again as we approached Sakura's room. It was easy to stay level headed when I had others around who really needed me to. Right now there was no one who did, which left me with little incentive to wrangle my anxieties.
I took a deliberate breath to calm my nerves. It wasn't super helpful, but it was something, and that was always better than nothing.
When we stopped in front of the door, I heard laughter, and briefly wondered if I should just turn around and leave. But there was a very stubborn part of me that'd grown attached to the little girl and wouldn't let me, so instead I knocked. The laughter petered off and I heard shuffling, then footsteps.
Someone else was in the room, and before I could do even a little more mental preparation the door was sliding open to reveal a boy I could already tell was a bit shorter than me. His hair was black, his skin quite a bit darker then the people around us, but not near as dark as my own. His brown eyes met my black kaleidoscope ones.
We just…stood there staring at each other. I knew it was Toji I was looking at, especially when I noticed his trademark tracksuit. He had every reason to be here of course. His sister was in the hospital, why wouldn't Toji be spending every second he could here?
Our staring contest was interrupted by Sakura, starling Toji and I into near identical jumps.
"You're okay!"
After my heart stopped doing gymnastics, I found the Will to look past Toji, who was following my own gaze over his shoulder to Sakura. She looked somewhere between elated and relieved, and I couldn't help but smile back. Toji turned back to me, looking me up and down before seeming to decide something. I didn't know nearly enough about Toji to even bother attempting to read him.
Toji stepped aside, jerking his head towards Sakura, his face stern the entire time. With the elder Suzihara's unspoken permission I stepped into the room, though I halted mid step, pivoting to face Tsubaka and Akiko instead.
"Um…could you two stay out here please? I uh, don't wanna crowd the room" I asked, Palms pressed together. Tsubaka hesitated, but Akiko just got that knowing look adults got when they knew something you didn't.
"Of course. We'll be posted in the hall" the agent said, directing his partner away as he slid the door shut. With them gone, I turned around to face Toji again. He was standing near Sakura's bed now, arms crossed. He…really nailed the scary older brother look. Even with the few inches of height I had on him he managed to look pretty intimidating.
He could probably snap me like a twig too, which I chose not to think about in favor of looking at Sakura, who was practically vibrating in her bed from excitement. Though She didn't get to hold my attention for long as Toji spoke.
"This is him, right?"
Sakura's exuberance faded slightly, and she pouted at her brother's question.
"Of course it is! I already told you what he looks like n'stuff" she whined in the way only a child really could. Toji only rolled his, feigning annoyance before refocusing on me. I gulped, fearing briefly that I'd see the same fate as Shinji did upon their first meeting despite everything I'd done differently.
Toji crossed the distance between us, and I shut my eyes, bracing for whatever blow he sought to deliver.
But it never came.
Instead of a fist to the face or somewhere more painful, I felt the soft pressure of a fist against my chest, resting over my heart. Hesitantly, I opened my eyes, finding Toji's expression having simultaneously become more serious and softened considerably. I wasn't sure how that was possible, but I remembered my sister pulling off similar looks so maybe it was an older sibling thing.
"I owe ya' one, big time. You saved my sister's life, so you'll always be alright in my book, got it?"
I blinked, staring in open shock. I…wasn't entirely sure how to respond to that. Well, actually I was. The only valid response was yes because Toji's tone wasn't leaving any room for argument. So I nodded dumbly, trying to pull my wits back together so I could give a verbal response that was actually comprehensible.
"Don't mention it, I'm just glad she's okay" I said just before the pause was long enough to become awkward. Toji's stern expression melted into a satisfied smirk, and I released a bit of tension I hadn't been aware I was holding. It was oddly relieving to have Toji's approval
"I am! And so are you!" Sakura's excitement had returned in full, drawing a fond smile from Toji and I. He jerked his head towards her, moving to give a bit more room at her bedside. With his unspoken permission given again I approached her.
I came to a halt at her bedside, kneeling to be on level with her. Sakura reached out to me, making grabby hands. I reached back, and soon found Sakura's hands grasping mine.
"Hey Sakura, it's good to see you safe and sound" I gave her a once over now that it was close enough to see her in good detail. She was obviously looking better, her skin and hair clean. Her injured leg was encased in a light blue cast covered in crude doodles.
She giggled in response, squeezing my hand lightly. "Of course I am silky. You saved me and…well…" she looked down at our hands, cheeks reddening. It was so cute that I could've died right there, though telling Sakura how adorable she looked when she got bashful while her elder brother was right there seemed like a great way to get punched in the face.
Instead I waited patiently for her to finish, which she did after a few more moments of hesitation. Her head jerked up, her eyes pinning me in place as they burned with determination.
"Thank you! And can I please know your name!" She just barely stopped short of shouting.
There was a beat of silence, then Toji dissolved into a fit of laughter, drawing a pout from Sakura as she glared at her older brother. I let out a little giggle of my own before I answered, drawing Sakura's attention back to me.
"My name is Khamuro. It's nice to properly meet you Sakura"
The girl's smile nearly blinded me with how bright it was. "Nice to meet you too!" She didn't shout this time, but she was still full of that childish intensity. Next to me, Toji finally got his laughter under control.
"That's what you were so nervous to ask him?" Toji's tone was full of amusement. Sakura just huffed, refusing to look at him. He merely rolled his eyes at her, shifting to lean against the bed frame.
"Names Toji by the way. Won't lie, It's been a real pleasure to meetcha" he said, sliding a hand out of his jacket pockets to hold out towards me. We shared a small smile as I reached back, shaking his hand.
"Likewise. Looking forward to seeing you in school" I replied. Seeing as I was a Murdock kid there was no way I wouldn't end up in class with him.
"Your transferring in?" He titled his head inquisitively, and I was suddenly aware of where Sakura got her cuteness from.
"Yea, I'll be starting soon. It's nice to know I'll already have a familiar face."
Distantly I was aware that at some point my brian had deposited Toji in the 'friend' category. Not that I particularly minded. Toji was a great guy, and if things played out the same he'd be my comrade sooner or later anyways. Better to start building a relationship now.
Toji's smirk rivaled Sakura's smile with ease, and at this point I felt like I'd be blind by the time I left the hospital.
"'Course. I'll show you the ropes when we ya' show up, and that's a promise"
Toji's declaration seemed to ring throughout the room, and I couldn't help but believe him completely.
That wasn't the end of our conversation of course, and for close to an hour I let Sakura and Toji regale me with stories of Tokyo-3 and their years back in Osaka. It wasn't hard to slide into the sibling's dynamic, and when I finally left for NERV again I couldn't stop smiling.
Because today, I made a friend.
-
A/N
So that took a whole. . . . . .
. . . . Sorry
Last edited:
Granz Tacz
Swirl Sky Roo
- Location
- Under Stone Steel
I did watch Eva's movie but what happens if the sync rate is too high? Eva reboot storyline is a bit messy time jump between all 3 confusing but the action is fantastic thou.
- Pronouns
- They/Them
If a pilots sync rate gets too high (400% and above according to the anime) the pilot's body dissolves into LCL and their soul becomes trapped in the Eva.
I really liked this chapter. Overall I don't have any issues with the writing and story itself, there are definitely some grammatical errors but those are simple enough to correct. I am happy you made Sakura an actually meaningful character early on, a nice twist to start off. I also like seeing how Khamuro is NOT OK, that the reassuring shoulder touch of a sympathetic Section 2 Agent (and isn't a Section 2 agent that is an actual human being in a story just a novel experience), it highlights the reality of his situation, he is not ok, he is not meant to be there, but alas he will have to make the best of it. It is implied that Unit 0 hates Rei, the ease that Khamuro had to synch with it probably comes out of two factors: first off actually having a high chance at knowing the identity of the soul inside the machine since it's either Rei l or Naoko Akagi. Secondly Khamuro isn't like Rei at all, Unit 0 is probably ecstatic to bond to someone who at this point in the story is for all intents and purposes a doll. Speaking of dolls we got our first Rei interaction aaaaand it went about as well as expected, Khamuro will have many other chances to speak with her and to try and bond. His best chance to get her attention will be when she finds out he synched to Unit 0 successfully where she failed (given her tool oriented mindset the knoledge that someone else succeeded at her purpose that she failed is bound to get her attention) the other best chance to talk to and spend time with her will he during the Israfel training, since Shinji and Asuka are the main pair, Rei and Khamuro will likely get paired together as some sort of backup pair. Overall: good and solid chapter that works as a good setup for future events and subplots, I can't wait to see where you take this next. Good luck.
- Pronouns
- They/Them
I really wish I had the words to describe how much your feedback means to me ; - ;
Chapter 5: Forward Unto Dawn
- Pronouns
- They/Them
The future is uncertain, caught in a state of constant flux. Shifting and changing based on countless variables that can never truly be seen or planned for. Every moment is a step around another corner hiding who knows what experiences and events.
And yet, despite all of that, we soldier on, heedless of what May hide over the horizon.
————
You'd think spending so much time around the Geofront, I'd have run into shinji sooner or later.
You'd be wrong, and by now I suspected someone-probably Gendo-was going out of their way to keep us from meeting. Though seeing as I only really frequented 4 places in the entire Geofront it probably wasn't hard to keep our paths from crossing. Though they hadn't seemed to have been doing the same with Rei. I only passed by her 3 more times, and she'd only let me pull her into conversation once, an exchange I couldn't stop thinking about…
It had been small really, seemingly so inconsequential. And yet the words refused to leave me.
—
It'd just been another day, and I'd stepped onto the elevator on my way down to the sims for training. I'd been a little caught off guard when just a floor down, the elevator had stopped, and Rei had entered. She didn't say anything, or look at me, or even acknowledge my presence.
I lasted all of 20 seconds in the silence before my head forced me to say something.
"Pilot Ayanami?"
She didn't look at me, or even twitch in my general direction. The only sound between us was the dull hum of the elevator we were now sharing out of coincidence.
She did answer me though.
"Yes Pilot Shang?"
I glanced at Rei out of the corner of my eye, hesitating only a moment before speaking.
"What…what do you think of Unit-00?"
The air seemed to grow heavier, and briefly I wondered if I'd just made a colossal error in judgment by bringing up the Eva. Rei didn't turn to me, but I could feel her attention on me wholly and completely. It felt like I was being laid bare before her, my fellow pilot looking past my body and mind and any defense they may offer to observe my very soul.
"…It is angry"
She uttered, voice barely above a whisper. My head snapped in her direction, because despite the internal neutrality of her expression, Rei sounded sad. The resigned sort of depression one bore from a burden that'd long since broken them.
But before I could ask what Rei could possibly mean, the elevator was sliding open, and just like before she was leaving me behind. I stood there, rooted in place like a tree as she strode down the hall, vanishing around a corner.
And then the elevator was moving again.
—
The conversation left me feeling odd. Not good or bad, just…curious, insatiably so. It left me wanting to know more about Rei and Unit-00, to understand them and help them understand each other. Though I doubted I'd be able to anytime soon. It didn't take long for me to be settled into a steady routine.
The past few days had followed the same pattern. Getting woken up before the sun by Tsubaka, then eating breakfast with her and sometimes Akiko. After that I'd be thrown in simulations, dueling against a digital Sachiel. Finally, I was given a few hours to myself before hunger and lunchtime drew me to the cafeteria. Normally I'd be directed to spend the evening relaxing, usually in my room seeing as I was barred from accessing most of the Geofront.
It was a shame really, that I couldn't go out and properly enjoy the massive cave, but as I ducked Unti-00 behind a building I couldn't find it in myself to care all that much. Not right now at least.
"Remember your cable length Khamuro, you're going to have to switch out soon" Misato chided through the Radio. It'd only been a few days and already they were upping the difficulty of the simulations. Sachiel was more aggressive now, rushing me down the moment it knew where I was where before it'd only ever amble in my direction with the occasional leap if I strayed to far.
I let out a noise of affirmation, glancing at the ammo counter of my pallet rifle. I'd burned through a little over half my clip so far, and there were a handful of sizable cracks on Sachiel's core to show for it. But the Angel was still coming, and I was at the literal end of my rope.
"Switching to tower C3" I called out as I bolted from behind my cover and down the street, power cord ejecting before it grew taught. My timer began to tick down rapidly. I didn't need to look to know Sachiel was closing quickly now that I'd revealed myself, and with every step it was growing more apparent that I wouldn't be able to get to the next tower before the simulated Angel reached me.
I Skidded to a halt, pivoting on my heel to face Sachiel as I spread my stance. The Angel had opted for one of its arcing leaps, carrying it over block after block in a predictable parabola that was laughably easy to track and lead for. I shouldered my pallet rifle, leaning on the Eva's fire control for the finer details of simulated wind. The moment I was satisfied with my aim, I let loose a burst of fire, then another moments later.
They were at least marginally effective, a few rounds impacting the red orb that was Sachiel's core, but the Angel was still closing, and would be practically on top of me when it landed.
"Keep the distance open Khamuro, you won't win a brawl."
Misato spoke over the radio again, drawing a nod from me as I backpedaled rapidly, firing a few more ineffectual bursts at the Angel before it landed, just a short 150 meters from me. Well, not actually that short, but when you're in a 80 meter tall biomech your sense of distance and perspective shift pretty drastically.
The moment Sachiel's feet hit the street, the Angel was running, prompting me to turn and do the same. We'd already been playing a more than a little stressful game of cat and mouse, but now I didn't even have the luxury of turning to shoot every now and then. The Angel was hot on my heels, and 2 things were quickly becoming clear.
First, Sachiel had no reservations about property damage before, and thus its simulated version behaved similarly. The Angel simply barreled it's way through buildings, allowing it to move towards me in a mostly straight line while I zigzagged through the streets.
Second, I was running out of time. Fast. Both on the power I had left and the time till close quarters combat. Something needed to change, preferably right now.
"Misato, I have a very bad idea"
I didn't need to look at the bridge feed to know the major was shooting me a very unamused look.
"We both know you don't do well in close quarters Khamuro."
"Rude! I haven't even told you what it is yet."
Misato rolled her eyes, and I couldn't quite suppress a huff of amusement. The Major let out a sigh as she crossed her arms, the corners of her mouth in just the slightest downturn.
"We really do need to drill you on CQC later…alright, it's just sims so I suppose you can afford to be a little reckless, but you better not make a habit of this, am I clear?."
"Crystal! I don't have enough stopping power or accuracy to kill the Angel at range, so why not oblige it and close the gap for a better shot?" I said, ceasing my flight now that I'd received Misato's permission for what was indeed a supremely stupid idea. I couldn't help a feral looking grin as Sachiel smashed through a building to get to me, gangly arm already reaching for my head as the Angel rushed forward.
"Somehow, that's not as bad as what I was expecting."
"Aww c'mon, have a little more faith in me major!" I quipped as I ducked under the Angel's grab. The digital Sachiel opened up with the blow so often that I'd memorized it, though that put me right in position for the angel to send a vicious knee right into my face. The pain was significantly dulled in the simulation, but I still flinched back, a dull ache emanating from my nose.
Though I didn't let that stop me from completing my idiotic plan. I was more than close enough for it, and before the Angel could deliver another blow, I raised my rifle, and proceeded to empty what was left of the magazine into Sachiel's core.
From so close the rounds had little choice but to hit it, and each impact widened the cracks till the red orb finally shattered in an explosion of crimson shards and liquid. The digital Angel slumped forward on top of me, but before I could shove the corpse's weight off, the simulated world was dissolving around me.
"That's enough for today Khamuro. We'll go over your performance and then you can hit the mess hall, got it?" Misato's voice rang within the plug.
"Affirmative" I answered, leaning back in the Saddle as the digital landscape gave way to the interior of the entry plug. I waited patiently for the LCL to drain, heaving it out of my lungs as soon as the stuff was below my chest, which was unfortunately still bare. Ritsuko promised to rectify my plugsuit issue before my first combat sortie, but seeing as that could be at any time, I wasn't holding my breath for It.
I cringed-both from the cold the LCL left behind and the lingering taste of blood that it left on my tongue. I felt the entry plug shift, and a blast of air that made me shiver as it opened. I climbed out swiftly, gladly accepting the towel one of the Eva techs was waiting with. It helped to rid my body of the worst of the LCL, but I'd need another good shower to clean myself completely.
Which I proceeded to do, making a beeline to the lockeroom to wash up and change. The warm water was heavenly after hours spent in the sims, and I'd probably have drawn the whole thing out more if I didn't have a debrief to get to. Misato had already proven she was not above coming to get me if I took too long.
So it wasn't much later that I found myself seated in the same conference room we always used for briefing and debriefing. It was slowly starting to stink vaguely of LCL, the bloody scent clinging to me no matter how hard I tried to keep it off. I ignored it though, paying every bit of attention I could muster to Misato as she picked apart my performance with the methodical precision befitting a CO of her caliber.
"Overall, you did alright. You've been showing steady improvement since your first sim, particularly with firearms." Misato said as she flicked the conference room's projector off. "When we get around to multi-Eva ops you'll probably end up on overwatch, so expect to start training with longer range weapons."
"Understood." I said with a nod. Knowing the sort of damage some Angel's were capable of, I didn't have much in the way of reservations over keeping my distance. That and being a sniper was something of a dream of mine.
Misato's posture relaxed, if only minutely, her stern expression lapsing into an easy smile. Her voice went from hard and commanding to soft and playful in an instant. "Well with that done, I won't keep you any longer. Go get some grub pilot."
"Aye aye captain." I said as I sprung up from my chair, drawing another small laugh from Misato. A rather loud grumble of my stomach had me picking up the pace just a bit as I headed for the door, though Misato had me pausing midway through the frame when she called my name.
"Don't forget, your first day of school is tomorrow. You'll be heading there right after your morning rounds in the sims."
Oh right. School.
Fuck
I must've said that aloud, seeing as Misato was laughing again. I gave her the stink eye over my shoulder, prompting her to laugh even harder. It took the major a bit to get her laughter under control, continuing on once she had.
"Relax Khamruo, you'll be fine. You'll be going with Shinji, and it's about time you two finally get to meet."
I perked up at that. 3 weeks and I hadn't seen even a glimpse of him. I knew we'd be meeting eventually, but I also didn't expect it to be quite so sudden. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't kinda looking forward to it.
"Alright then, is there anything else I should know?"
Other than the fact that there was gonna be an angel attack tomorrow.
"Well, not something you should know, but a request."
And while I could definitely guess where this was going, I titled my head in question anyways, prompting Misato to continue.
"Try to be friends with Shinji please? He's been a little trooper, but he could use some support from people his own age." Misato's voice was bordering on pleading, so incredibly earnest that I had no other choice but to say yes.
"Sure thing Captain. Us pilots gotta stick together right?"
Her smile lit up the room, and I couldn't help grinning back.
"That's the right idea, now get outta here before your stomach starts complaining any more"
I chuckled, though that was quickly cut off as my stomach chose that exact moment to do just as she'd warned. The sound was more akin to an animal then anything that should come from a human, and I quickly found myself retreating to the cafeteria, face burning, Misato's cackling echoing behind me.
————
Somehow, Tokyo-03 First Municipal Junior High managed to be more imposing than Sachiel had been. Granted the Angel was in a fairly sorry state when I'd finally seen it, and the challenges I'd face in this building were a hell of a lot closer to home than an Angel was. Before me was what'd likely be the single greatest trial I would endure.
Middle school.
Though I wouldn't be facing it alone, because next to me was one Shinji Ikari. How he managed to look so calm I had no idea, though it probably had something to do with his rampant apathy. He'd put up a good front through the car ride, mostly staring dispondantly out the window during the trip. I hadn't exactly felt the pressure to speak, not since our brief exchange of introductions.
The silence hadn't exactly been suffocating, but eventually I'd broken it out of sheer boredom. Lacking a phone really sucked…
The conversation had been short, but just like with Rei, it felt like the beginning of something that could be beautiful.
—
"Where did you live before you came here?"
Shinji actually startled, only held in place by his seatbelt as he whipped around to stare at me, blinking owlishly. I couldn't help a small huff of amusement at his shocked expression. It was like he'd forgotten I was even here. Despite his surprise, Shinji did answer me.
"Out…out in the country. I didn't ever learn the town's name, but I think it was somewhere near Tokyo-2?"
I nodded along as he spoke, wearing an easy smile all the while. "That's cool. I'll admit I don't know very much about Japan's geography. Maybe we could go back there sometime."
Shinji's eyes widened minutely, his mouth opening and closing a few times before he spoke again.
"You think that I…that we could go back?"
I could practically taste his disbelief, and I idly wondered how detrimental Gendo's premature death may be.
"Of course. You gotta visit your home town eventually right?" Or at least that's what I thought. When other cities were a mere train ride away, It'd feel criminal not to abuse that fact to travel places all the time. Sure, being a pilot meant generally being stuck in Toko-3 to be ready for any Angel attack, but surely some off time could be arranged?
"I…I guess so…" Shinji still sounded disbelieving, but his eyes seemed just the slightest bit brighter than before even as his gaze fell to his lap, and I was fully willing to call that a win.
We lapsed back into silence, and this time it really did feel comfortable. I was fully willing to let it persist till we reached the school, but it seemed Shinji had other ideas.
"But wouldn't you wanna go home too?" He asked suddenly, head jerking up. This time I was the one who was startled. His eyes were burning with something I couldn't quite identify, the dark blue seemingly on fire.
Determination, I realized. To do what exactly, I didn't know, but Shinji was reaching out to me-if only slightly. I'd have to be a complete and utter fool not to oblige him.
"Sure I would, though I'd like to bring you, Ayanami, and Misato along. There's a lot in the states that I'd love to show you all, especially back home."
I said, leaning back in the soft seat of our transport as memories I'd tried hard to ignore floated to the forefront.
"We have this place called the stockyards. It's a regular tourist trap, but there's still so much to do. If We time it right, we may even get to see a cattle drive, or see one of the rodeos."
And I was off, losing myself in sharing memories of home. It was…painful, knowing that much of what I remember was liable to have changed or even be gone completely, but the way Shinji's eyes sparkled with interest as he let himself be enraptured by my stories made it worth it.
—
And after all that he…he reminded me of someone I knew. I could recall her face, her hair, the way she dressed and the fondness that'd only ever burned brighter as I watched her grow and change. They were both…quiet, closed off, left unable to reach out from the crippling fear of rejection.
I'd steadily coaxed that nameless girl out of her shell, and had been gifted one of the greatest friendships of my life for it. I'd do the same for Shinji, even if he didn't need me as much as the more self righteous part of me wanted to think. I wasn't an idiot, he'd have Kensuke and Toji as soon as the jock got over himself, but if I could smooth over their initial meeting and accelerate the process, things could only get better!
Or at least that's what I hoped.
I glanced at Shinji, who seemed to be muttering to himself, eyes trained on the ground.
"I mustn't run away, I mustn't run away" he repeated over and over again. I knew the mantra, and part of me hated it. There was no shame in turning tail when you weren't prepared for something, and I knew first hand just how much facing things you weren't ready for could hurt. I knew just how much it would hurt for Shinji, acting all by himself.
Fortunately, he wasn't alone. Not right now.
"Hey Ikari, you ready?"
That seemed to shock Shinji out of his internal ramblings, head snapping up with a quite frankly adorable yelp. It did the trick regardless, and he nodded.
"Ye-Yes Sha—I mean Khamuro!"
He only remembered to call me by my given name after a healtess glare, which quickly melted into an encouraging smile.
"Let's not waste any time then, class 2-A awaits!" I declared, marching down the path and up the steps, smile widening when I heard Shinji's own footsteps trailing just behind.
A lot was going to happen today, from middle school drama to a battle for the fate of the world, and I was going to make sure that it all turned out okay!
I had too.
————
Entering the classroom had been every bit as awkward as I'd anticipated and more. Unlike school in the US where a new student could usually slip into the general population unnoticed. No, here I'd be introducing myself to the class I'd be with for the rest of the school year.
It'd be a novel experience if nothing else.
So, without any more hesitation, I did as the teacher had instructed me, giving my name to the class.
"I'm Khamuro Lee Shang, but you can just call me Khamuro. It's nice to meet y'all!"
I felt my smile become genuine as Toji's hand shot up, preempting the teacher assigning me a seat.
"He can sit next to me Sensei"
Warmth bloomed in my chest, and before the teacher could accept or reject the request, I made my way through the desks and to the indicated seat, plopping myself down right next to Toji.
"Thanks dude." I whispered to Toji as Shinji introduced himself to the class, far less enthusiastic than I'd been.
"No problem man, s'like I said, I got your back." He murmured back. I caught Kensuke eyeing me from Toji's other side, looking at me with something akin to hunger and curiosity. I knew the question that was burning on his and everyone else's mind right now.
They all wanted to know who the pilot was, unaware of me waving him over to take the vacant seat in front of me. I felt a little bad having the 2 of us so far away from Rei, who was seated on the opposite side of the room, but seats could always be shifted. Once shinji had taken his seat, I let my attention wander as our teacher began a lecture on 2nd impact, just like the anime…
He was only our home room instructor, so technically there wasn't really a problem, and it made pleasant background noise if nothing else. It allowed my mind to wander till our next period began.
I wondered if I should just get Shinji not to out himself as the pilot. I could always say it was me which…technically wasn't a lie. I was a pilot, just not of Unit-01. It might save Shinji the pain and help him and Toji become friends, but one of the main reasons they'd gotten closer at all was because Toji saw how much piloting hurt when he fought Shamshel.
Though that wouldn't happen now. Not with Unit-01 out of commission. It'd be up to me to face the Angel, and I wasn't entirely sure if I was ready for it…
I was shocked out of my thoughts by the laptop on my desk pinged, drawing my attention to its screen. The laptop was old looking-to me at least, my standards for technology being almost a decade ahead. But the interface was familiar, and a few keystrokes had the school run messaging application that had produced the sound opened.
I pointedly ignored the class group chat and the speculations on Shinji and I that filled it in favor of opening the DM I'd received from Kensuke.
Kensuke Aida: How'd you meet Toji?
I glanced at the sender out of the corner of my eye to find him looking at me expectantly. I let out an amused huff, typing my response. It took a bit, putting the basics of my arrival and then my visit to the hospital into words, but I felt it was worth it when I hit send. I typed out as much as I could without revealing things that were probably classified.
I leaned back in my seat, shooting a glance at Kensuke past Toji to gauge his reaction. The boy's mouth was hanging open as he stared at his screen, then at me. I shrugged, shooting him a half smile. He blinked a couple of times, before turning back to his computer and typing furiously. I let out a silent laugh, watching the three dots in our DM that signified his typing.
Though that was interrupted by another notification, this time from Toji. Apparently he'd stuck me and Kensuke into a group chat, apparently sick of watching our conversation while in the dark judging by his message
Toji Suzuhara: The heck are you guys talking about?
Kensuke gave Toji a look I couldn't quite decipher before typing out his response and hitting enter far faster than I could.
kensuke Aida: Just that your new friend was apparently up ON THE GROUND DURING THE ATTACK ON THE CITY!!!
Khamruo Lee Shang: Sakura was also there.
Kensuke Aisa: AND SAKURA WAS THERE
I huffed out another laugh. Kensuke was probably going to interrogate me for details sooner or later. Probably sooner all things considered, and I wasn't sure if I should be looking forward to that conversation or dreading it.
Toji Suzuhara: Yeah, what about it?
Kensuke Aida: You are frustratingly calm about this.
Kensuke Aida: When were you gonna Introduce us?
Toji Suzuhara: Lunch, but now works too.
Toji Suzuhara: Ken, Khamuro. khamuro, Ken.
Khamuro Lee Shang: Nice to meet you Ken.
Kensuke Aida: Likewise.
Kensuke Aida: I have.
Kensuke Aida: So many questions.
Khamuro Lee Shang: I might have answers.
Toji Suzuhara: Can you at least wait till lunch?
Kensuke Aida: Fine.
And thus, class went on. Or well, the lecture did. I messaged a bit more with Toji and Kensuke, mostly to pass the time and distract myself. Distantly, I felt like I'd let something important fall to the wayside, but if that was the case I'd remember sooner or late. Right now I was more concerned with keeping up with my 2 new companion's banter.
But suddenly, the room went disturbingly still, then a flurry of clattering computers and scraping chairs that had my head jerking up. Everyone was staring at Shinji, expressions ranging from shock to envy to interest and dozens of other things I couldn't be bothered to catalogue. My stomach sank to the earth's burning core as the thing I'd forgotten came barreling back.
Shinji, poor sweet naive Shinji had just outed himself. I knew this was going to happen, and I probably should've stopped it. Unfortunately, the past was the past, even if it was only a few seconds ago, and I could only flinch back as the poor boy was promptly swarmed by the rest of the class. Distantly I could hear Hikari trying and mostly failing to get everyone to stop the barrage of questions on Shinji and sit down.
I sighed, resigning myself to dealing with the incoming fallout. I didn't have to look to know Toji was hiding his contempt with feigned aloofness. It seemed it was time to brainstorm ways to keep Toji from doing something stupid…
So much for an okay day.
————
Class hadn't truly calmed down until lunch, and while the student body had relaxed, I had to do the exact opposite as I tried desperately to get Toji to chill out. He was really intimidating when he wanted to be, and right now he did. But I had to stand my ground, arms crossed, feet planted, and best disapproving look in place.
"You can't just beat him up, Toji. That won't avenge anyone, it'll just get you into trouble."
"You almost died because of him, And you really want me to just let that idiot go!?" Toji practically shouted at me.
I didn't let it get to me, because he had every reason to be upset. His home had been damaged, his sister was in the hospital, and his city was in ruins. It'd be more amazing for him to be calm right now. But even so, this was far from a healthy outlet for his frustration, and I said as much.
"Yes. Like it or not, Shinji saved us. Could he have gone about it better? Yeah probably, but the past is in the past. What will this even change Toji? What do you get out of hurting him?"
"It'll make me feel better!" He retorted almost immediately. My eyes narrowed.
"Will it?" I challenged.
We stood there, glaring at each other. Toji could probably push past me if he really wanted to. I wasn't that much taller than him and he definitely had more mass between the 2 of us. Fortunately it didn't come to that, as I noted a subtle shift in Toji's eyes. He turned away from me, burning a whole into the ground with his glare before letting out a frustrated yell.
He stormed off, aggression in every step as he hopefully went to work off his emotions in a less destructive manner. I let out a breath, shoulders relaxing. Kensuke did the same, having been standing off to the side nervously as me and Toji argued.
"Holy shit, thanks a bunch dude. It's really hard to get Toji to change his mind. No way I would've been able to talk him down"
I gave him a tired smile, letting my arms fall to my side. "It's nothing, I'm just glad he listened." I said as I looked over my shoulder, Watching the blurry form of Shinji settle on a bench to eat his lunch, totally oblivious to how close he'd come to being beat up on his first day of school.
"Say, how'd you like to meet Shinji?" I asked offhandedly. I knew we'd be getting called away because of the imminent Angel attack, but surely introducing Kensuke couldn't hurt.
"Wha? Right now?" He blinked a couple times, adjusting his glasses before he leaned in to scrutinize me, eyes narrowed. "Wait a sec…do you know him?"
The accusation caught me a little off guard, and my mouth moved before my brain could intervene.
"Sorta kinda? We're co-workers."
It was at that exact moment, as Kensuke's eyes widened, gleaming with insatiable thirst for knowledge that I realized.
I'd just fucked up.
And here I was judging Shinji for outing himself so blatantly….
"YOUR A PIL-mmph"
"Yes, I am. Though I'd like it if you didn't shout it to the whole city" I said, removing my hand from Toji's mouth. He nodded slowly, grin manic.
"Okay but like, I have even more questions now!" Kensuke was practically bouncing on his heels as he spoke, and idly I wondered if this what Shinji felt like when everyone mobbed him.
"I'll answer what I can, but-"
"Yea yea, classification and all that, now let's go meet your senpai!" Kensuke cut me off, grabbing my hand as he marched past. I rolled my eyes, ignoring the surge of warmth the contact brought as the nerd led me over to Shinji. My fellow pilot was looking at us now, expression caught between apprehension and interest. Kensuke's scream had probably drawn his attention.
"Hey Ikari, nice to properly meetcha. I'm Kensuke Aida, and I have lots of questions for you and Khamuro here" Kensuke's voice was almost predatory as he promptly sat me down next to Shinji. I gave him an apologetic look, watching as confusion turned to resignation.
"…okay I guess." Shinji said after a few seconds, prompting Kensuke's smile to widen.
"Perfect! Now first of, what's-"
"Pilot Shang, Pilot Ikari."
All 3 of us collectively jumped, our screams harmonizing as we collectively jerked to face the source of the new voice. There, standing in all of her still-injured glory was Rei Ayanami.
"There had been an emergency. We are needed at Nerve HQ immediately."
Oh right, there was an angel attacking today.
An angel I was going to have to fight.
Shit.
—
A/N
Originally this was gonna cover all of episode 3, but then the chapter was just getting far to long, so I chose to break it up into 2. Next chapter will be dealing with Shamshel and the aftermath. As always, any thoughts, opinions, and critique are greatly appreciated!
And yet, despite all of that, we soldier on, heedless of what May hide over the horizon.
————
You'd think spending so much time around the Geofront, I'd have run into shinji sooner or later.
You'd be wrong, and by now I suspected someone-probably Gendo-was going out of their way to keep us from meeting. Though seeing as I only really frequented 4 places in the entire Geofront it probably wasn't hard to keep our paths from crossing. Though they hadn't seemed to have been doing the same with Rei. I only passed by her 3 more times, and she'd only let me pull her into conversation once, an exchange I couldn't stop thinking about…
It had been small really, seemingly so inconsequential. And yet the words refused to leave me.
—
It'd just been another day, and I'd stepped onto the elevator on my way down to the sims for training. I'd been a little caught off guard when just a floor down, the elevator had stopped, and Rei had entered. She didn't say anything, or look at me, or even acknowledge my presence.
I lasted all of 20 seconds in the silence before my head forced me to say something.
"Pilot Ayanami?"
She didn't look at me, or even twitch in my general direction. The only sound between us was the dull hum of the elevator we were now sharing out of coincidence.
She did answer me though.
"Yes Pilot Shang?"
I glanced at Rei out of the corner of my eye, hesitating only a moment before speaking.
"What…what do you think of Unit-00?"
The air seemed to grow heavier, and briefly I wondered if I'd just made a colossal error in judgment by bringing up the Eva. Rei didn't turn to me, but I could feel her attention on me wholly and completely. It felt like I was being laid bare before her, my fellow pilot looking past my body and mind and any defense they may offer to observe my very soul.
"…It is angry"
She uttered, voice barely above a whisper. My head snapped in her direction, because despite the internal neutrality of her expression, Rei sounded sad. The resigned sort of depression one bore from a burden that'd long since broken them.
But before I could ask what Rei could possibly mean, the elevator was sliding open, and just like before she was leaving me behind. I stood there, rooted in place like a tree as she strode down the hall, vanishing around a corner.
And then the elevator was moving again.
—
The conversation left me feeling odd. Not good or bad, just…curious, insatiably so. It left me wanting to know more about Rei and Unit-00, to understand them and help them understand each other. Though I doubted I'd be able to anytime soon. It didn't take long for me to be settled into a steady routine.
The past few days had followed the same pattern. Getting woken up before the sun by Tsubaka, then eating breakfast with her and sometimes Akiko. After that I'd be thrown in simulations, dueling against a digital Sachiel. Finally, I was given a few hours to myself before hunger and lunchtime drew me to the cafeteria. Normally I'd be directed to spend the evening relaxing, usually in my room seeing as I was barred from accessing most of the Geofront.
It was a shame really, that I couldn't go out and properly enjoy the massive cave, but as I ducked Unti-00 behind a building I couldn't find it in myself to care all that much. Not right now at least.
"Remember your cable length Khamuro, you're going to have to switch out soon" Misato chided through the Radio. It'd only been a few days and already they were upping the difficulty of the simulations. Sachiel was more aggressive now, rushing me down the moment it knew where I was where before it'd only ever amble in my direction with the occasional leap if I strayed to far.
I let out a noise of affirmation, glancing at the ammo counter of my pallet rifle. I'd burned through a little over half my clip so far, and there were a handful of sizable cracks on Sachiel's core to show for it. But the Angel was still coming, and I was at the literal end of my rope.
"Switching to tower C3" I called out as I bolted from behind my cover and down the street, power cord ejecting before it grew taught. My timer began to tick down rapidly. I didn't need to look to know Sachiel was closing quickly now that I'd revealed myself, and with every step it was growing more apparent that I wouldn't be able to get to the next tower before the simulated Angel reached me.
I Skidded to a halt, pivoting on my heel to face Sachiel as I spread my stance. The Angel had opted for one of its arcing leaps, carrying it over block after block in a predictable parabola that was laughably easy to track and lead for. I shouldered my pallet rifle, leaning on the Eva's fire control for the finer details of simulated wind. The moment I was satisfied with my aim, I let loose a burst of fire, then another moments later.
They were at least marginally effective, a few rounds impacting the red orb that was Sachiel's core, but the Angel was still closing, and would be practically on top of me when it landed.
"Keep the distance open Khamuro, you won't win a brawl."
Misato spoke over the radio again, drawing a nod from me as I backpedaled rapidly, firing a few more ineffectual bursts at the Angel before it landed, just a short 150 meters from me. Well, not actually that short, but when you're in a 80 meter tall biomech your sense of distance and perspective shift pretty drastically.
The moment Sachiel's feet hit the street, the Angel was running, prompting me to turn and do the same. We'd already been playing a more than a little stressful game of cat and mouse, but now I didn't even have the luxury of turning to shoot every now and then. The Angel was hot on my heels, and 2 things were quickly becoming clear.
First, Sachiel had no reservations about property damage before, and thus its simulated version behaved similarly. The Angel simply barreled it's way through buildings, allowing it to move towards me in a mostly straight line while I zigzagged through the streets.
Second, I was running out of time. Fast. Both on the power I had left and the time till close quarters combat. Something needed to change, preferably right now.
"Misato, I have a very bad idea"
I didn't need to look at the bridge feed to know the major was shooting me a very unamused look.
"We both know you don't do well in close quarters Khamuro."
"Rude! I haven't even told you what it is yet."
Misato rolled her eyes, and I couldn't quite suppress a huff of amusement. The Major let out a sigh as she crossed her arms, the corners of her mouth in just the slightest downturn.
"We really do need to drill you on CQC later…alright, it's just sims so I suppose you can afford to be a little reckless, but you better not make a habit of this, am I clear?."
"Crystal! I don't have enough stopping power or accuracy to kill the Angel at range, so why not oblige it and close the gap for a better shot?" I said, ceasing my flight now that I'd received Misato's permission for what was indeed a supremely stupid idea. I couldn't help a feral looking grin as Sachiel smashed through a building to get to me, gangly arm already reaching for my head as the Angel rushed forward.
"Somehow, that's not as bad as what I was expecting."
"Aww c'mon, have a little more faith in me major!" I quipped as I ducked under the Angel's grab. The digital Sachiel opened up with the blow so often that I'd memorized it, though that put me right in position for the angel to send a vicious knee right into my face. The pain was significantly dulled in the simulation, but I still flinched back, a dull ache emanating from my nose.
Though I didn't let that stop me from completing my idiotic plan. I was more than close enough for it, and before the Angel could deliver another blow, I raised my rifle, and proceeded to empty what was left of the magazine into Sachiel's core.
From so close the rounds had little choice but to hit it, and each impact widened the cracks till the red orb finally shattered in an explosion of crimson shards and liquid. The digital Angel slumped forward on top of me, but before I could shove the corpse's weight off, the simulated world was dissolving around me.
"That's enough for today Khamuro. We'll go over your performance and then you can hit the mess hall, got it?" Misato's voice rang within the plug.
"Affirmative" I answered, leaning back in the Saddle as the digital landscape gave way to the interior of the entry plug. I waited patiently for the LCL to drain, heaving it out of my lungs as soon as the stuff was below my chest, which was unfortunately still bare. Ritsuko promised to rectify my plugsuit issue before my first combat sortie, but seeing as that could be at any time, I wasn't holding my breath for It.
I cringed-both from the cold the LCL left behind and the lingering taste of blood that it left on my tongue. I felt the entry plug shift, and a blast of air that made me shiver as it opened. I climbed out swiftly, gladly accepting the towel one of the Eva techs was waiting with. It helped to rid my body of the worst of the LCL, but I'd need another good shower to clean myself completely.
Which I proceeded to do, making a beeline to the lockeroom to wash up and change. The warm water was heavenly after hours spent in the sims, and I'd probably have drawn the whole thing out more if I didn't have a debrief to get to. Misato had already proven she was not above coming to get me if I took too long.
So it wasn't much later that I found myself seated in the same conference room we always used for briefing and debriefing. It was slowly starting to stink vaguely of LCL, the bloody scent clinging to me no matter how hard I tried to keep it off. I ignored it though, paying every bit of attention I could muster to Misato as she picked apart my performance with the methodical precision befitting a CO of her caliber.
"Overall, you did alright. You've been showing steady improvement since your first sim, particularly with firearms." Misato said as she flicked the conference room's projector off. "When we get around to multi-Eva ops you'll probably end up on overwatch, so expect to start training with longer range weapons."
"Understood." I said with a nod. Knowing the sort of damage some Angel's were capable of, I didn't have much in the way of reservations over keeping my distance. That and being a sniper was something of a dream of mine.
Misato's posture relaxed, if only minutely, her stern expression lapsing into an easy smile. Her voice went from hard and commanding to soft and playful in an instant. "Well with that done, I won't keep you any longer. Go get some grub pilot."
"Aye aye captain." I said as I sprung up from my chair, drawing another small laugh from Misato. A rather loud grumble of my stomach had me picking up the pace just a bit as I headed for the door, though Misato had me pausing midway through the frame when she called my name.
"Don't forget, your first day of school is tomorrow. You'll be heading there right after your morning rounds in the sims."
Oh right. School.
Fuck
I must've said that aloud, seeing as Misato was laughing again. I gave her the stink eye over my shoulder, prompting her to laugh even harder. It took the major a bit to get her laughter under control, continuing on once she had.
"Relax Khamruo, you'll be fine. You'll be going with Shinji, and it's about time you two finally get to meet."
I perked up at that. 3 weeks and I hadn't seen even a glimpse of him. I knew we'd be meeting eventually, but I also didn't expect it to be quite so sudden. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't kinda looking forward to it.
"Alright then, is there anything else I should know?"
Other than the fact that there was gonna be an angel attack tomorrow.
"Well, not something you should know, but a request."
And while I could definitely guess where this was going, I titled my head in question anyways, prompting Misato to continue.
"Try to be friends with Shinji please? He's been a little trooper, but he could use some support from people his own age." Misato's voice was bordering on pleading, so incredibly earnest that I had no other choice but to say yes.
"Sure thing Captain. Us pilots gotta stick together right?"
Her smile lit up the room, and I couldn't help grinning back.
"That's the right idea, now get outta here before your stomach starts complaining any more"
I chuckled, though that was quickly cut off as my stomach chose that exact moment to do just as she'd warned. The sound was more akin to an animal then anything that should come from a human, and I quickly found myself retreating to the cafeteria, face burning, Misato's cackling echoing behind me.
————
Somehow, Tokyo-03 First Municipal Junior High managed to be more imposing than Sachiel had been. Granted the Angel was in a fairly sorry state when I'd finally seen it, and the challenges I'd face in this building were a hell of a lot closer to home than an Angel was. Before me was what'd likely be the single greatest trial I would endure.
Middle school.
Though I wouldn't be facing it alone, because next to me was one Shinji Ikari. How he managed to look so calm I had no idea, though it probably had something to do with his rampant apathy. He'd put up a good front through the car ride, mostly staring dispondantly out the window during the trip. I hadn't exactly felt the pressure to speak, not since our brief exchange of introductions.
The silence hadn't exactly been suffocating, but eventually I'd broken it out of sheer boredom. Lacking a phone really sucked…
The conversation had been short, but just like with Rei, it felt like the beginning of something that could be beautiful.
—
"Where did you live before you came here?"
Shinji actually startled, only held in place by his seatbelt as he whipped around to stare at me, blinking owlishly. I couldn't help a small huff of amusement at his shocked expression. It was like he'd forgotten I was even here. Despite his surprise, Shinji did answer me.
"Out…out in the country. I didn't ever learn the town's name, but I think it was somewhere near Tokyo-2?"
I nodded along as he spoke, wearing an easy smile all the while. "That's cool. I'll admit I don't know very much about Japan's geography. Maybe we could go back there sometime."
Shinji's eyes widened minutely, his mouth opening and closing a few times before he spoke again.
"You think that I…that we could go back?"
I could practically taste his disbelief, and I idly wondered how detrimental Gendo's premature death may be.
"Of course. You gotta visit your home town eventually right?" Or at least that's what I thought. When other cities were a mere train ride away, It'd feel criminal not to abuse that fact to travel places all the time. Sure, being a pilot meant generally being stuck in Toko-3 to be ready for any Angel attack, but surely some off time could be arranged?
"I…I guess so…" Shinji still sounded disbelieving, but his eyes seemed just the slightest bit brighter than before even as his gaze fell to his lap, and I was fully willing to call that a win.
We lapsed back into silence, and this time it really did feel comfortable. I was fully willing to let it persist till we reached the school, but it seemed Shinji had other ideas.
"But wouldn't you wanna go home too?" He asked suddenly, head jerking up. This time I was the one who was startled. His eyes were burning with something I couldn't quite identify, the dark blue seemingly on fire.
Determination, I realized. To do what exactly, I didn't know, but Shinji was reaching out to me-if only slightly. I'd have to be a complete and utter fool not to oblige him.
"Sure I would, though I'd like to bring you, Ayanami, and Misato along. There's a lot in the states that I'd love to show you all, especially back home."
I said, leaning back in the soft seat of our transport as memories I'd tried hard to ignore floated to the forefront.
"We have this place called the stockyards. It's a regular tourist trap, but there's still so much to do. If We time it right, we may even get to see a cattle drive, or see one of the rodeos."
And I was off, losing myself in sharing memories of home. It was…painful, knowing that much of what I remember was liable to have changed or even be gone completely, but the way Shinji's eyes sparkled with interest as he let himself be enraptured by my stories made it worth it.
—
And after all that he…he reminded me of someone I knew. I could recall her face, her hair, the way she dressed and the fondness that'd only ever burned brighter as I watched her grow and change. They were both…quiet, closed off, left unable to reach out from the crippling fear of rejection.
I'd steadily coaxed that nameless girl out of her shell, and had been gifted one of the greatest friendships of my life for it. I'd do the same for Shinji, even if he didn't need me as much as the more self righteous part of me wanted to think. I wasn't an idiot, he'd have Kensuke and Toji as soon as the jock got over himself, but if I could smooth over their initial meeting and accelerate the process, things could only get better!
Or at least that's what I hoped.
I glanced at Shinji, who seemed to be muttering to himself, eyes trained on the ground.
"I mustn't run away, I mustn't run away" he repeated over and over again. I knew the mantra, and part of me hated it. There was no shame in turning tail when you weren't prepared for something, and I knew first hand just how much facing things you weren't ready for could hurt. I knew just how much it would hurt for Shinji, acting all by himself.
Fortunately, he wasn't alone. Not right now.
"Hey Ikari, you ready?"
That seemed to shock Shinji out of his internal ramblings, head snapping up with a quite frankly adorable yelp. It did the trick regardless, and he nodded.
"Ye-Yes Sha—I mean Khamuro!"
He only remembered to call me by my given name after a healtess glare, which quickly melted into an encouraging smile.
"Let's not waste any time then, class 2-A awaits!" I declared, marching down the path and up the steps, smile widening when I heard Shinji's own footsteps trailing just behind.
A lot was going to happen today, from middle school drama to a battle for the fate of the world, and I was going to make sure that it all turned out okay!
I had too.
————
Entering the classroom had been every bit as awkward as I'd anticipated and more. Unlike school in the US where a new student could usually slip into the general population unnoticed. No, here I'd be introducing myself to the class I'd be with for the rest of the school year.
It'd be a novel experience if nothing else.
So, without any more hesitation, I did as the teacher had instructed me, giving my name to the class.
"I'm Khamuro Lee Shang, but you can just call me Khamuro. It's nice to meet y'all!"
I felt my smile become genuine as Toji's hand shot up, preempting the teacher assigning me a seat.
"He can sit next to me Sensei"
Warmth bloomed in my chest, and before the teacher could accept or reject the request, I made my way through the desks and to the indicated seat, plopping myself down right next to Toji.
"Thanks dude." I whispered to Toji as Shinji introduced himself to the class, far less enthusiastic than I'd been.
"No problem man, s'like I said, I got your back." He murmured back. I caught Kensuke eyeing me from Toji's other side, looking at me with something akin to hunger and curiosity. I knew the question that was burning on his and everyone else's mind right now.
They all wanted to know who the pilot was, unaware of me waving him over to take the vacant seat in front of me. I felt a little bad having the 2 of us so far away from Rei, who was seated on the opposite side of the room, but seats could always be shifted. Once shinji had taken his seat, I let my attention wander as our teacher began a lecture on 2nd impact, just like the anime…
He was only our home room instructor, so technically there wasn't really a problem, and it made pleasant background noise if nothing else. It allowed my mind to wander till our next period began.
I wondered if I should just get Shinji not to out himself as the pilot. I could always say it was me which…technically wasn't a lie. I was a pilot, just not of Unit-01. It might save Shinji the pain and help him and Toji become friends, but one of the main reasons they'd gotten closer at all was because Toji saw how much piloting hurt when he fought Shamshel.
Though that wouldn't happen now. Not with Unit-01 out of commission. It'd be up to me to face the Angel, and I wasn't entirely sure if I was ready for it…
I was shocked out of my thoughts by the laptop on my desk pinged, drawing my attention to its screen. The laptop was old looking-to me at least, my standards for technology being almost a decade ahead. But the interface was familiar, and a few keystrokes had the school run messaging application that had produced the sound opened.
I pointedly ignored the class group chat and the speculations on Shinji and I that filled it in favor of opening the DM I'd received from Kensuke.
Kensuke Aida: How'd you meet Toji?
I glanced at the sender out of the corner of my eye to find him looking at me expectantly. I let out an amused huff, typing my response. It took a bit, putting the basics of my arrival and then my visit to the hospital into words, but I felt it was worth it when I hit send. I typed out as much as I could without revealing things that were probably classified.
I leaned back in my seat, shooting a glance at Kensuke past Toji to gauge his reaction. The boy's mouth was hanging open as he stared at his screen, then at me. I shrugged, shooting him a half smile. He blinked a couple of times, before turning back to his computer and typing furiously. I let out a silent laugh, watching the three dots in our DM that signified his typing.
Though that was interrupted by another notification, this time from Toji. Apparently he'd stuck me and Kensuke into a group chat, apparently sick of watching our conversation while in the dark judging by his message
Toji Suzuhara: The heck are you guys talking about?
Kensuke gave Toji a look I couldn't quite decipher before typing out his response and hitting enter far faster than I could.
kensuke Aida: Just that your new friend was apparently up ON THE GROUND DURING THE ATTACK ON THE CITY!!!
Khamruo Lee Shang: Sakura was also there.
Kensuke Aisa: AND SAKURA WAS THERE
I huffed out another laugh. Kensuke was probably going to interrogate me for details sooner or later. Probably sooner all things considered, and I wasn't sure if I should be looking forward to that conversation or dreading it.
Toji Suzuhara: Yeah, what about it?
Kensuke Aida: You are frustratingly calm about this.
Kensuke Aida: When were you gonna Introduce us?
Toji Suzuhara: Lunch, but now works too.
Toji Suzuhara: Ken, Khamuro. khamuro, Ken.
Khamuro Lee Shang: Nice to meet you Ken.
Kensuke Aida: Likewise.
Kensuke Aida: I have.
Kensuke Aida: So many questions.
Khamuro Lee Shang: I might have answers.
Toji Suzuhara: Can you at least wait till lunch?
Kensuke Aida: Fine.
And thus, class went on. Or well, the lecture did. I messaged a bit more with Toji and Kensuke, mostly to pass the time and distract myself. Distantly, I felt like I'd let something important fall to the wayside, but if that was the case I'd remember sooner or late. Right now I was more concerned with keeping up with my 2 new companion's banter.
But suddenly, the room went disturbingly still, then a flurry of clattering computers and scraping chairs that had my head jerking up. Everyone was staring at Shinji, expressions ranging from shock to envy to interest and dozens of other things I couldn't be bothered to catalogue. My stomach sank to the earth's burning core as the thing I'd forgotten came barreling back.
Shinji, poor sweet naive Shinji had just outed himself. I knew this was going to happen, and I probably should've stopped it. Unfortunately, the past was the past, even if it was only a few seconds ago, and I could only flinch back as the poor boy was promptly swarmed by the rest of the class. Distantly I could hear Hikari trying and mostly failing to get everyone to stop the barrage of questions on Shinji and sit down.
I sighed, resigning myself to dealing with the incoming fallout. I didn't have to look to know Toji was hiding his contempt with feigned aloofness. It seemed it was time to brainstorm ways to keep Toji from doing something stupid…
So much for an okay day.
————
Class hadn't truly calmed down until lunch, and while the student body had relaxed, I had to do the exact opposite as I tried desperately to get Toji to chill out. He was really intimidating when he wanted to be, and right now he did. But I had to stand my ground, arms crossed, feet planted, and best disapproving look in place.
"You can't just beat him up, Toji. That won't avenge anyone, it'll just get you into trouble."
"You almost died because of him, And you really want me to just let that idiot go!?" Toji practically shouted at me.
I didn't let it get to me, because he had every reason to be upset. His home had been damaged, his sister was in the hospital, and his city was in ruins. It'd be more amazing for him to be calm right now. But even so, this was far from a healthy outlet for his frustration, and I said as much.
"Yes. Like it or not, Shinji saved us. Could he have gone about it better? Yeah probably, but the past is in the past. What will this even change Toji? What do you get out of hurting him?"
"It'll make me feel better!" He retorted almost immediately. My eyes narrowed.
"Will it?" I challenged.
We stood there, glaring at each other. Toji could probably push past me if he really wanted to. I wasn't that much taller than him and he definitely had more mass between the 2 of us. Fortunately it didn't come to that, as I noted a subtle shift in Toji's eyes. He turned away from me, burning a whole into the ground with his glare before letting out a frustrated yell.
He stormed off, aggression in every step as he hopefully went to work off his emotions in a less destructive manner. I let out a breath, shoulders relaxing. Kensuke did the same, having been standing off to the side nervously as me and Toji argued.
"Holy shit, thanks a bunch dude. It's really hard to get Toji to change his mind. No way I would've been able to talk him down"
I gave him a tired smile, letting my arms fall to my side. "It's nothing, I'm just glad he listened." I said as I looked over my shoulder, Watching the blurry form of Shinji settle on a bench to eat his lunch, totally oblivious to how close he'd come to being beat up on his first day of school.
"Say, how'd you like to meet Shinji?" I asked offhandedly. I knew we'd be getting called away because of the imminent Angel attack, but surely introducing Kensuke couldn't hurt.
"Wha? Right now?" He blinked a couple times, adjusting his glasses before he leaned in to scrutinize me, eyes narrowed. "Wait a sec…do you know him?"
The accusation caught me a little off guard, and my mouth moved before my brain could intervene.
"Sorta kinda? We're co-workers."
It was at that exact moment, as Kensuke's eyes widened, gleaming with insatiable thirst for knowledge that I realized.
I'd just fucked up.
And here I was judging Shinji for outing himself so blatantly….
"YOUR A PIL-mmph"
"Yes, I am. Though I'd like it if you didn't shout it to the whole city" I said, removing my hand from Toji's mouth. He nodded slowly, grin manic.
"Okay but like, I have even more questions now!" Kensuke was practically bouncing on his heels as he spoke, and idly I wondered if this what Shinji felt like when everyone mobbed him.
"I'll answer what I can, but-"
"Yea yea, classification and all that, now let's go meet your senpai!" Kensuke cut me off, grabbing my hand as he marched past. I rolled my eyes, ignoring the surge of warmth the contact brought as the nerd led me over to Shinji. My fellow pilot was looking at us now, expression caught between apprehension and interest. Kensuke's scream had probably drawn his attention.
"Hey Ikari, nice to properly meetcha. I'm Kensuke Aida, and I have lots of questions for you and Khamuro here" Kensuke's voice was almost predatory as he promptly sat me down next to Shinji. I gave him an apologetic look, watching as confusion turned to resignation.
"…okay I guess." Shinji said after a few seconds, prompting Kensuke's smile to widen.
"Perfect! Now first of, what's-"
"Pilot Shang, Pilot Ikari."
All 3 of us collectively jumped, our screams harmonizing as we collectively jerked to face the source of the new voice. There, standing in all of her still-injured glory was Rei Ayanami.
"There had been an emergency. We are needed at Nerve HQ immediately."
Oh right, there was an angel attacking today.
An angel I was going to have to fight.
Shit.
—
A/N
Originally this was gonna cover all of episode 3, but then the chapter was just getting far to long, so I chose to break it up into 2. Next chapter will be dealing with Shamshel and the aftermath. As always, any thoughts, opinions, and critique are greatly appreciated!
Last edited:
Granz Tacz
Swirl Sky Roo
- Location
- Under Stone Steel
I wonder what will happen if shang get very close to Eva 00 soul on fight, will it able run without power cord? I mean he keeping distance with soul in sim right?
Last edited:
- Location
- Seattle, Washington, USA
*Shinji
*Shinji
*Khamuro
But given the other typos in the chapter, I have to ask: was that Toji's typo, or yours?
Chapter 6: First Blood
- Pronouns
- They/Them
Humans are built for war. Not the complex dance of troop movements and murderous innovations that fill history, but the simple battle for survival that is waged every day. Humans are predators optimized for the long hunt, locked in an eternal war of annihilation with every other species on the planet.
Spilling blood is embedded in mankind's very beings. Conflict is the natural state of life. So what does that mean for those species that can defy it?
————
As it turns out, Ritsuko had not made good on her promise, and I was stripping down to my underwear again, while Shinji changed at a far more sedated pace on the other side of the locker room. I shivered as I stepped out of my pants, leaving me just a step away from naked. Normally I'd be more self conscious about such a state, but doing it so often over the last few weeks had dulled the edge of the embarrassment.
"Cmon Shinji, no time to waste!" I called as I tossed my clothes into my locker, making for the locker room's door. Behind me was the tell-tale whoosh of a plug suit activating, signifying that Shinji too was ready to go.
"Oh-okay, I'm right behind you."
The faked confidence was palpable, but I shrugged it off. Shinji sounded about as calm as I felt, which was to say not at all. Fortunately for both of us, I was better at faking it. I glanced over my shoulder as I passed through the locker room door, gesturing for Shinji to walk next to me rather than behind as he had been.
Shinji's eyes widened a fraction, something like surprise in his face. He hesitated for a moment, waiting for something I could only guess at before he finally sped up to walk at my side. I allowed myself a self satisfied smile as we made our way to the briefing room in relative silence. NERV had come alive around us in a way it hadn't been before, with people hardly sparing us a glance as they went about their duties.
It was surreal, to be walking among such controlled chaos. Every person here was doing something that was at least tangentially related to the Evas and the battle to come. Every one of them was a nye critical cog in a machine that was meant to be dedicated to saving the human race.
Unfortunately, a few hidden actors would have it do otherwise. Actors I still had no real plan to deal with. Me being here was Gendo's doing, though I could hardly guess as to why. Perhaps he expected me to act differently, to help destabilize Shinji even further. If that was what the man was expecting, he was in for a rude awakening.
"How do you do it?" Shinji blurted out beside me, prompting my steps to stutter briefly. I looked at him quizzically, and the poor kid immediately started backpedaling.
"I'm-I mean you don't really have to answer, but you're just so calm and…I…" he looked away from me, shoulders hunching as he made himself even smaller then he already appeared. A difficult feat seeing as I was already nearing a foot taller than him.
"…wish I could be like that" Shinji rasped.
I felt my expression soften, the forms of so many people I'd held close to my heart overlaying Shinji's. I couldn't remember their names, but I knew I lived for them, and that was enough to make me want to try to do the same for him. Shinji needed more people who cared unconditionally, and I was happy to be one.
"Well, first Lemme tell you a little secret." I said, leaning in to stage whisper at him. "I'm not calm."
Shinji looked rather befuddled at the admission, so I continue.
"The way I see it, it wouldn't do me or anyone else any good to freak out right now. Sure, I feel as panicky as a rabbit, but I can scream into my pillow after the battle." I went on as we came to a stop outside the briefing room. I endeavored to make this quick seeing there was still an Angel to fight.
"Right now, there's bigger fish to fry, and people I wanna make sure I come back to. Keeping a level head makes that easier for me" I stated, smiling at Shinji's contemplative face.
He didn't have time to think much on it though, the briefing room door sliding open in our faces. Misato was waiting inside, standing before the room's screen with her arms crossed, face stern. Gone was the playful Misato, replaced by the professional Captain Kitsuragi.
"There you two are. Take your seats, we don't have a lot of time." She ordered. I felt kinda like I should be falling over myself to comply, but instead made my way to my seat at a sedate pace, watching shinji move to his own a bit more frantically.
Rei was already there of course, though still in her school uniform. It was my personal opinion that she ought to be in bed resting right now, but if Gendo commanded her to die she'd do it without even a moment of thought. Coming to the briefing was basically a given.
Misato tracked Shinji and I to our places at the table, pressing a controller grasped in her hand the moment we were seated. The screen flickered to life behind her, displaying a live feed of the approaching Angel.
Shamshel.
Its red carapace and odd shape cut an unusual figure as it flew over the mountains on approach to Tokyo-3. Even from here I got a sense of overwhelming wrongness just from looking at it, like the Angel and its actions were an affront to planet earth itself.
Not completely inaccurate all things considered, but Adam was technically here first. But those were semantics, what mattered right now was that Shamshel needed to die, and Misato was going to tell me how to make that happen.
"This is the 4th Angel, currently on course to Tokyo-3." Misato said, pressing another button on her remote, the screen changed behind her, shifting to show a map of the city and its immediate surroundings. Dozens of miles out was a big red dot, steadily growing closer to the city.
"It's moving too fast to intercept outside of the city, so you'll be getting deployed within Tokyo-3 itself Khamuro, here to be exact," Misato explained as she pressed another button and pointed. A green square appeared on one of the streets parallel to the angel's projected path.
"We'll be equipping you with a pallet rifle to start. Attempt to eliminate the angel from a distance, and pull back if it attempts to close. Got it?"
Misato's eyes were hard, prompting my mind to fly back to my little stunt in the sims yesterday. There'd be none of that here, not while my and everyone else's lives were on the line.
"Affirmative." I answered.
With a small nod, Misato turned to Shinji and Rei. "You two will be on standby in case anything goes wrong. Unit-01 is hardly at peak condition, but a damaged Eva is better than no Eva. Hopefully it won't come to that, but better to have and not need."
Rei said nothing, giving only a nod while Shinji stumbled over his own affirmation. Misato stared them down for a moment longer, something indecipherable flashing in her eyes before the captain turned to address all 3 of us again.
"Unless you 3 have any questions, that's all for the briefing. Khamuro, get to the plug. Shinji and Rei, you two head to the pilot's ready room. Dismissed." Misato's orders hung in the air for barely a second before we were moving, fileing out the door as Misato turned off the projector behind us.
The 3 of us walked together in silence for a while, the underlying tension that'd filled the entirety of NERV hanging over us like a cloak. Shinji kept glancing between me and Rei, while Rei herself seemed wholly unbothered by the situation. They both had no choice but to trust me, and the more I thought about it, the more my heart tried to exit my body. I was going to fight an Angel today, and I had to win because the alternative was death for me and everyone else on planet earth.
No pressure.
I let out a long breath, drawing a lingering look from Shinji. I'd just have to make sure the trust they were forced to put in me would be worthwhile.
I had to.
Finally, our crossroads came. Down one corridor, the Eva Cages. Down the other, the pilots ready room. The 3 of us slowly drew to a stop at the T shaped intersection. I turned to Shinji and Rei, putting on a smile that looked more confident then I felt.
"See you guys on the other side. Stay safe yeah?"
Shinji actually huffed out the ghost of a laugh.
"Shouldn't we be telling you that?"
My smile grew a bit more genuine at that, meeting Shinji's smaller one. "Maybe. Anyways, I better get going, city to save and all that." I quipped as I turned away, waving over my shoulder as I made my way down the hall. I could feel Rei's eyes on my back as I left them, her gaze burning with something I couldn't identify without turning to look at her.
The rest of my walk continued quietly, the only noise being that of NERV's expansive engineering staff as I entered the Eva Cage proper. I could see the numerous workers scurrying around Unit-00's gantry as last minute checks and preparations were made. I could only imagine they shared my nervous energy, seeing as this was the 2nd ever combat sortie of an Eva.
They didn't pay me much mind, having long since grown used to a barely modest teenager the same way I'd grown used to my barely modest state. I couldn't wait for that plugsuit though…
I ascended the gantry with trepidation. I hadn't really synced with Unit-00 since our initial test, the connection between us too muted during the sims to really count. As such I was just the slightest bit nervous as I approached the open Plug.
I glanced at one of the techs standing nearby, who only waved me towards the open capsule, attention focused on his tablet. With that, there was nothing to stop me from climbing into the Eva's cockpit, so I did. I could hear the tech calling something to someone as I made myself comfortable in the saddle, and soon the plug was hissing shut.
lights flickered to life inside as it closed, and I could almost feel the hum of energy coursing through Unit-00. I took calming breaths as the space filled, in for 8, hold for 6, out for 2. It kept my heartbeat steady as the synchronization process began In earnest.
The Eva had long since been roused from her not quite sleep, and I could feel the moment she became aware of me, marked by the familiarly alien sensation of being known on a level greater then mere physical perception. I could tell she was holding herself back, the same as I was. She didn't know why we had to keep our distance like this, only that we did. I felt a little bad, because it would be so easy to satiate our curiosity of each other and the world, but we couldn't.
Not now, probably not ever. But still, Unit-00 was needed and I was the one available to pilot her. So I reached out, and the Eva reached back in return. something like anticipation and righteous fury flitting across the bridge we built. Unit-00 knew the Angel was here, and she wanted to do something about it.
Fortunately, I did too, and that served as the catalyst for us to spin closer and closer together. The bridge strengthened into something sturdy as we stepped onto it in tandem, approaching till we met in the middle. I held out a hand, and Unit-00 took it gladly.
I didn't know when I closed my eyes, but when I opened them again, I felt miles more calm then before. A calculating edge that wasn't quite my own had settled in my chest, dousing the fires of my anxiety, if only for a little while. The Eva cage greeted me through the near 360 degree screen of the plug, allowing me to see details from a distance that my own eyes would have reduced to mere blurs of color.
"Khamuro, how are you feeling?" Maya's voice came out over the Plug's speakers. I smiled with a feral edge, leaning forward slightly as I grasped the butterfly grips of the saddle.
"Pretty good. Is the Captain on deck?"
"I am now," Misato answered for Maya, and my eyes flew to the bridge feed. My commanding officer had the same professional air as before, only amplified by being on the bridge. Her eyes were sharp, meeting mine through the screen. "You launch in 3 minutes Khamuro, are you ready?"
"As I'll ever be." I answered. The major nodded in approval, turning to face one of the bridge bunnies.
"Hyūga, are the catapults prepped?"
"Primed and ready captain. We're ready to move Unit-00 into position." The computer tech answered.
"Perfect. Clear the gantry, we're launching"
A chorus of "yes ma'am's" filled the bridge, and I felt the clamps holding Unit-00 fall away. The platform beneath the Eva's feet began to move, sliding along rails as We were moved from the gantry to the catapult. I felt another set of clamps lock into place, and the Eva's timer jump up to 99:99 as the umbilical cable locked into place.
"42 seconds to launch," one of the bridge crew called. I watched as the projected launch timer ticked down, anticipation building between me and Unit-00 alike. It grew progressively more taut, like a rubber band mere moments away from snapping.
"Eva Unit-00, launch!" Misato commanded.
And with her order, the timer hit zero, and I came very close to banging my head on the saddle as Unit-00 was suddenly shooting towards the surface. I grit my teeth, vision going black at the edges as the rapid ascent continued.
And then it was over, as Unit-00 came to a stop on the surface and we both became weightless for a fraction of a fraction of a second. Then gravity reasserted itself, and I gazed out upon Tokyo-3. Not a simulation, and not from the top of a building or down on the ground, but from the towering perspective of a giant born from human ingenuity. As they say, if you can't fight the monsters, make your own.
And the monster the Eva had been created to fight was in view. Just a street over, hundreds meters away was the Angel, transitioning from its odd flying form to the upright stance it used for battle.
The clamps holding Unit-00 to the elevator released, and I felt the Eva slump forward slightly. I didn't let her posture stay hunched for long, prompting her to stand up straight as I directed the Eva into an experimental step. It was both everything I'd expected and so much more. I couldn't help my smile becoming just a bit wider as the pressure of Unit-00's foot on the pavement traveled up its own leg and echoed on mine as if I was the behemoth and not just her pilot.
"Locker 14 is just to your right Khamuro. Get your pallet rifle and engage the Angel at range. Fire when you're ready," Misato ordered. I nodded, Unit-00 parroting the motion as I turned the Eva to the right, reaching out as the building revealed its true nature. Concrete and glass gave way, sliding and folding out to reveal the lethal weapon held within.
The Pallet rifle was a familiar weight, even if I'd only ever held digital versions. I felt the familiar buzz of the fire control as I shouldered my weapon, targeting reticile appearing on screen along the physical sights. It was at almost the same time that Shamsel turned to face me, acknowledging my presence for the first time. I suppressed a laugh as I took in the entirety of the Angel's visage. It really did look like a kids toy, and an adults toy for that matter. I could only hope a near apocalypse had put something of a damper on rule 34.
I pulled the trigger on the butterfly grips, holding long enough for 3 barks from the Pallet rifle before I immediately started backpedaling. The massive rounds smashed against the Angel, or rather they would have had its AT field not been in the way. I cursed quietly to myself, but before I could report the apparent ineffectiveness to Misato, my body screamed danger.
I ducked Unit-00 without hesitation, guiding the Eva through a backwards roll to land in a crouch. When I looked up, the buildings that'd been between me and Shamshel had been cut like bamboo. A still glowing line ran through them at an angle, everything above it having sloughed off onto the streets. Shamshel's glowing whips lashed about it menacingly, and I didn't need the knowledge of the show to tell me they were dangerous.
"Alright, looks like you need more space. Keep kiting for now Khamuro," Misato ordered cooly, not at all perturbed by how close Unit-00 had just come to being cut in half.
I held back a snarky reply, letting out a hum of affirmation in its place as I followed my commander's directive. Unlike Sachiel, Shamshel had no major movement options other than either walking or flying, and the latter took too much time to start and stop for it to be useful as I rushed away, weaving through the streets.
I couldn't run forever though. Shamshel still had to die after all. I brought the Eva to a halt, pushing her to pivot on her heel. Shamshel was struggling to catch up in our wake, whips still lashing, cutting anything unfortunate enough to be in their path. I leveled the rifle again, letting out a longer burst. I saw the rounds impact, again smashing against the AT field harmlessly.
And thus was the routine. I would run, stop to fire, and Shamshel would continue trying to catch up. Every now and again I'd let the angel get a little too close, forcing me to throw Unit-00 into a dodge. I'd seen at least 3 blocks devastated that way by now, and It was becoming clear to me-and hopefully Misato that something had to change. I was mere moments away from suggesting a shift in tactics when Misato spoke over the comms.
"Okay, this isn't working. Khamuro, head to locker 09. We're sending a heavier weapon up for you"
"Got it," I answered. A cursory glance at the map projected on the Plug's screen told me where I was relative to my destination, and with one last burst at Shamshel, I pushed Unit-00 into a sprint down the street that'd take me to the locker. I could hear another building being chopped in half behind me, but I didn't look to see how close Shamshel was. The pallet rifle was ineffective, probably regardless of range. I needed that heavy weapon as soon as possible.
Fortunately, Evas could cover ground like there was no tomorrow, and it wasn't long before I was bringing Unit-00 to a stop before the locker. When it opened, I felt like a kid on Christmas. Before me was a long gray tube, possessing a handle and trigger. It was a rocket launcher, though seeing as it was Eva sized, such a descriptor may be an insult to the weapon.
"This'll do nicely," I spoke giddily as I directed the Eva to discard the pallet rifle and grab the superior weapon. I had yet to practice with one in any significant capacity, but a rocket launcher was rather intuitive by nature. I pushed Unit-00 to whirl around, bringing my new toy to my shoulder. As I did, my excitement quickly turned to dread as my gaze met Shamshel's black eyes, somehow burning with malice despite its lack of any real emotional expression.
The Eva's fire control happily informed me that the angel was a scant 160 meters away, which was extremely bad, least of all because of the glowing pink tendrils lashing out towards me.
Before now, any pain I'd felt through an Eva had been muted. Filtered through an incomplete connection and carefully modulated by the Magi system's simulations. Right now I was wishing they hadn't coddled me so much. Perhaps then I'd have been more prepared for the white hot agony lancing through my abdomen as Shamshel's whip skewered Unit-00 in the gut. I screamed, and I'd probably be crying too if I hadn't been submerged in LCL.
"Get out of there Pilot!" Misato's voice cut through the fog of hurt like the sun, and I couldn't help but follow that particular directive wholeheartedly.
I pushed the Eva to move, and she stumbled back in response as the Angel's tendril withdrew. I prepared to run, but it seemed Shamshel was sick of cat and mouse as it attacked again, glowing strands striking like cobras. The second impalement hurt less, but only marginally. The other tendril coiling around Unit-00's ankle was another story. The pressure of it's squeeze and burn of the contact sent my mind reeling, and the small part of me that wasn't consumed by or trying to rationalize the pain wondered how Shinji tolerated this.
And then all of that was made second to the sudden vertigo as Shamshel pulled, yanking the Eva from its feet. The world spun, and I grunted as Shamshel made sure to slam the Eva against the buildings and street between us. I didn't know what my sync rate was, but I could tell there were going to be bruises later, sympathetic or not. The world never quite righted itself, but it did cease moving. I blinked a few times, thankful for the Plug's screens allowing a bypass for my nearsightedness.
The screen was filled by Shamshel, who was dangling Unit-00 by the leg. The angel made the first sound I'd heard from it that wasn't lethal whips scything through the air, a chortling hum, like the sound of a slinky. It took me a moment to realize that the angel was laughing as it slammed us against another building, drawing a cry from me. It cackled even louder as it dragged us across the block, pivoting in place as it treated us like a rag doll.
Shamshel was mocking us, and we were unified in our indignation. Unit-00's hand tightened in mine, and I squeezed back. Every sensation I'd been feeling was amplified. The coolness of the air, the rough grip of the rocket launcher, the digging burn of Shamshel's whip as it swung us about, but despite that we pushed the pain away, our grip on our weapon tightening as we leveled it with the Angel's core, light of our soul flaring. Our fire control calculated the solution in moments, guiding the finer details of our aim before we squeezed the trigger.
With no earth to ground us, the recoil of the launch pushed us back, but that was nothing compared to the shockwave as the upscaled rocket smashed into Shamshel's core, sending molten slag and fire into the abomination. Laughter was replaced with a violent shriek as our opponent reared back. The world spun again and we realized a moment too late what was about to happen. We were suddenly weightless as Shamshel flung us away, buildings and streets passing below us, giving way to the green of treetops before gravity reasserted itself fully and we slammed into the ground. Our spine acked, as did the wounds of our impalement, but we still had a quarry to kill, and time was running out with our cable snapped mid-flight.
We were just about to climb to our feet when something caught in the corner of our vision, prompting our head to turn to it. Our vision zoomed in, locking onto a pair of familiar figures, standing in shocked awe. Of us or the Angel we did not know, nore care, because that was Toji and Kensuke. We knew they'd be here, and yet we could not help the surge of fury and worry that their presence drew.
We were suddenly aware of our external speakers being used, a voice that wasn't ours-Misato's speaking through them. She ordered the two to approach us, and they did so with haste. We felt the armor of our nape sliding away, and then we were suddenly being pulled apart.
I blinked rapidly, shaking my head as I came back to myself. What….was that? Even after coming out of whatever headspace I was in, I could hardly describe the feeling. Me and Unit-00 had simply been in perfect lockstep, every action and reaction, every emotion and thought in harmony. We'd moved as one, and it scared me as much as it set my heart on fire. But I couldn't muse on it any further because 2 more bodies were dropping into the entry plug.
"Dude, what is this stuff?" I heard Toji complain as he slid into the space next to me. "Dude, are you naked?!"
"Not quite. You two are idiots by the way" I admonished them, eye's focused on Shamshel as the entry plug slid back into position. "There's a kaiju battle going on and you decide to come outside and watch? I can tell you from experience that it doesn't tend to end well!"
Toji had enough sense to look at least a little guilt, but obviously wasn't feeling guilty enough not to point an accusatory finger at Kensuke. "Don't blame me, that dumbass dragged me out here!"
I pushed Unit-00 to rise to her knees, taking my eyes off the approaching Angel to glare at said dumbass. Whatever heat i'd been able to muster in it was lost in him though, Kensuke's eyes gleaming with something manic.
"I'm inside an Eva." he whispered with palpable awe. You'd think he was reading sacred texts with the sound of his voice. My glare softened, and I let out an amused huff as Unit-00 squeezed my hand again, her being brushing up against mine in question. I answered with a returning squeeze, and we turned our full attention back to the Angel. Shamshel was shambling along to towards the base of the mountain we'd been thrown into, somehow managing to look pissed despite its inability to emote.
"Yes, you are. And while you're here, do you mind helping us out?" we could feel both their heads snapping towards the smaller of us, one exuding confusion while the other was leaking excitement.
"How the heck are we supposed to help you" and "how can we help" rang out simultaneously in two tones, the former incredulous while the latter was as eager as a puppy. We thought for a moment, though we were saved by having to answer when our Commander's voice rang out.
"You can help by keeping your heads clear and your mouths shut. Khamuro needs to focus. The rocket launcher seemed to do some damage" and indeed it had. Much of the Angel's front was scorched and riddled with cracks. Its core in particular was covered in fissures, looking a mere hair's breadth away from shattering into pieces. "But you need another hit. The rocket launcher only has 1 shot left, and you don't have any integrated weapons that can hurt it..." Misato seemed to be speaking mostly to herself.
We racked our own brain for a solution, and one came to mind almost immediately. We felt the two who had joined us grow nervous as we grinned viciously.
"Misato, we have a very bad idea"
Misato glared through the screen, though from the way she hesitated to admonish us, it seemed our commander had come to an at least vaguely similar conclusion. "This isn't a simulation Khamuro, and you have civilians aboard. You could die, and so could they," she warned as we rose to our feet, Shamshel having just reached the base of the mountain.
"We're well aware, but what other choice is there? We were harmless to it at range." we challenged. Our attempts at kitting had failed, and it was only a point blank shot with the rocket launcher that proved successful.
Conflict played out behind Misato's eyes, and we could only guess as to the desires and reasonings warring within her. Safety of the pilot versus elimination of the threat. We could secure another shot, but not without damage that could potentially prove lethal. We could flee, but that would mean leaving an angel to run free. Risk and reward in equal measure.
Misato looked at us, meeting our eyes though the screen with something like determination and steel in her face. The Major spoke, and we listened.
"...Eliminate the angel in close quarters, and do not die in the process. That's an order, understood?" Misato declared, eyes hard as diamonds while brimming with concern that would look at home on a mother.
"Understood," we answered.
"Wait a second, you're not gonna rush it are yo-" Toji never got to finish. We lurched forward, forcing our passengers to hold onto whatever they could as we dashed down the hill, scooping up the Rocket launcher as we ran. There was only 1 remaining shot, so we'd have to make the blow count.
"YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY INSANE!" Toji shouted alongside Kensuke's "YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY AWESOME!" as we closed rapidly with Shamshel. The angel lashed out with its whips, neon pink lines that promised pain and suffering to whatever they touched. A pain we knew personally and were eager to avoid. The first whip went wide as we threw ourselves to the side, leaving it to cut a burning gash into the forest. The second hit home, if only just, carving another wound into our other side before retreating. The wound drew a cry from us, but we did not falter or slow. We couldn't, not now. Not when so much was riding on our victory, on carrying out our commanders will, on keeping that which we cared for safe
"This is our enemy, a threat to everyone and everything we wish to protect! Every moment it stands is another moment closer to losing everything we love, another home lost, another life ruined forever. It'll make more people end up like Sakura! So it has to end right here, right now. We have to end this for everyone's sake, so help us however you can!" The words flew from us unbidden, heralding a battle cry from both our mouths. I could feel our passengers locking eyes with each other, then fall to the smaller of us. As one, they reached out, one hand landing on each of our smaller ones. Warmth bloomed in our chest as our passengers became more and our harmony became a chord, one that was the death knell of Shamshel.
The Angel struck again, another cut carved into us, this time around our chest, but that pain was secondary to the shriek of vaporizing metal as our rocket launcher was cut in twain. We snarled at the offense, but did not–would not–could not slow. We threw the useless remains aside, fists closing as we crossed the last of the gap between us and the angel.
Shamshel's whips swung back, poised like cobras to cut and burn, but we wouldn't allow it. Our feet planted, hips turning as our body was guided by knowledge that was not our own, but from our passengers turned copilots. The knowledge to throw a punch properly, and to make it hurt. Energy from our feet to our hips to our arm to our closed fist, knuckles and wrist and elbow and shoulder all in a perfect line. We swung with the practiced stance of a boxer, fist flying past Shamshel's non existent guard like lightning.
Our armored hand met Shamshel's damaged core, and what was left of it gave way like wet paper. It was pulverized and shattered in equal measure, and the angel had only enough life for a final scream of unfiltered hatred and agony as its life was brought to an abrupt end.
Shamshel died.
-
A/N
Made some changes to earlier chapters. MC will now be piloting Unit-03 instead of 04
Spilling blood is embedded in mankind's very beings. Conflict is the natural state of life. So what does that mean for those species that can defy it?
————
As it turns out, Ritsuko had not made good on her promise, and I was stripping down to my underwear again, while Shinji changed at a far more sedated pace on the other side of the locker room. I shivered as I stepped out of my pants, leaving me just a step away from naked. Normally I'd be more self conscious about such a state, but doing it so often over the last few weeks had dulled the edge of the embarrassment.
"Cmon Shinji, no time to waste!" I called as I tossed my clothes into my locker, making for the locker room's door. Behind me was the tell-tale whoosh of a plug suit activating, signifying that Shinji too was ready to go.
"Oh-okay, I'm right behind you."
The faked confidence was palpable, but I shrugged it off. Shinji sounded about as calm as I felt, which was to say not at all. Fortunately for both of us, I was better at faking it. I glanced over my shoulder as I passed through the locker room door, gesturing for Shinji to walk next to me rather than behind as he had been.
Shinji's eyes widened a fraction, something like surprise in his face. He hesitated for a moment, waiting for something I could only guess at before he finally sped up to walk at my side. I allowed myself a self satisfied smile as we made our way to the briefing room in relative silence. NERV had come alive around us in a way it hadn't been before, with people hardly sparing us a glance as they went about their duties.
It was surreal, to be walking among such controlled chaos. Every person here was doing something that was at least tangentially related to the Evas and the battle to come. Every one of them was a nye critical cog in a machine that was meant to be dedicated to saving the human race.
Unfortunately, a few hidden actors would have it do otherwise. Actors I still had no real plan to deal with. Me being here was Gendo's doing, though I could hardly guess as to why. Perhaps he expected me to act differently, to help destabilize Shinji even further. If that was what the man was expecting, he was in for a rude awakening.
"How do you do it?" Shinji blurted out beside me, prompting my steps to stutter briefly. I looked at him quizzically, and the poor kid immediately started backpedaling.
"I'm-I mean you don't really have to answer, but you're just so calm and…I…" he looked away from me, shoulders hunching as he made himself even smaller then he already appeared. A difficult feat seeing as I was already nearing a foot taller than him.
"…wish I could be like that" Shinji rasped.
I felt my expression soften, the forms of so many people I'd held close to my heart overlaying Shinji's. I couldn't remember their names, but I knew I lived for them, and that was enough to make me want to try to do the same for him. Shinji needed more people who cared unconditionally, and I was happy to be one.
"Well, first Lemme tell you a little secret." I said, leaning in to stage whisper at him. "I'm not calm."
Shinji looked rather befuddled at the admission, so I continue.
"The way I see it, it wouldn't do me or anyone else any good to freak out right now. Sure, I feel as panicky as a rabbit, but I can scream into my pillow after the battle." I went on as we came to a stop outside the briefing room. I endeavored to make this quick seeing there was still an Angel to fight.
"Right now, there's bigger fish to fry, and people I wanna make sure I come back to. Keeping a level head makes that easier for me" I stated, smiling at Shinji's contemplative face.
He didn't have time to think much on it though, the briefing room door sliding open in our faces. Misato was waiting inside, standing before the room's screen with her arms crossed, face stern. Gone was the playful Misato, replaced by the professional Captain Kitsuragi.
"There you two are. Take your seats, we don't have a lot of time." She ordered. I felt kinda like I should be falling over myself to comply, but instead made my way to my seat at a sedate pace, watching shinji move to his own a bit more frantically.
Rei was already there of course, though still in her school uniform. It was my personal opinion that she ought to be in bed resting right now, but if Gendo commanded her to die she'd do it without even a moment of thought. Coming to the briefing was basically a given.
Misato tracked Shinji and I to our places at the table, pressing a controller grasped in her hand the moment we were seated. The screen flickered to life behind her, displaying a live feed of the approaching Angel.
Shamshel.
Its red carapace and odd shape cut an unusual figure as it flew over the mountains on approach to Tokyo-3. Even from here I got a sense of overwhelming wrongness just from looking at it, like the Angel and its actions were an affront to planet earth itself.
Not completely inaccurate all things considered, but Adam was technically here first. But those were semantics, what mattered right now was that Shamshel needed to die, and Misato was going to tell me how to make that happen.
"This is the 4th Angel, currently on course to Tokyo-3." Misato said, pressing another button on her remote, the screen changed behind her, shifting to show a map of the city and its immediate surroundings. Dozens of miles out was a big red dot, steadily growing closer to the city.
"It's moving too fast to intercept outside of the city, so you'll be getting deployed within Tokyo-3 itself Khamuro, here to be exact," Misato explained as she pressed another button and pointed. A green square appeared on one of the streets parallel to the angel's projected path.
"We'll be equipping you with a pallet rifle to start. Attempt to eliminate the angel from a distance, and pull back if it attempts to close. Got it?"
Misato's eyes were hard, prompting my mind to fly back to my little stunt in the sims yesterday. There'd be none of that here, not while my and everyone else's lives were on the line.
"Affirmative." I answered.
With a small nod, Misato turned to Shinji and Rei. "You two will be on standby in case anything goes wrong. Unit-01 is hardly at peak condition, but a damaged Eva is better than no Eva. Hopefully it won't come to that, but better to have and not need."
Rei said nothing, giving only a nod while Shinji stumbled over his own affirmation. Misato stared them down for a moment longer, something indecipherable flashing in her eyes before the captain turned to address all 3 of us again.
"Unless you 3 have any questions, that's all for the briefing. Khamuro, get to the plug. Shinji and Rei, you two head to the pilot's ready room. Dismissed." Misato's orders hung in the air for barely a second before we were moving, fileing out the door as Misato turned off the projector behind us.
The 3 of us walked together in silence for a while, the underlying tension that'd filled the entirety of NERV hanging over us like a cloak. Shinji kept glancing between me and Rei, while Rei herself seemed wholly unbothered by the situation. They both had no choice but to trust me, and the more I thought about it, the more my heart tried to exit my body. I was going to fight an Angel today, and I had to win because the alternative was death for me and everyone else on planet earth.
No pressure.
I let out a long breath, drawing a lingering look from Shinji. I'd just have to make sure the trust they were forced to put in me would be worthwhile.
I had to.
Finally, our crossroads came. Down one corridor, the Eva Cages. Down the other, the pilots ready room. The 3 of us slowly drew to a stop at the T shaped intersection. I turned to Shinji and Rei, putting on a smile that looked more confident then I felt.
"See you guys on the other side. Stay safe yeah?"
Shinji actually huffed out the ghost of a laugh.
"Shouldn't we be telling you that?"
My smile grew a bit more genuine at that, meeting Shinji's smaller one. "Maybe. Anyways, I better get going, city to save and all that." I quipped as I turned away, waving over my shoulder as I made my way down the hall. I could feel Rei's eyes on my back as I left them, her gaze burning with something I couldn't identify without turning to look at her.
The rest of my walk continued quietly, the only noise being that of NERV's expansive engineering staff as I entered the Eva Cage proper. I could see the numerous workers scurrying around Unit-00's gantry as last minute checks and preparations were made. I could only imagine they shared my nervous energy, seeing as this was the 2nd ever combat sortie of an Eva.
They didn't pay me much mind, having long since grown used to a barely modest teenager the same way I'd grown used to my barely modest state. I couldn't wait for that plugsuit though…
I ascended the gantry with trepidation. I hadn't really synced with Unit-00 since our initial test, the connection between us too muted during the sims to really count. As such I was just the slightest bit nervous as I approached the open Plug.
I glanced at one of the techs standing nearby, who only waved me towards the open capsule, attention focused on his tablet. With that, there was nothing to stop me from climbing into the Eva's cockpit, so I did. I could hear the tech calling something to someone as I made myself comfortable in the saddle, and soon the plug was hissing shut.
lights flickered to life inside as it closed, and I could almost feel the hum of energy coursing through Unit-00. I took calming breaths as the space filled, in for 8, hold for 6, out for 2. It kept my heartbeat steady as the synchronization process began In earnest.
The Eva had long since been roused from her not quite sleep, and I could feel the moment she became aware of me, marked by the familiarly alien sensation of being known on a level greater then mere physical perception. I could tell she was holding herself back, the same as I was. She didn't know why we had to keep our distance like this, only that we did. I felt a little bad, because it would be so easy to satiate our curiosity of each other and the world, but we couldn't.
Not now, probably not ever. But still, Unit-00 was needed and I was the one available to pilot her. So I reached out, and the Eva reached back in return. something like anticipation and righteous fury flitting across the bridge we built. Unit-00 knew the Angel was here, and she wanted to do something about it.
Fortunately, I did too, and that served as the catalyst for us to spin closer and closer together. The bridge strengthened into something sturdy as we stepped onto it in tandem, approaching till we met in the middle. I held out a hand, and Unit-00 took it gladly.
I didn't know when I closed my eyes, but when I opened them again, I felt miles more calm then before. A calculating edge that wasn't quite my own had settled in my chest, dousing the fires of my anxiety, if only for a little while. The Eva cage greeted me through the near 360 degree screen of the plug, allowing me to see details from a distance that my own eyes would have reduced to mere blurs of color.
"Khamuro, how are you feeling?" Maya's voice came out over the Plug's speakers. I smiled with a feral edge, leaning forward slightly as I grasped the butterfly grips of the saddle.
"Pretty good. Is the Captain on deck?"
"I am now," Misato answered for Maya, and my eyes flew to the bridge feed. My commanding officer had the same professional air as before, only amplified by being on the bridge. Her eyes were sharp, meeting mine through the screen. "You launch in 3 minutes Khamuro, are you ready?"
"As I'll ever be." I answered. The major nodded in approval, turning to face one of the bridge bunnies.
"Hyūga, are the catapults prepped?"
"Primed and ready captain. We're ready to move Unit-00 into position." The computer tech answered.
"Perfect. Clear the gantry, we're launching"
A chorus of "yes ma'am's" filled the bridge, and I felt the clamps holding Unit-00 fall away. The platform beneath the Eva's feet began to move, sliding along rails as We were moved from the gantry to the catapult. I felt another set of clamps lock into place, and the Eva's timer jump up to 99:99 as the umbilical cable locked into place.
"42 seconds to launch," one of the bridge crew called. I watched as the projected launch timer ticked down, anticipation building between me and Unit-00 alike. It grew progressively more taut, like a rubber band mere moments away from snapping.
"Eva Unit-00, launch!" Misato commanded.
And with her order, the timer hit zero, and I came very close to banging my head on the saddle as Unit-00 was suddenly shooting towards the surface. I grit my teeth, vision going black at the edges as the rapid ascent continued.
And then it was over, as Unit-00 came to a stop on the surface and we both became weightless for a fraction of a fraction of a second. Then gravity reasserted itself, and I gazed out upon Tokyo-3. Not a simulation, and not from the top of a building or down on the ground, but from the towering perspective of a giant born from human ingenuity. As they say, if you can't fight the monsters, make your own.
And the monster the Eva had been created to fight was in view. Just a street over, hundreds meters away was the Angel, transitioning from its odd flying form to the upright stance it used for battle.
The clamps holding Unit-00 to the elevator released, and I felt the Eva slump forward slightly. I didn't let her posture stay hunched for long, prompting her to stand up straight as I directed the Eva into an experimental step. It was both everything I'd expected and so much more. I couldn't help my smile becoming just a bit wider as the pressure of Unit-00's foot on the pavement traveled up its own leg and echoed on mine as if I was the behemoth and not just her pilot.
"Locker 14 is just to your right Khamuro. Get your pallet rifle and engage the Angel at range. Fire when you're ready," Misato ordered. I nodded, Unit-00 parroting the motion as I turned the Eva to the right, reaching out as the building revealed its true nature. Concrete and glass gave way, sliding and folding out to reveal the lethal weapon held within.
The Pallet rifle was a familiar weight, even if I'd only ever held digital versions. I felt the familiar buzz of the fire control as I shouldered my weapon, targeting reticile appearing on screen along the physical sights. It was at almost the same time that Shamsel turned to face me, acknowledging my presence for the first time. I suppressed a laugh as I took in the entirety of the Angel's visage. It really did look like a kids toy, and an adults toy for that matter. I could only hope a near apocalypse had put something of a damper on rule 34.
I pulled the trigger on the butterfly grips, holding long enough for 3 barks from the Pallet rifle before I immediately started backpedaling. The massive rounds smashed against the Angel, or rather they would have had its AT field not been in the way. I cursed quietly to myself, but before I could report the apparent ineffectiveness to Misato, my body screamed danger.
I ducked Unit-00 without hesitation, guiding the Eva through a backwards roll to land in a crouch. When I looked up, the buildings that'd been between me and Shamshel had been cut like bamboo. A still glowing line ran through them at an angle, everything above it having sloughed off onto the streets. Shamshel's glowing whips lashed about it menacingly, and I didn't need the knowledge of the show to tell me they were dangerous.
"Alright, looks like you need more space. Keep kiting for now Khamuro," Misato ordered cooly, not at all perturbed by how close Unit-00 had just come to being cut in half.
I held back a snarky reply, letting out a hum of affirmation in its place as I followed my commander's directive. Unlike Sachiel, Shamshel had no major movement options other than either walking or flying, and the latter took too much time to start and stop for it to be useful as I rushed away, weaving through the streets.
I couldn't run forever though. Shamshel still had to die after all. I brought the Eva to a halt, pushing her to pivot on her heel. Shamshel was struggling to catch up in our wake, whips still lashing, cutting anything unfortunate enough to be in their path. I leveled the rifle again, letting out a longer burst. I saw the rounds impact, again smashing against the AT field harmlessly.
And thus was the routine. I would run, stop to fire, and Shamshel would continue trying to catch up. Every now and again I'd let the angel get a little too close, forcing me to throw Unit-00 into a dodge. I'd seen at least 3 blocks devastated that way by now, and It was becoming clear to me-and hopefully Misato that something had to change. I was mere moments away from suggesting a shift in tactics when Misato spoke over the comms.
"Okay, this isn't working. Khamuro, head to locker 09. We're sending a heavier weapon up for you"
"Got it," I answered. A cursory glance at the map projected on the Plug's screen told me where I was relative to my destination, and with one last burst at Shamshel, I pushed Unit-00 into a sprint down the street that'd take me to the locker. I could hear another building being chopped in half behind me, but I didn't look to see how close Shamshel was. The pallet rifle was ineffective, probably regardless of range. I needed that heavy weapon as soon as possible.
Fortunately, Evas could cover ground like there was no tomorrow, and it wasn't long before I was bringing Unit-00 to a stop before the locker. When it opened, I felt like a kid on Christmas. Before me was a long gray tube, possessing a handle and trigger. It was a rocket launcher, though seeing as it was Eva sized, such a descriptor may be an insult to the weapon.
"This'll do nicely," I spoke giddily as I directed the Eva to discard the pallet rifle and grab the superior weapon. I had yet to practice with one in any significant capacity, but a rocket launcher was rather intuitive by nature. I pushed Unit-00 to whirl around, bringing my new toy to my shoulder. As I did, my excitement quickly turned to dread as my gaze met Shamshel's black eyes, somehow burning with malice despite its lack of any real emotional expression.
The Eva's fire control happily informed me that the angel was a scant 160 meters away, which was extremely bad, least of all because of the glowing pink tendrils lashing out towards me.
Before now, any pain I'd felt through an Eva had been muted. Filtered through an incomplete connection and carefully modulated by the Magi system's simulations. Right now I was wishing they hadn't coddled me so much. Perhaps then I'd have been more prepared for the white hot agony lancing through my abdomen as Shamshel's whip skewered Unit-00 in the gut. I screamed, and I'd probably be crying too if I hadn't been submerged in LCL.
"Get out of there Pilot!" Misato's voice cut through the fog of hurt like the sun, and I couldn't help but follow that particular directive wholeheartedly.
I pushed the Eva to move, and she stumbled back in response as the Angel's tendril withdrew. I prepared to run, but it seemed Shamshel was sick of cat and mouse as it attacked again, glowing strands striking like cobras. The second impalement hurt less, but only marginally. The other tendril coiling around Unit-00's ankle was another story. The pressure of it's squeeze and burn of the contact sent my mind reeling, and the small part of me that wasn't consumed by or trying to rationalize the pain wondered how Shinji tolerated this.
And then all of that was made second to the sudden vertigo as Shamshel pulled, yanking the Eva from its feet. The world spun, and I grunted as Shamshel made sure to slam the Eva against the buildings and street between us. I didn't know what my sync rate was, but I could tell there were going to be bruises later, sympathetic or not. The world never quite righted itself, but it did cease moving. I blinked a few times, thankful for the Plug's screens allowing a bypass for my nearsightedness.
The screen was filled by Shamshel, who was dangling Unit-00 by the leg. The angel made the first sound I'd heard from it that wasn't lethal whips scything through the air, a chortling hum, like the sound of a slinky. It took me a moment to realize that the angel was laughing as it slammed us against another building, drawing a cry from me. It cackled even louder as it dragged us across the block, pivoting in place as it treated us like a rag doll.
Shamshel was mocking us, and we were unified in our indignation. Unit-00's hand tightened in mine, and I squeezed back. Every sensation I'd been feeling was amplified. The coolness of the air, the rough grip of the rocket launcher, the digging burn of Shamshel's whip as it swung us about, but despite that we pushed the pain away, our grip on our weapon tightening as we leveled it with the Angel's core, light of our soul flaring. Our fire control calculated the solution in moments, guiding the finer details of our aim before we squeezed the trigger.
With no earth to ground us, the recoil of the launch pushed us back, but that was nothing compared to the shockwave as the upscaled rocket smashed into Shamshel's core, sending molten slag and fire into the abomination. Laughter was replaced with a violent shriek as our opponent reared back. The world spun again and we realized a moment too late what was about to happen. We were suddenly weightless as Shamshel flung us away, buildings and streets passing below us, giving way to the green of treetops before gravity reasserted itself fully and we slammed into the ground. Our spine acked, as did the wounds of our impalement, but we still had a quarry to kill, and time was running out with our cable snapped mid-flight.
We were just about to climb to our feet when something caught in the corner of our vision, prompting our head to turn to it. Our vision zoomed in, locking onto a pair of familiar figures, standing in shocked awe. Of us or the Angel we did not know, nore care, because that was Toji and Kensuke. We knew they'd be here, and yet we could not help the surge of fury and worry that their presence drew.
We were suddenly aware of our external speakers being used, a voice that wasn't ours-Misato's speaking through them. She ordered the two to approach us, and they did so with haste. We felt the armor of our nape sliding away, and then we were suddenly being pulled apart.
I blinked rapidly, shaking my head as I came back to myself. What….was that? Even after coming out of whatever headspace I was in, I could hardly describe the feeling. Me and Unit-00 had simply been in perfect lockstep, every action and reaction, every emotion and thought in harmony. We'd moved as one, and it scared me as much as it set my heart on fire. But I couldn't muse on it any further because 2 more bodies were dropping into the entry plug.
"Dude, what is this stuff?" I heard Toji complain as he slid into the space next to me. "Dude, are you naked?!"
"Not quite. You two are idiots by the way" I admonished them, eye's focused on Shamshel as the entry plug slid back into position. "There's a kaiju battle going on and you decide to come outside and watch? I can tell you from experience that it doesn't tend to end well!"
Toji had enough sense to look at least a little guilt, but obviously wasn't feeling guilty enough not to point an accusatory finger at Kensuke. "Don't blame me, that dumbass dragged me out here!"
I pushed Unit-00 to rise to her knees, taking my eyes off the approaching Angel to glare at said dumbass. Whatever heat i'd been able to muster in it was lost in him though, Kensuke's eyes gleaming with something manic.
"I'm inside an Eva." he whispered with palpable awe. You'd think he was reading sacred texts with the sound of his voice. My glare softened, and I let out an amused huff as Unit-00 squeezed my hand again, her being brushing up against mine in question. I answered with a returning squeeze, and we turned our full attention back to the Angel. Shamshel was shambling along to towards the base of the mountain we'd been thrown into, somehow managing to look pissed despite its inability to emote.
"Yes, you are. And while you're here, do you mind helping us out?" we could feel both their heads snapping towards the smaller of us, one exuding confusion while the other was leaking excitement.
"How the heck are we supposed to help you" and "how can we help" rang out simultaneously in two tones, the former incredulous while the latter was as eager as a puppy. We thought for a moment, though we were saved by having to answer when our Commander's voice rang out.
"You can help by keeping your heads clear and your mouths shut. Khamuro needs to focus. The rocket launcher seemed to do some damage" and indeed it had. Much of the Angel's front was scorched and riddled with cracks. Its core in particular was covered in fissures, looking a mere hair's breadth away from shattering into pieces. "But you need another hit. The rocket launcher only has 1 shot left, and you don't have any integrated weapons that can hurt it..." Misato seemed to be speaking mostly to herself.
We racked our own brain for a solution, and one came to mind almost immediately. We felt the two who had joined us grow nervous as we grinned viciously.
"Misato, we have a very bad idea"
Misato glared through the screen, though from the way she hesitated to admonish us, it seemed our commander had come to an at least vaguely similar conclusion. "This isn't a simulation Khamuro, and you have civilians aboard. You could die, and so could they," she warned as we rose to our feet, Shamshel having just reached the base of the mountain.
"We're well aware, but what other choice is there? We were harmless to it at range." we challenged. Our attempts at kitting had failed, and it was only a point blank shot with the rocket launcher that proved successful.
Conflict played out behind Misato's eyes, and we could only guess as to the desires and reasonings warring within her. Safety of the pilot versus elimination of the threat. We could secure another shot, but not without damage that could potentially prove lethal. We could flee, but that would mean leaving an angel to run free. Risk and reward in equal measure.
Misato looked at us, meeting our eyes though the screen with something like determination and steel in her face. The Major spoke, and we listened.
"...Eliminate the angel in close quarters, and do not die in the process. That's an order, understood?" Misato declared, eyes hard as diamonds while brimming with concern that would look at home on a mother.
"Understood," we answered.
"Wait a second, you're not gonna rush it are yo-" Toji never got to finish. We lurched forward, forcing our passengers to hold onto whatever they could as we dashed down the hill, scooping up the Rocket launcher as we ran. There was only 1 remaining shot, so we'd have to make the blow count.
"YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY INSANE!" Toji shouted alongside Kensuke's "YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY AWESOME!" as we closed rapidly with Shamshel. The angel lashed out with its whips, neon pink lines that promised pain and suffering to whatever they touched. A pain we knew personally and were eager to avoid. The first whip went wide as we threw ourselves to the side, leaving it to cut a burning gash into the forest. The second hit home, if only just, carving another wound into our other side before retreating. The wound drew a cry from us, but we did not falter or slow. We couldn't, not now. Not when so much was riding on our victory, on carrying out our commanders will, on keeping that which we cared for safe
"This is our enemy, a threat to everyone and everything we wish to protect! Every moment it stands is another moment closer to losing everything we love, another home lost, another life ruined forever. It'll make more people end up like Sakura! So it has to end right here, right now. We have to end this for everyone's sake, so help us however you can!" The words flew from us unbidden, heralding a battle cry from both our mouths. I could feel our passengers locking eyes with each other, then fall to the smaller of us. As one, they reached out, one hand landing on each of our smaller ones. Warmth bloomed in our chest as our passengers became more and our harmony became a chord, one that was the death knell of Shamshel.
The Angel struck again, another cut carved into us, this time around our chest, but that pain was secondary to the shriek of vaporizing metal as our rocket launcher was cut in twain. We snarled at the offense, but did not–would not–could not slow. We threw the useless remains aside, fists closing as we crossed the last of the gap between us and the angel.
Shamshel's whips swung back, poised like cobras to cut and burn, but we wouldn't allow it. Our feet planted, hips turning as our body was guided by knowledge that was not our own, but from our passengers turned copilots. The knowledge to throw a punch properly, and to make it hurt. Energy from our feet to our hips to our arm to our closed fist, knuckles and wrist and elbow and shoulder all in a perfect line. We swung with the practiced stance of a boxer, fist flying past Shamshel's non existent guard like lightning.
Our armored hand met Shamshel's damaged core, and what was left of it gave way like wet paper. It was pulverized and shattered in equal measure, and the angel had only enough life for a final scream of unfiltered hatred and agony as its life was brought to an abrupt end.
Shamshel died.
-
A/N
Made some changes to earlier chapters. MC will now be piloting Unit-03 instead of 04
Last edited:
Nicely done in the battle. Makes me wonder how he did so well with how very little training he's done, for all intents and purposes he's a child in a giant robot. Maybe that unnaturally strong connection with Unit 00 is helping out, though I highly doubt that Khamuro will have as easy a time as he had in this particular battle in the future, especially with the more gimmicky angels like Israfel and Gahel. The less is said of the endgame angels like Zeruel or hypothetically Arael the better. Still it's nice for him to be doing well now, especially with how hard it's bound to get. Well done, it was a good chapter.
- Pronouns
- They/Them
Again, can't express how much your feedback helps me. The proficiency is a mix of my own experience with firearms (I do a lot of paintball) and the connection with Unit-00. Khamuro doesn't know it yet but his sync rate spiked pretty significantly at different points. I feel like I've done a lot of saying he sucks at CQC, but I haven't really shown it. Hopefully That'll change pretty soon though.
Your right in that things are only going to get harder from here, especially with Ramiel coming up next. Khamuro can't keep Shinji safe from everything after all…
Chapter 7: It Takes A Village
- Pronouns
- They/Them
Connections and perceptions define us. There are countless versions of you that exist in the minds of everyone you've met—every life you've touched, born from the bonds you forge consciously or otherwise. You change based on the people and places and things you connect with, and bend to fit or shatter the perceptions of those around you.
For better or worse, every person is shaped by their community.
————
As it turns out, piloting was absolutely exhausting. Both in the physical sense and the mental one. The time between getting out of the plug and my bed had been spent in a tired haze. There was a shower followed by a debrief at one point or another, and a dressing down of Toji and Kensuke. perhaps a meal squeezed in as well. My most vivid memory was of seeing my fellow pilots and commander after the battle.
Misato and Shinji looked relieved, and Rei's expression was unreadable as always.
But that was as much as I could reliably recall, the finer details lost to me. I'd barely been able to trade a few words with them before Shinji insisted I go rest. It was a little concerning to know my exhaustion was so apparent, after all I'd never seen any of the other pilots so drained after a battle…unless they'd suffered some extensive damage, physical or otherwise.
Perhaps if i'd been a little more coherent that would have had me worrying more, but as it stood I couldn't really bring myself to care. As soon as i was away from Shinji and Rei, all i could think about was how nice it'd be to just lay down and sleep for a couple of days.
Eventually I trudged into my room, not even bothering to turn on the light as my feet brought me to my bed where I pitched forward, landing face down. I hardly had time to feel relief before the wonderful world of unconsciousness was consuming me.
————
Of course my sleep couldn't have been dreamless. That'd be too easy. No, instead of the oblivion I'd been hoping for, I found myself aloft in a sea of orange. The fluid was familiar to me immediately.
LCL.
The bloody scent and taste was near overwhelming despite my frequent exposure, and I barely held back a gag. Being immersed when in the plug was one thing, with the saddle and the Eva itself to ground me. Here I had none of that, suspended freely like an astronaut with none of the wonder of being in space.
And I wasn't floating here alone either. Instead around me were bodies, ones just as familiar as the fluid I was set adrift in. Set in numerous orientations, eyes blank and lifeless. I could only watch In muted horror as one of the bodies drifted by me, crimson eyes staring beyond even my soul.
Rei's visage had never been so…empty. She was inexpressive yes, but there were still undeniably human traits. The dilation of pupils, the twitch of lips, tiny micros expressions that no amount of awful nurture could rid her of. The beings surrounding me were not that. Not alive.
They were blanks. Soulless. Spare parts In cold storage in the event that Gendo's all important cog broke. As the concept settled, the revulsion I felt was so incredibly viceral that I lashed out without even a moment's thought, shoving the empty shell of Rei away.
Red eyes gazed at me accusingly as what little energy I imparted carried the body through the LCL, and the increased distance did little to reduce my discomfort seeing as there were still countless clones floating around.
I slowly turned in place, looking for somewhere—anywhere to escape to, but in all directions I found the same thing. Rei's floating, waiting patiently for the real Rei to misstep so they could take her place. But I couldn't stay here, not with the overwhelming wrongness crawling down my spine.
So I moved, limbs quickly finding something that was the closest approximation to a swim I could manage in the odd viscosity of LCL as I propelled myself forward. I passed more bodies as I moved, trying and failing to ignore them. I wanted out of here yesterday, out of this sick reminder of the way Gendo viewed Rei and everyone else around him.
But I never found an escape, no, instead I was sent reeling as I collided face first with something. My hands flew to my aching forehead, though the pain was short lived as I leaned in towards what I'd collided with. It was a barrier of sorts, likely glass seeing as it was cool when I brought my hand to it. That and I could see beyond the wall, squinting beyond the reflection of myself and the Rei clones.
Immediately I could tell this wasn't the reiquarium, or any part of NERV I recognized. It only vaguely fit the architectural aesthetic of the organization, but that was secondary to the 2 figures standing in the nebulous facility. A dark haired woman in a lab coat, not unlike Ritsuko in appearance. Her name was lost to me, but instinctively I knew this was her mother.
And the other figure was Rei. Not a clone, but Rei, marked by the light in her eyes. And she was speaking, voice muffled by the LCL and glass, but that didn't matter. Because all of the clones spoke with her, their voice's ringing with the same deadness that was in their eyes.
"Old hag, old hag, old hag, old hag" they chorused, the voice of the legion ringing around me. It made the blood in my veins turn to ice as my mind realized exactly what I was about to watch. I could see Ritsuko's mother flinch back, and dread pooled in my stomach like lead when her fists clenched.
"NO, DON'T HURT HER!" I screamed, banging on the glass. But the sound I made couldn't reach beyond the barrier, and Naoko Akagi struck like a viper. The Reis continued their chant, even as the woman's hands closed around the real Rei's throat. I wanted so desperately to look away, but my head refused to turn.
Until it did, and my vision moved so quickly there were spots dancing in my vision. My head had snapped up to meet the cyclopean eye of Unit-00. She stood as still as a statue, doomed to watch what unfolded at her feet just as much as me.
The voices of the clones grew louder with each repetition, and I found my gaze stuck between Rei, still gasping out the same two words even as she was deprived of oxygen, and Unit-00, continuing to stand in near perfect stillness.
Not perfect, because with every bit of life that drained out of Rei, Unit-00 became just the smallest bit more alive. A twitch of the finger, a shift of the weight, all of the subtle nigh imperceptible movements that let our brains know something was alive. The chorus of clones led by Rei grew louder and louder as the orange titan grew less and less like a statue.
I was stuck watching in horror and fascination as the glint of life steadily left Rei's eyes, and grew in the Eva's. She started with nothing, then a spark, then a lone match that was thrown into the kindling of a campfire, every squeeze of Naoko's hands adding more fuel to the fire. It sickened me to my core, and I felt bile rising in my throat as Eva Unit-00, Zerogōki, gave a mighty heave. Whatever invisible restraints holding her snapped like twigs as Rei's life was finally snuffed out.
Naoko released the girl, her body falling limp to the ground like a doll, a puppet with its strings cut. Though the women didn't have time to react to what she'd done, because Unit-00 brought her fist down on Naoko not even a moment later. The Rei's were practically shouting now, drowning out all other sounds. I watched in equal parts fascination, horror, and sick glee as the scientists who had created the magi supercomputers was reduced to red paste in an instant.
It was terribly easy to forget how powerful an Eva really was. Easy to forget just how far above humans and our modern weapons they were. Easy to forget that humanity had created something truly beyond our understanding. So it was truly humbling to watch as Unit-00 proceeded to lay waste to our surroundings like a child crushing a pretend city. The Eva punched and kicked and tore as she screamed over the roar that the Rei clone's chant had become. Her anger burned with palpable heat, and distantly I wondered if the LCL may start to boil.
Walls gave way like paper. The glass I'd failed to penetrate was shattered by an errant grazing by Unit-00s fist, sending me and the Reis falling forwards as the LCL flooded the nebulous chamber.
A chamber that was soon in absolute ruins, walls reduced to rubble, ceiling long gone to reveal a sky full of stars and colors I could never put a name to. Unit-00 stared down at me, a mere speck floating in LCL that hardly came up to her ankles.
She kneeled, moving with all the fluid arcs of a human as I was scooped from the orange soup. The fluid drained from between her fingers, leaving me on my knees in her hand. A hand that could crush me like a bug. I started up at Unit-00, and she stared back. Because despite everything, I could not find it in myself to be afraid. Fear was born from ignorance, and I understood Unit-00, if only just.
Even without a pupil I could tell Unit-00's one eye was staring into my two. I could tell the eyes of every clone had locked onto me from all the places they'd been scattered to. I felt them speak as one. The voice of Rei. The voice of Unit-00. It impressed itself upon my very soul.
"Do you understand?"
And my answer came unbidden, bubbling up from the depths of my soul with a level of honesty I could never replicate consciously.
"No, but I want to."
————
I jerked up, eyes snapping open. I didn't scream, my breath was too short for that.
Instead I sat there, struggling to bring my heart rate back down to something resembling normalcy, focused entirely on breathing deeply and evenly. I very pointedly ignored the last vestiges of my dream, or perhaps nightmare was more apt. The pit of anxiety in my stomach certainly said so, but I also felt strangely light, as if I'd forged something new and exciting.
I shoved the conflicting feelings aside for now, swinging my legs over the side of my bed. Even in the darkness, a cursory glance told me my blankets and pillows were in disarray, half my bedding having found its way to the floor as I thrashed in my sleep. I didn't particularly mind right now, not with the way my stomach was still turning with anxiety.
I let out a long breath, fists clenching and unclenching. Much as I tried not to think about it, the dream would not leave me. The details were growing fuzzier by the second, but the empty eyes, the loss of life, and Unit-00s fury? Those would stay with me for a long time.
But the thing I could never forget, the thing that'd engraved itself into my mind were Unit-00's words.
Do you understand?
"I want to." I repeated to myself, voice hardly above a whisper.
I sniffed, suddenly made aware of the wetness on my cheeks as a tear fell from my face to my thigh. I let out a hiccupping sob, wondering what the hell I was doing here as I brought a hand up to dry my eyes. It didn't help much, only serving to confirm that I wouldn't be getting to sleep again anytime soon.
I just sat there for a moment, reminded of my first night in this room. I let myself steep in my emotions, just like then. The painful mix of lightness and anxiety left a sickly sweetness clinging to my tongue.
I took a deep breath, held for 6, then out for 2. Eight, six, two, over and over again. It didn't quite settle the twisting inside me, but it did make it manageable. I wiped my eyes, my tears finally drying up. I stood up, leaving as much of my melancholy behind as I could. Staying here wasn't an option, not when it'd only remind me of my nightmare.
I wasn't a stranger to late night wandering, but I'd yet to do such at NERV. I wasn't sure if I was allowed to leave my room past when I was expected to go to sleep, but right now I couldn't summon the energy to care.
I left my room behind, wincing slightly at the light of the hallway. It was easy to forget that the Geofront never really slept, similarly to the city above. At the very least, any lingering tiredness faded faster thanks to the brightness. The floor was smooth and cool against my feet as I wandered down the hall, my steps quiet out of habit.
The only easily audible sound was the hum of lights as I let my legs take me where they wanted. I kinda wished I had someone to talk to, or maybe something to write with. I was far too used to having the world at my fingertips through a smartphone, and it showed. What I wouldn't give to have access to the internet right now….
Though seeing as it was something like 2014 and 10 years after a global cataclysm at that, I'd probably find the web a lot less familiar than what I was used to. There was no telling what companies managed to survive 2nd impact and which ones were devoured in the chaos. It'd still be nice to have though, but it'd also be a bit of a security risk.
Any phone I got through NERV would definitely be bugged, but I might not even need to do that if I got some sort of stipend. In hindsight I probably should've asked Ritsuko about that while I was in the hospital. I'd have to remember to bug her or Misato about it. It would be nice to get paid for risking my life in a giant robot to save humanity.
Slowly, my mind drifted to different topics, wandering mentally as much as I was physically. It wasn't the best distraction, but it was all I had.
Though it couldn't last forever, mostly because I had inadvertently wandered into the Eva cages. My meandering slowed to a stop before Unit-00, currently submerged up to her shoulders in LCL. The damage she'd suffered hadn't been too bad, mostly impalement and s few bruises from us getting swung around. They were all Injuries I knew intimately from when we were synchronized.
"Sorry about that by the way. I promise I'll be more careful next time" I apologized, even if I wasn't going to get a response. I wasn't even sure if Unitr-00 was conscious right now, seeing as it was nighttime and combat wasn't imminent.
I stared up at the Eva for a while longer, feeling both warmly comforted and horribly unnerved in her presence. Thinking back on what Rei said made a lot more sense now.
"She is angry indeed…."
Though knowing what I did, I couldn't say I blamed her. I'd be pretty pissed too if I'd gone through everything she had.
I looked away from the Eva, Purple hanging at the edge of my vision. Unit-01 occupying the next cage over. My feet carried me towards her without my iInput, and I felt the conflicting anxiety and calm Unit-00 brought give way to something else. I felt eyes on me the moment I was in the test type Eva's cage proper.
Here I felt…well, unwelcome wasn't quite right, but I got the distinct impression that Unit-01 did not trust me. I wondered how it took so long for Shinji to realize the Eva's were alive when they could elicit such feelings even when you weren't in the plug. Though perhaps I was just hypersensitive to whatever weird aura the Eva's were putting out.
It almost made me want to leave but…I couldn't, at least not yet. There was something I had to say to Unit-01–no, to Yui Ikari. She seems to be paying at least a modicum of attention to me, and I doubted I'd ever get the chance to say this in private again.
"I'm gonna protect him. I'm going to choose to be his friend—to love him, because he deserves that much at the very least" I declared, with only the Evas as my witness.
————
That was where Akiko found me, laying on the catwalk in front of the Evas. I hadn't managed to fall back asleep, but I'd gotten close, slipping into a sort of half sleep state. It was relaxing, and being near Unit-00 helped me dissect my dream. It was still unnerving, but I understood it, and the revelations it'd brought me.
"Rough night kid?" The agent asked, the Eva cages slowly coming to life around us as their daily maintenance began. He was dressed more casually than I'd ever seen him, section 2 suite traded for a comfy looking jacket and jeans. He still had a button up and tie because of course he did, probably in compliance with some dress code.
"Basically. Turns out piloting a giant robot isn't consequence free" I answered, rolling to the side so I was no longer occupying the middle of the catwalk.
"Few things are, unfortunately. Is it something you wanna talk about?" Akiko inquired; one eyebrow raised. He looked incredibly dad-like in those moments, dark hair done neatly despite the hour in contrast to stubble. This was the first time I was seeing his eyes too, which were dark brown. He'd crossed his arms, leaning against the catwalk railing.
"…. not yet. Can you just…stay here with me?" I asked after a bit of hesitation, looking up at Akiko. I was pretty sure if I divulged what exactly I dreamt about to anyone it'd end badly, but I could definitely use a familiar presence. Unit-00 was good, but also part of the source of my problems.
He smiled down at me, understanding flashing across his face before I got an answer.
"Sure thing kid"
Those words had me relaxing into the floor, giving the section 2 agent a grateful smile.
"You still have school today by the way."
And just like that, any and all affection I had for the man died.
"Ugh, don't remind me. I still have to chew out those idiots for coming outside to watch" I commented from the ground.
Akiko tilted his head, looking at me quizzically. "The two the Major had you pick up mid fight?"
I nodded, humming in affirmation. I was going to have words with Toji and Kensuke when I saw them again, ones I'd have to make sure they didn't forget. Because as much as I appreciated their help, I wasn't sure my heart could handle them being in danger like that again.
But yelling at them for being stupid was future Khamuro's concern. For now, I was content to lay on the floor in Akiko's presence till it was time for school.
————
"Shinji?"
"Yes Khamuro?"
"How do you do this on a daily basis?"
I asked in a deceptively calm voice, vice grip on whatever handles I could find as Misato drifted around another turn. We were going at least double the speed limit, and it was a miracle that we hadn't crashed into something yet.
"I usually just close my eyes and pray" he responded, sounding about as relaxed as I felt. That was to say not at all, because for all her tactical intelligence, Misato was a demon on the road. I was having trouble figuring out how she even managed to get a license.
"Oh relax you two. Would you rather be sitting in morning traffic for hours?"
"YES!" We chorused as one, drawing a scoff of mock disgust from the major.
"Your generation has no idea how to have fun, you know that?" Misato complained. At the very least her eyes were on the road, so I had at least a little bit of assurance that we probably wouldn't smash Into something at sufficient velocity.
Though somehow—potentially through divine intervention, we were not turned into red paste via collision. Instead and shinji were both forced forward and then slammed back into our seats as Misato brought us to a rapid halt directly in front of the school.
I quickly patted myself down to confirm I was in fact in one piece. Once I was sure, I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.
"I think I'd rather walk to school from now on." Shinji's voice was small, and I couldn't help but agree with him.
The statement drew a snort of faux offense from Misato. "And miss out on my amazing driving? How ungrateful can your generation get?"
"Ungrateful enough to stay alive," I answered as I undid my seatbelt. "Thanks anyways though," I added as I slid out of the car, though I had to pause as the sudden adrenaline crash had my legs feeling like jelly.
"No problem Khamuro. I'll be by to pick you two up today, I've got a little surprise planned."
My eyes narrowed, alarm bells going off in my head immediately. "What do you mean by that?" I asked wearily. I trusted Misato with my life out of necessity, but that didn't mean she wasn't a scheming witch when she wanted to be.
My thoughts must've shown on my face, seeing as Misato was clearly suppressing a laugh. "Relax kid, I'm just gonna take you and Shinji out for a little treat. I think you both deserve it"
Ah…that seemed innocent enough, though I couldn't help but wonder what a little treat entailed.
"Anyways, stay out of trouble you two, and have a good day!" Misato's voice was quickly drowned out by the roar of her car's engine, and in a flash she was speeding away, leaving me and Shinji to cough on the fumes.
"Jesus, what's it like living with that woman?" I asked once my coughing fit had subsided. I'd seen plenty of her antics on a screen, but nothing quite compared to interacting with Missto in reality.
"Chaos" Shinji said with a sign, though there was a fond light to his voice. For all her quirks, Misato Kitsuragi cared a lot, and we both knew it. She wouldn't have taken in Shinji or driven us to school personally if she didn't.
"Sounds about right….we should probably get to class." The comment came as my eyes went from where Misato had vanished around the corner to the building, my eyes hardening.
I still had a pair of idiots to chew out.
"Oh, right!" Shinji jolted, as if he'd forgotten why we were here. Not entirely unfair all things considered. That didn't stop me from laughing a bit, drawing a rosy blush from Shinji. Combined with his slight pout, it was a little too cute for me to handle. So I looked away, making my way towards the school's doors.
Shinji fell into step beside me without prompting, lighting a bit of warmth in my chest. "Don't laugh! Misato just distracted me…" Shinji didn't quite whine, but it was close. I wondered if he realized just how wide open he'd left himself, and suddenly all of Misato's teasing made a bit more sense. He just made it too easy.
"Did she now? I didn't think you were into older women, Shinji." I teased. Watching Shinji go from cute blush to absolute mortification was absolutely priceless. He sputtered, trying and failing to formulate a response before looking at the ground, face forlorn.
"There's two of you now…" Shinji sounded like someone had just killed his dog, and I tried very hard not to laugh. And I succeeded!
Mostly…
But it served as a good prelude to the silence that followed, A rather comfortable one as well. We navigated the halls of Tokyo First Municipal Middle School, the drone of conversation between students steadily growing as we approached class 2-A. This at least was familiar, the navigating of a crowded hallway, students moving to class or talking to their friends.
Though I noticed something. While I moved through the crowd with ease, Shinji lagged. He stumbled around people, mumbling out an apology before nearly ramming into someone else. I slowed my pace, reaching out to Shinji when he was close enough.
"Just follow me" I spoke over the crowd, gently taking his hand in mine. Shinji gave a stuttering nod, and with that I began tugging him along. It was easy to spot the path of least resistance when I stood above pretty much everyone else in the student body. It wasn't long before we were entering our classroom, and I released Shinji's hand.
I looked back at Shinji, looking to confirm he'd made it alright. He had, to my relief, and we'd made good time too. The classroom was mostly empty right now, only a handful of students inside.
"Thank you! For leading me that is." Shinji said suddenly, drawing a fond smile from me.
"Don't worry about it. What else are friends for, right?" the reply came from the heart. Lord knew I was glad to have someone leading the way the first time I had to deal with the free for all that was middle and highschool hallways.
"Khamuro! Ikari!"
Me and Shinji both jumped at the sudden voice, whirling around to face the source. Kensuke stood there, grin predatory, eyes gleaming with insatiable lust for knowledge. All of it was nothing in the face of the fury that the mere sight of him ignited in me. Toji stood a little ways behind him, looking off to the side with aloofness that only had my anger skyrocketing.
I took a step forward, smiling sweetly as I placed a heavy hand on both their shoulders. I could see the exact moment Kensuke realized what was about to happen, and the resignation as he realized there was nowhere for him to run.
"Toji, Kensuke! Wonderful to see you two. So wonderful in fact, that I've got a little present for you" my voice was cheerful as my iron grip on them released. Before anyone in the room could make a move to stop me, I acted. Drawing on the muscle memory Toji had gifted Unit-00 and I, I placed a punch on Kensuke's left cheek, and Toji's right.
The latter bore it stoically, likely receiving a similar—if less violent reproach from Sakura and his father. Kensuke, of course, reeled dramatically. Now to be fair, a hadn't exactly punched lightly, but he was very clearly exaggerating the impact.
"That," I started, tone carrying a hard edge "is for worrying me. Don't you dare even think about doing something that reckless again, or I swear I'll make you wish an Angel had gotten to you. And this-" I went on, suddenly pulling them both into a hug with all my strength. "-is for helping me out in there."
I held them close for a while. I hadn't had time to dwell on it before, but seeing the two of them out there, just one mistake away from being crushed like bugs…it'd terrified me. If they were put in danger like that again I didn't think my heart would be able to take it.
"Please never do that again." I pleaded as I released them, leaving a hand on each of their shoulders again. "You guys could've died, and I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I let that happen to you."
Toji gave a small, lopsided grin, a softer version of his signature shining smirk. "Consider it a Suzuhara promise." He declared, prompting me to smile back at him.
For his part, Kensuke looked suitably chastised, unable to meet my gaze when it turned to him. He was silent for a while, before finally speaking. "What he said. Sorry for worrying you. It won't happen again".
With that I let out a relieved sign, hands falling to my side.Words of gratitude were on the tip of my tongue, but a 4th voice rang out before I could say anything.
"Normally, I wouldn't condone violence, but knowing what those two buffoons pulled I'll let it slide this once."
I jumped again, though this time I turned at a far more sedate pace to meet the eyes of one Hikari Horkai, the class rep standing with her hands on her hips. She continued on before I could even think of interrupting her.
"I was planning on dressing them down myself, but it seems you have it covered. Nice to meet you Properly Khamuro. I'm Hikari Horkai, your class representative." She introduced herself.
I smiled at her. It was nice to know I wasn't the only one prepared to throttle Kensuke and Toji over what they'd done. "Nice to meet you too. I suppose I'll be in your care from now on, yea?"
"Indeed you will," She said as she reached Into her school bag, pulling out a notebook. "There was quite a bit I planned for you before school was interrupted. Among them was giving you this," Hikari held out the notebook to me, which I accepted as she reached back into her bag and produced another.
She presented the second notebook to Shinji "And here's yours Ikari". He hesitated for a moment before collecting it from her hands, giving a quiet thanks. Hikari clapped her hands, smiling softly. "I took the liberty of compiling an overview of what we've gone over already this year. If you have any questions about the material, please feel free to ask me after class"
"Of course. This'll probably be a big help for me" I commented as I flipped through the notebook. I'd never been all that big on note taking, but if Hikari had gone through all this trouble then the least I could do was read through them.
"Happy to be of assistance. If you two wouldn't mind, I would like to give you a tour of the school during lunch." At the mention of the tour, Toji perked up, raising a hand to draw Hikai's attention. The look she gave him could be best described as glacial.
Though it didn't seem to bother Toji, as he spoke regardless. "I can take care of that class rep. 'Sides, I promised Khamuro I'd show'm around, and s'not like I'll mind Ikari tagging along". Hikari's look turned dubious, then contemplative. The classroom seemed to still as it waited with held breath for its mistress's decision.
"I suppose you can," she finally said, but before anyone had time to celebrate she opened her mouth again. "But you must promise to actually show them the school and not just skulk around the gym all period like last time" she warned, glare returning in full force.
Toji coughed into his fist, looking anywhere but at Hikari. "You can count on me, class rep. I promised Sakura I'd do right by Khamuro"
There was another pause as her eyes narrowed, but it seemed that was enough to satisfy Hikari. "Right then. I'm entrusting their tour to you, Suzuhara. Now get to your seats,you 4. Class Starts in 5 minutes." She commanded, and not wishing to draw her ire, we all complied, settling into our little corner of the classroom. True to Hikari's word, class was bound to start soon as the volume of students in the room rapidly increased till all seats were filled.
With the standing and bowing of our daily rituals completed, class began with another riveting lecture on 2nd impact from our home room teacher.
I was mentally checked out before he'd even started speaking.
—
A/N
This chapter was almost a lot longer, but I'd like to at least try to adhere to my 4,000~ word limit. Even if I went over….again. I'm looking forward to having all 3 pilots interact in a more social environment and such.
And as always, please feel free to let me know what you think and share your thoughts and hopes for the future of this fic!
For better or worse, every person is shaped by their community.
————
As it turns out, piloting was absolutely exhausting. Both in the physical sense and the mental one. The time between getting out of the plug and my bed had been spent in a tired haze. There was a shower followed by a debrief at one point or another, and a dressing down of Toji and Kensuke. perhaps a meal squeezed in as well. My most vivid memory was of seeing my fellow pilots and commander after the battle.
Misato and Shinji looked relieved, and Rei's expression was unreadable as always.
But that was as much as I could reliably recall, the finer details lost to me. I'd barely been able to trade a few words with them before Shinji insisted I go rest. It was a little concerning to know my exhaustion was so apparent, after all I'd never seen any of the other pilots so drained after a battle…unless they'd suffered some extensive damage, physical or otherwise.
Perhaps if i'd been a little more coherent that would have had me worrying more, but as it stood I couldn't really bring myself to care. As soon as i was away from Shinji and Rei, all i could think about was how nice it'd be to just lay down and sleep for a couple of days.
Eventually I trudged into my room, not even bothering to turn on the light as my feet brought me to my bed where I pitched forward, landing face down. I hardly had time to feel relief before the wonderful world of unconsciousness was consuming me.
————
Of course my sleep couldn't have been dreamless. That'd be too easy. No, instead of the oblivion I'd been hoping for, I found myself aloft in a sea of orange. The fluid was familiar to me immediately.
LCL.
The bloody scent and taste was near overwhelming despite my frequent exposure, and I barely held back a gag. Being immersed when in the plug was one thing, with the saddle and the Eva itself to ground me. Here I had none of that, suspended freely like an astronaut with none of the wonder of being in space.
And I wasn't floating here alone either. Instead around me were bodies, ones just as familiar as the fluid I was set adrift in. Set in numerous orientations, eyes blank and lifeless. I could only watch In muted horror as one of the bodies drifted by me, crimson eyes staring beyond even my soul.
Rei's visage had never been so…empty. She was inexpressive yes, but there were still undeniably human traits. The dilation of pupils, the twitch of lips, tiny micros expressions that no amount of awful nurture could rid her of. The beings surrounding me were not that. Not alive.
They were blanks. Soulless. Spare parts In cold storage in the event that Gendo's all important cog broke. As the concept settled, the revulsion I felt was so incredibly viceral that I lashed out without even a moment's thought, shoving the empty shell of Rei away.
Red eyes gazed at me accusingly as what little energy I imparted carried the body through the LCL, and the increased distance did little to reduce my discomfort seeing as there were still countless clones floating around.
I slowly turned in place, looking for somewhere—anywhere to escape to, but in all directions I found the same thing. Rei's floating, waiting patiently for the real Rei to misstep so they could take her place. But I couldn't stay here, not with the overwhelming wrongness crawling down my spine.
So I moved, limbs quickly finding something that was the closest approximation to a swim I could manage in the odd viscosity of LCL as I propelled myself forward. I passed more bodies as I moved, trying and failing to ignore them. I wanted out of here yesterday, out of this sick reminder of the way Gendo viewed Rei and everyone else around him.
But I never found an escape, no, instead I was sent reeling as I collided face first with something. My hands flew to my aching forehead, though the pain was short lived as I leaned in towards what I'd collided with. It was a barrier of sorts, likely glass seeing as it was cool when I brought my hand to it. That and I could see beyond the wall, squinting beyond the reflection of myself and the Rei clones.
Immediately I could tell this wasn't the reiquarium, or any part of NERV I recognized. It only vaguely fit the architectural aesthetic of the organization, but that was secondary to the 2 figures standing in the nebulous facility. A dark haired woman in a lab coat, not unlike Ritsuko in appearance. Her name was lost to me, but instinctively I knew this was her mother.
And the other figure was Rei. Not a clone, but Rei, marked by the light in her eyes. And she was speaking, voice muffled by the LCL and glass, but that didn't matter. Because all of the clones spoke with her, their voice's ringing with the same deadness that was in their eyes.
"Old hag, old hag, old hag, old hag" they chorused, the voice of the legion ringing around me. It made the blood in my veins turn to ice as my mind realized exactly what I was about to watch. I could see Ritsuko's mother flinch back, and dread pooled in my stomach like lead when her fists clenched.
"NO, DON'T HURT HER!" I screamed, banging on the glass. But the sound I made couldn't reach beyond the barrier, and Naoko Akagi struck like a viper. The Reis continued their chant, even as the woman's hands closed around the real Rei's throat. I wanted so desperately to look away, but my head refused to turn.
Until it did, and my vision moved so quickly there were spots dancing in my vision. My head had snapped up to meet the cyclopean eye of Unit-00. She stood as still as a statue, doomed to watch what unfolded at her feet just as much as me.
The voices of the clones grew louder with each repetition, and I found my gaze stuck between Rei, still gasping out the same two words even as she was deprived of oxygen, and Unit-00, continuing to stand in near perfect stillness.
Not perfect, because with every bit of life that drained out of Rei, Unit-00 became just the smallest bit more alive. A twitch of the finger, a shift of the weight, all of the subtle nigh imperceptible movements that let our brains know something was alive. The chorus of clones led by Rei grew louder and louder as the orange titan grew less and less like a statue.
I was stuck watching in horror and fascination as the glint of life steadily left Rei's eyes, and grew in the Eva's. She started with nothing, then a spark, then a lone match that was thrown into the kindling of a campfire, every squeeze of Naoko's hands adding more fuel to the fire. It sickened me to my core, and I felt bile rising in my throat as Eva Unit-00, Zerogōki, gave a mighty heave. Whatever invisible restraints holding her snapped like twigs as Rei's life was finally snuffed out.
Naoko released the girl, her body falling limp to the ground like a doll, a puppet with its strings cut. Though the women didn't have time to react to what she'd done, because Unit-00 brought her fist down on Naoko not even a moment later. The Rei's were practically shouting now, drowning out all other sounds. I watched in equal parts fascination, horror, and sick glee as the scientists who had created the magi supercomputers was reduced to red paste in an instant.
It was terribly easy to forget how powerful an Eva really was. Easy to forget just how far above humans and our modern weapons they were. Easy to forget that humanity had created something truly beyond our understanding. So it was truly humbling to watch as Unit-00 proceeded to lay waste to our surroundings like a child crushing a pretend city. The Eva punched and kicked and tore as she screamed over the roar that the Rei clone's chant had become. Her anger burned with palpable heat, and distantly I wondered if the LCL may start to boil.
Walls gave way like paper. The glass I'd failed to penetrate was shattered by an errant grazing by Unit-00s fist, sending me and the Reis falling forwards as the LCL flooded the nebulous chamber.
A chamber that was soon in absolute ruins, walls reduced to rubble, ceiling long gone to reveal a sky full of stars and colors I could never put a name to. Unit-00 stared down at me, a mere speck floating in LCL that hardly came up to her ankles.
She kneeled, moving with all the fluid arcs of a human as I was scooped from the orange soup. The fluid drained from between her fingers, leaving me on my knees in her hand. A hand that could crush me like a bug. I started up at Unit-00, and she stared back. Because despite everything, I could not find it in myself to be afraid. Fear was born from ignorance, and I understood Unit-00, if only just.
Even without a pupil I could tell Unit-00's one eye was staring into my two. I could tell the eyes of every clone had locked onto me from all the places they'd been scattered to. I felt them speak as one. The voice of Rei. The voice of Unit-00. It impressed itself upon my very soul.
"Do you understand?"
And my answer came unbidden, bubbling up from the depths of my soul with a level of honesty I could never replicate consciously.
"No, but I want to."
————
I jerked up, eyes snapping open. I didn't scream, my breath was too short for that.
Instead I sat there, struggling to bring my heart rate back down to something resembling normalcy, focused entirely on breathing deeply and evenly. I very pointedly ignored the last vestiges of my dream, or perhaps nightmare was more apt. The pit of anxiety in my stomach certainly said so, but I also felt strangely light, as if I'd forged something new and exciting.
I shoved the conflicting feelings aside for now, swinging my legs over the side of my bed. Even in the darkness, a cursory glance told me my blankets and pillows were in disarray, half my bedding having found its way to the floor as I thrashed in my sleep. I didn't particularly mind right now, not with the way my stomach was still turning with anxiety.
I let out a long breath, fists clenching and unclenching. Much as I tried not to think about it, the dream would not leave me. The details were growing fuzzier by the second, but the empty eyes, the loss of life, and Unit-00s fury? Those would stay with me for a long time.
But the thing I could never forget, the thing that'd engraved itself into my mind were Unit-00's words.
Do you understand?
"I want to." I repeated to myself, voice hardly above a whisper.
I sniffed, suddenly made aware of the wetness on my cheeks as a tear fell from my face to my thigh. I let out a hiccupping sob, wondering what the hell I was doing here as I brought a hand up to dry my eyes. It didn't help much, only serving to confirm that I wouldn't be getting to sleep again anytime soon.
I just sat there for a moment, reminded of my first night in this room. I let myself steep in my emotions, just like then. The painful mix of lightness and anxiety left a sickly sweetness clinging to my tongue.
I took a deep breath, held for 6, then out for 2. Eight, six, two, over and over again. It didn't quite settle the twisting inside me, but it did make it manageable. I wiped my eyes, my tears finally drying up. I stood up, leaving as much of my melancholy behind as I could. Staying here wasn't an option, not when it'd only remind me of my nightmare.
I wasn't a stranger to late night wandering, but I'd yet to do such at NERV. I wasn't sure if I was allowed to leave my room past when I was expected to go to sleep, but right now I couldn't summon the energy to care.
I left my room behind, wincing slightly at the light of the hallway. It was easy to forget that the Geofront never really slept, similarly to the city above. At the very least, any lingering tiredness faded faster thanks to the brightness. The floor was smooth and cool against my feet as I wandered down the hall, my steps quiet out of habit.
The only easily audible sound was the hum of lights as I let my legs take me where they wanted. I kinda wished I had someone to talk to, or maybe something to write with. I was far too used to having the world at my fingertips through a smartphone, and it showed. What I wouldn't give to have access to the internet right now….
Though seeing as it was something like 2014 and 10 years after a global cataclysm at that, I'd probably find the web a lot less familiar than what I was used to. There was no telling what companies managed to survive 2nd impact and which ones were devoured in the chaos. It'd still be nice to have though, but it'd also be a bit of a security risk.
Any phone I got through NERV would definitely be bugged, but I might not even need to do that if I got some sort of stipend. In hindsight I probably should've asked Ritsuko about that while I was in the hospital. I'd have to remember to bug her or Misato about it. It would be nice to get paid for risking my life in a giant robot to save humanity.
Slowly, my mind drifted to different topics, wandering mentally as much as I was physically. It wasn't the best distraction, but it was all I had.
Though it couldn't last forever, mostly because I had inadvertently wandered into the Eva cages. My meandering slowed to a stop before Unit-00, currently submerged up to her shoulders in LCL. The damage she'd suffered hadn't been too bad, mostly impalement and s few bruises from us getting swung around. They were all Injuries I knew intimately from when we were synchronized.
"Sorry about that by the way. I promise I'll be more careful next time" I apologized, even if I wasn't going to get a response. I wasn't even sure if Unitr-00 was conscious right now, seeing as it was nighttime and combat wasn't imminent.
I stared up at the Eva for a while longer, feeling both warmly comforted and horribly unnerved in her presence. Thinking back on what Rei said made a lot more sense now.
"She is angry indeed…."
Though knowing what I did, I couldn't say I blamed her. I'd be pretty pissed too if I'd gone through everything she had.
I looked away from the Eva, Purple hanging at the edge of my vision. Unit-01 occupying the next cage over. My feet carried me towards her without my iInput, and I felt the conflicting anxiety and calm Unit-00 brought give way to something else. I felt eyes on me the moment I was in the test type Eva's cage proper.
Here I felt…well, unwelcome wasn't quite right, but I got the distinct impression that Unit-01 did not trust me. I wondered how it took so long for Shinji to realize the Eva's were alive when they could elicit such feelings even when you weren't in the plug. Though perhaps I was just hypersensitive to whatever weird aura the Eva's were putting out.
It almost made me want to leave but…I couldn't, at least not yet. There was something I had to say to Unit-01–no, to Yui Ikari. She seems to be paying at least a modicum of attention to me, and I doubted I'd ever get the chance to say this in private again.
"I'm gonna protect him. I'm going to choose to be his friend—to love him, because he deserves that much at the very least" I declared, with only the Evas as my witness.
————
That was where Akiko found me, laying on the catwalk in front of the Evas. I hadn't managed to fall back asleep, but I'd gotten close, slipping into a sort of half sleep state. It was relaxing, and being near Unit-00 helped me dissect my dream. It was still unnerving, but I understood it, and the revelations it'd brought me.
"Rough night kid?" The agent asked, the Eva cages slowly coming to life around us as their daily maintenance began. He was dressed more casually than I'd ever seen him, section 2 suite traded for a comfy looking jacket and jeans. He still had a button up and tie because of course he did, probably in compliance with some dress code.
"Basically. Turns out piloting a giant robot isn't consequence free" I answered, rolling to the side so I was no longer occupying the middle of the catwalk.
"Few things are, unfortunately. Is it something you wanna talk about?" Akiko inquired; one eyebrow raised. He looked incredibly dad-like in those moments, dark hair done neatly despite the hour in contrast to stubble. This was the first time I was seeing his eyes too, which were dark brown. He'd crossed his arms, leaning against the catwalk railing.
"…. not yet. Can you just…stay here with me?" I asked after a bit of hesitation, looking up at Akiko. I was pretty sure if I divulged what exactly I dreamt about to anyone it'd end badly, but I could definitely use a familiar presence. Unit-00 was good, but also part of the source of my problems.
He smiled down at me, understanding flashing across his face before I got an answer.
"Sure thing kid"
Those words had me relaxing into the floor, giving the section 2 agent a grateful smile.
"You still have school today by the way."
And just like that, any and all affection I had for the man died.
"Ugh, don't remind me. I still have to chew out those idiots for coming outside to watch" I commented from the ground.
Akiko tilted his head, looking at me quizzically. "The two the Major had you pick up mid fight?"
I nodded, humming in affirmation. I was going to have words with Toji and Kensuke when I saw them again, ones I'd have to make sure they didn't forget. Because as much as I appreciated their help, I wasn't sure my heart could handle them being in danger like that again.
But yelling at them for being stupid was future Khamuro's concern. For now, I was content to lay on the floor in Akiko's presence till it was time for school.
————
"Shinji?"
"Yes Khamuro?"
"How do you do this on a daily basis?"
I asked in a deceptively calm voice, vice grip on whatever handles I could find as Misato drifted around another turn. We were going at least double the speed limit, and it was a miracle that we hadn't crashed into something yet.
"I usually just close my eyes and pray" he responded, sounding about as relaxed as I felt. That was to say not at all, because for all her tactical intelligence, Misato was a demon on the road. I was having trouble figuring out how she even managed to get a license.
"Oh relax you two. Would you rather be sitting in morning traffic for hours?"
"YES!" We chorused as one, drawing a scoff of mock disgust from the major.
"Your generation has no idea how to have fun, you know that?" Misato complained. At the very least her eyes were on the road, so I had at least a little bit of assurance that we probably wouldn't smash Into something at sufficient velocity.
Though somehow—potentially through divine intervention, we were not turned into red paste via collision. Instead and shinji were both forced forward and then slammed back into our seats as Misato brought us to a rapid halt directly in front of the school.
I quickly patted myself down to confirm I was in fact in one piece. Once I was sure, I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.
"I think I'd rather walk to school from now on." Shinji's voice was small, and I couldn't help but agree with him.
The statement drew a snort of faux offense from Misato. "And miss out on my amazing driving? How ungrateful can your generation get?"
"Ungrateful enough to stay alive," I answered as I undid my seatbelt. "Thanks anyways though," I added as I slid out of the car, though I had to pause as the sudden adrenaline crash had my legs feeling like jelly.
"No problem Khamuro. I'll be by to pick you two up today, I've got a little surprise planned."
My eyes narrowed, alarm bells going off in my head immediately. "What do you mean by that?" I asked wearily. I trusted Misato with my life out of necessity, but that didn't mean she wasn't a scheming witch when she wanted to be.
My thoughts must've shown on my face, seeing as Misato was clearly suppressing a laugh. "Relax kid, I'm just gonna take you and Shinji out for a little treat. I think you both deserve it"
Ah…that seemed innocent enough, though I couldn't help but wonder what a little treat entailed.
"Anyways, stay out of trouble you two, and have a good day!" Misato's voice was quickly drowned out by the roar of her car's engine, and in a flash she was speeding away, leaving me and Shinji to cough on the fumes.
"Jesus, what's it like living with that woman?" I asked once my coughing fit had subsided. I'd seen plenty of her antics on a screen, but nothing quite compared to interacting with Missto in reality.
"Chaos" Shinji said with a sign, though there was a fond light to his voice. For all her quirks, Misato Kitsuragi cared a lot, and we both knew it. She wouldn't have taken in Shinji or driven us to school personally if she didn't.
"Sounds about right….we should probably get to class." The comment came as my eyes went from where Misato had vanished around the corner to the building, my eyes hardening.
I still had a pair of idiots to chew out.
"Oh, right!" Shinji jolted, as if he'd forgotten why we were here. Not entirely unfair all things considered. That didn't stop me from laughing a bit, drawing a rosy blush from Shinji. Combined with his slight pout, it was a little too cute for me to handle. So I looked away, making my way towards the school's doors.
Shinji fell into step beside me without prompting, lighting a bit of warmth in my chest. "Don't laugh! Misato just distracted me…" Shinji didn't quite whine, but it was close. I wondered if he realized just how wide open he'd left himself, and suddenly all of Misato's teasing made a bit more sense. He just made it too easy.
"Did she now? I didn't think you were into older women, Shinji." I teased. Watching Shinji go from cute blush to absolute mortification was absolutely priceless. He sputtered, trying and failing to formulate a response before looking at the ground, face forlorn.
"There's two of you now…" Shinji sounded like someone had just killed his dog, and I tried very hard not to laugh. And I succeeded!
Mostly…
But it served as a good prelude to the silence that followed, A rather comfortable one as well. We navigated the halls of Tokyo First Municipal Middle School, the drone of conversation between students steadily growing as we approached class 2-A. This at least was familiar, the navigating of a crowded hallway, students moving to class or talking to their friends.
Though I noticed something. While I moved through the crowd with ease, Shinji lagged. He stumbled around people, mumbling out an apology before nearly ramming into someone else. I slowed my pace, reaching out to Shinji when he was close enough.
"Just follow me" I spoke over the crowd, gently taking his hand in mine. Shinji gave a stuttering nod, and with that I began tugging him along. It was easy to spot the path of least resistance when I stood above pretty much everyone else in the student body. It wasn't long before we were entering our classroom, and I released Shinji's hand.
I looked back at Shinji, looking to confirm he'd made it alright. He had, to my relief, and we'd made good time too. The classroom was mostly empty right now, only a handful of students inside.
"Thank you! For leading me that is." Shinji said suddenly, drawing a fond smile from me.
"Don't worry about it. What else are friends for, right?" the reply came from the heart. Lord knew I was glad to have someone leading the way the first time I had to deal with the free for all that was middle and highschool hallways.
"Khamuro! Ikari!"
Me and Shinji both jumped at the sudden voice, whirling around to face the source. Kensuke stood there, grin predatory, eyes gleaming with insatiable lust for knowledge. All of it was nothing in the face of the fury that the mere sight of him ignited in me. Toji stood a little ways behind him, looking off to the side with aloofness that only had my anger skyrocketing.
I took a step forward, smiling sweetly as I placed a heavy hand on both their shoulders. I could see the exact moment Kensuke realized what was about to happen, and the resignation as he realized there was nowhere for him to run.
"Toji, Kensuke! Wonderful to see you two. So wonderful in fact, that I've got a little present for you" my voice was cheerful as my iron grip on them released. Before anyone in the room could make a move to stop me, I acted. Drawing on the muscle memory Toji had gifted Unit-00 and I, I placed a punch on Kensuke's left cheek, and Toji's right.
The latter bore it stoically, likely receiving a similar—if less violent reproach from Sakura and his father. Kensuke, of course, reeled dramatically. Now to be fair, a hadn't exactly punched lightly, but he was very clearly exaggerating the impact.
"That," I started, tone carrying a hard edge "is for worrying me. Don't you dare even think about doing something that reckless again, or I swear I'll make you wish an Angel had gotten to you. And this-" I went on, suddenly pulling them both into a hug with all my strength. "-is for helping me out in there."
I held them close for a while. I hadn't had time to dwell on it before, but seeing the two of them out there, just one mistake away from being crushed like bugs…it'd terrified me. If they were put in danger like that again I didn't think my heart would be able to take it.
"Please never do that again." I pleaded as I released them, leaving a hand on each of their shoulders again. "You guys could've died, and I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I let that happen to you."
Toji gave a small, lopsided grin, a softer version of his signature shining smirk. "Consider it a Suzuhara promise." He declared, prompting me to smile back at him.
For his part, Kensuke looked suitably chastised, unable to meet my gaze when it turned to him. He was silent for a while, before finally speaking. "What he said. Sorry for worrying you. It won't happen again".
With that I let out a relieved sign, hands falling to my side.Words of gratitude were on the tip of my tongue, but a 4th voice rang out before I could say anything.
"Normally, I wouldn't condone violence, but knowing what those two buffoons pulled I'll let it slide this once."
I jumped again, though this time I turned at a far more sedate pace to meet the eyes of one Hikari Horkai, the class rep standing with her hands on her hips. She continued on before I could even think of interrupting her.
"I was planning on dressing them down myself, but it seems you have it covered. Nice to meet you Properly Khamuro. I'm Hikari Horkai, your class representative." She introduced herself.
I smiled at her. It was nice to know I wasn't the only one prepared to throttle Kensuke and Toji over what they'd done. "Nice to meet you too. I suppose I'll be in your care from now on, yea?"
"Indeed you will," She said as she reached Into her school bag, pulling out a notebook. "There was quite a bit I planned for you before school was interrupted. Among them was giving you this," Hikari held out the notebook to me, which I accepted as she reached back into her bag and produced another.
She presented the second notebook to Shinji "And here's yours Ikari". He hesitated for a moment before collecting it from her hands, giving a quiet thanks. Hikari clapped her hands, smiling softly. "I took the liberty of compiling an overview of what we've gone over already this year. If you have any questions about the material, please feel free to ask me after class"
"Of course. This'll probably be a big help for me" I commented as I flipped through the notebook. I'd never been all that big on note taking, but if Hikari had gone through all this trouble then the least I could do was read through them.
"Happy to be of assistance. If you two wouldn't mind, I would like to give you a tour of the school during lunch." At the mention of the tour, Toji perked up, raising a hand to draw Hikai's attention. The look she gave him could be best described as glacial.
Though it didn't seem to bother Toji, as he spoke regardless. "I can take care of that class rep. 'Sides, I promised Khamuro I'd show'm around, and s'not like I'll mind Ikari tagging along". Hikari's look turned dubious, then contemplative. The classroom seemed to still as it waited with held breath for its mistress's decision.
"I suppose you can," she finally said, but before anyone had time to celebrate she opened her mouth again. "But you must promise to actually show them the school and not just skulk around the gym all period like last time" she warned, glare returning in full force.
Toji coughed into his fist, looking anywhere but at Hikari. "You can count on me, class rep. I promised Sakura I'd do right by Khamuro"
There was another pause as her eyes narrowed, but it seemed that was enough to satisfy Hikari. "Right then. I'm entrusting their tour to you, Suzuhara. Now get to your seats,you 4. Class Starts in 5 minutes." She commanded, and not wishing to draw her ire, we all complied, settling into our little corner of the classroom. True to Hikari's word, class was bound to start soon as the volume of students in the room rapidly increased till all seats were filled.
With the standing and bowing of our daily rituals completed, class began with another riveting lecture on 2nd impact from our home room teacher.
I was mentally checked out before he'd even started speaking.
—
A/N
This chapter was almost a lot longer, but I'd like to at least try to adhere to my 4,000~ word limit. Even if I went over….again. I'm looking forward to having all 3 pilots interact in a more social environment and such.
And as always, please feel free to let me know what you think and share your thoughts and hopes for the future of this fic!
Last edited: