When a mysterious man with impossible knowledge enters the lives of two Children, they are forever changed by his compassion, and those who hope to save the world, those who hope to rule it, and those who hope to plunder it will find that the world, and the destiny of Tokyo-3, will never be the same.
It is said that there is truth to be found in every story told. Few truly understand how correct this is. Few also understand just how many permutations there are to those stories, echoes that are at once familiar and unique. Those that do understand these things can, even with only their entrance or exit, change one of these echoes, these stories, forever…
Yamanakako, Japan, 2009
Young Shinji Ikari still didn't know why he was here in this small, quiet home. He didn't fully remember what had happened to have him leave his old home, nor did his father, who he missed even now, give any indication of why he was with Sensei. All Shinji remembered of that day when his father left him was the vague, watery outline in his tear-filled eyes that turned away and stepped back onto the train. He remembered how sad and confused he was then, but even 4 years removed it was still a dull, painful memory to recall.
After that, he was found by Sensei and his wife, an older couple that Father must have trusted if he would leave his only son with them for so long. Sensei, who was really only ever that, was a decent enough man, and seemingly very smart, but distant to him as if Shinji had done something to upset him long ago. Mrs. Azuma, his wife, while also fairly distant, was kind to him on occasion, and he treasured those rare moments that he was shown some affection.
But, for the most part, he was left alone. Fed and clothed and kept warm, yes, but left alone all the same. First, Shinji was confused by this. Then he was angry. But now, Shinji was simply ambivalent. He had found ways to occupy himself anyways. His cello was his favorite, filling the space around him with deep, soothing notes. But he had other means.
The most conflicting one to him sat in his phone, used from time to time to truly block out the world. An SD card which was the only thing that his father had left to him, filled with music from younger, perhaps more ideal days. It was his only connection to his father. The only thing left of what could have been their days as a family. He loved and hated it in equal measure, and often thought about throwing it away, to show that he did not need his father any more than his father seemed to need him.
But always, like now, he would slot it back into his phone, plug in his headset, and let the strange mix of music wash over him.
It was during this time that Mrs. Azuma tapped him on the shoulder, causing him to open his eyes, pause his music, and take out his headphone. "Yes, Mrs. Azuma?"
He noticed she was tense, something that she usually wasn't. She tried to hide it, and she almost succeeded. But her eyes, strained even as they put on kindness, gave much away.
With his music off, Shinji could look into the empty hallway beyond the door, and hear the voice of Sensei in the living room, talking with someone else. The discussion was pitched low, too low for him to make out the words, but Sensei sounded like he was as tense as Mrs. Azuma looked.
She pulled Shinji's attention back from the doorway to her. "We have a… visitor," she said, seemingly not knowing what to call whoever that other voice belonged to. "and he has come looking for you. He says that he knows your parents."
Shinji's eyes widened at that. Someone who knew his parents? His mother? Someone who could tell him what had happened, why he was here? Someone who could, maybe, take him home? It seemed almost too good to be true. For the first time in a long time, Shinji felt hope, which felt strange after so long without.
"Who is he?" he asked, quietly, so as not to distract from Sensei's conversation.
Mrs. Azuma lowered her voice as well and frowned in what could only be confusion. "He's an American, that's for sure. Other than that, we don't know. He seems to know your father at least, as well as Daiki does. But there's a lot we think he hasn't told us."
After a moment's silence, Mrs. Azuma shook her head. "He seems to know a lot about you too."
Before she could continue any further, Sensei Azuma stepped into the doorway, looking intently at Mrs. Azuma. "Akina. Let's talk," he said, his rather deep, gravelly voice rumbled in the silence that followed, "in the hallway." Mrs. Azuma nodded and looked back at Shinji.
"We'll get this figured out, okay?" she said, with as much reassurance as she could put into her voice.
Shinji nodded, and he was alone in his room again. Immediately his mind whirled with questions, and twice as many possible answers presented themselves to him. Many of these scared him. Some of them worked with the small amount of hope that he had gotten, and a few seemed utterly ridiculous. But, at this point, what was ridiculous now?
All these thoughts seemed to last a small eternity as the Azuma's conversed in hushed tones out in the hallway. Then, they stepped away, and silence filled the room again. A few muffled words from the living room, and then Mrs. Azuma stepped into the doorway and beckoned to Shinji. "Alright, Shinji. Come and meet Daniel."
Daniel? That was American, wasn't it? Shinji stood from his small bed, passing by his cello and out the doorway, into the living room.
The man who stood by a still tense Sensei was, by all rights, a fairly normal-looking man. About 1.7 meters tall, he wore a simple white button-down shirt and black slacks, a somewhat eerie mirror of Shinji's usual attire. He was somewhat pale, with close-cut dark blond hair and a neatly trimmed beard. But perhaps the most intriguing of all was his eyes. Not for their fairly normal, somewhat piercing blue color, but for what seemed to hide behind them. What Shinji, by all rights a fairly perceptive young man, saw was a strange familiarity, a comfort within what should have been alien surroundings. And, as the man turned to look at Shinji, there appeared in his eyes a glimmer of… warmth? Finally, the man spoke.
"Hello, Shinji," he said, in surprisingly decent Japanese, "My name is Daniel. I'm here to help you out and be your friend. I've worked with your parents before." The man then crouched down to Shinji's level and extended his hand, which Shinji shook politely. "What do you like to do?"
- - -
#12 Line to Tokyo-3, 2015
A 15-year-old Shinji blinked, a bend in the track of the train he was on shaking him from his recollections for a moment. Much had happened since that fateful meeting 6 years ago. Shinji had someone by his side, at least for a little while, that he regarded at first as an older friend, and in time, as perhaps an uncle which he had never had. They had shared many passions, especially for music, and Daniel had taught him a lot in the 3 years that they were together, helping him to grow from his shell of timid quietness, at least somewhat.
He had… a family member. Maybe not by blood, but Daniel really was family now, warm, kind, and always willing to cheer Shinji on no matter how he felt.
Which led Shinji to look back down at the object that started his recollections.
"Come."
A single word.
On a single piece of paper.
Along with whatever he may have said when he left him so long ago, this was the only word that his father had given him.
Why? Why was he so cold, so impersonal? What had changed? Why was he only being called back now? Why? Why?
That question continued to spin in his head from the minute he had opened the letter up to now. Daniel had heard about it, of course. Even after he had left for NERV, in Germany of all places, they still kept in touch. Shinji had come to admire the effort that Daniel went to do that, and what he had said on the night of Shinji's departure still reassured him. "Your father may be looking to make amends, or he might not. I don't completely know. But you are his son. I think that'll count for something, hopefully. However it works out, remember that I have faith in you, that I believe in you, even if no one else does. Good luck."
Shinji held on to that faith like a life preserver in the middle of the storm that his life had become, as the train slid into the Tokyo-3 station and opened its doors.
As Shinji stepped out, he couldn't help but marvel at the absolute emptiness of the station. Where was everyone? Then Shinji noticed the distant siren and a voice over the loudspeakers talking about an evacuation to shelters of some sort. Well, that explained it. Cell service seemed to be out as well and had been the entire trip thus far, so Shinji made up his mind to find another way to call the number on the other piece of mail he had received.
In addition to his father's cold, distant summons, Shinji had also received a picture of a woman named Misato Katsuragi, the person who, presumably, was supposed to be picking him up. It was a questionable photo for being given to a minor, to say the least, but it gave him an idea of who he was supposed to be looking for if nothing else.
Even still, payphone after payphone, seemingly relics at this point, offered no real help, simply echoing the statement of evacuation. After the fourth one that he tried, he simply stayed there, listening to the now somewhat distant sirens, the birds and insects that now filled the air with chatter in the absence of humans, and let his mind wander for a moment.
As his mind, and his gaze, swept across the buildings up and down the street he was on, he caught something out of the corner of his eye. As he turned to look, all sound seemed to fade away, and he was almost afraid to blink.
Far up the street, in what seemed like a haze, was a girl, pale and with… blue hair? That couldn't be right.
At that moment, a flock of birds flew off as one from an electric pole, drawing Shinji's attention for just a moment. When he turned back, the girl was gone. Somehow. How very strange, indeed.
Suddenly, the air rippled around him in a shockwave, rattling the metal shutters of stores and setting the electric wires overhead undulating with a swishing, cutting sound. As the noise passed, Shinji looked up from the protection of his arms.
As he did, the dull roar of massive engines drew his attention to the hillside, from which a swarm of some kind of attack aircraft emerged, circling…
An Angel.
And not just an Angel, but the one that Daniel had described to him. How did he know?
The Angel loomed large against the rolling hills of the city outskirts, making the usually massive aircraft seem like only a flock of birds surrounding it. It strode forward, entering the city proper, passing through the storm of missiles that screamed overhead and into its body as if it were a rain shower.
Eventually, it seemed to grow tired of the constant barrage and showed its displeasure by extending its arm out towards one of the aircraft. As it did, a massive spike slid partway out of the creature's elbow, beginning to glow a bright purple, until rocketing forward out of the thing's hand.
The unlucky fighter it aimed for made a valiant attempt to juke out of the way, but the Angel's spear sheared off its tail, sending the aircraft into a mad spin towards the ground.
The air around Shinji filled with the roar of the fighter screaming towards the street he was on, Shinji's own screaming lost in the noise. It hit the pavement several streets ahead of him, skidding towards him with the screech of dragging metal. It slowed, then stopped a few meters in front of him, filling him with relief he showed in a heaving sigh.
Then the Angel seemed to glow with a hellish light, doing the seemingly impossible and lifting itself into the air, seemingly defying nature even more than it already did by sheer force of will.
It touched down, almost crushing Shinji underfoot, and crumpling the downed aircraft it did step on like paper, the craft sparking and glowing in an imminent explosion. Shinji threw his arms around his face, certain he would probably die here.
It was then he heard the explosion, saw it even through his eyes squeezed shut. He almost missed the squealing of car tires under the noise. As he hesitantly opened his eyes and lowered his hands, the door of the small, foreign-looking sports car swung open, revealing Misato, or at least it looked like Misato, in a stylish black dress and shades. She looked at him with a smirk, like she had the entire situation under control, or at least thought she did. "Sorry I'm late. Get in, and let's get out of here."
Shinji quickly scampered into the proffered seat, closing the door behind him, and fumbling with the seatbelt before the woman slammed the car into reverse, starting to speed away.
The military continued its seemingly useless barrage now just overhead, the Angel simply standing there, almost seeming confused. It then took a step forward, almost crushing the vehicle, but the car narrowly avoided the step, its roof denting from the rubble falling around it.
After a moment, the car turned its nose towards a street, and it sped off, the sound of the furious battle fading into the distance, the sight more slowly.
After a while, filled with the relieved silence of escape, Shinji and Misato stopped on a road overlooking the hills, slowly turning into mountains, and Misato grabbed a pair of what looked like binoculars, leaning out the passenger side window, her chest hanging uncomfortably close to Shinji's face, scanning the hilltops until she found the Angel and its military opponents. Shinji wondered what was going on, listening to Misato grumble under her breath, "those military idiots. Have they figured out yet that it's useless?"
Shinji didn't know whether to reply or not, so he took the safe route and simply sat silently, his face slowly turning red as Misato continued in her somewhat embarrassing position.
Then, Misato lowered the binoculars suddenly. "They can't be. Are they nuts? They're arming an N2 bomb?", she almost shouted incredulously. Then, she threw herself over Shinji. "Get down!", she yelled somewhat uselessly, as the world went white, and a roar that made the missiles from before sound like firecrackers drowned out anything else that might be said.
Then the shockwave hit, sending the car sliding, then tumbling into the ditch opposite the road, as both Shinji and Misato bounced around the cab until finally coming to a rest on the side of the car.
Both groaned as they lay there, the tumble sure to give them bruises later. After a moment, they struggled out of each other's awkward embrace, looked up out of the shattered window of the door now above them, and took in the pillar of flame that seemed to pierce the sky where it stood as it faded away.
. . .
After a little longer, they extracted themselves from the car, examining it. Misato turned to Shinji. "Are you okay?"
Shinji nodded. "Yeah," he said, "but I'm probably going to be tasting upholstery for a little while."
Misato chuckled at the remark. "Well, we aren't going anywhere like this. You should be able to help me get this thing on its wheels again. Come on."
She led Shinji to the roof of the car, putting her back against it, Shinji following likewise. "Push!"
After a failed attempt, the next set the car back on its wheels with a crunch. Misato clapped the dust off her hands, then groaned, slouching a little. "And I had just gotten to my next payment, too."
She straightened herself, turning towards Shinji. "Well, I couldn't have done it without you. Thanks."
Shinji nodded. "No problem. I should really be thanking you, Ms. Katsuragi."
She took off her shades, whipping her hair out of her face. "Please, call me Misato. It's nice to meet you, Shinji Ikari."
They then started at the task of pushing the car back up onto the road, eventually succeeding. As they sat next to the car resting for a moment, Shinji turned to Misato. "You don't think that N2 thing stopped that Angel, did it?"
Misato turned, a look of surprise and a little suspicion evident in her eyes. "No, I don't. How do you know it's called an Angel? We haven't called it anything like that, at least in public."
Shinji blinked. "I got a packet from my father. It's buried in my bag, and I only really read up until it mentioned Angels."
Misato nodded, "Well, I guess that makes sense. I guess the packet I have for you is mostly useless now, except for your ID and some other things."
Shinji nodded in turn and looked down. It felt weird, having to outright lie about how he knew some of the things that he did. However, Daniel had made it quite clear that he had to not tell anyone about these things, not even his father. It had seemed silly before. Angels and AT Fields and souls? It felt like something out of fantasy. Why shouldn't he tell anyone? Now, however, he wondered.
After a moment, they patched up the bumpers, both at risk of falling off, and began to make their way again, Misato handing Shinji the now crumpled and somewhat torn packet in question. "Here. It's going to be a little while before we get to the Geofront. Read up," she said, that seemingly trademark grin on her face again, "and try to get past the section on Angels this time."
Shinji nodded. "Okay." After taking the ID inside the packet, he began reading.
The miles melted away, the stops barely noted, and even as the light faded, he continued to read, taking in the information that was proffered to him, Misato's talking on the phone to someone a dull, muted rumble in his focus on the packet. After he finished, he noticed Misato, seeing a mix of despair and annoyance on her face.
"Ms. Misato?" She seemed to not notice. "Ms. Misato?" he asked again, this time seemingly snapping her out of her reverie.
"Yes, Shinji?" she asked with a startled look on her face.
He looked around the interior of the car. "Are we going to be okay in here," he said, his gaze landing on a frankly massive pile of batteries wired together in the back seat. "Especially with those?"
Misato chuckled nervously. "Don't worry about those. We'll be able to get to the car train long before they run out."
Shinji kept his eye on the pile. "That wasn't quite my concern, but as long as you feel certain about it, I'll keep quiet."
Misato grinned again. "Of course! It's all under control. I'm an international civil servant who knows what she's doing. Do you think I don't?"
Shinji slowly nodded, a small smile playing across his face. "I guess you think so, with an attitude like that."
Misato nodded, then whipped her head around to glare at Shinji for a moment. "And what does that mean, exactly?" she said accusingly, eyes narrowed and mouth set in a thin line.
Shinji, taken aback, stammered for a moment. "Nothing really, Ms. Misato. You just seem…" he stammered again, searching for the right word. "Confident?" he finally settled on.
Misato's playful grin came back after a moment. "Of course I'm confident. As I said, I know what I'm doing."
Finally, they arrived at the entrance of the Geofront, entering a long tunnel and driving onto the car train, which jostled slightly as it carried them down to the Geofront proper. Shinji noted the strange logo, both on the packet and the fence surrounding their descending platform. "So, NERV. This is where my father works?"
"Yep, Special Agency NERV," Misato replied. "We're dedicated to the defense of humanity from a variety of existential threats, including the Angel that you saw outside. And yes. Your father is the director here at the Geofront."
Shinji nodded. With work seemingly like this, it would make sense that he was sent away and that his father wouldn't be able to visit much. But that still left a lot of questions unanswered.
As the train quietly rattled on, Shinji spoke again after a moment. "So... are we going to go see my father then?"
Misato closed a makeup mirror she was holding, turning to Shinji. "Uh-huh. At least I think that we are."
Shinji nodded, and his mind raced into the past. A youth with a simple bag of clothes and nothing else, standing on a train platform in the rain as the only person he even thought he knew turned around and walked away, seeming deaf to all the world. It still had the familiar sting of all those years ago, even after Daniel had entered his life.
After a moment, another question pressed into his mind. "So what am I doing here? With all this information I've been given, I must have something I'm supposed to do. I wouldn't have been brought here if there wasn't. So what is it?"
Misato seemed to take this question in without any sort of response. After a moment, she spoke. "I think I get it. You're not comfortable around your father, are you?"
Shinji was silent for a moment, taking in Misato's mysterious non sequitur. She probably wasn't wrong, but even he was unsure. "Well, I haven't really seen him since I was 3," he said slowly. "I don't really know."
Misato nodded as if the answer confirmed a suspicion. "I see. You and I aren't all that different then," she said quietly.
Shinji glanced at the relaxed Misato, wondering what that could mean.
The moment after, they emerged from the enclosed tunnel, and the sight that greeted them was nothing short of magical. Entire skyscrapers seemed to hang like mighty stalactites, glowing with light. On the floor below, a scene almost taken out of nature greeted them, a deep green forest bordering a brilliant blue lake. The only man-made things that seemed to dare to tamper with this scene were a few roads and bridges, and a massive pyramid, visible even from their height as they slowly spiraled down the sides of the gargantuan dome.
Shinji's face was plastered against the window, glowing with awe at the majestic sight. Misato laughed quietly, amused at the wonder evident in Shinji's face. "The sight gets everyone like that the first time they see it. Yes, this is the Geofront, and where we're going, right below us, is NERV Headquarters itself. The home of the protectors of humanity and the greatest bastion for the restoration of life as we knew it."
As they entered the Headquarters proper, long after the awe had worn off and been replaced with simple appreciation, Shinji couldn't help but glance again at Misato, who was intently studying the mess of lines and shapes that apparently passed for the map of this place. "Oh, come on," She groaned. "I'm positive that we're going the right way. Or at least we should be."
Shinji stood only a little ways ahead and spoke up. "And you know where we're going, right?"
Misato looked up, her brow furrowed by annoyance. "I would if this place wasn't so convoluted. It doesn't help that I only got here somewhat recently." Shinji didn't seem placated by this.
Misato continued to stare at Shinji for a moment, then took a deep breath and straightened herself, seeming to make a great effort to relax. "And anyways, NERV should have systems in place to help us get to where we're going coming up soon. Hopefully."
They eventually reached an elevator, then another, and soon after another one. As they traveled down this one, the elevator opened its doors with the now customary tone, presenting a blonde, green-eyed woman intently looking right where Misato now stood. Misato seemed somewhat startled by this woman's sudden appearance. "Ah... hello, Ritsuko," she said with no small amount of embarrassment.
She entered the elevator, wearing a white lab coat over what appeared to be a swimsuit, and wore simple flats. She continued to look intently at Misato. "Captain Katsuragi," she replied in a cool, calm voice, "you really should stop messing around wandering about the base. We don't have the time or the people to waste looking for you."
Misato chuckled. "Sorry, " she said, a sheepish grin on her face.
With a sigh, the woman in the lab coat turned to study Shinji as intently as she looked at Misato, and Shinji could only see in her eyes a detached, almost clinical interest. "So, is this the Child?"
Misato nodded, looking at Shinji, then back at her. "Yep. He's the Third Child, alright. The Marduk Institute hasn't been wrong so far."
Shinji's brow quirked at hearing this. "The Marduk Institute? What's that?"
Ritsuko blinked, seemingly surprised by Shinji's apparent inquisitiveness. Misato hid a small smile under a presumed cough. "He's a good bit more inquisitive than his father, and a fair bit more approachable too."
Ritsuko turned to glare at Misato once again. "Katsuragi. The commander should be respected. Try not to say that in front of him."
Misato nodded, clearly not amused. "I know. And I will when I'm around him."
Shinji's brow furrowed slightly at the adults seemingly ignoring his question. "You didn't answer me. What is the Marduk Institute? Why am I the Third Child? Where are the first two?"
The two adults turned back to him, the surprise now evident in both of their faces.
Before either could answer, the elevator dinged once again, the doors sliding open quietly. Ritsuko looked out into the hallway, dark save for the ominous glow of the red running lights. "Well, young Mr. Ikari," she said, "you can follow me and find out."
. . .
They walked through the hallway, boarding a moving platform that ascended through a cavernous room. The room echoed with the announcements of the loudspeakers. "Battle stations, Condition 1, repeat, Condition 1. Ready ordinance for intercept deployment."
Misato sighed with the news. "Well, it seems we'll be on soon. At least, so they say."
Ritsuko nodded in the darkness. "Seems like a pretty big deal." Shinji was still confused as to what they were saying.
"What's Unit-01's status?" Misato asked, now sounding almost deadly serious.
"It's in Type B configuration, in the process of cooldown," Ritsuko replied, equally as serious.
Misato scoffed. "Does it even work?" she asked incredulously. "It hasn't even really worked once, right?"
Shinji was now thoroughly confused. Unit-01? Type B? What did any of this have to do with the Marduk Institute, or the Third Child, or even just him?
They continued in their technobabble, any understanding of it sliding off him like the dew off the leaves in the morning. As such, his gaze began to wander. He seemed surrounded by a dense liquid, a deep crimson light filtering through it. As his eyes glided across the area of the liquid, he noticed a massive, dark shape, which soon made itself out to be a giant hand, seemingly reaching out to them.
Shinji stepped forward, taking in the sight with wide eyes. Misato and Ritsuko turned from their conversation, noticing his apparent interest. Shinji continued to drink in the sight. "Is that…" he trailed off, unable to find the words to describe the monstrous thing before him.
Misato stepped up alongside him. "Yes, Shinji. That is Unit-01. An Evangelion."
Shinji's head whipped around to stare at Misato. Another thing that Daniel had described. Only once though, and seemingly by mistake. He never mentioned it again. What made this so dangerous that even Angels and AT Fields could be talked about freely, but not the Evangelion? More about Daniel became mysterious, even a little frightening. How did Daniel know about these things?
The platform stopped, leading to a dock with a motorboat moored to it, floating in the vast lake that the liquid made up. They boarded, and sped across to a great wall of metal, a vast arm, at least as large as the Angel's, hanging in the liquid, its shoulder encircled by the wall.
They arrived, and passed through the door in the side, and entered a room shrouded by darkness. The door behind them closed, the darkness now smothering them.
Shinji refused to move, unsure of how large or small the room was, or what he might risk tripping on. He remained silent however until a brief flicker of light and a click preceded the blinding overhead lights switching on, and the coming of the light brought Shinji face to face with a massive mask.
Its eyes were a baleful yellow, set in a helmet of purple and lime, striped through with red highlights. It loomed over Shinji and the others, and stared unblinkingly, its gaze almost seeming to pierce Shinji's soul.
This must have been the Evangelion, the thing that seemingly frightened even Daniel into silence. "What is it?" he said in an almost dreamlike tone. "Is it a robot? A mech of some sort?"
"It is the ultimate multipurpose combat weapon." Ritsuko intoned in an almost reverent voice. "The artificial human. The Evangelion. This is Unit-01. It is humanity's last hope, the secret weapon with which we will save humanity."
Silence filled the massive room for a second, then another, as Shinji took in what Ritsuko described. "So this is my father's work." he nearly whispered. Then he blinked. "Artificial human? What does that mean?"
"We don't have time for such questions right now."
Shinji jumped slightly, then looked up. There, high above the helmeted face of the Evangelion, in a room with a massive window overlooking the bay, was the man who could only be his father. Who could only be Gendo Ikari.
"It's been quite a while." he continued, his voice echoing throughout the room over the loudspeakers.
Shinji stood still, but within was reeling from the sight. It was his father, before him at last. What did he do? What did he say? He had no idea. "Father…" was all he could get out.
Then, with all the aplomb of a man who knew he would never be denied, he gave his command.
Shinji gets in the Eva and faces off against the mighty Angel Sachiel, but this is just the beginning. What shall change now? Will Shinji run, or will he stand? What will others do in his wake? Next Episode: Trial By Combat.
The bravest of souls are often found in the meekest of hearts. These souls are often hidden, buried by their surroundings, their anxieties, and their desire for peace until they are ripped free from the soil of their fears by the unflinching hand of trauma. Some rise to the occasion, while others are crushed by it...
Unit-01 Evangelion Bay, Geofront, March 2015
Misato whipped her head towards Gendo, a look of shock on her face. "Launch the Eva? We can't! Unit-00 can't provide any support. It's useless if it's grounded."
After a moment, she turned to look towards Unit-01, and her eyes widened still further as she turned to regard Ritsuko. "Wait a minute. Unit-01? You can't be serious."
Ritsuko's face was hard as stone as she looked resolutely back at Misato. "It's our only choice. As you said, Unit-00 is grounded. This is the only functional Unit that we can send."
"And what about Rei?" Misato retorted. "She's in no shape to be piloting anything, especially an Eva, especially into a high-risk combat situation. Face it, Ritsuko. We don't have any pilots."
Ritsuko barely blinked at this statement of apparent truth. "That's where you're wrong. One has just arrived."
As Misato realized this, her eyes narrowed, and her mouth thinned into a line. "You're crazy."
Ritsuko didn't answer, and instead turned to Shinji. "Shinji Ikari."
He turned to look at her, the realization of what was to come having settled in his mind the moment that his father had ordered the Eva launched. "Yes?"
"You will be this Unit's pilot."
Even knowing it was probably coming, Shinji couldn't help but feel shocked. How was he supposed to do this? Pilot a giant robot, or whatever it was, to defeat a giant monster?
He stated these concerns in no uncertain terms. "I'm expected to pilot this with no training or preparation whatsoever?"
"Exactly," Misato interjected. "It took Rei, Rei Ayanami, 7 months before she could even begin to synchronize with her Unit. What makes you think that we have the time to make sure he does?"
"All I ask is that he sits in the cockpit." Ritsuko cooly replied.
"And what?" Misato replied hotly. "He shouldn't. You can't."
Ritsuko didn't even flinch. "Our first priority is to defeat the Angels, using any means available to us. So, any pilot that's even remotely capable of synchronizing has to be used. No matter their experience. You should understand the duties of a soldier, Captain Katsuragi."
Misato seemed to deflate at this, the fire in her eyes replaced with an inner thoughtfulness. "You're right." There was defeat in that voice that was only a moment ago filled with fire.
Shinji finally spoke again. "And what if I refuse? What if I acknowledge the fact that sometimes, no pilot is better than an untrained one?"
Ritsuko began to speak, but Commander Ikari cut her off with a voice seemingly from God himself.
"There is no choice in this matter, Shinji. Either you will be a pilot or the world will be destroyed. You will get in the Eva, and you will fight the Third Angel. They will explain how to pilot the Eva."
Misato gasped, looking back up to Gendo. "Commander, I can't allow-"
"Captain."
Misato's reply died on her lips instantly, and she shut her mouth and looked back to Ritsuko with a desperation that seemed almost out of place on her face.
Shinji finally looked up, a fire beginning to stoke behind his eyes even as tears began to well up. How was this fair? How could his father, the man who he had come all this way for, expect this of him? To risk his life piloting something even a genius seemed unqualified for?
The fire grew hotter. "And what if I still refuse? What if I refuse to believe this is why you've called me, your own son, back after all this time?"
"Stop wasting everyone's time. Either you will get in the Eva, or you will get out."
"No. I can't!" Shinji shouted in desperation. "I'll just put too many other lives at stake. Too many could die because of me!"
The small silence that followed was pierced by Gendo's cool, hard voice. "Then we will use the First Child. And you will return to where you came from."
At that moment, a thunderous rumble shook the room, then another. It seemed that the Angel had found them, and was making its way towards them even now.
Yet Shinji could do nothing but look up at that distant room, tears beginning to flow freely from his eyes. This wasn't fair. He couldn't do this. How could anyone? How could a father expect this of his son, his only son?
The words of Ritsuko and Misato, of the other people around him, seemed impossibly distant compared to these immensely pressing thoughts.
As these thoughts made a storm of his mind, a door on the left opened, and a medical team rolled in a gurney and a drip rack. On the gurney, wrapped in bandages almost from head to toe and wearing a strange skintight bodysuit, lay a person that Shinji could not believe he would see again.
It was the blue-haired girl, or Rei apparently. How did Father expect her to pilot this thing in that state? She stared at the ceiling with an empty, yet piercing crimson eye, the only one that wasn't covered by bandages. She seemed to struggle out of the gurney, wincing and groaning in obvious pain. Shinji couldn't believe it.
Then, a still louder thundering than before signaled that the Angel had made significant progress. The room shuddered around them, throwing Rei off of the gurney and tossing Shinji onto the floor. The lights above swayed and shook and then broke free, right above Shinji's head.
Misato screamed, starting to move towards him. But she would be too slow. Shinji was sure of it. And so, for the seemingly umpteenth time today, Shinji prepared to die.
Then a massive shadow crossed over him with a massive splash of the liquid around him, the clatter of the lights hitting something other than Shinji's frail body echoing throughout the vast room. Shinji looked up, and saw the hand of Unit-01, splayed out above him as a shield. The entire room stood there in a shocked uproar.
"It moved! The Eva moved!"
"That's impossible! Those restraints should have held it!" More voices, Ritsuko and Misato's included, joined the clamor.
But Shinji barely heard them. His focus was on Rei, splayed out on the ground in obvious agony. After a moment of shock at still being alive somehow, Shinji rose to his feet, and made his way to the girl, kneeling beside her and lifting her to a sitting position. "Are you okay?"
Rei looked at Shinji with that same emptiness, shuddering in pain, seemingly unable to answer. Shinji lifted his hand from her arm and found blood on his palm. Shinji's mind continued to reel.
'Don't run away. I can't run away. I mustn't! What do I do? What do I do?'
Then, Shinji's mind settled on a memory that made itself into a rock, words that burned through him and filled him with bravery that almost shocked him. 'However it works out, I believe in you, I have faith in you, even when no one else does.'
Shinji lifted his head, his eyes dry and set in resolve. "Alright. I'll pilot the Eva."
. . .
Shinji found himself whisked away from the bay, led up the frame surrounding the arm that had broken free, and waited in front of a massive white tube as the controlled chaos of preparing the Eva to launch swirled around him.
A technician clipped some things to his hair, then helped him into the pilot seat inside, and shut the door, locking it, and plunging him into darkness. Again. 'Seriously, when will the whole "leave him in darkness" thing let up?' he thought with no small amount of exasperation.
"Initiating Level 1 contact."
With a hum, the tube, the Entry Plug they called it, slowly began to move forward, then a whir preceded the stillness that stated he was… somewhere, at least. Then, with a quick flash of light and a hiss, a rainbow of colors lit up the inside of the Plug, finally bringing him into the light, and allowing him to see his controls clearly.
"Entry Plug flooding."
'What? Flooding?' As Shinji looked down, he noted with growing alarm as the tube was filled with a strange, orange liquid. It came suddenly to his legs, then his chest, and he sucked in one last great breath before it enveloped his head. Why were they trying to drown him after all this trouble?
"Breathe in, Shinji," Ritsuko's voice echoed calmly in the Plugs comms. "It's made so that you'll be oxygenated without needing air. You'll get used to it."
Hearing this, and still not entirely believing it, Shinji opened his mouth and allowed the liquid to rush into his lungs. It burned at first, but then it felt… normal. That was strange in and of itself. "This is so weird." he wondered aloud.
"There's no time to get used to it right now, Shinji," Misato nearly shouted. "Be a big boy and get ready."
Shinji nodded, for all it was worth. Even now, it was starting to become less weird.
Then the mysterious voice from before spoke again. "Initiating Level 2 contact."
The hazy, underwater view of the liquid suddenly disappeared, as if the tube was empty again. "A10 connection confirmed and stable. LCL ionization levels nominal."
A flurry of other terms flew around and through Shinji's mind as the tube disappeared in front of him, then a view of the gantry surrounding the Eva came into view. "All statuses on initial contact are green. Network established. Synchronization reading at 44.5 percent."
"Not bad for the first time ever in an Eva, Shinji," Misato said over the comms.
Ritsuko peered at the monitor of one of the bridge crew, her eyes wide in wonderment. "Not bad? This is incredible. These readings blow past even my most optimistic initial estimates." Ritsuko turned back to Misato. "This is going to work," she said with utter surety.
Misato looked back to the main screen, determination manifested in her gaze. "Unit-01, prepare to launch!"
The commands and call-outs reached a fever pitch as the Eva, wrapped in the steel cocoon of the gantry, slowly was extracted, revealing a massive humanoid frame, true to its title, that had the tall and lanky figure of a runner or a basketball player, covered in armor from head to toe, with tall pylons on the shoulders framing a head protected by a sleek, aerodynamic helmet, save for the massive, singular horn that jutted from its forehead like that of a unicorn. It was a fitting detail for what seemed a thing out of legends, a giant forged of flesh and steel and given the sole purpose of the defense of the world from all that would destroy it.
The operator, identified on an open panel on Shinji's screen as "Control" spoke again. "Transport Eva Unit-01 to Launch Bay 02."
With a whirring roar, the platform holding the Eva moved backward, the now-empty gantry he once inhabited slowly shrinking out of view. With a dull thunk, Shinji and the Eva locked into what he assumed was Launch Bay 02. "Launch Tube is clear. All boards are green. We are ready to go." Control said once more.
Misato turned and looked at the sight, caught on the internal monitoring system and splashed upon a large panel in the massive main screen that dominated the far wall of the command center. Then she turned and looked to Commander Ikari, looking to all the world like a general or lord behind his elevated desk. "Permission to launch the Eva, sir."
Gendo gave only the slightest nod. "Absolutely, Captain. Permission granted. Everything rests on defeating the Angels."
Beside him, Deputy Commander Fuyutsuki, his right-hand man, turned slightly. "Sir, are you sure about this?" he asked quietly.
Gendo offered no reply. But under the tent of his hands, a small smile crept across his face. It was all going as intended.
Below, Captain Katsuragi turned, and with the voice of a valkyrie, gave her command. "LAUNCH THE EVA!"
. . .
With a loud, electric snap, the restraints keeping the Eva secure were released, and it rocketed up the shaft, Shinji straining under the pressure of the g-force pushing down with a strength that Shinji felt was not unlike what being under the Eva's hand might have felt like.
Eventually, the elevator slammed to a stop, having reached a surface cloaked by night. Before him stood his enemy, once seemingly massive, now almost comparable in height with him. As it faced him, the massive round jewel embedded in its chest glowed with an ominous light.
Misato's voice interrupted their silent showdown. "Alright, Shinji. This is the moment of truth. Are you ready?"
Shinji steeled his gaze on the motionless Angel. "As much as I'll really be."
"Release the final locks!" Misato shouted. At her command, the final struts securing the arms and shoulder pylons opened, and the Eva hunched forward slightly.
The calm voice of Ritsuko, which Shinji had come to appreciate somewhat, rang through the cockpit again. "Alright, Shinji. Try to walk. Don't worry about the controls in front of you, just focus your mind on it."
Shinji hardly understood what that meant. Why were the controls there then? Regardless, he focused as hard as he could on the concept, the truth as he knew it, of walking. Incredibly, the Eva seemed to respond to this, taking one ponderous, thundering step. Then another. Then another.
Then the ground seemed to rush forward towards Shinji as Unit-01 misstepped, and fell face-first into the street below. It stung as much as actually falling on his face did, which he very much did not expect.
Through the pins and needles of pain, Misato's voice edged in. "Shinji, you need to get up, now!"
Shinji looked up, and the Angel loomed over him, reaching down and grabbing the Unit's face in a vice-like grip. As Shinji rose into the air, his mind reeling, as the Angel took the Unit's arm and crushed it in a vice-like grip, as Ritsuko nearly shouted at him to simply think of doing something, a memory, seemingly random, came to him from long ago.
An 11-year-old Shinji sat with Daniel at the local park, a beautiful and quiet place, and one of Shinji's favorite spots. He and Daniel were taking their time going home from a recital well done, Shinji trusting Daniel to carry his precious cello home.
Eventually, Daniel had slowed. "Let's take a second off our feet, shall we?" he said, as he walked over to the shade of a fair old oak, gently setting the cello against it and sitting down, as the afternoon breeze rustled the leaves overhead. Shinji went to sit next to him, and they spent a minute in companionable silence.
Daniel finally broke the silence after a moment. "You did good today, Shinji," he said with a small smile. "The solo for Dvořák's Cello Concerto takes no small effort, especially at your age."
Shinji blushed, as he still always seemed to do when faced with Daniel's praise. "Come on, I did okay. You can't think I was a savant or anything like that."
Daniel chuckled. "I don't expect you to be." He said this in his endlessly patient tone, as he always did when Shinji said such things. "But you're improving, with that piece and as an artist."
Shinji somehow blushed even deeper, and Daniel laughed. But Shinji was okay with Daniel laughing at him, at least.
"Now, I'm going to ask you something odd, and I'd like you to humor me," Daniel said. "Do you think you can do that?"
Shinji, confused somewhat, had still nodded. "Now," he said, turning himself to face Shinji, "I want you to close your eyes." Shinji, confused, did so.
"Now," Daniel continued, "picture yourself as a giant, tall as a skyscraper. Can you see the city around you?"
Shinji tried to visualize a city. He had seen pictures, so he could at least try. "I think so, yeah."
"Good," Daniel said, sounding pleased. "Now, imagine walking down the street."
Shinji did so for a moment. "Okay, what next?" he asked.
"Okay, now I want you to try something that might seem a little weird," Daniel said patiently.
Shinji cracked an eye open to peer at Daniel. "And what might that be?"
Daniel noticed his peeking. "Keep focusing on the city." Shinji closed his eye again, recapturing the image of the city and walking down it like a giant.
"Now," Daniel said, "focus on thinking through the action of walking. See yourself taking the step in your mind's eye, then take it."
It took a lot of effort not to open his eyes this time. "What does that mean?"
Daniel took a moment before he replied. "Well, can you visualize the thought of walking?"
Shinji nodded. "Yeah, I guess."
Daniel continued on. "If you can visualize the thought, you can also follow that thought as it becomes a reality. Can you do that?"
Shinji thought he understood, but he was still confused. "Why does this matter?"
Daniel grunted and shrugged. "Well, it can be calming. You can use it to focus and break down the steps of what goes through your head and out into the world. It can even help you better play the music that you love. Does that make sense?"
Shinji nodded hesitantly after a moment. "Yeah, I guess so."
It was starting to make some sense. See the thought he had, then see how it became the actions he took. It did sound like it would be helpful, at least somewhat.
"Good," Daniel said, noticeably pleased. "Remember, if something seems hard to do, try to see how the thought becomes the actions you need to take."
Thought becomes the actions.
Thought becomes action.
The memory was blown away in a blindingly painful flash as the Angel hit Unit-01, and thus Shinji, in the eye with its spear. He desperately tried to hang on to what Daniel had said, and what he had learned from so long ago as the Angel hit him again, alarms and voices creating high-pitched background noise. Thought becomes action.
Of course.
So Shinji fixed the thought of what he had to do to escape, and then he willed it to become a reality.
Before the Angel could spear his eye a third time, the Unit's right arm flashed up, catching the Angel's arm in a crushing grip. The Angel, seeming almost taken aback by this resistance, hesitated for a moment, relaxing its death grip. As it did, Shinji brought the Unit's dangling left arm swinging around, using it as a flailing bludgeon to bat the arm away from gripping him. Free from the Angel's grip, at last, he fell awkwardly to the ground, the power cord attached to his back causing him to tumble sideways.
Shinji could only barely hear the riotous cheers in the comm panel over the ringing pain in his eye socket. What Misato said, however, he heard clear as day. "Amazing, Shinji! Quickly, get up!"
Shinji struggled onto his hands and knees, but the Angel, with an ear-piercing screech, kicked the Eva in its side, sending it flying into one of the skyscrapers, the impact nearly sending it crashing down on top of him.
Shinji barely stood up and quickly stumbled out of the way before the Angel's eyes flashed, and a tide of pink light rushed to fill the void where he once stood.
Unit-01 stumbled and teetered away from the Angel like a drunkard, Shinji doing his best to fight through the pain pounding away in his arm and skull. Misato's voice once again cut through the haze enough for Shinji to understand it. "Shinji, there's a building about a kilometer ahead. It's going to have a weapon for you. Keep going!"
Shinji thought he could see it, clearly marked "Massive Ordnance Depot, Site 3A", and began his stumble towards it. Before he could get too far, the world lit up with a familiar hellish purple glow, the towers around Shinji beginning to cast long shadows.
Shinji stumbled faster, desperately trying to outrun the Angel he knew was descending on him. But with all the certainty of fate, it landed in front of him, barring his way to the weapons, and in his headlong rush, he could not turn away from the Angel's outstretched arms.
Its hands gripped him once again, one settling to where it had held him before on the Eva's face, and the other crushing his left shoulder. Before he could react, both spears slid back, and with a blinding white light, speared him through, sending him flying into the building behind him.
All he could see, all he could feel, all he even knew at that moment was pain. Nothing else registered, except for the massive darkness sweeping toward him. He accepted that darkness, and before he relinquished all sense, he heard a low, almost human growl, and he felt… something. Something that felt… familiar?
It didn't really matter right now, as he finally slipped away into unconsciousness.
Shinji awakens to his situation and is taken in by a kind Misato, which leads to more than Shinji could ever predict. Will Shinji find the comfort and sanctuary he needs in this unfamiliar place? Next Episode: A Matter of Closeness.
Closeness to someone, whether that be a lover, a family member, or even a friend, is perhaps the greatest defense against the darkness that can surround the mind and soul. In all my travels, regardless of the world and how hopeless it may be, the candlelight of a friend's companionship has sometimes made all the difference.
Geofront Hospital, Tokyo-3
Shinji slowly peeled his eyes open, the sheer white light blinding him for a moment. As he lay there with his eyes not entirely seeing his surroundings, he slowly began to understand where he was. He wore a hospital gown, and an EKG monitor beeped steadily beside him. He looked to be in a hospital room, bare save for the single machine beside him.
It took a little while longer for a nurse to come in, detach him from the machine, and ensure that he was able to walk without issue. He was then allowed out of the room. He exited into a long hallway, the wall in front of him holding a long window that stretched its length.
He was in the Geofront, it seemed, with the verdant sight of green trees and a deep blue lake stretching out before him. But how did he get here? Last he remembered…
He couldn't remember how he got here. Why? He strained to think, searching his memory. The last thing he remembered was the Angel gripping him, the pain, and then the darkness that came with it. The pain still lingered, in his arm and in a headache he really hoped would go away.
Something had happened, something with Unit-01… waking up? Those moments were all hazy, like a dream. Or maybe a nightmare.
As Shinji continued to ponder, the somewhat familiar clatter of a gurney passing by caught his attention, and he turned to see Rei, still in bandages, passing on to another part of the hospital. As they passed by each other, Shinji saw Rei, who was looking at him, much like she did in the gantry of Unit-01. But as she passed, Shinji thought he saw in her eyes a glimmer of… curiosity? He couldn't tell, as she was out of sight before he could tell for certain.
After he retrieved his belongings and changed back into clothes that somehow smelled faintly of dried blood, he sat and pondered in one of the empty rows of chairs that filled the cavernous lobby of the hospital.
He stared at his arm, still dully throbbing with pain. Was this what he was supposed to do? Go out and get beaten to death by Angels who would be able to hurt him regardless of the safety of his cockpit? What if this pain didn't go away? What was going on?
As his mind swirled, he almost missed Misato standing there, a red jacket on one arm, waiting for him. "Oh," Shinji said with no small amount of surprise. "Have you been waiting long?"
She shook her head, a somber expression on her face. "No, Shinji. Let's go get you someplace to live. You'll be here a while."
Shinji nodded, unsurprised at this turn of events. As they made their way out of the hospital, they came to an elevator. As the chime sounded and the doors opened, Shinji could not help but be surprised by the sight of his father standing in the elevator before him.
He said nothing to either of them and stared at Shinji. Try as he may, Shinji could not continue to look into his father's face for long and looked away. The look in his father's eyes scared and confused him. It was as if Shinji had broken something far more precious than even the Evangelion.
It was a look of naked disappointment and annoyance. Shinji didn't fully understand. He felt he might never.
Without a word, the elevator doors closed, leaving Misato and Shinji to wait. It didn't surprise Shinji in the least.
- - -
As they made their way to wherever they were going, Shinji continued to ponder, the world passing by him in a blur as he tried to follow Misato. Eventually, they came to what appeared to be an office, hanging above the Geofront, the view below shown through a glass floor that hit Shinji with a wave of vertigo as he looked down.
The man before them, apparently in charge of housing, stood before his desk. "He'll be living in a room in Block 6, near Headquarters here in the Geofront."
Misato's eyes widened at this. "You mean he'll be living alone?"
The man, with a flat tone, spoke again. "Yes. There's no one else currently in Block 6, though that may change. It shouldn't be a problem."
Misato turned to look at Shinji, a genuine concern in her eyes. "Are you really going to be okay with this? Being alone?"
Shinji turned to look at her with a serene face, though he was genuinely touched that she seemed to care. "Well, it won't be so bad. I'm not going to be entirely alone, what with my new duties. And I don't mind the solitude."
Misato continued to look at him, confusion and wondering, and no small amount of sadness racing through the look in her eyes until they seemed to settle into resolve. "He can live with me."
Shinji's eyes widened, while the housing director merely arched an eyebrow.
"It will free up that housing for someone who needs to be closer to the Geofront, while still keeping him in close proximity," she explained, "and it would cut down the costs of having another housing unit in use." She stared at the housing director, seeming to dare him to prove her wrong.
Eventually, he shrugged. "Well, I can't argue with that line of reasoning." He turned and sat back down at his desk, typing up the necessary documents at his computer. "If you give me, say, two or three days, I can have the official records reflect your choice. In the meantime, you can take him to your apartment and get settled in."
Misato nodded, a small, satisfied smile on her face. "Thank you, First Lieutenant Morrison."
The first lieutenant looked back at her, his own lips turning up a fraction. "And I'm sure the budget will be thanking you, Captain," he replied, a hint of amusement in his voice.
Misato nodded and turned back to Shinji, her smile widening slightly. "Well, Shinji, let's get going."
Shinji, still somewhat shocked, followed Misato out the door in a daze. Of all the things that were going to happen, he did not expect this. He clearly needed to talk to Daniel again soon, if only to find some sort of stability in all this craziness that his life had suddenly become.
As they made their way to Misato's car, Misato pulled out her phone. "I've got a call to make real quick."
Shinji nodded absentmindedly and they continued to walk, Misato's phone quietly ringing.
"Hey, Ritsky," she said, after a moment. "I've got some news." a moment of silence as who appeared to be Ritsuko talked on the other end. "Shinji's going to be staying with me."
"What did you say?" Ritsuko nearly shouted into the receiver, loud enough for Shinji to make out.
"You heard what I said," Misato enunciated into the phone. "Instead of Shinji living all by himself, he'll live with me. Everything's being sorted out now."
Another moment of silence. "Oh, don't worry. Besides, it's not like I'm going to try anything funny with him."
Misato then held the phone as far away as she could as the receiver blared to life in a flurry of Ritsuko's raised objections. After a moment, Misato hung up and slipped the phone back into her pocket. "Man, forget I said anything then," she muttered.
She turned and saw Shinji looking at her archly. "I'm a woman of my word, Shinji," she said hotly, her own brow furrowing, "No funny business while you're living with me. Promise." Shinji nodded uncertainly and got into Misato's car which they had since gotten to.
The drive out of the Geofront passed by, Misato now seeming oddly excited as they exited another way into the city. "Man, tonight we are going to party!"
Shinji looked up, confused. "Because we defeated the Angel?" he said, slowly.
Misato looked over at him for a moment. "Well, yeah, but also to celebrate my new roomie moving in!"
Shinji nodded slowly. This was not a side of Misato that he expected he would see. Then again, what was expected?
They stopped at a grocery store first, grabbing rice and vegetables and beer, and Shinji couldn't help but notice the number of conversations centered on leaving the city that he heard. Was this city safe? Shinji wondered about that himself if he really was the last, best hope for victory against the Angels. They finished checking out and began to drive again.
"Before we go home, there's something I want to show you," Misato said quietly. Shinji perked up at this, wondering what it might be.
After a long drive, and with the backdrop of the setting sun in front of them, they made their way to a viewing platform on the outskirts of the city. The view looked flat and barren, like a shadow of a city that once stood there.
Shinji was skeptical, and a little somber so far, as he turned to look at Misato. "What am I supposed to see? It looks empty out there. A little sad, too."
Misato carefully studied a watch, waiting for some unspecified time to come to pass. "And… it's time," she said, looking up with a small smile.
Shiji watched as sirens echoed throughout the city. Then, his eyes went wide, and he couldn't help his jaw dropping, as panels in the ground opened up, and the skyscrapers that he saw, once hanging from the ceiling of the Geofront, rose like a forest of bamboo.
After several minutes, with a loud thump of what he could only guess could be locking mechanisms, the towers ceased their movement as if they had always been there. The city skyline became a truly majestic sight, made even greater by its transformation.
Misato broke the overawed silence. "This city was built to act as a fortress against the Angels. This is Tokyo-3. Our city. The city you helped save." Shinji turned back to look, as the city slowly began to come to life, a starfield of different lights springing into existence.
"Well," Misato said, with an unmistakable air of pride. "Much as I would love to keep watching, the groceries need to get home. Let's go."
- - -
After a while, they finally arrived at Misato's apartment building. It was a utilitarian, almost brutalist design, all right angles and concrete, the surface broken up only by glass windows.
They made their way to their floor and made their way to the door marked "M. Katsuragi", which had what appeared to be Shinji's belongings next to it.
"Well, look at that. They moved all your stuff up here already." Misato nodded, sliding her keycard and opening the door. "I'll be honest, I still haven't completely unpacked, so it's a bit of a mess. Come on in."
Shinji hesitated at the door, still not entirely convinced this was real. "Um... I… Thanks for having me, Ms. Misato."
Misato sighed quietly and dipped her head, turning to Shinji with a patient look in her eyes. "Remember, Shinji, this is your home, too. I'm glad I can have you."
After a moment, Shinji stepped through the door of the apartment. No, the door to his home. "Alright, then. I'm home," he said, with a small, unsure smile.
Misato's smile was oddly wholesome. Shinji liked it. "Welcome home, Shinji," she replied softly.
The warmth in his heart at having someplace to call home cooled somewhat as Misato flipped the light switch, shining light onto perhaps one of the greatest messes that Shinji had seen in his life. Crushed beer cans, food wrappers, and a tower of nearly untouched boxes that went nearly to the ceiling of the apartment were only some of the decorations that he could see from here.
"As I said, it's a little messy right now, but don't worry about it," Misato said as she made her way towards the hallway at the back of the room.
Shinji continued to ogle at what he guessed was the dining area. "This… is a little?" His sense of cleanliness was screaming at him right now, desperately crying out to him to make some order out of all this.
Misato peeked around the left corner of the hall that connected to the dining room. "By the way, don't forget to put the food we bought in the fridge. I'll be right back." Then, she disappeared around the corner.
"Uh, got it," he said uncertainly.
He made his way, somewhat carefully, to the fridge, and began pulling open the drawers to put things away. 3 staples of Misato's diet immediately made themselves apparent to Shinji as he did so. Ice, snacks, and Yebisu beer. Was that really everything she lived off of? Either way, it didn't leave much room for everything that they had bought. Shinji looked around and saw something that looked like another refrigerator, grey and stretching from floor to ceiling. "Ms. Misato?" he called out. "What about the other refrigerator?"
From what he assumed was her room, Misato shouted back. "Oh, don't open that one. That'll disrupt old sleepy head." Sleepy head? What could that possibly mean?
Either way, Shinji managed as best he could, and Misato emerged, wearing a loose yellow tank top and shorts cut nearly to her hips, the same outfit as in the picture that she sent him, Shinji noted.
After a few minutes of preparation, which mostly consisted of microwaving things for the time noted on their packaging, they cleared the table, set it, and began to eat dinner.
Misato ate with gusto, guzzling down one of the beers as if it was a bottle of water. She finished off with a loud, contented sigh. "Man, isn't this the life? After a long day at work, this is worth it!"
After a moment more of revelry, she stopped, noticing Shinji's lack of similar excitement. "Aren't you hungry? I know it's microwaved, but it still works."
Shinji nodded. "I know. It's just that I'm not really used to just eating food like this."
"What!" Misato exclaimed, leaning over the table and leering at Shinji inches away from his face, an annoyed look in her eyes. "Is it not good enough for your cultured taste buds?"
Shinji recoiled, slinking down as far as he dared into his chair. "That's not what I meant. I…" he began to stammer again, taking note almost against his will at how close Misato's chest was to him. Again. "It's fine," he finally managed.
As if a switch had flipped, Misato went from nearly furious to completely calm, a small smile replacing an annoyed grimace. "Well then," she said, remaining where she was, "isn't this fun? Sharing meals like this with others is always nice."
Shinji nodded, his cheeks still slowly turning red. "Sure."
She finally sat back down, digging into a carton of ramen, and Shinji finally straightened up and took a pair of chopsticks, sighing. "I can only imagine Daniel's face when he hears this," he said, thinking out loud without realizing it.
Misato paused as she looked back up at him with a mouthful of ramen noodles. "Mmful Fmfmmn?"
As Shinji gave her a puzzled look, she slurped up the rest of the noodles and cleared her throat. "Daniel Theisman? Little taller than you, blue eyes, blond hair, and a beard, served in South America?"
Shinji's eyes lit up as he heard Misato describe Danel to a T. "Yes, that's him, though I didn't know he was military. How do you know him?"
Misato smiled in turn. "He came to NERV Germany about… 3 years ago, I think? He became head of the Engineering Division for the Production Evangelion there, the one that'll be Unit-02. He's great! So kind and willing to listen… great for getting a girl home when she's had too much to drink…"
Shinji quirked an eyebrow even as the corner of his mouth rose with it. That was Daniel alright.
After a moment's seeming recollection of happy days now long past, Misato's eyes somehow widened even further. "Wait a minute, he mentioned you! He mentioned you a couple of times, said you were like a little brother to him." Misato let out a girlish squeal, standing and coming around the table to take Shinji by the shoulders, Shinji jumping a little as she shook him somewhat.
"Another thing to celebrate today! This calls for another beer!" True to her word, she grabbed another beer from the fridge, yet another tin can for the stack that was increasing, in Shinji's opinion, at a worrying rate.
However, dinner was finished off soon after, and they divided up their chores with a quick game of janken pon. With that done, Misato leaned back in her chair. "Remember, this is your home now, Shinji. So make yourself at home here, okay?"
Shinji nodded. "Yes, ma'am."
Misato sighed at this. "'Yes, ma'am, Yes, ma'am'. We're home, alright?" She reached over the table once again, roughly ruffling Shinji's hair. "It's Misato here, okay? Relax a little!" She continued until Shinji gave a harried "okay, okay".
Misato lifted her hand from Shinji's head and leaned back. "You know what helps with relaxing? A nice, hot bath. It's the washing machine for life's troubles, after all!"
Shinji nodded. A bath sounded like a good idea. After he undressed in the washroom, he noted more of the signs of a bachelorette life, a rack of bras and panties hanging over his head.
He sighed for seemingly the umpteenth time. This was still going to take some getting used to. He turned and slid open the door. The sight that greeted him was the last thing that he could have expected.
A small, fat bird stood with a towel around its neck, its vibrant red plumage giving the impression of wild eyebrows. On its chest was a metal harness that read PEN2.
Shinji had little time to take this in before the bird began waving its flippers and its head around squawking and warbling at Shinji. With a shout, and without thinking, Shinji flung open the washroom door to a somewhat startled Misato. "Ms. Misato!" he stuttered out after a few moments. "There's, there's a... a... a... uh..."
As Shinji struggled to describe what he had seen, the bird casually strode past him, walking to the grey fridge. Misato's eyes lit up in understanding. "Oooh. That's just Penpen. He's a hot spring penguin I rescued."
As Penpen got to the front of his fridge, he used one of his unusually long claws to press one of the buttons, sliding open the door in front of him. He looked back at Shinji with a look that radiated how obviously unamused he was before he walked into the fridge, the door closing behind him.
"Penpen?" Shinji asked incredulously.
"Yeah. He's my other roommate." Misato replied. She picked up her beer can and took a nonchalant sip. "So, are you ready to bathe?"
Shinji remembered at that moment where exactly he had run from, and in what state of undress. His face growing red as a tomato, he shuffled to the side, closing the door of the washroom as he did.
Misato continued drinking from the can, a thoughtful look in her eyes. 'Maybe I shouldn't lay it on so thick. He might start seeing through it. He's perceptive enough to.' She thought these things as she finished off the beer, setting it back down on the table with a quiet clink.
Shinji eventually stepped into the bath, relaxing immensely as his embarrassment wore off. 'Misato Katsuragi. She seems nice enough,' he pondered silently as he relaxed. 'She feels like she's hiding something though.'
He continued to stare at the unfamiliar ceiling as his mind worked. 'I can't help but think of all the terrifying things I've seen here. Like Father.' His mind rattled through the uncomfortable, tense moments he had had as he reunited with his father for the first time in years.
'But there's also the mysterious here as well. Like Rei Ayanami.' His mind slowed down as he considered the rare interactions that he had with Ayanami. Well, interaction might be a strong word. She was truly mysterious. She had never spoken a word to him, barely even looked at him, but he was intrigued. It was hard not to be.
As he stepped out of the bath, at last, he dried himself off, and started to put on his nightclothes, which included a comfortable, well-worn brown shirt with a weird snake-like symbol on it, inlaid with the English word 'INDEED'. Shinji smiled as he pulled it on. 'And then there's Daniel.'
His mind turned to happier years as he prepared for bed, which ended with him putting a headphone in one ear, plugging it into his phone, and playing the music that his father had left him as he lay in bed.
He probably had cell service now, he realized after a moment. He really should call Daniel soon. He had a lot to tell him. And, he realized, a lot to ask him. Misato would probably be glad to see him over the call if nothing else.
But for now, he simply listened as the guitars and drums and keyboards of yesteryear serenaded him. These weren't really his father's songs anymore, he realized as he began to ponder once again. Daniel had enjoyed many of them. He had helped him divest these tracks from anything to do with his father as he and Shinji listened together for 3 years. In a sense, they were more Daniel's songs now than anything.
A small smile crept across his lips as he realized this. A moment later, he heard a knock at the door, and a quiet voice. "Shinji, can I open the door?" Misato asked.
Shinji paused the music as the door behind him slid open. "I forgot to say something earlier." She paused for a moment. "You did well today. People will remember that. They'll be grateful for it. You should be proud. Keep it up. Good night, Shinji."
The door slid closed, and Shinji pressed play again, the music returning him to his thoughts. He wondered how what he did was commendable. He wondered how exactly he could 'keep it up'.
But most of all, he wondered about Daniel, and how he was doing on the other side of the world, as he drifted off to sleep.
We turn to the past and begin to unravel the character of Daniel Theisman, as he travels to Germany to take on the challenge of two red devils. Who is he really? And why is he so interested in the Children of NERV? Next Episode: Painful Memories & Fallen Masks.
Memory is a driving force wherever one goes. Whether people do things to recapture the memories of halcyon days or try to make a better future for memories to be made in, it is always done in the name of memories. But some memories we run away from, some that can't help but hurt. Everyone has their fair share of them. I am no exception.
NERV-2, Neue Berlin, 2012
Daniel Theisman stepped off of the plane emblazoned with NERV's logo on it with a rather heavy heart. Even with the promise that he would keep in touch, it was hard to see Shinji so sad. But he had made such progress, too. Daniel was confident that Shinji would be far removed from the frightened, lonely, confused young man he could have been. Yes, already this world would be different from what he had known before. Very different.
Daniel thought about simply calling Shinji already, but it was nearly midnight in Japan, by his reckoning. Shinji needed his sleep as much as he needed companionship. For now, he could wait a little longer. It wasn't as though 3 years would escape his notice, after all.
With that, he turned to look out the window at NERV-2, built on the pre-Impact ruins of the town of Werneuchen. It was a sprawling, modern place, broken up by houses and taverns built in the classical style, one of the last grips on the old German culture that had slowly begun to die in this broken new world. Rising as the most prominent sight of all was the Stahlturm, the world's second-ever arcology, and NERV's headquarters in the region. It was a massive hexagon, 3 miles wide and 5 tall, narrowing as it reached the top.
Daniel couldn't help but appreciate the sight. For all the things he had seen, it was still monuments to human grit and ingenuity such as this that held a special place in his heart. As he made his way to the gate, walking past the sign that proclaimed 'Welcome to Neue Berlin' in many different languages, he began to scan the gate area. There was someone here who was waiting for him…
There she was, unmistakable for her almost purple hair. She wore her trademark red jacket and black dress and stood relaxed while checking her phone. Yes, that was Captain Misato Katsuragi.
Unbidden, an image shoved its way to the forefront of Daniel's mind. One of that same Major, slumped dead against an elevator door as she lay surrounded by dead JSSDF soldiers. 'No,' he thought sternly, as he banished the image from his mind. 'No. That won't happen here. Not if I have anything to say about it.'
As he approached, the Captain looked up from her phone, noticing him. She straightened, coming to a rather close approximation of attention.
"Captain Katsuragi, I presume?" Daniel asked as he extended his hand, which she accepted.
"The one and only." She replied, smiling as she gave a firm handshake. "And you're our new head of engineering?"
Daniel nodded. "Yes, ma'am. I'm Daniel Theisman."
She nodded. "Very well, Daniel. If you'll follow me."
They made their way to a sleek, black sports car sporting the Mercedes-Benz logo.
Daniel whistled appreciatively. "That's quite the car you have waiting for little old me."
Misato nodded, clearly satisfied with Daniel's judgment. "Yep. This is a 190E, an EVO-II. One of M-B's last cars before Second Impact drove them under. I found her for dirt cheap in a yard waiting to be scrapped, and I just had to save it. Got her fixed up decently for cheap too."
Daniel nodded with a small smile. A car aficionado, as expected. They got in and began to drive towards the Stahlturm.
As they drove, Daniel noticed a rather prominent absence. "So, having read up on what files I was given," he said, "you're also the caretaker of the pilot for the vehicle I'll be taking care of?"
Misato nodded. "Yep, that would be Asuka. She wasn't able to come along because she's on campus right now, so you'll probably meet her sometime soon. Let's get you to your flat in the meantime."
They entered the Stahlturm on the ground floor and began following the road as it spiraled up the sides of the arcology. They got off the highway on the 2nd floor, entering a residential area, with flats stretching from the floor to a ceiling half a mile above.
"We're packed in pretty tight here, as you can see," Misato said, noting Daniel's apparent wonderment at the sight. "But we at NERV do have a few blocks to ourselves." They drove past a sign with NERV's logo on it, entering the area Misato had spoken of. Indeed, they did have 3 or 4 of the massive flat buildings to themselves.
She stopped in front of a building labeled 'Block B, Section 1' and parked in the available lot. "Being head of engineering has its perks," Misato said as they stepped out of the car and walked toward the building. "For one, you're on the ground floor of this building, so you'll be able to get to the ground floor quickly, where we are. There are motorized walkways which will get you to the elevators, and if you ever get lost, which you will," she said with a sardonic grin, "there are interactive maps scattered around the place. Use them! If they can save my life from a lot of annoyance, they can save yours too."
Daniel nodded, a small smile playing across his lips as they reached his door, Room B-1-00006. Misato handed him the keycard for the door, which he opened and entered the surprisingly spacious apartment.
His meager possessions had been stacked up against the wall by the door, including the two guitar cases which protected treasures worth far more than most anything else here. Misato noticed them and nodded toward them. "You play?"
Daniel nodded. "You seem to have a passion for cars. My passion is music." He stopped by the cases, touching each in turn. "My acoustic, a Gibson J-45. And my electric, my very first Fender Stratocaster. I've had her fixed up a lot since I got her years and years ago, and she sounds as good, maybe even better than guitars 3 times her price now."
Misato nodded with a small smile. "Well, I'll trust that you know you're talking about."
She dug around in a small bag she produced from inside her jacket, handing him a few more small things. "Your ID. Your Stahl-Card," she said, handing him a dull grey credit card, "for your purchases here, and a packet from the commander to get you completely up to speed. Commander Leutenhahl wants to meet you at "your earliest convenience", so don't take too terribly long studying."
Misato shook his hand once again. "Well, Daniel, welcome to NERV-2."
Daniel thanked her as she turned and walked back out the door, leaving him in solitude. He went to sit on the couch, leafing through the packet before tossing it on the coffee table and sitting down. It was mostly things that he had seen before, the Evangelion project, the possibility of the Angels, and NERV's general mission to protect Earth. He had been all too close to many of those things.
. . .
So he rested for a little while, unpacking a few minor boxes and getting out his acoustic guitar to play a few songs. After a decidedly decent rendition of 'Hotel California', he decided to send Shinji a quick text. He would see that in the morning, at least.
At last, satisfied with what little progress he had made in moving in, he decided it was time to see Commander Leutenhahl.
After a half-hour of the promised motorized walkways and elevators and with the help of the interactive map, Daniel made his way to the NERV Main Campus, a sprawling complex that easily took up a third of the ground floor. With some direction from those he could ask, he finally made his way towards the Command Center, and into the office of Commander Karl Leutenhahl.
It was a decidedly spartan affair, bare for the most part save for the NERV logo and a scattering of military accouterments, medals, and pictures dedicated to days long past, along with a single uniform of the now hollow Bundeswehr, an Army uniform from what he could tell.
Commander Lutenhahl himself was clearly still a military man even in the NERV uniform that he wore, well-toned even as his age showed in his mostly silver hair. A well-trimmed beard framed an angled face, with a sharp nose and discerning grey eyes. He studied Daniel intently as he entered the room, standing as he approached.
"Mr. Theisman," he said with a surprisingly warm, mellow voice, as he reached out his hand for Daniel to shake. "I've been expecting your arrival for some time."
Daniel shook the proffered hand. "I'm glad to know that I'm expected."
The commander nodded. "Please, sit. With Mr. Hansen's retirement, we have been hoping for some fresh blood for a little while. Let's go over your record, shall we?"
"Yes, let's." Daniel nodded as Lutenhahl pulled out a packet that contained his "record". It had taken some doing from outside to make that record reality here, he thought, but the work he'd done should hold up.
The commander reached for a pair of reading glasses as he opened the record, adjusting them as he flipped to the relevant pages. "So, you were military as well, U.S. Army Motor Sergeant. Served in South America during the Impact Wars?"
Daniel nodded. "Yes, sir. Delta Company, 2nd Armored Division. The best damn tanks in all of Brazil for the 2 years I was there."
Lutenhahl nodded. "As a field maintenance team commander, you've probably had some experience in both repairs and their administration."
Daniel nodded in turn. "Yes, sir. As much as I loved the Abrams platform, it could be a real pain sometimes when it broke down."
Lutenhahl chuckled. "I don't doubt it."
Commander Lutenhahl stood, motioning for Daniel to follow him. "Come with me. I don't like to sit in my office all day, and I would like to show you what you're servicing, as well as introduce you to your new team."
Daniel stood, and followed him out. As they walked, Leutenhahl continued to speak. "You're familiar with the concept of giving your all to fix something that has been broken. That much is certain, and that applies everywhere, whether under the chassis of a vehicle or at the forefront of putting a nation back together."
Daniel nodded slowly. He was familiar with all of those things, though maybe not quite in the ways that the commander expected.
Leutenhahl went on as they weaved their way across the campus towards a large, blocky building labeled 'Ordinance Bay E'. "Here at NERV, regardless of where you once were, you enter into a legacy of fixing something that's been broken. NERV exists because the Second Impact broke this world, and the Impact Wars scattered the pieces. And now..." he paused as he swiped a keycard, the door before them sliding open, riding an elevator up to the top.
The doors of the elevator opened to reveal a room overhanging a massively tall gantry, filled with a crimson liquid, stretching nearly to the ceiling. Held within was what could be called a giant. Locked in place by the walls that enclosed its shoulders, about a third of it was encased in armor, most of it still steel grey, though men worked hard to paint it over. The head especially, encased in a helmet, wore a vibrant combination of scarlet red, hazard orange, and white accents. Daniel couldn't help but stare.
"This is what you're putting together," Lutenhahl said after a moment's silence. "What you're going to do here is ensure the reliability of the tool that will be our best hope for putting the pieces of this world back together. In time, she will be the Production Model Evangelion, Unit-02. Our world's best hope for salvation."
Daniel continued to stare, as another memory forced its way to the forefront. A memory of a monitor, showing Unit-02, showing Asuka, a mangled plant bed for a grove of Lances, the white wings of MP-Evas slowly circling like vultures…
As Daniel wrestled with the memory, Commander Lutenhahl mistook his continued silence for awe. "It's quite a sight, I know. Even being here at its conception, I'm still overtaken from time to time."
Daniel blinked, the world around him, and the sight in front of him, shifting back into focus. "Yes. Yes, it's a little larger than what I'm usually used to overseeing, but I think I'll appreciate the challenge."
Lutenhahl chuckled. "Well, at least you're willing. And if there's anything I've learned in my time, it's that a willing heart makes up much of the effort. Follow me. Your team is waiting for you. And welcome to NERV-2, Captain Theisman."
Daniel let his gaze turn away from the slumbering giant that dominated the view in front of him, blinking at the sudden boost in rank he had been given, and followed the commander into another room.
This one had no such cavernous view, but the room was instead dominated by a large machine that sat in the center of the room, a grey and white tube sticking out of it at an angle. Surrounding the machine were several banks of computers and monitors for all manner of different readings, from biomonitors to simulation data to even more things that Daniel didn't completely know the function of.
They came to stand beside Misato, who watched behind the main island of monitors. She nodded in turn at them, saluting to the commander. "Commander. Daniel."
Lutenhahl saluted back. "Captain. How is our star pilot today?"
Misato sighed. "Still not as perfect as she wishes she could be. It's only been a year and a half since she started her training proper. She's made leaps and bounds, but she's still trying to reach the top as soon as she can."
Lutenhahl shook his head slightly, chuckling. "So she's in her usual form today." his voice laced with old amusement.
Misato nodded as she turned back to regard the screens. "The simulation will be ending soon."
As she said this, a tone sounded, and many of the screens lit up green, displaying lists of data and percentages. The machine in the center of the room gurgled as it drained something from it. People began to stand, some clapping.
"Speak of the devil," Misato said wryly as she peered at one of the readouts in front of her. "She's shaved a whole half a second from her best time in problem-solving. And raised her sync score a half a percent. Not bad."
Commander Lutenhahl nodded. "At this rate, she's probably going to be the best pilot that we have, even if she plateaus in the next year. Come along, Captain Theisman. Now you can properly meet your team."
The commander led Daniel around the room, away from the now ogling Captain Katsuragi, introducing him to a dozen people with a dozen names, experts in all their fields. Krasinski, data analytics. Levinson, metallurgy. Son-Hoon, biotechnology. Pranashta, neurobiology.
These and more politely introduced themselves. Soon, Daniel had gone full circle around the room, back to Misato's side as a hatch in the tube slid open, from which nearly bounded a girl with fiery red hair and piercing blue eyes that scanned the room until they fell on Misato.
She bounced down from the tube and made her way to the group, one of the technicians handing her a towel with which she vigorously scrubbed her hair. She wore a skintight bodysuit, painted in the same colors as were going on to the Unit itself. She stood proud as if she were 6 feet taller than she actually was.
"So," she said in a sure, commanding voice, "how did I do this time?"
Misato, with all the patience she was able to muster, replied, "Well, your current sync ratio is sitting at about 38%. And rising."
The young pilot seemed to deflate at the news, her brow furrowing into a frown. "Only that much? That's more than a little disappointing to hear, Misato. Are you sure the scanners weren't off?"
Misato nodded. "Yes, Asuka. They were checked at least two times before the simulation like you asked us to do."
Asuka straightened up again. "Well," she continued, raising her voice, "I'm going to continue doing my best to become the best pilot I can be, and I can't be held back by faulty machines. I'm counting on all of you!" The team, Misato, and Lutenhahl all chuckled as she said this, some louder than others.
Lutenhahl stepped forward. "Well, Ms. Soryu-Langley, we'll make sure that the machines are helping you be the best that you can be." As he said this, Asuka straightened to attention, much to Daniel's surprise.
"Speaking of making sure machines work," he continued, "you have a new head of engineering to talk to, to ensure that's happening. Captain Hansen has retired, as I'm sure you know, and Captain Theisman here has come to replace him."
Daniel stepped forward, reaching out his hand, which Asuka took and shook once with vigor. "Hello, Asuka. I'm Daniel, as the good commander said. I look forward to helping you become the best pilot you can be."
Asuka nodded, the proud fire having returned to her eyes. "You'd better be ready. I have a lot to catch you up on that Captain Hansen knew."
"And I look forward to it," Daniel said, a smile coming to him. "I prefer working as close as I can with the people who operate the vehicles I work on. Call it a holdover from my military days."
Asuka, for her part, nodded in understanding. "Well, I'll meet with you as soon as you're ready to hear everything I have to say."
Daniel chuckled at this. "And I'm sure you have a lot to say to me. We'll arrange a meeting as soon as you're able to."
Asuka smiled. "Call it a date, then!"
Daniel blinked as the rest of the room broke into full-out laughter. Misato stepped forward and took Asuka by her shoulder. "Well, you're not going on any sort of date with anyone like you are now," she said with an impish grin. "Let's go and get cleaned up."
Asuka nodded. "Okay!"
Daniel continued to look on as she continued around, collecting what seemed to be her due praise and information. Interfaced as he was, it did not take him long to shift his view from the purely physical world to look at her soul.
As he expected, the mask she kept on her face and around her personality hid a mind and soul laced with scars, wracked with insecurities and self-doubt, and more than a little guilt. It was a sort of soul he was familiar with. After all, it took one to know one. Regardless, as his sight cycled back into the physical world, it would take some time to even begin to try mending that. But there was no better time to start than now.
- - -
And time it did take. As the weeks and months passed by, and Daniel settled into his duties, he took to the task of maintaining the Eva with a relaxed sort of familiarity, the required knowledge seeming to come easily to him.
As promised, he did meet with Asuka and Misato, who had come along with her, and he had heard all the things that Asuka had on her mind, and there were many. Slowly, but surely, Daniel became a part of everyday life. As a part of everyday life, he got the chance to know people in many different ways.
Though the way he was currently walking into was not his preferred way of getting to know someone, he thought as he approached the bar on the NERV campus, there was a certain honesty when a person had washed away the mask they wore with a drink or two.
Misato liked this place though, a bar designed to look like a classical tavern named the Fröhliche Zeitverschwendung. The joke was not lost on him as he entered, the interior somewhat dim, but comfortable surrounds, wide and lined with tables and chairs, with the spacious bar in the back acting as the main centerpiece of the place.
Daniel scanned the room and found Misato waving him over to a secluded corner table, clearly having had a few drinks waiting for him.
He made his way over and sat down, the waiter coming over shortly. "A ginger beer. Non-alcoholic, and Bundaberg if you have it." the waiter nodded, and Misato leered at Daniel.
"Yer nnoo fun, are you, Cap'n?" she said, an obvious slur swirling her speech much like she swirled the craft bier she nursed. "All th's good stuff and all y' get is a ginger beer?"
"I'm a terrible person when I lose my inhibitions," Daniel replied. "That and I'm not really sure you can drive yourself home safely at this point."
Misato continued to leer at him silently before nodding slowly. "I guess that's not a bad line of reasoning."
The waiter reappeared with a small bottle of Bundaberg, which Daniel accepted with a nod as the waiter vanished once again, leaving them in solitude.
"At least y' have a good taste in ginger beer,'' Misato noted, "what with it being the only thing I've seen still coming out of Australia at this point." Daniel was silent as he opened his bottle with a quiet pop.
"So," Daniel ventured as he took an appreciative sip. "What did you want to talk about?"
Misato nodded, thinking for a moment. "Y've mentioned your time in the United States Army during the Impact War. You were in South America." it was a question wrapped in a statement.
Daniel nodded slowly. "Yes, I was in Brazil for the most part. Bounced around the Amazon for a while, and saw the Redemptor statue fall into the ocean. It was an… experience."
Misato smiled slowly, seeming to recall experiences of her own. "So how did you leave?"
Daniel hesitated for a moment. "Well, my last 6 months, my company was working hit and fade warfare, with tanks. It was an interesting way of working with vehicles, to say the least. Made for some hellish engineering challenges."
"We had gotten into the mountains," Daniel continued, "used the valleys and cave systems to hide out and strike at the Brazilian People's Army. One day, everything was as usual. We were working with native soldiers from some of the neighboring villages, and the People's Army got the drop on us. All our tanks were bombed out in the first couple of minutes. Then it was hand to hand, tunnel to tunnel combat for days. We were cut off, so there wasn't any help coming for us. We were slowly whittled down."
"It got to a point where a group of us, soldiers and natives, decided to try and make a break for another cave exit. I was part of the last stand that would make sure the rest of them escaped."
Daniel paused for a moment, then sighed quietly. "They were on us in moments. Everything became a blur and a constant banging. Punches landing, knives jabbing, pistols and SMGs all going off in your ear. All you could hear was ringing. Then I was knocked out. After a while, I woke up. I was the only one still alive. Most of the escape party was butchered, not 20 feet from the entrance. I climbed down the mountain alone and got picked up. After that, I went home and got honorably discharged. Then I went to Japan for a few years."
Daniel fell silent. Places had changed, names had changed, and even the world had changed in the telling, but the memory that went with it was still painful all the same.
Misato was also silent. After a moment, she raised her half-empty glass. "To those who've moved on. May they ever be remembered as the finest of us." She said reverently.
"Amen to that," Daniel replied, equally quiet. Glass clinked against bottle, and both took long drinks.
"So, now that you know what happened to me," Daniel said, "what were you doing in South America?"
Misato grinned, her eyes gleaming with an impish light dulled by drink. "Oh, I was a lot more secret than you were. Lots of covert, hush-hush stuff." She put a finger unsteadily to her lips as she said it. "I still can't talk about a lot of it."
"Alright, secret agent Misato," Daniel said under a chuckle. "Why covert ops? Why military at all?"
Misato rolled her eyes. "Oh, a lot of reasons." She set her glass down to count on her fingers. "Because it sounded exciting, because college was boring, because I had nothing better to do, because I was running from…"
She paused, a frown coming over her face like a storm cloud covering the sun. "Maybe I've had a little too much to drink," Misato said, her bravado replaced with what could almost be guilt. "I think it's time to go home."
Daniel blinked. He had his guess at what she was trying to avoid mentioning, but he didn't want to press the issue. "Alright. I guess I am driving you home." he stood and went to Misato's side, offering her a hand to help her stand.
The waiter appeared, a neutral look on his face as Misato unsteadily got up and stumbled into Daniel for a moment. "Will you be taking a check then, sir?"
Before Daniel could answer, Misato's hand shot out, wagging a finger at the somewhat startled waiter. "Put it on my tab," she said as Daniel attempted to protest, "for telling a good story."
The waiter nodded after a moment, and Misato's finger dropped from pointing at the man's face. "Very well," he said, trying desperately to gain some sort of decorum back. "Thank you for coming in. We hope to see you again."
As they walked together towards her car, he guided her into the passenger seat, secured her seatbelt for her, and began driving her back to her flat.
. . .
The drive was mostly quiet. Misato spoke after a long time with a contemplative look on her face. "So what were you doing in Japan? Is that how you hooked up with NERV?" she asked quietly.
Daniel nodded as he made the turn into the residential area. "Yes, actually. I was doing independent contractor work for about 2 years before I got hired out to full time."
Misato nodded perhaps one too many times. "'nd that's where you met that kid that you always talk to, right?"
Daniel smiled. "Shinji, yes. He's like a little brother to me at this point."
Misato smiled mellowly as she looked at Daniel. "He sounds like a real cutie, with what you say about him."
They pulled into the lot in front of Misato's building, and Daniel slowly but surely guided her back to her front door. It slid open, and Asuka, now 13 and proudly in the final stretch of graduating college, looked them up and down.
"Well, you came home with a date tonight, did you?" She nodded at Daniel with a wry grin on her face. "Good to see you. I hope you're ready for me to kick your butt again in whatever fighting game you care to choose."
He chuckled for a moment. "Well, I'm just dropping Misato off tonight. No time for you soundly defeating me right now."
Asuka nodded, rolling her eyes as she did. "Well, I'll make sure the water and aspirin are handy for her." She turned and made her way back into the flat.
Misato looked at Daniel, a haze over the dreamy look she gave him. "What, no good night kiss for your date?"
Daniel smiled patiently. "No, Misato. My heart's already spoken for anyway." He immediately regretted saying that.
Misato's eyes grew wide, her mouth making an o as she gasped. "You have a girlfriend? And you haven't told anyone?" Daniel winced as he tried to hide the pain the memories coming back to him caused.
"Well, I won't say anything until I'm ready and I know it will work out." He wasn't ready to talk about Eleanor yet. He doubted he would ever be.
Misato, for her part, nodded with a sly look in her eyes. "Well, whenever you're ready to announce your engagement, I'll be the first one at the wedding, mkay?" Daniel nodded as he helped her through the door, letting go of her as she sat on the couch.
As he turned to leave, he stopped as Misato grabbed his arm. She had a calm, kind look on her face now. "If you ever need to keep swapping stories, I think I owe you one of mine. I'm here, okay?"
Daniel smiled. "Thank you. Good night, Misato."
Misato smiled back. "And good night to you too, lover boy." A giggle escaped from her after she said that, as Daniel exited the flat, and made his way back home. He had a lot to work through.
Everyone has something that they've regretted doing. For most, it's a lost chance at love, words spoken without thinking, walking away from something one shouldn't have. I've experienced all these things. But there are greater regrets. Ones that cannot help but haunt me in the night. Reminding me of my sins.
NERV-2, Neue Berlin, April 2014
The months continued, and Unit-02 came closer and closer to completion. Asuka's abilities as a pilot continued to rise astronomically fast, especially after her graduation summa cum laude from the University of Neue Berlin. The inauguration and first physical test run of Unit-02 were scheduled to be only months away now.
But for all his ability and skill as an engineer, Captain Daniel Theisman was by no means a plumber. A pipe had burst while he was at work one day, and almost everything (besides many of his keepsakes and his precious guitars, of course) was completely soaked.
It was while he was standing in the center of his living room, the carpet squishing every so often as he took a step, that he made a call. "Misato, I have a favor to ask."
In a few moments, and with no small amount of gratitude, Daniel was now settled in at Misato and Asuka's flat, the couch acting as his bed for the time being. He would be there for a while, while the repairs and such took place.
Besides, he still had work to occupy him, along with a great many other things. He still had game nights to look forward to with Asuka, who earnestly loved her X360 console and the plethora of competitive games that she owned. He had his guitars, with which Asuka enjoyed challenging him to play the most complex metal riffs she could think of. He succeeded. At least, sometimes. He had Misato, who did share many of her war stories, in time.
But most of all, he had Shinji, who would hang on every word he could legally say about his work. He was always excited whenever they could call. They practiced English often, and sometimes German words slipped into that learning. Every so often, when the quality of the video call was good enough, Shinji would showcase his latest efforts on a given cello piece. But mostly, they just talked about life or even just enjoyed each other's companionship. It was a good time in many people's lives.
That didn't stop the nightmares, however.
Daniel woke up in a twin bed, beside a desk with a laptop and other assorted mess on it, within a room painted in various shades of green. He was home. He knew this one would be bad.
He got out of bed and made his way into the living room of his home. It was dark, the only light coming from a salt lamp on the mantle, which glowed a deep orange.
Daniel wondered at the detail when a voice he had not heard in ages echoed behind him. "Daniel." Against his will, he turned, and he saw his father and mother, his brother and sister.
They spoke as one. "Why did you leave us?"
Daniel shook his head. "I didn't have a choice."
"Not good enough," they spoke, "come home."
Daniel's heart ached. "I can't. Not right now."
From behind him, another voice made its presence known, a woman's voice. "Why did you kill us?"
Daniel turned again. The form that greeted him was only tangentially human, a shadow with piercing white eyes. It spoke again, its mouth a blotch of white on its face. "Why did you kill all of us?"
Daniel knew what she meant. He knew she was wrong. "I didn't kill you. He did."
The woman spoke immediately, other white eyes opening and filling the room, which seemed to start stretching away. "It makes no difference. Your hand ended our lives. You did it."
Other voices began to join in. "You did it." "Please, stop it!" "It hurts!" "Have mercy, please!" "Why?"
The voices became a great babble, filled with shouts and screams and questions unanswered, the eyes gathered into a wall that pressed down on him, forcing him to his knees. There was nothing that he could do about it.
Then, the voices quieted for a moment, and two more forms manifested in front of him. Asuka and Shinji stood before him, judgment in their eyes. In Asuka's, that judgment was mixed with naked rage. But what scared Daniel, even more than Asuka's rage, was Shinji's face, a terrible mirror image of his father in its cold condemnation.
"I'm sorry," Daniel said, his voice choked with sadness.
Shinji sneered. "Sorry doesn't save the world, Daniel. You know that."
"It doesn't change what you did," Asuka snarled. "What you allowed to happen."
Before Daniel could speak again, they vanished, and the voices and the screams rose again in their intensity, the eyes pressing ever closer. Within the noise, Daniel heard a distant voice. "Daniel. Daniel!"
His eyes widened. "Eleanor?"
Whatever else was said was lost in the thunder of the voices, the screaming, the pleas for mercy. The eyes. The eyes!
Then there was silence. The voices had stilled, the eyes had closed, and Daniel was left in the silence of his guilt.
Then a hand grasped his shoulder firmly, lifting him, and Daniel turned once more to see the last thing he wanted to see. Himself.
Though the image bore his face, it was twisted into a small, ugly smirk, and he was clothed in a simple armor that seemed to draw in what little light was here to destroy it, draped in a cloak of deepest red. Upon his brow glowed the sigil of two upturned hands, cupping the air beneath the straight blade of a sword.
The image's smile grew as it spoke. "Look at you. Thinking you need to atone for what we did. But it will come to nothing. You have only advanced the Great Cause. You still have a work to bring forth. You are still my herald. You will always be my herald. You. Are. Mine."
Finally, Daniel found his voice again. And all he could do was scream. "NOOOOOOOOOO------"
- - -
"...noo…" Daniel murmured as he opened his eyes, at last, rising from the bed he was in.. and quickly falling off of the couch with a dull thump, narrowly missing the coffee table.
Getting to his knees, he surveyed his surroundings. He was in Misato's flat in Germany. Yes. Yes, that was where he was. He gripped the pliant leather of the couch and the firm wood of the coffee table, his heart pounding as he started to ground himself.
After minutes that felt so much longer than that, he stood, rubbing his eyes, and made his way in the dark to the bathroom in the hallway, the room lit by a small, green night light.
As he entered, he heard a small voice, full of tiredness and uncharacteristic uncertainty from down the hall. "Daniel?"
Daniel reached for the light switch, flipping it on. The light made both wince, but as Daniel opened his eyes to see Asuka, both saw in each other's faces the same eyes: Tired and afraid to go back into the night which silently, calmly waited for both of them.
Daniel spoke first. "So, nightmares for you too, huh?"
Asuka said nothing, only nodding. Here in the light of the bathroom, far from all her usual panache and confidence, she was just a 14-year-old, small and afraid of the dark.
"You're afraid to go back," Daniel continued, "to try and go back to sleep. To the nightmares. You're scared to be alone again." Asuka nodded again.
Daniel closed his eyes and sighed. Then he opened them again. "So, what say we go to the couch, and wait the night out together?"
Asuka nodded. "That sounds good."
"Okay," Daniel said, a tired smile on his face. They walked together to the couch, sitting together to ward off the darkness, and what waited in it for both of them.
After a moment, Asuka looked up at Daniel. "So, what woke you up?"
Daniel hesitated. With a sigh, he said, "That's going to take a little explaining. Are you okay with that?"
Asuka nodded. "Uh-huh."
Daniel stood up, and Asuka reached for his arm, taking it in a desperate grip. Daniel turned to her. Despite the tightness of her grip, her arm was shaking.
Daniel patiently put a hand over hers. "I'm going to need a drink for what I'm about to talk about. Would you like one?"
In the dim light of the bathroom, he saw Asuka nod. "Just water, or something a little fizzier?"
Asuka thought for a moment. "One of your Bundabergs?"
Daniel smiled. She had a fondness for them now. "Alright. Two Bundabergs coming up."
A fixture in the kitchen turned on, shone a little more light. Two pops signaled the beginning of drinking, which happened in a dim-lighted, companionable silence.
After a moment, Daniel broke the silence with a sigh. "I've let down… A lot of people. Sometimes it ended in getting people killed."
"Brazil?" Asuka asked quietly. "I hear you and Misato talk about that sometimes." Asuka truly had no idea, Daniel thought.
He paused for a moment, searching for what to say. "Yes, in part," he continued after finding something he deemed satisfactory. "But it doesn't always end with people dying. Sometimes, when I let someone down, it just drove them away. That hurts a lot more than someone dying sometimes."
Asuka listened in silence. Daniel continued after a moment. "That sort of letdown is what cost me the people that I loved. My family. It's what brought me to Japan."
"Family," Asuka spoke the word like it was foreign to her, an almost incomprehensible concept for her, even for all her intelligence.
"Do you have any family still?" Daniel asked carefully.
"Not anymore," Asuka said, an edge of hardness entering her quiet voice. "I've just been on my own for a while before I started training and living with Misato. I've been lonely."
Asuka paused for a moment, then turned to look at Daniel. "I don't like being lonely," she said, her voice quavering. It seemed the hardest thing in the world for her to admit. Even in the dim light, Daniel could see she was trying hard to not cry.
"Everyone needs some family, I've found," Daniel said after a moment. "Someone who's there for them. Who loves them unconditionally."
Daniel paused again for a moment. "How would you like a big brother?"
Asuka turned to stare at him unbelievingly. Silence reigned in the flat for a heartbeat. Then another. "You mean it? You won't leave me?" she asked in a voice filled with fragility.
Daniel smiled, equally fragile. "Promise."
A sniffle. Then another. Finally, a dam broke as Asuka crushed Daniel's chest with a hug, weeping openly. Daniel accepted the hug. The drinks stood forgotten.
"Thank you," Asuka whispered into Daniel's chest. "Big brother."
Daniel nodded tears in his own eyes. "Of course, little sister."
After a while, both fell asleep against the couch, their drinks standing sentinel, silent witnesses.
Unit-02 makes its first sortie, and its pilot discovers a new passion. Daniel soon finds old troubles beginning to find their way back to him. What does LCL have to do with it? And what secrets is Commander Lutenhahl keeping? Next Episode: Entwining.
Even with all the efforts I have made in making sure that these Children are prepared for what comes, I still feel that I have done precious little to help. And even then, right now I can only prepare them against the threats that this world holds in store for them. Right now, only I can stand between this Earth, and what lies beyond.
Misato, irked by the alarm that inevitably went off every day, smacked the alarm clock until blessed silence reasserted its rightful reign. She dragged herself out of bed, stretching as she threw open the inner curtains of her room to allow the artificial light in, and began to pick out her uniform for the day.
After a moment, the continued silence puzzled her. Asuka was usually up and bouncing around by now, wasn't she? Especially now that she had Daniel to bounce off of, being the rock of patience that he was. She finished dressing and opened the door to the living room.
She began to call for Asuka, then stopped as she noticed the back of what appeared to be Daniel's head peeking out over the back of the couch. Her eyes narrowed and a grin slowly crept across her face. Didn't get enough sleep last night, did he? She crouched, and crept towards the back of the couch, silently as she could. She wondered how hard it was to get the jump on him. He was a tough enough guy, after all. He should expect the unexpected.
She reached the back of the couch, slowly standing and looming over Daniel, arms raised dramatically when she was stopped by the sight that greeted her.
In the crook of Daniel's arm, Asuka was curled up, sound asleep. A small, contented smile on her face, such a rare sight when it related to her, could not help but make Misato smile herself. Whatever had happened last night, it seemed, it had found Asuka in a far better mood than she usually had in the middle of the night. The sight was picturesque. Misato hardly wanted to disturb it.
So, before she did, she made her way around, noting the ginger beers thick with condensation, and made sure to take as many pictures of the cuddling duo as possible. This was just too good to pass up.
After she accomplished her quiet photo shoot, she approached and gently nudged Daniel's shoulder. He stirred after a moment, eyes cracking as he stretched slowly. "I hope we aren't going to be late," he said, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, "because I don't think I got all the sleep I needed."
"And a good morning to you two," Misato said, her smile still evident on her face. "What got Asuka out on the couch?"
Daniel looked down as the fiery hair under his arm rustled with Asuka's stirring. A small smile came to his face. "We came to an understanding last night," he replied quietly.
Misato waited for him to elaborate. When no elaboration was forthcoming, she straightened her shoulders, the smile on her face becoming a smirk. "Well, I wouldn't be surprised if that understanding includes 'I will allow myself to be beaten at every video game'."
Daniel chuckled. "Well, I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if she asked that."
Asuka, having stretched and yawned cavernously, finally replied. "What, that I take my place as the rightful champion of our little tournaments?" The cocksure smile that she usually wore began to take its place on a tired, but happy face.
"However did you know?" Daniel said in mock surprise.
Asuka gave a haughty scoff, then turned to Misato. "So, chef, what's the menu for breakfast today?"
Misato drew herself up, placing her hands on her hips. "Well," she said with a prideful air, "I figured I'd fall back on a familiar classic. Gourmet toaster waffles, cereal with the finest whole milk, and freshly unwrapped muffins from the great baker of Aldi's."
Asuka rolled her eyes. "It's a little basic, but it still has the Misato touch we all know and love."
A round of laughter passed through the group, and the day started.
- - -
5 Months Later
That day passed into memory, much like every other did. It would be a cherished memory for all involved, and it marked the beginning of Asuka's healing with Daniel's help. Much as Daniel could help her though, some healing would be on her shoulders alone, and some would be helped only by someone far closer than Daniel would ever be to her. And he knew intimately how some scars would never heal.
Those thoughts were far from Daniel's mind, though, as excitement buzzed in the control room of the NERV Main Campus. Monitors glowed, displaying readouts that detailed a thousand different streams of data. Chatter passed from one station to the next, and the massive door on the east side of the Stahlturm was displayed on one of the massive monitors on the far wall.
On the main monitor, however, was the star of the show. It showed in a split-screen both Asuka, who waited without too much bouncing off the walls of the Entry Plug, and Unit-02 itself, now standing in the gantry tall and proud, covered completely in armor, gleaming in brilliant scarlet, orange, and white, its pilot's Plugsuit painted in a similar style.
The room contained many of the different teams associated with the Unit's creation, and most all wore, in one form or another, a patch, ironed or sewn on or hanging on a lanyard, showcasing the face of the Unit, backdropped by flames, it's designation and date of commission, and across the bottom, the nickname it and its pilot had been given, the "Little Red Devil".
The chatter in the room reached a fever pitch as Commander Lutenhahl entered, stepping up to the raised command station, taking his place between Captain Katsuragi and Captain Theisman as he surveyed the sight of the Evangelion, prepped and ready to go. "Captains," he said after a moment of appreciation, "what's our status? Katsuragi?"
She turned to him, saluting. "Our pilot's ready and waiting sir."
Lutenhahl nodded. "Good. Theisman?"
Daniel turned as well, offering a salute. "Power distribution is nominal, and there aren't any structural weaknesses that have made themselves known in the inorganic materials. AT Field as it stands is nominal. Unit-02 is ready to go."
The commander nodded, raising his voice for the benefit of the rest of the control room staff. "Ladies and gentlemen," he said, pausing for a moment to ensure he would be heard, "we may not be the first Evangelion, but with your help, your dedication to every effort you have made thus far, you have helped make this Unit perhaps the one I will always be most proud of." A small smile broke the normally serious demeanor of his face. "Now, let's make sure we can defend humanity, shall we?"
Some scattered clapping presaged the control room attacking its preparations with renewed vigor. One of the minor techs announced the beginning of final preparations, as the cage surrounding the Unit finally fell away. "Gantry is entering final stages of release. Opening outer door."
Alarms flashed around the top corners of the massive door in the side of the Stahlturm as it slowly opened, the platform holding the Eva slowly coming to a rest just outside the door, the Eva itself seeming to gaze into the far distance.
As the platform came to rest, an operator spoke up from her station. "Egress complete. Attaching power supply."
Two massive cranes began to lift the massive plug, its thick cable snaking down into a receptacle in the earth. After 10 minutes of patient ascent, the plug secured itself with a deep clunk.
Daniel peered at a mirrored screen from one of the other consoles in the room, then turned to the Commander. "Power flow is stable, and interface is secure. She's as ready as she'll ever be."
Misato leaned towards a microphone on the console in front of her, pressing the transmit button beside her. "Alright, Asuka. Are you ready for the test to begin?"
. . .
Asuka leaned back in her seat, eyes closed. The smell of LCL that filled her nose and lungs was now one that was familiar to her. She listened to the thrum of the Unit around her. She had only been in the Plug of Unit-02 proper a few times before. She savored the time she had to simply listen to the thing that she would be piloting.
The voices over the comms prepping the Eva to launch were a white noise in the back of her mind. She was comfortable here. Whole, in a way that she felt she hadn't been in a long, long time. For how small and tight this space was, it filled a hole in her that seemed massive in comparison.
Then, Misato's voice cut through the meditative calm. "Alright, Asuka. Are you ready for the test to begin?"
She opened her eyes, focus and barely contained excitement, filling them. "Misato, you know the answer to that as much as I do. Of course, I'm ready."
Misato nodded, straightening and turning to look expectantly at Commander Lutenhahl. Before she could speak, Lutenhahl chuckled. "What are you waiting for me for? You have permission to begin the test. Launch the Eva."
Misato nodded, turning to look across the room. "Release the final locks! The test begins now!"
The final restraints fell away, and the Evangelion was free. Asuka gripped the controls tightly, excitement flowing through her like a live current.
Misato again leaned down towards the microphone. "Alright, Asuka, let's start slow. Just give us a good walking pace to start."
Asuka rolled her eyes in the Plug but began to concentrate on walking. The massive machine stepped off the platform and began to walk forward. It felt… natural. Even with her training, it was almost like she was never meant to be anywhere else except in this Plug. She continued her leisurely pace.
Daniel, meanwhile, kept a discerning eye on the number of displays that made their way across his monitor. The armor plates were flexing within normal parameters, synchronization was within acceptable ranges, and nothing seemed mechanically wrong.
The most interesting display was that of the AT Field monitor, showing the passive state which kept the Eva from falling prey to the Square Cube Law. It was an almost mesmerizing display, pulsing with colors that rippled across the wire-frame representation of Unit-02.
After a moment, Asuka's voice rang through the control room, the main monitor showing the quickly growing boredom on her face and the hidden excitement in her eyes. "Permission to run?"
With a bemused smile on her face, Misato turned to Daniel. "So, how many miles of power cable do we have?"
Daniel chuckled. "I was expecting this, you know, " he said, as he leaned over to the mic in front of him, patching through to Asuka. "You've got about 12 kilometers of cable available. Just try not to tangle it up too much."
A grin nearly split Asuka's face, as she prepared to accelerate. A walk became a jog, and soon, Asuka settled into the wavelike motion of the sprinting pace she had settled into. She was alive here. The Evangelion sang to her in a way that she could not deny, and there was nothing that could pull her away from this now. If this was her life, all the better.
She let out a wild whoop as she continued her mad dash across the slight hills of Germany, and the control room laughed and clapped with her. There was no doubt about it. The Evangelion Unit-02 was ready to go.
- - -
February 28th, 2015
Life continued, and soon, NERV-2 celebrated the start of a 2015 that seemed full of promise. Further tests were made, and Unit-02 was hardly found wanting. Life was good for the trio of Daniel, Misato, and Asuka.
So it was with a heavy heart that Asuka and Daniel stood at the airport, preparing to say their teary-eyed goodbyes to an anxious Misato.
"I understand why you're leaving," Asuka said, her face full of frustration, "but did they really have to transfer you all the way to Japan?"
Misato, misty-eyed herself, put her hand on Asuka's head. "I'll make sure and call, and stay in touch in other ways. You're set up at Daniel's place, right?"
Asuka nodded. "Yeah, for the whole two weeks that I'm without a guardian. I don't understand why Daniel couldn't just be my guardian."
Misato and Daniel shared a glance, then Daniel spoke up. "Neither do we, Asuka, but we can be assured that at least someone will be looking out for you. And at least I'm still here."
Asuka nodded, trying to hide an errant sniffle. "Yeah, I guess that's true. I can still kick your butt six ways to Sunday if I wanted to."
Everyone shared a chuckle, then the system called that Misato's flight was boarding. The chuckle died.
Misato wrapped both of them in a quick hug. "Like I said. I'll keep in touch. And besides, it won't be that bad. I'm sure we'll all see each other again at some point."
Daniel resisted the urge to speak up and say just how right she would probably be, and contented himself with waving as Misato turned and boarded her plane. Asuka waved as well, all the way until Misato was out of sight.
With a sigh, Asuka turned to Daniel. "Well, now I'm properly bummed. Do we at least know who's replacing her?"
Daniel nodded. "A little. His name is Ryoji Kaji. He's actually coming over from Japan, seems like he's been a part of NERV for a little while at least."
Asuka rolled her eyes as they began walking back to the car, which Misato graciously loaned to Daniel for the duration. "Great, a swap. I hope he's not boring, at least."
Daniel remained silent. Depending on what happened in the near future, boring would be the last thing Kaji would be.
"Well," Daniel said after a moment of silence, "at least it's an opportunity to meet someone new, regardless of whether you like them or not."
Asuka looked up at him with a deadpan glare. "I adore your delightful optimism," she said, voice dripping with sarcasm.
They reached the car and made their way back to Daniel's flat, and the X360 that awaited both of them.
Even with their duties, the weeks leading up to Kaji's arrival flew by in a haze of Evangelion maintenance, video game sound effects, and Bundaberg ginger beer. So, two weeks later, Daniel and Asuka found themselves at the airport once again, waiting for the airplane to dock again. Asuka had brought along a portable console, and was busy whittling away at the game she played, brow furrowed in concentration.
The plane docked, and passengers began to disembark. Both Daniel and Asuka scanned the oncoming crowd, looking for whomever Kaji might be.
Daniel spotted him first. He was surprisingly disheveled for someone who worked at NERV, even for having just got off a red-eye flight from Japan. He wore a black button-up shirt, undone at the top two buttons, a loose blue tie hanging around his neck. Black slacks and sporty black shoes topped off a look that screamed out casualness.
He wore his dark hair long and in a ponytail, incidentally mirroring Daniel, who had let his own hair grow out in the years he had been in Germany. Kaji scanned the area with surprisingly discerning blue eyes, eventually spotting them and starting to make his way over.
"I think that's him," Daniel said, nudging Asuka and pointing out Kaji. As she looked where he pointed, her gaze shifted from boredom to annoyance, and then to a wide-eyed wonder as she seemed unable to take her eyes off of him. Daniel recognized exactly what that look meant. Asuka was smitten.
"Well, hello there. I'm Kaji Ryoji," Kaji said in a relaxed, easy tone as Daniel and Asuka stood to greet him. Asuka continued to stare, while Daniel reached out a hand.
"Pleasure to meet you, Kaji," he said as Kaji took his hand in a firm grasp. "I'm Captain Theisman. You can just call me Daniel. Asuka and I are looking forward to working with you."
He looked to his side and found Asuka still wide-eyed at the sight of Kaji. "Asuka," Daniel said, nudging her with his elbow, "don't be too terribly rude. Introduce yourself."
Asuka jumped, an almost concealed "eep" escaping her throat before her eyes went from wide to leery. "Well, it's good to meet you too, I guess." She stretched out her hand, and Kaji shook it politely, shooting a glance at Daniel.
Daniel shook his head. "She's not usually this wary. She's just not used to not having Misato around."
In the noise of the busy airport, Daniel almost missed hearing Kaji's breath hitch for just a moment, or how his eyes widened slightly at the mention of Misato's name. But only almost.
"Misato Katsuragi, huh? That's a name I haven't heard in a while," Kaji said, appearing to quickly regain his composure. "I hope she's doing alright. Shall we get going?"
"Of course," Daniel said, noting how quickly he changed the subject, "Let's get you settled in."
The car ride back to the Stahlturm was somewhat uncomfortable and mostly taken in silence. Asuka, however, was curious. "So, how do you know Misato?" she asked as they passed into the Stahlturm proper.
"Well," Kaji said after a moment to collect his thoughts, "We knew each other in college. Had a hell of a fling."
He smiled distantly, seeming to recall happier days. "Misato broke it off, though, and went to South America afterward, last I heard. It was her choice though, and I respect that." he ended off with a shrug.
Asuka nodded, clearly unsatisfied with her answer. "All right, then."
They reached Asuka and Kaji's apartment soon after, and Kaji breathed deeply, taking the place, his belongings in the corner of the living room. "Well, I got to say, for a place as cramped as this can be, I'm surprised at how spacious it is."
"Yes. Well, you probably need some time alone to get settled in," Daniel said, looking at his back with an appraising look. "Unless you'd like Asuka's help?"
"No, no," Kaji quickly responded, waving a hand and turning around. "I should be fine just by myself, and it looks like Asuka needs a little more time before we become attached at the hip."
Asuka rolled her eyes at this. Daniel simply nodded. "Well, we'll give you some space then. Asuka will be back here at the end of the night."
Kaji nodded. "I'll see you tonight then."
And so, Asuka and Daniel left Kaji alone in the apartment to unpack. Before he started, Kaji took another deep breath. "It still smells like you, Misato." He said this as a simple matter of fact when his heart knew it went much deeper than that, however much he hesitated to admit it.
- - -
While Kaji focused on settling in, Asuka and Daniel went to perhaps one of the rarest, most out-of-place locations in the Stahlturm: a McDonald's. The fast-food chain had only survived Second Impact and the resulting Impact Wars by the skin of its teeth.
It was because of this oddity that Daniel chewed thoughtfully on a Big Mac while Asuka finished off her own hamburger. He looked at Asuka intently, then looked around to ensure they were sufficiently in private. After he was satisfied by the privacy they had been given, and with a small smile crossing his face, he spoke with all the delicacy of a thrown brick. "You totally have a crush on him."
Asuka had the grace to not inhale the last piece of her hamburger but still coughed anyways, an indignant look replacing whatever was there before. "What the hell? Why do you say that?"
A knowing smile made its home on Daniel's face. "Because I am very good at reading people. And you, my friend, were an open book with a massive font. You were smitten the moment you laid eyes on him!"
Asuka drew herself up, utterly affronted. "No!" she said indignantly.
A moment of silence passed across the table as Asuka then slouched down a little and uncharacteristically blushed. "Well, maybe," she muttered.
Daniel chuckled, the smile shrinking but not disappearing. "Don't worry, you and I will be the only ones who know. And, being good at reading people, I'm also fairly certain of the read I got on Kaji."
Asuka leered at Daniel. "And what, exactly, would that be?"
Daniel's face became serious as he considered what to say. "Well, he still isn't over Misato. He's kind of sad that he's missed her, and he dances around talking about her because it still hurts that she left," he said thoughtfully.
Daniel paused, and Asuka's face grew a thoughtful expression.
Daniel continued after a moment. "Misato also danced around mentioning him too often, too. She'd get close sometimes, but..."
His eyes gleamed as he continued. "I think they're in the same boat, always dancing around each other but afraid to commit because they're afraid of getting serious with each other."
Asuka nodded, all the fire she'd stoked against Daniel having gone out. She cupped her chin in a rare overt display of thoughtfulness. "Well, when you say that, it actually makes a lot of sense. Based on what we've both seen, you from Kaji and you and I from Misato, they both obviously had a past, and they enjoyed it. But then something happened. If we get to the bottom of it..."
Asuka went silent for a moment, then a smile slowly grew on her face as she came up with an awful, wonderful idea. Daniel couldn't help but notice this. "And what do you have spinning around in that college grad mind of yours?" he asked with a sly smirk.
Asuka nodded, having apparently put the final touches on her master plan. "If we get to the bottom of it, and help them resolve it, they can not feel any guilt in finally getting together!" She put a fist to an open hand, obviously resolved to do this.
Daniel's eyebrows went up in surprise. That was a twist. When he spoke next, surprise and respect were evident. "Asuka Soryu-Langley, you are utterly devious, you know that?"
Asuka preened. "Look at me, Daniel. I graduated in the top 20 of my class at the University of Neue Berlin. At 14 and a half. That sort of intelligence just comes with the bonus of being good at being devious."
A serious, sad look entered her eyes as she continued. "And besides, I want Misato to be happy. Truly happy. Not just content with drowning her sorrows and stress every day, mumbling little secrets to me while she's half passed out on the couch. I care for her too much for that."
Daniel nodded. "I do too. Which is why you've got an accomplice in me." Before Asuka could speak, Daniel raised a finger. "However, our little plan is going to be very hard to pull off when they're halfway across the world from each other."
Asuka deflated somewhat as he said this, then became thoughtful again. "You're right, of course. This might take some time and a healthy dose of luck. But I'm not giving up on it."
Daniel nodded. "Good, because I'm not either. Who knows, we might get a chance to go to Japan, and…"
He glanced up at the television hanging on one wall, playing the evening news, which was covering a breaking story. "That might be sooner than we might think."
Asuka turned to look at the TV as well. "Why do you say that?"
Daniel said nothing, allowing the reporter to speak for him.
"Earlier today, the Prime Minister of Japan spoke on his decision to call an emergency situation into effect for the area around Tokyo-3. He thanked the United Nations for lending its support during such a "critical time." No news on why the emergency situation was declared was forthcoming during the conference, and the Prime Minister declined to speak with us further. For a deeper insight on this, we turn to our Japanese correspondent…"
The TV continued while Daniel turned back to Asuka after looking around once again to ensure their privacy. "That's a NERV protocol for protecting sensitive information from the general public. You were asking how I knew we would be going to Japan soon. Call it a gut feeling."
Daniel glanced at the time after a moment of silence. 19:24. "Well," he said, "we should probably get you back with Kaji. Heaven knows there's no time to start working on our little love scheme like the present."
Asuka responded to the amused glimmer that appeared in Daniel's eyes with her own. "That is an excellent point. I should be able to pack up and have everything back by 2100 if we start now."
Daniel nodded. "Excellent. Let's go."
After packing everything up from Daniel's flat, they made their way back to Kaji, who answered the door in much the same outfit, sans tie. "So," Kaji said, "You ready to go, Asuka?"
Asuka nodded, a polite smile on her face. "Certainly. I look forward to getting to know you better." She turned to Daniel and gave him a quick hug. "See you later, Daniel."
Daniel returned the hug, holding it for a few seconds before letting go. "See you, Asuka." He turned to Kaji. "Your packet is on the table, right?"
Kaji nodded. "Yep. Has everything I need in it. Thanks for the warm welcome," he said, extending his hand toward Daniel.
Daniel accepted it. "Never a problem. Welcome to NERV-2."
Kaji nodded, and the door closed.
Daniel made his way home, taking his shoes off and heading for the couch, turning on the TV, and grabbing the report he put on the table as he and Asuka packed up. He flipped through it as he leaned back on the couch. It was nothing special, mostly maintenance reports he already saw every day, but one thing in particular someone else had noticed and flagged for him was that LCL storage was always reading as somewhat lower than it should be. Someone was apparently helping themselves to NERV-2's supply of LCL.
Daniel arched his eyebrow as he scanned the careful record printed to verify this statement. LCL was useless here outside of very specific applications. Why would anyone here want NERV's LCL? Unless…
No. He had to see for himself before he came to that conclusion. He would have to investigate this LCL theft himself.
But first, he would have to get some sleep. It had been a busy day, and Asuka keeping him up playing video games over the last two weeks hadn't helped matters. So, he turned the ignored TV off and made his way to bed.
- - -
In the days and weeks after the news broadcast, the staff of NERV got the official news. After 15 years, the Angels, one of whom had caused Second Impact, had returned to Earth and were targeting Tokyo-3 specifically. The news shocked most, but Daniel passed it off as an afterthought. After all, Angels were not the strangest, or most dangerous, things he had seen in his lifetime.
But such was the case for many, and one in particular. Shinji had called soon after the first Angel attack. Naturally, he had questions.
"So, Daniel," Shinji started at the beginning of one of their phone calls, "how did you know about the Angel? About AT Fields? About the Eva? Why did you hide these things from me?"
Daniel sighed. He had a right to know. But the knowledge, all of it, or even most of it, given now, would put him in indescribable danger. Daniel knew he had to tread carefully.
"Well, Shinji," he said after a moment of deliberation, "I was involved with NERV even when I was with you growing up. I got a lot of information about what had happened at Second Impact, what the Angels were supposed to be, and I even snuck out some information concerning the Evangelion."
A pause. "Don't… don't tell your dad about that one, would ya?"
Shinji answered immediately. "Of course. Not like I plan on going out of my way in talking to him anytime soon."
Daniel couldn't help but wince. "I assume that didn't go well then?"
Daniel could feel the bitterness in Shinji's voice dripping out of the receiver. "I'm just a pilot. A tool! All Father sees when he looks at me is how well I can pilot the Eva. There's no love, no desire to reconnect, nothing. He doesn't love me."
Shinji's voice grew quieter. "He doesn't love me," he repeated, sorrow evident in its creeping in.
Daniel didn't bother trying to keep the concern out of his voice. "Hey. Don't get down on yourself just because your father is a fool. You are loved. I love you. Don't forget that, okay?"
There was silence on the other end of the line. "Thank you, Daniel."
"Always, Shinji." Daniel paused for a moment, then continued. "Have you met Misato yet?"
A slightly worried chuckle came over the line. "Well yes, I actually have. She speaks fondly of you. Says that she misses you and… Asuka from time to time?"
Daniel nodded in understanding. "Yes, Asuka. She's the pilot of Unit-02. You might meet her one of these days. She's… quite the character."
"I don't doubt it," Shinji replied with a chuckle.
An extended silence from Shinji came as a muted voice that could only belong to Misato made itself apparent in the background. Shinji came back to the call momentarily. "Alright, I have to cut it short. Misato wants me to make dinner. She sends her regards to you and Asuka."
Daniel chuckled. "I'm sure she appreciates your cooking more than even the best thing she could microwave."
Laughter came from both ends of the line. "Alright," Daniel said after it had died down, "go make dinner. I'll talk to you later."
Shinji hesitated for a moment. "Thanks. And… I love you." It seemed like he found it strange to say, but liked it nonetheless.
Daniel smiled. "I love you too, Shinji. Bye." The line went dead.
. . .
Sighing, Daniel pocketed the phone and turned back to where he was, which was the cramped, dim room that was LCL storage. It wasn't hard to siphon LCL from this place, Daniel thought, if you could get here. After getting past camera networks and guards and locks of all sorts, this room had a lot of places to hide, only two cameras guarding the way in and out, and few security measures in place to alert others of undue draining.
Daniel shined a flashlight in the room, the beam of light cutting through the dimness of the quietly gurgling, bubbling room. There were no physical signs that were readily evident to him, so Daniel used the power his Interfacing gave him, and slowly sharpened his senses, the power of his soul strengthening his body and mind. He scanned the area with eyes far superior to those of any animal in this world.
As he did so, he eventually noticed an errant handprint, seemingly left in haste on one of the containers. It didn't appear too smudged, but a handprint on a single container could mean anything. Luckily, he had his ways of finding out who it may have belonged to.
Standing in front of it, and holding his hand out to it, he began to will the latent Metos, the latent energy of the soul, within him to become focused, directed. Then, he got to work creating a Framework for the Expression he wanted to use.
It would be a simple thing, really. All the Frame, and thus the Expression, needed to do was act as a sort of signal booster, strengthening the link between an anchor, in this case, the handprint, and the soul of the person who left it. It wouldn't make too much Flux, which would be nice in keeping the Expression working for a little while. But the handprint as an anchor would not last, and it would not be strong enough for more than basic questions and answers. But it would work, for now.
The Framework completed, it glowed briefly in the physical world, before fading away. The handprint then began to glow, as Daniel's Expression activated. He closed his eyes and focused.
He saw in his mind a sphere, glowing with rippling colors, reminding him offhandedly of the AT Field monitor. Refocusing, he asked his first question to the sphere. "Who are you?"
The sphere pulsed, sending ripples of purple and green, a slight, nasally male voice answering. "Tavis Farhaven."
Now that didn't sound too local to this Earth, did it? Daniel asked again. "Are you from this world?"
The sphere pulsed again, a combination of blue and orange rippling around it. "No."
Daniel wondered. It made sense that they would be able to sneak past everything. They were probably Interfaced like he was. His mind continued to wander for a moment. He did not like the direction it was going in. The link was fading fast, too. He only had time for a few more questions.
So Daniel continued his interrogation. "Do you belong to any groups?"
The sphere pulsed red and white this time. "Yes."
A sense of dread began to build in his chest. He had time to ask one more question. After that, the anchor would be useless in maintaining the connection. With great trepidation, he asked his last question. "Which groups do you belong to?"
The sphere pulsed black. "The True Scions of Unity."
Daniel severed the connection before it could fade, stumbling back to rest against one of the LCL containers, his heart pounding in his ears as he struggled to breathe. They were here. A splinter group, perhaps, but they were here. Suddenly Gendo Ikari, SEELE, even the Angels weren't the greatest threat to this world. But he couldn't act now, and he could not act brazenly.
Daniel took deep breaths as he steadied himself. Regardless of the extrauniversal nature of its thieves, he still had to report the thefts to Commander Lutenhahl. But in a little while, when he was ready. He made his way to the door and quickly made his way to somewhere, anywhere private.
- - -
The weeks passed into months. As the weeks went by, Unit-02 and its pilot underwent an escalating series of readiness tests, ostensibly in the event that Germany was attacked in much the same fashion as Tokyo-3.
As time, and two more Angel attacks, proved, however, their focus seemed to be entirely on Japan. Soon, Daniel received the news, entirely unofficial at this point, that the Human Instrumentality Committee was considering sending Unit-02 to Japan to support Unit-01.
As Daniel entered Commander Lutenhahl's office, that consideration had become an order, and in addition to Asuka and Kaji going, of course, Daniel and much of his support staff, familiar with the workings and idiosyncrasies of Unit-02, would be going as well. The only question left to be answered then was how.
Lutenhahl stood, smiling at Daniel as he entered. "Daniel," he said, the both of them now on a comfortable first name basis after a particular night at the Zeitverschwendung, "I understand you have some ideas as to how we'll be transporting Unit-02 to Tokyo-3."
"That I do, Karl," Daniel replied, the both of them sitting at Lutenhahl's desk, and Daniel producing a packet of papers, opening and leafing through them.
"It boils down to two possible solutions. Both are comparable in length, the one real difference being choosing how much land we want to cover."
Lutenhahl nodded his understanding. "Go on."
Daniel cleared his throat before continuing. "Our first option is to use the Trans-Siberian Railway. We'll need to airlift the Unit about a third of the way, but the rest of the track is rated for the load-bearing requirements we need to transport an Evangelion. From there, it's a straight ride to the Bering Strait, where we load her onto a suitably sized ship and sail down to Japan."
Lutenhahl nodded as he smiled slightly. "The UN Task Fleet has been… graciously put forward, shall we say, to be our escort for overseas transport. And the vessel you're probably thinking of would be the Over the Rainbow. It's an Iris-class Supercarrier, first of her class. It'll be the only thing that has the tonnage and the weight displacement for our needs. And our other option?"
Daniel nodded, then continued. "Our second option involves a much longer sea journey, but a much shorter air journey. Simply put, we'll have the Task Fleet meet us at Lisbon, and after we've airlifted her there and loaded her onto the Over the Rainbow, we can look forward to about a month's journey that has to go around the Cape of Good Hope. We would use the Suez Channel, but there are just too many ships that would have to go through if we're being escorted by the U.N."
Lutenhahl nodded, pondering for a moment. "So, we're looking at a sizable journey either way. It's whether we want the majority over land or sea."
He continued to quietly think before he seemed to reach a conclusion. "As much as I'm sure he'll be irked by how we'll make Siberian grain shipments a little late, I'm sure I can talk to the Russian foreign minister, convince him of our need. We'll take the overland route."
Daniel nodded. "Very well, Karl. My team has already drawn up some specifications for the railway cars we need. They shouldn't be too hard to produce, what with how dependent Russia seems to be on the Trans-Siberian for almost everything now."
Lutenhal nodded in turn. "You and your team get on that, Daniel."
He sighed heavily. "In the meantime, I'm going to engage in perhaps the most annoying part of this job."
They both stood, and as they did, Daniel glanced down at Lutenhahl's desk.
To the side, he noticed a document partially hidden away, its title being written in at least three different languages that all seemed to say "Human Instrumentality Project". Attached to the front page of the document was a small picture, one of what looked like a younger, happier Karl Lutenhahl and his family.
Lutenhahl saw where he gazed, the friendly light in his eyes slowly dimming. "Do you know what that is, Daniel?"
An uneasy silence filled the room before Daniel responded. "Yes."
As he turned to walk away, Lutenhahl asked another question, deathly quiet now. "Do you know what must happen for it to succeed?"
Daniel, his back to Lutenhahl and already suspecting what seemed to be the inevitable now, answered simply. "Yes."
Another moment of silence swept into the office. It was disturbed only by the quiet click of a pistol's safety turning off.
"Then you know I can't allow you to leave this room alive, Daniel."
Daniel slowly turned and saw the Beretta aimed at his head, steady as a rock. But he could also see the conflict in Lutenhahl's eyes. So he decided to speak carefully.
"Karl," he started in a calming tone, raising his hands placatingly, "just put the gun down and we can talk about this."
Lutenhahl's voice was drained of any emotion, seeming to leave him on autopilot. "You don't understand. Not like I do. Second Impact, the Impact Wars? They took everything from me. They left me a broken shell of myself ready to just end it all to reunite with my family. Then the Committee, then SEELE, came to me and offered me salvation. They offered me a chance to reunite with my family in a way that was impossible before. I can't let you take that from me."
Daniel continued in his calming voice. "I do understand, Karl. I do. I've lost family and other people that I love too. I know the pain you're feeling, how you just want it to stop. But SEELE can't offer you your family. They can only offer an illusion."
Lutenhahl began to tremble slightly, anger edging its way into his voice. "And how do you know that? SEELE wants to make things right again. They've promised a paradise after this plan comes to pass. How can you dispute that if you've never seen it?" He was shaking harder now.
Daniel lowered his hands slowly. "Because I have seen it, Karl."
Lutenhahl's eyes widened, the aim of his gun dipping for just a moment from the shock that made itself evident.
"How?" he asked, his voice now a strangled whisper.
Daniel took a second. Doing what he was about to do was going to be slightly tricky here on the spot in Karl's emotional state, but it would be the only way to convince him.
So, in the moment's silence that followed, he connected his soul lightly, perhaps tenuously, to Lutenhahl's with a simple Expression.
Daniel looked into Lutenhahl's eyes. He was afraid. Daniel couldn't blame him. "Look into my eyes, Karl. Look and see."
And as Karl Lutenhahl did so, Daniel showed him what would happen at the end of the world.
In the physical world, it took only a moment, but Lutenhahl saw and comprehended far more with his soul than Daniel could ever express with simple words. After he was finished, Daniel ended the Expression, and Lutenhahl lowered his gun, not caring as it slipped out of his hand to clatter briefly on his desk.
Then, he slowly sank into his chair, taking his head with his hands as sobs soon wracked his body. Daniel slowly went to his side, placing a hand on his shoulder to support his friend.
After many minutes, Lutenhahl finally seemed to find his voice. "It was all so quick. I wasn't even there for them. My dear Sofia. Leon, and Albert. My darling Anna…" More sobs, as tears hit the desktop. "I want to see them again. At least to tell them I'm sorry…"
Daniel sat in silence as his friend released what seemed to be the better part of a decade's worth of sorrow, rage, and guilt.
After a while, the sobbing stopped, and Lutenhahl turned, his eyes red and puffy. "So, will I ever truly see them again, Daniel?"
Daniel shook his head. "There are ways, Karl. But this is not one of them. Like I said, and as you saw, it would be nothing but a dream if Instrumentality came to pass. And SEELE would have license over such things."
Karl shook his head, a hard look in his eyes. "I can't allow that. They have to be stopped. All of them."
Daniel squeezed Lutenhahl's shoulder. "And they will be stopped. But now is not the time. We have the Angels to deal with first."
"And besides," he said as he let go of Karl's shoulder and circled to the front of his desk, "there are now far more dangerous groups here than SEELE. People with my sort of power, and very little moral compunction to get in the way of using it for their own ends."
Lutenhahl looked up, desperation evident in his eyes now. "Then what do we do?"
Daniel put up a placating hand. "For now, we wait and carry on. Such groups as I have mentioned are content moving in the shadows, letting the story play out for now. As such, we will leave them be for the moment. Find them and watch them, yes, but keep our distance in doing so."
"In the meantime, however," he continued, "there are this world's problems to deal with. And a great way to start," he said, looking back to the document, "is if you allow me to copy that."
Karl nodded after a moment. "Very well. I understand well enough the need for covering our tracks, and for making sure that there's evidence and a way to make a game plan. I'll get it copied and sent to you."
Daniel nodded and stood to leave. "Excellent. Thank you, Karl," he said, reaching out and gripping Lutenhahl's shoulder. "And you're sure that we aren't being watched?"
Lutenhahl nodded. "Much as it pains the Magi technicians, I've made sure that this is one of the few places that has no continuously active surveillance by the system. Nobody else knows what happened here."
Daniel nodded grimly, then chuckled. "Nothing quite like secret combinations to end the day, is there Karl?"
A small chuckle escaped Karl's throat as an unsteady smile came to his face. "No. No, I can't disagree. As I said, I'll get the document in question copied and sent to you securely. Then I'll get on with preparations for transporting Unit-02."
Daniel gave his own smile. "I'll let you get to it, then."
He turned again and made his way to the door of the office, then turned. "Karl… if you ever need someone to talk to… you know where I am."
"That I do, Daniel," Commander Lutenhahl said. "That I do."
Unit-02 makes its way to the battleground of Tokyo-03, and those involved with the Evangelion slowly begin to come together, including those hidden thus far. Who truly is Eleanor? And how long has she really been here? Next Episode: Convergence.
Of course, though many events are mutable, and can have their outcomes changed, some things are a constant, regardless of the Echo one chooses to travel to. This is one such event, and it will always signify great change for this universe. Whether for good or ill, well, that would always remain to be seen.
Trans-Siberian Railway, June 2015
A massive train trundled down the tracks of the equally massive railway, slowly snaking its way towards the Bering Strait. In one, massive car, the form of Unit-02 was curled into a fetal position, closed off from all the world.
In the several cars ahead of it, its Pilot, her guardian, and its chief mechanic, along with a goodly amount of her maintenance and support staff traveled along with her, in passenger cars that, while not the lap of luxury by any means, were more than adequate for the task of conveying their cargo across the dry, green and beige landscapes of a Russia coming into summer.
They did, however, lack the support for any video game consoles, a fact which Asuka lamented to both Kaji and Daniel at least once a day.
What occupied her currently, however, was a tablet, on which she watched the previous battles of Unit-01 against the Angels as she sat in the room she, Kaji, and Daniel shared. They had received the mostly raw capture footage of the battles from an uplink during one of their fuel stops early on, and Asuka was engrossed. She studied the Angels intently, scrutinizing every piece of footage that showed two of the otherworldly beings, now code-named "Sachiel" and "Shamshel", respectively. "Ramiel", while an interesting Angel, did not merit such scrutiny as its forebears did.
She was impressed by the Angel's capabilities with their AT Fields and often postulated how similar effects might be achieved by an Evangelion and their weaponry, bouncing ideas off of Daniel for possible pieces of equipment for the Evas.
She was less impressed by Unit-01's performance in said battles.
"Oh come on," she groaned as the image of Unit-01 flew gracelessly, once again, into a hillside after being thrown by Shamshel, "what was he thinking? First, he drunkenly stumbles along with Sachiel and gets the stuffing beaten out of him, then Shamshel here comes along and shows that he has absolutely no trigger discipline. How long did they have this guy before stuffing him into an Entry Plug?"
Daniel looked up from his book with a pained look in his eyes as Kaji, half asleep, nodded and murmured in agreement.
"The way that Shinji tells it," Daniel said after a moment, "he had just gotten to the bay holding Unit-01 before Sachiel attacked. So…"
Daniel did some mental math in his head. "About half an hour?"
Both Asuka and Kaji looked at Daniel incredulously. "You've got to be kidding," they said, almost simultaneously. Daniel's silent stare said that he really didn't. Asuka and Kaji's mouths hung open in utter shock.
Asuka fumed. "You really aren't kidding? It took me months before I could even get to the equivalent of making the Eva walk! What did they expect when they put someone as green as him in?"
Kaji nodded, now fully awake. "Yeah. Asuka's put years of training into this sort of thing, and they just throw this poor boy into the deep end? It's a miracle he's even still alive."
Daniel nodded in return. "Shinji has gotten pretty lucky. Unfortunately, he says that his training thus far has been rather lackluster as well. Though he is getting better after a surprisingly good start, synch-wise."
Asuka nodded dismissively. "Yeah? How high is his synch score? If he's as fresh as you say he is, it can't be that high."
Daniel thought for a moment. "He said after his first battle that the scientists read his synch score as somewhere in the mid-40s."
Asuka's jaw dropped again, while Kaji's brow rose.
"No training and a synch score that high? That's insane!" Asuka's eyes seemed as big as dinner plates as she gaped in amazement. "Even my score is only in the mid-60s right now."
Kaji nudged her as she continued to ponder silently with wide eyes. "You might be able to offer him some tips then, Asuka. I'm sure he would appreciate them from a pro like you."
Asuka nodded as he said this, seeming to take this into serious consideration. "You know, that's not a bad idea. Even though I clearly am the best pilot that's going to be there, if there's anything I've learned playing games with you, Daniel, it always helps to have some competition to keep one sharp."
Daniel smiled, turning back to his book. "We still have the better part of a week before we even reach the docks at the Bering Strait, and we made our last stop on this ride yesterday. As great of an idea as it is, unfortunately, it's going to have to wait."
Asuka pouted but nodded as she recognized the truth of Daniel's words. That didn't mean she had to be particularly happy about that fact, however. Eventually, though, she returned to the tablet screen, examining Unit-01's actions with new eyes, as the train sped onward towards the far end of Asia.
- - -
As promised, they soon reached the now verdant coast of Siberia, now made a breadbasket for Russia and the world around it after Second Impact melted the ice of Antarctica and raised temperatures around the world. The coastal city of Magadan, the destination of Unit-02 and her crew, had transformed from a small port town to a bustling trade hub for the Pacific Ocean, carrying far more out, and receiving still more, than simply foodstuffs made on the now fertile land it acted as the gatekeeper of.
It was here that the United Nations Task Fleet made harbor as it awaited its precious cargo. It was a grand patchwork of ships, mostly composed of American, Russian, and Japanese ships, each with a long, venerated history.
But the pride of the fleet by far was its newest vessel. The Iris-class Supercarrier Over the Rainbow floated in the water with a sense of regality and undeniable strength, a fortress and palace all in one.
It was perhaps one of the largest waterborne vessels mankind had ever constructed, featuring two massive flight decks stacked atop one another, with a beam almost half again as tall as the Evangelion, and catamaran hulls that stretched the length of its nearly 650 meters.
It truly was a sight to behold from the view that the massive air carrier for the Evangelion provided, as Daniel, Asuka, and Kaji all peered out the window at what would be their home for a brief time. Slowly but surely, the secured unit, its container loosely wrapped in a massive protective cloth like some gargantuan gift box, touched down on the deck, centered as the guiding crews could make it.
The trio would have to board using a separate aircraft, as the Eva carrier was simply too massive to touch down alongside its cargo simultaneously. As they stepped onto the floating island of metal and tarmac, they were greeted by a boarding party of several crewmates, capped off at the end by who appeared to be the ship's captain and executive officer.
"I'll go ahead and take the lead for this one," Daniel said as the doors opened and the boarding party snapped to attention, the ancient whistle of the bosun's pipes piercing the air, "seeing as I'm the highest-ranking one here."
They crossed the space between their craft and the captain, and Daniel came to attention and saluted before the captain. "Permission to come aboard?"
The captain saluted back with a small grin. "Permission granted. Welcome aboard the Over the Rainbow." He offered his hand for Daniel to shake. "I'm Vice Admiral Bollinger, commander of the Task Fleet, and this is my flag captain, Captain Boswell of the Over the Rainbow herself."
Daniel took each of their hands in a firm shake. "Thank you for having us aboard, sir. And thank you for your patience in being what essentially amounts to a delivery service."
Bollinger nodded. "Well, it's not for any great length of time, and besides, it gives us a chance to stretch our legs in somewhat new places. Many of the Russian ships with us haven't docked here in the Motherland for quite some time."
"Come," he said, waving as he advanced towards the back of the ship, "let's get you to your quarters. The entrance is over here by Rotors." They then began to make their way towards the section of the flight deck that seemed to be reserved for helicopters and similar aircraft.
As they made their way down the tarmac, towards the sleek, rather low profile command tower, Daniel pondered as Kaji, Asuka, and the commanders of the Over the Rainbow conversed. The Vice-Admiral seemed a lot more chipper about this than Daniel remembered his counterpart being, even with the Evangelion on a separate boat in that instance. Then again, they weren't going to be subject to a month-long cruise around Africa to get their precious cargo to Japan this time.
And, Daniel thought as his gaze turned towards the deceptively normal-looking suitcase that Kaji now carried with him, Unit-02 wasn't the only "precious cargo" headed to Tokyo-3.
They went below decks, winding through several corridors to reach a series of cabins, usually reserved for visiting authorities, the Vice Admiral said. It was rather spacious for a military vessel, though as with the train, they would all be bunking together. After a brief moment of conversation, Bollinger glanced at his watch.
"Well," he said, "I have business in the command tower that I have to take care of. We're at the tail end of resupplying, so we won't be leaving for about 2 days. If you have any questions, Captain Boswell can answer them. Again, welcome aboard." Both men then walked away to administer their duties.
"Well, he seems awfully chipper about all this," Asuka said, unknowingly echoing Daniel's previous rumination.
Kaji scratched his chin. "He does, doesn't he?"
Kaji shrugged. "Ah, well. Like he said, we're here for two days before we put out to sea. So," he said, dramatically setting himself onto one of the futons with a sigh, "We can just sit back and relax. Besides, what's the worst that could happen?"
Daniel arched an eyebrow. He knew exactly what "the worst" would be.
- - -
Tokyo-3, Japan, 1 Week Later
Shinji Ikari adjusted his bag again as he glanced back towards his still somewhat new friends as they got themselves ready to board the large, boxy transport helicopter, several machines loading a large rolled-up umbilical cable for Unit-02. They were an odd pairing, to say the least, but they were the closest thing that he had to school friends here in Tokyo-3.
Toji, tall and in his usual tracksuit and sporting a striped cap he wore backward, stood with his hands in his pockets and a disinterested look. He was really only going along to support the rest of his friends. He was probably best classified as "the jock", but Shinji knew he had his soft side, especially when it came to his family and his little sister. It helped that he was quite patient with those that he considered his friends.
Kensuke, on the other hand, was practically jumping with excitement. An ardent military enthusiast, he wore his usual wide, circular glasses, along with an orange shirt and khaki sleeveless fishing vest with his cargo shorts, and carried with him his prized camcorder, scanning the helicopter, the loading machines, Toji and Shinji, all while going on about how cool it was to ride on whatever model of aircraft this was.
After a moment, Misato and another woman exited from the building adjacent to the helicopter pad. Shinji recognized the woman accompanying Misato as the head of engineering for the Evangelion here at Tokyo-3. He didn't really interact with her much, but at least Misato spoke positively of her, and she enjoyed the dinners that she received when she sometimes visited.
She was of a fair height and complexion, with long strawberry blonde hair and discerning green eyes framed by a scattering of freckles on her cheeks. Toji and Kensuke turned and noticed both Misato and the newcomer, Toji straightening up and lifting his cap to slick back his hair before replacing the cap.
"Hello, boys," Misato said with a smile and a cheerful wave, "are you ready for an exciting day out?"
Kensuke beat them all to the punch. "A ride on a Mi-55d transport chopper out to the UN Task Fleet isn't something you just turn down, Ms. Misato!" Kensuke seemed to glow with anticipation.
Toji was less impressed. "Okay, so we get to ride on a big old box out to a bunch of boats. So what?"
Misato looked at her partner as both chuckled. "Think of it this way, Toji," she said with a smile, "we're going on a vacation date to a luxury cruise."
Toji looked down as he blushed under the supposed implication. "Well, when you put it like that…"
Kensuke, in a rare moment without his eye to the lens of his camera, then decided to speak up. "Who's your partner there, Ms. Misato?"
Before she could answer, Shinji did so for her. "She's the head of engineering for Rei and I's Evangelions. She joined up just before the first Angel came to Tokyo-3, and she makes sure that everything is in working order before we go out to battle any Angels."
He turned to her and smiled. "Good to see you're coming along, Ms. Eleanor."
Eleanor smiled. "It's good to be coming along, Shinji."
- - -
Shinji, Misato, and company flew across the bright blue view of the Pacific in the afternoon. Deep below the surface lay the ruins of cities, tectonically sheared off from the mainland and buried under the crushing depths during the environmental chaos of Second Impact. They also held a hidden threat, one that now began to make itself ready.
But these things were far from the minds of most everyone on the chopper, as the majestic sight of the UN Task Fleet came into view, the Over the Rainbow glinting in the formation's core like the centerpiece gem of a prized necklace.
Kensuke could hardly take his eyes off the sight. Or at least, his camera. "Woah..." he said, his visible eye wide with wonder. "Five carriers, four battleships, and all their appropriate escort and screening elements! Man, it is good to have friends with connections, isn't it, Shinji?"
Shinji, unsure of how to answer his friend, simply nodded. "Uh-huh."
Toji rolled his eyes. "It's a bunch of old boats around a bigger, newer boat. So what?"
Kensuke whipped around with a look of shock and disbelief in his eyes. "Toji, my friend. 'A bigger, newer boat'? You do the Iris class a monumental disservice! We're talking about a carrier with a beam of-"
As Kensuke launched into a spirited defense of how cool the Over the Rainbow was to a completely disinterested Toji, Shinji turned to Eleanor, who had been quiet the whole flight. "Are you excited to get to see the new Eva?"
She blinked as if exiting a deep thought and turned to Shinji, a slight smile on her face. "Of course, I am, Shinji. It's always exciting to see something so beautifully complex go into action. It's even cooler to work on it and see how it does what it does."
Misato turned back towards them as the chopper made its final approach. "Ever the gearhead, Eleanor. It's like you were made for this job."
Eleanor rolled her eyes as she smirked. "Not the paperwork of it. Just let me get my hands dirty, damn it!"
Misato chuckled, and they touched down. "Well, as the resident engineer, you'll be the one making sure we'll be able to get Unit-02 where it needs to go." She paused for a moment as the door opened. "Besides, it'll be good to see Asuka and Daniel again, too."
Misato, Shinji, and the others got out of the helicopter first, missing Eleanor's wide-eyed expression of shock. Daniel was here?
- - -
Daniel, Asuka, and Kaji waited as the time passed by before Misato was supposed to arrive. Asuka had put on a stylish yellow sundress with a white pair of high-top canvas sneakers, which she was sure would "blow the pants off Misato and the rookie."
Shinji was that "rookie", and Asuka was looking forward to being a stern teacher in the ways of piloting the Evangelion. The time drew near, and Asuka stood from the table that the tablet sat on. "Well, I'm off to dazzle the rookie and Misato. Will you guys be up soon?"
Daniel nodded. "We'll be up soon enough. Go blow their minds."
A proud smile and a nod presaged Asuka disappearing from the doorway as Daniel and Kaji chuckled.
Kaji shook his head. "Poor kid won't know what hit him."
Daniel nodded. "Yeah, I doubt Shinji's too terribly ready for the regimen he's about to be a part of." Asuka had spent the last 3 days of their voyage crafting a training regimen for the finer details of piloting of such an intensity, it would probably make a drill instructor blush.
Daniel stood, and made his way to the hatch. "Will you be coming along, Kaji?"
Kaji nodded. "In a little bit. There are still some things I got to do to be ready."
Daniel looked back and glanced at the suitcase beside Kaji. When he looked back at Kaji, an unspoken understanding passed between them. Whatever was in there, they were both at least somewhat skittish about it.
Daniel finally nodded. "Alright then. I'll see you topside." Kaji nodded back, and Daniel left the cabin.
As he emerged out into the open air, he saw the boxy helicopter that had landed beside the container for Unit-02, Asuka proudly standing before the exiting group of Misato, Shinji, and what appeared to be two of his friends, Toji and Kensuke, who Shinji had talked about sometimes. He distantly noted another figure going towards the Eva container, but his focus was on Shinji and Misato.
The taller one in the tracksuit, who he knew was Toji, lost his hat in an errant gust of wind. As the boy started running after it, Daniel knew where this was going, and he braced for the impacts.
Ahead of him, Toji finally got to his hat, which he found under a white-shod foot. Misato looked at where Toji now found himself and smiled. "Asuka! You've certainly grown taller."
Asuka stood proud, hands on her hips. "Kind of you to notice, Misato. I've grown in a lot of other ways, too."
Misato then spoke to the boys. "Gentlemen, this is Asuka Soryu-Langley, pilot of Unit-02, and the Second Child."
At that moment, the wind changed directions, blowing up the hem of Asuka's sundress. Daniel rolled his eyes as he closed them. The boys' fate had been sealed, it seemed.
Three smacks pierced the air and nearly seemed to pierce Shinji, Toji, and Kensuke's cheeks, a bright handprint evident on each of them.
Toji stumbled back, rubbing his cheek. "Ow! What the hell was that for?"
Asuka narrowed her eyes as he said this. "That was the viewing fee, and it's a rather light one for voyeurs such as yourself." she nodded as Misato rolled her eyes, an amused smile on her face.
No such smile was on Toji's face as he glowered at Asuka. "Oh, yeah? Well, it's an eye for an eye in this world, so I'll show you.." he said as he grabbed for his pants.
Kensuke, in yet another rare moment when his eye wasn't on the lens of his camera, made the, in his mind, dangerous move of trying to restrain Toji. "Dude, wait a minute," he shouted as he grabbed Toji's arms as best he could, "there's no need to make an even greater fool of yourself than you already have! Please!"
Toji struggled against Kensuke's grip. "Will you knock it off, Ken? I've gotta show her a piece of my mind, and a sight she'll-"
He was cut off as yet another smack graced his other cheek, narrowly missing Kensuke's face. "And that is for trying to shock a girl you've barely met," Asuka said, as Toji let go of his pants to massage his other cheek.
As she walked past the duo, she came to a stop in front of Shinji and Misato, looking at Shinji intently. "So," she said after a moment of scrutiny, "you're the rookie Daniel likes to talk to."
Shinji was taken aback, as Misato chuckled at Asuka's choice of words.
"R-rookie?" he finally said after a moment of closing and opening his mouth like a gaping fish. Misato began to fully laugh now.
The fire in Asuka's eyes only seemed to grow brighter. "Exactly, rookie! You may have been lucky enough to stumble through the first three Angels, but I won't accept simply lucky from someone who I'll be fighting alongside!"
Daniel finally made his way to Asuka's side, putting a hand on her shoulder. "What she means," Daniel began as Shinji's eyes, and smile, grew wide at the sight of him, "is that you should get ready for her to teach you the finer points of piloting."
Shinji took a moment to look at Daniel and how he had changed over the three years he had been gone. "Daniel! It's so good to see you again!"
Daniel put his other hand on Shinji's shoulder, a warm smile on his face. "And it is good to see you too Shinji. Really, it's amazing to see you alive after what you've been through."
Shinji nodded. "It feels like that sometimes for me, too."
Daniel chuckled softly and turned to Misato. "It's good to see you after so long, Misato. How's Tokyo-3 treating you?"
Misato shook her head. "About as well as 3 Angel attacks in as many months can treat you," she said with a tired smile.
Asuka looked at Misato. "And you have some things to do too, like make sure that Daniel knows where everything is to make sure he can keep Unit-02 in peak condition."
Misato nodded. "Oh, Eleanor can help with that," she said offhandedly.
The rest of the world seemed to fall away from Daniel's sight as she said this. "Eleanor?" he said quietly as his eyes widened. "She's here?"
Misato nodded. "Yeah. Last I saw she was heading toward the container for Unit-02. Do you know her?"
Daniel didn't answer as he made his way to the massive, coffin-like container, drawing confused stares from everyone in the group. Did he know her? And how?
. . .
As Daniel made his way into the container, he looked around the space. Light strips along the top edges of the container glowed, throwing a pale light on the curled-up form of Unit-02.
It lay half-submerged in a pool of LCL, wires connecting it to various diagnostic devices. A row of pontoon platforms connected the entrance of the container to access the Unit itself.
On the last platform before the Eva stood a form that he had not seen in an age. Trepidation filled his voice as he dared to break the silence. "Eleanor?"
She turned at the sound of his voice. She looked like a mirror image of the last time he saw her. When he left her. Look of shock and all.
"Daniel?" Hesitation filled her voice as much as it did Daniel's. And as she spoke, two searching souls intertwined and felt each other's presence for the first time in what seemed like lifetimes.
Which was how Eleanor knew the shock, the hope, the guilt, roiling behind a partly downturned face that approached her across the pontoon bridge. As they stood a platform apart, Daniel finally looked up, and they looked into each other's eyes deeply.
After almost unbearable moments of silence, Daniel spoke again, tears welling in his eyes. "You're as beautiful as the day I lost you."
A choked chuckle escaped Eleanor as she looked up for a moment, tears in her own eyes. "You and your references," she said, looking back into Daniel's eyes, "you never stopped did you?"
Daniel paused for a moment. "Never." Then he took a step forward.
And then he immediately stepped back, as Eleanor delivered a powerful smack across his face, her expression the definition of indignation.
Daniel rubbed his cheek, already showing a growing red welt. "I deserved that one, really."
Eleanor pointed an accusatory finger in Daniel's face. "That one was for leaving us. For leaving me. Don't you ever, ever do that again!"
Then she stepped forward and hugged him tightly, even fiercely, the platform they were now both on wobbling slightly. "Please," she whispered into his ear.
Daniel held her just as fiercely. "As you wish," he whispered back.
She released herself, and cupped Daniel's face in her hands, before kissing him deeply. They remained there, drinking in each other in the shadow of a sleeping giant.
They separated for a moment, and Eleanor looked at Daniel more seriously. "Did you keep the ring?"
Hearing this, Daniel dug around in his pockets for a moment, before digging out a black band, inlaid with a single jewel that swirled with a rainbow of colors. "Of course I did. I may not have been completely ready for this moment," he said, slipping the ring on, "but I will never not accept it."
Eleanor marveled at the ring, then looked into Daniel's eyes again. She then drew him into another deep kiss, each of them feeling the other's love, their hope, and most of all, their relief. Finally, they had found each other. And they were whole again.
. . .
After a long, long-awaited kiss, they walked back out into the open air, hand in hand, a crowd of Misato, Shinji, Asuka, Toji, and Kensuke waiting only a short distance away from the container. It seemed, Daniel thought, they had an audience. He felt Eleanor's amusement at such a thought before coming to a stop in front of them.
Daniel spoke after a moment. "Asuka, Misato, Shinji, and others," he said, "this is Eleanor Theisman. My wife."
Silence reigned as the group blinked. Then blinked again. Then a collective "What!" took the silence and shredded it. Thus, Daniel and Eleanor were mobbed by the now terribly excited, terribly confused group of their friends.
Misato was the first in the mob able to comprehensibly speak. "This is who you were talking about in Germany all that time ago?"
Daniel nodded. "Yes, Misato, it was. I just wasn't ready then. Hell, I can't say that I'm entirely ready now. But it is what it is. And I'm glad for it."
Asuka spoke up next, a sardonic tone to her question. "So, does this mean I have a sister-in-law now?"
More than one pair of eyes turned to Asuka in absolute shock at having heard what she said. Eleanor simply looked at her wonderingly as Daniel looked at her. "I'll explain later," he said, giving her a general idea of things through their link.
Eleanor nodded. "Okay. Sounds good. Shouldn't we head to the bridge to make sure that we can coordinate the transfer of the Unit?"
Silence briefly made its presence known again, then Misato nodded. "Yeah, we probably should. We'll have a reunion back at our apartment when everything's done!" A chorus of agreements followed, and the group began making its way towards the command tower.
Daniel was somewhat confused for a moment before Eleanor let him know through their link that they lived just next door to Misato. A quiet "Ah" escaped from Daniel as they went after the group.
They all filed into the command tower's bridge, a large room dominated by a long table lit from above by a holographic projector that showed the whole sea and what was under it in stunning detail. Other stations around the bridge broke down and processed the information presented in full here. Kensuke was positively drooling as he captured this all on video. In the meantime, the rest of the group made their way over to Vice Admiral Bollinger and Captain Boswell.
They turned, nodding as both Daniel and Misato saluted, and they saluted back. "I hope you'll pardon the fact that we didn't have a side party ready for you, Captain," Admiral Bollinger said to Misato, "But the truth is, we're about ready to make for the high seas again. We'd like to get this delivery done as quickly as possible."
Misato nodded. "And we'd like to help you as much as we can in that regard. Thank you for your patience and cooperation."
Bollinger chuckled. "No, no, the pleasure's mine. We're just doing our part to keep Earth safe from these Angel… things. And besides," he said as he glanced over at Kensuke, "at least we have one enthusiastic supporter."
"Of course," Misato said as she chuckled.
"Should the need arise," Misato continued as she dug a few papers out of the manila folder she had in her hands, handing them to the Admiral, "here are the schematics for the emergency umbilical cable. I prefer to think of it as something to use in case of any... unforeseen emergencies."
The Admiral studied it with a critical eye. "Ma'am, I must say, even though I am installing this on my ship, I pray to God that we never have to use this."
"You're not the only ones, I promise," Misato replied.
"I must say," Boswell said offhandedly, "This is probably the largest escort I've ever seen for a single weapon, regardless of its size."
Bollinger nodded. "You're not the only one, Captain. All this, the whole Task Fleet, is a lot to have going out for the delivery of what essentially equates to a massive puppet."
Daniel put a restraining hand on Asuka's shoulder as she nearly charged at the Admiral, shaking his head as she looked up at him with a barely constrained righteous indignation in her eyes. So as she stopped, she settled for grumbling. "Call my Unit-02 a puppet, will you? We'll see about that," she muttered.
Misato, ignoring this, handed them another piece of paper. "Now, if you'll go ahead and sign off the Evangelion to us, we can go ahead and get it off your hands."
Bollinger accepted the paper. "I'll go ahead and sign it off to you." As Misato prepared to speak again, he cut her off. "After we ensure that it's delivered safely into your custody. We are still technically in international waters and in our jurisdiction. And until we can ensure that nothing that happens, happens under our watch, I'd rather it stayed a part of our jurisdiction for now."
Misato nodded. "I can understand that line of thinking. Very well. You know where to send it when it's ready. But do keep in mind that should any emergency occur, the Unit will be under our jurisdiction for the duration."
Bollinger nodded. Then another voice came from the hatch leading into the room. "You're still just as composed as ever, I see." All eyes turned towards the voice, which revealed itself to be that of Kaji, in his deceivingly slovenly dress.
Asuka waved at him from across the room "Hello, Kaji! Good to see you out of the room!"
Kaji waved back. "And hello to you, too."
"Mr. Kaji," Bollinger said, his brow slightly furrowed in annoyance, "I don't seem to recall inviting you to the bridge as well."
Kaji dipped his head. "My apologies, sir. I'll call ahead next time."
As this exchange occurred, Misato looked almost horrified, then her expression changed to that of readily apparent anxiety before she seemed to school her face into a calm expression once again. She saluted the Admiral and the Captain. "If you'll excuse us," she said as she began to walk away, studiously ignoring Kaji as she did, "we'll be getting ready to take the Eva off your hands. Come on, Shinji. Asuka." Somewhat tentatively they, along with Toji and an unwilling Kensuke, followed, leaving Daniel, Eleanor, and Kaji on the bridge with the naval officers.
"And we're pinning the fate of the whole world on those Children," Bollinger said with a tinge of regret in his voice. "Another sin of us old men who've gone to war for this world. What a waste. And so young, too. They could be my grandkids."
Eleanor spoke up for the first time. "It may be a sin, sir, but it is what it is now. And now we have to make sure that they can do their job safely." Kaji and Daniel nodded sagely in agreement.
- - -
Far in the depths, hidden from sensors by manipulation of its AT Field, a massive Angel slowly slid out from the building it was hiding under and swam towards the Call. Dim and muffled though it may have been, it still sang out. And the Angel, Gaghiel, would answer.
However, the threat of an Angel attack was not the most pressing thing on Misato's mind. What was right now was how damnably cramped this stupid elevator they had all gotten into was. She glanced in annoyance at Kaji, who had somehow joined them at the last minute. "And just what are you doing here?"
"I'm Asuka's guardian. I believe I replaced you when you left for here." Kaji said matter of factly.
Misato rolled her eyes. "It really figures, doesn't it? I really should have seen this coming."
Silence descended on the stuffed elevator again. Then both Asuka and Misato shouted. "Enough of you getting handsy!" they shouted at Toji and Kaji, respectively.
"Will you lay off?" Toji started. "It's not like we're trying to or anything!" Kaji finished.
Kensuke and Shinji, thoroughly done with this elevator already, groaned as they descended.
Everyone sighed in relief as the elevator gave a blessed tone, and disgorged them into what appeared to be a cafeteria area. They all sat at one of the long tables, glasses of various drinks soon at hand. Kaji smiled slightly as he played footsie with Misato under the table, and while Misato looked away in apparent disgust, she did nothing to stop it.
"So, Misato," Kaji started after a moment, "you seeing anyone right now?"
Misato finally looked at him in annoyance. "And why should that concern you?"
Kaji shrugged. "I just figured I'd ask, see how you were doing cause I care."
Misato rolled her eyes as he said this. Kaji figured that any attempts at further conversation with her would be going nowhere, so he looked down the table at Shinji who was staring somewhat at the both of them, a calm, but curious look on his face. "So, Shinji," he began after a moment, an eyebrow quirked, "You're living with our dear Captain Katsuragi, are you?"
Shinji nodded, the curiosity in his look becoming uncertain. "Uh, yes, I am."
One of the corners of Kaji's mouth quirked upward as he said what he did next. "So, does she still sometimes make a fool of herself when she's trying to sleep off a few too many beers?"
The rest of the table reacted in what could best be described as shock that Kaji would be so brazen on such a potentially raunchy subject in front of those so young, while Shinji simply tilted his head thoughtfully.
Misato's face went from sheet white to beet red as her shock turned slowly into anger. "Why don't you keep your mouth shut?" she shouted nearly into his ear as she slammed the table, "Why should they know about anything like that right now?"
Kaji simply smiled slightly as he continued to look at Shinji. "She really hasn't changed, hasn't she, Shinji Ikari?"
Shinji shook his head as he looked back at Kaji. "No, I guess. Sometimes she mentions you, but not always."
As he said this, Misato and Kaji glanced at each other for a moment, then studiously tried their best not to. Both their faces slowly lost either their anger or their playfulness, replacing it with a neutral expression. Misato was the first to speak. "I have some things I have to oversee," she said, forcing a smile that she directed at the rest of the table, "I'll get back to you guys when I can." She turned and left the room.
Kaji nodded. "I have some things I need to get prepped myself. See you all around."
He left with a slight smile and a wave back, going in the opposite direction of Misato, leaving a very confused room for Daniel and Eleanor to finally arrive in, having just had a much more comfortable elevator ride than its previous occupants had.
Eleanor was the first to speak, her look of confusion joining the others. "We saw Misato walking away. What happened?"
Shinji shook his head. "I don't know. I just mentioned that Ms. Misato talks about Mr. Kaji in her sleep sometimes. Did I do something wrong?" he asked with a puzzled look in his eyes.
Daniel nodded in understanding and sighed as he and Eleanor replaced Kaji and Misato at the table. "No, Shinji, you didn't do anything wrong. You just bought something up that they probably aren't ready to face quite yet."
Shinji nodded uncertainly. "Okay, I guess." After a moment of silence, another question presented itself to him. "Wait a minute, how did he know my name?"
Daniel chuckled. "Well, he's lived alongside me long enough that he would have heard it. But you've also become something of a minor celebrity in the NERV community."
Asuka grumbled as he said this. 'Yeah, famous for stumbling around without any training." she said under her breath.
Shinji chuckled as he scratched the back of his head. "Come on Daniel. That was more luck than anything."
Daniel chuckled as well. "I find that luck and ability are closely tied together, Shinji. You have a gift, unrefined as it is right now." Shinji blushed as he said this.
After some more conversation, everyone went their separate ways, and Asuka grabbed Shinji's arm before he could join Toji and Kensuke. "Hold on, rookie," she said, in a voice that brooked no complaint, "you're coming with me right now. Follow me."
She led him, slightly stammering and slightly blushing, all the way to the container of Unit-02. As they entered, Shinji's blush faded away as he instead focused on the massive form. "Oh, wow. It has quite the color scheme."
Asuka rolled her eyes. "That's not the only unique thing about my Unit-02. Come on."
She led him across the pontoon bridge until she stood next to the Evangelion, and Shinji stood a platform away. She placed her hands on her hips and puffed out her chest with a look of pride on her face.
"Units 00 and 01 are the developmental and test type Evangelion. You've probably had to tune up and make adjustments to them every time they've stepped off the platform. But mine, mine has had all those adjustments built into it from the ground up. This Production Unit has been ready to go since she finished assembly. It's as close to an official Eva as you can get!"
Shinji nodded, trying not to focus on the fact that when she wasn't bored or annoyed, she was actually kind of cute. Of course, he wouldn't say that out loud, easily remembering the retribution visited on him because of an inopportune gust of wind.
Before she could go on, a rumble shook the air, and gently rocked the ship, causing Shinji and Asuka to sway a bit to keep their footing. As it stopped, Shinji looked out at the opening to the container. "What was that?" he said, shock filling his voice.
"An underwater shockwave," Asuka replied, "and a close one at that. Come on!"
. . .
They ran to near the edge of the tarmac, several flight deck technicians and Daniel and Eleanor joining them there. As they peered out, they saw one of the destroyers, wrecked and smoking, explode from underneath, and begin sinking at a rapid rate.
They watched as a massive spray of water moved away from the sinking ship, and Shinji made a prescient guess as to their assailant. "That's an Angel! All the way out here?" he said with more than a little shock.
In contrast, there was a wonder in Asuka's voice. "So that's an Angel out there, huh?"
Shinji nodded. "We should get back to Ms. Misato. She'll know what to do."
A hand on both of their shoulders informed them that Daniel had come up behind them. "What you need to do," he said, all business in the face of an Angel, "is to get ready to sortie out. Asuka, get to Unit-02 and get it ready to be plugged in. Shinji…"
Before he could continue, Asuka cut him off. "Put him in the Eva with me!"
Daniel and Shinji both looked at her with confusion and more than a little shock, as klaxons began to blare across the fleet, and Captain Boswell began to speak over the tannoy. "He's going to be in the safest place in the world in Unit-02," she said, her look daring them to disagree, "and he'll get front row seats to see what real piloting is."
Daniel remained silent for a moment, then let go of their shoulders and nodded. "Okay. Suit up. We'll monitor you from the command tower." He nodded to Eleanor. "Darling, let's make sure they don't get themselves killed."
Eleanor nodded back. "With pleasure." They then ran towards the command tower, sure of what needed to happen.
Bollinger and Boswell, on the other hand, had no idea what to do. Bollinger scanned the holographic map, his brow furrowed in utter frustration. "Damn it all, what is this thing? And where is it?" Captain Boswell seemed unable to answer.
Misato entered, standing in the doorway, a serious look on her face. "Gentlemen, I have good reason to believe what we're facing is an Angel. We'll have to sortie the Evangelion to deal with it." She walked into the room as Daniel and Eleanor, laptops in their arms, made their way to an open table, opening them and speaking rapidly back and forth to each other as they connected to Unit-02.
Daniel glanced up at the holographic map as Kensuke and Toji were escorted in. Wherever it was, this Angel seemed to be adept at hiding itself from sonar. That was going to be a problem. Then again, at this point the Angel wasn't particularly careful at hiding itself right now, he noted, as another ship exploded outside.
"They're never going to punch through an AT Field," Misato said, coming to stand next to Daniel and Eleanor as the fleet opened up on the Angel with depth charges and torpedoes, "not with anything like that."
Misato went quiet for a moment. "Why would an Angel attack here? Is it after Unit-02?" Daniel and Eleanor said nothing, exchanging knowing looks as they took each other's hands.
Meanwhile, in the container of Unit-02, Asuka and Shinji were having difficulties changing into the deep red Plugsuits that were on hand. Both had their backs turned, a "You better not be peeking!" echoing every once in a while from Asuka as Shinji's face flushed a little deeper each time. Eventually, though, they turned to each other, then began the climb up to the Entry Plug.
They entered, Shinji still blushing from the rushed and uncomfortable changing session. As they climbed in, Asuka spoke over her shoulder. "Like I said, rookie, you get a front-row seat to actual piloting. Don't waste it by getting in my way!" Shinji nodded dumbly as the Plug closed above them.
Asuka began the start-up sequence in German. [Flooding LCL. Preliminary motor links established. Activating nerve connection. Plug Suit link stabilized. Synchronization starting.] The Plug flashed through the colors of the rainbow as it usually did. As it continued though, the Plug went black, and a red, flashing "FEHLER" pulsed all around them.
Asuka turned to Shinji with nothing but annoyance on her face. "Thought noise, rookie. It happens when there are too many people in a Plug. You don't know any German, do you?"
Shinji desperately tried to recall the scant few German words that he had learned during Daniel's time in Germany. "...Um… Baumkuchen…" Shinji mumbled at last.
Rolling her eyes, she turned back around. "Fine. I'll have to bend over backward for you so that we can at least walk. Set cognitive linguistics to Japanese."
The error disappeared, and the area of the container finally showed itself in their cockpit. An audio display, saying "Daniel", appeared, and the man in question began to speak in German. [Asuka, this is Daniel. You and Shinji ready to go?]
Asuka sighed. "Speak Japanese. The poor rookie here can't speak any German, uncultured as he is."
The line went silent on the other end for a moment. "Will do. Go ahead and stand up. The emergency plug will be beside you. Plug in and get ready."
Asuka nodded. "Will do." She turned once again to Shinji. "Just let me do my thing, and cheer me on, okay?" she didn't wait for a response as she concentrated, and the Unit slowly moved to stand, wires and cables breaking away from it as it did so.
The tarp overhead impeded their progress, but only for as long as it took for Unit-02 to take out its Progressive Knife from its shoulder pylon, which slid open like a box cutter as it slashed at the sides and center of the tarp.
Eventually, the tarp fluttered free, and Unit-02 stood in all its glory, plugging itself in with all due haste, just in time for them to see the massive Angel physically jump over the top of one of the ships beside them, gliding like a flying fish back into the water.
The next time it appeared, it loomed over them as it jumped onto the deck of the Over the Rainbow, and landed nearly on top of Unit-02, swaying the ship as it landed, sending aircraft on the top deck plunging into the sea.
Unit-02 slashed at the massive body of the beast, which seemed to ignore the comparatively shallow cuts it received. Then the Eva stumbled as the Angel flopped towards it, its foot landing exactly on one of the elevators between the flight decks.
It went crashing down, causing the Unit to lose its footing, sending Asuka and Shinji into the ocean with a shout, clutching onto the Angel as it went with them, and began to dive down quickly.
. . .
Daniel looked up at the holographic map in alarm as the pulsing green dot marked "Unit-02", intertwined with the steady red dot marked "Angel", plunged into the depths until Asuka finally let go of the beast. It swam a distance away from them, then turned to line up a straight shot at Unit-02.
"They won't be effective in Type-B gear here in the middle of the ocean!" Misato said with increasing alarm.
Daniel connected to Unit-02 again as the Angel finally seemed ready to charge at them, moving with amazing speed. "Asuka, Shinji, brace for impact!" The Children knew exactly what he meant as the Angel came at them with breathtaking speed. Both made no attempt not to scream as the Angel plowed into them.
On the deck of the Over the Rainbow, the umbilical cable began to whir madly as it unspooled, jerking from side to side as the Angel zigzagged through the underwater ruins, Unit-02 in tow. "How much cable do we have left?" Misato shouted.
A crewmate looked at the display linked to the cable. "We're reading 1200 meters left!" she shouted.
"Brace for impact!" Boswell shouted, as the cable finally reached its limit with a powerful twang, jerking the Unit off of the nose of the Angel as it sped away from them. Onboard the ship, it rocked as the cable stopped, causing many on the bridge to tumble to the floor, Daniel and Eleanor desperately trying to save their diagnostic links to the Evangelion from meeting the same fate. Eventually, the ship stilled and some semblance of order returned.
Kensuke steadied himself and his camera, scanning the ruined deck of the ship until he saw one of the elevators rising, a prepped, though dented, aircraft on its surface. Of course, Kensuke knew exactly what kind of aircraft it was, shouting out "Whoa, a V-22 Osprey!" as it spun up its rotors.
Misato looked out at it as the radio beside her clicked, and Kaji's voice came through. "Hey, Misato. Hate to leave the party, but I have a delivery to make. See you around."
As the Osprey lifted off and made its way to the coast, Misato couldn't help but feel somewhat irked at him. The nerve, to come and try and sweep her off her feet then just leave! But then she looked back at Daniel and Eleanor as they continued to hold each other's hands, and she nearly succeeded in quashing the envy that she had at the sight.
. . .
Far from the ocean's surface, however, things were not nearly so calm, as the Angel slowly circled them with all the patience of an apex predator. Daniel's voice cut through the tense silence in the Entry Plug. "It's on approach now. Get ready!"
Asuka's eyes glinted with determination. "I'll get it this time around. I'm sure of it." Shinji's eyes, in comparison, were filled with uncertainty as the Angel continued its approach. He felt the comparison between Unit-02 and a fishing lure was perhaps a little too apt to be stated right now.
As the Evangelion continued to drift calmly in the water, Asuka blinked. "We're barely moving!" she shouted in frustration.
"Well," Shinji replied, "we are in Type-B configuration." He paused for a moment, considering. "If it were any other day, I'd think about using the AT Field as some sort of jet…"
Asuka rolled her eyes as he trailed off. "Well, as good of an idea as that is, you being here won't make it work, rookie! Keep using that brain of yours to find something useful to us right now!"
All the while, the Angel continued its leisurely approach, though it began to build up speed the closer it came to them. As it loomed in their display, it opened its massive mouth, a long row of teeth framing the Angel's core, gleaming red, deep within its cavernous maw.
Asuka jumped back in her chair as she gazed down the throat of the Angel. "It has a mouth? Is it going to eat us?" she shouted.
Shinji nodded as his eyes narrowed. "The core... how do we hit that?" He said pensively. As it finally slammed into them, shutting its mouth like a great trapdoor and giving the Children whiplash as they flailed in its grip, a belt of pain blooming across the width of their stomachs, the answers to their questions were not currently forthcoming.
Back on the bridge, the wireframe representation of Unit-02 on Daniel's screen lit up as a line of red blazed across its torso, symbolizing the damage where the Angel had bitten them. A cry of "It's been eaten by the Angel!" pierced the bridge. He looked at the holo-map to look at Unit-02 and the Angel speeding around, and then looked at the fleet as it stood silent. He then looked at Misato, who studied the map with similar intensity.
It was at this point that Toji spoke up for the first time in quite a while. "Man, I really wouldn't want to be the bait for that fish like the Eva is right now."
Misato blinked. "Bait... fishing... of course!" she finally exclaimed. "We're about to do some fishing!"
Bollinger and Boswell stared at Misato, sure that she had gone insane, while Daniel spoke up. "Wait a minute," he said, standing from his laptop and walking over to the holo-map, "I think I know what she's talking about."
. . .
As they formulated their plan, the Angel continued to circle around with the Eva in its mouth, the Unit's occupants wracking their minds for a solution to their current predicament. Shinji summarized the situation perfectly. "Well, we've gone and caught it," he said, somewhat sardonically, "now we just have to find a way to reel it in."
"Oh, who asked you for back-talk right now?" Asuka shot back. Then she blinked as she noticed that Shinji had come to take a more commanding role in the pilot's seat as he grabbed the controls. Mainly in her lap. "And will you get off and let me pilot, you creep?" she said, trying to shove him off.
Their tussle was interrupted by Misato's voice cutting through the intercom. "Pilots, whatever you do, don't let go! We have a plan."
"Not like we were planning on it or anything," Asuka grumbled.
"Yeah, right," Shinji mumbled, seemingly at last in agreement with Asuka on something.
"Here's the deal," Misato started, either not hearing them or not caring, "What's going to happen is that you'll have two battleships, evacuated, of course, begin to submerge while moving alongside the umbilical cable. You'll need to get its mouth open in time for the ships to crash in and detonate. They should be on their way soon, so be ready to act as soon as you can! Are you clear on the plan?"
Shinji desperately gripped the controls as Asuka resorted to alternatively smacking his head and giving him a killer noogie. "We'll figure it out," he said, a beleaguered tone dripping from his voice.
"Good. We're counting on both of you." Misato closed the link to Asuka and Shinji, and both unknowingly rolled their eyes at the same time. No pressure, clearly.
Then they felt themselves jerked up as the cable started to retract, sending a fresh wave of tremors through the Evangelion, and a fresh wave of pain through the Pilot's stomachs, as the Angel tried to resist the upward pull and jerk them back towards it.
As they struggled to pry open the thing's mouth, Daniel's voice came back on over the comms. "Those battleships will be reaching you in 70 seconds. Both of you, just focus on opening its mouth."
Shinji, having seemed to have finally lost a little of his cool composure, turned to Asuka as he hung awkwardly off the pilot's seat, his brow furrowed in frustration. "You heard him, we both need to focus on opening this thing's mouth, or we're going to be in the middle of the worst sandwich in the world!"
Asuka blinked for a moment before her own brow furrowed. "Congratulations on stating the obvious, rookie," she said as she put her hands over Shinji's, raising the control sticks and unlocking them from the closed-loop that they usually were, "so focus on what we need to do!"
As the Angel and the Unit continued their upward descent, and the battleships came ever closer, one word, one similar set of actions, echoed through the pilot's minds. 'Open, open, open, open…'
Slowly they pulled back on their joysticks more and more, as the Evangelion found its footing and gripped the top and bottom of its row of massive teeth, struggling to pry it open.
Then as the pilots finally fully synchronized, the Evangelion lifted its head, its helmet opening to allow its four eyes to glint alongside the core, as it finally seemed to find the strength to fully wrench the Angel's mouth open as wide as it could.
And the mouth opened not a moment too soon, as pillars of steel grey passed on each side of Unit-02, shattering teeth as they passed, and Unit-02 let go, rocketing towards the surface.
Misato turned towards the ship's remote controller. "Fire now!"
The forward guns of the venerable battleships let off one last salvo, then detonated as the charges placed around their ammo racks and engines exploded, and the Angel passed into the massive sphere of light they created along with them. On the surface, a massive pillar of water threw itself into the sky, and the bridge of the Over the Rainbow, and doubtless every other ship in the fleet still left, breathed a sigh of relief. Though the risk had been great, and the cost along with it, they had won.
A shadow passed over the deck of the Over the Rainbow as the Evangelion, which had itself been sent flying out of the water, touched down in a perfect three-point landing, and then crumpled to the deck after a moment, unattached to its umbilical cable.
"At least I stuck the landing." Asuka grinned in the dark plug. Shinji, with the benefit of being in the dark and unseen, rolled his eyes heavily. At least they were still alive.
- - -
As the remains of the Task Fleet limped into New Yokosuka, and the Evangelion slowly rose into the air, Asuka and Shinji stood on the deck and watched, still in their plugsuits.
As the Unit turned and floated towards land, Asuka turned to Shinji. "I would say that I deserve all the glory for piloting so well when you were hanging around my neck, but then Daniel would probably appear out of nowhere and say that I should remember that this was a team effort, so…"
She paused as she tried to find words that she could say that she thought wouldn't boost the boy's ego. "Congratulations on proving that we can synchronize in the same Plug, I guess." she finally settled on, extending a stiff hand.
Shinji took it uncertainly and shook it. "Uh… thanks?"
Shinji jumped slightly as Asuka tightened her grip, seeming intent on crushing his hand as she pulled him a step closer to her and held a finger under his nose. "Don't think this means that you'll be getting any slack when it comes to your training! I still don't want any deadweight fighting alongside me!"
Shinji nodded quickly. "Okay, okay, I got it! Could you please let go?"
She finally did, as Daniel and Eleanor came up behind them, chuckling at the sight they just witnessed. "You two," Daniel said, "are just too much fun to watch together." Both pilots leered at him as he said this, which simply left him laughing a little harder. "Come on. Let's go get our ride off the ship. I'm sure Misato will be thoroughly surprised when she sees it. And for the record, Asuka," he said with a twinkle in his eye, "you'd be absolutely right." Asuka's eyes went wide as she sputtered but still followed along.
Down on the dock below, as they drove past the scarred hull of one of the massive carriers, Ritsuko and Misato sat in companionable silence. "Well, Misato," Ritsuko finally said as she inspected the damage to one of the vessels that they passed by, "this is quite the mess you've gone and made."
"Blame the Angel for being in the middle of the ocean, of all places," Misato replied. "Who would have thought we'd find one out there? We definitely should have expected underwater combat."
Ritsuko nodded. "I guess I can't begrudge that train of thought, seeing as we got some valuable data out of it. Even still, we both know you'll have a mountain of paperwork waiting for you, courtesy of the UN."
Misato groaned as she said this. "Great, the gatekeepers to my own personal hell. Paperwork."
Ritsuko chuckled as they came to a stop beside Daniel, Eleanor, and the two Pilots, who watched as a slightly damaged crate was lowered to the dock. Misato arched her eyebrow at the crate as it finally touched the harbor ground. Daniel turned and noticed them and spoke up as the crane cable that carried the crate drifted away.
"I needed a ride while I was here in Tokyo-3, and Eleanor tells me that she just carpooled with you to work, so I figured you'd be fine with seeing one of your old favorites again."
As the crate fell open, Misato ogled at her car that she left for Daniel in Germany. "So you bought my 190E all the way to Japan? How sweet of you to think of me in doing that," she said with a slight smile.
Then her eyebrows furrowed into a frown. "So," she said with rising intensity, "you had my car, my ultra-rare sports car, on the Over the Rainbow, in the middle of an Angel attack?"
Daniel raised his hands placatingly as she shouted the last part. "Look, I don't think any of us were expecting an Angel attack at sea! I made it as safe as I could, I promise!"
As Daniel and Misato went back and forth over the care and safety of the car, Eleanor couldn't help but roll her eyes as she sighed. She figured Misato was a car enthusiast, their conversations with each other sometimes divulging into such topics, but all this, for a single car? It must have been pretty valuable, apparently.
Asuka interrupted Daniel and Misato's argument as she jumped up onto the side of the open jeep Misato was in and took advantage of the interruption she caused to ask her question. "So, where'd Mr. Kaji go?"
Misato's face turned down into a scowl as she heard this. "Jerk went ahead during the battle to make some sort of 'delivery'. He's probably at HQ right now lounging around!"
Daniel sighed as the 190E was finally rolled onto the pavement. "Well, we should all probably get home and get some rest, and some of us need a change of clothes. I can take the Children to your apartment while I get settled in with Eleanor. Sounds good?"
Misato nodded. "Sure. Just don't get any LCL stains on the seats. It's a chore to get out of anything!"
Daniel nodded. "Will do, will do. See you around, Misato!" After the requisite towels were placed in the back seat, each party drove to their separate destinations. The Children were going home.
- - -
Meanwhile, in the cavernous room that was the office of Commander Gendo Ikari, the room's owner and Inspector Kaji stood around the suitcase. "I've got to say," Kaji started, "this whole 'Key of Nebuchadnezzar' has something about it. We also had quite the voyage getting it here, what with being attacked by an Angel. I wonder if this is what it was looking for?"
Gendo said nothing, simply unlatching the suitcase, opening it to reveal another container, this one plastered with warnings and radiation signs. Gendo wasted no time opening that one as well, bathing himself and Kaji in a stark, white light. Kaji whistled. "So this is what the old men were calling the 'Key of Nebuchadnezzar'."
A block of clear material rested within the case, encasing an embryonic creature, the visible eye massive against its vestigial body. On one corner was an etching, marked 'A-01: ADAM'.
"It's still growing," Kaji continued after a moment, "even encased in solid Bakelite, it's still alive. Amazing. And it's somehow the biggest part of the Instrumentality Project."
"Correct." Gendo finally said. "True to its name, it is the key to everything going forward."
Kaji nodded. "Very well. I'll go ahead and take my leave. I understand you're meeting with Daniel soon?"
Gendo nodded. "You are perceptive as always, Inspector. Captain Theisman will be the Geofront's new head of engineering for the Evangelions." As Kaji turned to leave, Gendo spoke one last time. "Inspector." Kaji turned for a moment. "Thank you." Kaji only nodded as he left.
- - -
Daniel and Eleanor entered the quiet apartment and let the comfortable silence continue as the door slid shut behind them. Both were exhausted, and simply held each other's hands as they walked into the sparse living area. Confident they were alone, Eleanor turned to face Daniel. "I know why you're here," she said with complete certainty.
Daniel raised an eyebrow. "Do you now?" he replied, sure of the answer even as he asked the question.
Eleanor nodded, rolling her eyes. "I've spent the last two years of my life retracing your steps, as you've saved worlds, and then left them behind."
Daniel nodded. "I do have a habit now, of trying to save worlds I would have destroyed once."
Eleanor let go of Daniel's hand and turned away after taking a few steps. "I also know what's supposed to happen here."
Daniel nodded again. "So you've seen one of the records?"
Eleanor turned back to face Daniel again. "I found your ship. Parked in the Oort cloud outside of the system."
Daniel nodded. "You found the Val."
"I found the Val," Eleanor repeated. "and Amaya showed me the show on the ship's database. She sends her regards, by the way."
Daniel felt a guilty look slide onto his face. "I should really get in contact with her again, shouldn't I?" Daniel shook his head. "Even still, you only know part of why I'm here, in this Echo."
Eleanor frowned. "Then why are you here, really? I have my guesses, but..."
She trailed off as Daniel remained silent, the memories he hated most coming to his mind in flashes. Eleanor peered at him as she studied his thoughts. After a moment, her eyes became wide. "Oh, God…"
Daniel had a pained look in his eyes as he spoke next. "They deserve to know what's coming. But… I can't face that right now. They shouldn't have to face that right now."
Eleanor nodded, tears welling in her eyes. "I understand." She sniffled and looked up. "You know, the others are going to be so happy you've been found."
Daniel blinked. "The others?"
Eleanor looked to Daniel, a bemused look in her eyes. "You don't think I was the only one worried about you, did you?" She sat on the couch, spreading her arms toward Daniel. "But right now, they can wait. Right now, I just want you to hold me again."
Daniel nodded, a small smile crossing his face. "I can do that."
He sat beside her, accepting her embrace. And they held each other, blocking out any other distraction that might come between them. The world could wait for a little while longer.
Daniel settles into the world of maintaining the Evangelions within the Geofront, as Angels continue to make their attacks. Many are familiar, though they have hidden depths in this world. What potentially deadly surprises will NERV be witness to? Next Episodes: March of Angels.
Life would continue on from there. Most times, it would be good. Or at least interesting, even when the Angels were attacking. But many of them had hidden depths even I didn't expect. It weighed heavy after a while. It would on anyone, really.
. . .
It started with the twin Angels, named Israfel. They demanded a level of unity that was unprecedented until this point. It was hoped that a, by all accounts, radical plan would be the solution. It was, but to get from problem to solution was a journey in and of itself.
NERV Headquarters, July 2015
Captain Daniel Theisman settled down at the center of a long table in the Geofront cafeteria. He sat beside Asuka, and across from both Misato and Ritsuko Akagi, the head scientist here at the Geofront. Beside Ritsuko was Maya Ibuki, her research assistant.
"So, you obviously called us here for a reason," Ritsuko said with an arched eyebrow, "You have yet to reveal it to us, though."
Misato nodded. "Yeah, Daniel. You can be terribly cryptic when you want to be. What gives?"
Asuka spoke before Daniel could respond. "Well, Misato," she began, an unmistakable air of pride in her voice, "I, with Daniel's assistance, have come up with some new ideas for weapons for the Evangelion."
Ritsuko and Maya's eyebrows raised, while Misato snorted behind her hand as she grinned. "And have these been made to distract you from class?"
Asuka, who had just started attending the same class as an embarrassed Shinji and an enigmatic Rei, sniffed. "No, Misato. In fact, we came up with these after careful study of the first 2 Angel's physical capabilities on the way here to Tokyo-3."
Misato lowered her hand, her grin slowly disappearing as Ritsuko and Maya nodded. "Utilizing the Angels for inspiration in ways to combat them is something we really should have considered earlier," Ritsuko said.
"Yeah," Maya replied, "especially if it's the first two Angels."
Misato waved her hand in mock frustration. "Okay, okay. What would these designs be?"
In response, Asuka took out two rolls of paper, handing one to Daniel as they both laid them out.
"The first one we want to talk about is based on the arm weapon of Sachiel," Daniel said as he finished laying out his papers, "and I'll preface the rest of what we're going to say with the fact that we designed these based off of the same technology that powers the Progressive Knives and makes them effective against AT Fields."
"Anyways," Daniel continued, "this first weapon is tentatively called the 'Progressive Spike'. It would be arm mounted, and essentially be a box and motor containing a collapsible spike that would be utilized in much the same fashion as Sachiel used it. It would mainly be a holdout weapon in case close-quarters combat was inevitable, but, having done some preliminary math, the motor has the potential to pack a powerful enough punch to shatter an Angel's core."
Ritsuko nodded appreciatively as Maya's eyes grew wide, and even Misato's eyebrow arched.
"This one is my personal favorite," Asuka said, signaling the end of Daniel's presentation, "and I like to call it the Progressive Lash. Based on Shamshel's whip appendages, it is also arm-mounted and contains a length of what is essentially a spiked chain that the user manipulates using their AT Field, and a prodigious amount of piloting skill of course."
Daniel nodded. "That would be the Lash's only downfall: the relatively high degree of training required to make it effective. Otherwise, in the right hands, it would be deadly in physically binding any Angels we're attacking, while eating through their AT Field simultaneously."
The presenters had the attention of everyone at the table now. Ritsuko and Maya both had a thoughtful look, and Misato seemed genuinely impressed now.
"I gotta say, Senpai, it is refreshing to have a new perspective present something for us to figure out," Maya said as she looked at Ritsuko.
Ritsuko nodded, her hand cupping her chin in a thoughtful expression. "Yes, there is potential in these designs. We can try our hand at refining these as a side project." She looked at the two hopeful engineers. "Could we get notes on the general scope of the projects? We'll do our best to sort out the details and get back to you."
Daniel and Asuka nodded. "Consider it done," Daniel said.
As they continued to converse on a number of other things, a pair of familiar-looking arms encircled Ritsuko's neck, to the embarrassment of Maya, the indignation of Misato, and the raised eyebrows of Daniel and Asuka. "You've lost weight, haven't you, Ritsuko?" the arm's owners finally said, causing poor Maya to splutter in embarrassment.
"Yes, a little, Kaji. It's been a while. I hope you aren't trying to seduce me in front of poor old Misato." Ritsuko replied with an air of forced patience.
An incandescent Misato growled. "And what are you still doing around here? You were Asuka's guardian, and you were supposed to oversee the exchange of Unit-02, and you fulfilled your role admirably, I'm sure. So why don't you go home already?"
Kaji straightened as he looked languidly at Misato. "New marching orders. I'm here to stay for the foreseeable future." he smiled slightly. "It'll be just like old times. You and I get into trouble, Ritsuko rolls her eyes at us…"
Misato's right eye twitched. "You'll be in trouble, alright. Just not in any enjoyable kind." she growled.
Daniel and Asuka looked at each other as Ritsuko did indeed roll her eyes. Their little scheme was going to be a little harder than they thought.
Before either could go any further, a klaxon began to sound, and warning lights in the ceiling flashed red. Whatever else was going on, they needed to drop it, now. And drop it they did, as Misato, Ritsuko, Maya, and Daniel raced towards the command center, with a leisurely strolling Kaji in tow, and Asuka made her way to the Eva cages.
- - -
Their fears were confirmed as they all reached their respective places. It was indeed an Angel, and it was going to make landfall off of Tokyo-3 in only a few hours. Both Asuka and Shinji were sortied in their Units, which were loaded onto the massive uni-wing transport planes utilized most usually for quick, short-range deployment.
As they sped towards their destination, Misato unhooked the comm unit from the truck she, Daniel, and Eleanor were currently in that was driving to the coast along with the Evas. "Alright, here's the deal." she began in a serious tone. "Military support here in the region is negligible. We can't afford to lead it on a wild goose chase. Therefore, we're going with the first strike option. You'll be heading out into the ocean to stop this thing from making landfall. You won't have any weapons stations around, so we'll be counting on you to be quick and ready for close-quarters combat with the weapons that will be waiting for you. Good luck, you two."
"Roger," the two pilots said in unison, while inwardly, Asuka sighed. "I haven't even finished the first third of the rookie's training, and he's going in right beside me? I'd be better off handling this alone." she said in frustration as she rolled her eyes.
A popup screen of Shinji's face appeared in Asuka's view as he shrugged with a sympathetic expression. "Well, it's Misato's plan, after all. Not much we can do about it but try to make it work."
Asuka closed her eyes and sighed heavily before she opened them again, annoyance painted on her face. "Well, rookie, you may be grasping the theoretical portions well enough, but you still haven't put it into practice yet. So, you can do that safely by letting me be the one doing the heavy lifting here, okay?"
Shinji rolled his eyes but nodded. "Yes, Lehrerin." he replied with weary acceptance, as flashes of the training program he had undergone over the past month came to mind.
A workout program that stretched him to, and even beyond his limits, Asuka always there at his side watching critically. "Come on, rookie. We've got a kilometer left to go, then it's time to hit the weights today."
More than one trip to the shooting range, every type of gun that he could comfortably shoot (and there weren't many, at first), laid out in front of him as he lowered the Steyr AUG, the closest analogue to the Pallet Rifle, and Asuka brought the sheet forward, looking at the shot groupings with a discerning eye. "Better. But you could still improve. Now, tell me the rules of gun safety again."
And, perhaps most oddly, round after round of fighting games, Asuka's favorites apparently. "These train your hand-eye coordination and your immediate response tactical thinking. Now, I'm taking Zangief. What about you?"
It was an odd training program, Shinji thought with a quiet sigh, but it was better than nothing, really.
As her display of him blinked out, Asuka rolled her own eyes. "At least he's finally started to get that correct."
It wasn't long before another display popped up in her view, showing Daniel's bemused face. "Cut him some slack, Asuka. Like you implied, he is actually doing quite well with what you've presented to him thus far."
Asuka grumbled as Daniel finished speaking. "You're not wrong. But don't tell him I said that! He'll probably let it go to both of his heads if he does."
Daniel nodded absentmindedly as he connected to Shinji as well. "Alright, pilots, we're approaching the combat zone. Prepare to drop."
The plane's shoulder pylon restraints released, and the Eva's fell gracefully down to the coast. As they landed, several cranes approached with waiting umbilical cables, and Asuka scoffed as she attached her cable. "A two-on-one fight. As much as I enjoy any fight in an Eva, I'm not usually one for unfair ones."
Daniel once again appeared in her vision. "I wouldn't be so cavalier, Asuka. If there's anything we've learned, it's that the Angels are very good at making fights unfair in their favor, and doing so in ways we can't always expect. Be careful."
Misato appeared on split-screen alongside Daniel. "He's right. And remember, this is a fight for survival. We make it as unfair as we can because if we don't, the world ends. We don't have the luxury of picking out a cage ring or an entrance theme." Daniel glanced towards Misato but stayed silent.
As both Evas picked up their respective weapons, Asuka grabbing a Progressive Glaive and Shinji shouldering a Pallet Rifle, a massive pillar of water erupted out in the depths, signaling the Angel's arrival.
As it emerged, all parties, from the pilots to the NERV staff beside them, took stock of the creature. It had a humanoid form, not unlike Sachiel, but bulkier and more hunched, like an ape. A mask seemingly split in two sat at the center of its steel grey and black body, and two rib-like protrusions framed the gleaming core at the center of its stomach.
Asuka wasted no time and began her charge into the rubble-strewn water. "I'm going in. Cover me, rookie!" she shouted, unable to keep the grin off her face.
Shinji rolled his eyes, then began to target the Angel with controlled bursts of fire, peppering its body with the sparks of bullet impacts.
Asuka leaped from rooftop to rooftop of the ruined buildings that jutted out from the bay, finally reaching a vantage point from which she leaped into the air, Shinji ceasing his barrage as Asuka reached the apex of her jump.
With a mighty shout, she swung the glaive into the Angel's center, cleanly cutting it in two. The halves fell somewhat to each side with a splash as the battlefield went quiet. "Well," Asuka panted in the silence of her cockpit, "That was easy."
Shinji nodded. "Yeah. I guess that was." he said slowly.
Asuka pulled up Shinji's face on her comms, a sure smile on her face. "You see that? When you get to this level of piloting, you can't help but be quick and clean with the kills."
Daniel appeared on both their displays, a serious frown on his face. "I'd almost say that was too easy. Stay ready. We don't know what else it might do."
Daniel's words quickly proved their veracity as the mask of the Angel split down its seam, disappearing as a new mask, colored a bright red, slid into place. On the other half, a similar mask, colored bright blue, revealed itself as well. The flesh began to slide off of the halves, revealing two Angels where once was one, one orange and another a pewter color.
Misato managed to actually crush her headset in anger. "Two of them? Now that's actually cheating!" she said in blatant indignation.
Daniel and Eleanor looked at each other with a resigned expression. Sad as it was going to be, they knew how this would end.
- - -
To Daniel and Eleanor's surprise, however, Asuka and Shinji lasted quite a while longer than they remembered. They sat with the pilots in a dim room, along with Kaji, Professor Fuyutsuki, and some of the main bridge staff, and watched the report on their battle.
"At 10:58 A.M., Unit-01 was attacked by Target Alpha, which split from the body of the primary Angel after a strike split it in two. At 11:03, Unit-01 was flung into Suruga Bay, where it sank into the bay. During this time, Unit-02 was attacked by Target Beta. At 11:09, Unit-02 was rendered similarly inoperative. Doctor Ritsuko Akagi, head of Project E, had this to say."
Ritsuko's voice, clearly filled with resigned annoyance, began to speak. "It is clear that we did not expect this sort of tactic from our opponent. We will be taking the time to consider our options for the next time we go into combat with this Angel."
Asuka rolled her eyes as she stood. "Well, how could we have expected that it would be some sort of Matryoshka doll, unlike Sachiel? Some of us simply don't know how to deal with such unexpected combat situations yet."
She said this as she stared at Shinji, who shrank down in his seat as he gulped and blushed for a moment before he seemed to gain his courage again and stood facing Asuka. "Well, if you hadn't charged in, maybe it would have split before you pulled your ridiculous stunt, and we could have had a moment to come up with a plan!"
Before Asuka could continue, Daniel cut her off with a meaningful look. "It's clear at this point that we can count the similarities between the Angels far quicker than we can count the differences. Going into this with preconceptions is what got us into this situation. We have to be flexible, and most importantly, this has shown us that the both of you have to get better at working together."
Shinji and Asuka remained silent, unable to answer as the broadcast continued in the background, grabbing everyone's attention again as it stated that the UN had decided to hit the Angel, which now had the codename "Israfel", with an N2 bomb. "Does that mean it's dead?" Asuka asked, not a little hope in her voice.
"No," Fuyutsuki said in an exasperated tone, "we just get to update part of the map now. The Angel is only dormant for now, gathering its energy."
"However," Eleanor spoke up, "this does mean we have at least a few days to come up with a plan and train to execute it. It's up to us to make the best of it while we can."
"Well said, Mrs. Theisman." Fuyutsuki said as he stood up.
"Pilots," he said, looking at them with a stern gaze perfected over years of teaching, "We expect you at your best in the coming days. It is your duty to this agency, to the world, to destroy the Angels as efficiently and effectively as possible. Please don't disappoint us." He turned and left the room. The pilots had no response.
- - -
As the Pilots contemplated their need to work together, Misato contemplated the truly massive amount of physical paperwork that had now come to rest on her desk. And this didn't even begin to touch any of the digital work she needed to do. It seemed to originate from every corner of Japan, and even the UN, as Ritsuko so helpfully pointed out while standing beside her, had chipped in complaints and costs for the damages. It was an absolute mess.
"If I knew this was coming, we would have just led it into Tokyo-3, remains of Ramiel or not. They seem to prefer us trashing it over anywhere else." Misato grumbled.
"Very perceptive, Misato." Ritsuko replied sardonically and nodded as Misato went around and sat at her desk behind the mountain of complaints and bills.
Misato tented her hands, a strange mirror image of the commander, as she pondered on how to proceed. "I'll come up with a way to defeat that Angel. I'm sure of it." she said with conviction.
Ritsuko leaned on the pile of papers, a slight smile on her face and no small amount of amusement in her tone. "Well, Fuyutsuki is furious. Whatever you come up with better work, or you might not be Captain Katsuragi in the future."
Misato nodded. "Well, it's better than the alternative. The commander himself could be here. If that were to be the case, I wouldn't even be here anymore."
Ritsuko chuckled. "He wouldn't even have to see this pile to have you thrown out."
"That would be true. So," Misato said with a knowing grin, "being the eminent scientist you are, you have something for me that will help me to save the day, right?"
Ritsuko continued to chuckle as she produced a flash drive from one of her pockets. Misato's grin turned into a smirk as she stood to lean across from Ritsuko. "Well, I didn't figure you for being old-fashioned. But help from a good friend is help from a good friend, isn't it, Ritsuko?"
"That it is," Ritsuko replied, moving the flash drive away before Misato could grab it, "but it's not my idea. Ryoji made up this one. Said he got some input from Daniel, too."
Misato finally grabbed the flash drive and looked at it properly. On it was a label that read 'to my darling' and a heart. Despite her best efforts, Misato couldn't help but smile softly. Despite all she had said to him, there were still good memories left for her. Even if he did remind her of… no. Not right now. Right now, she had to save the world. With Ryoji's help, it seemed.
- - -
Shinji, after a day of school that went well enough, even with the haze of defeat from the trouncing the Angel gave them hanging over his head, finally arrived home, kicking off his shoes. The first thing that he noticed as he entered the kitchen was the prodigious number of boxes that lined the halls. Had Misato really done that much shopping? Or…
As he arrived to open the door of his bedroom, his suspicions were confirmed, as he found Asuka, in a pair of exercise shorts and a tank top, sifting through a box of her things.
She looked up as the door opened, and straightened up. "Well, rookie. It seems to fall on me to break the news to you. You seem to have been evicted." she said with an exaggerated expression of condolence.
Shinji looked around in shock to find his things unceremoniously stuffed into a box that he had missed down the hall. As he sputtered, Asuka continued. "Yeah, I'm going to be Misato's new roommate! Though I don't know how all my things are going to fit in here. And I must ask," she said as she shut and reopened the sliding door in Shinji's face, "how do you people here in Japan get any privacy?"
As she opened the door once again, she found Misato, standing behind Shinji with an old-school CD player. "Well, Asuka," Misato said as Shinji jumped in surprise, "in Japan, people place a particular emphasis on respecting privacy."
Asuka bobbed her head as she seemed to swirl the idea around in her mind. "Okay, makes sense, I guess. Still doesn't do anything for the rookie here, though."
"Oh, you didn't know?" Misato said before she paused dramatically, as both Shinji and Asuka leered at her. "You're both living with me! It's all part of the plan to defeat the Angel." she said, beaming at the awestruck Children.
She led them, steered them really, towards the kitchen table as they both processed the shock of actually having to live together. As they finally seemed to begin comprehending their situation, Misato started to explain. "Essentially, what it boils down to is the fact that we need to defeat these twin Angels simultaneously, according to Ritsuko. And you two, while decent pilots, still need to essentially be in perfect synch."
"So," she said as she dug out a CD, and placed it in the player for emphasis, "you'll attack it synched up to the song that I've chosen." She pressed play, and an airy, jaunty classical tune began to play.
Shinji sat in silence as he listened to the song, appreciating it. Asuka, however, did no such thing as she stood and leaned on the table towards Misato.
"This plan is utterly ridiculous!" She exclaimed. "The rookie and I are barely at level with each other, and you want to get us to try being in perfect unison as we attack this thing? How did you come up with this plan?"
Misato had a small smile on her face as she replied. "Well, I didn't make the plan, for starters. Kaji did. Apparently, he had some pointers from Daniel, as well."
Asuka sat down again as a neutral expression came to her face, then gave way to a thoughtful one. "Well, if Daniel and Kaji are confident enough in our skills to think that this plan would work… then we have no choice but to try."
She turned to Shinji, her brow furrowed. "So, don't drag either of us down, alright, rookie?"
Shinji could do nothing but nod. This was going to be a long week, wasn't it?
Misato rubbed her hands together as she heard this, grinning evilly. "Now that you've agreed to carry out the plan, let's get into the details of the training process…"
- - -
The first three days passed, and so intensive was the training, both Pilots had to skip school. Naturally, this caused many to wonder at their absence. For Kensuke and Toji, this wonder found them ascending the elevator of the apartment building they knew Shinji lived in. As the doors opened on their floor, they emerged to find themselves face to face with their class representative, Hikari Horaki. She was a decently tall girl, with freckles on her cheeks under brown eyes and brunette hair that she wore in pigtails.
"Well, if it isn't a part of the Fools Court?" she said to two of its members.
"Hello, representative." Toji mulishly replied.
"What are you doing here, class rep?" Kensuke asked as all of them began walking towards Misato's apartment.
"I'm here to check on Asuka. And what about you two?" she replied.
"We're here to check on Shinji." Toji said with a shrug. "We miss the guy, wouldn't you believe it?"
They reached the door, all of them pressing the doorbell. "Coming." two voices said in unison. All at the door raised their eyebrows. Was that…
The door slid open, revealing, to the shock of those visiting, Shinji and Asuka, wearing matching unitards and cutoff shirts, Shinji's a deep purple and Asuka's a deep red. Both sighed in unison and then began to speak in a similarly exasperated, echoing voice. "Look, Misato said that part of unity was having a uniform, okay? It's just part of our training for a mission. We wouldn't be wearing this if Misato didn't make us."
This simultaneous statement found its way to a class representative who was now simply staring wide-eyed, and two classmates who had recoiled like devils from a holy symbol. "You… you traitor! Going behind our backs and doing weird crap like this?" Toji said in a strangled whisper.
"Yeah, and wearing matching outfits like some couple's skaters, or something. It's really weird!" Kensuke said in an equally strangled cry.
Hikari, whose eye had been slightly twitching the whole time, finally spoke up as the next door slid open quietly, escaping everyone's notice. "You both are being terribly indecent right now!"
Shinji and Asuka both shouted "It's not like that!" as a chuckle sounded from next door.
Looking over, all saw Daniel leaning against the doorway of his apartment, a bemused look in his eyes, and with a hearty chuckle that was hidden behind a small smile. Beside him were Misato and Rei, having seemingly arrived as Daniel had opened the door. "You two," Daniel said, "are such a joy to watch sometimes, you know that?"
Shinji and Asuka both sighed as they saw everyone else. "Hello." they said in exasperated neutrality.
Toji turned to Misato. "So, can you explain what exactly is going on here?" Misato then proceeded to invite everyone in and tell all.
Once everyone was introduced, and more than a few rounds of laughter were had at simply how ridiculous the whole plan sounded, Hikari looked over to the massive setup that now dominated the living room, consisting of two pads with what appeared to be scoreboards behind them, all hooked up to a computer system. "So, is it working at least?" she asked plaintively.
Misato sighed to the discordant tones coming from the setup, and its current occupants. "Well, you can see for yourselves." A series of small groans passed along the table as the discordant tones continued, followed by a harsh buzzer as Asuka threw her headset in frustration.
"I don't have to put up with this!" she exclaimed. "Shinji is barely ready to synchronize with me, and I will not stoop to his level to accommodate! This is perhaps the closest thing to impossible I've ever seen!"
Misato nodded sagely. "Impossible, you say?" she asked, a gleam in her eye.
She turned to look at Rei, who had been silent for perhaps the whole time she was there. "Rei, you've been working with Shinji for a while. Care to give it a go?"
Rei simply nodded. "Yes, ma'am." she said quietly.
She stood, and took her place beside Shinji, putting on the discarded headset, as Asuka went and sat next to Daniel with a look of annoyance that slowly turned to shock as the tones, once almost hilariously out of synch, slowly, but surely, began to match up.
Daniel looked at Asuka with sympathy in his eyes. "I wouldn't worry too much, Asuka. Rei and Shinji have been working together for a lot longer than you have. It's just been a matter of time."
"Think of it this way," he said as he shifted his body to face Asuka as she managed to tear away her gaze from the two other pilots, "it's not simply a matter of you completely stooping down to his level, or him rising all the way up to yours. It's a matter of finding a middle ground to work on. Synchronization doesn't necessarily mean perfection."
Asuka mulishly nodded when Misato spoke up over the clear, concordant tones of the machine. "Well, with Rei's progress so far, it might be better if she replaced your spot on this mission. It just seems like they work better together."
Asuka whipped around to look at Misato, then to Shinji and Rei "I... I..." Daniel knew what was coming, he noted with sadness.
And come it did, as anger replaced the conflict once in her eyes. "I've had it! I'm out of here!" she shouted.
She marched out, slamming the sliding door behind her, and the tones stopped as Shinji looked up at the door. "Asuka!" Hikari shouted after her.
Daniel gave Misato a pained look, as embarrassment slowly filled Misato's face. Hikari stood as Shinji took off his headphones. "Well, what are you waiting for?" she nearly shouted at the startled Shinji. "Go after her! She's your partner, isn't she?"
Shinji looked around at the rest of the group, and as his gaze landed on Daniel, he saw a silent "go" followed by a meaningful nod towards the door from him as he looked meaningfully at Shinji. After a moment, he followed her out the door.
Daniel nodded silently. He hoped that Shinji did find her. Or else, this was going to become even more complicated than it was already.
- - -
Thankfully, Shinji returned with an Asuka filled with determination, and the training continued in earnest. Though the dance pads were a big part of their training, they did almost everything together. Eat, prepare for the day, watch television, even sleep in the living room instead of their own beds. The only thing that they didn't do was use the bathroom together.
As Asuka took an evening shower that Shinji thought was much too long for what she seemed to need to do, he found himself sitting next to Daniel at the kitchen table, who was now in charge of keeping an eye on them as Misato spent the night before the attack at work to prepare.
"You've both gotten a lot better." Daniel began. "It doesn't take a lot to notice the difference. You're ready for tomorrow."
Shinji nodded. "Yeah," he said with a sigh of resignation, "then it's back to boot camp with Lehrerin Soryu."
Daniel looked up from the paperwork he was doing as Shinji said this. "Would you like to know why she's driven you through all that training?" he asked quietly.
Shinji rolled his eyes. "Because she thinks I'm a terrible pilot who shouldn't be dragging her down?"
Daniel put down his pen as he scooted his chair to face Shinji. "Well, she might say that, yes. But really, she believes that you have the potential to be a great pilot, and she wants you to feel confident doing what you do. She's sharing what she loves. And she doesn't want you to be afraid."
Shinji looked almost disbelievingly at Daniel. "How does she believe that? And why would I want to be good at something that I hate? I've never liked piloting the Eva."
Daniel sighed. "Because it's her only frame of reference." he said quietly.
Shinji's brow raised at this. "What do you mean?"
Daniel paused for a moment before continuing. "You two are far more alike than you think. And," he said as he looked around in exaggerated suspicion, "what I'm about to say next can stay between you, me, and the rest of the appliances here. You have both grown up without your parents. What makes you two different is that instead of just being with a guardian, Asuka was with a guardian and in the Eva program. Her entire life has been centered around the Evangelion. It is all she has really ever known."
Daniel paused again, listening for the shower. Satisfied it was still running, he continued. "And until I came along, she was alone. She had no friends, no family to speak of. She was just living with Misato. She was just by herself."
Shinji's eyes were wide. "I… understand."
A small, sad smile pushed up a corner of Daniel's mouth. "You do. More than you realize. And remember when I said that she didn't want you to be afraid?" Shinji nodded.
"She doesn't simply want you to not be afraid of piloting the Eva." Daniel continued. "She wants you to not be afraid of who she is when she's in front of everybody."
Shinji looked confused as the shower went silent. "And why would she want that?"
"So that she knows you won't be afraid of who she is when she isn't." Shinji blinked silently, and Daniel continued in that silence. "She wants comfort. And I can't really give that to her."
"So when the time comes," Daniel said as the sliding door to the washroom opened to reveal Asuka, dressed in her nightclothes and with a towel over her head, "be ready."
Asuka, having not heard the conversation before that point, nodded confidently. "Exactly, rookie! I'd hate to have wasted all the training that we've gone through to flub it tomorrow. So be ready!"
Shinji sat silently as Asuka turned to Daniel. "So, what are you still doing here? Where's Misato?"
Daniel turned to Asuka and gave a wry smile. "She's at the Geofront, staying the night to prepare for the operation tomorrow."
Asuka nodded. "So, will you be staying over for the night then?"
Daniel chuckled as he shook his head. "No. I doubt Eleanor would appreciate that. I'm confident that you two can handle a night with just each other."
"Speaking of," Daniel said as he stood and glanced at his watch, "I really should be going. You two have a good night. And in case I don't see you tomorrow, good luck."
With that, he left the apartment and left Shinji and Asuka to prepare for bed. As they did, Asuka picked up her bedroll from its usual spot by Shinji and plopped it down in Misato's now empty room, sliding the door shut with her foot.
Shinji looked on in confusion as Asuka once again opened the door, this time on her hands and knees and with a scowl on her face. "Alright, rookie. This door is now the Wall of Jericho! Any attempt to cross it will result in a swift and painful death. Now, get your sleep so that you don't screw up everything for us tomorrow."
The door slid shut once again, and Shinji shook his head in confusion. She didn't seem to be in any need of comfort right now. He turned off the lights and got an old SDAT player Misato had loaned him from the table, plugging his headphones into it. Shinji asked where Misato had gotten the song, and all she could give him to listen to privately was the player and an old tape labeled 'Classical Compositions of Sagisu, Vol.2'. He slipped a headphone in one ear and began to listen.
As the night grew long and Shinji continued to silently listen, the door to Misato's room slid open, and Shinji paused the player, closing his eyes and feigning sleep. Asuka probably needed to go to the bathroom or whatever.
After a little while, and the sound of a toilet flushing confirmed his suspicions, he continued to pretend to sleep while he waited for her to go back to Misato's room. He listened as she walked through the living room. Then he heard a thump as something flopped down beside him. As he opened his eyes, they widened as he saw Asuka, inches away from him. As he jumped slightly, he pressed the reverse button on the SDAT player, the tape making a whirring noise in his ear as it did.
He blushed as he realized just how close she was, and how peaceful she looked. Then, he saw her shift as she mumbled in her sleep, and he couldn't believe himself as he saw tears welling in her eyes. Then he heard her clearly. "Mama…"
Shinji froze. What should he do? What could he do? His mind whirled as quickly as the tape in the player did as a few errant tears began to fall down Asuka's face and she cried out quietly again. "Mama…"
Then, as the tape reached the top, and silence filled Shinji's mind, he remembered what Daniel had said earlier that night. "She needs comfort. And I can't really give that to her."
"When the time comes, be ready."
So Shinji took out his headphone, carefully setting aside the SDAT player as his mind shouted at him about how stupid what he was about to do was and how this couldn't be the time and a million other things that it hammered into his skull, and he gently laid a hand on Asuka's shoulder.
With a small gasp, Asuka opened red, puffy eyes, which widened slightly in surprise. "Shinji?" she said, quietly and uncertainly.
"It's okay," Shinji said, equally quietly. "I understand."
Asuka's eyes widened even more. "How?" she whispered.
"Because I lost my mother too," Shinji said after a moment. "And I know what it's like to be alone."
Asuka's gaze softened as she heard this. Silence reigned for a heartbeat. Then another. "You're…"
Asuka paused for another heartbeat. "Just like me." she whispered.
"Yes." Shinji replied in a whisper of his own.
A tiny, fragile smile came to Asuka's face. "Is it okay," she said, slowly and uncertainly, "if I just stay here tonight?"
Shinji let the silence settle for a moment before he answered. "Sure."
Asuka closed her eyes again, wiping away the tears. "Thank you."
They both then settled to sleep. Unknown to either of them, a small Expression slowly faded from existence, and Daniel smiled slightly as he himself went to sleep, Eleanor held in his arms.
- - -
Deep in the Geofront, however, sleep was far from Misato's mind at the moment. She was wrapped up in work. She was also wrapped up in Ryoji Kaji, who had joined her in the elevator. Before she could protest, he kissed her deeply. After a moment of shock, she let it happen, keeping an eye on the ticking indicator of the elevator's floor.
As it dinged, she extracted herself, walking out into the hallway. She blinked as she realized that the papers that she had been carrying had been left scattered on the elevator floor.
As she turned around, she saw that Kaji had gathered them up, offering them to her as he leaned on the elevator door. She snatched them out of his hands, an angry look on her face. "Kaji, I told you, this isn't like college. You're not going to just come in and sweep me off of my feet this time!"
Kaji continued to lean on the door with a wry smile. "Maybe, Misato. But I'm a smart man. I didn't end up in the Intelligence division for nothing. So I can see that you're really arguing with yourself whenever you see me, without ever saying a single word."
"So," he continued, "Should I trust what you've told me? Or are we lying to each other right now?"
With that, he stepped back and allowed the elevator doors to close. Misato stared at the doors for a moment, then in a fit of anger, tossed her paperwork at them.
Then Misato blinked and recalled another memory. Daniel and Eleanor holding each other's hands on the Over the Rainbow. Did she not want that? Or did she not want that with Kaji? Or did she?
Frustrated and confused, she picked her papers back up and made her way to the cafe near the top of the Geofront.
As she sat and watched the Geofront at night, a familiar arm passed a cup of coffee to her. "Here you are."
Misato looked up and saw Ritsuko, in the vest and pencil skirt she normally wore her lab coat over as she sat down with her own coffee. "Thanks."
Ritsuko looked intently at Misato through the glasses she rarely wore nowadays. "No beer to go with that coffee tonight?" she asked wryly.
Misato shrugged. "Well…" she trailed off.
Ritsuko took off her glasses. "So, what is it? Focused on work? Or focused on a guy?"
Misato sighed. "Well, a little bit of both, really."
Ritsuko considered for a moment, knowing exactly who Misato would be thinking about. "So," she said with a sly grin, "is there still a spark?"
Misato choked a little on her drink, coughing as she cast an evil eye on Ritsuko. After she stopped coughing, she was quiet for a moment before growling and clutching her head. "I don't know! He's obviously looking to start something again, but we were young and stupid 8 years ago. Times have changed. But he hasn't. Not a bit."
Ritsuko nodded, silent for a moment. "Your reaction says differently. You could try just being honest with yourself. It might help resolve things."
Misato ignored her, and an air of quiet entered the room for a moment. The Misato stretched. "Well, I've got to get back to work! There's a lot riding on the big day tomorrow."
She got up and made her way to her office, leaving Ritsuko alone to ponder on the vagaries of the human heart.
- - -
The sun rose on a day filled with anticipation. Daniel had rushed the pilots early to the Geofront to get prepared for the operation, and now, they both sat in their Units, waiting for the moment when they would launch.
Up in the command center, Misato, Ritsuko, Kaji, Daniel, and Eleanor waited, staring at the mark laid somewhat past the Goura Absolute Defense Line where, if the Angel passed, the operation would commence.
Indeed, the two Angels had finally begun to move, slowly making their way to where the mark lay. All involved waited with bated breath as the forward observer spoke up. "The target has breached the Goura Defense Line. Repeat, it has breached the Defense Line."
Misato smirked. "Well, here you come. But now we're ready for you." she said quietly.
She opened up a line to the waiting pilots. "Alright, pilots, raise your AT Fields the moment the music starts. After that, you know the plan. And I'm confident that you can pull it off. Are you two ready?"
Shinji and Asuka were in perfect synch. "Yes ma'am!"
Misato nodded as the forward observer spoke up again. "Target has passed the mark! Operation Harmony is clear to commence, repeat, is clear to commence!"
Asuka turned to Shinji's display as the countdown to launch commenced. "Alright, rookie! We're going to be going balls-to-the-wall, non-stop as soon as this starts. Keep up with me and we can pull this off without a hitch!"
Shinji nodded. "Got it! We'll have this Angel down in the minute it takes the song to finish."
One of the bridge techs, Shigeru Aoba, spoke up. "Target is about to reach the point of no return! ETA 10 seconds!"
Misato nodded. "Jettison umbilical cables!"
With a flash, the cables ejected from the backs of the Units, and the timer for the Eva's running time changed to 01:06. Misato once again gave her command. "Launch!"
The Units flew up the rails as the song began, and in a moment, they reached the open air, as their restraints released to allow them to fly up into the sky.
00:55
As expected, the Units worked in perfect unison, and the city defenses worked in unison with them, with all the grace and speed of professional dancers. Shinji and Asuka flipped and dodged through and around the two Angel's attacks as if the Angels had practiced with them.
00:46
The Evas battered at the Angels with a Pallet Rifle and a prototype positron cannon, and as they flipped back from the Angel's attacks, a pop-up barrier sprang up where they landed, and they peppered the Angels with Pallet Rifles as they cast a familiar pink light around them, lifting into the air towards the duo, the Evas dashing to the sides as the pop-up barrier was sliced by the Angel's claws.
00:37
Shinji and Asuka strafed around and continued to spray the Angel down with their Pallet Rifles, the barrage driving the Angels back towards the mountain just as planned. The city, too, railed on the Angels with missiles and airstrikes, driving it further back still.
00:28
As one, the Evas approached, their punches and kicks a mirror image of each other, driving the Angel into the air. A spinning kick slammed the two Angels into each other, causing them to fuse again. Now was their chance!
00:11
And finally, as one, the Units leaped into the air, arcing high, then diving down to deliver the final blow before the Angel's cores could unify again. All who watched held their breath as the song, and the operation that surrounded it, reached its climax.
00:02
With a resounding crack, the Eva's kicks drove the Angel into the mountainside, its cores cracked and glowing with a baleful white light.
And as the timer finally reached 00:00, The Angel exploded, as a thunderous, bright dome of light and fire took its place, carving away the mountainside that the Angel marked its tomb on.
All within the command center waited with bated breath for the blast to clear up. As it did so, the forward observer circled his way towards the carved-away portion in the side of the mountain. The ground was still white-hot, striations of soil making wave-like patterns in the caldera.
At the center of it, the two Evas stood unscathed, stooped and powerless, but proud. They had done it.
The command center went up in cheers, and Daniel turned to Eleanor with a wry grin. "Would you look at that, honey? They even stuck the landing."
Eleanor laughed. "That they did."
- - -
In the still Entry Plugs of the Evas, both pilots panted as they finished their dance with death. They had done well. Now, as they waited to be extracted from their Units, Asuka opened a channel to Shinji with a grin. 'You know," she said, "for how much of a rookie you still are, and how much longer you still have to go, you did your part alright."
Shinji nodded, blushing a little. "Well, thanks."
A stern look crossed her face. "However," she nearly shouted as Shinji slightly recoiled, "that doesn't mean that you get to slack off while you're still learning from me! Got it?"
Shinji gulped, and nodded. "Yes, Lehrerin Soryu." he replied with an air of resignation.
Asuka rolled her eyes. "Look, rookie, your German may be decent, but until it's great, just call me Asuka. It'll be simpler in the long run."
Shinji blinked, then blinked again. "Okay… Asuka."
A small grin graced Asuka's face. "See? It isn't that hard to do, is it?"
Next was Sandalphon. The Angel in the caldera. We still haven't figured out whether it was there simply by coincidence, or if it had laid a trap for us. If it did try and trap us, it almost worked. After all, who wouldn't want to study these things at a "seemingly young" stage? Even still, there are choice nightmares I have about what could have gone wrong.
Tokyo-3, August 2015
It was a bright summer afternoon that graced Tokyo-3, as Shinji and Asuka gloomily watched the vapor trail of a passenger plane drift into the open sky. On it, a school trip flew, along with Hikari, Kensuke, and Toji. Of course, the pilots had to stay behind and tend to their duties. And, for some of them, their homework.
Not that it stopped them from trying to have fun. Which is how Shinji, Asuka, and Rei all ended up at the school pool, strictly off the books, of course.
Asuka and Rei swam laps, while Shinji contented himself with studying some particularly vexing homework. Shinji focused intently on his task, barely noticing the footsteps coming toward him before their owner announced herself. "So, what are you doing instead of enjoying the pool?"
Shinji seemed to barely note Asuka's question before answering. "I'm working on homework for physics."
Asuka rolled her eyes at him. "A summer off of school, and you choose to do homework instead of swim. How exhilarating."
Shinji rolled his own eyes. "Say what you will, but I've needed to crack down and study anyway. So..." he finally looked up at Asuka, and his eyes grew wide.
Asuka stood before him in a striped two-piece suit and goggles, far more risqué than any of the school swimsuits. "So," she said, leaning over the computer he studied, "what problems are you facing?"
As she puzzled out the equation set before them, Shinji blushed as he wondered if some twist of fate had condemned him to have his face uncomfortably close to women's chests.
"And done! That was terribly easy." Asuka said with a confident nod, the equation solved in mere minutes.
Shinji became confused after thinking for a moment. "Wait a minute, if this is so easy for you, how are you flunking so hard in our classes?"
Asuka finally stood straight, and Shinji almost breathed a sigh of relief. "Well, I couldn't read what was on the test sheets. That tends to make things a little difficult," she said, her brows slightly furrowed in frustration.
Shinji tilted his head slightly in confusion. "You mean... you can't read Japanese?"
Asuka nodded. "I mean, I haven't learned all the kanji yet, but I'm getting there. I didn't really study it that much before I graduated college last year."
Shinji's eyes widened. "College? And how old are you?"
Asuka's brow furrowed still deeper in annoyance. "I'm 15, the same as you! Don't be ridiculous."
She glanced at the screen again. "So, what does your next problem say?"
Shinji glanced back at the computer. "Well, it's on thermal expansion."
Asuka scoffed. "Come on, that's such a basic concept! Here's the quick and simple explanation: Things expand when they heat up, and shrink as they cool down."
She looked down at herself with a sly look that she then threw at Shinji. "I wonder if I could apply some thermal expansion to myself. I'm sure there are a few areas you wouldn't complain about being bigger."
Shinji clamped his mouth shut as blood rushed into far too many different places. Asuka rolled her eyes as she saw this display of outright embarrassment. "Ok, look," she said in exasperation, "if I help you with your homework, will you please just cut loose and take a dip?"
Shinji looked at her with confusion. "Uh… what? Why? I mean," he said hastily as she leered at him, "why would you want to help me with my schoolwork?"
Asuka sighed. "Well, for one, I can help you to focus more on our training for the Eva and you can help me stay sharp mentally, and for another, I'm already helping you to not be a dunce when it comes to piloting, so why not make sure you're not a dunce at studying?"
Asuka crossed her arms, appearing sure of her argument. "So? Are you throwing on a pair of trunks or not?"
Shinji thought for a moment. "Well… okay, I guess. It's been a while, though."
Asuka raised an eyebrow. "Really? How long have you not gone swimming for?"
Shinji puffed out his cheeks as he thought. "Well… since I was about 12 when Daniel left for Germany. And for you, I guess."
Asuka looked into the middle distance as happy memories came to her. "Man," she said after a moment, "we've both been lucky to have Daniel in our lives haven't we?"
Shinji nodded, as memories of his own started to replay in his mind. "Yeah. I'm not entirely sure what I would be without Daniel there. I think… Well, I wouldn't be here right now."
Asuka nodded. "Yeah…" she replied quietly.
She shook her head after a moment. "Alright, enough daydreaming, Shinji, get a suit on and come join Wondergirl and me in the pool already!"
Shinji jumped a little at the sudden change of tone, then nodded. "Oh... okay." He got up, and the laptop sat forgotten for a little while as Shinji simply had fun.
- - -
Deep in the Geofront, Fuyutsuki, Aoba, Ritsuko, and Maya intently studied a far different kind of pool. Mt. Asama, a local volcano that had been dormant for decades, was now quite a bit more active. Geologists had found… something in there during their studies. It showed as a dark blotch amongst the bright orange of the lava.
"Whatever's in there, we can barely make it out," Fuyutsuki said after a long moment of silence.
"But I still concur with the Mt. Asama Research Institute," Aoba replied. "There's something about this shadow that bothers me."
Fuyutsuki nodded, moving around the display table to look at it from another angle. "We can't dismiss this out of hand, of course." he looked up at Ritsuko with a questioning look.
She looked to Maya in response. "What's the Magi's thoughts on the matter?"
Maya shrugged. "It's split down the middle, with Casper flipping back and forth. Either there's something there we have to worry about, or it's simply a perfectly normal spot of geologic activity."
Fuyutsuki nodded slowly as he looked over at Aoba. "Do we have anyone on site right now?"
Aoba nodded in turn. "Captain Katsuragi and Lieutenant Hyuga are there right now, working with the Theismans and the Research Institute to send a probe down."
"Very well," Fuyutsuki replied with a quiet sigh. "Let's see what they find."
- - -
Mt. Asama Research Center
Misato, Daniel, and Eleanor all huddled around a single monitor manned by First Lieutenant Makoto Hyuga, which gave a visual display, heavily shielded of course, of the intensely hostile environment the probe they'd sent down traversed. Everyone in the Center was silent as the depth display ticked up, slowly but surely, and the probe got ever closer to the anomaly. 660… 665…
A tech spoke up. "We're at the probe's limit, ma'am!"
Misato glanced at the technician for only a moment. "We can't let up yet. Give us 500 more meters."
The tech gulped as he looked back at his screen, and Daniel glanced at Misato. "We can't go much farther without compromising what data we can collect," he said warningly.
Eleanor nodded. "At this rate, we might have to get someone with an AT Field to go down there for something reliable." she mused. Misato said nothing as she continued to stare at the monitor with a surprising intensity.
As they talked, the probe descended still further. 1150… 1175…
Another technician spoke up after a moment as a tone began to sound. "Cracks in the casing showing at 1200 meters."
The technician leaned out again. "Ma'am, we have to pull it out or we'll lose it!" he said, not bothering to mask his desperation.
Misato didn't even turn to look this time. "If it breaks, then NERV will be happy to reimburse you. Just 200 meters more."
The technician growled, but turned back and complied, sending the probe still further. After just a moment more of tense silence, Hyuga spoke up as the monitor sounded a clear tone. "We have a reading on the sensors!"
Misato nodded. "Start analysis."
Hyuga nodded, starting to scan through various spectrums. As he did so, an alarm sounded and the view on the screens became snow. "The probe has been crushed by the pressure. No more signal." one of the technicians wearily stated.
Misato leaned on the back of Hyuga's chair. "Did you get anything?" she nearly whispered.
After a moment, Hyuga nodded. "Got it just before the probe imploded. It's a Pattern Blue," he replied quietly.
Misato's eyes narrowed in determination. "And now we know for sure. It's an Angel."
She stood and turned to address the room. "Alright. We have confirmed that we are now dealing with a potential Angel threat. This facility now falls under NERV jurisdiction and will be secured as such! No one, and I mean NO ONE, goes in or out! Any and all data gathered in the last 6 hours has now been classified as top secret!"
As Center staff began to get up and get active, she turned to the other NERV staff. "Daniel, get on the line with the Geofront. It looks like we will be sending in something with an AT Field after all. Hyuga, I want you to go over what we got with a fine-toothed comb. If there is anything we can find out about that Angel, I need to know it now."
The others nodded and scattered to fulfill their separate duties. Misato turned back to look at the embryonic form of what was, most likely, an Angel. "In the meantime, I have a call to make."
- - -
Deep in the Geofront, in a darkened room, the Council of the Human Instrumentality Committee convened. They had since been briefed about what had been discovered in Mt. Asama, and Commander Gendo Ikari had shocked them with his request. "You want to use Protocol A-17 and actually go on the offensive?" the French representative bathed in yellow light exclaimed.
Gendo nodded. "Yes," he said simply, as if it were the most logical thing in the world.
"It's too dangerous, Ikari." the African representative, draped in a green light, said. "We haven't forgotten what happened 15 years ago. We're sure you haven't either."
Gendo gave no signs of reaction from behind the orange-tinted glasses or tented hands that covered his face. "This is a golden opportunity to finally go on the offensive."
Chairman Lorenz Kihl, in white light, leaned against the table. "The risk is simply too great, Ikari," he said in a low voice, gravelly with age.
"This offers us the rare chance to actually capture a live Angel specimen for study. I don't believe I have to stress the significance of such a thing." As Gendo said this, the Committee looked around at each other, various glints of concern, interest, and outright skepticism passing between them. Kihl sat silent, his eyes hidden behind the visor that helped him to even only see.
After a moment, Kihl nodded. "Very well, Ikari. Your request is granted," he said, the resignation that Gendo picked up on expertly hidden behind a neutral tone.
As one, the images of the other members of the Committee vanished, Kihl staying behind and glaring at Gendo.
"This is not the path that has been laid out for us to follow, Ikari," he said simply.
Gendo leaned back in his chair, staring directly into the Chairman's visor. "Perhaps. But sometimes, we must defy destiny to obtain what is rightfully ours."
Silence reigned in the conference room for a small eternity. "Perhaps." Kihl finally said, vanishing as well, leaving Gendo and Fuyutsuki alone in the darkness.
"Gendo, I must ask, as always. Are you sure about this?" Fuyutsuki said after a moment.
Gendo simply smiled lightly. "Of course, Sensei."
- - -
Shinji, Asuka, and Rei found themselves with Misato, Ritsuko, Maya, and Daniel, staring at the image of the nascent Angel after having been called in. "So, this is really an Angel?" Shinji asked.
Ritsuko nodded. "Yes, it is. The mission is to capture it with as little damage to it as possible."
Asuka spoke up, an almost uncharacteristic seriousness in her tone. "And if that proves to be impossible?"
Ritsuko didn't even blink. "Then you are to destroy it immediately. At the end of the day, it is still an Angel, and still extremely dangerous."
All three of the Children nodded. "Yes, ma'am," they said in unison.
Ritsuko nodded. "The pilot who will be attempting this will be-" she started before Asuka raised her hand.
"I'll do it! I've been wanting to go diving for ages now!" Asuka interjected, excitement gleaming in her eyes and voice.
Ritsuko raised a single eyebrow as Daniel turned to look at her with a small grin. "I told you, Ritsuko," Daniel said after a moment, "Asuka is enthusiastic about the things she wants to do. This happened to be one of them, it seems."
Ritsuko tilted her head to the side for a moment. "You are correct, it seems, Mr. Theisman. Asuka, you will carry out this mission using Unit-02."
Asuka pumped her fist once. "Yes, ma'am! This will be a piece of cake!" she said with no small amount of satisfaction.
Rei then spoke up. "What about me, ma'am?"
"Unit-00 doesn't have the ability to interface with the gear necessary to complete this mission safely," Daniel replied sympathetically. "Sorry, Rei."
Ritsuko looked over at Rei. "You will be on standby to assist in case Asuka and Unit-02 require it, Rei."
Rei simply nodded. "Very well."
Asuka leaned over. "Well, that's too bad, Wondergirl. You'll be missing out on the fun after we're done. Such a shame." Rei simply looked ahead, staying silent, as Daniel suppressed a wince. He had almost forgotten how prideful Asuka could be even at the best of times.
"Protocol A-17 is already in effect, and we haven't the slightest clue as to the 'gestation period' of an Angel, so we need to work quickly. Suit up and get to your Evas." Ritsuko said firmly.
"Yes, ma'am." The pilots nodded once again, then went to their separate stations.
. . .
As Asuka depressed the cuff button to form the Plugsuit to her body, she studied herself with no small amount of confusion. "I thought this Plugsuit was supposed to be heat resistant. It just feels… normal right now."
Ritsuko, with a clipboard up to her face, waved a pen in her general direction. "Try the right arm cuff button."
Asuka nodded with a confused look that quickly became one of horror as she depressed the indicated button, then began swelling like a balloon, cold liquids gurgling inside of it. "Hey!" she said as she finally stopped inflating, waving her arms. "What the hell is this?"
She made a valiant effort to reach her right arm again, which paid off after a moment's struggle with a click, and a gurgle was heard over the sound of the suit slowly deflating.
Ritsuko nodded. "Unit-02 has been suited up, too. Follow me."
Asuka, her face red with indignation, followed behind, where she was greeted by the sight of Daniel and Shinji next to what appeared to be Unit-02 in a massive, antiquated diver's suit. She looked at the sight in pure shock. "What is that? What have you bolted to my Unit, Daniel?"
Daniel sighed. "This is the Type-D gear. It's massively armored and rated against everything short of a point-blank nuclear blast."
Daniel looked pointedly at Asuka as she made the connections in her head. "You're going into one of the most hostile environments on the planet Earth short of high orbit. Without this, even with your AT Field, you would cook alive in minutes. We don't want that. I don't want that. I'm sorry, Asuka, but you're going to have to put your pride aside for a moment here."
Asuka stayed silent, simply looking at the face of Unit-02 visible through the clear aperture in the diving helmet.
She sighed heavily. "Man. Nobody said that glory in combat had to come with so much embarrassment attached to it."
She looked over at Shinji, and then slowly began to laugh. Shinji, brow raised in confusion, looked back at her. "What's so funny, Asuka?"
Asuka straightened up from nearly being doubled over. "I was just imagining you and Unit-01 in this ridiculous get-up. That would have made my day!"
Rei, who had walked in during the exchange, raised her hand. "If such a scenario makes you uncomfortable, I can pilot Unit-02 in your place."
Asuka immediately stopped laughing, and annoyance took the place of mirth on her face. "No way, Wondergirl. This is my Unit, and I won't allow anyone else to take my place in the Entry Plug."
Daniel sighed again. "So, are you going to be piloting or not, Asuka? We need a decision."
Asuka's face set itself in determination. "Of course, I'll pilot Unit-02. I'm the only one who should be, after all." She looked back up at Unit-02. "After all, this won't take too long," she said confidently.
Daniel did his best to quash the dread rising in him. Even knowing that things would probably be okay, there was still doubt. Anything could happen in the heart of a volcano, after all.
- - -
Soon enough, Asuka was ensconced in her Unit, and Units-01 and 02, along with Daniel, Eleanor, and some other support staff, were on NERV transport planes making their way to Mt. Asama with all due haste.
They soon arrived at the volcano, touching down and dropping the two Evangelions at their designated positions. Daniel and Eleanor climbed into the command truck where Misato was currently, taking their places and beginning diagnostics.
"Alright," Misato said as everyone settled in place, "both Units will stand by for further instructions. Expedite laser drill setup and crane prep." Hyuga stated his assent as everyone began to do as ordered.
In time, the massive crane, meant to lower Unit-02 into the waiting hellscape below, was set up. Unit-02, and its pilot, both waited silently for the operation to begin.
. . .
As this happened, A trolley slowly made its way up the mountain, with two occupants enjoying the view. "So," Kaji said to his compatriot, "they put Protocol A-17 into effect here."
She nodded. "An A-17 order? That includes the seizure of all available assets. And why didn't you stop them?"
Kaji shrugged. "Because even though it's going to ruffle feathers in the government, it was issued legitimately. My hands are tied while I'm trying not to be suspicious. Trying to stop the protocol from coming into effect would be a spotlight on me that I can't easily throw off."
"Even still," the woman said, holding the puppy she held to her chest a little tighter, "NERV's failure here will mean the destruction of the world."
Kaji shrugged again. "But of course. That's just par for the course when dealing with the Angels."
. . .
Back at Mt. Asama, Shinji wondered at the glint of a squad of planes flying overhead of Unit-01. "Whose planes are those?" he pondered out loud.
On the ground below, Ritsuko, who had arrived earlier, spoke into the open link. "They're UN forces on standby until the end of the operation. Just in case something goes wrong."
"Like what?" Asuka piped up as Unit-02 underwent the process of being attached to the crane cable.
"Well, in the event that we fail, and the Angel goes out of our control, they're going to incinerate it with an N2 bomb. Which will take us along with it." Ritsuko said matter of factly.
Both pilots felt shock jolt through them as they considered just how far the UN was willing to go. "How could they do that?" Asuka said incredulously.
Shinji nodded. "And who would give such an order?" he said.
Ritsuko's reply was toneless. "Commander Ikari, of course."
A flash of anger began to boil in Shinji's chest. That his father would sacrifice everyone under him, including his own son… was par for the course at this point, Shinji realized with a mounting sense of dread.
As Shinji considered this, the laser drill moved into position, and a powerful whir sounded for all of 2 seconds, as the laser worked at the speed of light to clear a path for Unit-02. "Laser bore complete. Ingress route has been opened." Hyuga stated over the loudspeakers.
Slowly, the laser drill moved out of the way, and Unit-02, bulky and large, carrying a specially designed cage for the Angel, slowly moved into position.
Misato nodded from within the command vehicle. "Alright, Asuka. Are you ready to go?"
Asuka nodded as she hung suspended over the caldera. "Yes, ma'am. As ready as I'll ever be."
Misato nodded again. "Very well. Begin descent!"
Slowly the crane began to lower Unit-02 into the waiting pit of magma. As she descended, Asuka stared wide-eyed into the magma. "Wow. This is a little hotter than I was hoping to dive into."
Maya announced as the Unit closed into the entrance. "The Eva is about to hit the magma entrance."
"Hey, Shinji!" Asuka said as her feet were almost inches away from the magma. She flashed a pose while she began to sink into the magma, or at least as much of a pose as one can achieve in a bulky diver's suit. "I'm going in with style!"
She began to sink slowly past the entrance into the magma as Shinji rolled his eyes, a small smile coming to his face without him noticing.
Asuka descended through a sea of red, orange, and white. "Speed of descent is at 20, current depth 170. All systems functional. Visibility is near zero. I can't see a thing out here!"
Daniel chimed in on the connection to the Eva. "Don't worry too much about visibility. We've got sensors guiding you to the target. And besides, you'll know it when you see it."
Asuka nodded, but still felt unsure. "Alright. Switching to CT feed."
The view before her expanded, but only so far. "Man, I still only have visibility out to 120 meters." The feeling of unease remained as she continued her slow descent.
In the command truck, all inside stared intently at the display showing Unit-02's view of the descent. Silence reigned in all too brief dynasties and was only deposed by the sound of Maya's voice marking Asuka's passage. "Depth is 450… 500… 550… 600… 650…"
Shinji watched wordlessly as the cable continued its slow unspooling into the hellish depths, tension mounting within him like a tightening cello string. Asuka herself felt that same tension within her own chest, even with all the cushioning and cooling elements around her as Maya continued to call out her depth. "850… 900… 950… 1,000… 1,020… We're exceeding the design depth of the gear." Asuka gained sure confirmation of this fact as she started to hear the pops and groans of buckling metal.
"1300 meters." Maya finally said after tense moments. "We are now in the predicted general location of the target."
Misato continued to gaze into the depths of the caldera shown on her screen as the image was enhanced with Unit-02's telemetry data. "Asuka, do you see anything around you?"
Asuka tried valiantly to scan the area using her, and her Eva's, eyes, and only partially succeeded. "I'm not seeing anything yet. Nothing on Unit-02's sensors either."
Ritsuko tsked in frustration. "The convection current must have been stronger than we thought."
Hyuga nodded. "I'm reading a deviation in the target's movement speed. Adjusting calculations."
Misato continued to watch the screen intently. "Alright. The operation is still on. Continue Unit-02's descent immediately." Hyuga glanced at Misato incredulously for a moment, then returned his gaze to his monitor.
As Asuka continued to stew in the heat of the Entry Plug, Maya continued to count up the depth. "Depth is now 1,350… 1,400…" As Maya continued, Asuka began to fidget slightly. Damn it all, when would this thing show itself?
An audible crack interrupted her train of thought as Maya identified its source. "Cracks are appearing in coolant conduit pipe 2."
Daniel turned to Misato, evident concern on his face. "Captain, we can't continue this for much longer. If we don't pull the Unit out, there's a better than good chance there will be irreparable damage to the pilot and the Unit."
Misato didn't even glance at him. "Unacceptable. We keep going until we find the Angel. There's no turning back now."
Daniel shook his head slightly as he growled softly. "Damn it, Misato, if we let our eyes get bigger than our stomachs here, all it's going to do is make the N2 blast that much easier to see. We can afford to go on the defensive. We cannot afford to lose our best pilot and an Eva."
Misato, at last, turned to look at Daniel, a flame of genuine anger in her eyes that made Daniel hesitate. "We cannot afford to lose heart here. We have been given a direct order to capture this Angel, and by God, we will carry it out."
She turned back to Maya, her voice becoming cool as ice. "Keep going."
Maya nodded and turned back to her console. "Depth is now at 1,480. We've exceeded operational depth."
Misato glared at the screen in front of her now. 'We still haven't made contact with the target. Keep going." She opened a channel to Unit-02. "How are you doing, Asuka?"
"I'm still good here, Misato," Asuka said with all the confidence she could project over the creaks and groans that were now becoming constant, "I'm just ready to get this done and get a nice shower."
A small smile tugged at the corner of Misato's mouth. "I know a hot spring close by. We'll go after this is done. Just a little longer now."
A loud series of cracks caused Asuka to jump in alarm. Maya's voice was clear and deceptively calm. "We are now 120 meters past operational depth."
The cracks and snaps continued, and a loud crunch signaled a strap breaking loose, and beginning to gently drift away. "Unit-02's Prog Knife sheath has been compromised. We've lost it." Daniel said, desperately trying to quash the rising fear in his chest as he desperately clutched Eleanor's hand.
An edge of concern began to creep into Maya's voice now. "We're 200 beyond operating depth!"
Hyuga looked up at Misato with alarm. "Captain Katsuragi, Captain Theisman's right! This isn't just an unmanned probe this time!"
Misato didn't even look at him. "I'm in command here. We keep going until we find it and capture it. Keep. Going."
Asuka chimed in over the link, doing her best to sound confident. "Misato's right. I can handle this. I can get this done. Let's keep going."
After a tense moment of silence, a tone sounded, and Maya relayed the data it proclaimed to her. "We're now at 1,780 meters, and in the new estimated area of the target."
After another moment where Asuka would be sweating regardless of the heat, were it not for the LCL, she saw it. "There. I have a visual on the target."
Hyuga nodded. "Confirming the visual. It's the target, alright." Misato nodded. "Very well. Begin the capture process."
Asuka nodded. "Roger that." She slowly maneuvered her Unit into place, readying the wirework frame that she had carried this whole way.
Ritsuko spoke into the commlink. "The convection currents are dragging you opposite ways, so you only have one shot at capturing it. Make it count."
Asuka nodded as she continued to gently glide into position. "Leave it to me."
"T-30 to contact with the target!" Hyuga announced. Asuka provided her own commentary. "Relative velocity is 2.2, trajectories matching. I'm going in."
Finally, the wirework frame surrounded the massive oblong 'egg', activating the containment unit in a flash of orange light. A tone sounded, and Asuka's voice cut through the tension in the command truck like a knife. "Photon screens activated, and all systems are green. I've captured the target."
A sigh of relief passed through much of the command truck. It passed over Daniel and Eleanor, who gripped each other's hands even tighter. They knew that now the mission had just begun in earnest.
Misato spoke up, unaware of their uneasy knowledge. "Nice work, Asuka. Come home."
In the Entry Plug, Asuka sighed herself and began to prepare for their ascent. "Beginning resurfacing now." The crane whirred and clanked as it began reeling in the cables which Unit-02, and now the Angel, were attached to.
As the two in the magma slowly ascended to an acceptable depth, Shinji keyed into Asuka's comms. "So, are you okay, Asuka?"
Asuka scoffed. "Of course, I am, rookie! After all, the fear of danger is often greater than the danger itself. I told you this would be easy, didn't I?" She rolled her eyes. "Though at this rate, this is a sauna suit more than a Plugsuit. I'm really looking forward to those hot springs Misato mentioned."
Within the command van, Ritsuko turned to Misato. "Well, she gets over nerves quickly."
Misato smirked. "Yeah, that she does."
Ritsuko nodded. "She wasn't the only one with nerves on this mission. You were downright fearful at moments."
Misato shrugged. "A little, perhaps. But this mission is a success. No more need to worry about anything."
She glanced over at Daniel with a slightly smug air. "Isn't that right?" Daniel was silent, only glancing at her for a brief moment before turning back to his monitor and squeezing Eleanor's hand briefly.
Misato's smugness left her, worry replacing it. She knew what that meant. There would be words later. But that was later. Right now, they could simply bask in a job well done.
Ritsuko noticed this. "I can guess what's on his mind. What the stakes were if this mission failed."
Misato nodded. "The loss of Asuka. A second Impact," she said quietly.
Ritsuko slightly nodded. "We don't need any more of those. One was more than enough."
Suddenly, an alarm began to sound, drawing everyone's attention back to the monitors. "What's happening?" Asuka said in alarm, as the nascent Angel began to wail, the egg-like structure shifting and expanding within the cage.
Ritsuko's eyes widened as she saw what was happening. "It's starting to hatch sooner than predicted!"
Misato leaned over Hyuga's chair to look at his screen. "What about the holding cage?"
Hyuga's voice became edged with panic. "It's not going to hold!"
Misato hesitated for a moment. But only for a moment. "Unit-02, drop the cage! Our mission is now to destroy the Angel!"
The holding cage snapped as it broke apart and fell away, the Angel's hand pressing through the wall of light that held its changing form. "Finally! Like music to my ears!" Asuka said with a fire in her eyes.
However, as she reached slowly toward an arm that was now empty, her eyes widened in realization. "Damnit, I forgot I dropped my Prog Knife!" She looked at the ray-like form that had now made a graceful arc and was circling around towards her. "Jettisoning ballast!"
Explosive bolts did their duty as the massive weights around the Unit's waist fell away, boosting her up to narrowly miss the charging Angel. Asuka looked back in shock. "Wow! It's fast!"
The Angel glided back out into the fiery depths and then vanished, Asuka growling slightly at its disappearance as she looked around for it. "I've lost the target! I'm practically blind here, and I don't know how much longer this tin can will last."
For a few precious moments, the comm link to Unit-02 was silent. Then Misato's voice rang out again. "Asuka, Shinji's going to throw his Prog Knife down! Get ready to catch it!"
Asuka nodded, "Roger that!"
Then, a tone sounded as the Angel came rushing back into view, dark and large. "Crap. It's coming! Now or never, Shinji, pick one!"
Up above, Shinji tossed the Prog Knife with all his Unit's strength, and it began to sink slowly down into the magma. Hyuga tracked the knife as it made its descent towards Asuka. "Contact with the knife in 40 seconds!"
The Angel was seemingly much faster than that, however, and Asuka desperately reached up. "Damn it, where is it?" After what seemed like a small eternity, the knife fell into the grasper of Unit-02, the blade ejecting its sheath. Then the Angel collided, one of its many arms slamming into the knife, creating a miniature star with the light that the clash threw off. Another arm grasped onto Unit-02's left leg, squeezing to add to the already tremendous pressure.
Soon, the leg armor crumpled. "Jettisoning left leg!" Daniel called out in the command truck. It separated, shooting away into the depths below. Asuka continued to struggle as she maneuvered the bulky arm holding the Prog Knife to try and bash at one of what appeared to be its eyes, to no effect. The Angel then reared up, opening a lamprey-like mouth that almost seemed to engulf the diving helmet of Unit-02.
Maya stared in amazement. "It opened its mouth, all the way down there!"
Ritsuko nodded. "It must be adapted to the heat and high pressure there." her eyes widened. "That means the Prog Knife will be useless!"
Hyuga leaned over. "If that's the case, then how are we going to defeat it?"
Daniel suddenly spoke up. "Wait a minute…" Before he could start, Shinji answered for him. "I got it! Asuka, the science problem!"
Asuka's own eyes widened. "I know exactly what you're talking about!" She lifted the knife from its face and slashed at the coolant line on her arm, a geyser of supercooled liquid streaming out. "Reroute all coolant flow to… coolant tube 3!" she said as she rammed the tube into the Angel's mouth.
Ritsuko looked on, eyes wide in amazement. "Of course, the principles of thermal expansion!"
She turned to Hyuga. "Do it, now!" He nodded, and 5 tanks worth of coolant came streaming through one tube. It gushed like a massive firehose, pushing the Angel back with the sheer pressure of the current.
With a mighty shout, Asuka drove the knife once again into the eye of the Angel. With a warbling cry, it began to disintegrate as she finally pierced its hide. Relief flowed into Asuka as she watched it drift away, crumbling to pieces. That relief was soon replaced by dread as the Angel, in its death throes, slashed nearly completely through the tether pulling Asuka up before it disintegrated completely.
Alarms blared in the command truck as all eyes widened. "Tether has been compromised! We won't be able to pull her up quicker without it snapping!" Daniel shouted.
As he said this, alarms flashed on Daniel and Eleanor's screens. Daniel turned to look at Misato. "The suit has been compromised. We're going to have total failure in less than 10 minutes. We need to get her out of there now!"
"We're going as fast as we can!" Hyuga nearly shouted back at Daniel.
Daniel stared at the monitor. If they didn't do anything, Asuka would die. He needed to do something. Perhaps he could use his powers here. Perhaps he could… then he remembered the last time he lost his inhibitions concerning his power. "You may be their creator, but you are not their god."
Eleanor looked at Daniel with wide eyes as she felt the thought through their connection.
As time seemed to slow to a crawl, Daniel wracked his brain as to what needed to be done. Then, he remembered. "Shinji," he said, opening a channel to Unit-01, "you're going to need to go in. Use your AT Field to shield yourself, and grab both the tether and Unit-02. We'll pull you up from there."
Misato whipped her head around, shock and anger in her eyes. "Ignore that, Shinji! We won't risk another Unit! It's too great a loss!"
Daniel stood, and looked Misato in the eye. "This is the only way we'll be able to retrieve Asuka. Your orders put her at risk, and now the only way to save both Shinji and Asuka is to put both in danger. Your risks got us here, and now another risk is the only way out."
Misato's eyes widened, the anger fleeing from them. "No… I… I…"
"I'm going in!" Both turned to the screen that showed Unit-01 now running towards the mouth of the volcano, diving in and disappearing with a sluggish splash.
"Shinji!" Misato said, leaning into the open microphone with a desperate look in her eyes. Silence reigned on the other end.
Misato looked back at Daniel with a glare of warning. "You had better pray that this works."
Daniel looked back at Misato, his eyes filled with determination. "If there's anyone who can make this work, it's him. He has to, now." They both stared back at a display showing a cutaway of the volcano, and the blinking green dot of Unit-01 rushing downwards to meet the steady yellow dot of Unit-02.
As all this transpired, Asuka sat silently in the cacophony of alarms and structural failure that signaled what she understood to be her imminent doom. "Well," she said into the silence, "at least I killed it." She looked up into the vast depths of magma still overhead. "And I'd come so far too…"
As the last shred of tether groaned and stretched, Asuka closed her eyes. "Is this really it? Am I really going to die here?"
She jumped slightly at the snap of the tether finally breaking, her stomach leaping into her throat as she began her descent into the waiting maw of hell.
With a crash, Asuka opened her eyes and looked up in shock, as she saw Unit-01 desperately clinging to both her arm and the tether. "Shinji?" Asuka nearly whispered in shock. Then she smiled. "You idiot. All this just for me…"
In the command truck, a shout of relief and joy went up. "Unit-01 has caught Unit-02! Beginning ascent now!" Hyuga shouted.
Daniel said nothing, standing and walking to the door of the command truck, and exiting into the outside world. Misato stared after him. She knew he would be going to check on the pilots. She knew she should be going with him. So why wasn't she?
- - -
Long after the operation had concluded, and Daniel had found the two pilots safe and sound, they, Eleanor, and Misato went to that hot spring Misato had mentioned. It was a calm, quiet place on the side of the mountain, and it was empty now, perfect for a few NERV employees who sought solitude.
So it was to Shinji's great surprise that a delivery truck, asking for NERV employees, came to the door.
With no small amount of confusion, he signed for the package and looked down on it as the delivery man drove away. "It says it's from Mr. Kaji. What could it be?"
As he opened the package, the answer jumped up, Penpen wagging his head in seeming confusion and looking around at where he was as Shinji sighed and rolled his eyes with a smile. "Hello, Penpen. Our baths are on the left. Follow me."
They entered the bath, men's and women's areas separated by a high bamboo wall. Daniel had already relaxed into the spring before Shinji and noted Penpen's arrival with a bemused look. "Well, Shinji, it seems we have an unexpected guest."
Shinji chuckled as he and Penpen slowly settled into the water. "So it seems. Courtesy of Mr. Kaji."
Daniel chuckled himself, as Penpen settled into his home territory with warbling happiness. The spring's two human occupants settled in with a sigh, enjoying the relaxation in companionable silence.
That silence was soon broken by a "Hey!" that came over from the other side of the wall. Shinji jumped, while Daniel simply rolled his eyes behind closed lids.
"Yes?" Shinji said, after a moment of composing himself.
"We've run out of bath shampoo," Misato said after a moment. "Yeah, could you toss yours over?" Asuka joined in.
Daniel silently rolled his closed eyes again as Shinji got up with the bottle in question, tossing it over the bamboo partition. A soft thunk signaled the bottle's arrival, along with an "ouch!" from a clearly annoyed Asuka. "Watch where you're throwing things, Shinji!"
"Well, come here and let me see where it hit you, then," Misato said.
As Misato and Asuka engaged in antics clearly designed for Shinji's embarrassment, Daniel chuckled. "Come on back, Shinji. Don't pay them any mind."
Shinji, clearly blushing as blood rushed to far more places than just his cheeks, turned around and went to sit again. "Well, it's hard to ignore them, when they're talking like that."
As Shinji sat, Daniel, at last, cracked an eye open. "Then it's working."
Shinji sighed. "All too well," he answered with a grumble. Daniel chuckled at that.
After a few more moments, at last, silence reigned once again. Daniel spoke after a moment of appreciation. "You did well today, Shinji. I understand how easy it would be to freeze up in situations like the one you were put in. I've done that myself."
Shinji nodded. "Well, it was the right thing to do, wasn't it? I was the only one capable of doing what was needed at the moment, so I just… did it. Regardless of whether or not it would be against orders."
Daniel thought about what Shinji said. "Shinji, that's not a bad instinct to have. It's what separates heroes from the people they save."
"But," he said after a moment, "you'll need to temper that with caution. Sometimes, orders come from people who know something you don't, and they need to be minded, regardless of how much you care for the one that gives them."
Shinji rolled his eyes but nodded. "I understand all too well."
Daniel nodded. "Good. But even still," he said as he fully opened his eyes, at last, to look at Shinji, then at the setting sun, "don't stop being a hero. You have a knack for it hidden under all that meekness."
A puff of air escaped Shinji's nose. "Even if it does take Asuka riding my back to get me to show it sometimes."
Daniel said nothing, simply smiling as they both appreciated the sunset.
. . .
As Shinji and Daniel conversed, Misato, Asuka, and Eleanor also simply enjoyed the sunset.
While they did, Asuka noticed a large scar, pale and jagged, running from Misato's sternum to just below the middle of her chest. "Where did you get that?"
Misato glanced down, touching an edge of the scar briefly. "I got this at Second Impact," she said simply.
Asuka's eyes widened, while Eleanor simply nodded. "You were there, weren't you, Misato?" Eleanor said softly.
Misato nodded, memories beginning to crawl unwanted into the back of her brain like a growing frost.
Silence reigned again for a moment. Asuka brooded, thinking deeply for a moment. "So, your clearance would let you know about my past, then?"
Misato blinked at the unexpected question. "Yes. I do know about your past. It's my job, after all. But the past is the past. There's no need to let it hang over us."
Asuka looked down, a glum look in her eyes. "Well, that makes one more that I know of, then."
Misato looked over in surprise. "Really? Who else do you know who knows about you?"
Asuka shrugged. "Well, Daniel does. He's the only one I've ever been comfortable talking about my past with. After all," she said as she looked to Misato and Eleanor, "that's what big brothers are there for. Right?"
Eleanor and Misato smiled. "Yeah," Eleanor said after a moment, "that's a pretty big part of it, I think."
Eleanor looked back to the sunset, Asuka and Misato following her lead. She liked who Daniel had become here. There were certainly darker paths that lay before him, after what had happened before. During the war. But she didn't let that trouble her right now. After all, there was no need to let the past hang over her today.
. . .
Eventually, the sunset became night, and everyone prepared to go home. As they all stood at the entrance of the building that stood as a gate to the hot springs, Daniel turned to Eleanor. "Would you care to take the kids ahead? I've got some things I'd like to say to Misato in private."
Eleanor nodded and began to shepherd the Children out the door. As it shut behind them, Misato turned from it to face Daniel. "This is about earlier today, isn't it?" she said with no small amount of guilt in her voice.
Daniel sighed. "Yes, it is. To begin with, I know your past, why you were at Second Impact, and I understand how that might lead to a vendetta against the Angels and wanting to destroy them by any means possible."
Daniel paused as Misato's eyes widened at what he said, then his own eyes hardened. "But if those means put the people who are most important to the mission of destroying the Angels, if those means put the people we love, in danger above what the situation calls for, I swear to God, I will go over your head, and talk to fucking Commander Ikari to make sure it doesn't come to pass. We can afford to stay on the defensive if it means we keep Earth's last, best hope for victory safe for the next battle. So, don't. Do it. Again."
Misato's eyes filled with anger as her cheeks flushed, and a fist clenched and slightly shook. How dare he talk to her like that? How dare he… he… be absolutely correct, she thought, as she seemed to deflate.
"You're right. You're right," she said, quieting as she spoke. "I let so much get in the way. And I would have barely realized it, or even thought hard about it if you hadn't talked to me."
Daniel's eyes softened. "That's okay. Because now you know. And now you can be ready for the feeling if it ever happens again."
He began to walk to the door, then turned back to look at Misato. "And if you ever need to air out things, you have people to talk to. Me, Eleanor, the Children… Kaji."
Misato leered at Daniel. "And why would I want to talk to Kaji about any part of my past?"
Daniel sighed. "Because he cares. And he will listen. And because he knows about loss more than you might think."
"But that can wait. Right now, let's go home." Daniel walked out the door, leaving Misato to stand in the middle of the lobby.
After a moment she nodded, a thoughtful, distant look in her eyes. "Yes. Let's go home," she said, to no one in particular.
Then there was the power outage and the attack of Matarael. The Angel itself was more a nuisance than anything, but its timing was uncanny. It took full advantage of the fact that few sensors could detect it, and that besides the Evas, there was nothing there to stop it. Of course, it wasn't the only one taking advantage of the loss of power. Not by far.
Tokyo-3, September 2015
It was a calm morning today. Shigeru Aoba appreciated that as he stood outside the laundromat he, Ritsuko, and Maya had come to in order to wash their clothes. They would do it from home, but their work simply didn't allow them the time.
This was the least of Ritsuko's worries as she extracted her clothing from the dryer. "I don't mind this laundromat, but the amount of money we're spending here is murder on a budget." she mused.
Maya looked across as she nodded in agreement. "It would certainly be nice to have the free time to at least wash our own clothes. But we're about the business of saving the world, after all," she said ruefully.
Aoba chuckled as he entered. "Well, at least we still have some free time to go home, now that the laundry is done."
Ritsuko and Maya both nodded appreciatively at this. "That we do," Maya said gratefully.
They made their way to the subway, boarding the next available train. To their surprise, they found Deputy Commander Fuyutsuki, absentmindedly leafing through the day's newspaper.
"Oh, hello, Deputy Commander," Ritsuko said, causing Fuyutsuki to lower the newspaper slightly, gazing at them over the top of it. "Good morning sir." Ritsuko then said, taking a seat next to him.
Maya and Aoba were far less relaxed, coming as close to attention as they could with their clothes in their hands. "Good morning, sir!" they both said as professionally as they did on the job.
Fuyutsuki resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Good morning to you," he said with a constrained sigh as he turned back to his newspaper.
As the four NERV employees sped on, Ritsuko attempted to start a conversation. "You're up early this morning, sir. We don't usually see you on our way."
Fuyutsuki nodded slightly, still intent on his paper. "Yes. I was up topside in the city proper, acting on Ikari's behalf," he replied with a tinge of annoyance.
Ritsuko nodded, turning to look at Fuyutsuki. "That's right. Today was a regular council meeting, right?"
Fuyutsuki sighed as he leafed over to the next page. "It was a mostly meaningless chore, as usual. Nothing to talk about with any sort of excitement."
He shook his head. "Ikari likes to put most of the meaningless things under my purview so that he can do what he needs to. Or wants, really. If it wasn't for the Magi, this city would be a lost cause." he muttered.
Ritsuko nodded, glancing at the front page of Fuyutsuki's newspaper. "So, the city elections are coming up soon, then?"
Fuyutsuki shook his head as he finally let down his newspaper to look at Ritsuko. "The city council is a mask, really. The Magi is what really ensures everything runs smoothly."
"Wait a moment," Maya asked, head tilted slightly, "which section of the Magi takes care of city admin, then?"
Fuyutsuki looked up at the young assistant. "You and I both know we're talking about the most advanced bio-computer on the planet, Ms. Ibuki. Built on the basis of one of the greatest minds of the 3 most recent generations. Its three interlinked sections control everything. City management and defense, communications, most any sensor stations within 10 miles of the city, Eva unit C&C. It does all this by majority vote."
He scoffed slightly as raised his newspaper again. "It's a better representation of democracy than most any city council ever could be."
Maya blinked as he said this. "So, all the city council does is add a rubber stamp to the Magi's decisions then?"
Fuyutsuki nodded. "When it's the least wasteful, most efficient form of governance, it just makes sense, does it not?"
Maya hummed at this. "Truly, we are a city of science," she said with a slight smile. "We're living in an age where science seems able to solve all of our problems. Why not this?"
Aoba rolled his eyes. "Man, what a cliche thing to say. Science solves everything. If only." he muttered.
Fuyutsuki was silent for a moment. Then he looked back over at Ritsuko. "I understand that you'll be conducting tests on Unit-00?"
Ritsuko nodded. "Yes, sir. At 1030, we'll be conducting endurance tests, see how well it does."
Fuyutsuki nodded in turn. "Well, I have high hopes for your success."
- - -
Those memories were far from Ritsuko's mind as alarms flashed, and the Unit slowly stirred from its restraints. "Abort the test. Open all the circuits now," she said, keeping her voice as under control as she could. The techs complied quickly, and the room was gradually cloaked in darkness, Unit-00's head slowly dipping.
After a moment, the techs spoke again. "Circuit switch-over complete. Restoring power now."
As the light came as gradually as the darkness did, Ritsuko stood over Maya's shoulder, peering into the monitor of her station. On it, columns of connections spooled out, all marked in green except one.
"This must be our problem, Doctor," Maya said. "The conversion rate efficiency is somehow always below 0.008 of theoretical values. It bugs me, and I don't know why."
Another tech spoke up from his station. "Well, it's just within the measurements of our instruments. So, what do you want to do?"
Ritsuko looked back up at the orange and white titan, a pondering look in her eyes. "We'll start by just lowering the conversion rate by 0.001 and go from there with the same settings."
"Roger." Maya nodded as she and the other techs set to carrying out the task Ritsuko had placed before them.
Ritsuko nodded in turn. "Alright, let's begin the reactivation test again," she said somewhat wearily.
As they began again, Ritsuko pondered silently on the last activation test. And what it nearly cost them. What bestial soul did her mother put in that thing? And why did it hate everyone so much? Or did it hate someone in particular?
Her reverie was broken by the gentle cough of Maya. She turned to look at her student. "Yes, Maya?"
"I was thinking," Maya said after looking at Ritsuko, "what if there was something Rei could do on her end? Raising her synch score somehow might alleviate some of the problems we're facing."
"Perhaps, Kouhai. Perhaps." Ritsuko cupped her chin thoughtfully as she continued to gaze at Unit-00. She wondered where she might find inspiration for such a task. Perhaps she should start by looking at the other two Children…
- - -
In another part of the Geofront, a pair of elevator doors slid open in front of Misato, revealing a long hallway, and the man who desperately ran towards them. "Hold the door please!" Kaji said, his ponytail swishing from side to side as he ran.
Misato stared at him for a moment, then slowly reached for the button marked 'Close Doors', pushing it gently. As the doors came inches away from fully closing, Kaji's hand, outstretched as he leaned forward, came in between them at the last second, and he heaved a sigh of relief as he entered. "Well, that was quite the hustle to get here, huh, Misato?" he said while he caught his breath.
Misato simply turned away, suppressing an annoyed growl. Great. Now she was stuck in here with him. At least the elevator ride wouldn't be too long, she thought, as the car began its smooth descent.
Kaji looked back at her. "Well, then. Someone hasn't had the greatest morning ever, have they?" he asked with a wry smile.
Misato rolled her eyes. "I got to see your face this early in the day. It hardly helps things," she grumbled.
"Ouch," Kaji said, his smile becoming easy. He fell silent after no reply was forthcoming.
After a moment, the floor display darkened as the elevator slowed to a halt. "A power outage?" Kaji said, more than a little surprised.
Misato turned to him. "Come on. Don't be ridiculous. That could never happen."
The lights then disappeared, the deep red glow of emergency lights taking their place. "For once, Misato," Kaji said after a moment, "I wish I was."
"Well, that's strange," Misato said with no small amount of confusion, "maybe there was some kind of accident?"
Kaji smirked in the dim light. "Perhaps Ritsuko botched an experiment somehow?"
Back in the test chamber, the air was filled with the whir of computers all powering down. As silence settled in, all eyes turned to the shadowed form of Doctor Ritsuko Akagi. "What?" she said defensively after a moment. "It wasn't me." she paused for a moment. "At least this time," she said more softly.
In the elevator, Kaji shrugged. "Regardless, what do you make of the situation?"
Misato shrugged in turn. "Well, power should come back on soon. The backups shouldn't be affected by something like this."
- - -
On the bridge of Central Dogma, chatter raised up to a fever pitch. "Sir," a tech said to Fuyutsuki, "None of the backup circuits are coming online."
Fuyutsuki looked over at the tech with shock in his eyes. "That's impossible!" he leaned over the side of the central bridge, looking down at another tech working feverishly. "How many circuits are still working?" he shouted down at one of the technicians.
The tech looked up, putting her hands to her mouth to cast her voice as much as she could. "Most all of the circuits are down! The only ones that are still up are the old ones past number…" she paused as she looked back down for a moment. "Number 2567, sir!"
Fuyutsuki grimaced. This meant that most everything was going to be down and be down for quite a while. They couldn't afford that in the slightest.
Daniel heard this too. He had been on the bridge maintaining his station when the power went out. Knowing what happened next, it had the potential to be a disaster if the Children didn't reach their Units in time.
But then something else came to mind. An old report, all the way from Germany. If the LCL thieves were Interfaced like him, and, as he had discovered in a very close call, could be detected as a Pattern Blue, wouldn't the best time to sneak into the biggest producer of LCL in the world be right now? He had to make sure.
He stood from his position on the bridge and turned to Fuyutsuki. "Sir," he said, as the Deputy Commander turned to him, "I'm fairly certain the Evangelion security is not at risk, but I'd rather be sure. There are a bunch of maintenance tunnels that span the Geofront. I'm going to go take them and go down to the Eva bays, make sure that none of the security measures have been breached."
As he turned and walked away, Fuyutsuki spoke up. "Mr. Theisman, they should be inoperable. We should be just fine."
Daniel turned and looked at Fuyutsuki seriously. "Well, sir, if there's anything I've learned as a mechanic, it's that the things we create have an uncanny ability to surprise us at the worst of times. I'd rather be safe than sorry."
Fuyutsuki considered this for a moment. "Well," he finally said, "I can't exactly fault that logic. Go ahead. Report back in when the power comes back online."
Daniel nodded, then saluted. "Yes, sir." Fuyutsuki simply waved him off.
As he exited Central Dogma and ensured that the place that he picked was sufficiently abandoned, he began to create an Expression, designed to act as a sort of spiritual sonar. If the thieves were here, they would light up like stars due to their own Expressions. As the Framework for it was completed, Daniel released the Expression.
The Expression burst out from him like a wave, illuminating the souls, and the Frameworks those souls produced, like outlines of light. Each person's soul, the core of their being, created amazingly intricate Frameworks to interface with body and mind, becoming a repository and expression of their individuality. Looking at one was like looking at a piece of art, totally unique and breathtaking in its intricacy.
He 'saw' hundreds, thousands of such souls, the workers of the Geofront laboring to restore power. And far, far below where he stood, three bright and lonely lights glowed in his vision. Down near Terminal Dogma. Down near Lilith, perhaps the only true producer of LCL.
"Honey," he thought through his link to Eleanor, "we've got some out-of-towners who look like they're trying to get at the LCL here. They've been a nuisance to NERV before in Germany. I'm going to go stop that from being the case here."
He felt and appreciated the immediate understanding Eleanor showed. "Well, if there's ever a time to let loose with some Expressions, it's now. Go get them, honey. I'll be on standby."
Daniel smiled as he fixed the general location of the thieves in his mind and began to create another Expression's Framework. This one was going to be more finicky, more intricate in design. Achieving point-to-point teleportation was, by nature. It was why he had devoted so much time to study it carefully, after all.
As the mental and spiritual part of the Frame was finished, he created a Control Surface, a (somewhat) physical object to help the Expression manipulate the physical world. In this case, the Control Surface took the form of an open book, seemingly composed of a starfield, upon which a figure, which would represent him, rested.
The Expression finished, and he felt the terribly familiar glow of the mark of a bared sword blade appear on his forehead as he activated the Expression, Metos energizing and turning into Flux to power it.
'Well,' he thought, 'here goes nothing.'
He held the book by its covers and closed it quickly. A rustle of paper and the smell of an old book, personal touches instinctively added to this Expression by his soul, filled his hearing and smell as a mirror image of the open book sprang into existence under his feet, closing around him with the book.
As the image of a starfield faded from view, he found himself in a different hallway, looking up its length as three figures crouched before a closed door. They jumped as he appeared, and as they turned to him, he could see the marks on their foreheads, cupped hands holding the air beneath a small diamond. These were foot soldiers. Cannon fodder, really.
One of their number, in a familiar nasal voice, called out to him. "Well. We didn't expect anyone else to be joining us."
"You're right, Tavis," Daniel said simply. "You didn't. But here I am."
One of them finally noticed the mark on his brow and the woman that did cursed. "Shit! It's you!" The other thieves' eyes widened along with hers.
"Yeah," Daniel said simply. "It's me."
- - -
Shinji Ikari walked with the other two pilots, a glum look on his face. He had been on a call with his father before something went wrong. Then again, it was already going wrong, as usual.
Asuka glanced back as they walked, the sound of birds and insects in the thick summer air underlying her voice as she spoke. "Well, maybe Commander Ikari was just really busy."
Shinji shrugged. "I don't know. It seemed more like he was cut off than simply hanging up."
Asuka sighed, looking back. "Look, you're a pilot, Shinji, as close to a 'savior of humanity' as anyone is gonna get. You don't need to worry about little details like your father being an ass."
Rei was simply silent behind them. They didn't know. And they didn't need to know, so Dr. Akagi and the Commander said.
As they reached the subway, Shinji swiped his ID nearly on instinct, and nearly ran into the closed doors. He blinked, and then looked around, noticing all the lights in the station were dark. "I think the power's out here."
Asuka rolled her eyes, then looked around. "Thank you, Captain Obvious. One of these has to work." she went up and down the line, swiping her ID at every terminal. None offered any sort of reply.
After trying each of the stations, she rejoined the group, an exasperated look pointed at the doors. "Damn it, of all the days for a power failure, it had to be in the middle of summer, didn't it?"
. . .
Elsewhere, in a rapidly warming Geofront, Misato pressed the buttons of an opened panel in the elevator car somewhat futilely, as Kaji stood staring at the doors. Misato sighed after a moment. "There has to be something major going on. I can feel it."
Kaji looked down in uncharacteristic seriousness. "What's the power setup here?"
Misato looked back at him. "It's triple redundancy: main, auxiliary, and backup. If we went from main to nothing like I think we did here…"
Kaji nodded. "This smacks of sabotage to me. Someone must have thrown the breaker if it simply couldn't trip like that."
Misato looked down as she considered the implications. This could be bad. Very, very bad.
. . .
Up on the command bridge of Central Dogma, Commander Ikari unknowingly echoed Kaji's thoughts, while Fuyutsuki lit a candle taken from a surprisingly large store of them. In front of them, a barebones sensor map had slowly come into existence, the last vestiges of power used to maintain the Magi which displayed it.
"Our greatest concern would be an Angel attack. We are severely unprepared for that right now." Fuyutsuki said as he looked up at the map, his face underlit moodily by the candle he had just lit.
As he said this, a tech shouted out as a blip appeared on the sensor map. "We have an object on the radar! Scanning now!"
Gendo shook his head slightly, a small smile on his face. "Sensei, if I may speak frankly, you have the damnedest timing sometimes."
Fuyutsuki rolled his eyes as he placed the lit candle in a candle holder. "What I'd give to not," he said in exasperation.
- - -
Daniel stood silently as the three thieves stood to defend themselves. In a moment, small handles, Control Surfaces of their own called Grips, flashed into existence as they brandished them. They shuffled their positions as they waited for him to attack.
He needed to make this quick, and he needed to keep this quiet. That meant the best way would have to be some good old-fashioned fisticuffs. As he thought this, specialized Vent Frames for neutralizing and removing the excess Flux he held began to glow on the surface of his back as he took off the jacket of his NERV uniform, tossing it aside as he channeled Metos into the Frame of his soul.
Darkness almost became day, and his muscles tensed as supernatural strength and speed came to them. As he looked at the thieves, time seemed to slow as he took in every twitch of their muscles.
Stillness reigned all too briefly, then Daniel flew forward.
His first target was a man, a little shorter and stouter than him, who seemed to barely have time to blink before two blindingly fast punches to his chest knocked him to the ground, the hits knocking the air out of his lungs before he even hit the floor.
The other two seemed to move towards him slowly. Their pace was getting faster though. They had caught on to his enhancement and were doing their best to match it.
The woman and Tavis tried to encircle Daniel, the woman getting behind him as he focused on Tavis, who got in his face, swinging a knife-like blade seemingly made of slightly glowing mist.
Daniel dodged, then pushed him back with a kick, positioning himself so that his assailants were on his right and left. Stillness came again to all for a second as the combatants sized each other up.
Daniel knew he couldn't keep this up for long. Even with the Vent Frames helping keep the Flux buildup in check, there were other things he needed the Metos for. Something had to give, and soon.
Before the two thieves could make a move, the man who Daniel had knocked down earlier got to his feet, shoving his companion aside. "Abed, no!" he heard Tavis shout as the man charged at him, swinging the blade he held.
Daniel batted it away, turning the motion into a left hook that caught the man, spinning him around. Daniel grabbed at him from behind, his right arm locking around the man's right shoulder, while his left snaked around his throat. Then Daniel squeezed. Hard.
The explosive crack that rang out signaled the man's neck breaking, shattering really, as he slumped to the floor, lifeless.
"No!" the woman shouted. She then shouted wordlessly and began to charge as Daniel turned to face her, the woman's blade poised to strike down at him.
As the blade came down, Daniel raised his arms over his head, the block colliding with the woman's wrist, stopping the blade inches away from his face.
Suddenly, a lance of pain arced through Daniel's side as Tavis drove his blade into Daniel's back, causing Daniel to shout in pain. After a moment, his block of the woman's blade changed into a grip on her arm, as he bodily threw her into the wall next to him, a dull crunch ringing out as her impact dented the wall.
As she fell, Daniel turned to face Tavis. As he did, the woman ran past him, grabbing Tavis and pulling him back. "Tavis, Tavis," she said with more than a little desperation, "we can't stay. We have to go."
Tavis struggled for a moment, then stilled as he nodded. "Alright," he grumbled as he pushed the woman off him. He stared at Daniel for a moment as his companion started to create an Expression. "Now we know where you are, fallen one. We'll return. But we'll deal with you first. All in good time."
Tavis smiled as three glass-like figurines appeared in the woman's hand. She crushed them, shattering them, and it seemed the image of the thieves shattered too as they disappeared.
Daniel walked forward, observing the pieces of 'glass' as they slowly faded away. They were gone. For now.
As he turned and slowly returned to some semblance of normal human capabilities, a deep, burning sensation drove him to his knees. The blade, he realized, was poisoned.
He tried to use his soul's Frame to destroy it, but the burning sensation simply spread. They must have made the poison with Interfacing. He could resist it, but he would not be able to destroy it. He needed to get out of here.
"Eleanor," he thought, rising to his feet for a moment, the pain then driving him to one knee, "I'm going to… damn… I'm going to need help getting out of here. One of them nicked me with some sort of poison. I think I know what it might be."
In a moment, the smell of the sea and the sound of lapping waves filled the corridor, and Eleanor stepped out of the image of a passing wave. She picked up her pace as she walked towards him, eyes filled with concern.
"What did they get you with?" she said, helping him to his feet.
Daniel shook his head, his vision blurring as he thought he saw Eleanor in her old combat armor from the war, then blinked and saw her as she was. "It's an old Scion poison. It won't kill me. But it's going to be hell for the next couple of days."
Eleanor looked at him with shock as she summoned the Control Surface for her next teleportation Expression, two entwined figures made of coral. "You mean…"
Daniel nodded shakily. "I do. They're here."
Eleanor's eyes filled with shock as she gripped the figures, her hand seeming to become a swirling tide of water. "Then this world is in far more trouble than they think."
Daniel nodded again. "And don't I know it."
The Expression created an image of a swirling vortex of water that surrounded them. As the vortex slowed, then disappeared, the hallway was left empty once again, save for the smell of the fresh sea.
- - -
Up above on the surface, the Children tried to make their way towards the Geofront, knowing that if the power was out up here, then the Geofront would probably have a handle on the situation. They found themselves in a long corridor, each of the doors on either side silent and unyielding.
"Come on, even here, on NERV property?" Asuka growled. "This is ridiculous. That means the Geofront is probably offline too." she sighed.
Rei pushed the button of the door she was at over and over, then turned back after a moment. "This likely means that the Geofront is in a state of emergency. That makes our presence there even more necessary. We will need to be ready, in case of an Angelic threat."
"Yeah, yeah, Wondergirl," Asuka said with a roll of her eyes and a sarcastic tone. "I'm sure the Angels would be smart enough to somehow know we don't have any power and attack."
Rei looked at Asuka and nodded. "I would be too."
After a moment of tense silence, Shinji piped up with an uncertain tone. "Okay. How about we try to contact the Geofront? They should be able to direct us to where we need to go."
Asuka and Rei both nodded as they looked at Shinji. "Not a bad call, Shinji," Asuka said. "There's some phones here. Let's try them."
Shinji pulled out his smartphone, Rei pulled out a flip phone, of all things, and Asuka tried the direct landline. All were silent.
"I have no connection," Rei said as Asuka hung up the landline with a click.
"Neither do I. Even the emergency line is down." Asuka said.
Shinji put his phone back in his pocket. "So, what do we do next?"
Rei responded by sitting down and opening her bag, pulling out a sealed set of instructions, emblazoned with red and yellow stripes. Asuka, seeing this, hastily tried to follow her lead. Shinji stood there, more than somewhat confused. "What are you two looking for?"
Asuka looked back up to Shinji in annoyance. "Isn't it obvious? I'm trying to get at the emergency instructions we've been provided! Why aren't you?"
Shinji scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "Because they didn't… give me any?"
Asuka groaned as she continued digging. "Every day, it's something new you have no idea about, isn't it?"
Rei, who had finished studying her plans, looked up. "There are a variety of ways into the Geofront that do not require power."
Before she could continue, Asuka nodded her head. "I agree. But before we go, we need to know who will be leading the group through all this." she pointed a thumb at herself. "I would most likely be the best leader. Does anyone think otherwise?"
Shinji and Rei looked at each other, more than a little confusion in their eyes.
Taking the silence as acceptance, Asuka turned on her foot, hands on her hips. "Very well then. Onward, to the Geofront!"
After a moment of silence, Rei once again spoke up. "Of all the routes that lead the way to the Geofront, the one behind us, Number 7, would be the quickest."
Asuka frowned and sighed, but still turned around. "Thank you for your guidance, Wondergirl. Let's go that way then," she said with a sardonic tone.
As they did, they approached a door, closed to them like all the rest. "Well, that's annoying," Shinji said with a sigh. "Yet another closed door. Wait…" he trailed off as he noticed the mechanism next to the door.
"Yep, a manual release," Asuka said with a grin directed towards Shinji, "which should be no problem for a big, strong man, who's been doing the best training in the world, like you. Right?"
Shinji rolled his eyes as he began to wind the door open. "Because clearly, neither of you are bigger than a scrawny 15-year-old boy who's only been strength training for two weeks," he muttered under his breath.
Asuka's eyebrow rose. "What was that, Shinji?"
Shinji jumped a little. "Uh, nothing, nothing," he said quickly, as the doors finally opened wide enough to slip through one by one.
The long, dark corridor was lit only by emergency lights, and two of the three figures that stared at it couldn't help but feel somewhat apprehensive. "Well," Asuka said after a moment, "let's go get to the Geofront."
- - -
Deep in the Geofront, in an elevator that was really getting quite hot, Misato had taken off her jacket now, sitting on the elevator floor opposite Kaji, and was airing out her shirt.
"You know," Kaji said with a wry grin, "if you really wanted to, you could take off more than just your jacket in here."
As Misato clutched at her shirt, Kaji rolled his eyes. "It's nothing I haven't seen before. You and I both know that very well."
Misato grabbed at her jacket, angrily putting it on and zipping it up. "If you're trying to get in my pants, Kaji, it's not going to work."
Kaji simply rolled his eyes. "Okay. Message received, loud and clear."
They both sat in silence for a while then. As they did, Misato looked at Kaji with a suspicious eye. What she saw surprised her somewhat, as she saw him looking down at the floor, a melancholic look in his eyes. She wasn't used to seeing that. What could he be thinking about?
Then she remembered what Daniel had said at the onsen. 'He knows more about loss than you might think.' she had puzzled over what that had meant after the fact. If there was any time to ask, it might as well be now.
"Kaji," she said, pausing as he blinked and looked at her, "what were you thinking about?"
Kaji blinked, then softly snorted as he nodded. "Well, you got me thinking about my brother."
His brother? Misato had never heard him mention any family. "I didn't know you had a brother, Kaji," she said, softly.
Kaji nodded again. "I don't really talk about him much. It hurts, really."
He looked around at the walls. "I guess that now is as good a time as any to explain."
He shifted into a more comfortable position, then started his story. "Growing up after Second Impact was hard here. You probably know that much. The chaos, the wars, the riots, and the police actions. It really was hell on Earth."
He paused for a moment, then continued. "I lost all of my family except my younger brother, Akio. He was stubborn, willful, and had a bleeding heart, especially for other kids with lost causes. Got him in as much trouble as it got him out of."
Kaji smiled. "That's how we formed our own little gang. Orphans, castaways, and the lost, all scrounging for food during the shortages that swept through. We had a decent run of it. Then we got stupid. Decided that picking at a military base was a good idea."
Kaji fell silent as he kept Misato's rapt attention. After a moment, he continued. "We each took turns sneaking in and taking what little we could find, and only as much as we could get away with without being noticed. One day, it was my turn. I don't know what happened, but for one reason or another, I got caught. They beat me for hours, trying to find out if there were others, where they were, who we might have been working for."
"After a while, I just… cracked."
Kaji was silent for a time. The implication of what had happened hit Misato like a truck.
Then, her fears were confirmed as Kaji went on. "After a while, I escaped. I still don't know if they let me or if I simply got lucky. When I made my way back to our hideout… they were all dead. The bastards had killed them all. They were just kids… he was just a kid…"
Kaji sighed deeply. "I lost a part of my soul that day. And I went through life with a hole in my heart where Akio used to be." Kaji paused as he looked intently into Misato's eyes. "Then I met you."
Misato gasped softly as Kaji went on. "You reminded me so much of him. You were strong, you didn't take anything from anyone… and you were so kind. Meeting you… filled that hole I had begun to ignore."
Kaji looked down for a moment, and then met Misato's gaze again. "So why did you leave?" he whispered.
Misato's breath caught in her throat. For a moment, she didn't see Kaji sitting across from her, she saw… no. Not yet.
Misato looked down and to the side. "Because you reminded me of someone, too. And it hurt too much for me to talk about. It still does."
Kaji waited patiently for Misato to continue. When she didn't, a small, sad smile came across his face. "Well, when you're ready, I believe you owe me. A story for a story."
Misato snorted softly, slightly smiling. "Okay. I think I could do that. Maybe."
Kaji nodded, and the elevator car became silent once again.
- - -
In the sweltering, candle-lit Central Dogma, Commander Gendo Ikari stared at the sensor map, showing the Angel growing ever closer. Fuyutsuki stood beside him, then spoke up after a moment.
"I've been thinking for a moment, Commander." he paused as he waited for the Commander to slightly nod for him to go on. "The Geofront is designed to be a completely self-sufficient habitat. Theoretically, it should be impossible to cut all the power at once like this."
"Which means," Ritsuko spoke up from below them, "that there is a reason for this blackout."
Gendo finally spoke. "The most likely intention of those who would attempt such a thing would probably be to study our methods."
Ritsuko spoke again. "They could learn a lot from simply watching how we restore our power."
Fuyutsuki sighed. "Whatever the case, they've caused a lot of trouble. Especially with an Angel over our heads."
Ritsuko turned to face Gendo. "I'll have the Magi run some decoy programs, make it difficult to watch us and our protocols. It'll slow us down by about an hour, but we're close to restoring power." she turned to Maya. "How long does the Magi say we have?'
Maya looked down at the tablet she held, linked directly to the Magi systems. "About an hour and a half right now, ma'am." She tapped in a few command prompts, and the system worked quickly. "Magi says the sort of programs you're thinking of will only slow us down by about 35 minutes or so."
Gendo nodded at Ritsuko. "Make it so, then."
Ritsuko nodded. "Yes, sir." She turned back to her work.
Fuyutsuki tsked. "To think that we were breached not by Angels first, but our fellow man."
Gendo nodded slightly. "Sensei, the fellow man has always been man's first enemy."
Fuyutsuki shook his head. "So it would seem."
- - -
Deep in the corridors of the Geofront, after hearing the voice of First Lieutenant Hyuga proclaim the presence of an Angel, the Children continued to walk. Now, however, they were crawling in one of the larger networks of air ducts. This shortcut was taken on the advice of Rei, of all people, who seemed to know her way around the system uncannily.
Asuka shook her head as she crawled. "Man, of all the times for an Angel to attack, it just had to be when we weren't at our Evas. And of all the shortcuts I've taken, this has to be the most uncomfortable," she said in an exasperated tone.
Silence traveled with them for a moment before Shinji spoke up. "So, why Angels?"
"What?" Asuka said with apparent confusion. 'What do you mean, why Angels?"
"I mean," Shinji said after a moment, "why do we even call them Angels? Angels are supposed to be heavenly messengers, right?"
Asuka rolled her eyes. "Who cares? They're here, they want to destroy us, and we have to destroy them. Simple as that."
Rei, who was ahead of them, leading the way through the vents, stayed silent. 'Simple for you, yes, but too simple. Compared to what I know. What you can't know.' but still, she carried on.
Finally, they extricated themselves from the vent, and continued to walk, eventually coming to a branching path. After a moment's consideration, Asuka nodded. "We go right."
Rei spoke up again. "I believe the quickest way would be to the left."
Asuka rolled her eyes. "I don't believe I asked you, but I'll take it into consideration."
She turned to look at Shinji. "What do you think, Shinji?"
Shinji was silent for a moment. "Hmm… well, it's not like we can't turn around and try the other one if the one we take fails…"
Asuka nodded. "Very smart, Shinji. Let's go."
She then turned and began to march down the corridor to the right. Shinji and Rei glanced at each other, then followed.
As the corridor slowly sloped upwards, Shinji sighed. "We need to be going down, don't we? We should probably turn back."
"Not yet," Asuka said, glancing back, "at least until we can confirm that this isn't the right way."
"However," Asuka said, as all of them saw a dim red light at the end of the slope, "I have a good feeling about this one."
As they reached the door, Asuka stepped up to it, bracing herself against the frame, and delivered a mighty kick. The door, however, had other ideas, as it barely budged. Asuka glowered at it, then primed yet another kick. Then another.
After a moment of glaring at the obstinate door, she turned to Shinji and Rei. "Not a word of this. To anyone else. Got it?"
Shinji gulped, and both the Children in question nodded, some more quickly than others.
"Good," Asuka said after a moment, turning back to the door and rubbing her hands together before gripping the frame once again. She put all the strength she could into this last kick, and with a shout, the door finally swung open, revealing a city street in broad daylight.
Asuka sighed for a moment before a massive, black, insect-like leg came crashing down in front of them, the impact shaking all three pilots to the floor.
As they got up, the leg moved away, and the Angel's pill-like body, covered in what looked like eyes, came into view. One seemed to stare directly at the pilots as it passed, and Asuka froze for a moment, before jumping up and straining to pull the door shut.
As the door finally closed with a dull thunk, Asuka put her back against it, breath heaving with effort as she looked at the other two Children.
As she composed herself, she stood from leaning against the door. "Alright. We've made visual contact with the Angel and confirmed that it's in the city. We'll really need to hurry now."
She turned to Rei with a slightly grumpy look. "Now, I've been taught a good leader takes the advice of those below them. Rei, you said that the path to the left was the more likely way, correct?"
Rei nodded slightly. "Yes. It is."
Asuka nodded assuredly. "Very well. Lead on then, Wondergirl."
- - -
In Central Dogma, the quiet hustle of work was quickly interrupted by the screech of tires. A van, bearing a political slogan and a speaker system, had somehow made its way directly into the heart of the Geofront.
That reason soon revealed itself, as First Lieutenant Hyuga leaned out the window, the receiver for the speaker in hand. "There is an Angel directly overhead!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the massive room. "Recommend an immediate launch of the Evas!"
As the clamor in the command center began to rise in volume, Commander Ikari rose to his feet. "Fuyutsuki," he said in his usual cool and collected voice, "keep an eye on things here."
Fuyutsuki looked over at him, eyebrows raised. "Sir?"
Gendo barely turned his head. "I'm going to go down to the Eva cages to prepare for launch."
Fuyustuki's eyes widened in disbelief. "Captain Theisman went down to check on them a few hours ago. He still hasn't reported back. Besides, we still have the better part of an hour before the power comes back online."
His eyes widened still further after a moment. "Unless you plan to do it manually?"
As Gendo gripped the ladder, he turned to face Fuyutsuki. "We have emergency diesel generators and enough technicians to provide adequate manpower for the manual necessities of such a task. And if Captain Theisman is indisposed for whatever reason, First Lieutenant Theisman will have the training necessary to complete the task without him."
Gendo looked over to Ritsuko and Maya. "Doctor Akagi, First Lieutenant Ibuki. Come with me."
They nodded and followed, and as the three went down the ladder, Fuyutsuki sighed. "We still need the pilots, Ikari…"
- - -
The pilots in question stared at yet another branching path in silence. After a moment, Rei walked down one of the paths. "This way," she said, her voice echoing in the empty halls. After a moment, Asuka rolled her eyes, then followed, Shinji behind her.
After a moment of walking, Asuka made her way beside Rei, an amused glint in her eye. "So, you seem to know these tunnels and vents pretty well. Are you secretly a delinquent or something?"
Rei simply continued to look forward and walk. "No. I am not a delinquent. I am a pilot of NERV."
The amusement in Asuka's eyes became scorn. "So, what? You're the commander's pet then? Shacked up in a cushy penthouse right by the Geofront, a few multivitamins, and a nice smoothie to start the day?"
Shinji's eyes widened. She really didn't know what she was talking about. But before he could say anything, Rei coolly replied. "I do not live in or near the Geofront. I currently live in Ayashibahara Residential District, on the orders of Commander Ikari. And there are no multivitamins among my current medications."
Asuka's eyebrow rose. "Medications? Are you sick or something?"
Rei continued to stare ahead. "No. I am taking my medications to ensure that I am able to follow orders."
Asuka's eyes widened as the scorn left them, shock taking its place. "So, you're a… a doll?"
Rei stopped, and Asuka and Shinji almost collided with her. She turned to them; her brows furrowed ever so slightly.
"I am not a doll," she said, the slightest tone of defensiveness in her voice perhaps the most expression either of them had ever seen out of her. She then turned and continued walking.
Asuka and Shinji stood there for a moment, puzzled and with concerned looks on their faces. Then they slowly began to follow. No one spoke for the duration of their walk.
- - -
Gendo, Ritsuko, and Maya emerged into the Eva bays, which were already bustling with activity. As they looked around at the preparations, they found the ones at its center. Eleanor Theisman was a maestro in the middle of a symphony of steel and sweat, directing those around her to unlock by hand and tool the massive cages that confined the Evas.
As they made their way towards her, they found another figure, slumped beside her. Daniel Theisman had lost the jacket of his uniform, his white shirt soaked with sweat, and his face was pale.
Ritsuko made her way to Daniel's side. "What happened?" she said, looking him up and down, and focusing on the small, bloody patch in his back.
Daniel shook slightly as he spoke. "I found intruders in the maintenance hallways on my way here." Ritsuko and Maya's eyes widened, while Gendo's hardened.
Daniel continued after a moment. "I figured they were probably the ones responsible for all this, and I decided to follow them and see where they were going. They noticed me, we had a fight, and I got stabbed in the back with a knife. It had some sort of poison on it."
Ritsuko checked the area of the wound, then stood to look at Daniel. "What are the symptoms thus far?"
Daniel looked up, and he saw Ritsuko's face. A bullet wound had appeared on her forehead, and her face seemed serene as a rivulet of blood slowly made its way down her face. Daniel couldn't help but stare for a moment.
Ritsuko blinked. "Daniel?"
Daniel blinked rapidly, and Ritsuko's regular face, filled with concern, re-established itself.
"From what I can tell," he said after a moment, "Intermittent fevers and chills, muscle tremors, and vivid visual hallucinations."
He paused for a moment, then continued. "I think I've seen this stuff before. A Brazilian bioweapon developed during the Impact Wars. The guerrillas called it 'Mordida de Alma'. The Soulbite. It doesn't show on any medical scans, and it doesn't kill. But I won't be able to do much useful in the meantime."
He shook his head. "This stuff should have been destroyed after the war ended. But I guess some slipped out of Brazil."
"Damn," Ritsuko said. Gendo made his way to her side, looking intently at Daniel. "Do you have a guess at where they were going?" he asked.
Daniel paused for a moment. "Deeper," he then said, "down towards… Terminal Dogma and LCL production, I think."
Ritsuko's eyes widened again, as did Gendo's. "We will deal with the security breach when the time comes," Gendo said after a moment, "but right now, we must deal with the Angel."
He turned to look at Eleanor. "You seem to have things well in hand. Where am I needed?"
Eleanor stared at the commander briefly, then looked upwards. "There's some pulley teams up there that I'm sure would appreciate the extra muscle."
Gendo nodded. "Very well. I'll make my way up there." He turned to Ritsuko and Maya. "How much longer until we have power?"
Maya looked down at the tablet she had carried from the command center. "The Magi says we have about 45 minutes until power is restored."
Gendo nodded. "Get in touch with Central Dogma over the radio. There should be some here that can connect to Fuyutsuki." He turned and began to make his way towards the pulley team pointed out to him.
. . .
Deep in the vent systems connecting to the Eva cages, the Children continued to crawl. Asuka had had enough of these vents, and she made no secret of it. "This is absolutely ridiculous," she growled as she trudged along.
She turned her head towards Shinji, who was behind her. "If you try and peek up my skirt, I swear that your face is going to be black and blue."
Shinji, whose head was studiously down expressly to avoid such things, nodded. "I figured, Asuka."
Asuka gave a satisfied humph. "I thought as much."
After a moment, Rei paused, causing Asuka and Shinji to stop. Then she scooted ahead a little farther, as Asuka and Shinji followed. "We're here," she said simply, as she kicked at the edge of a panel.
The closed, wide vent grill dropped, and Shinji and Asuka along with it, as the two Children fell into a pile near Ritsuko and Maya. Rei dropped down after them, landing on her feet with the grace of a gymnast.
As the Children struggled to their feet, Asuka looked over at Daniel, concern immediately falling over her face like a storm cloud as she jogged over to him. "Daniel, are you okay?"
Daniel looked into her eyes, and they widened with fear, somehow getting still wider as he glanced at Rei and then back to her, before he blinked several times, shaking his head. "I'll be fine in a little while, Jünger," he said, calling her by a pet name neither had heard used for a long while, "but right now, you need to get ready to head to the surface."
Up above them, Gendo turned to his team, drenched in sweat. "Alright, prepare the Entry Plugs for insertion!" A chorus of compliance greeted him, and the men around them set about the work of opening the Entry Plugs.
Shinji, having gotten to his feet and dusted himself off, walked over to Ritsuko. "How are the Evas?" he glanced over to Asuka and Daniel, noting Daniel's sickly appearance. "And what happened to Daniel?"
Ritsuko nodded her head at Daniel, then the Evas. "Daniel's going to be okay. Something happened while he was coming here to check on the Evas. And the Evas are ready to go, and only waiting for you, thanks to Mrs. Theisman."
Shinji looked at the silent figures behind Ritsuko. "Even with no power?" he asked after a moment.
Ritsuko smiled slightly. "We did it all by hand." She looked up. "Your father had the idea, and it seemed Eleanor was thinking ahead of him."
Shinji followed her gaze up to look at his father, straining with a group of mechanics to open the Entry Plug hatch of Unit-01. It was almost inspiring to him, really, to see his father doing something he never expected him to do as a high and mighty commander.
"He had faith that you all would come in time." Ritsuko said after a moment of silence." Now, it's time for you to get in the Evas, pilots."
- - -
With the pilots ensconced in their Units, and the rumble of diesel engines filling the air, Gendo, who had joined the group of Ritsuko, Maya, Eleanor, and Daniel, turned to face them. "Before we go up, we need some idea of what we're up against. Ibuki, do you have a connection to Central Dogma?"
Maya nodded, holding up a two-way radio. "Deputy Commander," she said, "speaking into the open mic, "we're here, and the Units are ready to go. Has the Angel done anything? Over." the radio clicked off with a tone.
In Central Dogma, Fuyutsuki watched with a camera feed with growing unease, showing the angel situated over one of the access vents connecting the Geofront to the surface. It… cried, or at least looked like it did, and its 'tears' hissed and steamed as they hit the metal and concrete below it.
"It's using some sort of corrosive acid to try and eat through the layers between Tokyo-3 and the Geofront proper. The acid appears to be incredibly strong." He looked over to a tablet linked to the Magi on the low wall in front of him. "The Magi reports that it has already eaten through 2 of the armor plates in the last 4 minutes."
"That means," he looked away from the tablet, doing some quick mental math, "we have about 40 minutes until it breaches the Geofront." he paused for a minute. "Oh, over," he said, absentmindedly.
Gendo nodded as he heard this. "Alright. How much longer until we have power?"
Maya looked down at her tablet again. "About 25 minutes, sir."
Ritsuko nodded as Maya said this. "It'll be cutting it close, but as long as we can get the Evas to the surface, we'll have umbilical cables waiting for them."
Eleanor nodded. "And the battery packs we've given them should last long enough to allow them to get to the surface as well."
Gendo nodded. "Very well then." He turned to look at the Evas, all lined up and ready to go, though still restrained. "Alright," he said, raising his voice to reach the crews, "remove lockdown bolt 1!"
Without any of the power which was usually forthcoming, the process had become much easier to understand, as technicians raised fire axes above pneumatic hoses, severing them cleanly in one swing. Locks began to slowly disengage one by one, the bolts sliding out punctuated only by the grunts of the men whose effort made it so.
After a moment, all the bolts were disengaged, and Maya spoke from behind a pair of binoculars. "Pressure is zero. The Units are standing clear, sir."
Gendo nodded, then spoke again, this time to the pilots. "Pilots, you'll have to break free of the restraints under your own power. Evas, launch!"
Massive hands grabbed at the various constraints, pulling and pushing as quickly as they could to undo the locks and gain the freedom of movement. As they did this, the command staff, along with Daniel and Eleanor, departed back towards Central Dogma.
After much effort, the Evas were finally freed. Following the map that had been transmitted to them by the Magi, the Units made their way with all haste to the surface, what few weapons they could easily take in tow. As they crawled through a usually massive space in a fashion not too dissimilar to their previous travel, they split up, taking separate paths that would surround the Angel.
In the now sweltering area of Central Dogma, the sensor screen and camera feed on the Angel had been joined by a countdown to the restoration of power, one that now read 17:46:25 as the number continued to dwindle. Besides those sparse screens, nothing else gave any current indication of the unfolding situation to the rest of the tensed bridge crew.
In time, the Units finally touched sunlight, and clambered out onto the streets, staying well away from the Angel. Now, the time had come to wait for the moment to strike. Asuka glanced at a display that came courtesy of the Magi, now reading 12:22:57. She pulled up another display, a split-screen showing the faces of Rei and Shinji.
"Alright," she said as they stood quietly waiting, "here's the deal. This thing looks pretty spindly. It shouldn't be too hard for one of us to just pop out and shoot it. I don't know why we didn't just shoot at it while we were still underground, but here we are."
"And in about," she glanced over at the screen, "10 minutes or so, I'm going to pop out of cover, kill it with my Pallet Rifle, and we can all go home. Sounds good?"
Shinji looked uncertain. "Well, this is still an Angel, so we really should still be cautious of what it might be able to do…"
Asuka rolled her eyes. "I know that. Which is why I'm shooting at it from behind cover."
Deep in Central Dogma, the people within were sweating without regard to the heat now, as they listened to the pilots talking, and watched the countdown silently. Every so often, a small chime from a tablet connected to the Magi would sound, announcing that another armor plate had been breached by the Angel's powerful acid.
Slowly, as the number of armor plates between them and the Angel grew thin, the countdown entered its final minutes. "5 minutes to power," Maya said into the darkness, heard by the command staff and the rest of the bridge. They watched as the Angel continued its slow, sure assault, and as the countdown went from minutes to seconds, all involved held their breath, many without realizing it.
00:05:00...
00:04:00...
00:03:00...
00:02:00...
00:01:00…
As the timer finally hit zero, light entered the massive room with a whir, and as the blessed coolness of air conditioning began to whir from the air vents, more than a few cheers went up.
Fuyutsuki nodded, a small sigh of relief escaping his own lips. "At last. We're ready to fight this thing properly."
Gendo slightly nodded beside him. "All Units," he said. "Power has been restored. Prepare for combat!"
- - -
Elsewhere in the Geofront, Misato had finally had enough of her confinement in a powerless elevator. Which was how she had come to sit on Kaji's slightly swaying shoulders as she tried to open the ceiling access panel from the inside. "Come on," she said quietly, "just open, you stupid thing! My bladder is killing me, and I wouldn't be surprised if Kaji could say the same!"
Kaji rolled his eyes and stayed silent. After a few moments more of valiant effort on Misato's part, the elevator shuddered to life and began descending again, and Misato and Kaji swayed from side to side for a moment before crashing down in a heap on top of each other.
As they groaned in the now almost painfully bright light, the elevator dinged as the doors opened. After a moment spent untangling themselves, Misato exited into the hallway leading to Central Dogma, Kaji following behind.
In the distance, they heard the chatter and noise of a very busy command center, which drew them both towards it with increasing speed. As they burst in, they saw the holographic map alive, a layout of the city displayed on it, and various camera feeds, showing the spindly Angel in all of its terrible majesty, and the Evas surrounding it.
As they made their way up to the command bridge, Ritsuko turned to look at them. "Well, it's about time you showed up," she said, only slightly sarcastically.
Misato rolled her eyes. "We got stuck in an elevator. Not terribly much one can do about that."
Ritsuko's eyebrow raised as she considered the rumpled state of their clothing, but said nothing.
"Alright," Misato said, taking stock of the situation, "fill me in on what I need to know."
. . .
On the surface, as the timer reached zero, satisfaction was evident on at least two of the pilot's faces as they all gratefully reached for umbilical cables that had appeared in towers out from under the ground.
Plugging in, Asuka readied her Pallet Rifle as she moved from building to building, closing on the Angel. "Alright," she said, reaching an optimal position, "let's pop this bug and be done with it."
As Asuka raised her rifle to aim at the Angel, one of the eyes on its side moved, seeming to focus on her. With an echoing screech, a jet of acid shot Asuka from the eye that looked at her, and it moved with impossible speed as it zipped forward a short distance.
Asuka ducked behind the building just in time, the jet of acid clipping the edge of the building, melting everything it touched. Asuka looked at the damaged building with shock and indignation. "Nobody said these verdammt things could move that fast! Shinji, Wondergirl, box it in! I'll get into position again!"
Shinji and Rei both moved to try and intercept the spindly Angel, but all they received was a bolt of acid and the sight of it speeding away for a moment before it stopped.
In Central Dogma, shouts of surprise were evident among the crew, and even Misato and Ritsuko's eyes widened in amazement. "How is it moving that fast?" Misato said in amazement.
"I think it's utilizing its AT Field to strengthen its body in order to do so. It doesn't look like it can do it for very long, from what we've seen thus far." Ritsuko postulated.
In the back of the command deck, Daniel and Eleanor watched, and their eyebrows went up silently as they thought exactly the same thing. 'Well, that's new.'
As Shinji tried to move on it again, he got the same result once again but was too slow to dodge this time, as the acid bolt clipped his thigh. Pain shot through him for a moment, and then steadily burned within his leg, driving Unit-01 to a knee for a moment as it grabbed at its wound. "Don't get hit," Shinji said through clenched teeth, "I wouldn't recommend it at all."
Asuka rolled her eyes as she hid a slight snort at what he said. "Well, that much was obvious, Shinji."
Rei piped up. "It is obvious we need a new plan. I recommend that we take a moment to study its movements."
Asuka looked at Rei through her display of her. "And risk it getting through to the Geofront? No way. We have to kill it, and we have to do it now."
"Hold on," Shinji said as he brought Unit-01 back to its feet, "Rei has a point. If we watch it, we can figure out if it's trying to use the same spot it was in before. And it doesn't look like it can keep up its speed for long. If it's using its AT Field for it, then it can't be that strong of a defense."
Asuka rolled her eyes and growled softly. "Well, seeing as there's a majority... " she sighed. "I guess we'll be Angel watchers for a moment."
"We can help you with that," Misato chimed in. "We have camera feeds all over the city. We can watch it while you come up with a plan." Each of the pilots nodded in turn as she said this.
They got behind cover as best they could and tried to stay out of the Angel's line of sight, as it made its way back towards the spot it occupied before the Evas surfaced at a leisurely pace.
"Okay," Shinji said after a moment of study, "we know it's moving towards its original position. We need to surprise it somehow."
Rei spoke up after a moment. "We could try and grab its legs as they pass by. That may immobilize it."
Asuka nodded. "Not too bad of a plan, Wondergirl, but we'll need to do it in the right way. If we just grab the first legs we see, it'll just stretch out, and that is going to make for a difficult shot. We need to ensure that it stays as much in one place as possible."
"Right," Shinji said, pulling up a link to Central Dogma. "Misato, do you think you can help us do that?"
Misato, looking at the holographic reconstruction of Tokyo-3 which showed everything's position, smiled. "Why, yes, Shinji, we can help with that."
She looked down from the command bridge to the rest of the bridge staff down below. "Alright, calculate that Angel's trajectory, then calculate the positions needed for two of the Evas to grab legs diagonal to each other!"
A chorus of compliances presaged a redoubled effort to track the massive, spindly Angel's course, and Misato turned back to the link with Shinji, Asuka, and Rei. "You should have your positions soon. Right now, I recommend you move ahead of the Angel, and ensure you have the time needed to set up positions." The pilots nodded, a chorus of rogers prefacing a speedy, yet cautious move ahead of the Angel.
After a brief amount of time, a display blossomed into existence in the pilot's view, showing positions two of them would have to reach in the next 10 minutes. "Alright," Asuka said as they continued to make their way, "I'll go ahead and squash this Angel. Shinji, you and Wondergirl take the legs, line up my shot."
Shinji hid a sigh but nodded. "I can do that."
Rei only nodded slightly. "I will get into position."
Asuka smiled hungrily. "Excellent. Let's do this."
Slower now, but surely, they all got into the places outlined on their displays. Then the most stressful part began. They waited.
They listened, as the sound of the Angel's footsteps got closer and closer. Watched, looking at the massive black legs that towered over everything, slowly rising and falling as their owner seemed to crawl towards its original position. Felt as the slight vibrations of its footsteps intermittently rumbled through their bodies.
"Remember," Misato said, breaking the silence, "you'll need to strengthen your AT Fields. That will be the only way to withstand its acid for any amount of time."
"Duly noted, Misato," Asuka said. "Okay, you two," she said to the pilots, "get ready. Here it comes."
Rei watched as the front legs passed her by. "The front of the Angel has passed my position. Prepare yourself, pilot Ikari."
Shinji nodded, waiting for the moment when a massive leg would come sweeping towards where he hid.
Right on time, two towering black legs rose and lowered themselves right in front of Shinji and Rei. Asuka wasted no time. "Now!"
As one, Shinji and Rei encompassed the spindly legs in crushing bear hugs, causing the Angel to emit its warbling shriek as it began spraying acid everywhere in its vicinity.
Asuka emerged from cover, shouldering her Pallet Rifle, and setting the pill-like body of the Angel square in her sights. "Man, I've been waiting for this," she muttered in satisfaction. She squeezed the trigger, sending round after round into the essentially defenseless creature.
After the barrage ended, the Angel's shriek died into a whimper, as its body crashed to the ground, legs leaning into each other in a tangle.
In Central Dogma, a cheer went up among the bridge crew, and even Fuyutsuki proffered a polite clap. "I must say," Fuyutsuki mused, "we truly have proven our worth today, haven't we?"
"That we have, Sensei," Commander Ikari said, surprising Fuyutsuki, "that we have, indeed."
As the Evas all walked out to surround the bullet-riddled Angel, Asuka sniffed proudly. "As much as I would like to claim the kill of this Angel my sole property, reality dictates that I must give you guys some credit in helping me take this down. So, good job in helping me."
Shinji blinked for a moment. "Well, I mean, I guess that makes sense..."
Asuka turned to the image of Shinji, brow furrowed in slight ire. "What do you mean you guess it makes sense? Of course, it does!"
Shinji stammered for a moment before Rei interjected coolly. "She is right, pilot Ikari. We did assist her in achieving her kill of the Angel."
Asuka's ire turned to Rei. "I didn't ask you to defend me, Wondergirl! I can do that just fine myself!"
Rei simply nodded. "My apologies, pilot Soryu."
Asuka nodded as she sniffed. "That's what I thought."
In Central Dogma, Daniel and Eleanor listened to the pilot's conversation. After a moment, Eleanor turned to Daniel, squeezing his hand gently. "Are you doing alright?"
Daniel looked up at her, simply staring silently for a moment before he smiled. "With you here, I couldn't be anything else."
Eleanor smiled, then looked at the display of the pilots, her smile becoming a little sadder. "They have a long way to go still."
Daniel nodded. "Nothing gave any indication that they didn't. But…" he was quiet for a moment. "It's better. Than it could have been, I mean." he looked at Misato and Kaji, who had gotten a little closer together seemingly without noticing. "And not just for the Children, either."
Eleanor followed his gaze, her smile still on her face. "Yes. Not just for them, either." She squeezed Daniel's hand again. He squeezed back. The Children did indeed still have a long road to go. But this time, they didn't have to go it alone.
Then Sahaquiel. The Angel from beyond. An attack now, from a being on high carrying the name of a messenger of God, was quite the capstone to many different revelations to people here. Whether or not they acted on those revelations as they came? Well, that depended on the person, of course. Some had the beginnings of a change of heart, while some ran from such a thing for a little while longer.
Tokyo-3, October 2015
It was a cold, blasted hellscape that awaited Misato Katsuragi. She stirred in the dream, forcing her eyes open, and looking up at the face of her father. Her father. This one hurt. It always did.
They were both bloody messes, backlit by a hellish orange light and bent over by the massive wind coming from… God? The Devil? Something else? Nevertheless, it was a gargantuan figure seemingly composed of white light, black voids carving holes into where its eyes and the center of its chest should be. As they walked, one phrase echoed in Misato's mind. We have to get away. We have to get away. We have to get away. We have to get away.
Misato's vision faded in and out, and next she knew, she was gently laid down into the pod that would ensure her survival. She always hated what came next. But as she opened her eyes, and slowly turned to look at her father's face for the last time again, fear became a knife that stabbed into her heart.
In her father's place, she saw Kaji, similarly bruised and battered. He smiled slightly as he closed the doors of the pod amidst a gale of wind. From his lips came silent words, as a now-grown Misato desperately pounded at the doors, screaming for Kaji to not be here, be anywhere but here. What was he saying? What did her father say that day? She didn't know, she desperately wanted to know, and she had never wanted more than anything in the world at this very moment.
The world outside began to glow even brighter in orange, and soon the light encompassed everything. The Light was everything. Its Light. Its roar that seemed to shatter the sky around it, the very ice and metal. And with a thunder greater than any mere explosive could produce, and a shockwave wall of white and grey steel, she was swept away. He was swept away.
And as she opened the pod to look at the twin pillars of baleful light that stretched into the sky, a banshee howl accompanying them, she finally woke up, a thunderstorm's rumblings a distant echo of the furious noise in her dream. She wiped the tears from her eyes, as she always did when such dreams came, but as she prepared for the day, she looked not only at her scar, a finger gently crossing its length, but also at an old picture.
It was a picture from college. Happier days when the people in the picture smiled more and worried less. In it, a candid Misato was wrapped in Kaji's arms, Ritsuko by her side. All of them smiled. But now, looking at it, she only became confused. Why was Kaji appearing in her dreams? Why did she think of him so often now? Hadn't she moved on? Or was she still the same Misato who fell head over heels for him so long ago, simply buried by guilt and shame and...?
Right now, the answers to those questions didn't matter to her just yet. They could wait a little while longer.
- - -
The thunderstorm that had been sweeping through the south coast of Japan had become quite the nuisance for the residents of Tokyo-3, drenching anyone unlucky enough to be caught in it. Among those unfortunates were Toji and Kensuke, who had the great luck of being close to Misato's apartment.
As they quickly came inside on the invitation of Shinji, they took the towels proffered with no small amount of gratitude. "Man, you are a lifesaver, Shinji," Toji said. "I mean, who else can we count on to so reliably get us out of the rain?"
Shinji chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his head. "Oh, come on, you guys. Anyone else could have given you a second inside and a few towels."
"Well, Shinji," Kensuke said, "anyone else just isn't you." He looked around for a moment. "Say, where's Ms. Katsuragi?"
Shinji shrugged. "She's been pulling a lot of all-nighters. She's probably still asleep."
Kensuke nodded sagely. "Ah," he said in a low voice, "then we should let her get her sleep. She has a lot of important duties after all."
The washroom door slid open partially, revealing a damp Asuka who glared at the three boys. "And what exactly are you doing here?" she said with no small amount of annoyance, and volume.
"Will ya keep it down?" Toji said in a strangled voice.
Shinji simply looked at her. "Well, they're staying out of the rain, Asuka."
Asuka sniffed. "Yeah, sure. You two are probably only here because you're hoping for some more photos, I bet! If either of you tries to peek, you're dead men."
She closed the door dramatically as Toji and Kensuke rolled their eyes. "As if we didn't learn from the last time she caught us being distributors," Toji said derisively.
Kensuke sighed. "I still don't know why she's so full of herself. Even if she has saved the world multiple times."
Shinji simply looked thoughtful and remembered back to before Israfel. There was something more to her, something that she didn't want others to see like Daniel had said. He thought about that moment often. So why did he, of all people, get to see that side of her?
His train of thought, along with the brief silence that followed the little encounter with Asuka, was disrupted as the door to the living room slid open, revealing Misato. The three kids looked over with various levels of surprise.
"Ms. Misato," Kensuke said as Toji stuttered, "I hope we didn't disturb your rest."
A slight smile came to Misato's face. "Oh, it's no problem. It's nice to see you two."
She turned to Shinji. "Remember, our harmonics test is this afternoon, so please, don't be late for it." She turned to the closed washroom door. "That goes for you too, Asuka."
Asuka shot back with an "I heard!", while Kensuke leaned in to look at a detail on Misato's collar, a pin with a downturned red triangle above two black bars.
His eyes widened in surprise as he bowed deeply. "Congratulations on your promotion, Ms. Misato!"
Toji glanced at Kensuke, then followed his lead. "Uh, yeah. Congratulations."
Misato's smile grew a little as they noticed this. "Aw, well thank you, boys."
Kensuke continued to bow. "Oh no, ma'am, the pleasure's ours."
Misato turned, the smile fading a little as she walked to the front door. After a moment, she glanced back at the children. "Alright," she said with a cheerful tone, "I'm off to work now. See you later." Then she turned and stepped out into the rain, the door shutting behind her.
Toji and Kensuke waved, a cheery look in their eyes. "Have a nice day, Ms. Misato!" they said nearly in unison.
Shinji stood in the entry hall watching the two, a slightly confused look on his face. "So… what happened to Misato?" he said with a little hesitation in his voice.
Kensuke turned to look at him with wide eyes. "You didn't notice Ms. Misato got promoted? She's a Major now instead of a Captain. That's big news!" Toji nodded sagely as Kensuke said this.
Shinji nodded, eyes slowly filling with understanding. That was pretty important, wasn't it? He said as much, and Kensuke nodded again.
Asuka poked her head out into the hallway, towel on her head and Penpen just beneath her. "Well, that is pretty important!" she said, disappearing from view once again.
Shinji nodded thoughtfully. "I guess it must have happened after the last Angel, didn't it?"
Kensuke rolled his eyes. "You mean you don't know why she got it?" he threw up his arms in an exaggerated shrug. "I guess that just means that you need to poke your head out of your own affairs more often, doesn't it?"
Shinji's brow furrowed slightly, and a hint of annoyance crept into his voice. "Hey, I'm not in charge of handing things out. I am just a pilot after all."
Kensuke prepared to reply when Asuka came back into the hallway. "Now, if you three could kindly not block the way out the door, I have somewhere to be."
She turned to Shinji as she reached the door, regarding him with a peculiar expression. "See you at the harmonics test," she said simply, then stepped out the door and turned right as it closed.
"And where would she be going?" Toji asked with more than a little suspicion.
Shinji nodded, a sad look settling on his face. "She's probably on her way to check on Daniel. She's done that pretty consistently over the past few weeks since the last Angel attack."
Kensuke raised an eyebrow as he pushed up his glasses. "And what happened to Mr. Daniel to merit such attention?"
Shinji felt a familiar memory of fear grip him as he remembered what happened. "Apparently, somebody tried to sneak into the Geofront. Daniel ran into them and got stabbed with something that had some sort of poison on it. He hasn't been able to come into work at the Geofront since then."
Toji nodded soberly. "Man, that sucks. My regards to him, then."
Then Toji's brow rose, mirroring Kensuke. "And you haven't gone and seen him since?" he slowly asked.
Shinji's eyes widened in surprise. "What? No! I have. Just... not as much as Asuka has." he rubbed the back of his head again. "I should go and see him sometime today. Maybe after the harmonics test."
"Yeah," Kensuke said, and silence entered the hallway for a moment. Kensuke broke the silence again. "Man, you guys got a lot of love for Mr. Daniel. It probably helps Ms. Misato too. It must be hard for her to raise you and Asuka on her own."
Shinji nodded. "Yeah. I guess it can be hard sometimes. But I think she loves us enough to make it through how difficult we can make it for her."
Toji nodded. "It can take a lotta love to do that. But I think, in the end, the amount of effort put in proves its worth."
Kensuke looked at Toji with no small amount of surprise. "Y'know, I think that's the wisest thing I've ever heard you say, buddy," he said in amazement.
Toji looked back at him with a little annoyance in his tone. "Yeah? Did you just not expect that from big, dumb jock Toji?"
Kensuke waved his arms, a look of near panic on his face. "No, no, it's not like that! I just… agree." he finally settled on after a moment.
Toji nodded assuredly. "I thought so."
. . .
Asuka waited in front of the door next to her apartment, which bore a label saying 'Theisman Residence'. She pressed the doorbell, then waited until Eleanor opened the door with a knowing look and smile. "Here to see Daniel?"
Asuka rolled her eyes as a slight smile came across her face. "Same as always, Eleanor."
Concern began to fill her eyes. "How's he doing today?" she asked quietly.
Concern touched Eleanor's expression as well as she replied. "It's… bad, today. He's seeing a lot of things that aren't there. Things from…" she sighed. "A long time ago. Do you still want to talk to him today?"
Asuka nodded. "I have to. There are some things…" she paused herself, as they made their way to the master bedroom. "Some things I need to get off of my chest." she seemed to settle on.
Eleanor nodded. "Okay. I think he's as ready as he'll ever be right now." she slid open the door, revealing a darkened room.
Daniel lay on the bed, eyes closed against the horrors that waited for him in the waking world. He heard the door slide open, then shut. Felt someone sitting at the end of his bed. Then, he heard a tentative, familiar voice. "Bruder?"
He opened his eyes, and though he controlled any outward showing of it, a lance of fear drove itself into his heart.
He lay on a large piece of rubble in a shattered cityscape, draped in a fallen banner. Massive skyscrapers flickered and glowed as they burned, and the sight was eerily silent, reminding him he was just in his bedroom in Tokyo-3.
Sitting on the end of the rubble he lay on was Asuka, dressed in her Plugsuit. She was perforated, bleeding profusely throughout as though she had been stabbed dozens of times. The one eye that wasn't gouged out and bleeding looked at him with concern.
"Bruder, are you okay?" Asuka asked quietly.
Her question snapped him out of his fearful reverie, and he shook his head as he smiled sadly. "Jünger, I couldn't be anything else right now."
Asuka chuckled slightly. "I have… a lot I need to talk with you about," she said, hesitation evident in her voice.
Daniel chuckled himself as a wry smile turned his lips up. "Do you want to have a conversation, or do you just need to vent? Because I can be a party to both, you know."
Asuka sniffed quietly and nodded. "A little bit of both, I guess," she said.
Daniel nodded. "Well, go ahead then. What's on your mind?"
Asuka sighed, and her brows furrowed as her eye, no, no, eyes gained a frustrated look. "It's Wondergirl," she growled.
Daniel raised an eyebrow. "You mean Rei?"
Asuka sighed loudly. "Yes, Rei. Wondergirl. Little Miss Perfect. The commander's pet. She frustrates me to no end! She's always so emotionless and distant, yet she always looks at me like I know nothing. Nothing! I bet she feels so superior, being Commander Ikari's precious First Child. And I just don't know what to do about her, because there's this glimmer of… something in her cold, dead eyes that feels like there's something else in there that she just hides away from everyone else, and… I know that glimmer. I've seen it in the mirror. What is she? And why is she so insistent about being… her?"
Daniel got into a more comfortable position on what he pleasantly noted was once again his bed and looked at Asuka. "What do you mean 'being her?'"
Asuka rolled her eyes. "You know, always follow orders, chain of command, all that? It's like she's spent her entire life in the military or something. Either that or she's a…" she paused, trailing off as she looked down and to the side.
After a moment of silence, Daniel responded. "I don't usually see you this insecure about someone unless you feel like you're competing with them over something. So, what do you think you two are competing over?"
The silence came again as Asuka appeared to blush slightly, a small smile coming to Daniel's face. "Or is the better question who do you think you two are competing over?"
Asuka blushed even deeper and refused to answer. So, Daniel made an educated guess. "It's Shinji, isn't it?"
Asuka growled as she clutched her head. "How do you know these things?"
Daniel sighed. "Like I've said, I know how to-"
"-read people, yeah." Asuka finished, sighing, and seeming to deflate a little. She grabbed at the air around her as if it were a physical thing as she continued. "He's so… dense."
Daniel waited for a moment to let her elaborate. When no such thing was forthcoming, he spoke again. "So, what do you mean 'dense'?"
Asuka rolled her eyes. "It's like trying to start something with a brick wall! I let my barriers down, show him a side of me I've only ever shown you, and he still hasn't the slightest clue what that means! He's such an idiot! Except, except, there are moments where I feel like he almost understands. Like with Sandalphon, the magma Angel, when he caught me, which was on your suggestions, not your orders, or Misato's for that matter."
Asuka sighed heavily as she paused, a forlorn look on her face. "But then, it's back to the same scared little kid," she muttered.
Daniel nodded sagely, an understanding look on his face, as he physically saw reality as it was for the first time in weeks. "So," he said after a moment, "you're wondering why Shinji hasn't made a move yet, even though you seem to have indicated you're interested? Is that what it's all about?"
Asuka grumbled. "In so many words, yes."
Daniel nodded. "Okay. I've got two things to say. Firstly, you and he are the apparent opposite of each other. You know that much."
Asuka rolled her eyes. "Yeah, so?"
"I'm not finished." Daniel continued. "However, you two are also far more similar than you think. Like you said, you've shown him a gentle side of you, something that you've decided to have hidden because it clashes with your image. But he's also, because of you, found a far braver side of himself that has been hidden until he met you. You bring out the sides of each other that you two have hidden, either by choice or circumstance. You two bring out the best parts of each other. That's not a coincidence."
He paused for a moment. "That's my first point. Second, this, the chance at a relationship like you might be interested in, is something he's terrified of."
Asuka nodded. "Again, kind of obvious."
Daniel sighed. "Jünger," he said with a slight hint of exasperation.
Asuka raised her hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright, wise sensei. Please, continue."
Daniel nodded. "As I said, this sort of unknown is scary to a person who has a normal level of life experience. He has none of that. You, even, have scarce little in the way of… romantic experience, let's put it."
Asuka sighed. "I know that much. So, are you saying anything I try with him is doomed to fail?"
Daniel shook his head. "No, I'm not. What I'm saying is that what you're trying is an experiment for both of you. And Shinji does not want to fail that experiment. He knows how valuable seeing the other side of you is. Having talked with him, he treasures it. So, he doesn't want to lose that. Does that make sense?"
Asuka slowly nodded after a moment. "Yeah. I guess it does."
Daniel smiled softly. "So, now that you know all that, would you like some advice on how to get him to notice you?"
Asuka gazed sideways at him, eyes narrowed. "And what exactly do you mean by that?"
Daniel chuckled. "Well, as you can tell, I have a lovely wife, and you have a lovely sister-in-law. So, I know at least a little about some of the… intricacies, shall we say, of courtship and relationships."
Asuka rolled her eyes but smiled anyway. "Alright, you've got a decent resume, I'll give you that. So, spill already."
Daniel's smile got a little wider as he leaned forward. "Okay. First tip. Boys…" he paused for dramatic effect. "Are absolutely stupid when it comes to interpreting signals."
Asuka tilted her head. "And what do you mean by that?"
Daniel chuckled. "You are smart. Breathtakingly so for your age. One of the things that you do sometimes forget though is that not everyone operates on the same level as you."
Asuka rolled her eyes. "It'd be a much easier life if they did."
Daniel nodded. "I don't doubt it. However, back to the topic at hand. You are very, very smart and cunning. Shinji, as much as I love him, is not as devious as you, at least not yet. You are playing a game of chess, while poor Shinji is playing checkers."
Asuka narrowed her eyes once again. "So, you're saying I should stoop to his level?" she asked warily.
"Not in the slightest," Daniel replied. "What I'm saying is that right now, he needs something bold, direct, and unconfusing. He can be smart when it comes to things he needs or wants to learn. But he needs to start somewhere. And when it comes to your feelings, every simple statement of them at the start counts."
Asuka nodded, a thoughtful look in her eyes as she contemplated all that Daniel had told her. "I think… I think I understand. Something bold, huh?"
Daniel grinned. "That should be no problem for you, I'd wager."
Asuka sniffed. "Of course, it isn't! I'm the greatest pilot in the world, facing death on a regular basis. How hard can telling someone I like them be?"
Daniel shook his head. "Harder than you think."
Asuka snorted, then checked the time on her phone. "Alright, we have a harmonics test today, so I should probably get ready for that."
She stood and walked to Daniel and squeezed his hand. "It was good to talk to you, Bruder," she said quietly. She walked to the door, pausing at it before turning again.
"Before I go…" she said with no small amount of hesitation. "What did you see? What are you seeing?"
Daniel sighed, a forlorn look on his face. "I'm… I'm not ready to talk about that just yet," he replied quietly.
Asuka nodded slightly. "Okay. Ich liebe dich, Bruder."
Daniel nodded. "Ich liebe dich auch, Jünger. Good luck on the harmonics test."
Asuka snorted. "As if I need good luck."
"Oh, before you go," Daniel said, Asuka pausing as he spoke, "if you're planning on something as brazen as kissing the poor boy… it's going to tickle a little. Just... be ready. You'll know what I mean."
Asuka's eyebrows rose. "I mean… okay? But now that you mention it… anyway, goodbye."
She left, closing the door behind her. In the solitude he now had, Daniel looked up at the ceiling, and a tear that he had been holding back finally slid down his cheek. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I wish I could make it up to you. But I'm trying again. For what it counts."
- - -
As the Children sat in the dark spaces that mimicked their cockpits, they focused as they had been told to do while a dim blue light surrounded them, the hum of the Test Plugs a mirror match for their regular Entry Plugs.
Misato, Ritsuko, and Maya monitored the Children's synch scores and harmonization values from another room, staring at the monitors that displayed them intently.
"Plugs 00 and 02 are at the contamination zone limit," Maya said as a terminal sounded a tone.
Ritsuko nodded. "Plug 01 still has some room to go further. But not by much. Lower the graph depth by about 0.3, see how that affects the readings." Maya nodded as she set about her task.
Ritsuko turned to Misato, who studied the Plugs intently. "I hope you've given some thought to my proposal," she said, seeming to snap Misato out of her vigil as she turned to look at Ritsuko.
Misato nodded, a slight look of uncertainty in her eyes. "I have, and on paper, it looks fine. I just don't know how the pilots are going to take it, though."
Ritsuko's brow rose slightly. "You mean, you don't know how Asuka's going to take it."
Misato sighed. "However did you know?" she asked wearily.
Before Ritsuko could reply, another tone sounded. "Alright, 01 is right on the contamination limit," Maya said as Ritsuko leaned over to study the readings.
She nodded appreciatively. "And his scores are this high? That is nothing if not impressive."
Maya nodded. "He's approaching Asuka in both harmonics and synch rate values."
Ritsuko looked up at the Test Plug. "It looks like he has quite the talent for this. It's like he was born with the skills to pilot."
"But none of the desire," Misato said as Ritsuko turned to look at her. Misato sighed. "He doesn't enjoy any of this. Even if it is important to him and to us."
Ritsuko shook her head. "Well, like you've said, saving the world comes before enjoying how you do it."
Misato's lips pressed into a thin line. "In so many words, yes."
Eventually, the rather calm test ended, the Test Plugs opening with a hiss, and a walkway extending over the vast bath of LCL that the Test Plugs jutted out of.
As they filed into the monitoring section of the test chamber, Ritsuko turned to face them. "Alright, you three did excellently today. Shinji, you have made perhaps the most improvement I've ever seen someone make in such a short time, with an eight-point increase in harmonics values and synch score over the past 10 days. That's an impressive improvement."
Asuka sniffed. "That may be impressive, yes. But he is still a full 35 points behind me. He has a lot of catching up to do."
Ritsuko nodded. "Maybe. But there's no denying that he's making great improvements."
Asuka rolled her eyes as she looked back at Shinji. "Today's really your day for praise, isn't it Shinji?" she asked with a wry grin.
Shinji chuckled nervously. "I mean, I guess…"
Asuka sighed and made for the door. Before she could get far, Misato spoke up. "Before you go, Asuka, there's something all three of you need to hear."
Asuka paused, then slowly turned. "Why do I feel like I'm not going to like what I hear next?" she said, her voice dripping with suspicion as she slowly made her way back to Shinji's side.
Misato quirked her lips. "Like it or not, it's still going to happen. You and Shinji have been making great strides in synch score and harmonics since we had you two together for Israfel. Rei has been lagging behind you two from the start."
Asuka leered as she connected the dots. "Don't tell me…"
Misato nodded seriously. "Yes. Rei will be staying with you two throughout your day until her synch scores begin to improve as well, starting tomorrow."
Asuka's face turned a deep red. "You mean I have to be shackled to Wondergirl, the commander's pet until she starts doing slightly better? This is utterly ridiculous! I can't agree to this!"
Ritsuko shook her head. "You don't have to. It's a decision that I have made, and that has been approved by the Commander. My only advice is to get used to it until such a time as I say that it no longer needs to be the case."
Asuka threw up her hands dramatically. "Fine! I'll deal with it. But I'm not dealing with it right here!" she shouted.
She turned and stormed out of the room, Misato sighing as she shook her head. "I told you something like that would happen," she said, deadpan.
Ritsuko shrugged. "It is what it is." she turned to the other two pilots, one clearly uncomfortable, the other deadpan. "Do either of you have any objections?" she asked.
Shinji simply shook his head, while Rei barely blinked. "I will make such an arrangement work, Doctor Akagi."
Ritsuko sighed slightly as she nodded wearily. "I can trust you for that much. You won't go to the extreme of living together for the duration, simply being together throughout the day. No need to worry about living arrangements. You can go now."
As the other pilots made their way out of the room, Ritsuko's phone buzzed. She checked it and saw that it was a text from Gendo. It read the same as many of the other texts he had sent before. 'Personal meeting tonight before I leave for Antarctica. 2200 hours. My quarters.'
She nodded. He would want one of those before such a long trip, wouldn't he? So, she sent her usual text. 'I will attend.'
Misato looked over at Ritsuko. "What's going on?"
Ritsuko bobbed her head slightly as she looked back at Misato. "Oh, the usual. Commander Ikari wants to meet with me tonight before he goes to Antarctica. It shouldn't get in the way of anything else today."
Misato nodded, a slightly sour look on her face. "Oh, yeah. I nearly forgot about that."
Ritsuko smiled slightly. "About what? Being in charge for a little while?"
Misato snorted gently. "Yeah. With my luck, we'll have to deal with an Angel attack just as they leave."
Ritsuko shrugged. "It will be what it will be."
Misato shrugged in turn. "Yeah, I guess. Well, I have to get the Pilots home. I don't know if I can catch Asuka, but I can at least get Shinji and Rei."
"Oh, you don't have to worry about Rei," Ritsuko said. "She'll be helping out with the first field test of the Progressive Spike later today. She'll be sticking around."
Misato nodded tiredly. "So that means I only have Shinji. Okay." she began to walk towards the door. "Well, I'll see you later. Have fun!" she said as she waved.
"You as well, Misato," Ritsuko replied as Misato went after the Children. Of course, she would have fun. Not only was there science, which was her love, to do today, but there was something more… basic to enjoy tonight.
- - -
As Shinji and Rei walked down the hallway in more or less companionable silence, Shinji eventually turned to Rei. "So, Rei… uh… how do you feel about this?" he said, stumbling over his words.
Rei continued to look ahead as she walked. "I have no strong feeling towards this assignment, pilot Ikari. I will follow the orders given to me."
Shinji chuckled nervously as he scratched the back of his head. "Sorry. I figured I'd ask," he said.
Rei nodded. "I will do my best to make this assignment as equitable to pilot Soryu as I can. I understand that her feelings towards me are strained. I may have already failed, however."
She slowed to a stop, Shinji coming up beside her with a puzzled look on his face. She turned to look at him, her brow slightly furrowed, her lips downturned only a fraction, and the faintest glimmer of what could be either confusion or concern in her eyes. "Shinji Ikari, do you know why pilot Soryu considers me a doll?"
Shinji looked at Rei with no small amount of surprise. "I…" Shinji paused as he considered how he could possibly answer such a question from Rei, of all people. "I don't think... I mean, I don't know if she actually called you a doll. That's something you're probably going to have to ask her."
Rei dipped her head slightly as she appeared to consider this. After a moment, she looked up. "Very well, pilot Ikari. I will try to ask her at a later point in time."
As Shinji nodded, Misato finally caught up to them, placing a hand on Shinji's shoulder as he looked at her. "Glad to see you two talking," she said in a cheery voice. "Ready to go home, Shinji?"
Shinji looked back at Rei. "Are you not coming with us?"
Rei shook her head. "No. I am going to participate in a test of the new weapon that Doctor Akagi, in conjunction with the Theismans, have created."
Shinji nodded as he began to understand. "Oh. Okay. Well, good luck on the test then."
A ghost of a smile came to Rei's face as she looked at both Shinji and Misato. "Thank you, pilot Ikari. Farewell, Major Katsuragi. I will see you both tomorrow."
She turned down a side passage and disappeared.
Misato squeezed Shinji's shoulder. "Come on then, Shinji. Let's get home."
- - -
As the sun began to dip in the sky, Unit-00 stood amongst the hills of the Matsushiro test site backdropped in a halo of brilliant orange light. Beside it sat a massive box, containing the object of today's little experiment. From deep within the reinforced observation bunker, Ritsuko and Maya studied the readouts intently.
"Alright, Rei," Ritsuko said as the time came for the test to begin, "pick up the weapon and attach it to your arm."
The image of Rei on a screen before her nodded. "Yes, ma'am. Equipping the weapon now."
Unit-00 reached down, opening the box to reveal a long trapezoidal construct, with a handle curving off the front end of it. Rei picked it up, laying on the top of the Eva's forearm, restraints popping out of the sides of each end and locking securely around the arm and the fin on it. "Weapon equipped," Rei said simply.
Ritsuko nodded as she looked at the screens showing the reading for the weapon itself. Power distribution was nominal, and everything was going as it had during the prototype stages. "Alright, then," Ritsuko said after finding herself satisfied with the current readings, "proceed to the target."
"Yes, ma'am," Rei said simply, as she walked over to the surprisingly large piece of Ramiel's remains that they had airlifted over here. It was, they had found, perhaps the closest they could get to an analog of core material, and after Operation Yashima, there was more than enough lying around to act as a target for this test.
As Unit-00 came to rest in front of the remnant of an Angel, Ritsuko spoke again. "Alright, Rei. Now, aim the weapon as we've shown you, and activate it with the button on the handle."
Rei nodded, pointing the Spike at the dull blue chunk of crystal at an angle, and depressed the clearly marked button on the end of the handle with her thumb. A hatch opened at the back of the weapon, and a spike extended out, an angry whir filling the air as it began to glow with superheated intensity.
Ritsuko continued to look appreciatively at the monitors. The weapon had activated without issue, and the Progressive element had heated the spike evenly. She couldn't ask for a better test at this point. "Alright," Ritsuko said, with a small smile on her face, "fire the weapon."
Rei simply nodded. "Firing." She squeezed the two halves of the handle together, the whir emitted from the weapon intensifying as she did so. When the handle was fully depressed, a sound not unlike a guitar sting on a massive scale pulsed from the weapon as the spike rocketed forward, piercing the crystal with a resounding crack.
As Rei extracted the spike and deactivated the weapon, Ritsuko nodded in appreciation. "Thank you for your cooperation on this test, Rei. I'd say today's test was a success."
Rei nodded. "You are welcome, Doctor Akagi."
- - -
It was a moonless night tonight. It always was, down in the Geofront. Thus, the dim, distant lights that mimicked the stars shone down on the figure of Ritsuko Akagi, walking home from Gendo Ikari's apartment with a burning resentment in her heart.
It had ended up as it always did, with the two of them wrapped in each other, almost burning up with passion and want. She seemed to live for those moments now, for being wanted by him, for being needed by him.
But then, as they both reached for the climax, as if it was like clockwork, one word, a single name, turned all that passion to ash in a moment. "Yui…"
It had the effect it always had, ending with a whimper what had started with a bang, but tonight it had just become too much. So tonight, she simply walked home, among the dark trees with dark thoughts.
Why could he never get over Yui? She was gone, her soul interned within Unit-01. So why didn't he just see that she was right there in front of him? That she loved him right now?
Ritsuko shook her head. She had never really met Yui Ikari, only heard about her from others. But she had come to resent her, for being the only anchor that Gendo had keeping him from her.
No. no, there was another anchor, she thought as she reached her apartment complex. There was Rei.
Rei, his precious little doll, juiced to the gills on her medications, which Ritsuko had to give her to keep her from wandering off. Ritsuko knew what went into her. How much of Yui went into her, in more ways than one. She was his coping mechanism as much as she was his lynchpin.
The door opened, and the old cat which lived with her meowed at her, rubbing up against her leg. As Ritsuko crouched down to pet her, she looked into the kitchen at the cabinet and the wine that it held within. She would need a lot tonight. Maybe forgetting for a little while would help...
- - -
One and a Half Weeks Later
Asuka sat at the lunch table next to Shinji and Rei with no small amount of annoyance. Tomorrow had come, in the end, and now had been going on for the better part of two weeks. An awkward, now almost unbearably long day at school with a boring, unfunny companion in Rei, an awkward one in Shinji, and a blessedly separate walk home, had become the norm. Asuka bore it, in her eyes, as best she could.
On top of that though, with the time passing as it did with the three of them together, some of the other girls in the class started to have peculiar looks in their eyes. Especially when they looked at Shinji.
Try as Hikari might, the class had rumors about them, and about Shinji in particular, spreading around it like a particularly unpleasant virus. Asuka hadn't fully realized how easily such things could happen in a class full of teenagers. Even with the experience she had with rumors from college, she didn't expect them to come and spread with such ferocity as they did.
Even now, one of the girls in particular, Chihiro Tanaka, looked at Shinji with no small amount of interest from another lunch table. When she met Asuka's gaze, that interest slowly became something bordering on disgust, as she turned to whisper in a friend's ear, the girl giggling at whatever Chihiro said.
For whatever reason, besides the familiar annoyance of being the center of negative gossip, something deeper than that came to her as she glanced at Shinji. Why did she feel so strongly about how the other girls looked at him? Was it just that it took the spotlight of admiration off of her, where it rightfully belonged? Or was it something with how she felt about Shinji?
She didn't know, and Shinji himself would probably remain blissfully ignorant of what she thought until she got the courage to just kiss the damn boy already. She had decided that was what she wanted to do now. She just didn't know what was holding her up now, and she didn't know if there was anything resembling an indication of a proper time and place to do it. Was there? Daniel was right. This was harder than it looked.
Asuka sighed and turned back to her lunch. This was going to feel like forever. Shinji looked over at her. "Something wrong, Asuka?" he said.
Asuka rolled her eyes as she sighed again. "I'm just contemplating being shackled to you two. Again."
She looked over at Rei, who calmly ate her lunch. "At least one of us could be a little more interesting," she said, with no small degree of annoyance.
Rei glanced over at Asuka. "My apologies, pilot Soryu. I do not wish to be a burden to you during this time."
Asuka snorted. "Well, you're doing a fine job of it regardless." She dug into her lunch, cutting off any further complaints or conversation from the others. She would get through this. As much as she hated this and cursed the heavens, and Commander Ikari, for dumping such a ridiculous burden on her, she would do what she was always willing to do, and get through this herself.
Eventually, the day ended, the school bell rang, and the three Children waited outside the school as the other children streamed past them. Today was somewhat different. Eleanor would be picking them up and dropping them at their homes today. Asuka secretly fidgeted slightly as the car pulled up, and the widow slid down, showing an Eleanor with a seemingly eternally patient look on her face.
As the Children all got into the car, Eleanor turned to face Rei. "We'll be taking you home first, seeing as you live apart from us. Where do you live?"
After Rei gave her the address and she put it into the GPS, Eleanor set off. As the miles passed by, the sights of disuse, of an aging place being torn down, became more and more common as they approached Rei's residence.
Asuka looked out the windows in slowly dawning shock. "You live in this area? It looks like a construction zone! Half the buildings here look like they're about to be demolished."
Rei simply looked forward, as the dim clamor of a demolition team taking down the wall of a building that they passed by proved Asuka's point. "As I have said, this was the residence I was assigned to on Commander Ikari's orders. I have not needed to ask for any other place, nor has any been provided for me."
The car slowed to a stop as it parked in front of a building that seemed as ready to collapse as many of its neighbors did. Asuka got out with Rei and looked up at it with an odd sense of dread. "This is where they put you? One of their pilots, the commander's pet, and this is where they put you?"
Rei turned to look at Asuka with a neutral expression. "The point has been made, pilot Soryu. This is my residence. I will see you both tomorrow."
Rei began to walk forward towards the building when Asuka walked up to her and grabbed her arm. Rei turned to look at her, and Asuka let go, an uncharacteristic amount of embarrassment evident in her posture. "Is there something else you intend to say, pilot Soryu?" Rei asked levelly.
Asuka openly fidgeted for a moment before she spoke, uncertainty filling her voice. "I've been told… that a team is only as strong as its weakest link. That a leader's responsibility is to look after that weakest link."
She seemed to find her courage as she placed her hands on her hips, fire filling her voice. "As the best pilot here, I am that leader. And as much as I don't like you, Wondergirl, you are the weakest link. So show me."
Rei tilted her head. "Show you… what?"
Asuka rolled her eyes. "Show me your apartment."
Shinji, having also gotten out and now staring in open-faced confusion, stepped forward. "Asuka…"
Asuka wheeled around to face him, the fire in her eyes directed at him causing the words he would have said next to wither and die on his lips.
"Look, Shinji," she said with no small amount of force, "I intend to be the best pilot out here. And I can't be chained down by my teammates in any fashion. Are you coming with me, or not?"
She looked back at Rei. "So, lead on, Wondergirl. Let's find out how bad your situation really is."
Rei simply nodded. "Very well, pilot Soryu. Follow me."
With that, the three Children made their way toward Rei's apartment.
Behind their sight, Eleanor smiled slightly. It wasn't too hard to find Daniel's voice when Asuka spoke of the team like that. He had taught her well. She followed behind at a distance.
As the Children made it to the fourth floor, then to room #402, Rei opened the door and walked in, Shinji and Asuka looking around, one in resigned familiarity, and one in wide-eyed shock.
"Mein Gott…" Asuka muttered, looking at the grey, featureless, nearly decrepit rooms, a small kitchen section on one side, a dark bathroom on the other, and a somewhat large living area that served the purpose of the bedroom, with a desk and dresser opposite of a small, dingy bed and nightstand.
"I've seen maximum security prisoners get better treatment than this!" Asuka said, nearly shouting and not caring for any potential neighbors.
Rei turned to look at her. "And what is your point?"
Asuka's eye twitched. "Because you deserve better than this, regardless of how much I like you or not!"
She turned to Shinji and leered as she saw his expression. "Shinji," she said with a deathly calm as he blushed brightly, "did you know about this?"
"I...I..." Shinji said as he resisted the urge to bury his face in his hands.
Rei interrupted before Shinji could speak. "He came here to deliver a replacement identification for me and had an altercation. That has been the only time he has seen this residence."
Asuka turned back to look at Rei. "That doesn't mean he can just… wait a minute, what do you mean by 'altercation'?"
Shinji fully decided to bury his face in his hands as Rei continued. "As Shinji studied a personal effect, I tried to grab it from him after I had gotten out of the shower. We lost balance and fell, and his hand landed on my right breast as he fell on me. It was a memorable experience."
"A memorable-" Asuka paused before she continued, trying not to feel like she would have an aneurysm. "And you did nothing? Nothing at all? Have you no shame?"
Rei tilted her head a little. "Shame?"
Asuka's eyes went wide in amazement. "Shame? No one taught you about shame. Your own mother never taught you about shame?"
Rei blinked. "I do not have a mother."
Asuka blinked herself as she processed this. "No... no mother at all?" she said, her tone deflating somewhat.
Rei shook her head. "No. I do not recall having a mother, pilot Soryu."
Asuka reeled silently for a moment, then turned to Shinji with a sigh. Shinji, who had removed his hands from his face, cringed back as Asuka looked at him. "And no one else has seen this place? You haven't told anyone?"
Shinji's eyes widened. "I don't know what I'm able to do. I'm just a pilot," he said with no small amount of desperation. "Who do I even go to?"
"Misato, for one! Shinji, we live with her! Has she ever been here?" Asuka said with exasperation.
"Major Katsuragi has not visited this residence," Rei said.
Asuka turned around, looking around the place. "Well, I can tell you this much, Wondergirl, she wouldn't stand for one of her pilots being somewhere… like…" she trailed off as she caught sight of a large group of pill bottles on the top of the dresser.
A memory of what Rei had said a month ago came to her mind as she approached the frankly massive number of drugs. "I am taking my medications to ensure that I am able to follow my orders."
She reached the bottles, picked one up, and noted the name on the label. 'R. Akagi'. Then she looked at the name of the medication, and dread began to rise from the pit of her stomach, as she put the bottle down and picked up another one, and then another, names like 'Diazepam' and 'Benzodiazepine' and 'Methoxetamine' dredging up a voice she had only heard recently in her nightmares. "Now, Asuka, I know the last ones didn't make you feel good, and that you didn't like them, but you need to take these ones. They'll help you be calm. They'll help me be better able to help you."
As Asuka's mind desperately tried to escape the pit it was falling in, she uttered absentmindedly, "...a doll…"
Rei's brow furrowed, and genuine anger flickered in her eyes. "I am not a doll."
Rei's words seemed to snap Asuka out of her downward spiral, her head tilting up suddenly. "Not a doll?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. She turned around, shaking one of the pill bottles in one hand. "Then why are you taking these?"
Rei's eyes did not waver. "Because I have been ordered to by Doctor Akagi, by Commander Ikari's requirement."
Asuka shook her head as she walked to Rei, grabbing her shoulder with one hand. "These are all dissociatives, depressants, hormonal contraceptives, the sort of stuff I... the sort of stuff that hardened criminals have to take. You want to prove you're not a doll?"
Rei nodded slightly as Asuka paused for a moment. "Then stop taking these," Asuka continued, holding up the bottle and shaking it slightly, "all of them! Throw them away! No wonder you didn't feel anything when Shinji landed on you. It's a wonder you even registered that it happened!"
"Just," Asuka finally said, deflating as she dropped the pill bottle, "just start by going off a few of these over the next little while. See what happens. You won't be a doll. Not like..." She looked desperately into Rei's cool eyes. "Please."
Rei's eyes widened slightly. She had never heard Asuka ask like that before. This had to be important to her. Very important. "Very well," Rei said. "I will… try."
Asuka released a breath she didn't know she was even holding, as she released Rei, walking past her. "Shinji," she said as she passed him, "we're going home."
"Asuka…" he said, then flinched as she stopped and turned around.
"Shinji," she said, the deathly calm returning, "we're going home. Now."
Shinji nodded after a moment, then turned to Rei. "Well, we'll see you tomorrow, Rei."
Rei nodded. "I shall see the both of you tomorrow."
Asuka and Shinji left the decrepit apartment, a waiting Eleanor following behind, while Rei pondered, looking intently at her medicine.
- - -
As Shinji and Asuka rode home, there was a tense silence. Shinji finally broke it. "Asuka… I'm sorry."
Asuka sniffed, trying to hold back the tears she knew would be coming. "Oh, don't be. You may have been an idiot, but you didn't know what to do like you said. It's not your fault that Commander Asshole had her shacked up in there, or… or…" she trailed off, staring intently at the floor of the car.
Shinji continued to look at her, his gaze trailing down until it stopped on her hand, slightly shaking. He reached for it, and as he touched it, flinched away as Asuka herself flinched. They looked into each other's eyes, and Asuka grabbed Shinji's hand wordlessly, holding it tightly. They spent the rest of the trip in silence, holding each other's hands.
As they pulled up to the apartment and entered their residence, Misato looked up from the kitchen table, a beer in her hand and some scattered paperwork before her. "Well, you're home a little later than usual. What was the holdup?"
Asuka sighed explosively. "We took Rei home first. It's an absolute dump!" she said, throwing up her arms. "I've seen prisons with better accommodations than that! I can't believe you haven't seen that place!"
Misato gained a concerned look in her eyes. "Well, if her quarters are that bad, I think I would have been told they were. Ritsuko was taking care of her before I arrived. She would have known, I thought."
Shinji shook his head. "I was there. And I went there before. Asuka's not exaggerating. I really should have told you earlier."
Misato nodded. "Alright. I guess I'll see what I can do. If it's as bad as you say, then there's space here that we could put her up in."
Asuka nodded emphatically. "You'd better if even I'm complaining about it. If you need to talk to anyone else, ask Eleanor. She was there too."
Misato nodded. "Okay, I will. After this paperwork, at least." She looked back down at her paperwork, intent on it.
As she did so, Asuka turned to Shinji and gave a wordless nod toward the living room. With no small amount of puzzlement on his face, Shinji tried to ask her why before she put a finger to her lips silently. He settled for simply nodding and following her.
As they got to the living room, Asuka grabbed Shinji's arm with a look that said that he'd better keep quiet or risk serious consequences. Shinji got the message as she nearly dragged him to her room, shutting the door with a quiet clack.
She let go of Shinji and went over to her bed, sitting down and hugging her knees to her chest as tears seemed to finally well up in her eyes. Shinji was silent for a moment, then sat down next to her. He asked a question that had come to his mind just after they finished talking with Misato. "So… why didn't you tell her about the drugs?"
Asuka squeezed closed her eyes. "Because as much as I like Misato, she's still NERV. That's what those bottles are. NERV. They could do that to any one of us. That was Doctor Akagi's name on those pills, just like she said. And Wondergirl's the commander's favorite. What does that say about how they feel about us? What they're willing to do to keep us piloting?"
She continued after a moment. "Now I don't know how to feel about being the way I am to her. At first, I thought she was just being a snob, all superior and holier-than-thou. Now…"
Shinji was silent as he thought about that for a moment. What did that say? What could he say? He was almost too scared to think about it. However, another question he had meant to ask came to mind as he looked at her. "Something happened to you, didn't it?"
Asuka simply nodded. "Yes." Silence reigned for a moment. "But I don't want to talk about it."
Shinji nodded. "Okay."
They sat there for a little while. Then, thinking he should probably leave her be, Shinji got up to leave. Before he could go any further, Asuka grabbed his arm. She was shaking. He turned to look at her eyes, red with unshed tears. "Shinji," Asuka said after a moment, "can you please sleep next to me tonight? Like you did with Israfel?"
Shinji reeled. She was asking him to do that. Really? "Um…" Shinji got out in place of any words.
Asuka shook her head. "Idiot. It helped both of us then, obviously. I think it'll help both of us now. And… I'm going to need some help sleeping peacefully tonight."
Shinji's surprise didn't lessen but was joined by at least a small understanding. "Okay," he said after a moment, "I'll be here."
Asuka sniffled as an unsteady smile came to her. "And just because I'm inviting you to sleep in my bed with me doesn't mean you should be getting any funny ideas!" she said, anger in her tone with no bite behind it.
Shinji slowly smiled as he nodded back. "I won't plan on it."
Rei Ayanami opened her eyes at 0630 exactly. Silence reigned in her apartment as she rose, quickly washed, and got dressed for the day. As she held the first dose of her pills with a glass of water in her hand, however, she hesitated.
Asuka's words continued to echo through her mind. She was as surprised as she could be at how lasting an impression what she said left. "Just… just start by going off a few of these over the next little while. You won't be a doll."
She mulled over the words. She had conducted some research at a library nearby later that night. They were more than happy to accommodate one of the pilots. And her brief research had thus far proven pilot Soryu… no, now she was Asuka, right.
Most all of her medications were of a depressive or dissociative nature in one way or another. Doctor Akagi had given these to her for what seemed that express purpose. But Doctor Akagi didn't give this to her because she cared. She knew that much. Only Commander Ikari's recommendation made her do what she did.
Shinji and Asuka, on the other hand, cared for her. Even if one of them had odd ways of showing that they cared about her state of existence. But the Commander also cared, whenever he spoke to her. And he made Doctor Akagi give her these pills. Disobeying him, in any way, felt… wrong. Almost fundamentally so. But if it helped her prove she wasn't a doll…
She looked over at the concentric rings of pill bottles. Choosing an arbitrary one-fifth of them, she decided that she would withhold the doses for now, until she did more research on them. If the research she did later made Asuka's fears unfounded, then the doses would be taken later tonight. It was simple really. She popped the chalky pills she had in her hand into her mouth and washed them down.
As she finished getting ready, she looked at the phone that sat on her bare nightstand. She had received one text notification late last night. She reached for the phone and flipped it open. It was from Asuka. She had invited her to Major Katsuragi's promotion celebration.
Rei thought of simply not replying and moving on. They did not need to have her there to properly celebrate. But… if Asuka had invited her… if she was concerned for her well-being…
Rei typed in a quick message with practiced speed and efficiency. 'I accept.'
. . .
Asuka slowly woke, opening her eyes to the back of a messy head of black hair. She felt… good. Really good. She smiled slightly. "Thank you," she said in a whisper, slowly unfolding herself and getting out of bed. If this was what it felt like just to sleep next to him… a small smile touched her lips. 'We'll get there when we get there.'
Shinji himself stirred after a moment, looking up at Asuka with bleary, but calm eyes. "G'd morning, Asuka," he murmured.
Asuka's smile widened slightly. "Good morning, Shinji. If you slept as well as I did, you probably feel amazing, don't you?"
Shinji snorted slightly as he sat up. "Yeah. No nightmares?"
Asuka shook her head. "No. Not one. You must be a good luck charm or something. Come on. Let's get ready for school before Misato catches us and gets the chance to rib us eternally."
Shinji nodded, making his way out of her room and across the hall. Asuka looked after him for a moment as the door closed behind him. Whatever she felt about him before, he had become something… more. Something greater than just a fellow pilot, or even a friend. He was… well, he probably only had the slightest idea of what she felt about him now.
As she got dressed, she looked over at her phone and saw a new notification. It was from Rei's number, saying that she would come to the party tonight. As she looked at it, she contemplated her feelings on Rei for a moment. Was she still a… no. No, if she was indeed going to try to go off those drugs, then she was already less of a doll than she was before.
As she put the phone away, a ring of the doorbell signaled Rei's arrival. Asuka and Shinji emerged, looking at each other with no small amount of expectation in their eyes, as they made their way past Misato, saying their goodbyes, and opened the door to find Rei, as they expected. "Good morning," Rei said calmly.
"Hello, W… Rei," Asuka replied. An eyebrow rose a fraction on Rei's face as they walked out, the door shutting behind them.
As they walked away from the closed door and into the elevator, Asuka looked into Rei's eyes intently. Rei looked back coolly. "I have decided to begin by not taking one-fifth of my current dosage until further research. I believe that is what you are wondering." Rei surmised.
Asuka nodded, a small smile accompanying a slight sigh. "Okay. Smart decision, by the way, not going cold turkey on such a wild cocktail like that. Thank you, Wondergirl."
Rei gave a slight nod back. "And thank you for your concern, Asuka. And yours as well, Shinji."
Both nodded, somewhat surprised by Rei's use of their names. That was somewhat unexpected.
As the elevator doors opened, Rei turned to Asuka. "I have a question."
Asuka looked sideways at her. "Yeah? What is it?"
Rei spoke without inflection. "When Shinji fell on me while he visited my apartment, how important was feeling 'shame'?"
Asuka and Shinji both turned beet red as they stepped out into the street. They both looked around, ensuring that their walk would be one only they would take.
Asuka turned to Shinji after a moment, an odd look on her face. "Shinji, you might want to hang back a little if you don't want blood shooting out of your nose."
Shinji nodded, an equally odd look on his. "Sounds good," he said weakly.
"Alright," Asuka said with a sigh, "I guess I have to start somewhere…"
- - -
As they reached the gates of the school, Asuka breathed a sigh, partially to catch her breath, partially in relief at finally escaping what had become the most awkward question and answer session of her life.
Rei had been surprisingly inquisitive, delving into many of the sometimes very, very intimate intricacies of what exactly one was supposed to be shameful of, and what exactly some of it meant biologically and socially. She had expected needing to train Shinji in how to be a better pilot, but never in her wildest dreams could she have expected to train Rei in how to be a better human being.
"Alright," Asuka said, as the trio paused in front of the gate, "the Q&A is going to have to wait for a while until after school. You're coming to Misato's promotion party, correct?"
Rei nodded. "I plan on attending."
Asuka nodded in turn. "Okay. If there are any more burning questions, you can ask them to me after the party."
Rei nodded slightly again. "Very well. Thank you." with that, she began to walk towards the building proper.
Asuka's eyebrows rose. "And you're welcome, I guess."
The day went much smoother than the last week had been, as each of the pilots readjusted their views of each other. Asuka particularly took heart as she saw Rei looking intently at a laptop during one of their rare free periods. As she looked, however, she began to notice the sweat beading on Rei's face. The slight tremor she seemed to suppress. Asuka scooted over to her. "Hey, Wondergirl?"
Rei looked up at her. "Yes, Asuka?"
Asuka's brow furrowed as she saw Rei shiver slightly. "Are you… okay?"
Rei glanced down at herself, then back up again. "I believe I am experiencing the beginnings of withdrawal symptoms. According to my research, I will need some form of palliatives, as well as drugs that will help reduce the oncoming symptoms if I am to overcome these effects."
Asuka nodded seriously as Shinji noticed their conversation, and his own brow creased as he noticed Rei's symptoms. "How complicated is that going to be?"
Rei's brow furrowed slightly in concentration. "We cannot turn to Doctor Akagi, obviously. Being the one who issued me these medications, she will likely not react as we wish if she finds out that I have been going off of any medications. Or provide any of the necessary agents for counteracting any symptoms. Also, few pharmacies in the city proper are likely to be willing to offer any of the needed medications to a minor, even if they were a pilot."
She paused for a moment. "Which leaves us no choice but to try and procure these things through other means."
Shinji nodded. "Okay… and how bad are these symptoms going to be?"
Rei looked down for a moment. "I am currently experiencing nausea and slight tremors," she said without inflection, "and notable symptoms of many of the medications I take include mood swings, panic attacks, paresthesia, oversensitivity to some or all stimuli, and the potential to lapse into a coma or suffer death."
She paused, and Asuka and Shinji's eyes grew wide. After a moment of stunned silence, Rei looked at the two of them with a surprisingly serious look. "Along with these physical symptoms, there are many mental and emotional symptoms as well. My research indicates that support from friends and family is useful in combating these symptoms."
Rei paused again as her eyes softened slightly. "I have no family, and you two are the only people I can begin to call friends in any capacity. Can I rely on the two of you for help with such symptoms?"
Another moment of silence passed between the pilots before Shinji nodded. "Of course, Rei. You know that we're concerned for you. We'll be here for you."
Rei was silent for a moment as she looked at Shinji, then at Asuka, who nodded silently. "Thank you," she said softly.
"Now," Asuka said after a moment, "how are we going to get these medications and palliatives 'through other means'?"
Rei shook her head slightly. "I am unsure. However, we must begin to collect them soon, before more serious symptoms begin to appear."
Asuka nodded. "Okay. I have an idea of who to talk to first. Daniel was American military at one point. Perhaps the U.S. military presence out in Okinawa has some resources he could use. I'll ask him tonight."
Rei nodded. "Very well."
Before they could speak any further, the bell for classes rang, drawing all the children back into the building. Any further conversation would have to wait until after school.
And wait after school it did, as the children, and the Children, streamed out of the school, and past the gates. The sight that greeted the Children, however, was not the one they were expecting, as a familiar blue sports car rolled down its window to reveal Misato.
"Hello!" Misato said with a cheery air as the three Children approached the car. "I'm going to be your chauffeur today. Had a little free time after everything got done, so I figured I'd help you out!"
As they all got into the car, Misato turned to Rei. "Alright. I've been meaning to check out your place sometime, so it might as well be now."
Her eyes narrowed at Rei's apparent discomfort, and Shinji and Asuka quietly held their breaths. "Rei," Misato said after a moment, "are you doing alright?"
Rei nodded slightly. "Physical Fitness period was taxing today. I am still recovering."
Misato shrugged after a moment more. "Makes sense. What's your address?"
As Rei relayed it to Misato, Shinji and Asuka quietly breathed a sigh of relief. That was close. Then, they shared a knowing look with each other, guessing at what came next with no small amount of accuracy.
- - -
Misato fumed as she drove home, all three Children in tow. If anything, she felt that Asuka and Shinji had understated the condition of Rei's home somewhat. She was shocked as they stepped into a residence that seemed likely to fall apart at any moment now, with nothing to do, save lying in bed and staring at the ceiling. This, she decided, was no place to stay.
So, in a snap decision, most of Rei's personal effects were now in the back of the car, either in the trunk or in Shinji and Asuka's lap, as they made their way across the city to Misato's apartment. Misato held her phone in her hand, a particular number dialed in and ringing.
As she waited for it to pick up, Asuka looked over at Rei. "I know you probably didn't care about how you looked, but your wardrobe is the definition of boring. Wondergirl, you and I are going shopping. I've needed an excuse for it anyways. We'll do it sometime soon."
Rei nodded. "Thank you, Asuka."
Asuka shrugged. "Don't mention it. I need something to do with our pay."
Shinji looked over in confusion. "Wait, we get paid?"
Asuka rolled her eyes. "Shinji, I think I could count on one hand how many things NERV has told you about. It's sad really. Yes, we do, in fact, get paid. Quite handsomely, too."
As Asuka elucidated to a wide-eyed Shinji just how much he really made, the line Misato was calling picked up.
"What's up, Misato?" Daniel said.
"Oh, nothing much," Misato said with a forced air of cheeriness, "I'm doing alright."
Her tone became more serious as she continued. "How about you? How are you feeling?"
Daniel sighed on the end of the line, as those around him strove to be quiet. "I'm doing alright. The fever and chills have gone down, and the hallucinations are few enough that I actually feel good about coming into work soon."
Misato smiled as she heard this. "Well, that's good! I'm glad."
Her smile faded as she continued. "Buckle up, because I have some news for you. Rei will be staying with you and Eleanor."
She paused to let Daniel have a moment to process this. After a moment, she heard an "Oh" from the other line. "So why will she be moving in?" Daniel asked slowly.
Misato rolled her eyes slightly. "Her place was an absolute wreck, barely even capable of being called housing. I talked to Eleanor about what she saw before I went to pick the Children up this afternoon. She needs a place to stay. I'll figure out the details later. We're on our way home now."
Daniel nodded as he heard this. Eleanor had told him about what had happened, or at least, what she heard from Misato. It was going to be a given that Rei moved out of there. Both he and Eleanor felt each other's surprise as they found out that Rei would be moving into someplace other than an empty apartment.
Daniel nodded. "Alright. Our door is open when you want to drop her stuff off. We'll be ready when you arrive."
Misato nodded on the other line. "Excellent! See you then." She hung up the phone, pocketing it as she glanced over at Rei. She hesitated for a moment. She didn't miss, couldn't more like it, the frankly terrifying amount of pill bottles that were on Rei's dresser top. Or who prescribed them. She had more than a few questions for Ritsuko.
. . .
Eventually, as the sun set, they reached the apartment building, the Children and Misato carrying as much as they could of Rei's possessions. As the elevator dinged, disgorging the group, they made their way over to their doors and stopped in front of Misato's.
On her door was taped a piece of paper, with the words 'Congratulations on your Promotion, Major Katsuragi!/Celebration Center/Reserved for Invited Guests'.
A small smile came to Misato's lips as she looked back at the Children. "Aw, you shouldn't have."
Asuka chuckled slightly. "Surprise," she said, with a little less excitement than she had planned to. "Kensuke was very insistent on celebrating your promotion. So, we invited a few people and had them start setting stuff up while you were at work."
Misato shook her head. "You kids…" She hefted the assorted effects of Rei's that she carried, nodding to next door. "Well," she said, "let's get Rei's stuff sorted out first. Then I can go get a much more enthusiastic surprise."
The Children nodded, as Asuka let them in with a spare keycard that Daniel had given her, and after situating what they had in their hands in the most appropriate places they could find, they found themselves stepping through Misato's door and into darkness.
Traveling with some care down the entry hall, as they stepped into the kitchen, a light turned on, and a gathered group of people shouted as one "Congratulations!"
Misato's eyes widened in surprise and delight, as Kaji and Ritsuko, along with Daniel and Eleanor, Kensuke, Toji, Hikari, and even Penpen, stood under a seemingly hastily made banner that read 'Congratulations, MAJOR Katsuragi'.
"Aw," she said once again, tears starting to fill her eyes, "you guys…" She accepted a sash that mirrored the message on the banner, and the party flowed into the living room.
As the festivities commenced, and drinks and snacks began to flow freely, Misato turned to Kensuke. "It seems I have you to thank for putting on this celebration," she said in amusement.
Kensuke blushed. "Oh, Ms. Misato, it's nothing. I mean, climbing up from where you were before deserved to be recognized, doesn't it?"
Misato looked up into the middle distance for a moment, a peculiar look in her eyes. "Yeah," she said after a moment. "Yeah, I guess it does."
After a moment more, Ritsuko and Kaji made their way over to Misato. "So, Major Katsuragi," Kaji said with an easy smile, "how's being in charge of the most powerful organization on the planet feeling?"
Misato rolled her eyes. "About as well as it can. I still don't even know why both the Commander and the Deputy-Commander had to go to Antarctica."
She looked over at Ritsuko. "Did the Commander tell you anything?"
Ritsuko shrugged. "No, he didn't. It's as much a mystery to me as it is to anyone else."
Misato looked at Ritsuko silently for a moment, her mind whirling with questions. Why was she drugging one of her pilots so heavily? Why put Rei in such dismal housing? Was it to keep her safe? Or to hide her? What did Ritsuko know that she didn't?
She couldn't ask those questions yet, though. In a little while, perhaps, but not here, in the middle of a party.
While the three of them conversed, Asuka made her way to Daniel, giving him a quick hug. "It's good to see you up and about, Bruder."
Daniel chuckled. "It feels good to be up, Asuka. How are you? Holding up to the task of sticking with Rei all day?"
Asuka stepped back from the hug, looking down. Daniel got a concerned look in his eyes as Asuka lowered her gaze to the floor. "I actually wanted to talk to you about her," she said quietly. "Can we go somewhere private?"
Daniel nodded. "Okay. Just down the entryway hall should give us some space to talk."
Asuka nodded in turn. "Okay," she said, turning and going towards the kitchen, Daniel following close behind.
As they got into the dim entry hall, satisfied they wouldn't be disturbed, Daniel looked at Asuka intently. "So, what's up?"
Asuka held herself as if the very air had cooled around her. "Daniel… Rei's been juiced up on a horrendous potion of medications. Dissociatives, depressants, real mean stuff. All prescribed by Doctor Akagi back in there." she nodded back in the direction of the rest of the party.
"She's started to go off them, but the withdrawal is going to be touchy, possibly even dangerous. She needs help." She looked into Daniel's eyes desperately. "I know I've not been the best of people to her, but she doesn't deserve to be a doll. No one does. You know how much I hate something like that."
Daniel nodded slowly. "Okay. I might be able to help you out. Do you have something like a list of the drugs she's been taking?"
Asuka shook her head. "No, but they'll be there in your apartment. All of them," she said with no small amount of disgust.
Daniel nodded again, chewing his bottom lip absentmindedly. "Okay, that helps. I have some contacts I could use at the Army VA station out in Okinawa to try and get some of the things she needs. Eleanor has some friends that are doctors that could offer advice, too. We'll do our best to help, Jünger. Promise."
Asuka smiled at Daniel. "Thank you, Bruder. You have no idea how much that means."
Daniel snorted softly as he smirked. "Yeah, but I bet I could make a really good guess."
Asuka rolled her eyes. "Alright, then. Come on, let's get back to celebrating Misato."
Back at the party, as the night progressed, Shinji found himself next to Misato, both swirling their respective drinks as the rest of the party continued around them. He looked up at her, noticing now that she had a distant, somewhat sad look in her eyes.
Misato glanced over at him, noticing the apprehensive look in Shinji's eyes. "So," Misato said quietly, "you don't seem very comfortable here. Are you okay?"
Shinji shook his head slightly. "Not really, no. Even with all of these being people that I know, I still don't really like crowds."
He looked back over at Misato. "I'm just glad that you happen to be the center of attention here, and not me. I don't know what I would do."
As Misato nodded quietly and sipped her drink, Shinji thought for a moment. 'Even with all these people I like here, I just wish it wasn't so loud.'
Then another thought came to Shinji's mind as he looked back at Misato. "With this promotion," he said, "doesn't that mean that you're being recognized for what you do for us? For everyone here?"
Misato nodded slightly. "Yeah. I guess that works."
Shinji shrugged slightly as she said this. "So that's why everyone's here. That's why everyone's happy for you. So… why aren't you happy too?"
"Oh no, Shinji," Misato said, "it's not that I'm unhappy. I am happy, at least a little. It's just… I didn't come here to just climb the ladder and get a slightly bigger amount of money earned every few months."
"So," Shinji said with no small amount of confusion, "why are you here then? Why join NERV?"
Misato shrugged. "Well, it's been long enough that I've kind of forgotten why. Either way, I'm here and I'm ready to do what needs to be done." She smiled slightly, then the smile dimmed as she looked at Shinji.
They both looked away then, both separately, yet together, wondering just what Commander Ikari was doing in Antarctica.
- - -
Antarctican Dead Sea
Far from any sort of levity, Gendo Ikari and Kozo Fuyutsuki stood aboard the observation tower of an aircraft carrier as it made its way through a silent sea of crimson and ice, its escort more like a funeral procession than any military affair. On the deck of the carrier lay their precious cargo, long and thin, wrapped in cloth like a mummy to hide its true nature from the rest of the world.
"Here we are, the living traveling through the realm of the dead with our prize. Or perhaps we really travel through Hell on earth." Fuyutsuki mused.
He snorted softly. "It's almost mythical, really."
"This may be the realm of the dead, sensei, but we are still alive. Humanity is still alive." Gendo said simply.
"That would be because we have been protected by science and its fruits," Fuyutsuki replied.
Gendo shrugged. "Science is what we have made to make ourselves greater than our mere mortal forms, after all."
Fuyutsuki looked on uneasily. "That sort of thinking is what made this place, Gendo. Our hubris outmatched our caution. That's what woke him up. That's what caused Second Impact, only 15 years ago. And look at where we are now. Afloat in a sea of blood and ice. Our hubris gained us a punishment almost wildly out of proportion to its crime. There's a reason people call this place 'the True Dead Sea'."
"And yet it is pristine in its silence. Untainted by the human touch. By human sin." Gendo replied.
Fuyutsuki shrugged. "I prefer a world with the human touch. Even if it is imperfect."
Before Gendo could reply, a harsh buzzer broke the silence, and a voice came over the intercom. "Sir, dispatch from NERV HQ. An Angel has been detected in orbit above the Indian Ocean."
As the intercom clicked off, Fuyutsuki shook his head. "Speaking of the mythical…"
- - -
Misato stared at the screen of Central Dogma, the chatter around her a distant buzz as she looked at the Angel that had seemingly appeared out of nowhere only a few moments ago. A map of the orbit the Angel had taken up glowed on the main screen, as a blinking dot representing OBSAT 6, one of their reconnaissance satellites, slowly made its way towards it.
"Establishing visual contact now," Hyuga said as the screen switched its view to show the Angel's form.
A gasp and murmurs followed as the command center marveled at its strange, winglike appearance, the center of its body and the wide growths at its ends showing a pattern seeming to mimic eyes. "Wow…" Hyuga said after a moment. "It's huge!"
Misato shook her head. "First the sea, then a volcano, now space. What's next?"
Aoba's voice didn't offer any answer to her question. "We're about to make contact with the target."
Ritsuko stepped up beside Misato, looking intently at the Angel's form. "I do hope that there won't be acid coming from those eyes," she said in a slightly sardonic tone, "because it's going to be a little difficult to get any of the Evas in orbit."
"Don't I know it," Misato said, continuing to look at the screen as satellites slowly began to encircle the Angel, beginning a probing survey of its potential capabilities and makeup.
As the data streamed in, the satellites studying it suddenly crumpled and exploded, the sight of the Angel lost in the snow of a disrupted video feed.
Misato's eyes hardened. "That was its AT Field, I'm sure of it."
Ritsuko nodded. "That was quite an inventive use of it, as a way to generate physical force. Even without looking at the readings on it, I can tell this one's going to be powerful."
Time passed, and Misato and Ritsuko, along with Maya, Hyuga, and Aoba, found themselves in the fortified command bunker, deep in the Geofront. They intently watched the screen inset into the tabletop as it showed footage of the Angel seemingly breaking pieces of itself off, then launching them at the world below it.
"This thing is launching what equates to meteors at us, with seemingly no loss of mass to show for it." Misato said wonderingly.
Ritsuko shook her head. "The Angels continue to not make any logical sense at all. Why am I not surprised?"
Maya chimed in. "It's using its AT Field to augment the destructive power of its projectiles. Its orbit also seems to be decaying slowly as well. More than likely, that makes it a sort of suicide bomber."
Ritsuko spoke again. "It seems to be ranging its shots towards us. The first strike landed harmlessly in the Pacific. The next series of shots, however, have been getting closer and closer to Tokyo-3. As First Lieutenant Ibuki said, it will likely make itself into the final projectile. Destroying the city as it falls."
Hyuga shook his head. "The N2 missile strikes that were sent against it have had no effect on it."
Aoba spoke up. "And since then, it's dropped off the sensors. But I think we can all guess as to where it's heading."
Misato shook her head, snorting softly as a wry grin came to her. "So," she said sardonically, turning to Ritsuko, "do you think it would create another Lake Ashi?"
Ritsuko narrowed her eyes slightly at Misato. "The impact would link the Sea of Japan and the Pacific, essentially creating a new island with us as the channel for the ocean. Not that we would notice, of course."
A now much more sober Misato nodded slightly as she took this information in. "No pressure," she said sardonically, as she turned to Aoba and Hyuga. "And is there any word from Commander Ikari?"
Aoba looked down at a note on the tablet that he carried. "Due to the Angel's ECM, we haven't been able to get through to the Commander. It's in your hands, Major."
Misato nodded, then turned to Ritsuko and Maya. "What are the Magi telling us in the way of recommendations?"
Maya turned to her own tablet. "They're unanimous in their recommendation for a complete evacuation of the area. Other than that, nothing."
Ritsuko nodded, then turned to Misato. "So, what's the plan?"
Misato thought hard for a moment. "We'll start with following the Magi's advice," she said, turning to Hyuga and Aoba. "Contact the government and all the relevant agencies. We're going to put Special Order D-17 into effect out to a 50-kilometer radius, effective immediately."
She turned to Maya and Ritsuko. "Have Matsushiro begin creating a backup of the Magi."
Hyuga's eyes widened slightly. "Ma'am, are we abandoning the Geofront?"
She swept her gaze across all of them. "No. But I see no need to endanger everyone needlessly. Get the pilots ready to sortie out in the Evas as well. We'll most likely be needing them."
- - -
As evacuation efforts swirled around them, the highways clogged with outgoing traffic as the skies were darkened with the passing shadows of helicopters, one car was not driving away from the city.
As it pulled up to the NERV checkpoint, its window rolled down, and Eleanor, with Daniel and all three Children in tow, swiped her card, gaining access to the car lifts that ran to the Geofront.
Soon enough, however, the towers of the city began to do as they always did, slowly lowering into the earth for their protection. Soon enough, the city, and the towns that surrounded it, were silent and empty.
Equally silent was one of the women's restrooms in the Geofront after Misato explained to Ritsuko what she planned to have the pilots do to combat the Angel. The silence was finally broken as Ritsuko collected her wits to give the first counterargument to such a plan. "That's insane. You're actually going to have them do that?"
Misato's eyes were filled with determination. "Yes. Yes, I am," she replied simply.
Ritsuko shook her head. "So, you're going to deploy every Evangelion we have in an operation that has a ridiculously high chance of seeing them destroyed, and failing in the process. Am I hearing you correctly? Or actually, are you hearing me? The odds are astronomically high. I'm talking '5 digits and a point before 0' high."
Misato closed a makeup mirror, the clack echoing in the empty bathroom. "Maybe the odds are high, but I'm willing to bet on the Evas and their pilots. They've carried us through before. They can do it again."
Ritsuko turned bodily to face Misato, frustration evident in every part of her. "Major Katsuragi!"
Before she could go any further, Misato gave a serious glance. "Ritsuko, I am the commanding officer here. I have to make this decision. It's in the job description, after all. It's either that, or we run around in abject confusion until this Angel smashes into us."
She turned towards the door as whatever Ritsuko had to say died on her lips. Before she walked out, Misato looked back at Ritsuko. "I'll see you at Central Dogma."
Before she could walk away, Ritsuko seemed to find the words she wanted to say again. "The job description, Misato? Give me a break. The only reason you even take these risks at all is to try and make sure that these Angels are destroyed, completely and utterly. You want revenge, and I can't blame you. But you can't let it get in the way of keeping everyone safe."
Misato paused, Daniel's warning echoing from her memory. She was right. And he was right. This was a lot of risk. However, it was her job to put people at risk for the safety of the world. But... that didn't mean she couldn't reduce that risk as much as possible.
Misato turned to Ritsuko and nodded. "Alright. I'll try and make sure that we keep it as safe as we can. But I can't promise it'll be risk-free."
Ritsuko sighed, relaxing from her tense posture. "I never expected it to be."
Misato nodded. "I'll call Daniel in for the setup. He should have some insights on how far we can push the boundaries of the zone, where it comes to the Eva's capabilities."
Ritsuko nodded. "He's going to need all the data he can get on where this thing might land, then. I'll have the Magi focus on predicting possible landing areas."
Misato smiled grimly. "Excellent. I knew I could count on you, Ritsky. As I said, I'll see you at Central Dogma."
Ritsuko nodded. "I'll see you there."
- - -
In Central Dogma, some of the brightest minds in the world, dedicated to its defense, were clustered around a large holographic table, usually hidden away in the floor of the command deck, watching a projection of the Angel, floating high above their heads, and the representation of the currently estimated impact area, which stretched almost hundreds of kilometers across Japan.
Daniel studied the map with a critical eye. He knew the Eva's capabilities and trusted that they would be up to the task of carrying out Misato's plan. They just needed to get the area the Eva's needed to cover as small as they possibly could.
"Alright," he said after a moment's study, "do we have an estimated trajectory?"
Maya nodded, tapping a few commands that made a graceful arc originate from the Angel, turning into a wide cone covering the area it could impact. "It's based on what we could get before we started losing the Angel from sensors, but the Magi is very confident in it."
"Good," Daniel said, nodding slightly. "Hmm… can we see what that trajectory might look like at, say… t-10 to impact?"
Maya tapped on her tablet a few more times, and the Angel's image seemed to speed up, then slow dramatically as it reached the estimated point where it would be 10 minutes until it collided with Japan. The circle within which it could strike grew dramatically smaller. Now, it was only about 50 kilometers in diameter.
"Alright." Daniel nodded as he murmured. He looked up at Ritsuko. "How much of this thing are we considering? The whole body?"
Ritsuko nodded. "Yes. It's all going to come crashing down on us, in the end."
Misato shook her head. "The only part we need to worry about is the center. Make it so the Magi only consider the center mass of the Angel, not the arms."
With the parameters given, the area was a third of its size now. Now, there was only an area of a little over 15 kilometers wide within which the Angel was reasonably sure to fall. Daniel nodded as he looked at this. At least it was smaller than he remembered.
"Alright. We'll need to place the Evas… here, here, and... here." Misato said, leaning over and marking three areas where the Evas would be stationed.
She looked up at Daniel. "What's the top speed of the Evas?"
Daniel cupped his chin thoughtfully. "Running at full tilt, I'd say… 150, 200 miles per hour. Any one of them could cross the length of this circle in under 3 minutes in a dead sprint."
Misato nodded. "We only need them to get to the center. They should have more than enough power then to do what they need to do."
Maya raised a tentative hand. "So, all of this data and planning is great, but… what exactly are we doing with the Evas?"
- - -
In an office suspended above the Geofront, Misato explained what, exactly, they would be doing to stop the Angel to the Children. Two of them stared in slack-jawed awe, while the last simply had her eyes widened slightly more than usual. Asuka finally broke the silence that had entered when Misato finished her explanation.
"So, let me get this straight. You're asking us to catch the Angel? With our bare hands?" She nearly shouted; arms flung wide to accentuate her statement.
Misato nodded without hesitation. "Yes, that's exactly what I want you three to do. Working together, and using the full power of your AT Fields, you are going to hold up the Angel until you destroy its core."
Shinji gathered himself after leaning away from Asuka's display. "What if the Angel veers off course, and we can't get to it in time?"
Misato shrugged. "Unlikely with the preparations we've made, but if that were to happen, then it's game over for us."
Asuka put her hands to her hips, leaning forward slightly. "And what if the Evas can't withstand the force of the impact?"
Misato nodded. "Well, that would be game over for us, too."
A far less combative Shinji spoke again. "Well… what are our chances?"
Misato shrugged once again. "Ritsuko probably has a general idea of the number, but Heaven only knows, really."
Asuka sighed, closing her eyes and pinching the bridge of her nose as she looked down. "If this works, I won't call it anything less than a miracle..." she muttered.
Misato looked at Asuka with a gaze filled with determination. "Asuka, we make miracles every time we fight one of these Angels. Our miracles only matter because we make them worth it ourselves."
Asuka looked back up at Misato, matching her gaze silently for a moment. "So," she said, "it all boils down to 'make it work', then?"
Misato shrugged. "If there were any other way, I'd take it. But now, this is the only operation with any chance of working."
Asuka scoffed. "Operation? I'd call this a mean joke before I'd call it an operation."
Misato sighed. "You're not the only one that's thought that. Which is why I'm offering a choice. You can not take part in this operation if you want. We'll ensure that you're out of the area and that we'll try and work with whoever's left."
Silence battered its way into the room with that statement, as all three of the pilot's eyes widened. None of the Children offered any response. Misato decided to usher the silence out with her next question. "So, are you all on board then, or not?"
Silence decided to make a return as the pilots offered no answer. Misato nodded, then continued. "So, the regulations say that all of you will need to draft a will. Standard procedure, really. Will you go ahead and do a quick one now?"
Asuka stood straight. "No, thanks. I have no plans on dying today. Or anytime soon, for that matter."
Rei spoke up for the first time. "Neither do I. I have no valuable possessions to pass down."
Asuka grumbled quietly to herself that such wouldn't be the case soon enough as Shinji spoke up. "I'll pass on it too."
Misato sighed after a moment. "Thank you. Really," she said earnestly.
A cheery expression came to her face. "We'll go out for a nice steak dinner to celebrate once this is all done! It'll be my treat!"
Asuka's eyes widened at the promise of such a delicacy, rare to find in this day and age. "Really! Something that expensive?"
Misato nodded. "For something like this, I shouldn't do anything less."
Shinji chuckled. "Man, what a deal."
Asuka nodded. "He's right. You better not forget!"
Misato turned and began to walk out. "I won't. I promise. I'll see you in Central Dogma for the rest of the briefing." She exited the room, leaving the Children to contemplate their task.
After a moment, Shinji spoke up. "She likes to do steak dinners as a reward. It's her special treat, I guess."
Asuka sighed. "She's lived with us for a while. She should know that kids these days care about more than just steaks."
She rolled her eyes. "This really doesn't help the 'impoverished' image that the Second Impact generation gets, really."
Shinji glanced over at Asuka. "Cut her some slack, Asuka. It takes a lot to shake that sort of thinking off."
Asuka elbowed him. "Oh? Then what's 'Man, what a deal'? Laying it on a little thick there, weren't we?"
Shinji rolled his eyes. "If it puts her at ease and helps her run the operation better, then I don't see why I shouldn't say something like that."
Asuka barely listened as she dug out her phone, looking for a good steakhouse in her maps app. "Well, if she says that it's special… There's no reason not to take advantage of that."
Shinji sighed as Asuka looked at Rei. "And this time, you're coming with us, Wondergirl. I haven't had the chance to really see you relax after a well-deserved victory."
Rei simply looked ahead. "I won't be joining you."
Both Shinji and Asuka tilted their heads in confusion. "Well, why not?" Shinji asked after a moment.
Rei spoke haltingly. "I... don't like eating meat."
Silence hung over the three for longer than most any of the Children were comfortable with. "Well," Shinji finally said, "we should probably suit up. I think that we shouldn't keep Misato too long."
Asuka nodded. "Agreed. Let's go."
- - -
In Central Dogma the Children stood on the command bridge in their Plugsuits as a red warning flashed on Maya's monitor. "We've lost the Angel from sensors completely, Major!" she said as she looked over at Misato.
Misato nodded. "Alright," she said, turning to the vast holographic display, "we can't get a precise fix on its position, but based on calculations, the Angel is estimated to land somewhere in…"
She trailed off as she tapped in a few commands on the console, bringing up the area where the Angel might land. "Here."
Two of the Children stared in slack-jawed shock. "It's that big of an area?" Asuka shouted.
Daniel, at the console monitoring the Evas as they were being prepped to move, turned in his chair to face them. "Chin up, Asuka," Daniel said with a small smile, "it could have been much larger."
Asuka took a moment to digest this, grumbling slightly as she did. Shinji simply studied the map. "Even still, edge to edge, that's a lot of ground for only 3 Evas to cover."
Ritsuko, who was standing next to the Children, sighed. "And if the Angel lands anywhere in that area, its AT Field is strong enough to wipe all of us out."
As the Children digested that positively delightful piece of information, Misato pulled up the next part of the plan. "Which is why I've placed the Evas in these positions." Three dots, forming a triangle, came into existence on the edges of the circle.
Rei spoke up, an eyebrow slightly arched. "How were these positions calculated?"
Misato turned to sweep her gaze across all three pilots. "Intuition," she said, without a shred of hesitation.
"Intuition?" all three pilots said at once, with varying degrees of incredulity.
Misato nodded. "That's right. A woman's intuition."
As Misato looked back at the main screen, Asuka glanced at Shinji. "Man, talk about a stab in the dark," she muttered. "This is looking more and more like it needs a miracle to happen by the second."
Shinji sighed slightly. "And the kicker is that Misato is ridiculously unlucky," he replied quietly. "She hasn't even won a scratch card." Asuka groaned.
. . .
Eventually, though, the time came, and the Children found themselves on an elevator towards the Eva bays. Each stood silently, contemplating what was ahead of them in one way or another.
After a moment, though, Shinji turned to Asuka. "So," he said, a question obvious in the word.
Asuka glanced at him. "What?"
Shinji proceeded; there was a tone of genuine curiosity evident in his voice. "Why are you here? I mean, why do you pilot an Eva?"
Asuka looked at him like he had just asked why she breathed. "Because, Shinji, I have a talent, and the world deserves to see and appreciate it as I save it. Obviously."
Shinji nodded. "So, you're doing it mainly to be seen."
Asuka nodded. "Something like that, at least."
She fully looked over at Shinji. "So, why aren't you asking Rei?"
Shinji looked over at his fellow pilot. "Well, I already asked her."
Asuka's brow rose slightly. "Oh? And what did she say?"
Shinji shrugged. "Because she was ordered to. Unsurprising, really."
Asuka suppressed a slight shiver. She still wasn't quite over what NERV did to make so she was that way. She leaned over slightly. "Hey, Rei." she said softly.
Rei looked at Asuka. "Yes?"
A sympathetic look entered Asuka's eyes. "How is the withdrawal going? How do you feel?"
Rei looked back ahead, a small smile on her lips. "The symptoms are lessened, due to the palliatives and medications that Mr. and Mrs. Theisman have procured. I should be able to begin ceasing another portion of my doses soon."
"And…" Rei paused for a moment as she pondered. "I feel… more."
Asuka nodded. "Good. I'd hate to have you drugged out of your mind when going into combat with us."
Rei nodded, saying nothing more.
After a moment, Asuka turned back to Shinji. "So, why do you pilot then? Why are you here?"
Shinji looked down for a moment. "I haven't really thought about it that much," he admitted.
Asuka looked at him incredulously. "Well, there has to be some reason. Right?"
Shinji was silent as the Evas came rapidly into view, his mind wandering to another person's reason for being where she was, and the reason he had begun to think about the question he asked so much.
Misato had taken Shinji to the lookout with the view of the city. The first place he had seen the majesty of Tokyo-3. She took him there often. She called it a 'meditative getaway', whatever that meant. Regardless, it was quiet. That quiet left as Misato began to speak, her gaze fixed on the city.
"So, Shinji," she said, a hint of melancholy in her voice, "do you remember what you asked me at the party?"
Shinji nodded. "Yes?" he replied plaintively.
Misato sighed. "I wasn't completely honest with you about why I wanted to join NERV." she sighed again before she continued. "My father… was a researcher. A brilliant one. About the only dumb thing I ever knew him to do was to get wrapped up in his work, and leave his family behind."
She scoffed softly. "The man lived with his head in the clouds. Lived in his dreams." her head dipped. "And I couldn't forgive him for being like that. None of our family could. I even began to hate him for it."
Shinji pondered on how similar their stories were as Misato continued. "He was barely present for his family. His own wife and daughter. I can't even begin to count how many celebrations he was absent from. And yet, the people who knew him said he was a sensitive, careful man. But I came to the conclusion that he was just spineless, unwilling to face the reality that he had created."
Misato's head dipped. "The reality of his own wife and child. He may have been a middle-aged man, but we figured him for a child. When my mom finally divorced him, I decided to go with her. My father had nothing to offer me, after all. And he made my mother cry so much. I couldn't stand it."
Misato shook her head. "The divorce seemed to blindside him. But he deserved every moment of such a rude awakening."
Shinji came to Misato's side by the guard rail. He watched her grab the cross necklace she wore, and saw the tears begin to well in her eyes. "But… in the end, he saved me. He gave his life to do it."
A pause. "That was during Second Impact. When the first Angel woke up and made all this a reality. I've never forgiven the Angels for what they took from me. The chance to know if I hated my father… or if I loved him. But I knew for sure that day that I had to take everything from the Angels, destroy them utterly. Because they took so much from me. It's only natural to want justice, after all."
Misato looked up from her cross, out towards the city with hard eyes glinting with tears. "That's why I joined NERV, Shinji. Justice. For my father, and for everyone else who lost something, lost someone, because of the Angels. So that I can finally be free of the hold my father has on me."
Shinji's mind whirled with memories of his own father. Was that why he was here? Family? His own father? Or was it much more than that?
The elevator buzzer sounded, snapping him from his memories, and a loudspeaker announced that the Angel would be impacting in 120 minutes. Shinji shook his head. "If we live through this, I'll try and give you an answer, okay?"
Asuka nodded soberly. "I'll hold you to it, Shinji."
The Children boarded their Units and prepared to move out.
- - -
Misato watched on the massive main screen of Central Dogma as the Units got into position. She nodded, turning to the rest of the command bridge staff. "Alright. I can handle the rest of this operation myself. You should evacuate, get out of the way of the blast zone while there's still time to do so."
Aoba scoffed. "There's no way we're abandoning our posts, Major."
Hyuga nodded. "That's right, ma'am. We're a part of NERV as much as anyone else here, and it would be shameful to have the Children face this danger alone. This is our duty."
Misato shook her head. "Oh, you don't have to worry about them. They're here much like you are. Because they know it's what's needed. Besides, the inside of an Eva is the safest place to be. Even if the Units do get destroyed, the AT Fields will protect them."
Scattered across 16 kilometers of ground, the three pilots, secure in their Evas, waited, supporting units all around them preparing them for the inevitable start of the mission. Two of them, Rei and Asuka, had the two current copies of the Progressive Spike on their arms, hastily made special modifications keeping the grips out of the way until they needed to be used.
All the pilots sat in silence, thinking one thing or another. Shinji, in particular, closed his eyes as he pondered.
Why was he here? Or more accurately, why did he stay? Was his father really the be-all, end-all of this question? If that was the case, he would have run away and stayed away long ago, regardless of what the black-suited goons of Section 2 could have done, regardless of what his father could have done. Family couldn't be the answer. Not anymore.
Or was it, just from a different perspective? He thought to Daniel, then to Misato and Rei and Asuka and all the rest of his friends. They were more a family to him than the man to who he was born could ever be. They supported him. They loved him. More than it seemed his father ever could.
So, it was decided. They were his family now. And as Shinji Ikari opened his eyes, he knew why he was here. He was here to protect his family. To protect the ones he loved, and who loved him.
At Central Dogma, the screen now showed the glowing, flaming form of the Angel undergoing atmospheric entry. "Visual confirmation on the target at maximum magnification," Aoba said.
"Distance is 25,000 meters and falling fast." Hyuga continued.
Misato looked at the image with determination brimming in her eyes. "So, our guest is on its way in. No turning back now. All Evas, prepare for the beginning of the operation."
Seemingly true to their lanky builds, all the Evas took their positions, a sprinter's stance at the starting block, and waited for the metaphorical pistol to fire.
Misato's voice rang through the links to the pilots. "Remember, our trajectory calculations now are based entirely on visual observation. So, the Magi will guide you until the target gets to 10,000 meters. After that, it's up to your judgment. We're trusting everything to you."
The pilots waited tensely as they listened over their links to Central Dogma. "Target is now at 20,000 meters. It is within the zone of impact."
In Central Dogma, a monitor showcased the now rapidly diminishing circle of the zone of impact, and a dot, showcasing the calculated landing point based on what visual data they could gather, swayed gently to and from the center of that circle. Perfect.
"Alright," Misato said, her voice echoing the command she held, "begin the operation!"
Shinji nodded. "Alright." He opened a link to the other two pilots. "Let's go save the world."
The sound of the umbilical cables became a starting pistol, the displays in their cockpits showing 5 minutes of operation time. Shinji leaned forward. "Mission start!"
And then, the Units were off, each thundering step sending them rocketing forward. As they settled into a dead sprint, the world that began to blur around them became an obstacle course.
Shinji encountered a hill nearly as tall as he was, and taking a single step up its height, crushing the road below his foot, he leaped over it with all the grace of an athlete, landing with a literally earthshaking boom as he continued his run.
Unit-00 and 02 hurdled over wires as easily as any track runner could. In their focus, the voice of Hyuga became a distant but no less important alarm. "Target is at 12,000 meters!"
Shinji furrowed his brow. He needed to go faster. Be faster. With this thought, no, this consuming desire pounding through Shinji's head, his AT Field responded in kind, and the sound barrier popped and thundered as he promptly broke it.
As the Angel sent the cloud cover below it billowing away, Shinji, first to the finish line that would save the world or destroy it, skidded to a halt as he looked up at the Angel, all too briefly marveling at just how massive it was. Somehow, 80 meters did not feel as big as it used to.
But that thought disappeared as Asuka and Rei soon joined him. As one they shouted. "AT Fields to maximum!"
A mad whir pierced the air, as the activation of the AT Fields full potential drenched the world in a hellish purple light. The Angel loomed over them as they raised their arms to the heavens, the glowing rainbow barrier of an AT Field realized in the physical world springing into existence.
As the Angel collided with their Field, the weight of the whole world seemed to fall on them. Slowly, but surely, the ground began to buckle beneath their feet. Within sight, the core of the Angel hung suspended in the center of its massive body.
With a crash, the ground underneath their feet began to give way further, driving home the speed at which they needed to accomplish their task.
"Shinji," Asuka said into the pilot's link, "you're going to need to hold this on your own while we destroy the core!"
Shinji simply nodded, and Unit-00 and Unit-02 slowly lowered their arms, the full weight of the Angel settling on Shinji. Unit-01 sunk still further, but held fast, as the other two Eva's got to work.
Unit-00 retrieved a Progressive Knife from its shoulder pylon, slicing an opening through the Angel's AT Field.
As she grabbed at it to tear it open, Asuka looked up and noticed the flesh of the Angel bubbling, the bubble creating a spike. "Rei, look out!" she said, as the spike came bolting down to try and impale Unit-00.
Unit-00 dodged out of the way in the nick of time, the Angel's attack lancing the ground below, throwing up clods of dirt nearly to the Eva's hips with its force. "This is rather unexpected," Rei said, her brow furling on a mostly neutral expression.
"No kidding!" Asuka said. "Every time, it's something new with these verdammt things."
Shinji grimaced as Asuka narrowly avoided an attack aimed at her as well. If they had to contend with the Angel's AT Field alongside this, they wouldn't be able to destroy it before it touched the ground. The Angels' slow, but steady progress made a point of that as Unit-01's arms began to split, blood running from them as Shinji's own arms screamed in pain.
He had to do something. Otherwise, all of this would be for nothing. He had to push, and push further than he had ever gone before. He strained his mind as he pushed against the controls with all his might, the attacks of the Angel on his friends becoming a distant, muffled thing as he put all his focus into nullifying the AT Field.
It was strong, stronger than any he had encountered previously, but he had to break it. He couldn't afford not to. And as he strained, his synch level slowly rising, he could almost see the AT Field slowly falling apart.
As Unit-01 went to one knee, forcing the other Units to crouch, it finally happened. The Angel's protective AT Field flew apart, and the way was clear.
"Asuka! Rei!" he bit out, every fiber of his being screaming into his mind in pain. "GO!"
Even as the Angel's attacks increased in frequency, the pilots dodged around them deftly, heading for one target as their Progressive Spike's handles swung down into a ready position. After a moment more of dancing in between attacks, and with the Eva's operational timers down to seconds, Asuka and Rei connected a punch to the Angel's core, squeezing the handles of their Spikes.
Two blasts of sound almost overshadowed the crack of the Angel's core shattering, and all force left the Angel's descent as its arms flopped down, its body covering the Evas like a blanket, before promptly exploding.
A cheer died on the lips of all at Central Dogma, and they watched with bated breath as the explosion slowly dissipated. Misato leaned on the low wall, trying desperately to quash the fear and anxiety that had suddenly invaded her mind.
As the blast cloud finally faded away, a forward observer drone slowly made its way toward the site. As it crested the lip of the crater formed by the Angel's demise, a cheer once again went up as it found the Units laying down, but whole.
Misato exhaled. It worked. Even she couldn't quite believe it as she began tasking units for the retrieval of the Evangelion.
- - -
Many hours, and some very much enjoyed showers later, the Children stood once again on the command bridge of Central Dogma, all smiling to one degree or another, as Misato looked at them with pride in her eyes.
Before she could speak, Aoba leaned over. "Communications have been re-established. I have Commander Ikari on one of the lines from the South Pole."
Shinji gasped slightly as Misato turned to look at Aoba. "Alright," she said, "patch him through now."
Aoba nodded, and a screen popped into existence, 'Sound Only' being the only thing that could be viewed on it.
Misato straightened to attention regardless. "Sir, I'd like to offer my apologies for the damage Unit-01 suffered during the operation against the Angel. It was due to my reckless decisions, and I take full responsibility."
The line was silent for a moment. "No matter, Major," Fuyutsuki said, "such is a small price to pay to destroy an Angel. The Evangelion can be repaired easily. The world, not so much. We've been blessed by the fact that such a minor amount of damage occurred."
Gendo Ikari finally spoke. "Agreed. You performed admirably, Major Katsuragi."
Misato nodded, for what it was worth. "Thank you very much, sir."
Silence came to the room for a moment before Commander Ikari spoke again. "Is the pilot of Unit-01 present?"
Shinji suppressed the flare of resentment that appeared in his stomach as he spoke. "Yes, sir."
What came next surprised everyone, Shinji especially. "I heard the details of the operation. You performed admirably. Good work, Shinji."
Shinji gasped slightly. "Uh, thank you, sir."
And like that, the moment was gone, as Gendo continued to speak. "Major, I'm putting you in charge of post-mission cleanup. I trust that you'll see to it."
Misato nodded. "Yes, sir." And without another word, the call ended.
As all present processed what had happened, the words that his father said had already begun to ring hollow to Shinji. After all that he did for him, this was when his father decided to congratulate him, in the most passing of ways? There were other people he could turn to for far better praise. And yet, a small part of him treasured the words, the rarest jewel of all.
- - -
The city suddenly, but surely, came back to life. As the evacuation order was lifted, people came flooding back by any means possible. The highways were flooded with cars, airports played host to dozens of helicopters at a time, and, most pertinent to the pilots and Misato, people crammed into the subway cars and overland trains.
The pilots and Major were crammed in between dozens of people on the Tokyo-3 loop line, and Misato sighed slightly as Asuka poked her. "Alright, Misato, it's time to keep up your end of the bargain."
"I know, I know," Misato said, a cheery look in her eyes and a slight smile on her lips. "I am a woman of my word. I have enough cash to give you guys a full course meal of whatever you like!"
In Misato's mind, however, she grimaced. 'Payday still can't come soon enough.'
As the four of them got off and followed Asuka, who had chosen where they would have their dinner, Misato's brows rose sharply as she stopped in front of a ramen cart, a far cry from any of the restaurants that Misato was thinking she would choose.
Asuka looked over at Misato. "I know you're usually in a pinch financially, so don't sweat it this time. Besides, Rei was able to come because they serve vegetarian here."
Misato's surprise turned into a slight smile as the Children stepped up to order their promised meals for saving the world again.
Rei nodded, then turned to the chef. "I'll have the garlic ramen, please. Hold the pork."
Asuka stepped forward as she considered. "I'll have the shark fin ramen with her portion of pork. Make it large!"
Shinji cupped his chin thoughtfully. "You can go ahead and surprise me with your best. I like to find new recipes."
The chef nodded, and turned to prepare their meal as Misato ordered a bowl she thought sounded interesting, and the four of them sat down.
As they enjoyed their meal, Shinji looked over at Asuka. "So, you asked me why I piloted an Eva before the operation."
Asuka leaned over to look at Shinji past Misato. "Yeah, I did. Soo… why do you do it?"
Shinji considered his ramen for a moment. "Well, I do it because it makes my family proud. Because I figured out why people are so happy when they're praised. I do it to protect them."
Asuka looked back over at him. "So, you're doing it for your father?" she said in a deadpan voice.
Shinji shook his head. "No. Because I've found a different definition for family. There's Daniel, for one. Then there's you, Misato." he said, nodding to her as she looked over at Shinji. "And you and Rei are closer to me as friends than I think I'll ever be with my father. That's family, in a sense. So, really, family in my case means I do it for the people that I love."
Misato, Asuka, and Rei all looked at him, a smile on their faces to one degree or another. "You know, Shinji, you can be so sappy sometimes," Asuka said as she shook her head slightly. "It's kind of nice."
Rei looked back at her ramen, the smile lingering. "Yes. It is… nice."
Misato laid a hand on Shinji's shoulder. "That is the best reason for doing what you do I've heard. Don't ever let that get away from you. Alright?"
Shinji shook his head. "I don't think I ever will."
- - -
Daniel followed the instructions given to him by Doctor Akagi closely and ended up in front of her clinic, a rare sight indeed. She had wanted to do a check-up on him herself, keep him out of the outside system in order to keep the news that a break-in had occurred as deep as the Geofront from spreading. It was common sense, really.
He also studiously ignored the other person who tagged along behind him. She had her own questions to ask. So did he.
As he entered the room, Ritsuko looked up from behind a desk. "Ah, Mr. Theisman. How are you feeling today?"
Daniel shrugged as she stood and led him to an examination table. "About as well as I can feel now. The fevers and chills have basically gone away, and the tremors are basically nonexistent."
Ritsuko nodded. "And the hallucinations?"
Daniel nodded in turn, a small smile on his face. "Gone. Like they never existed."
A smile tugged at a corner of Ritsuko's mouth. "And they never did. Still, there is some work I'd like to do, maybe try to catch what little of the poison might still be in your bloodstream."
As the examination progressed, and Ritsuko failed to notice the door open again over their conversation, Daniel finally decided to make his move. "So, I'm sure you've noticed that Rei moved in with us. It was some terrible housing she had before that."
Ritsuko shrugged. "That one isn't on me. The Commander put her up there. Not much I can do about that."
Daniel shrugged in turn as his slight smile disappeared. "Perhaps. But there is something that you would be able to answer. Why is she taking so many medications?"
As Ritsuko looked up from the blood sample she had taken and turned to look at Daniel with narrowed eyes, another voice spoke up. "Yeah, Ritsky. What's one of my pilots doing juiced to the gills on your meds?"
Ritsuko spun around to see Misato leaning against the desk, a discerning look in her eyes as Ritsuko's own eyes widened slightly.
Misato sighed and shook her head as Ritsuko stood silent for a moment. "Come on, Ritsuko, I helped her move out. I'd have to have been blind to not see the mountain of drugs she's taking, all from you. So, why?"
Ritsuko, having seemed to regain her wits, stood straight. "That is being done at the request of the Commander."
Misato straightened up herself, an incredulous look in her eyes. "Why would Commander Ikari request a cocktail that would more likely be fed to the criminally insane be given to a 15-year-old girl?"
Ritsuko stood firm. "So that she can remain stable and able to carry out her orders."
Daniel hopped to his feet, circling around to face Ritsuko. "Stable compared to what? And what orders beyond what she and the other pilots already do could justify this?"
Ritsuko looked at Daniel with hard eyes. "That's classified."
Misato sighed, shaking her head. "Regardless of whatever orders she has, she's stopping the medication."
Ritsuko's eyes widened. "You can't do that. The Commander-"
Misato stopped her with a raised hand. "Ritsuko, at this point, I don't care what the Commander says. Rei deserves better than to be a barely feeling puppet. And so do the other pilots. So, the point stands. Rei is going off her medications, and she will not be taking any more doses from you."
"And," Misato said as she got close to Ritsuko, her tone becoming deathly calm, "if either of us finds out that you're doing the same thing to any of the other pilots, I will personally come down and kick your ass, Ritsuko. Past and consequences be damned."
She stepped back from a Ritsuko whose eyes were wide with shock and more than a little fear and turned to Daniel. "So, clean bill of health?"
Daniel nodded. "As clean as I think I can be."
Misato nodded in turn. "Good. Let's go."
And Daniel and Misato left Ritsuko standing in her office. After a moment, Ritsuko regained her wits, her shock becoming anger as she slammed a fist down on her desk. They had no idea what they were messing with.
But as she turned to her phone, she couldn't help but hesitate. Why wouldn't she call Gendo and tell him what happened? That question would last far past the end of the day.
March of Angels will conclude in (Command and Control).
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Chapter 11: March of the Angels (Command and Control)
And, at last, Iruel. Most everyone expected the Angels to continue to be large, perhaps even larger than Sahaquiel. But what essentially boiled down to a Spirit? No one could have guessed, especially one that attacked through the digital realm.
This world was almost unprepared for its attack. And they certainly weren't prepared for the consequences of the aftermath.
The following Saturday
Asuka looked down the street of the shopping district with a discerning eye. Only the best of the best would do for her. Or at least, she thought as she turned to Rei, only the best would do for her.
"So, Wondergirl," Asuka said, a glimmer in her eyes, "which one do you want to go to next?"
Rei studied the storefronts in a similarly thoughtful fashion. "I am unsure. The last 2 stores have been vastly different experiences. I do not have a frame of reference as you seem to do."
Asuka nodded as she shrugged. "That's okay. This is your first time, after all."
"Besides," she said, looking back to a Shinji laden with their current goods and a patient look upon his face, "it's not like he can't carry any more."
Shinji sighed as he rolled his eyes. Asuka had laid out a sweeping reform of Rei's wardrobe and accessories, or lack thereof, and was bound and determined to make sure that Rei got a proper education in how, exactly, to be a regular high school girl. Or, at least, as much of one as she could be, what with being a pilot and all.
Eventually, Rei chose a jewelry store, a rather quiet place for a Saturday, as an employee looking up and acknowledging their arrival before turning back to writing something out seemed to be the only other soul around.
As they browsed out of sight of anyone but them, Rei put down a particular necklace, strung with artificial red and white pearls, to look at Asuka intently. "Asuka?"
She turned, putting down another necklace she was admiring. "Yeah?"
Rei was silent for a moment. "What is the purpose of a hug?"
Asuka blinked for a moment as she mentally reeled at the question. What was the purpose? How did she even answer that? "Well," she said after a moment, "what kind of context are you thinking of?"
Rei thought for a second. "I have seen you hug Mr. … Daniel, on occasion. What purpose does that have?"
Asuka nodded absentmindedly. "Well, I hug him because he's like a brother to me. And I want to show him that I appreciate him and love him."
Rei nodded once. "I see. So, it is only for family?"
Asuka shook her head vigorously. "Oh, no, Wondergirl! If you care about someone closely enough, then the two of you can hug. As long as it's fine with both of you."
"I see." Rei was silent for a moment as she considered this. "I have never hugged anyone before," she admitted quietly.
She looked up at Asuka. "May I hug you?" she asked, a tinge of nervousness in her voice.
A small gasp escaped from Asuka, and Shinji's gaze bolted up from the phone he was looking at.
Asuka stammered slightly. "I mean if you haven't… I don't know if I'm the best person to be turning to for hugs, is all."
A slight smile came to Rei. "Asuka, I have no point of reference. Establishing one of any kind is preferable to going without."
Asuka blushed slightly but nodded. "Okay then." she opened her arms, Rei mimicking her movements, and they embraced, somewhat awkwardly.
Shinji watched as wonder broke through whatever other medicines Rei was taking as her eyes widened and seemed nearly to light up, a sight that brought a smile to his own face.
After a moment, Asuka and Rei separated, the wonder still evident in her eyes. "It's… warm."
A small smile came to Asuka's face. "Yeah. They are, Wondergirl. How do you feel?"
"I feel… good. Warm, as I have said." Rei said after a moment's thought.
She looked over at Shinji. "May I have a hug from you as well, Shinji?"
A slight scoff and a smile presaged Shinji standing up from the bench that he had found for himself and all their plunder. "Of course, Rei."
So, Shinji and Rei similarly embraced, pulling away from each other after a moment.
Rei nodded as her smile grew slightly. "Such an experience feels similar between the two of you. It is good. Thank you."
Shinji smiled wider. "You're welcome, Rei."
Asuka nodded. "Of course, Wondergirl. We're a team. We help each other out, in combat or out."
"So," Asuka exclaimed, "as your teammate, I'm going to continue helping you with your shopping."
She grabbed another necklace. "Now, I think this goes with your complexion, pale as it is…"
Shinji sighed as the moment passed on. He prepared himself for another round of loading up like a pack mule.
- - -
Daniel and Eleanor Theisman spent a rare Saturday at home reading. It was a usual pastime for them, and the living room was quiet as they read. The fact that many of the books they read hadn't been published here yet was of little concern to them.
As the doorbell rang, and the door slid open with a proclamation of "We're home!" from Asuka, the books disappeared, as they stood to witness Asuka and Rei entering the living room, and Shinji following behind them with a frankly massive number of bags. It seemed the reform had turned into more of a total restart. Daniel moved to grab some of the bags, a grateful Shinji giving what he could to Daniel.
As the group made its way to Rei's room, Asuka turned to Daniel and Shinji as they set bags down on the bed and dresser. "Alright," Asuka said in a bold tone, "you can guess that there are things in here that none of you are meant to see. So, scram, or my hits are going to be very precise."
Shinji gulped slightly and nodded somewhat quickly. Daniel simply rolled his eyes with a small smile. "Sure thing, Asuka. You two have fun organizing."
A smirk came to Asuka's face. "Organizing. That's one way to describe it."
The boys left the girls to their task, sitting on the couch in the living room as they waited.
Shinji sighed and shook his head. "Man," he said after a moment, "I don't think I could have imagined Asuka acting like this when I first met her. It's like she's a whole different person when she's around just Rei and I."
Daniel nodded. "A shared understanding of an experience tends to bring people together. It makes people empathetic. Or at least, it has the capacity to."
Shinji nodded. "Understanding. Yeah," he said quietly.
Daniel looked at Shinji discerningly. "There's a lot more meaning in that word than there usually is, isn't there?"
Shinji sighed, then nodded. "Yeah. I mean, when she's in public, she's usually so brave, almost arrogant. It's like some sort of persona she adopts. And yet, she's also able to be sensitive and caring, which she seems to not want people to see. So, why…"
"Can she not combine the two?" Daniel said, a patient look in his eyes. "Is that what you're asking?"
Shinji nodded. "Yeah. Why does she have to switch between them like one's a secret identity or something?"
Daniel nodded as he shifted on the couch, leaning with his arms on his knees as he looked at Shinji. "Because that's what she's used to having her personality be. She's come to the conclusion, right or not, that showing sensitivity and caring outside of a few people is no different than showing weakness."
Daniel paused for a moment. "Now, you have helped her begin changing that, just as she's shown you that you can still be brave and do frankly terrifying things without completely getting rid of fear. But she's hesitant right now."
Shinji nodded as he sighed. "Yeah. She's not the only one, then. I have… absolutely no idea what to do. She's so confident, so capable. How do I even approach that? How do I even approach her?"
Daniel nodded sagely. "Well, I can begin by telling you that Asuka is wondering much the same thing, about how to approach you without either of you being scared off. She is interested in you, really. It's just that… neither of you has the sort of experience needed to go about it in a normal fashion, and you both have the intelligence to know that you don't."
Shinji scoffed. "And don't I know it. So… what do I do, then?"
Daniel paused for a second as he considered. "Well, she's the sort to want to make the first move, as it were. So, give her some time and space to do so. But when the time comes, be bold. Do what feels right to do, even if you don't really know what to do. Chances are, you'll both be okay with it."
Shinji nodded uncertainly. "Okay… so what's an example of what's 'right to do', so that I don't get kneed in the groin for my troubles?"
Daniel chuckled slightly, then turned to Eleanor, who had been sitting on a chair with a calm, somewhat bemused look on her face. "Darling? Any suggestions?"
Eleanor chuckled as she shifted to be more comfortable. "Well, Shinji, putting your arms around her, for one, probably won't earn you any knees going anywhere. That's as good a start as any. But also, she's as unsure of things as you are. Be bold. Say that you like her, and what you like about her. It does wonders for a girl's confidence when a guy says those sorts of things outright."
Shinji dipped his head in thought for a moment, a glum look coming over him. "Hmm. Well, you guys would know, wouldn't you? Growing up at least somewhat normally?"
Daniel sighed, and placed a hand on Shinji's shoulder. "Normal is a very mutable thing, Shinji. No two people have the same kind of it. And people can change their normal into something better. So, don't worry about normal right now. All you need to care about is how to make that normal better than it was, okay? Make sense?"
Shinji nodded after a moment. "Yeah. Yeah, I guess it does."
Daniel smiled. "Then don't sweat it."
Shinji put an arm around Daniel in a side hug. "Thanks, Daniel. I don't know what I would do without you."
Daniel squeezed for a moment. "Anytime, Shinji."
The door to Rei's room opened, and Asuka and Rei both entered the living room. Asuka was clearly satisfied with the work she and Rei had done today, while Rei had a small, contented smile on her face. "So," Asuka said after a moment, "Rei has a question for you, Daniel."
Daniel's eyebrow arched. "Oh? What can I help you with, Rei?"
Rei stepped forward. "I have not received any hugs before this point. Asuka and Shinji have provided me with a baseline, but I would like to expand my body of reference. May I hug you?"
Daniel stood, nodding. "Of course, Rei."
So they hugged for a moment, Rei pulling away with no small amount of wonder in her eyes. Daniel chuckled slightly. "So, Rei, how do you feel?"
Rei's eyes dimpled as her slight smile grew again. "I feel good, but the hug feels… different, somehow, coming from a guardian as opposed to a friend."
Daniel nodded his head. "That's normal, Rei. And it's good that you're feeling good."
Rei nodded slightly. "Thank you."
Asuka nodded. "Alright. Well, we have homework to worry about, and Shinji said he would be cooking dinner, too. So, we'll be going now. See you!"
Daniel and Eleanor waved. "Have fun, do good, do well," Daniel said, an old mantra.
Asuka rolled her eyes as she smiled. "We will."
With that, the apartment was empty of Children, and Daniel sighed and flopped back down on the couch. Eleanor chuckled after a moment. "You know, I'm getting flashbacks to the last time we acted as councilors to children who had to save the world."
Daniel snorted. "About the only difference is we aren't at camp, and we're in Tokyo-3 instead of New York State this time." After a moment, he chuckled. "We could make a living off of this, you know. 'Theisman and Theisman Child Counselors for World Protectors."
Eleanor sighed and rolled her eyes. "Speaking of children saving the world," she said after a moment, "how did it feel watching the kids bear the weight of the world on their shoulders with Sahaquiel?"
Daniel scoffed. "Just watching that made me check for grey hairs afterward. And it isn't exactly a fair comparison. Shinji had his friends and the power of the Evas helping him hold up a single Angel. Atlas didn't really give such favors for a burden far larger than that."
"I remember that much," she said, as her book appeared in her hands again as she, and eventually Daniel, returned to their reading.
- - -
Early November 2015
The command bridge of Central Dogma was a jungle of papers, scattered tablets, and coffee cups as Ritsuko and Maya performed their part of the annual maintenance sweep. Several panels in the bridge walls lay open, as diagnostic devices were plugged into them that streamed data to the waiting tablets of the two technicians. Maya sat at a console, trawling through the vast amounts of coding that made the entirety of the Geofront work.
As Maya went through the structures dedicated to Central Dogma specifically, Ritsuko looked over from her own tablet. "You've made quick progress. I'm impressed," she said with no small amount of admiration.
Maya shrugged as she looked back at her. "Well, when I have a teacher as good as you, I can't help but be good."
A slight smile came to Ritsuko's face as she continued to watch Maya's progress. "Hold on," she said, as she noticed something in the coding Maya studied, "an A-8 protocol would speed things up there. Here, let me show you how."
She leaned over to her console, tapping out the lines of code that an A-8 protocol signified. As the lines of code started to resolve more efficiently on Maya's console, she nodded appreciatively. "And that goes to show how much I still have to learn from my Senpai."
Ritsuko nodded as she settled back into the notes she held, as the elevator onto the command bridge whirred, revealing Misato.
"Hello, Doctor," Misato said, a cheery voice still cool from the revelations of last week. "How go the diagnostics tests?"
Ritsuko didn't even turn to face Misato. "They're going just fine, Major. As I promised, the Magi will be ready for today's tests."
Misato nodded. "It seems like quite a task, Ritsuko, keeping track of three separate systems."
She reached for a coffee cup beside one of the monitors Ritsuko was working on, raising it to her lips.
At the moment before she could drink, Ritsuko glanced up at Misato. "That coffee's most likely cold, by the way."
Misato found that out the hard way as she grimaced at the bitter, cold beverage.
A tone sounded as a large screen showing the three nodes of the Magi, named Melchior, Balthazar, and Casper, had Balthazar's node turn green, signaling that all the nodes were now in self-diagnostic mode.
As reports filed in on the Magi's status, Ritsuko stood, keying the intercom. "Alright, everyone. Good work. Go ahead and take a quick break before the testing starts."
As people began to file out, Ritsuko turned to see Misato disappear as she went down the elevator.
She sighed. As much as it rankled her to have Misato figure out Rei's medications, she had a nagging shard of guilt over what had happened.
Much as she was mystified as to why, she had not told Commander Ikari about what had transpired. She had even had another "personal meeting" with him without saying a word. Was it because she still valued Misato's friendship? Was it something else? She didn't quite know yet.
Ritsuko blinked as Maya coughed politely, causing her to turn. Maya had a slightly worried look in her eyes. "Senpai? Is everything okay between you and the Major?"
"I mean," she said quickly as Ritsuko's eyes narrowed slightly, "not that you two aren't professional on the job or anything, but you two are usually more friendly. Did something happen? That you're okay with me knowing, I mean."
Ritsuko shook her head as she sighed again. "It's nothing you need to worry about, Kouhai. We just had a disagreement, is all. We'll be fine."
Maya nodded uncertainly. "Okay, then," she said after a moment.
Ritsuko nodded. "I'll see you at the tests later today."
Maya nodded in turn, and Ritsuko made her way to the restrooms.
As she washed her face, her thoughts turned to the Magi. And who it held within. 'No abnormalities in the system, so far. Mother's doing alright. Meanwhile, here I am, passing the time and getting older. What a way to live.'
- - -
The Children came for their test, one that they didn't do very often, it seemed. Asuka was grateful for that fact as she learned what they needed to do to start the test. "So you're telling me we have to strip in order to even get into the room?" she shouted into the microphone connected to the elevator that they descended in.
Ritsuko's voice entered the elevator. "You three are going to be entering an ultra-sterile environment. One of the cleanest in the world, and for very good reasons. A shower and a different pair of underwear simply don't cut it for this room. If there were any other way to do a test of the autopilot system, we would."
Asuka sighed loudly as she dramatically rolled her eyes. "All this, just to test out a system that won't even need us if it works. I don't know how people think around here sometimes."
Ritsuko promptly responded. "Time waits for no one. The technology behind the Evangelion is constantly improving. Sometimes you get things that necessitate some discomfort in order to make sure the theory and the data behind it are viable. Besides, I can make a good guess that you'll find the Progressive Lash test much more enjoyable when we get to it in the next few days."
Asuka rolled her eyes but didn't respond. She was right, of course. The Eva-scale weapon had made pleasing progress, and woe to the ones she told who cracked a joke about her perceived personality in favoring such a weapon. They just couldn't accept that such a thing required grace, skill, and pure talent to use, instead of whatever the other two-thirds of the Fools Court, as Hikari had so artfully branded Shinji and his friends, lecherously thought.
The decontamination process disrupted her train of thought by being exactly as uncomfortable as expected. With a ding like an oven timer, the doors finally opened, revealing a long, white hallway that all three pilots had to travel down, together. Asuka was understandably indignant about all this.
"Alright. We're here, 17 separate scrubbings, and you expect all three of us to just walk down this hallway in the nude? Some of us aren't exactly used to that, you know!" she said, looking to her right to leer at Shinji through the clear wall that was tinted below the shoulders for privacy.
Shinji, for his part, blushed uncontrollably as he instinctively covered his privates. He had as little of an idea about what this test had entailed, and while Asuka had been far more vocal about it, Shinji was just as indignant beneath the surface. This was ridiculous.
Ritsuko sighed on the other end of the intercom. "Don't worry. Any and all visual feeds here are off to respect your privacy. And again, I must stress the importance of this test. This is a baseline test to see how the harmonics will look from your mind's connections without the aid of Plugsuits or A-10 connectors."
Misato cut in. "And unfortunately, I'm going to have to pull rank, Asuka. This one test is the one I'm ordering you to take."
Asuka growled as she pinched the bridge of her nose, then looked straight ahead of her. "Fine. But if anyone, ANYONE, looks anywhere but straight forward, there's only going to be two pilots doing this test."
Shinji, understanding exactly who the comment was meant for, gulped and nodded, ensuring that his gaze was set only on the door.
Thankfully for Shinji, the walk passed without incident, and they climbed into their separate Entry Plugs, awaiting the beginning of the test.
Ritsuko stared into the test chamber, known as the Pribnow Box for one reason or another, and gazed upon the Simulation Bodies. Comprised of the torso and arms of an Evangelion, they lacked a head and anything below the waist, the space instead taken up by masses of cables and tubes.
She was right as to the importance of the test, she thought as she continued to look. The data gathered here would be invaluable to the Dummy System project that was even now nearing completion. It was just a matter of picking out which pilot's readings would be ideal. Not that anyone here would be privy to that process. Not even Misato.
As the test commenced, Maya looked up from her console to Ritsuko. "The simulation plugs have been inserted, and the hand-off to the Magi is complete."
Misato nodded as she looked back at the view of the Pribnow Box, filled with extremely sterilized water to prop the Simulation Bodies up, as she wondered at the speed with which the Magi worked. "Wow. I can't help but be impressed by the Magi sometimes, I gotta admit. I've never seen a computer do the things I've seen the Magi do. It certainly helps that we've compressed these sorts of tests down from the week that they used to take down to an afternoon."
Ritsuko nodded. "That is true. This test will be over and done within only a little over three hours, now."
She keyed the intercom to the Entry Plugs on her tablet. "Alright, pilots. How are you all feeling right now?"
Rei spoke first. "It feels… odd."
Shinji nodded. "Rei's right. Everything feels… tingly. Like my whole body is on pins and needles."
Asuka shook her head. "It bugs me. My right arm feels just fine, but everything else is kind of hazy. Though tingly works too, I guess."
Ritsuko nodded. This sort of reaction from linking with the Simulation Bodies was expected. She spoke into the channel again. "Alright. Rei, try raising your right arm by mentally picturing it."
Rei nodded and pushed the control stick almost by instinct. The hand on the right arm began to twitch as Rei focused.
Ritsuko nodded, looking over at the main diagnostic screen of the Simulation Bodies. "Alright, data collection is going smoothly."
She turned to a technician behind her. "Revert the Magi to standard operations mode."
He nodded, and a tone sounded as another monitor became a readout of the three Magi nodes. Misato turned to look at them as they started flashing, a puzzled look in her eyes.
Ritsuko turned to look as well, and her lips pursed. "There's a conflict between the nodes," she said more for Misato's benefit than anything. She scoffed slightly. "There's the personality of its creator shining through…" she muttered.
Misato turned to look at Ritsuko, confusion joining the puzzlement in her eyes. "What do you mean? Didn't you build the Magi?"
Ritsuko shook her head. "I may have completed it, but it was started long before I worked here at NERV. You really don't know that much about what runs this place, do you?"
Misato rolled her eyes as she looked back into the Box. "Well, you hardly talk about yourself, your past, your dreams and aspirations after all this is over…"
Ritsuko's gaze followed Misato's. "Well, you've known me since college, you put a lot of emphasis on not caring about the past, and when the world could end at any moment, thinking about the future is somewhat of a waste of time, so I don't see what there is to talk about."
Misato hid a slight wince at the jabs at her. Even though Ritsuko was right on all fronts, it still stung coming from someone she considered a friend.
Ritsuko surprised her by continuing. "Like I said, I may have completed the Magi and swept it for bugs, but it was my mother who made the basis and the mainframe for it. So really, I just stood on my mother's shoulders when it came to this."
Misato never caught what Ritsuko said under her breath. "Just like always…"
- - -
On the command bridge of Central Dogma, those present looked intently at the main screen, as it showed an image of an odd sort of discoloring on a metal panel.
"And you've verified this, correct?" Fuyutsuki finally said to First Lieutenant Aoba.
Aoba nodded. "Yes, sir. We received these parts three days ago as part of the maintenance sweep. This is the only one that has shown any signs of deterioration thus far."
Fuyutsuki nodded as he looked at a diagnostic screen. "Protein wall number 87? Where did that part go?"
Aoba looked down at his monitor, querying in commands. After a moment, he looked back to Fuyutsuki. "It says that the part is down near the Pribnow Box, sir."
He pulled up a magnified picture of the panel on his monitor. "I can't tell quite what these stains are, but right now they're small enough that it requires magnification to even see them."
First Lieutenant Hyuga looked over. "It's probably just some minor corrosion. Temperature, humidity, and conductivity are all factors here, especially if it's down by the Pribnow Box. You know how they are about adjusting things down there all the time for one test or another."
Aoba shook his head. "And I wouldn't be surprised if the work schedule being compressed by 60 days helped anything. I wouldn't be surprised if air bubbles got mixed in with how hastily it must have been installed with everything else to worry about. I mean, Wing B was such a mess to go through this time."
Fuyutsuki shrugged. "That wing was built after the Angels started to appear. We didn't have the luxury of spending time and resources needed in other locations on its construction."
Hyuga nodded as he sighed. "And everyone is getting fatigued, too. Even with Angels only showing up once a month or so, it's taking its toll on the city, and the people in it."
Fuyutsuki nodded in turn as he straightened up. "Well, get this issue resolved by tomorrow. Otherwise, the Commander will be on the case. And you know he's much less lenient than I."
Both Hyuga and Aoba nodded. "Yes, sir."
Daniel sat at his console, listening idly to the three talking when his phone rang. He saw that it was one of the technicians and answered. "This is Captain Theisman. Okay. And this problem occurred after the test started? Alright. Does anyone else know about this? Hayashibara, Tennyson, Mjawe? No? I'm the only one you've been able to reach. Okay. I'll swing around, see what I can do for you."
He stood, turning to the others as they looked at him. "Apparently there's a malfunction in one of the Plug crane's arms down at the Pribnow Box," he said to Fuyutsuki. "I've got nothing better to do up here, so I'm going walkabout, see if First Lieutenant Theisman and I can lend a hand to the techs down there."
Fuyutsuki nodded. "Very well, Captain. Go and help sort that out."
"In the meantime," he said, turning back to Aoba, "relay the news of the corrosion down to the Pribnow Box. It's better that they know rather than not."
. . .
Down in the Pribnow Box, Ritsuko looked at Maya as she relayed the news of the problem from Central Dogma.
Ritsuko sighed. "Another water leak?"
Maya nodded. "Yes, ma'am, in the 87th protein wall."
Ritsuko rolled her eyes. "Terrific. Is it going to affect the test in any way?"
Maya shook her head. "Not so far, ma'am. But I'm still keeping an eye on it in case it does."
Ritsuko shrugged as she turned back to the window of the Box. "Then continue the test. There's no reason right now to abort it midway through. Though do keep an eye on it, like you said. Let's make sure the Commander doesn't need to get on the case."
Maya nodded and looked back down at her monitor. "Yes, ma'am. Synchronization position of the Plugs is nominal. We're connecting the Simulation Bodies to the Eva Units now, starting with Unit-00."
Ritsuko nodded as a screen near her showed the connection process as it happened. A tech called out the predicted strength of the AT Field as the connection finalized.
As this process happened, the stain on the 87th protein wall began to glimmer with a sinister multihued light, a baleful starfield as the being within the corrosion awoke.
An alarm began to go off in the Pribnow Box, tearing away Ritsuko and Misato's gaze from the Box proper. Ritsuko's eyes widened slightly as she looked at Maya. "What's going on?"
Maya's own eyes were wide as she looked down at her monitor. "There's a contamination alarm going off for protein wall 87! It's begun to degrade, and it's putting off heat. The corrosion is spreading beyond the wall at a rapid rate!"
Ritsuko's eyes hardened. "Abort the test, seal off the protein wall, and sever the connection between the Simulation Bodies and the Evangelions! We can't risk them getting contaminated."
Maya nodded as she and the other tech set to isolating the protein wall to try and contain the shockingly rapid spread of the corrosion. The corrosion, though slowed by the many doors and retracted pipes put up against it, still continued its implacable spread.
"Nothing's working!" Maya said in frustration. "The corrosion is still spreading!"
Ritsuko turned back to Maya. "Alright. Prepare the polysomes!"
Doors opened within the Box, and the polysomes, guided drones with powerful laser turrets, slowly floated into position, pointing at the spot where the corrosion was supposed to start breaking through.
"Alright," Ritsuko said as the polysomes finalized their positions, "set the lasers to the highest power setting possible. We need to eradicate this thing before it gets any further."
The polysomes floated silently within the Box, watching intently, the whir of their laser's power sources dulled by the weight of the water surrounding them.
On the monitor showing the spread of the corrosion, Maya watched as it passed the final barriers between it and the Pribnow Box. "Here it comes!"
Silence fell on the monitor room like a stifling blanket, as all within watched intently for some sign, any sign, that the corrosion had breached the Box proper.
Suddenly the silence was broken as a scream jolted everyone from their vigil. Ritsuko turned to the Box as her eyes widened. "Rei!"
The hand of Rei's Simulation body slammed against the wall behind it, as the corrosion spread across its back and shoulders. Maya brought the point home with her next announcement. "The Simulation Body is moving independently of Rei's actions!"
Ritsuko turned bodily to face the technicians, walking over to Maya's console as the Body continued to struggle. "That's impossible! It needs a pilot in order to do anything!"
As she came to Maya's side, she watched on her feed of the polysomes as the corrosion began to darken the walls of the Box. Maya continued with her analysis of the situation. "The corrosion has spread to 35% of the Simulation Body's system. The corrosion is about to break through!"
Misato turned to look back at the struggling Simulation Body as it began to reach out towards her, its hand seeming to try at crushing the person behind the window in its grip.
Ritsuko saw this, and the shattering of glass presaged her pulling the emergency bolt ignition, a blast blowing the Simulation Body's arm off and sending it crashing into the window, the glass cracking as it impacted.
Misato jumped back, then turned to Ritsuko and Maya. "What's the pilot's status?"
Maya looked up at her. "Unharmed, ma'am!"
Ritsuko looked down at Maya. "Eject the Plugs now and get a recovery team inbound at the surface of the lake! Have the polysome lasers activated as soon as they're out of range!"
Maya nodded, and a moment later, three Entry Plugs shot towards the surface, a massive door closing off the Pribnow Box as they passed.
In a moment, the polysomes fired, the most powerful lasers mounted on any current craft lancing towards the creeping corrosion on the wall and on the Simulation Body Rei once inhabited. It worked for a moment, steam bubbles billowing out of the impact points. Then, all the lasers began to reflect off of a dreadfully familiar wall of force.
Misato leaned forward; eyes wide with shock. "An AT Field!"
Ritsuko's expression was similarly aghast. "An Angel? How did one get so deep? Unless…"
As Ritsuko pondered on their now apparent enemy, the severed limb began to glow in a shimmering rainbow pattern, the rest of the Simulation Bodies and the walls of the Pribnow Box shimmering in a similar fashion. The Angel was here, already within the Geofront.
- - -
Alarms were going off in Central Dogma as Fuyutsuki clutched the phone near his face with a harried look. "An Angel? How did one get so far down into the Geofront? No matter. Contain it, now!"
He ended the call and looked toward the other technicians on the bridge. "Evacuate Sigma Unit! Seal off Central Dogma! Quarantine the Pribnow Box, now!"
As he gave his commands, Commander Gendo Ikari rose on the dais that contained his desk, a red phone of his own in his hand, and a much calmer tone to his voice. "Yes, I am aware of that," he said to the person on the other line, "and I leave you to it."
He hung up the phone and turned to Fuyutsuki. "Shut the alarm off. Report to the city and the Council that we had a fault in the detection system."
The bridge crew around him looked confused but carried out their order regardless. As they did, and silence swept into Central Dogma, the Angel, and it was confirmed to be an Angel, spread ever deeper into NERV HQ. "Sir, the contamination is spreading throughout the Sigma Unit!" Hyuga said in a worried tone.
Fuyutsuki made his way over to Gendo as the latter's eyes narrowed. "It's dangerously close to Adam," he said in a quiet voice. "We'll need to move him soon."
Gendo raised his voice to the rest of the bridge. "Ensure that the Sigma Unit is isolated. Sacrifice whatever is necessary to stop it. We need to limit the spread of this corruption as much as we can!"
"How are the Evas?" Gendo continued.
Hyuga turned to him. "They're standing by in Cage 7, ready to launch once we've retrieved the pilots."
What Gendo said next shocked everyone. "Do not bother waiting for the pilots. Launch them outside of HQ, but do not have them leave the Geofront proper. We must keep a cool face towards the public for as long as we can."
As Hyuga, Aoba, and even Fuyutsuki turned to him with utter shock in their eyes, he continued. "Unit-01 has top priority. The other Units can be sacrificed if absolutely necessary, but Unit-01 must survive."
Hyuga and Aoba's eyes widened, while Fuyutsuki's shock was joined by sadness. 'Oh, Gendo. Making sure that Yui is safe, while your own son is floating out in the lake. I really shouldn't have expected anything else.'
Hyuga and Aoba made their concerns more publicly known. "Unit-01 receives priority over even the other two Evas?" Hyuga said.
"But, sir," Aoba said after a moment, "without any Evas or their pilots on hand, it's going to be physically impossible to destroy the Angel, isn't it?"
Gendo remained stoic. "If all the Evas become contaminated, then it won't matter what we need to do to destroy the Angel. We will have already lost."
- - -
As these events began to transpire, Daniel and Eleanor walked down a hall on the outer edge of the Sigma Unit as the alarm sounded. A call for evacuation echoed on the speaker system, and red lights flashed as the two ran for the nearest elevator. They were still close, luckily, and found themselves alone as the elevator car quietly made its way to Central Dogma.
After a moment to collect themselves, Eleanor looked at Daniel. "Iruel, right?"
Daniel nodded slightly. "Yeah. Iruel."
Eleanor nodded in turn. "Well, the Entry Plugs should have been ejected to the surface by now, and the lockdown going into effect should find Misato and Ritsuko escaping, correct?"
Daniel nodded slightly. "From what I recall, yes. Speaking of…"
He pulled out his phone, confident that, even in the midst of an Angel attack, the Geofront's uncommonly good cell service would hold out. As the number he dialed rang for a moment, he hid a sigh of relief as Misato picked up the phone.
She sounded out of breath, likely having had to run to the nearest elevator from the Pribnow Box. "Daniel? Are you okay?"
Daniel nodded, for all it was worth. "Yeah, I'm fine. Eleanor and I didn't make it very far into Sigma before the alarm sounded."
Misato's shock was still evident, even at this late stage and over the phone. "We have an Angel in the Pribnow Box! We aborted the test and ejected the pilots. They should be at the surface of the lake now."
The line went quiet for a moment as Misato muttered under her breath, "I still have no idea how this happened…"
Daniel sighed quietly. "How it happened probably doesn't matter at this point. Are the pilots getting retrieved?"
Quiet on the line for a moment. "Ritsuko says a recovery team should have been sent about 15 minutes ago. They should be back inside in about… 75 minutes, tops. I don't know how they're going to fight this Angel, but I'm sure they'll be willing to try."
Daniel shrugged as the elevator opened, and they stepped out, surprisingly enough, next to Ritsuko and Misato. Daniel hung up the phone as he turned to look at them. "So, what kind of Angel is it, then?"
- - -
As Ritsuko prepared to explain to those in Central Dogma just what they were fighting, far above them, close to Sigma Unit, Kaji stood on top of an elevator as he watched massive doors close off against the glittering rainbow of the Angel.
He snorted slightly. "Well. That's an Angel?" he sighed. "I guess any further work is going to have to wait for a moment."
He looked over at the sign that was next to him, denoting the outermost layer of the floor that comprised Central Dogma. "Well, at least the elevator took me to an actual floor before it stopped. I would have hated to miss a jump someplace this deep."
. . .
Commander Ikari, Fuyutsuki, Daniel and Eleanor, and Misato, Hyuga, and Aoba gathered around the holographic table on the central command bridge as Ritsuko and Maya began their presentation on what they had gathered on the Angel. The heads of Command, Operations, and Engineering Divisions listened intently to what the head of the Science Division had to say at the current moment.
Their first attempt to contain the Angel, using the ozone that it seemed to be averse to, had failed as it seemed to adapt to the attack with startling speed. Ritsuko marveled at the rapid evolutionary capacity of the Angel, as it had spread beyond the barrier the ozone-rich water had once proved to be. Then the alarms started.
"What's going on?" Misato said as she turned to Hyuga, whose eyes were wide with shock as he stared down at his monitor.
"We've been digitally breached, ma'am! No identity on the intruder! I'm deploying preliminary ICE. No effect!" Hyuga said, panic edging into his voice.
Ritsuko looked up as Aoba joined in on the defense of their software. "I'm deploying decoy interfaces. No effect on those either!" he said as his eyes matched Hyuga's in their width.
Ritsuko's eyes widened as she realized who, exactly, was hacking them, as binary wall after binary wall crumbled before its advance. "This is inhuman…"
Ritsuko's revelation was soon made by others as well, as a trace on the location of the hack was finally established. "Sir," Hyuga said as he turned to face Commander Ikari, "the hack is coming from inside this facility! From the Pribnow Box!"
A gasp went up around the bridge as Ritsuko's eyes narrowed in grim certainty. "It is the Angel. It's become a living computer!"
Her words presaged the visual feed of the Pribnow Box showing the Angel's change, as its presence on the Simulation Bodies coalesced from a rainbow starfield into patterns eerily similar to computer circuitry.
Aoba and Hyuga continued to valiantly attempt to defend their computer system from the Angel's implacable advance. After several moments more of the Angel brushing aside anything placed before it, Misato came to a decision. "Sever the main cable!" A negatory response came as the cable refused to respond to any commands.
The Angel had accessed the Security database, sweeping through an attempt to physically turn the computer off by Aoba and Hyuga, harvesting passwords and access keys as its true goal revealed itself. Aoba turned back from his console. "It's trying to access the Magi, sir!"
As he said this, Maya looked up from her monitor. "Sir, Melchior has just been completely taken over!"
Her exclamation was punctuated by the monotone voice of the Magi. "Melchior suggests complete shutdown of all quarantine systems," it said, as everyone's eyes widened in shock. The voice continued, no inflection in its emotionless, artificial tone. "Suggestion rejected," it said, over and over, as the other parts of the Magi rebelled against such a clearly insane idea.
Aoba tore his eyes from the screen that showed this struggle, and his eyes widened again. "Melchior is now hacking into Balthazar!" he said, as the red hue of the compromised Melchior bled into Balthazar's node.
It picked up speed, overtaking much of the node's represented strength in moments. Then, something surprising happened. It slowed. Then it stopped. Only about half of Balthazar was compromised.
That was an hour ago. Since then, the Angel had begun its efforts again, at a far slower pace than before. Why it had done this, or even decided to stop in the first place, was a mystery to all present, but it had afforded time for NERV to shore up the Magi's defenses, as Ritsuko began her presentation.
"From what readings we have been able to get from our current situation, the Angel seems to be a colony of nano-scale entities. Their stand-out feature is their rapid evolutionary capabilities, and their ability to act as a presence in the digital space," she said with a serious expression.
Fuyutsuki looked up from the images on the table at Ritsuko. "And it's still evolving?"
Ritsuko nodded. "Yes, sir. I would find it safe to say that it's in a constant state of evolution. We don't currently know what state it will end up evolving to, but it's safe to say that it likely involves all of our deaths."
She paused to let that sink in for a moment. After she decided everyone was sufficiently aware of their situation, she continued. "It seems that anything we do, whether digital or physical, allows it to produce the perfect countermeasure."
Misato stared at the Angel with hard eyes. "Then the only way to combat something that overcomes any weakness is to ensure that it doesn't have any time to overcome what it encounters."
She looked up at Commander Ikari. "Sir, I recommend that we destroy Sigma Unit, and the Magi system, with enough explosives to eradicate the presence of this Angel all at once."
More than one pair of eyes looked at Misato with no small amount of shock. "Misato," Daniel said after a moment, "we would be crippled in any further efforts to combat the Angels."
Ritsuko nodded. "Indeed. Scuttling the Magi would be tantamount to sacrificing HQ, and the one line of defense against future Angelic attacks. We can't afford to pursue such an action unless we're absolutely forced to."
Misato turned to look at Ritsuko, annoyance in her eyes. "Then as the head of the Operations Division, I formally request we take this action as the simplest, easiest way to destroy this Angel!"
Ritsuko stared back, the look in her eyes as hard as Misato's. "And as head of the Science Division, I say that such a task as combating this Angel, especially its presence in the Magi system, is our duty."
Misato growled slightly until Gendo cut her off. "Major Katsuragi, Doctor Akagi is correct. If your task is to fight the Angels in the physical world, then the Doctor's duty is to fight this one in the digital space."
He turned to Ritsuko. "Doctor, you are to come up with a plan and execute it as quickly as possible. Should you require any assistance in the physical space, Captain Theisman and the Engineering Division will provide you with the necessary resources."
He turned, and walked back to his desk, sitting down on it as it slowly began to descend. "I have other matters to attend to. I will know whether or not you have succeeded. And we will all know if you have failed."
He disappeared out of sight. Ritsuko turned to look at the Theisman's. "We will most likely not need any assistance from you or your department. This can be handled by the Science Division alone. Likely, I can take care of this myself."
Misato looked back at Ritsuko with indignation. "Damn it, Ritsuko, why are you so damn stubborn? You don't need to place the world on your shoulders. I have my orders, and as much as I disagree with them, I'm still going to follow them. So please, let us help you."
Ritsuko shook her head. "None of you know the Magi like I do. Any assistance you can provide is going to be minimal, at best." she sighed as she looked down from their position on the command bridge. "And besides, if the Angel is indeed constantly evolving, then there is one way that we can destroy it."
Daniel shook his head slightly. "You mean, that we might be able to turn its evolution against it?"
Ritsuko nodded with certainty in her eyes. "Yes."
Eleanor nodded herself, as realization dawned on her. "You want to drive it to the point where cellular degradation, where apoptosis on a massive scale, is the only solution."
A slight smile tugged at a corner of Ritsuko's mouth as she turned back towards the group around the table. "A terribly poetic way to put it, but yes. On the other hand, its self-preservation instincts may kick in, forcing it to choose coexistence with the Magi over its death. That would allow us time to figure out another solution. But either way, it involves a major risk. If its goal is to link all the computers, then we offer up Casper."
The room was silent for a moment until Hyuga spoke up with obvious apprehension. "What do you mean 'offer up Casper'?"
"Simple really," Ritsuko said, returning to the table and pulling up a display of the three nodes of the Magi as they currently stood, "we link Casper to the Angel, and then take advantage of the fact that the Angel is connected digitally to have Casper download a self-destruct program into the Angel."
Maya spoke up as Ritsuko finished. "The obvious risk of it all would be that we have to lower every defense that we've put in place thus far."
Daniel nodded. "So that leaves us with a race between Casper and the Angel, with our continued survival as the betting odds." he sighed. "That's one hell of a rally you've entered us in, Ritsuko."
Misato nodded as she glanced with some confusion at Daniel for the odd saying, then looked back at Ritsuko. "So, with that in mind, can we assume that you'll have such a program ready in time? Because if the program is too slow, then Casper gets knocked out. And we all know what that means."
Ritsuko nodded. "It'll be ready, I promise. And I am a woman of my word."
'Spoken or unspoken.' she thought, as she pulled out her tablet and started tapping in the lines of code that would become the Angel's destruction.
- - -
As the humans below transpired against it, the Angel silently held an eternal committee within the Pribnow Box. It dissected its call, the nature and size and scope of it, in endless permutations, childlike in its curiosity and repetition.
Eventually, it came to the conclusion that it had to interface more… directly with things, with the world around it in order to at last unite with its creator and fulfill its calling. This would require an unprecedented level of independence, of freedom of movement. To move required a body, to consume, a mouth, to truly see, new eyes.
As it came to this conclusion, the severed arm that held part of the Angel's being slowly dissolved, the Angel taking its component parts and slipping between the cracks in the door high above without moving it an inch. After all, one needn't worry about space to get through a barrier when one was as small as the parts of the Angel were.
Up above the Angel, the pilots finally got dressed in their clothes on the shore of the Geofront's lake, popup shower and changing stalls their only privacy amongst the trucks and helicopters that had extracted them from the lake. The Evangelions all stood in the distance, locked into their restraints, but safe from the digital privations of the Angel. They knew why they had suddenly rocketed to the surface now, and they were all of them on edge.
Shinji emerged, scrubbing his hair with a towel with the NERV logo on it. "Do either of you think that the Angel will be coming out of the Pribnow Box?"
Asuka, with a similar towel around her neck, rolled her eyes as she scoffed. "If the Geofront is what I think it is, Shinji, then it's locked up tighter than anything else in the world. It would take an act of God to spring it from there, especially if it's in the Simulation Bodies."
Rei stepped out of her stall and looked at Asuka. "I find that whenever one of us says these things, something goes awry. Perhaps it would be better if we leave such things unsaid."
Asuka rolled her eyes at Rei. "You know, it's not like we're cursed like that, anyway. We don't live in some terribly contrived movie or television series where things happen just because of something we say."
However, as alarms soon began to sound, and the personnel around them began to hurry back to their vehicles, Asuka sighed. "But some days, it certainly feels like we do."
She waved down a passing technician. "Hey! What's going on?"
The technician turned around for a moment, her eyes wide with shock as she backed up towards the open door of one of the choppers. "The Angel's breached the Pribnow Box, somehow. It's making its way out here!"
She turned back and climbed in the chopper as it began to lift off, other choppers, carrying their Entry Plugs, spinning up.
Shinji blinked, gasping slightly as he reached for his phone. Soon, it was ringing, and Daniel answered it. "Hey, Shinji. What is it?"
"Daniel," Shinji said, fighting to stay calm, "what's going on? Has the Angel breached the Box?"
Daniel paused as he looked up at the main monitor of Central Dogma, part of it showing the Simulation Bodies seeming to slowly dissolve, organic and mechanical parts alike, as the Pattern Blue sensors showed the Angel, with what was assumed to be the component pieces of the Bodies in tow, invisibly make its way up into the open Geofront, landing at a point on the opposite shore of the pilots, as a camera feed showed a slowly growing mass of flesh and grafted metal. "Yes. It has, and it's landing on the shore opposite of you. Your Plugsuits and A-10 connectors should be on the way with the trucks that will fill up your Entry Plugs with LCL. The Angel doesn't have a core for you to destroy, so your duty will be to hold it off while we come up with a way to kill it."
Shinji nodded. "Will do." The line went dead as Shinji pocketed his phone.
He turned to Asuka. "Daniel says it's going to land on the far shore. We're suiting up and keeping it busy with our Evas."
Asuka put a fist into her hand, an excited gleam in her eyes. "Action for us, at last! Does Daniel really not expect us to be able to kill it?"
Shinji shook his head. "He said that it doesn't have any core that we can destroy. We're going to have to keep it from breaching the Geofront while Misato and the others find a way to kill it."
Asuka sighed but nodded. "Well, I guess a stalling action is better than nothing at all."
After a few moments, the trucks in question arrived, and the pilots quickly dressed as the Entry Plugs opened, ready to receive them.
As the Children roused their Units to life and began to walk towards the other side of the artificial lake, Misato looked down at Hyuga, her second in command. "Hyuga, I'm putting you in charge of the operation."
He looked up at Misato, his eyes widened with slight shock. "Ma'am, are you sure? You're usually very particular about how you oversee these operations."
Misato nodded. "Yes, I am. After all, this is most likely going to simply be a stalling action as we pull off the plan with the Magi here. And…" she paused for a moment, looking down to where Ritsuko and Maya had gone off to. "I have some other matters to attend to."
She turned back to Hyuga. "So, like I said, a simple stalling action. Just guide the pilots through, keep them updated on things that you see that the pilots won't be able to, and you should be fine. I have confidence in your abilities."
Hyuga nodded. "Yes, ma'am. I have command of the operation now."
Misato nodded, a small smile on her face. "Good. I'll let you get to it." She turned and began to make her way toward Ritsuko and Maya. Hyuga turned back towards his monitor, trying, and somewhat failing, to hide the blush that was coming to his cheeks as he keyed up the Pilots. "Pilots, this is First Lieutenant Hyuga. I'll be in command and relaying your orders for the duration of the mission. Weapons will be en route to your location shortly. This Angel does not appear to have a core, so destruction is not a viable option. Your task is to engage and delay it long enough for us to destroy it through its digital presence in the Magi. Any questions?"
"Yeah, actually," Asuka said over the link. "Did Misato lose a bet or something?"
Hyuga sighed slightly as he glanced over at Aoba, who tried desperately not to laugh. "No, pilot Soryu. She has other matters to attend to and has left me to take charge of the operation."
Shinji piped up over the link. "Well, Lieutenant Hyuga, if Misato is confident in your abilities, then I'm sure you can do this."
Hyuga nodded. "Thank you, pilot Ikari. It looks like you'll be in position soon. As I said, I have weapons that will be at your location. I leave the specifics of how to contain it up to you. Do not allow it to breach HQ. Other than that, as long as you keep it away from us, anything you do is fair game. Command out."
On the other end of the line, Shinji nodded as he looked across the distance at the Angel, now seemingly finally done with assembling its body, began to try and stand upright.
It was a frankly terrifying sight, the three Simulation Bodies fused into one entity, four of the six arms used as legs as a massive body held up the torso and arms of the third Simulation Body like a deranged, headless centaur, its body glowing with the rainbow stripes of circuit-like patterns. It wobbled like a toddler walking for the first time, its inexperience with a physical body evident.
"Thank you, Lieutenant Hyuga." the line shut off as Shinji keyed up the other pilots. "Alright. So how do we keep this thing from moving?"
"Obvious, Shinji," Asuka said with no small amount of exaggerated patience in her voice. "We shoot at it until such time as the techs do their sorcery and hack into the Angel to kill it. Simple as that."
As massive crates dropped beside them, the pilots opened them to reveal three Pallet Rifles, a Progressive Spear, and a Progressive Axe. Asuka took the Axe with a gleeful look in her eyes, while Shinji hefted the Spear and Rei shouldered one of the Pallet Rifles. They then slowly began to surround the Angel as it took its first tentative step.
. . .
Misato stopped at Maya's side as Ritsuko pressed a few buttons from a concealed panel in the floor of one of the bridges, and the massive bank that took up most of the floor slowly slid up, revealing the main access point for the Magi, the thing that contained all the vital hardware and firmware for the operating system.
It looked like a jumbled mess of slightly rusted tubes, looking almost like a human organ as it finally stopped its ascent. Ritsuko made her way to a panel, opening it to reveal a crawlspace. She glanced at Misato as she set the panel aside. "Shouldn't you be up commanding the pilots against the Angel's body?"
Misato shrugged. "I placed Hyuga in command. It'll give him good experience, and I'm confident in his abilities."
She paused for a moment. "That, and… I just wanted to try and help you."
Ritsuko sighed slightly as she crouched into the crawlspace, Maya and Misato leaning behind her and looking down its dim length, littered with sticky notes and taped-up pieces of paper scrawled with notes from days long past.
Maya ahhed in wonder. "Wow… what's on all these papers?"
Ritsuko began to crawl forward, looking for a particular branch in the crawlspace. "Notes left by the developer of the system."
Maya crawled a little way into the space behind Ritsuko, looking around in wide-eyed wonder. "Wow…" she said, studying a group of related notes. "This is a backdoor into the Magi! I knew something like this was possible, but I never imagined it would be this simple!"
Misato shook her head as she studied the enigmatic lines of text around her. "So, this is a bunch of hacks and secrets for the Magi?"
Maya continued to drink in all the sights around her, looking to all the world like a child in a toy store. "Do I even have the clearance to see some of this?" she picked up another sticky note, her mouth making an o as she studied it. "This system is in a c-as-integer, doctor! We could knock out the coding for this in no time!"
Ritsuko turned back and nodded. "Yes. We'll be able to have this plan ready with time to spare." As she turned back around and found the node for Casper, she sighed slightly.
"Thank you, Mother," she said, under her breath. "We'll be ready because of you."
. . .
As the preparations for the digital side of the plan began in earnest, the Evas circled around the physical portion of the Angel as it slowly made its way around the lakeside towards the pyramid of HQ. After a moment more of the Angel stumbling, falling, and getting to its feet a little quicker than the last time, Asuka finally had enough. "Alright, I'm getting tired of this."
As she said this, she charged in, Progressive Axe high above her head, and with a shout, cleaved off the Angel's right arm, the ground shuddering as the severed limb hit it.
The Angel stumbled back, seemingly shocked that such a thing had even occurred. Then, the unexpected happened. The Angel stepped forward, one of its lower hands clutching at the limb that Asuka had just cut off, as its left arm impossibly slid over its chest to swing at Asuka as she jumped back in surprise with a shout.
In a moment, the arm on the ground disappeared into the hand clutching it and reappeared on the other side of the Angel's chest, as both its hands twisted and contorted to fit their new positions, the Angel charging forward to try and grasp at Asuka, who backpedaled furiously away from the Angel.
"Okay, that's just not fair!" she said with a shout.
Shinji readied the Progressive Spear, stepping forward. "Rei, give us some cover! Go for the legs!"
Rei nodded, going to one knee as she aimed where Shinji noted. "Affirmative, pilot Ikari. Pilot Soryu, please move."
Short, controlled bursts from Rei's Pallet Rifle strafed the Angel's lower torso as Asuka jumped aside, and Shinji charged in at an angle to try and get it to break off its pursuit of Asuka.
The bullets riddled the Angel's body for a moment, before an AT Field, tight on the Angel's body, began to reflect them harmlessly. As Rei stopped firing, the Angel finally managed to grab at the ax Asuka was holding, first with one hand then both, Asuka's fighting retreat turning into a fierce tug-of-war.
Shinji slid to a stop, uprooting trees as he did, and jabbed the spear into the Angel's side. It twitched and convulsed, its rippling skin making it difficult for Shinji to extract the spear. Then, as the body around the Angel's "hips" shrunk in size dramatically, its arms stretched out, grabbing the spear as Shinji finally pulled it free, his struggle coming to mirror Asuka's.
After a moment, the hands on both pairs of arms began to meld together, the flesh slowly spreading across its grip.
Hyuga looked at his monitor, a feed of The Unit's cameras, and keyed up the link to the pilots. "It's trying to absorb the weapons! Let go and fall back!"
With a groan of annoyance from Asuka, both she and Shinji relinquished their weapons, backpedaling as the weapons began to disappear into the Angel's body, the flesh rippling across its upper torso until the heads of the weapons began to slide out of the ends of the wrists of the Angel, its hands dangling limply as it walked forward, swinging the newfound weapons wildly as the Evas dodged out of the way, trying to get behind it as it flailed.
As the battle raged over their heads, Maya looked down at her tablet with a furrowed brow. As the Angel attacked the Evas, its attack on the Magi had picked up in earnest as well. Now, more than two-thirds of Balthazar was compromised, and the corruption came ever closer to the boundary between Balthazar and Casper. She turned to continue her work on the program that would undo all of this.
Inside the Magi's housing, Misato sat curled up beside Ritsuko's legs as she set down a tool and reached out a hand. "Misato, socket wrench, please."
Misato found the wrench, handing it to her as she sighed and shook her head, smiling. "You know, I can't help but think of college right now."
Ritsuko offered no reply, simply reaching out her hand again. "Keyboard. Number 25."
Misato handed her the keyboard, and there was silence, disrupted only by the clack of the keyboard. Misato decided to speak again after a moment. "So, tell me more about the Magi."
The typing paused for a moment before resuming. "Like what?" said the disembodied voice of Ritsuko.
Misato shrugged. "Anything, really."
Ritsuko was quiet for a moment. "Well," she finally said, "it has a very long, complicated, and boring story behind it, so I'll skip that. Have you ever heard of a Personality Transplant OS?"
Misato nodded after a moment. "Yeah, I think. It's a theoretical system where the brain patterns of a given person are digitized and copied over to a brain analog. Or at least, that's what I remember you telling me about it. It's what we use for the Evas, right?"
Ritsuko stayed silent for a moment. How little she truly knew, Ritsuko thought, as she pulled off the last layer of mechanics to reveal a semicircular dome, with the words 'Casper-03' written on it. "Well, the Magi is the first real-world application of the technology. It was developed by my mother. And…"
Misato nodded. "Your mother was transplanted into it then?"
Ritsuko nodded out of sight. "Yes. A terrible accident made it so that the transfer had to be done quickly, but you could say that my mother's brain is right here, and that... my mother's soul's in here as well."
She paused as she started up an impact wrench, the bolts on the cover coming off in short order, as Ritsuko took the cover off to reveal a small, brain-like core, with plugins scattered all across its surface.
She began to plug in various cords into the brain, as Misato pondered what Ritsuko had said. "Is that why you wanted to preserve the Magi? Because it's the only thing left of your mother?" she said after a moment.
Ritsuko sighed. "No, not really. My mother and I didn't really have the greatest relationship. I think... I'm doing this more as a scientist, trying to save one of the wonders of science."
. . .
Back on the command bridge, Hyuga watched as the Evas continued to try and circle around the Angel, the three of them slowly backing up as the Angel advanced towards the pyramid that was the outermost part of HQ. They needed a solution, something to keep the Angel occupied that wouldn't get absorbed easily. But what could that be? Then he remembered something Misato had mentioned to him.
He turned to Aoba. "Hey, do you know where the Progressive Lash is being kept?"
Aoba glanced at him, slight confusion in his eyes as he made the query. "It's being stored in one of the Geofront units. It's packaged for the test that's coming up."
Hyuga nodded. "Is it easily accessible?"
Aoba was silent for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah, it is. It could be deployed…" Aoba's eyes lit up as he got what Hyuga wanted him to do. "I'll get it sent out on the cargo line that runs here. The Evas should be able to get it and equip the weapon."
Hyuga nodded as Aoba set himself to the task. "Pilot Soryu."
Asuka piped up, concentration obvious in her tone of voice. "Yeah? Kind of busy here."
Hyuga continued. "We're putting the Progressive Lash on the cargo rail that runs to HQ. You'll be able to intercept the car and use the Lash in order to keep your distance while you're attacking it."
Asuka's excitement was as evident as her concentration as she spoke next. "Music to my very ears, Hyuga! Thank you. I've been dying to try that out."
Hyuga couldn't help but smile as he looked back at Aoba. "It's going to be here in about… 10 minutes. Hang in there until then!"
Asuka closed the link with a smile. As expected, a cargo car slowed to a stop on the rail line to HQ, a large container holding her prize. "Keep it busy for me!" she said as she turned and ran towards the box.
She tore off the top of the container, giggling as she saw the oblong, disk-shaped weapon. She picked it up, gripping the handle on the underside as restraints similar to the Progressive Spike's secured it to her forearm. She turned to face the Angel. "Hyuga," she said sweetly, "how much length do I have with this?"
Hyuga turned to Aoba, who gave him the length. "You have 120 meters maximum of Progressive chain there, pilot Soryu. Be careful."
"Yeah, yeah," Asuka said. "I'll be sure to use my AT Field."
She shut off the connection and activated the weapon. Links of metal fell past the end of the weapon, stopping after about 20 meters. The chain began to hum, as the Progressive element gave the chain an off-white glow. 'Alright then,' Asuka thought as she wrapped her AT Field around the chain, both inside and out of the weapon, 'let's see what you can do.'
"Shinji, Rei!" she said into an open link to the other pilots. "Give me some fighting room. I'm about to start swinging."
As the other two backed off, Asuka began to swing the weapon over her head, the length of chain unspooling as it soon became a tornado of superheated metal. After a moment, Asuka flicked it towards the Angel, using her AT Field to guide the chain to strike true.
With a tremendous crack as it broke the sound barrier, the tip of the whip shattered the Angel's AT Field, and its ax arm blew apart at the shoulder, sending the arm flying off as the Angel writhed in obvious pain, charging towards her. Asuka backed off as she retracted the chain, the superheated metal catching the trees it dragged through on fire before Asuka had the presence of mind to shut the Progressive element off as she spooled the weapon back up.
Asuka grinned. It was everything she expected and more. Besides, there was little better of a field test than actual combat, so she figured Ritsuko should be more than happy with the data collected.
. . .
As the battle raged above them, an alarm sounded in Central Dogma as Balthazar was finally overwhelmed. Hyuga turned to shout down at Ritsuko and Misato. "Baltazar has been compromised!"
The voice of the Magi gave a chilling warning. "The AI has voted in favor of lifting quarantine in Headquarters. The AI has voted in favor of autonomous self-destruct. Self-destruct will commence in 5 minutes. Please evacuate the surrounding area up to depth -280, -140, and Floor Zero."
Ritsuko and Maya's fingers flew across keyboards, as they lowered many, but not all of Casper's defenses to allow the Angel through. Not without a fight, of course.
As the Angel's influence began to spread through Casper, Misato looked up from within the Magi's enclosure with a worried look as the self-destruct impossibly appended itself to 2 minutes. "Ritsuko… better hurry up!"
Ritsuko was focused entirely on the tablet in front of her. "Don't worry," she said offhandedly as the countdown appended itself again, to a terrifying 30 seconds, "We have at least a second to spare, now."
"A second?" Misato said incredulously as the Magi began counting down the seconds to what appeared to be their imminent doom.
"It's better than nothing, Misato," Ritsuko said as she and Maya put the final touches on the program. "Maya!"
Maya turned towards the sound of Ritsuko's voice as the countdown reached 5. "I'm ready!"
"Now!" Ritsuko said as she and Maya pressed enter. The command center held its breath as the countdown reached 1 at the exact moment the program was sent.
Seconds passed. Then, a cheer of relief swept through Central Dogma as the Angel's digital influence was swept clean from the Magi, all the nodes turning a brilliant blue.
Up above in the outside of the Geofront, the body of the Angel spasmed, then fell crashing to the ground, limp and lifeless. The pilots all were silent, save for deep breaths of recent exertion. "Well," Asuka said after a moment, "it looks like it worked."
"Yeah," Shinji said, "it does look like that."
- - -
As the Frame of the Angel's soul crumbled with its death, something else stirred. The degradation slowed, then stopped, as the hard, angular lines of the Angel became softer, more streamlined and flowing. Three separate minds gained a single, intertwined line of thought, and the ghost in the machine finally became cognizant again. "Where… am I?"
- - -
Day became night as the Geofront was swept clean once again, and Ritsuko sat in a folding chair, slumped with exhaustion. She looked up as Misato approached, two cups of coffee in her hands. With a tired smile, Ritsuko accepted one of the cups. Seeing as Misato had brewed it, it didn't taste terribly good, but it worked to prop her up.
She sighed. "Misato, I think I'm getting a little too old. These all-nighters have started to wear more and more on me."
Misato softly snorted. "Well, you kept your word, like you said you would." A slight smile came to her lips. "Good work, Ritsuko."
A smile slowly came to Ritsuko as she started to drink the coffee. "Thank you, Misato." Her smile held a tinge of a grimace as she lowered the coffee cup from her lips. "You know, as much as your coffee tastes terrible, I can't help but be grateful for it."
Misato smiled uneasily, then looked intently as Ritsuko continued. "The night before she died, my mother told me how she made the Magi work."
After a pause, she continued. "She said that the Magi are made up of the three facets of her personality. Who she was as a scientist, who she was as a mother, and who she was as a woman."
She scoffed softly. "Those three sides would vie for control of her every day, she said. So, she incorporated that conflict, and the need to balance and agree on things, into the nature of the Magi. All three nodes, while similar, all have slightly different ways of thinking, as made by my mother."
She paused for a moment. "I have no desire to become a mother, so I'll never really understand that side of her. As a scientist, I have nothing but respect for her. As a woman… well, a part of me hates her for who she was." she took a deep drink of her coffee and spoke no further on the matter.
After a moment of silence, Misato spoke up. "You know, it's good to see that you're talkative today," she said with a slight smile.
Ritsuko snorted softly. "It's been known to happen on occasion."
The Magi bank slowly began to lower beside them, and Ritsuko turned to face it with an introspective look in her eyes. "Come to think of it," she said after a moment, "it's funny that Casper was the last one. That one is the one that has my mother's personality as a woman. And typical of who she was, she stuck it out to the bitter end. How like her."
The Magi bank settled into place, its role in the sweep done, as Ritsuko stood and walked away with Misato from a job well done.
As the people of Tokyo-3 gather their breath, some meet to discuss what happens beneath the surface of the world, while an empty grave brings the living together for a moment, and a moment changes some people, and the course of history, forever. Next Episode: Ruminations in a Moment of Quiet.
And, at last, a moment of rest. At least, for many of us. The next two weeks would prove to be a far more vital time than most anyone would ever expect. It was here that the delicate balance that had settled upon the world would be upset irreparably, one way or another. I hoped that that upset would be for the better. And, in a way, it was. Though now, what the future held in store became even more obscured. But such obscurity was a small price to pay, in the end.
Meeting Room, NERV HQ, 1 Week Later
Gendo Ikari sat in silence as the meeting with his superiors, the Human Instrumentality Committee, SEELE, continued on. They had gone over the footage of the previous Angel's attacks in almost agonizing detail. They had grilled him on not preparing Shinji enough to pilot Unit-01 against Sachiel and Shamshel, and gave Major Katsuragi grudging respect for her ingenuity of command against many of the other Angels.
The only Angels they seemed even mildly concerned about were Gaghiel, who was encountered in the waters off of New Yokosuka, and Iruel, who had been crafty enough to use subterfuge to make its way deep into the Geofront, though the depth of such intrusion was lessened in the report made by Gendo. He had only mentioned the Angel's physical presence, not its digital one.
But the old men did not unduly worry much. The Angels had come when it was predicted that they come, and they did so generally in the fashion it was predicted they would. The Dead Sea scrolls, while prophecy, were not intimate in the details of what would come to pass. There had been, until this point, little in the way of worrying deviation. The Scenario was still proceeding as planned.
The meeting progressed onward, and, Gendo thought to himself as the American representative spoke up, it seemed he would become privy to new, potentially important information.
"Speaking of the Angels and their presence," the American representative said, "what news on the dig in Arqa?"
Arqa? Gendo had never heard of such a place in his time working with the Committee. "I didn't know that the Committee had become dedicated to an archaeological expedition beyond that of the retrieval of the Dead Sea scrolls," Gendo said with measured neutrality.
The French representative turned with a furrowed brow towards Gendo. "I don't believe you have the necessary clearance to know of such things, Ikari. There are things, which I am sure will shock you, that you aren't privy to." he glanced over at the American representative with no small amount of distaste. "Typical of the Americans, to forget their place."
Chairman Lorenz Kihl, at the head of the table as always, shifted his artificial gaze to the Frenchman. "You need not worry about his clearance, representative. I will take this opportunity to elucidate Commander Ikari as I update the American for everyone's benefit."
He, or at least his image, leaned on the table. "In the aftermath of Second Impact, Commander, as I'm sure you can tell, much had occurred geologically. For example, in the Himalayan mountain range, earthquakes and the nuclear exchanges between India and Pakistan unearthed a hidden city. It has gone by many different names, Shangri-la being chief among them. What was discovered by our teams, sent only as recently as 2010, however, was a civilization that we believe has some ties to the Dead Sea scrolls. It is called the lost city of Arqa, unrelated as it is to the location in Lebanon."
Kihl paused to let the realization sink into Gendo, then continued. "In the ruins, we found remarkable discoveries pertaining to the nature of the human soul, how it works, and how it can be healed and the body it inhabits made to last for centuries."
"Recently," he said, pausing for what seemed to be a dramatic effect, "we have also found the remains of an ancient Angel, unnamed on any of the Scrolls. This is an unprecedented find, as it seems to have died of what can only be considered 'natural causes'. Such a thing should be impossible, but the revelations that we have gained have been… extraordinary." his voice softened on the last word, and he seemed to muse on what it meant silently for a moment.
Gendo nodded slightly, no expression on his face, as the rest of the table stirred and murmured at this news. "Fascinating, sir. If that is all, as I have said, our records are open to you, and you may review them at your pleasure."
Kihl nodded. "Very well, Ikari. And as I am sure you need not be reminded, we all follow the Dead Sea scrolls and the Scenario that they lay out for us. You know the part you and NERV must play. Do not deviate from it more than necessary."
With that, SEELE, as it was wont to do, disappeared, leaving him in darkness.
- - -
The Pribnow Box, NERV HQ
Rei Ayanami sat in silence and pondered on humanity. Her recovery from the drugs that had been given to her had been going well. Better than well, even, thanks to the help of the Theismans. Now, only about a month after the fact, she had dropped to safely taking only about a third of her original dosage.
Things had become sharper, now. More clear, easier to understand, and yet inscrutable at the same time. So much had suddenly become fascinating to her. Especially emotion. Its expression. The warmth of a hug. The closeness of sitting on a couch with one's friends. The wonder and fear and joy and love and loss and sorrow that could be conveyed by things as simple as moving pictures and sound, by even just reading the words placed in front of her, even just by looking at a picture on the wall. So many words, so many feelings had gained definition, substance, depth. She was, as Asuka was fond of saying, "becoming more human every day".
But what was she? Was she human? Or was she something more? Something less? Logic dictated that she was not human, or at least, not entirely. She was the product of an experiment, a fusion of the flesh of humanity, and something far, far older. Even her very soul was not entirely human.
She knew, intellectually at least, what she was. A tool, a soul piloting one husk out of hundreds, out of thousands, for the purpose of ensuring Gendo Ikari's vision of Instrumentality would come to pass. He would have his wife, she would have her soul reunited with her progenitor, and the world would be free of the pains of existence.
But was it going to be worth it? More and more each day, the answer had started to become no. Where once she saw the world only through lenses of pain, suffering, and vague discontent, the lenses had slowly lifted to allow her to see moments of beauty, caring, and… love. Love from the most unexpected of places.
She could see more clearly now. Her perception of not simply the physical world, but what existed underneath, had slowly become clearer as she continued to ween off the drugs. She saw… light, was the best way she could describe it. The light of people's souls. It was a varied, colorful light, different from person to person, and she could now spend hours just looking at the starfield that was a crowd of people.
But, in reality, all of this, this wonder and sense of discovery, still had to be hidden. Hidden from Gendo, who she realized more and more expected her to be the ultimate doll. She had even gone so far as to ask Asuka to continue to treat her as she did previously when on NERV property. Like a doll.
But she was not a doll. She would never be a doll, ever again. She would protect this world, the lights of its souls, the light of… their souls. Shinji. Asuka.
She saw their lights, different but complementary. It was… amusing, she believed was the word for it, watching them dance around their now blindingly obvious feelings for each other. They could be so much more together, she understood, and that was just from seeing them interact, both in the physical world and in the reactions of their souls.
But then, another question came to her. Could she have that? Could she disturb what was already between them? No. No, she couldn't, she realized.
Before she could continue her thoughts, Ritsuko's voice came over the intercom for the Entry Plug. "So, Rei, how is your first time in Unit-01 so far?"
Rei blinked as she thought for a moment. It was… familiar. Not only because it smelled like Shinji, but because of who was also there. Who was within Unit-01. "It is… not an unpleasant experience, Doctor Akagi," she replied slowly.
Ritsuko nodded as she turned to look at the synch rate monitor that Maya was stationed at. "Well, her synch rate is around the same level as it is in Unit-00." she mused. "I suppose it helps that Unit-00 and Unit-01 are very similar in their personal patterns."
"That it does, Senpai," Maya said with a look as thoughtful as Ritsuko's. "I think that might be why it's possible for them to synchronize in the first place."
As Ritsuko conversed with Maya, Misato looked into the patchworked Pribnow Box at Unit-01. She still wondered at the sight of it and held no small amount of unease at how little she truly knew about it. It was an organic thing, with cybernetics to allow for the pilots to interface with it and pilot it. But that was it. What powered these things? How did they even walk without crushing themselves? Were they like the Angels? How were they really even built?
All these questions and more gnawed at her as the test concluded. Unit-01 was taken out, and replaced by Unit-00, Shinji stepping into the Entry Plug.
He was slightly perplexed as to why only he and Rei were doing this test. Besides the fact that Asuka wouldn't allow anyone to touch her Eva with a 10-foot pole without her express permission, the specifics of why he was about to try what he was going to try were still kind of vague to him. If he thought hard enough, he could see the reasoning, that being that just in case one of the Evas and a pilot was unavailable, one of them could still sortie. But even still, that was reaching.
As Shinji began to synch with Unit-00, he couldn't help but notice the… strangeness of it all. It felt... hostile in the Entry Plug, like the Unit itself seethed with some unseen resentment. Even hatred.
"Alright, Shinji," Ritsuko's voice said, breaking his concentration slightly, "how does Unit-00 feel right now, here at level one of the test?"
After a moment's consideration, Shinji spoke. "It feels… weird. Kind of like Rei, but… not, somehow," he said carefully.
Asuka cut in from Unit-02's Entry Plug. "What does that even mean, Shinji? How could Unit-00 not feel like Wondergirl? It's her Eva, after all."
"Alright, Asuka, settle down and let Shinji continue the test," Ritsuko said after a moment.
Maya then spoke up. "Initiating level two contact."
The Entry Plug whirred as it connected more deeply with Unit-00. In the testing center, Ritsuko peered at the synchronization graph. "As expected, his synch score is lower in Unit-00 than it is in Unit-01," she said after a moment.
Maya nodded. "The harmonics are all nominal, but the score is just lower than usual. And it doesn't look like it's on the pilot's end."
"That's okay," Ritsuko replied assuredly. "With what readings we have, it means that the reasoning behind the Dummy System is sound."
Maya looked up at Ritsuko with no small amount of concern. "Senpai, with all due respect, the Dummy System seems… sketchy, at best."
Misato perked up her ears as she listened in. The Dummy System, for all its importance for being a backup plan for the Evas, was still a mystery to her. It rankled her to be kept in the dark so much.
"I understand any misgivings you might have," Ritsuko said, "but it is vital that we have a fallback plan for the Evangelions in case all else fails."
"I respect you, and I will do my job in making sure it works…" Maya paused for a moment. "But I'm not sure this Dummy System is the right call."
Ritsuko sighed and lowered her voice as Misato strained to listen. "I've found that being too principled around here can make things very difficult. I admire your conviction, Kouhai, but you need to learn when to keep that conviction in check. It's a difficult lesson to learn, but once you do, the work here becomes a lot easier. That's all I can say."
Maya looked back at the monitor wordlessly. Ritsuko sighed, straightening up and making her way to Rei's side at the window of the Box.
In Unit-00, the Plug hummed as the test went to level three of contact. Terms and callouts bounced around aimlessly in Shinji's head as he tried to concentrate. After a moment, they were ready. "Initiating A-10 connection. Stand by." Ritsuko said as the connection was finalized.
In a moment, a stabbing pain seemed to lance into Shinji's head as he clutched at it. It felt like something was boring into his mind from the base of his skull.
After a moment more, flashes of memory danced through his head, fast enough that it took some time before he could focus on them. They were… Rei's? He relived moments from her recent life, from when he saw her on the street before Sachiel, to when he visited her apartment, to even as recently as after she started to go off her medication.
Then, an overwhelming feeling began to press into his mind. One of anger, hatred even, but also one of desire. A desire for... what? For him?
The last thing he saw was the looming face of Rei, an almost terrifying look in her eyes, filling his entire view before everything went black.
In the observation area of the Pribnow Box, most everyone jumped back as the now blue giant threw its head about in seeming agony and began to struggle against its restraints.
Misato turned to look at Ritsuko. "What the hell is going on?" she shouted.
One of the techs, moving back to his station after jumping up from his seat, gave her an answer. "The harmonics have gone wild! We're reading massive abnormalities in the connection between pilot and Eva!"
Maya delivered perhaps the most worrying part of the news. "Psychological contamination has started to bleed across the connection!"
Ritsuko's eyes widened. "That should be impossible at the depth the Plug's at!"
Maya shook her head as the Eva continued to strain against its bindings, leaning ever closer towards the observation window like a chained animal. "The contamination is coming from the Eva itself! The pilot isn't showing up in the readings!"
As she said this, the Eva's restraints tore from the wall with a peal of metallic thunder, and it shook the now useless hunks of metal off its back and arms, stumbling towards the observation window.
As the Eva clutched its head with a hand, Ritsuko turned to the techs. "Break all the circuits! Shut it down!"
Its umbilical cable came off with the crack of explosive bolts, the cable's thrusters slowing its descent to the floor as the Eva leaned against the wall of the Box, seeming to peer in at the technicians as it writhed and clutched its head. All within the observation room had taken several steps back, as a timer counted down the Unit's auxiliary power.
Misato turned to Hyuga, who had since become Captain Hyuga, and leaned over the back of his chair. "What's Shinji's status?"
Hyuga shook his head. "Unknown, ma'am. As Ibuki said, he isn't showing up on any of the readings!"
Maya turned back to Ritsuko, who was staring up at Unit-00 in wide-eyed shock. "Senpai, the eject signal isn't getting through! The ejection mechanism won't activate!"
Ritsuko shook her head slightly. "Is it going to consume Shinji?" she said under her breath, but loud enough for Misato to catch it, who whipped her head around with wide eyes. Consume him? The Evas could do that?
The room shuddered as the Eva threw a massive punch, cracking the observation window. It punched again and again and again, each time threatening to shatter the window in Rei's face, who stood serenely watching the giant's assault.
Misato turned to Rei as the window shattered, pieces of glass flying past her. "Rei!" Misato shouted. "Get back!"
Rei turned, hiding a startled look as best she could before jogging back towards Misato's side as the Eva proceeded to turn to another wall, bashing its head against it over and over as a technician counted down the seconds until the Eva's power ran out.
As the timer reached zero, the Eva's head impacted one last time against the white, dented wall with a dull thunk, then slid down the wall, as it finally fell still.
Misato looked toward a group of technicians. "Extract the pilot! Now!"
As they scurried off, Misato looked at Rei, then at the Evangelion. 'Was the Eva trying to… kill Rei? And what did Ritsuko mean about "consuming" Shinji? What are you?'
- - -
Misato and Ritsuko sat alone in the cafe at the top of HQ, watching the Geofront mimic a sunset with drinks in hand. Misato wanted to say what she would say this way. It would be easier for both of them if they were a little buzzed. Trying to continue to patch things up with Ritsuko was simply a bonus, she thought, as she swirled her beer before taking a sip.
After a moment, Misato looked over at Ritsuko. "So, with the incident today, would it be connected to the last time it went berserk like that? When Rei piloted it?"
Ritsuko shrugged as she sipped the gin and coke she had gotten. "I'm not sure, though we can't rule out the possibility. We'll have to revert the Unit's data to Rei's and get a synchronization test, and follow through with Rei right away."
Misato nodded. "Alright. As Operations Director, I'm going to ask that you do that as soon as possible. I want to make sure that everything is ready to go in case of an emergency."
Ritsuko nodded in turn. "Will do, Major."
Misato sighed. "And all this before we get a new First Lieutenant to take Hyuga's place," she muttered.
A small smile came to Ritsuko's face. "So, what's the deal with that?"
Misato shook her head in wonderment. "Well, instead of picking someone from here inside HQ to promote, apparently the Committee decided to have us transfer someone from America. Specifically NERV-3 in Nevada. I haven't the slightest clue whether or not they'll speak Japanese, and I don't know about you, Ritsuko, but my English is rustier than I care to admit."
Ritsuko chuckled as Misato said this. "I'm sure it'll be fine, Misato. The Committee knows what it's doing. They wouldn't send someone who wasn't prepared for what they have to do."
Misato shook her head again. "Yeah, I guess," she admitted with a shrug.
They sipped at their drinks in silence for a while, before Misato asked the question that had been gnawing at her all day. "During the test," she said, pausing for a moment as Ritsuko looked over, "you said something about the possibility of the Eva 'consuming' Shinji. What does that even mean?"
Ritsuko's eyes hardened, and she looked away. "I can't tell you that," she said softly.
Misato's brow furrowed as a fist clenched beneath the table. "Why? You know everything about the Evangelions. You practically made the damn things! And the only thing I know is that I know next to nothing. So tell me. How would the Eva even begin to do something like that? What's inside the Evangelion?"
Ritsuko stared ahead out the window stoically. "Like I said, Misato. I can't tell you that."
Misato's hand unclenched and rose to her face, as she squeezed at the sides of her eyes, then pinched the bridge of her nose, before she stood. "Does our friendship mean nothing anymore, Ritsuko?" she asked, exasperation dripping off her words.
She simply stared ahead silently. After a moment, Misato scoffed in disgust and walked away.
As Misato exited, Ritsuko sighed. "Maybe… maybe it doesn't, anymore," she said quietly, to no one in particular.
- - -
Shinji awoke in near darkness, staring at a ceiling that was at once familiar and unfamiliar. 'I'm back at NERV's hospital.' he thought with resignation and a little annoyance.
As he stirred, he found that he was not alone in his room. From under a pale light, he saw Daniel and Eleanor sitting together, books in their hands. They looked up at him, warm smiles on their faces.
With them was Asuka, who had dozed off by his bedside, of all places. She seemed… at peace while she slept. Shinji smiled slightly. He liked when she looked like that.
"Well, hello, Shinji," Daniel said, stirring Asuka from her sleep. "It's good to see you awake."
Shinji sighed as he smiled weakly. "It's good to be awake."
. . .
In Central Dogma, Captain Hyuga walked up to Misato with a phone in his hand that he quickly pocketed. "Pilot Ikari has woken up, ma'am," he said, as Misato turned to face her. "He says he doesn't remember anything from after the test started."
Misato sighed. She would have to talk to him herself. Or talk to Daniel. He could find things out about that boy that she would never be able to. "I see," she said simply.
. . .
Fuyutsuki and Gendo sat in the cool blue light of Gendo's office, silent save for the clacking of Fuyutsuki's shogi tiles.
"So," Fuyutsuki said, breaking what could generously be considered a companionable silence, "The Committee found out about the last Angel's digital intrusion anyway."
"So it would seem, Sensei," Gendo said, the picture of composure.
Fuyutsuki spared a glance from the manual he was reading as he put down another tile. "You seem unconcerned with this, for the length that you went to in order to cover it up. And for how the Committee could pressure us with it," he said warningly.
Gendo barely moved. Fuyutsuki continued into the silence. "They are a miserable lot, content with complaining about our little failures, aren't they?" he asked sardonically.
Gendo finally spoke. "We needn't worry. We hold all the important cards, after all. There's nothing that they can do about that, Sensei."
"Not all of them, Gendo," Fuyutsuki warned. "That should be plenty of reason not to antagonize them further." Another clack as Fuyutsuki punctuated his statement by placing another shogi tile. "If SEELE got involved more closely with us now, things would become far more… complicated than they need to be."
Gendo shook his head ever so slightly. "Everything is proceeding according to the Scenario, Sensei. Our Scenario. As I said, it is nothing to be concerned about."
Another tile clacked as Fuyutsuki replied. "And what about the incident with Unit-00 earlier today? That certainly wasn't in any Scenario I thought of."
Gendo shrugged slightly. "It means nothing. Besides, the re-synchronization of Rei to the Unit was successful."
Fuyutsuki was silent for a moment as he placed his next piece. 'Ikari's become far more fixated on Rei recently.' Fuyutsuki mused. He only needed to think for a moment before he reached a sad realization. 'The anniversary's soon. No wonder. Oh, Yui…'
So, he decided to change the subject. "And what about Project Adam?"
Gendo gave no indication of his feelings about the change in topic. "It is proceeding smoothly. We've only barely begun to fall behind. And we'll catch up again."
Fuyutsuki paused in placing shogi tiles, his board setup complete. "And what of the Lance of Longinus?"
Gendo finally glanced at Fuyutsuki. "It's on its way. Rei is overseeing the operation."
Fuyutsuki nodded and looked down at his game of shogi. The board had been set. 'In more ways than one.' he mused.
. . .
Deep below, in the depths of Terminal Dogma, Rei sat in the Entry Plug of Unit-00, the massive crimson Lance of Longinus in her hands, as she stood before the massive gate of Heaven's Door. It slowly slid open and revealed a fleshy, pale white giant, crucified above the lake of LCL that it produced. Her progenitor. Lilith.
Even now, she felt the call, the pull of unification, of becoming whole. She was Lilith, after all. Her very soul was Lilith's.
But did she want that anymore? With all that she had experienced? As she inserted the Lance with a wet, sliding noise accompanying it, she pondered on the human element of her self.
- - -
One Week Later
Shinji stood in the quiet, seemingly desolate Impact Memorial Cemetery, in front of a tombstone that he had seen only once before, which bore the name of someone he had never seen face to face but treasured nonetheless, flowers in hand. He was alone right now, waiting for his father. Just him and his thoughts.
He thought back to a quiet ride in an elevator with Rei.
"So, Rei," Shinji said, as Rei turned back to look at him inquisitively, "what is my father like?"
Rei blinked. "Why do you ask?"
Shinji sighed. "Well, I saw you at one time having a conversation with him, and he seemed to enjoy it. So… do you know what my father is like?"
Shinji had no idea of the weight behind the pause as Rei looked down and considered what Shinji asked. After a moment, she looked him in the eye again, sadness surprisingly evident in her gaze. "I don't know, Shinji. And if I don't, I'm not sure anyone truly does."
He thought back to a conversation with Daniel, the rock he had depended on growing up.
Shinji sighed as he looked at one of his most precious possessions. It was a photo of his mother. A copy of a photo, from a yearbook the day she graduated college. Daniel had given it to him. Three years ago, now. "I don't even know what to say, Daniel." he finally said after a moment. "Should I even say anything?"
Daniel shook his head slowly. "I don't entirely know, Shinji. Just… go with what feels right. I know that probably sounds really stupid, but I trust that you'll know what needs to be said. And what doesn't."
He thought back to this afternoon, the trepidation he had felt as he went his separate ways from Misato and Asuka. Misato was going to a wedding, he remembered, and Asuka was going on a date with someone that Hikari recommended to her. And he was coming here, to the grave of his mother. Yui Ikari.
Gendo finally arrived, coming to a stop by Shinji's side. It was a long, awkward moment before he spoke. "It's been three years since we last met here," he said simply.
Shinji succeeded in suppressing a snort of derision. 'Met' was a strong word for what happened on that day, when he was 12 years old. He had barely said anything, didn't do anything, barely even acknowledged Shinji's existence then. Simply stared at the gravestone.
Shinji said nothing about how he had run away from home on the days of the anniversary since, as he laid the flowers on his mother's grave.
Shinji shook his head slowly. "It's still hard to believe that my mother is resting here. I've never even seen her face to face." he mused sadly.
Gendo was stoic. "People must be willing to forget to move on from such tragedy. I had to forget to move on. But some things must never be forgotten, however. Yui taught me that. That's why I come here. Because I have nothing else to remember her by. Not even pictures."
Shinji suppressed the instinct to reach for the photo that was even now in his pocket as his father continued. "Even the grave itself is a facade. There is no body buried here."
Shinji looked away. "I was told that you threw everything away after Mother died. I guess I know that all too well, now."
Gendo looked at the back of Shinji's head. "You keep what's important inside. The memories, and nothing more. Looking at the photos caused nothing but pain. Looking at you…"
Shinji turned to look at his father, tears welling in his eyes. "Is that it? Really? Is that why you sent me away all those years ago? Because I reminded you of her too much?"
Gendo looked down, and Shinji was shocked to see the beginnings of tears in his eyes. "Yes… Shinji," he said, in a surprisingly husky voice.
Shinji blinked and unconsciously stepped back. He had never expected this much emotion from his father, this much sincerity. So, they stood there and pondered on an empty grave.
In time, the whir of an aircraft's engines grew louder and louder, and one of NERV's tilt-jet transports soon touched down. Gendo walked towards it, then turned back. "It seems our time is up," he said with an air of finality.
After a moment's silence, he turned and walked back towards the aircraft, Shinji staring after him. As Gendo opened the door, Shinji caught a glimpse of Rei.
In a split second, Shinji made a decision. "Father!" he shouted, hoping his voice could be heard over the noise.
Gendo turned, and a forlorn smile came to Shinji's face. "I'm glad we were able to talk this time, Father."
Gendo nodded after a moment. "I see… son." He boarded the plane, and took off, leaving Shinji to turn back to the grave, finally taking out his mother's picture. A name, a face, and a date. It was all he had of her, now.
He stood vigil until the sun began to touch the horizon, then turned for home.
- - -
Across town, as the sun set and day became night, Kaji carried a groggy, drunken Misato on his back, walking back to her apartment, her heels in his hand.
Misato groaned. "I'm getting too old for this sort of thing. Y' shouldn't have done this f'r me, Ryoji." she slurred.
Kaji scoffed. "We're in the same boat, Misato. No use complaining about it now."
A quiet "Yeah…" presaged a moment of silence, broken only by Kaji's footsteps.
"Look at you," he finally said after a moment, "high heels and all. You're so mature now, so grown up. It makes me realize how long it's been."
Misato's arms, thrown around his shoulders, brushed against his chin. "Y' should shave. Y'r too stubbly." she said almost haltingly.
Kaji chuckled. "Yes, ma'am. I'll take it into consideration."
After a while, Misato gained the confidence to walk on her own, and they traveled in companionable silence. After a moment, Misato spoke. "Kaji… do you think I've changed?" she asked tentatively.
Kaji thought back to a conversation he, Misato, and Ritsuko had at the after-party of the wedding, how Ritsuko mentioned the contradictory nature of desiring change and wanting things to stay the same. "Well, you're more beautiful," he said after a moment.
After a moment more of silence, Misato looked over at him, remorse evident in her hazy eyes. "I never apologized for breaking up so suddenly. Back in college, I mean. Back on the elevator, we promised a story for a story, right?"
Kaji looked back into her eyes, his own full of understanding. "Yeah. Are you ready to tell yours?"
Misato looked ahead and nodded, then slowed to a stop, Kaji stopping just ahead of her and turning back. "That stuff about finding someone else… it was all a lie. I left… because it just hit me all at once how you reminded me of my father. It hit me all at once that I was looking for my father in the people that I dated. I had no idea what to do. So I did the simple thing at the time. I cut ties and I ran. I ran and ran, and continued to run."
Misato snorted softly as she looked down. "But I guess you caught up with me, in the end. After I had joined up with NERV, the organization that my father had a part in making, after I began to delude myself that I had joined to get revenge on the Angels, instead of… being close to the only part of him I had left."
She looked down, sniffling as she grabbed her arm. Kaji stepped toward her. "You made your choice, Misato," he said after a moment. "You don't need to apologize for anything."
Misato shook her head. "You're wrong! I didn't choose! I just ran! And I kept running because I was terrified of you! Of myself!"
She covered her face with one of her hands. "I'm worse than Shinji. At least he was brave enough to stay here, to fight under his father. The man he hates." she sobbed.
Kaji stepped forward, pulling Misato's hand down from her face. "That's enough, Misato."
She shook her head again. "Don't you see, Kaji? I'm still just a child, using and throwing away things when it's convenient. Like I threw you away. I'm worthless. How could you ever-"
She stopped as Kaji pulled her in for a deep kiss. They stood there for a moment, drinking each other in as Misato's heels slipped to the ground, forgotten.
After what seemed like an eternity in each other, Kaji pulled away, looking into Misato's puffy, red eyes. "I love you, Misato," he said, an utter conviction in his eyes. "Don't ever call yourself worthless again. Please."
Misato's eyes widened. Then, as she took his head in her hands, she pulled him in for another deep kiss. It was going to be just a little while longer until they got home.
- - -
As Shinji arrived home earlier that day, drained physically and emotionally, he decided on a whim to play his cello. He was alone in the apartment as he tuned the strings after a fair little while of not playing it. Well, Penpen was there, but he didn't really care as Shinji ran the ever-familiar bow across the strings. After a moment to warm up, he decided on something simple, something he could have his mind wander to, as the cello's resonant notes became Bach's Cello Suite Number 1. It was slow at first but picked up speed as Shinji settled into the rhythm.
His mind drifted on the notes, not hearing the front door open and shut. As he finished the piece, he jumped slightly as he heard clapping. "Good job, Shinji," Asuka said, a smile on her face as she stood in the living room. "I didn't even know you had an instrument with you."
Shinji blushed slightly as Asuka walked down the hall from the living room. "Well, I haven't really practiced that much since I came here. I've been busy with other things, like training and school."
Asuka nodded. "Well, keep at it! You obviously have a talent for it. It would be a shame to waste it."
Shinji nodded as she entered her room, which he happened to be sitting in front of. "Well, a teacher of mine said that I should pick it up. I haven't really stopped for long until now."
As Asuka sat down to lay on the floor, she turned to Shinji. "So why didn't you stop before, then?"
Shinji paused for a moment, smiling slightly. "Well, because Daniel enjoyed it. And I enjoyed him enjoying it. It was good."
Asuka sighed as she lay down, a small smile on her face. "That's Daniel for us, I guess. Always keeping the best parts of us in mind."
Shinji nodded. "Yeah," he said quietly. After a moment, he realized the time. "I'm surprised that you're home this early from your date, Asuka. I'd have thought you would have stayed out to do dinner."
Asuka scoffed in disgust as she rolled her eyes. "He was so boring! Kind of a sleaze as well. I ditched him in line for the rollercoaster."
Shinji winced slightly. "Ouch, Asuka. That's cold, even for you."
Asuka sat up to look at Shinji. "Trust me, Shinji. If you were there, you'd be much less forgiving." she shook her head. "Some days, it seems the only decent guys here are you and Kaji."
In the brief silence that followed, her eyes softened for a moment. "How was your trip to your mother's grave?"
Shinji grew introspective, looking down the length of his cello. "It was… different from what I expected. I think…"
He looked back up at Asuka. "I understand my father a little more now. I still hate him. But I understand."
Asuka looked away and down, nodding. After a moment, she stood and walked to the door of her room, one hand on her hip and an authoritative look in her eyes. "Well, enough moping! Impress me, music man. Serenade me while I get into something a little more comfortable."
She slid the door shut, and Shinji shook his head, smiling as he thought for a moment. Ah, yes. That one would do. As he remembered the notes, soon the apartment was filled with music again, as Shinji played the solo from Dvořák's Cello Concerto, thoughts of halcyon days going through his head.
In time though, as Asuka finished getting dressed and the concerto concluded, Shinji again noticed the lateness of the hour and the lateness of one Misato Katsuragi.
As time wore on, and Asuka insisted, Shinji pulled out his phone and called her. The phone rang for a moment, then Misato picked up, and answered in a voice that was obviously in the heat of the moment, and was made with the help of at least one too many drinks. "He-hey there! Sorry you can't… couldn't? Can't. Can't catch meeee… We're at an after-after-party. We're drinking. Kaji and I. We're going to have so, so much fun here! I'll be back… tonight? Tonight, I guess. I love you, Shinji! Good niiight!"
Shinji nodded slowly as Asuka watched from across the dining room table, a suspicious look in her eyes. "Alright, then," Shinji said after a moment. "Bye." the line went dead.
Asuka nodded. "So, an "after-after-party", huh?"
Shinji shrugged. "Well, we probably shouldn't wait up for her then."
Asuka rolled her eyes. "Probably? Shinji, she'll likely be out all night. Especially if she's drinking with Kaji."
Shinji nodded. "Makes sense, I guess."
The night wore on, and Asuka found herself sitting at the table, tapping one finger, her head in her arms, as Shinji sat across her and listened to music with headphones while he focused on homework. The more she looked at him the more frustrated she got. And, somewhat surprisingly, more scared.
After a moment, she mentally shook herself. This was ridiculous. She faced death on a regular basis, piloted a giant biomechanical robot into battle, and she was afraid of one little kiss? Enough was enough. This was as good a time as any.
She slid Shinji's laptop to the side, gaining his attention as she stared at him from her current position. "So, Shinji, do you want to try kissing?"
He looked back for a moment to pause his music and pulled out an earphone with a startled look on his face. "What?"
She straightened up, closing Shinji's laptop slowly as she looked intently into his eyes. "Kissing. Do you want to try it? If you do, then let's do it. Right here."
Shinji artfully responded with an "Uh…" as Asuka scooted around the table to be closer to him. Finally, as he pulled his head out of how good she smelled after her recent shower, he responded with actual words. "What? Why?"
Asuka rolled her eyes. "Because you're probably as bored as I am, and I'm pretty sure you've never kissed someone, either."
"You're bored… so you want to kiss…" Shinji said, the confusion in his eyes evident as Asuka stood and walked over to the entryway towards the living room. He stood as well, staying where he was.
A slight smirk came to Asuka's face as Shinji stood there. "You don't want to kiss a girl after a day like this, Shinji? Afraid that your mom is watching us from heaven?"
Shinji shook his head, a look of determination entering his eyes. "No. Not really."
Asuka's grin widened slightly. "Are you just scared of little old me?"
Shinji shook his head. "I'm not scared of a simple kiss, Asuka!"
Asuka rolled her eyes. "You brushed beforehand, right?"
Shinji simply nodded as he blushed. Asuka took that as her cue. "Okay then. Here we go."
Asuka stopped within inches of Shinji. He could tell doing this made her heart race just as much as it did his. He closed his eyes, preparing for what was coming.
After a moment without a kiss, Shinji cracked open his eyes to find Asuka staring at him, her shallow breath gusting across his face. "Don't…" she said, then paused for a moment. "Oh, screw it." She took his head in her hands and kissed him deeply.
Shinji's mind went blank, almost all thought fleeing as the kiss lit up his brain like a fireworks display, his cheeks flushing with heat. 'This is happening. Oh, god, this is really happening! Am I in a dream?'
The dream continued as Shinji desperately tried to find something, anything he could do to reciprocate. He settled on putting his arms around her, hugging her to him with a dull bump as their bodies collided softly.
He was about to let her move back, but she lowered her hands down his back, the motion tingling as her hands came to rest on his shoulder and his lower back, as her kiss became more vigorous, pleased mmhs and aahs escaping from Asuka.
'She isn't just kissing me because she's bored. There's no way she's bored anymore. No, she's… ooohhh...' Shinji's mind spiraled as the two of them wobbled together, the wobble turning into a walk as they spiraled into the living room, colliding with the thankfully soft arm of the couch as they tumbled onto each other.
The fall broke the kiss for a moment, Shinji's head rising as he fell on top of Asuka, but it was only a moment until she drew him back into a languid, long series of kisses that seemed to last just short of forever.
After what felt like forever, the two of them shifted to lay more comfortably on the couch, Asuka staring longingly into Shinji's eyes as she paused from making out. Shinji took the moment to speak. "I… I like you."
Asuka was silent for a moment. "Why?" she said, her eyes now wide and wondering.
"Well," Shinji said, shifting slightly in their embrace, "you are... beautiful. And you don't just exist, you… you live. You take each day and make it the best that you can. You're so brave, and smart, and more than I could ever hope to be and I have no idea what you see… in me..."
Shinji stopped as Asuka's brilliant sapphire eyes seemed to pin him to the couch and steal all thought.
"Say what you said again," she said with a startling intensity.
"What part?' Shinji said, a slight tone of fear creeping into his voice.
"The first part. Say it like you mean it." she stared with an expression Shinji had never seen on anyone before.
Shinji looked deep into that stare before he got his wits about him, a small smile coming to him. "I like you. And you're beautiful, Asuka."
Asuka blinked for a moment, then buried her head into his chest. "I like you too, Shinji." she paused for a moment. "Ever since that night… when I found out that you were just like me… I found myself falling for you. The rookie, of all things."
She chuckled slightly, and Shinji chuckled with her.
She looked up after a moment, mirth and annoyance, and a little of her familiar fire, mixed in her gaze. "So, this is what it took for you to finally notice me? After weeks, weeks, of attempts to flirt with you?"
She chuckled again. "You really can be a brick wall sometimes, Shinji."
Shinji looked at her in confusion. "Flirt? What do you mean, flirt?"
Asuka rolled her eyes. "Well, it's not like every girl uses her chest as an example to help with a homework problem, for one, Shinji! And… well, you did notice me, with that night before Israfel. That is what started all this, I guess."
She poked him in the ribs, causing him to wince a little. "You needed to be a little more confident, Shinji," she said with the confidence that was all her own. That confidence waned as a moment of silence came and went. "Though, maybe I should have been less confusing," she said softly.
Shinji shook his head slightly. "Come on Asuka. You were simply trying to be smart. I was the one who was a brick wall, after all."
Asuka chuckled and shook her head, laying her head on his chest once again. "Look at you. Caring and understanding and compassionate. And calm. Everything I'm not. Everything I lost with… with my mother."
A heartbeat passed in silence. Then another. Finally, she looked at Shinji again, eyes filled with an unexpected longing. "Can you help me find that part of me again?"
Shinji looked at Asuka for a moment and nodded. "Of course, Asuka. And if… if it isn't there, then I can help you make that part of you again. As long as you can help me find or make the part of me that's brave and strong, and alive like you are. Promise?"
Asuka nodded, an unsteady smile coming to her face. "Promise."
With that, she dipped her head into another kiss, and Shinji rose to meet her, long and lasting and languid, as time disappeared into their acceptance of each other.
However, their drinking in of each other was interrupted by a sound that was really almost an inevitability.
Beep. Hiss. Hiss.
Their eyes flew open as they flew apart, knowing instantly that Misato and likely Kaji were home. Asuka grabbed for the TV remote and tried not to appear too rushed as she flipped through the channels, appearing to look for something to watch.
After a moment, Kaji, and surprisingly, Daniel, carried a mumbling, slightly grinning Misato past the living room and into Misato's room. Shinji stood up to offer his help, which he found was not entirely necessary, as Asuka stood up to go over to Daniel and Kaji.
A quiet, seemingly meaningless conversation was interrupted as the two children made their way over, and Daniel and Kaji glanced at the kids. Kaji nodded after a moment, looking back to Misato's room with no small amount of longing in his eyes. "Well, I'd better get going then. Thanks, Daniel, for helping carry her in."
Asuka blinked, looking him in the eye for the first time since he came in. "You aren't staying the night?"
Kaji chuckled. "No, no. Not tonight. I don't have a change of clothes, and I'd get laughed out of work if I showed up in this." he said as he grabbed at the inside of his suit jacket.
Kaji and Daniel walked towards the door, as Shinji and Asuka drifted after, the two children coming to a stop at the entryway to the kitchen as the two adults made their way to the entrance to the entry hall. Kaji stopped for a moment.
He turned to look at Shinji, who blinked at the look in his eyes. "Take care of Misato, okay, Shinji?" he asked softly.
Shinji, slightly taken aback, nodded after a moment. "Of course, Mr. Kaji."
A small, forlorn smile came to Kaji's face, and he disappeared down the entry hall, the door opening and closing after a moment.
Daniel stood there looking at the door for a moment, then looked at Shinji and Asuka, a slight, happy smile coming to his face. "Well, I'd better get going too." Daniel shook his head as he chuckled. "It looks like Misato's going to need to be out all night, so… don't be too loud, okay?"
Shinji nodded in confusion as Asuka's eyes widened and her face slowly became red. "Uh… okay?" Shinji said after a moment.
Daniel nodded. "Alright. Good night, you two. If you need anything," he said, turning towards the entryway while throwing them a blink and you miss it wink, "you know where to find me."
He disappeared into the entry hall as well, and the quiet hiss of the door opening and closing left Shinji and Asuka to their own devices.
After a moment, Asuka slowly shook her head, seeming to get her wits about her. "Lavender perfume..."
Shinji turned to look at Asuka. "What? Lavender perfume?"
Asuka looked at Shinji with a slightly critical eye. "Yeah. Misato's lavender perfume. It was all over Kaji when he came in. That means… They're back together."
A smile came to Asuka as she placed her hands on her hips. "I guess it turns out that they didn't need our help, after all."
Shinji blinked. "Help?"
Asuka rolled her eyes. "I'll tell you about it later. In the meantime," she said, pausing as she blushed deeply, "it's time for us to go to bed. It's late after all, and there is school tomorrow."
Shinji nodded. "Alright." he couldn't help but feel a little sad, now. The moment, one where things just finally made the perfect amount of sense and nonsense, had passed. It was inevitable, really. He made his way to his room and changed into his nightclothes.
As he turned around to close the door, he found, to his great surprise, that Asuka stood in the doorway, similarly dressed in her own nightclothes, hands on her hips and a brow raised. "Shinji, what are you doing?" she asked quizzically.
Shinji stepped back a little, blushing almost immediately. "Uh… going to bed?"
Asuka sighed and rolled her eyes. "When I said we were going to bed, I said nothing about going to separate beds."
She stepped in, grabbing Shinji's arm, as he jumped a little. "Come on. My bed is bigger. You know that perfectly well."
As she led him into her room, Shinji blinked as she lay down on the bed, scooting over to give him room. He stood there for a moment, then shook his head. "Asuka… is this a dream? Am I dreaming?"
Asuka propped herself up and looked at Shinji for a moment. "I don't know, Shinji," she admitted. "Maybe it is. Maybe we're both dreaming."
She took off her shirt and threw it off the bed. "But if we are, let's make it a good one."
She frowned, an angry look with no bite behind it. "Now, hurry up and get in bed! It's cold."
Shinji, his eyes wide with shock, slowly took off his own shirt, for reasons that baffled him at the moment, as he slid into bed with Asuka, their arms almost instinctively wrapping around each other.
They basked in each other's warmth for a little while. Asuka broke the silence after a moment. "I almost forgot how nice this is. Not looking forward to any nightmares."
Shinji nodded. "Yeah. It is nice."
Asuka nodded silently with him. She grabbed his face tenderly, looking into his eyes. "Shinji," she said, softly, "I don't want to wake up from this dream. I don't think you do too. So…" she paused for a moment, and Shinji gasped slightly as tears welled up in her eyes.
"Promise you won't wake up and leave me?" she said, her voice becoming slightly unsteady.
Shinji paused for a moment. He knew, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that what he said next meant… everything. Then he nodded. "Promise. For as long as you'll have me."
Asuka sniffled as she smiled, then the smile faded for a moment. "Then… we can't tell anyone."
Shinji's brow furrowed in concern. "Why not?"
Asuka sighed. "Well, if Misato found out about this, you don't think the first thing she would do is treat us like misbehaving little kids and separate us?" she shook her head. "Misato thinks we're still kids, and you know that. NERV still thinks that. But… we aren't. Not anymore. We're soldiers, Shinji, and they expect us to act like soldiers. They expect us to act grown up." Asuka's brow furrowed. "Now, they get to deal with us acting like grown-ups."
Shinji nodded. "So... "
Asuka gave a determined nod. "We have to wait to tell anyone. Until we can be sure that something like that won't happen. That you won't be…" she trailed off, unwilling to finish the thought.
They stayed silent, wrapped up in each other, until Shinji blushed and looked down, trying to scoot his hips back slightly. Asuka couldn't help but notice, as she looked at Shinji with no small amount of confusion.
After no small amount of stuttering, Shinji finally found what he felt he could say without feeling pain quickly after. "Uh… speaking of thermal expansion… I… uh..."
Asuka stared at him for a moment, then snorted, and began to laugh quietly as she put a hand on his lower back, Shinji stifling an 'eep' as she did so.
"Oh, that? Well, that's hard to miss," she said with a mischievous grin. That grin faded after a moment, and Shinji felt concern begin to grow in his chest.
"We…" it seemed it was Asuka's turn to stutter. "Well… we don't have… we don't really have any… protection. Otherwise," she paused, blushing furiously, "well, otherwise we could do something about that."
Shinji blinked, then blinked again. Was she really willing to go that far? "Do something… you mean that?"
Asuka rolled her eyes. "Of course, Shinji! Don't tell me you haven't thought about it too." she took the silence that came as an answer as she smirked. "I thought so. Pervert."
"Hey!" Shinji said with no small amount of indignation. "You admitted to it too!"
Asuka rolled her eyes. "Well, of course, I did! I didn't say that thinking about it was anything bad. Like you said, I've thought about it too."
Asuka was quiet for a moment. "Of course," she said, a wicked grin coming to her face, using the hand on Shinji's lower back to pull his hips closer, an 'eep' definitely escaping Shinji now, "just because we don't have any protection, doesn't mean that we can't do anything…"
She pulled him into a passionate kiss, and he rose to meet that passion.
- - -
In the apartment over, Daniel closed off his Sight, the souls of the two pilots fading from view. They deserved their privacy for what came next, after all.
Eleanor followed suit, and the two of them lay in bed quietly, reflecting on the art show of the souls they had just watched. Daniel spoke quietly after a moment. "Ah, young love. It's a rare thing, to watch two souls as love becomes realized."
Eleanor nodded. "Yeah." she looked at Daniel after a moment. "You know… this was a turning point in the show."
Daniel nodded. "That it was. Now, the world will never be the same."
Eleanor rolled her eyes. "As if it wasn't already with how much you've been a part of their lives?"
Daniel shrugged after a moment. "Point taken."
They held each other in bed, basking in each other's warmth. After a moment, Daniel spoke up. "I've missed this. Being close to you, being able to know that you still love me."
Eleanor lightly cupped his face in one hand. "Daniel… I've never stopped loving you. Ever. Even if you feel you didn't deserve it."
Daniel looked away from Eleanor, remorseful. "Then you are a far kinder judge of me than I am."
Eleanor guided Daniel's gaze back to her. "Please. Don't say that."
Silence reigned for a moment as they simply gazed into each other's eyes. Daniel sighed. "I know I haven't been able to love myself fully in a long, long time. But… I never stopped loving you. Not for a moment."
A sad smile came to Eleanor. "Daniel…" she decided actions would better express her feelings than words, as she pulled him into a deep, slow kiss. Their souls sang to each other, and the night passed on as love bloomed again between two long-lost lovers.
- - -
The morning was a surreal haze for the two pilots, as they tried their best to put on a normal face for the surely suspicious Misato, while, separately, they ran through the events of the night over and over again.
'That happened.' Shinji slowly realized as he put his nightclothes back on his mat to avoid suspicion. 'That actually happened last night! She likes me! No. No, now it's more than that. I'm sure of it.'
Asuka came to much the same conclusion as she and Shinji ate breakfast across from an absolutely wiped Misato, her head hung low as a bottle of aspirin accompanied the glass of water she sipped from and the breakfast Shinji had made for them. 'He did it. He finally noticed that I like him. Finally! And last night…' she hid a smile as she thought about… well, everything that they did that could avoid a surprise 9 months down the road. Then the smile faded slightly. 'Now… now what? We promised so much.'
She mentally steeled herself as she looked over at Shinji. 'And I intend to keep those promises. He said he wouldn't wake up and walk away. Now, I have to do the same.'
They got ready, and walked out the door to school. Rei was conspicuously absent, and Daniel and Eleanor joined them in the elevator down.
After a moment, Daniel cracked a sly smirk. "So… was last night fun?"
Shinji and Asuka jumped, their faces turning bright red as Asuka turned to look at Daniel. "How do you even know?" she said in a strangled voice.
Daniel chuckled slightly. "Besides the fact that it's been written on your faces, plain as day since I last saw you last night?" Daniel's sly smirk became a warm smile. "You two are radiant right now. Not just your blushes, but how… happy you both are. Both as two people and as a couple. It's good to see." Eleanor nodded in support, a soft smile on her own face.
The blushes on Shinji and Asuka faded somewhat as they both considered these words. "Well," Asuka said, as the elevator doors opened and they walked into the parking lot, "I guess it was going to be impossible to keep anything from you, really."
Asuka slowed to a stop, then turned to Daniel, an almost impossible look of fear in her eyes. "Don't… please don't tell anyone else, though. We just found this out about ourselves, and… I don't want it to end because we have to be separated."
Daniel nodded. "Your secret is safe with us. And, like I said, if you need anything, you know where we are."
Asuka nodded, the blush disappearing from her face. Daniel made a shooing motion. "Now, go on, love birds! You don't want to miss school, now!"
Asuka rolled her eyes and Shinji nodded, and both turned towards their walk to school.
As they went through the school day, Asuka noticed something. Shinji was… taller. No, he just didn't slouch like he used to. It was actually rather attractive, seeing him so… confident. She liked that look on him. A lot.
Of course, that meant that rumors were flying around with a renewed intensity. What had caused Shinji Ikari, renowned quiet kid, to suddenly become so much more confident? And did it have anything to do with living with the Little Red Devil, Asuka Soryu-Langley?
Toji and Kensuke, almost unsurprisingly, were found in the center of some of the more wild rumors, and Hikari was doing her best to quash them, as always, but now, Asuka didn't mind too much. After all, a few of them were even true.
But, as another class started, Shinji and Asuka turned and noted a particular absence once again. Rei did not come to school with them today, something to do with NERV, more than likely. Asuka sighed. She had come to care for Wondergirl, far more than even she had expected, when she found out about what NERV put her through. A part of her hoped that Rei would be okay, whatever she was going through.
- - -
Deep in the Geofront, in a room isolated from almost everyone else in NERV, Gendo Ikari stared up at a tube of LCL, and the occupant that floated inside it.
Rei Ayanami was silent, her eyes closed as she enjoyed the weightless feeling of being in the LCL tube like this. It was swiftly becoming the only thing she enjoyed about the experience, however.
So, attempting to keep a level face in the presence of Gendo, her mind wandered. She saw the light of Shinji and Asuka's souls as they interacted with each other the night before. It was magical to see. A fireworks display of emotion and outburst and response, silent and invisible to all but her. She would treasure the memory of seeing it unfold.
It also awakened a feeling within her that she never expected to feel for Shinji and Asuka, her two first, and so far, only friends. Jealousy. She envied them. For being able to connect in such a fundamental way, and that such a connection could not involve her. Then, another emotion sprang to life within her. Guilt, this one was called.
Who was she to stand between such a wonder of human expression? Who was anyone? There was no reason not to be happy for her friends. To not continue to find wonder in the light of their souls. She may not find such a thing herself, and perhaps she might never, but she could protect that light in Shinji and Asuka. That she could do. And as she opened her eyes, she smiled.
Looking down at Gendo, she saw him smile too. He had no idea what she was thinking about, but when he smiled… she couldn't help but see Shinji in it. Sadness filled her as she considered what might have been. She never let it show on her face.
. . .
Deep below them, down near Terminal Dogma, yet another person who really should not have been there messed with a door panel, the small, steady red light of a card reader a measurement of his progress. As he stood to open the door, he felt the cool, hard touch of the barrel of a gun at the back of his head, and the silence was broken by the click of a safety.
Kaji slowly raised his hands. He knew who this was. The lingering perfume gave everything away, really. "So, how's the hangover treating you?" he said to a waiting Misato.
Misato rolled her eyes. "Fine now, Kaji. Thanks for the extra-strength aspirin."
Kaji nodded. "Good to hear."
After a moment Misato spoke again. "So, Kaji, are you currently engaged in your main job, or is this just something on the side?"
Kaji shrugged. "How mad would you be if I said yes?"
Misato sighed slightly. "You may be a Special Inspector for NERV's Intelligence Division, Kaji. But I also know you work for the Ministry of the Interior as part of the Investigations Division."
Kaji snorted slightly. "Well, Misato, you do know your stuff, don't you?"
Misato sighed again. "Kaji, don't mess with NERV. It won't end well for you."
Kaji stood still, hands still aloft. "So, did Commander Ikari send you?"
"No, Kaji," Misato replied. "I'm here on my own. I'm tired of being kept in the dark. But if you keep going like you are, you're going to end up dead. I'm certain of it."
Kaji rolled his eyes. "I'm still useful to Ikari. He won't dispose of me just yet. And besides, I don't think the Ministry of the Interior is going to be tired of hearing from me anytime soon."
He paused for a moment. "However, I do have to apologize for keeping secrets from you. That's a bad sign in a relationship, after all."
Misato blinked. "Well, after yesterday, I think we can call it even."
Kaji chuckled. "My, but you're too kind. But I'm not the only one keeping secrets from you. The Commander and Ritsky are, too."
He swiped the keycard, the light flashing green as the door in front of him slowly opened. "Like this."
Misato lowered her gun from the back of Kaji's head as she gazed in wide-eyed shock at the massive, Angelic form in front of them, crucified with massive nails, and a crimson spear piercing its breast. "Is that… no..." haunting memories flashed through her mind, and a spectral chill began to cling to Misato.
Kaji nodded. "Yes, Misato. This is the key to everything surrounding Second Impact, and the linchpin in a Scenario far greater than even NERV. That… is Adam."
Misato's eyes grew wider still. "Adam… he's here? Hanging right in front of us?"
"Not exactly, Misato. That is not Adam."
Kaji and Misato spun around, and Misato aimed her gun down the hallway, prepared to put a bullet in the head of… Daniel, standing behind them with a grave look on his face and holding a manila packet containing documents that laid out how the world could be forever changed.
"Daniel?" Kaji and Misato said almost in unison. After a moment of stunned silence, Misato stepped forward. "What do you mean that isn't Adam? How do you know?"
Daniel stepped forward as well, lifting up the packet he carried. "Compliments of an old friend in Germany, as well as some observations of my own. Would you like to know more? You did just say that you were tired of being left in the dark, Misato."
Misato pondered on this for a moment, then nodded. "You're right. I can't speak for Kaji, but I am tired of not knowing anything about who I'm working for, or how things work."
Kaji nodded as he stepped up beside her. "Yeah. And you seem to have some insights I wouldn't mind hearing."
Daniel nodded. "Alright then. We should get to a secure place then, make sure no one will be listening in on us."
He hefted the packet, a grim smile coming to his face. "After all, we have a lot to talk about. And these documents have a lot to tell us."
A shadow eclipses Tokyo-3, as revelations and new arrivals begin to settle in. Within the shadows lies something. But what? That question, and the answers to it, will shake the very foundations of people, of NERV, of the world. Next Episode: Reflections in a Black Sea.
Self-reflection is a highly beneficial thing. However, the sort of thing that Leliel did… I could hardly call it that. I still have nightmares about what happened that day. The unexpected. The dreaded. All things that I could have stopped if I wanted to. It would have been so easy. But I am not a god. I have no right to be, after…
Regardless, there is a silver lining to the ordeal. What blossomed in its wake, and what caused some to begin thinking. Questioning. The Scenario began to unravel ever faster...
Early December 2015
Misato stood on the command bridge of Central Dogma, mind still reeling from the revelations she and Kaji had been party to only a few days ago. Almost against her will, she thought back on just a few of the things that she had learned in Kaji's hidden shack in the Geofront, in the middle of a watermelon patch, of all places.
The white giant: Lilith, the "Second Angel", which was apparently, according to ancient scrolls found at the Dead Sea in the Middle East decades ago, the progenitor of all life on Earth, up to and including the human race. Adam, who was related to her…? She stuck with her, as the progenitor of the Angels, but was still different from Lilith, somehow.
Instrumentality: the process in which SEELE, better known as the Human Instrumentality Committee, or the bastards who had awoken Adam, would turn all the people of the world into LCL in order to achieve some sort of godhood. That plan was both baffling and terrifying in equal measure.
The Marduk Institute: a sham. Kaji had figured that out for himself, but even he was somewhat shocked to find that the process for choosing the pilot of any given Evangelion was entirely up to Ritsuko.
The Evangelions… Misato barely wanted to think about them. What they were made of. What powered them. Who powered them. 'Shinji… Asuka… Rei… my god. What have we done to you?'
Her slightly horrified reverie was cut short as the personal elevator to the command bridge clicked into place, signaling someone's arrival. She turned and looked at the new arrival from NERV-3.
She was a surprisingly tall woman, thin and clearly fit, like a dancer. Her olive skin and bob-cut chestnut brown hair was accentuated by startlingly intense green eyes that swept around their new environment with cool, practiced ease.
That gaze soon settled on Misato as she stepped forward and saluted. "First Lieutenant Adira Faez reporting for duty, Major," she said in surprisingly decent Japanese.
Misato saluted back, and as both dropped the salute, she stretched out a hand. "Welcome to NERV HQ, Lieutenant Faez. As I'm sure you know, I'm Major Misato Katsuragi. You'll be taking Captain Hyuga's former position, correct?"
Lieutenant Faez nodded. "Yes, ma'am. I understand I'll be assigned to the Operations Division that oversees combat missions, correct?"
Misato nodded. "Yes, that is the case, but you'll be on hand for other duties, as well. For example, we have a synchronization test that we will be observing and taking part in later today. I want you to hang close to First Lieutenant Ibuki then. She's second in command of the Science Division and is…" she paused for a moment and looked over her shoulder. "Right there. Maya!"
Maya turned around from her console, a slightly puzzled look disappearing as she waved at First Lieutenant Faez.
Faez, for her part, awkwardly raised her hand in greeting as Maya turned back to her console.
Misato continued. "And now you know what she looks like. Keep an eye on how we monitor the synchronization rates for the Evangelions. That will be part of your initiation here. We expect you to be well-rounded in your skills."
Faez nodded, a small smirk tugging at a corner of her mouth. "I'm used to that, ma'am. 'Well rounded' was a necessity in the field. Especially in a helmet. Kept you from getting domed unexpectedly."
Misato stifled a snort. "I know what you mean. You served in the Impact Wars too?"
Faez nodded. "Yes, ma'am. Valkyrie Division of the United States Army."
Misato's eyebrows rose. "The all-female unit? You have my well-earned respect, Lieutenant."
"Thank you," Faez said with a small nod.
Misato smiled. "Not a problem." she turned and walked towards the front of the command bridge, motioning for Faez to follow. They stopped in front of another console, as Misato put a hand on the shoulder of the person occupying it.
"And this is Captain Hyuga, your immediate superior," Misato said as Hyuga turned around, standing up and saluting to Misato. "Hyuga, this is First Lieutenant Faez. She'll be taking your place here and reporting to you. You'll also be guiding her through the first few weeks she works here. I assume that you have that taken care of?"
Hyuga nodded. 'Yes, ma'am. Everything has been arranged so that she'll be able to learn all of her duties here."
Misato nodded. "Very well. I look forward to seeing the results." she turned to Faez again with a small smile. "One last thing." Faez tilted her head slightly, giving no other indication of her puzzlement. "What do you say to meeting over drinks at the end of the day?"
Faez's brow arched slightly. "Why so, if I may ask, ma'am?"
Misato shrugged. "I simply find that getting to know my coworkers over drinks makes working with them easier. And besides, you probably have a lot of interesting stories from your time in the field. If you're willing to share, I'll tell you some of mine?"
Faez shifted slightly. She didn't speak for a moment, then gave a slight smile. "Would that be an order, ma'am?"
Misato shook her head slightly. "Do I have to make it an order for you to relax?" she said in a slightly more teasing tone than either Hyuga or Faez expected.
Faez shifted again, then sighed slightly after a moment, rolling her eyes. "No, ma'am. I suppose not."
Misato gave a warm smile. "Excellent. I'll see you at the cafe up at the top of the pyramid." she turned to Hyuga. "Alright, Hyuga, I leave her in your care. And I'll see you two at the synchronization test later today." she sighed heavily, a forlorn look coming over her face like a storm cloud. "I have paperwork to go be worried about."
As she walked off, Faez turned to Hyuga, who chuckled. "Yeah, that's Major Katsuragi for you. I think you'll find that we're a little more informal than you might have expected."
Faez shrugged. "I guess it isn't a bad thing. I mean, it's not like she's going to get shot here, of all places. I guess I can afford to relax a little." She nodded to Hyuga. "So, what am I expected to do?"
Hyuga nodded and gestured towards his station. "Alright, here is where you are going to be nine times out of ten in a combat situation…"
- - -
The Children settled into the Test Plugs, and the day's synchronization test began in earnest. As the Plugs hummed and the Children within them concentrated, Misato looked over at Hyuga and Faez, seated next to Maya as they worked and Faez observed intently.
From what she had seen of her since the initial meeting, Faez seemed to soak up information like a sponge and was able to recall it nearly perfectly. Misato had her figured for field intelligence. She was clearly a soldier, and a damn good one at that if she was a part of the Valkyrie Division.
Misato nodded. She would make life interesting around here. There was no doubt about that. If nothing else, it was clear that she had more than a few stories. Whether or not she would tell any of them… well, that was another matter entirely.
Misato's mood shifted as Ritsuko moved over to study Maya's display. Knowing what she did now, Ritsuko had become something… more than what she once was. It sometimes seemed that the Ritsuko that she knew was gone, replaced by something… sinister. A player of a game that used the Children as pawns, used her as a pawn.
But there were still hints of the person that she had been friends with in college. There was still someone she was trying to rebuild bridges with. She didn't know what to feel about Ritsuko anymore. And for some reason, that terrified her more than anything else.
Ritsuko, unaware of this conflict within Misato, nodded at the readings of the pilot's synchronization scores. "My, that's quite impressive. Shinji's made a 4-point jump since the last time that we tested. He's nearly caught up with Asuka. Are these results stable, or is he fluctuating?"
Maya nodded as she looked at the monitor, motioning for Faez to look at the screen with her. "No, ma'am. He seems to be holding at 75%."
She glanced over at Faez. "See the comparisons between the three pilots? This upper bar," she said, gesturing to a line at the top of the graph of the three pilot's scores, "is the percentage we find is the best for allowing the pilots to use their Evangelions to maximum effect." Faez nodded silently in understanding.
Ritsuko pointed to another bar on the graph. "It looks like Asuka made a jump in score too. She's now at 78%." she shook her head slightly. "Still the best, as she would like it. I wonder what could have happened to create such a jump between the two of them."
Maya looked up at Ritsuko. "Maybe they're just finally comfortable working around each other now. They've had time to settle into their roles here. Maybe they just finally know what the status quo is for them."
Misato felt a small smile tug at her mouth. "Maybe they finally started dating," she said coyly. "They have been dancing around each other for ages now."
Maya blushed slightly while Ritsuko regarded Misato coolly. "Like you and Kaji?" she said without inflection.
Misato looked back with no small amount of blushing evident in her cheeks. "You know it's not like that, Ritsuko."
Ritsuko continued to stare calmly at Misato. "Come on. It's written all over your face. I'm sure even Aoba could tell."
Misato turned back to look out the window of the observation room while Ritsuko walked over to another monitor to look at some other set of readings, and Maya noticed Faez regarding the both of them with no small amount of confusion. She leaned over to the new Lieutenant. "They're old college friends," she whispered.
Faez nodded. "Ah. That makes sense," she said quietly.
Maya nodded in turn, a sad look crossing her face. "Though 'friend' is starting to look like a strong way to put it."
As Faez processed this, Misato keyed up the link to the pilots after looking over some more of the readings. "Shinji? Can you hear me?"
On the screen, a seemingly serene Shinji opened his eyes and looked up. He seemed happier than usual. The smile on his face seemed brighter, somehow. "Yes, Misato? How is my score?"
Misato cracked a smile. "You're just behind Asuka by three points. Who knows, you might match her one day."
Asuka opened her eyes as she heard this. "Maybe due to my excellent training, Misato. But even then, he'll still be chasing me. It's not as though I'm going to stop trying to be the best. That would be ridiculous!"
Misato rolled her eyes as she shook her head and smiled. "Of course, Asuka."
She looked at Rei, serene on the screen, and couldn't quite suppress the flash of memory of the massive pile of medications that Rei had taken, all with Ritsuko's name on them. "So, Rei," Misato said, pausing as Rei opened her eyes, "you've been making good progress, too. I think that this is the highest synch score I've ever seen you achieve! Good work!"
Rei nodded slightly as an equally slight smile came to her face. "Thank you, Major Katsuragi."
- - -
Shinji, Asuka, and Rei all decided to walk home after the test concluded. It gave them an opportunity to stretch their legs, and Misato wasn't going to be able to get them home tonight due to her other duties.
Rei lagged slightly behind Shinji and Asuka, taking in the light of their souls. It was a mesmerizing thing, as always, though they were strangely skittish of showing any of their love and want for each other in public. Rei wondered why for a moment, and then decided to simply ask them. "Shinji. Asuka."
They both slowed slightly, looking back at Rei as she began to catch up with them. "Yeah? What is it, Rei?" Asuka asked, a slightly puzzled look on her face.
"You two are attracted to each other. So why do you not show it in public settings? Is it a secret?" Rei asked quietly.
Asuka and Shinji both began to blush as Asuka sighed heavily and looked up with a pained expression. "Are we really that obvious? Really?"
Shinji shook his head after a moment of looking around to ensure that they were, in fact, alone. "Well, Asuka," he said slowly, "we can only really count the number of people who know on one hand still. I think it's okay to let her know."
Asuka stared at Shinji with barely restrained annoyance for a silent moment, then sighed. "Fine."
She took a moment to gather her thoughts as her blush faded. With a deep breath, Asuka began to speak. "So, you know what it's like to fully find out something that you only vaguely had an idea about, right?"
Rei nodded after a moment, a small smile on her face. "Yes, Asuka. I have you to thank for that."
Asuka nodded. "Yeah. It's like that but… I don't even know how to really describe it. The whole world has changed in an instant, and I'm not even sure what to make of it. Neither of us is, really."
She paused for a moment, as she reached out and grabbed Shinji's hand. "But we can't let anyone know. Especially if they're from NERV. Then… then they would separate us, even with as much as I would kick and scream about it. And then I couldn't find out more about this thing I had just discovered."
Asuka shook her head after a moment. "Oh, what am I saying? I probably don't make any sense right now."
Rei shook her head slightly. "No, Asuka. That does make sense. As I must hide the fact that I have begun to go off my medications from Commander Ikari, fearing he will separate me from my newfound perception of the world, you, too, must hide your relationship from our superiors at NERV, due to your fear that you will be separated from experiencing what you two wish to experience."
Asuka and Shinji nodded slowly. "In so many words, yes, Wondergirl. You hit the nail on the head." Asuka said after a moment.
Rei nodded. "Your secret is safe with me. You can trust me not to tell anyone else you do not wish to know."
Shinji nodded. "And you're the sort of person I think we can trust when you say that. Thank you, Rei."
Rei's smile grew slightly wider. "You are welcome, Shinji."
Asuka nodded. "Well, at least we can be sure we'll be okay when we tell her that we're going on a date tonight after we finish our schoolwork," she said. "Though I don't think we'll go on a 'proper date' anytime soon," she mumbled.
Rei nodded. "You have mentioned what it is like to go on a date with someone." she paused for a moment. "Asuka, do you have any recommendations as to who would be a potential candidate for me to go on a date with?"
Asuka looked at Rei with genuine surprise now, and Shinji's eyes widened. "Oh… well…" Asuka said, looking down as she blushed. "Well… I mean, I might not be the best person to ask about that. Hikari has been the one that's set me up most often. But if you don't want to go to her…"
Asuka puffed out her cheeks for a moment. "I mean, Toji's already being scoped out by Hikari." A muttered "still don't know what she sees in the dolt" didn't pass by anyone unnoticed before she continued. "And most everyone else at school is either not interested in dating or is dating someone already… except Kensuke."
Asuka scoffed. "Though I don't know about that. He's more than a little weird, as I'm sure you can tell."
Rei looked down and was silent for a moment before she looked back at the other two Children. "Well, Kensuke is intelligent, driven, and passionate about what he likes. He may have unique ways of showing that passion and intelligence, but that is not necessarily a negative trait."
Silence fell over the group as Shinji and Asuka considered the surprisingly insightful look into Kensuke that they had received from their friend. "Rei," Asuka said after a moment, "that is perhaps the first compliment I have ever heard about Kensuke. From anyone, really. Good job, Rei."
Rei nodded slightly as they entered the parking lot for their apartment. "Thank you, Asuka."
- - -
It was a quiet, sunny afternoon. In the city, everything cast some sort of shadow. The buildings, the streetlights, the shades over the shop windows, the cars.
It was beneath one such car that its shadow seemed to take up a life of its own, as the darkness spread unnaturally from beneath the body of the car, undulating like a churning sea as it spread to encompass the street, then the entire block. Then, everything within the shadow's grasp rippled, as white light seemed to emanate from it, the shadow pooling up into the sky in an instant to form a massive sphere.
. . .
Alarms screamed in Central Dogma as Misato hurriedly stepped off the elevator onto the command bridge, coming to a stop beside Captain Hyuga and Ritsuko. "What the hell is going on?" she said as she looked in baffled awe at the main screen, which showed the ominous, massive black and white striped sphere hovering silently over the city. Leliel. That was what Daniel called it in the meeting two weeks ago.
Faez turned and looked at the trio. "Contact appeared over the northeastern districts as of 15 minutes ago and has been moving south-west at about 2.5 klicks per hour."
Aoba turned as well. "Evacuation of the surrounding districts is complete, ma'am. The rest of the city will be evacuated within the hour."
Maya turned to face them all. "We're getting a Pattern Orange on the unidentified object. No AT Field detected. The Magi is withholding judgment on whether or not it is an Angel."
Misato shook her head. "Not an Angel? Come on, look at it! How could it not be an Angel?" she growled slightly and shook her head. "And where is Commander Ikari at a time like this?" she said under her breath.
She looked back up at the screen. "What's the status of the Evas?"
Daniel walked up beside Misato from his console. "They've been deployed and are arming at various weapons stations surrounding the contact."
Misato looked at the main screen as three panels appeared on it, each a camera feed of one of the Evangelions pressed against the taller buildings for cover. Unit-01 held the rarely used Pallet Magnum, Unit-02 hefted a Progressive Ax, and Unit-00 held back, sighting a massive sniper rifle.
A wireframe hologram stretched out below them, showing a spiderweb-like view of the city, the contact an appropriately orange sphere hovering above, and the three dots of the Units roughly 4 or 5 kilometers from it.
Misato looked to Faez. "Open a link to the Evas."
Faez nodded, and soon the three pilots themselves showed up on a screen that had appeared on the low wall of the command bridge.
"Alright, pilots," Misato said, all business now, "we're sending you what little data we have on this thing. Observe its reactions for the moment, and lure it out of the city's airspace if you can."
She paused for a moment. "We're going to be cautious with this thing. One of you takes point in investigating it, while the other two provide backup."
"Yes, ma'am!" Asuka said, a cheery smile offset by eyes full of confidence. "I'll go ahead and take point. Shinji can be my immediate backup, and Rei can stay back and watch out for us in case this thing does anything stupid."
Asuka turned to a panel showing Shinji's face in the Entry Plug. "So, do you think you can keep up?"
A small smile tugged at the corner of Shinji's mouth as he nodded. "I can do it. After all, I'm not that far behind you, am I?"
Asuka's brows, along with much of the command bridge's, rose in at least slight surprise in Shinji's seemingly sudden boost in courage. Asuka simply sniffed after a moment. "Maybe so, but as impressive as you being so close behind me is, you're still behind me nevertheless. Right now, the one that matters is being behind me in this operation. I better be able to count on you to have my back. Got it?"
Shinji nodded. "Got it."
A satisfied smirk on her lips, Asuka nodded with assurance. "Alright then. Like I said, Shinji, stay on me and make sure we don't die. Rei, keep an eye on the goth balloon."
Rei blinked in slight confusion, then nodded. "Very well, pilot Soryu. I will watch the target."
She finished sighting in the sniper rifle she held, then settled in to watch and wait as the other two Units slowly made their way towards the target.
Misato shook her head slightly as the link to the pilots was muted. "And off they go. They've grown so confident," she said, a look of wonderment in her eyes.
Ritsuko nodded. "Shinji especially. I almost can't believe he's the same Child who we rushed into the Entry Plug earlier this year. He's grown."
Misato nodded. "That he has. And he and Asuka seem to be getting along much better." she chuckled slightly as she turned to Daniel, smiling slightly. "I guess acting as a teacher helped her realize how valuable being a good teammate is, huh?"
Daniel nodded, a smile of his own coming to him. "So it would seem, Misato. It's good to see them working together like they did with Israfel."
Misato sighed. "Yeah, but that working together is sometimes a real pain in the ass. I'm glad Asuka's enthusiasm is seeming to rub off on Shinji, but they do still need to work on restraining that enthusiasm."
Daniel chuckled. "I won't disagree on that. You'd probably make a good teacher yourself, someday. What with all this experience wrangling teenagers."
Misato looked at him with a slight smirk that settled into a somewhat more serious look. "Maybe. We just have to beat the Angels first. And make sure that I don't strangle these kids for driving me insane."
Daniel snorted softly as he looked back at the map. "Were it so easy."
Misato turned back to the holographic map, watching as the two dots of Unit-01 and Unit-02 approached the silent titan.
. . .
Shinji and Asuka crept from building to building, constantly glancing up at the silent… thing that hung in the middle of the sky. Shinji looked at it with puzzlement as he absentmindedly changed umbilical cables to have more slack. 'I don't see eyes or a core, or… really much of anything that would identify this thing as an Angel. Where do we attack this thing? Do we even attack it conventionally at all?'
He blinked. Those questions would be answered later, he was sure. Right now, all he needed was an update. "Rei, Asuka, are you two in position?"
The other two pilot's faces soon appeared on the screens to his left and right. Rei nodded. "I am in position, pilot Ikari."
Asuka nodded in turn. "One moment, I'm out of slack for my umbilical. Changing out now. I'm about 400 meters ahead and to your right, by the way, Shinji."
After a moment, Asuka spoke again. "Okay, Shinji, here's the plan. I'm going to clamber up some of these buildings to get to a decent height, and then I'm going to take a jump and swing at this thing. If that doesn't work for some reason, you and Rei open up on it while I find something more useful. Sounds good?"
Shinji and Rei each nodded. Asuka nodded in turn. "Alright. Let's burst this thing's bubble."
Asuka clambered up one of the skyscrapers near her position, then jumped from rooftop to rooftop until she reached what she deemed was an acceptable height to swing at the silent sphere.
Then, she crouched down, putting as much of her AT Field as she was confident would not level the building beneath her into strengthening her jump. Then, she leaped into the air, ax raised above her head as she swung the Progressive Ax down to tear through the thing in front of her.
She hit… nothing, to her great surprise, as the sphere vanished in front of her, only reappearing when she hit the ground with a thunderous crash, making footprints several meters deep into the street below her.
In Central Dogma, a gasp went up around the room as the contact reappeared, seemingly no worse for wear. Then, a chilling alarm sounded as the shadows began to spread beneath Unit-02's feet.
"Pattern Blue detected! The Magi have confirmed it is an Angel!" Maya said, her eyes widening. "It's directly below Unit-02!"
Misato's eyes widened in turn. "What? How?"
Asuka looked down as the shadow spread quickly beneath her. "Was zur Hölle?" she muttered as the shadow underlaid itself on everything that she could see. Her confusion did not dull years of training as she clambered up onto the roof of a nearby four-story building, shifting her grip on the Ax uneasily.
Her confusion became alarm as everything in the shadow's perimeter began to slowly sink down, the building beginning to tilt beneath her as she leaped to another building, a feeling of near panic building as she then leaped to another rooftop, and then another.
"How do we kill this thing?" she said in frustration as she tossed the ax at the shadow, her unease continuing to steadily build as she watched it sink into the seemingly bottomless depths without slowing down.
The shadow's perimeter continued to slowly grow as Asuka continued her hurried leaps from rooftop to rooftop. "I'm… almost…" she said slowly as she seemed to finally get close to reaching solid ground again, "to the… scheiße!"
Her next landing pad had dipped beneath her view before she reached it, tilting as it sank. Unit-02's foot hit the lower edge, now only dozens of feet above the black surface, and slipped into it as Asuka gripped madly to the higher edge of the building, finding purchase as her legs slipped up to their calves into the shadow.
All feeling was lost in her legs, the border between what was now under the surface of the shadow and what was not feeling bitterly cold, like standing in a tub of ice water. Asuka's breathing quickened as panic began to set in. "Misato! Misato, I can't feel my legs! It's… it's cold! Help! Please!"
Shinji's hands trembled as they tightly gripped Unit-01's controls. He had never heard her this scared. Ever. It seemed almost impossible to hear what he was hearing from her right now. He had to do something. Anything.
In Central Dogma, Misato leaned against the low wall as she looked at the main screen, squeezing it in a white-knuckle grip. "Eject Unit-02's Entry Plug! Get her out of there!"
Maya shook her head as her monitor returned nothing but error screens. "No response, ma'am! The signal isn't getting through!"
Misato shook her head. "Shinji! Rei! Rescue Asuka, quickly!"
Rei stood up, throwing her rifle aside as she tried to suppress the gnawing fear that grew inside her chest from showing too plainly on her face. "I'm moving in."
Shinji needed no other encouragement as he raced towards a sufficiently low building, clambering up it as fast as he could. As he reached the top, an adrenaline-focused mind picked out the most ideal path in moments, and he began his bounding race towards Asuka.
As he drew nearer, he finally spotted her. She was up to her chest now, one arm waving frantically to try and draw his attention. "Shinji!" she said, panic evident in her voice. "Help me! Hurry!"
Shinji glanced around for a moment and found another building close to Asuka which hadn't completely sunk yet. He leaped over to it, crouching on the already slowly tilting building as he stretched out his hand. "Asuka! Hurry!"
Unit-02's arm grasped desperately onto Unit-01's, and Shinji took the arm into both hands as he began to pull as hard as he could. It was like trying to pull her out of tar, as Unit-02 sank to its chest now. Asuka was getting hysterical. "Shinji, please! Don't let me go, don't let me go, don't let me go! Please!"
Shinji strained all the harder as he continued to try to pull her free. In an instant, he heard a crack coming from below his feet. A distant part of his mind knew what was about to happen. 'Oh, no.'
The edge of the building under his feet crumbled away, and Shinji slipped into the shadow's embrace, landing face first. The entire front of his body went numb, and he knew, in his heart, that it was over.
Rei, only a few buildings away now, watched in horror as Asuka finished disappearing into the shadow completely, and Shinji swiftly started to join her. She couldn't contain her emotion anymore. "Shinji! Asuka! No!"
She jumped to another building. "I'm retrieving Shinji."
"No!" Misato said, her arms trembling as a tear slid down her face. "No, Rei. We can't risk losing all of our pilots." She was silent for a moment before she spoke. "Pull back, Rei. That's an order." her voice quieted as she next spoke. "I can't lose you, too."
Rei paused for a moment, then turned back towards the edge of the shadow. She allowed a single tear to slide down her face. But only one.
- - -
Daniel sat at the forward command post and stared at Leliel. One thought had been coursing through his mind for the past four hours since the pilots engaged it. 'This isn't how it should be. This isn't how it should be. This isn't how it should be.'
Eleanor had made her way to the command bridge when she sensed his almost hysterical terror at the moment that things had gone wrong, and now she was at his side, a hand on his shoulder as the others swirled around them, chatter about military units moving to encircle the Angel, whose expansion of its shadow had thankfully stopped, passing through them like air.
Rei Ayanami stood beside the two of them, looking at the seemingly bottomless shadow, but also sparing glances towards her guardians as well. Eleanor's face was evident with worry, and Rei knew that such a reaction would be considered normal in such a situation. What she didn't expect was Daniel's reaction.
All light had seemed to disappear from his eyes, and he regarded the Angel with a calculating stare as if he was dissecting the Angel in his mind. It reminded her all too much of how Gendo Ikari was most days. Cold, distant, and seemingly ready to discard all emotion, all humanity, to achieve his goal. It... scared her, to see her normally good-natured, kind guardian take such a turn in personality.
But she also could not blame him for his reaction. Tensions were running high, and the move towards a forward position had done nothing to ease them. Misato lowered a pair of binoculars from her face, shaking her head slightly. 'The military intends to "apply pressure" to the Angel. Fat chance. The Angel… Leliel… clearly really looks intimidated, doesn't it? Idiots.'
She spared a glance over to Rei and the Theismans. Rei was ready and raring to go to save her fellow pilots. It was actually somewhat refreshing to see her so worried about… well, anything, really.
The Theismans were a study of contrasts. She found Eleanor's face full of emotion, her heart seemingly now on her sleeve as she expressed her worry for the pilots without saying a word. It comforted her to know that someone else worried as much as she did, even if she couldn't show it. The burdens of command were heavy right now.
Daniel, on the other hand, uncomfortably reminded her of the commander as he stared silently at the Angel, wound like a coiled spring ready to burst, and she made a silent vow to never get on his bad side.
She walked over to them, putting a hand on Daniel and Rei's shoulders. She felt Daniel slightly shaking. She felt Rei trying desperately not to do the same. Misato looked down at the timer on her phone, a countdown of how much reserve battery Shinji and Asuka had left. Twelve hours. They had twelve hours to come up with a solution. Misato sent a silent, rarely made prayer heavenwards that they would make it in time.
Misato sighed, then looked at Rei. "You go ahead and get some rest, now. We'll figure out how to get Shinji and Asuka back. The last thing we need is to have you strung out when we might need your help."
Rei looked into the now bleak distance and nodded after a moment. "Very well, Major. I will go try and rest." she turned and walked back towards her Evangelion, and the tent that was set up next to it.
Misato sighed, then turned to the Theismans. "Ritsuko says that she's made an analysis of the Angel. We should probably go see what she has to say."
They both turned to her, and Misato suppressed a shiver as Daniel looked at her. After a moment, though, the tension left Daniel, and he closed his eyes and sighed. "Yeah. Yeah, we should go do that." he opened his eyes, weariness having entered into them. "It's better than staring at that damn thing all day."
He stood, and the three of them made their way over to the tent that Ritsuko and Maya had taken over, cables and wires flowing from it like mountain streams. As they entered, they situated themselves around the holographic table that had been set up in the center of the usually spacious tent.
Ritsuko looked up at them, then started to speak after a moment. "Alright, I'm not going to lie to you. This Angel is perhaps the most complicated thing I've ever had to explain to any of you, but I'm going to try and make this as simple as possible."
- - -
In the silence of the depths of a black sea, the two pilots waited, and waited, and waited some more. It was all either of them could do.
Asuka flipped on the sensors of Unit-02 for what felt like the umpteenth time, as the Plug flashed in rainbow colors before settling in on the view outside of Unit-02. Or the lack thereof. There was nothing but blackness. Radar and sonar showed nothing. For all intents and purposes, she was alone.
"No," she said, muttering to herself to try and push back the loneliness that seemed intent to try and crush her spirits now. "I'm not alone here. Shinji's with me. For all that counts for." somehow, the thought didn't help.
She switched off the sensors with a sigh, noting the timer on her Plugsuit wrist as it read a little over 5 hours. 5 hours to find a way out of here, blind and deaf, and do it with Shinji in tow. Were it so easy, as Daniel was fond of saying.
She hugged her knees to her chest. It was getting cold. She was starting to miss Shinji's warmth, his presence beside her. She tried to doze off, but that was getting harder and harder to do alone. She had begun to think of the things that Shinji had done for her. For them. The treasured secret date. His delicious cooking. His sinfully good baking. She opened her eyes with a sigh. She missed him. Those words held so much more meaning than they once did. They had all the weight of a newfound love behind them.
Shinji, in the meantime, sat quietly as he pondered just how useless he had become. 'All of this, all of this to save Asuka, to save someone I love, and I still failed. I couldn't do anything to help her. How can I save the world if I can't even save one person?'
His mind then turned to what Asuka might say as he chuckled softly, the smell of drying blood filling his nose as the filters failed. She would give him the roasting of his life if she heard that. Especially now. Now that they weren't alone. That they were together. 'And we will be. I promised. Now, I just have to find a way out of here.'
. . .
Misato's head spun as she tried to make sense of Ritsuko's presentation. Terms like 'imaginary space', 'five-dimensional shadow', and 'Dirac Sea' bounced around inside her head and left her with a slight headache as they did so. She shook her head after a moment. "Ritsuko, I can assume that you're speaking as plainly as possible, but let me hear it like I'm five years old. The black shadow is the one that's our real target, correct?"
Ritsuko sighed but nodded. "Yes, such is the case, Misato. And when it comes to such a target, we only have one real solution left."
. . .
Asuka blinked as she awoke from another unsuccessful attempt to doze off. The filters had long since given out, and the smell of drying blood clogged her nose. She tightened her squeeze on her legs as she began to breathe heavily, her vision narrowing. She wasn't panicking. She was not panicking. She was not panicking because of the fact that she had an hour left in the reserve batteries, or because she was cold and hungry or because she was alone and wanted Shinji by her more than anything or the thought of I want to get out I want to get out please don't let me die here I don't want todiehereletmeoutletmeoutletmeout…
The dull pain in her hands and throat made her realize that she was screaming to get out, pounding at the side of the Entry Plug. After a moment more, she slumped back into her seat, dizzy and light-headed. She wrapped her arms around herself slowly. 'Mama… help me… please, help me...'
Shinji made no such efforts, his eyes squeezed shut as tears flowed. 'Asuka… Rei… Misato… Daniel… I'm sorry. I was worthless. I don't want this. I don't want to be alone anymore.'
. . .
Misato's mind was blank. Almost all thought had left it, replaced with seemingly endless rage. "You're telling me," she said in a deathly calm voice to Ritsuko, "that the only way we can save the Units is to drop every single N2 explosive we have on the shadow and use Unit-00's AT Field to try and push out the other two Units?"
Ritsuko nodded. "It's the only way we can defeat the Angel and still run the possibility of recovering the Units."
Daniel shook his head, barely restrained anger evident in his own eyes. "You and I both know that the Evas can't stand up to that sort of impact without their AT Fields. And the pilots sure as hell can't either. The impact would…" he trailed off, unwilling to finish the sentence or the morbid thought that went with it.
Ritsuko stared at Misato with no emotion in her eyes or voice. "This is the best chance we have of killing the Angel. I thought that you would be on board with such a plan, Major."
"No," Misato said as she circled around the table before Ritsuko could speak any further. "No, you don't get to worry about that. You get to worry about the squiggles on the whiteboard and what they mean and how the Angels fit into them. I'm the one that worries about killing the Angels. I'm the one that worries about how to put the pilot's lives on the line, and I'm the one that has to worry about getting them back out of danger!"
Ritsuko shook her head, the clinical look of a surgeon matching Misato's anger. "Not anymore, Misato. Right now, the destruction of the Angel and the recovery of Unit-01 have top priorities in this mission. Unit-02, while a regrettable loss, is ultimately expendable should its recovery fail."
"Unit-01 and its pilot. Unit-02 and its pilot." Misato said, trembling slightly. There was silence for a moment before Ritsuko spoke again.
"In this case, the lives of the pilots have been deemed of secondary importance to the Evangelion themselves."
Ritsuko's head jerked back as Misato slapped her, her glasses clattering to the ground as Maya took a step back in wide-eyed terror. Misato finally found her voice as she heaved in a breath. "Those are my kids, damn you! You have no right to be such a heartless bitch!"
She grabbed Ritsuko by her lab coat, pulling Ritsuko towards her. "Why? Why is an Evangelion more important than its pilot? Why do you need Unit-01, but not Unit-02?"
Ritsuko looked into Misato's eyes, steel in her gaze. "I've already told you all you need to know."
"Bullshit!" Misato shouted. "There's a reason for it, and you have no right to keep those sorts of secrets! I have a right to know!"
"Trust me, Misato," Ritsuko said, breaking free of Misato's grip, "you don't want to know. You'll sleep better at night."
She picked up her glasses. "I'm taking command of the operation. You've become compromised emotionally, and you can no longer give orders that will benefit NERV, Tokyo-3, and Japan as a whole. Take this one off. I have calls to make."
Ritsuko walked out of the tent, pulling a phone out of her pocket. As Misato stared out after her, she whispered quietly. "But I do know, Ritsuko. And I wish to god that I didn't."
Daniel and Eleanor made their way to Misato's side as she leaned against the table and wept silently.
As Daniel and Eleanor sought to comfort Misato, Maya stood frozen in shocked silence. What did Senpai mean? Why did they need Unit-01, but not Unit-02? Or the pilots? What did they know that she didn't?
- - -
Shinji sat in what felt and sounded like a train car. His eyes were closed, and for a moment, he simply focused on the sounds of his surroundings.
Then he opened his eyes. A train car? That didn't sound right at all.
As he looked around, he realized everything seemed… hazy. Out of focus. Like he was in a dream. Or a nightmare.
The first sight he laid eyes on was Asuka, sitting next to him and looking around, similarly puzzled. "Asuka!" he said, relief flooding through him, but she only flinched, looking around as if she'd heard his voice from thin air. She seemed equally hazy, but if he focused… if he pushed…
She snapped into focus, and she seemed to feel… something, as she blinked, then looked at Shinji.
"Shinji!" she threw her arms around him, and they hugged each other tightly, simply taking each other in for the moment. "You're… you're okay. You're here."
She squeezed a little tighter. "You idiot. Falling in with me. Thinking Sandalphon would happen all over again."
"I wish," Shinji replied, and Asuka chuckled. "But you're right. I'm here. And I'm not leaving you."
"Shinji Ikari."
"Asuka Soryu-Langley."
The two voices, high and childlike, drew their attention as their embrace parted, and they stared across the way at the voice's owners.
They were small, child-like as their voices seemed, one a boy in a striped shirt and shorts, the other wearing a red long-sleeve dress with white frills and a white bow.
Asuka's brow furrowed. "Yeah. That's us. Who the hell are you two?"
"I am you, Asuka Soryu-Langley." the girl replied.
"And I am you, Shinji Ikari." the boy added. "One's self has another within them. The self has always consisted of two."
Shinji tilted his head, clearly confused. "O…kay? What does that mean, exactly?"
"There is the self which is watched by others…" the boy said.
"And the self who watches itself." the girl finished. "The Asuka Soryu-Langley in Shinji Ikari's mind."
"The Shinji Ikari in Misato Katsuragi's mind."
"The Asuka Soryu-Langley in Daniel Theisman's mind."
"All of these selves are distinct, unique from one another. Yet each is a true Shinji Ikari."
"As each is a true Asuka Soryu-Langley."
The boy was silent for a moment. "You believe that you are worthless in the minds of others."
As Asuka looked over at Shinji with no small amount of worry in her eyes, the girl continued. "And you believe that you must have worth in the minds of all others, else you are worthless in turn."
Shinji looked back at the girl, indignation simmering in his eyes. "That's not true. For either of us. Not anymore." he grabbed Asuka's hand, holding it tightly to accentuate his statement.
"Perhaps." the boy said. "You believe that there are two selves which have value. The Shinji Ikari in Asuka Soryu-Langley's mind. And the Shinji Ikari in Daniel Theisman's mind."
"In turn," the girl interjected, "you believe that the only two people exempt from such notions of worth are the Asuka Soryu-Langley in Shinji Ikari's mind, and the Asuka Soryu-Langley in Daniel Theisman's mind."
"Yeah? So?" Asuka scoffed. "So what if I only really care about what they think of me? They've helped me become something more than what I was. Something better. The best pilot I could be… and more."
"And yet, you are afraid of them." the girl continued without inflection. "You are afraid that they might leave you. You are afraid that Shinji Ikari might leave you."
"As you are afraid that Asuka Soryu-Langley might leave you."
Shinji and Asuka looked at each other, the fear mirrored as they squeezed each other's hands a little tighter.
Then, Shinji surprised Asuka as the fear in his eyes became resolve, and he looked at the two children again. "No. I made a promise. We made a promise to not leave as long as we wanted each other."
"And on top of that," Asuka interjected, "being afraid like that is normal. Of course, I'm afraid of being abandoned. Who isn't?"
"Yet you are still afraid." the girl replied. "You are afraid that Shinji Ikari will judge you as worthless. That he will leave you." she paused for a moment. "You are still afraid of worthlessness in the eyes of others."
"No!" Asuka shouted, leaning forward. "I'm the number one pilot! The best of the best! I'm hardly worthless, in anyone's eyes! Everyone's counting on me!"
She paused, looking over at Shinji meaningfully. "Everyone's counting on us."
"But is it enough to be valued only by other's selves, if you do not value your own self?"
"Maybe not." Shinji sighed in quickly mounting exasperation. "But maybe I don't have to just find worth in myself. Maybe I can find my worth in what others think of me."
"It is foolish to believe that a self should not exist without others. One's self must be able to stand alone, or it is not a self at all."
"Well, maybe I'm done being alone!" Asuka shouted. "I've had enough of this ridiculous psychoanalysis! I'm happy with how I live, for the first time in forever! I'm happy that I finally have someone as close as Shinji is to me that I can lean on!"
"And I'm happy that other people's opinions matter to me!" Shinji finally shouted. "I'm happy that I can turn to others to improve myself! That I can improve others by being myself!"
Two voices shouted as one. "Now get out of our heads!"
It was silent for a moment as the boy and the girl regarded Shinji and Asuka. Then, they spoke as one, their voices strangely doubled. "Oh, my. Well… it's good to hear from you."
Then the train car shattered. The boy shattered. The girl shattered. And Shinji and Asuka found themselves alone again in their Entry Plugs, unconsciously holding the hand that had held their other.
The Plugs were dark, the now long stale LCL reeking of dried blood even as it kept them nominally alive. It was a harsh and unforgiving reality they had returned to, and both Children knew their chances for survival were minuscule. So, they settled in their seats as best they could, waiting for the inevitable.
And as the darkness crept from the corners of their vision to claim them, an impossible light seemed to shine from the far end of the Entry Plug, growing closer and closer. As they approached, the Children's eyes both widened, as the light became a figure, something that they had missed for longer than even seemed possible.
"Mother…"
"Mama…"
In the smothering void of the Dirac Sea, three sets of eyes flashed in the darkness, side by side, the sleeping giants awakening to their current situation as twin growls tore through the silence.
- - -
Out in the physical world, as all this transpired, Rei stood ready on the edge of the shadow, as the full power of the Non-Nuclear explosive arsenal came screaming towards its target.
Misato lowered her pair of binoculars once again, sighing as grief weighed heavily on her. She knew that Rei's AT Field, no matter how much it had improved, would probably not be enough alone to break the Angel's grip on the two Units trapped within. The N2 barrage, all 992 missiles of it, on the other hand, would wipe out everything in the surrounding area. Up to and including the Angel.
Faez called out, her voice clear and unclouded. "N2 barrage in T-5 minutes."
Daniel stepped up beside Misato. Satisfied that they were sufficiently out of hearing, Daniel spoke quietly regardless. "I wish what they were planning for Leliel would work as well as they hope it does."
Misato shook her head and spoke in an equally quiet voice. "You and I both know that's impossible. They… they don't even care about Shinji. About Asuka. All Ritsuko and Gendo and SEELE care about is their precious Instrumentality." she sighed. "I miss the old Ritsuko. I miss my friend."
Daniel nodded, saying nothing more as they looked out at the vast shadow that covered much of the city.
In the Entry Plug of Unit-00, Rei did her best to hold back the tears that seemed to threaten to force their way out. She knew, fundamentally, that there was little to no chance of Shinji and Asuka surviving what would come next. So what could she do? What would happen to her? She considered the drugs, the tempting numbness that came with them.
'No. No, I will not be a doll anymore. I promised Asuka. I promised my friend.'
Daniel watched anxiously as the time drew near, looking down at his watch, then back up at the Angel, repeating the process every few minutes. Eleanor stood beside him, watching him out of the corner of her eye. "You know," she said through their link, "I think that they'll still be able to make it out in time."
"Maybe." Daniel replied, "But that was with just Shinji. Who knows what will happen with both of them."
He silently stewed for a moment, appreciative of Eleanor's support and calm confidence, which he felt through their link. He sighed after a moment. "This is what we get for changing the story so much, isn't it?"
Eleanor stared at Daniel with a deadpan expression. "You're asking me?"
Daniel nodded after a moment and turned to his watch. The time was soon. The timer counted down the final few minutes.
Then, the shadow rippled. Then it did it again, the sound of it like rolling thunder that made everyone pause.
The shadow's rippling, and the thunder that accompanied it, slowly but steadily increased in volume and speed, and Daniel made his way to his console, acting as everyone considered the phenomenon in somewhat shocked silence.
He sat down and keyed up Rei. As her face appeared, he felt sure of what he said next. "It appears the Angel might be in combat within itself. I think the pilots are putting up one last fight. See what you can do to help them out!"
Rei nodded. "Yes, sir. Deploying AT Field now." Rei concentrated, pouring all her stress, her anxiety, her desire to see her friends again, into battering at the AT Field of the Angel. The shadow began to ripple even more, like a sea struck by a massive tempest.
Misato blinked, then turned to look at Ritsuko. "Call off the airstrike! Or even just delay it for a moment! Anything to give Shinji and Asuka a chance!"
Ritsuko shook her head. "I can't, Major. Now might be the perfect time to strike! And besides, there's no way that the Evangelions would even be functional. Their power reserves-"
As Ritsuko spoke, the shadow shattered like glass, the sound of it breaking reverberating like a massive gunshot as the sphere above, whose white details had been pulsating in time with the waves of the shadow, suddenly went totally dark.
The world was silent for a moment as it regarded the now pitch-black sphere. Then, it bulged in one spot. Then another.
Finally, two massive hands shot out of the sphere, sending geysers of blood, or at least what appeared to be blood, rocketing out of the Angel. The arms pulled back in, another hand joining them at the tears to widen them still further.
The gouts of red liquid became waterfalls, as the Angel was slowly torn open from the inside.
From it emerged the blood-soaked forms of Unit-01 and Unit-02. And from them, an eerie howl, at once familiar and terrifyingly alien, echoed across the empty city of Tokyo-3 as the Evangelions made their presence known again.
All nearby were shocked into silence at the brutality and the seemingly bestial nature of the scene. Misato watched in almost slack-jawed awe as the Angel's corpse began to slowly sink to the ground, bearing the Evangelions on it like a sanguine palanquin. 'Their mothers have woken up.' Misato thought numbly as the Angel touched the street it once floated over and sagged as the Evangelions walked out of it.
Ritsuko looked up at them with no small amount of fear as the Evangelions came to a standstill a few meters away from the pulped-up corpse of the Angel. "What did we copy these things from?" she said, almost in a whisper.
Misato shook her head as she heard Ritsuko. 'If you don't know… what does that say about what you've done? What you're supposed to do? What do I do with you, Ritsuko Akagi?'
- - -
Hours, and no small amount of cleaning, later, Shinji woke up in the hospital. Again. It was becoming a tiring habit, he thought as he sat up. But, he noted with a small smile, at least there were familiar faces to wake up to.
Daniel and Eleanor were there, as a matter of course, and so was Rei. Asuka was in another room, he learned with no small amount of disappointment, and Misato was out dealing with the clean-up of the amazingly messy Angel.
As they talked to each other, Shinji thought back to what had happened just before he passed out. 'Was that my mother? Did Asuka see the same thing? I'll have to ask her.'
. . .
As the day ended, Shinji and Asuka, hand in hand, stepped into their apartment. They would be alone tonight. Misato was up to her hips, almost literally, in overseeing the cleanup of the Angel's spectacular demise.
It had taken most of the rest of the day, a day of cleaning off and scheduling for one test or another, even an upcoming talk with the Human Instrumentality Committee. It was a busy weekend ahead of them. But for now, they were home again. And that was all that mattered.
Neither of them had been so excited to see Asuka's bedroom before. It had become their bedroom now, Shinji's now really only serving as a glorified walk-in closet.
As they settled into bed, and into each other's arms, Shinji sighed quietly. "Asuka…" he said with a smile. He'd said it many times before, but now it felt… special. Almost vital to him.
Asuka looked back into Shinji's eyes. "Shinji," she said, a slight smile of her own appearing before she chuckled softly. "I don't think I can imagine ever saying your name like that before. But… now it — now you — means so much to me. Calm and… exciting, all at once. Liking you. Fighting the Angels alongside you. Being with you to fight off the nightmares."
She paused for a moment, a rare display of open thoughtfulness crossing her face. "And I've been thinking, ever since we got out of that Angel…" her expression became somber. "We might not have. It could have been over for us."
"But it isn't," Shinji emphasized as he squeezed her hand gently. "We're alive, we're safe, and we're here. You're here. That's what matters."
"Maybe… But you matter to me, too. Whatever those creepy kids said, it's not true. You matter. Your happiness matters, just as much as mine. Shinji…"
She paused, and Shinji became nervous at Asuka's hesitation.
"Do you… do you love me?"
Shinji gasped quietly, taken aback. It was a long moment before he answered. "Asuka… I love you."
Asuka exhaled quietly, smiling slightly. "Shinji… I love you too. And I want to prove it. To the both of us."
Shinji's eyes widened as he realized what she meant. "Asuka… I mean… what you said earlier…"
Asuka rolled her eyes. "Come on, Shinji. Things have changed, now. We both know that. Even if I hadn't gotten a condom a few days ago, I wouldn't care. We could have died today, Shinji. Hell, I think we might have actually died for a little while. But we aren't dead. You aren't dead. You're alive and you're here, and, somehow… you love me. I want to show you that I love you too."
It was silent for a moment as Shinji took it all in. Then he nodded slightly, stroking Asuka's face. "Okay. Yes. Yes, Asuka. I love you." he said in a chuckle, as if he couldn't fully believe he'd said it.
He was quiet for a moment after. Then he blushed. "Huh." he began to chuckle.
Asuka arched an eyebrow quizzically. "Huh? What's so funny?"
Asuka began to put the piece together as she slowly nodded. "Yeah?"
Shinji finally began to fully laugh. "Well, after the first night we got together, I… I found a vending machine during lunch while you and Rei weren't looking, and… well… got a few condoms of my own."
Asuka regarded Shinji in outright shock for a moment, then her own laughter joined Shinji's, lasting for a glorious moment before it died down.
Asuka wiped tears of mirth from her eyes before she looked at Shinji again. "You, the meekest pilot I've seen in my life, felt so confident after we confessed and hooked up that you decided, the next day even, to get multiple pieces of protection, on the off chance you might score?"
She laughed again, a pure sound that sent Shinji over the moon all over again. "A lot more of me rubbed off on you than I thought! Come here!"
She pulled him into a passionate kiss, and he met her with a passion of his own.
- - -
As the cleanup of the Angel's remains stretched into the night, Misato looked around her at what looked like a murder scene writ large. Which, she admitted after a moment, wasn't necessarily far from the truth.
Blood was still splattered all over some buildings, and though the streets in the immediate area were, for the most part, clean, it would still be weeks before this part of town was even declared habitable again.
Misato sighed. It was nights like these where she treasured the beer that she sipped as she watched the work flow onward around her.
After a moment though, she was mildly surprised to look over and see Maya, clearly looking uncomfortable and out of her element.
"Maya?" Misato asked after a moment, pausing as Maya jumped slightly. "What are you doing way out here? Aren't you and Ritsuko usually together?"
"Well," Maya said slowly, shuffling as she spoke, "Senpai is busy elsewhere tonight. I don't know why, but Commander Ikari called her into a meeting."
She took a moment to gather her courage, then began again. "Earlier today, you mentioned knowing things, after Senpai walked out of the tent. What did you mean by that?"
Misato glared at Maya with no small amount of alarm, causing the scientist to shrink back. After glancing around to ensure they were out of earshot, Misato closed her eyes and sighed after a moment. "Yeah. I've learned a lot of things recently. About NERV. About the Evangelion. And what Ritsuko said then was true too. You won't sleep well at night if you know what I know." She paused to let the implication sink into Maya.
Maya's eyes widened as she considered this. Then, she surprised Misato as an unexpected resolve filled her eyes. "Maybe, Major. But Senpai is… disturbed by the things she knows. I've worked with her long enough to tell. And… I care for her. For all that we do to try and save the world from the Angels. If knowing will help me help her, whatever form that help takes…" she paused for a moment. "Then sleepless nights will be worth it."
Misato's brow rose as she heard this. 'Oh, Ritsky. You have no idea what you've got, do you?'
She thought of Kaji for a moment, and looked forward to another of their 'meetings', then quashed the thought as she regarded Maya with new eyes. "Well, then, Maya… you've started down our little secret path. I'll set up a meeting with others who can help me fill you in."
"One thing, though," Misato said as Maya nodded. "This is a secret. You can't let anyone else know you know about these things. That includes Ritsuko. Some sleepless nights are honestly going to be the least of your worries once you know about some of the things we know. Are you still willing to learn the terrible truth?"
Silence rose between them like an invisible wall. One that came crumbling down as Maya nodded. "Yes. If I can help, then there's no reason not to."
Misato sighed. "Alright. Well, Maya… welcome to the end of the world."
- - -
Asuka lay in bed, slightly sweaty and glowing as she considered the window beside her, the moonlight streaming in. Shinji's slow, calm breathing was like music to her, and she looked over to see him sleeping peacefully, one arm around her.
This… this felt good. Better than good. She blushed slightly. 'Man, and I've called Misato a pervert before for talking about some of this. I might be more of a pervert than she is, frankly.'
She stifled a chuckle at the thought. Then her thoughts turned to something else. Something that had been at the back of her mind all night now.
'Did I really see my mother in there? Did he? Or did he see something else?' she sighed slightly. 'I can ask him later. Right now, he's all mine.'
She drew the thin blanket over them and tenderly kissed Shinji's forehead. 'I love you, Shinji Ikari. And I will never forget that.'
A storm portends the coming of a foe wearing a familiar face. New Children are revealed, and the truth, or at least a great facet of it, is revealed at last. Who are Daniel and Eleanor Theisman? And why are they here? Next Episode: Revelations in Starlight and Steel.
And, at last, the time came. Not only for another pilot, in the aftermath of a disaster in a land far away, but also for another set of revelations. The truth. I had hoped such a day would come under far less distressing circumstances. But it seemed fate, and other, far darker parties, had other ideas.
Three Days Later
Physical Education period was what it was, both boy's and girls' activities taking place in the gym due to the rain. The boys played basketball, while the girls made use of the volleyball courts.
As the period finished, and Class 2-A filed into their classroom for some well-deserved lunch after their showers, Rei lagged at the doorway. She waited for someone in particular as her classmates streamed by, and she caught Shinji and Asuka walking rather closely together.
For the first time she could remember outside of an Entry Plug, she felt… anxiety. She was actually anxious to do what she was about to do. It was an interesting sensation, to feel such an emotion so positively. She would have to ask Shinji and Asuka, perhaps even Daniel and Eleanor, if such things were as normal as she wondered them to be.
Finally, she caught sight of him, walking with Classmate Suzuhara and Class Representative Horaki.
As they made their way to the door, Rei stepped in front of them, causing them to pause in the doorway. "Classmate Aida," she began, somewhat startling Kensuke, "are you available this Saturday?"
Kensuke looked back at his classmates, both of whom were similarly perplexed. "Uh… yeah, Ayanami, I am. Why do you ask?" he said slowly.
Rei was silent for a moment before she answered. "I would like to go on a date, and I have determined that you are the most likely to agree to it as well as show me experiences that, as someone who has not gone on a date previously, are new to me. What time shall we meet?"
Kensuke went pale for a moment, then blushed furiously as he tried to process the seeming miracle that had occurred, in front of the whole class. The silence as he did so would have made a pin dropping sound like thunder. Did Rei Ayanami, the Ice Queen of Tokyo-3, just ask, of all people, Kensuke Aida on a date?
Toji and Hikari blushed as Kensuke began to stammer out an answer, and in the classroom, Asuka covertly leaned over to Shinji, confident in Rei's ability to hold everyone's attention for a moment. "She blushed. Told you she'd crack. I'm gonna enjoy relaxing while you do our chores." she nearly whispered.
Shinji rolled his eyes. "Oh, all right," he replied with a slight smile. "I'm only somewhat surprised. I figured you could use a little good-natured competition, though. Keep things interesting."
They paused as they looked back to hear Kensuke give his answer. "I… I guess? I mean, 6 works for me, if you aren't busy then."
Rei smiled slightly. "I am free at that time. You may choose the location of the date, as I am inexperienced with the intricacies of dating. Thank you, Classmate Aida."
Asuka leaned back over to whisper to Shinji. "Well, when the bet is as stacked in my favor as it was…" Asuka shrugged as Rei and the others walked in to eat their lunch. "Can't say I don't appreciate the thought."
Both of them appreciated the fact that Rei would be the subject of most of the school buzz for a while as she made her way over to Shinji and Asuka, sitting down and unpacking her lunch as Kensuke, Toji, and Hikari sat together, heedless of the whispers and glances between the two groups. Though Doctor Akagi had since released them from needing to be together during the day, they had since come to actually enjoy each other's company.
Shinji and Asuka regarded their companion for a moment with no small amount of awe. "I've got to say, Wondergirl," Asuka finally began after digging into her lunch, "I didn't quite expect something this public. You've got guts."
Rei regarded Asuka with a mix of confusion and concern. "Was I not supposed to ask in a public space? Should I have waited?"
Asuka waved her hand as she took another mouthful of her lunch. "Don't sweat it. What's done is done. You can ask anywhere you feel comfortable with, really. As long as the situation's appropriate and all."
She paused, chewing thoughtfully. "I still don't entirely get why you decided to stick with Kensuke, though."
Rei considered her own lunch, taking a few bites before answering. "As you have stated before, Asuka, Classmate Aida is seen as 'strange' or 'weird'. I understand that, having been isolated due to my… off-putting nature. As such I have a… connection most others do not."
The other two Children considered this for a moment before Shinji nodded. "That's very thoughtful of you, Rei. And kind, as well. I'm glad we get to see more of that from you, after…"
He trailed off after a moment. "Yeah." he finally said.
Rei nodded slightly after a few more moments of eating. "I did not see you at school the day after the Angel's attack. Was there a decontamination process after your extended stay in the Angel?"
"Well…" Shinji shrugged as he and Asuka looked at each other briefly, discomfort flashing across their expressions.
"We did go through decontamination after we got out of the Evas, I'm sure," Asuka said. "The rest of the weekend was spent just… talking to people. We had a meeting with the Human Instrumentality Committee, NERV's bosses, essentially. I'm not gonna lie, it was… kinda creepy."
"Yeah." Shinji nodded uneasily. "They mostly just asked us about what it was like being inside the Angel. What it was like talking to… whatever was in there with us."
Rei raised an eyebrow as Asuka glanced over at Shinji warningly. Rei understood the unspoken desire for privacy and lowered her voice in turn. "So… what was it like? Making contact with the Angel?"
Asuka shook her head wonderingly. "It… man, I'm still not entirely sure. It was…" she grabbed at the air around her as she gathered her thoughts. "It was like going to New Age couples therapy after being injected with extra strength hallucinogens."
Shinji raised an eyebrow. "That's certainly one way to put it."
Asuka continued after a moment. "We essentially talked to… younger versions of ourselves, I guess? Based on that dress that the girl I was talking to was wearing. They were… utterly confusing. Going on and on about selves and finding worth and other sundry confusing nonsense."
She paused, a thoughtful look crossing her face as her voice quieted still further. "And… I saw something, just before I passed out. I saw someone."
Shinji looked over at her, eyes slightly widening. "A bright light coming from the far end of the Plug? You… you saw my mother, too?"
Asuka regarded him with no small amount of confusion. "What? No, Shinji. I saw my mother." she paused for a moment. "You saw your mother. I saw mine. Who knows what it might have been? After that, though, our Evas wake up and start going crazy. I can't help but wonder."
Shinji shook his head slowly. "I can't help it either. But… I have to admit, seeing something like that… there are worse things to see after all that. It was… good. After all this time having never really seen her."
"Yeah. It was." Asuka agreed, and the conversation trailed off as they began to focus on their lunch again.
Rei regarded them silently as they all ate. They were growing closer to the truth. And what could happen if they truly found out even a fraction of it… it made her feel anxious again, tinged with a far deeper emotion. Fear.
Her train of thought was derailed by a quiet, somewhat strangled gasp that drew everyone's attention to Kensuke, Toji, and Hikari. Kensuke regarded Toji and Kensuke, who were both blushing furiously, with wide eyes and a pale complexion.
After a moment, Toji nodded slightly, and Hikari breathed a sigh of relief, throwing her arms around the shocked boy.
Asuka, putting two and two together, smirked as she looked at Rei. "Would you look at that, Wondergirl? Hikari seems to have finally gotten the guts to just ask the dolt out. You've become a real inspiration, haven't you?"
Rei smiled slightly. "So it would seem."
- - -
NERV-3, Nevada, United States of America, One Week Ago
Down in the earth, under a dry, hot desert, a silver giant stood silently in its gantry, wires, and cables attached to its chest and stomach, connected to a tank that held a large, slightly glowing organ, suspended in LCL, close to an incision in its chest.
One of the lead technicians looked over her readings. The organ was stable, that much was certain. Power distribution was nominal, and Unit-04 was reading just fine. There was a storm warning that had passed overhead beforehand, she noted, but that was more of an afterthought than anything else.
She turned to a junior technician. "Alright. Insert the Organ and start connecting the Evangelion to it. We'll take it slow, ensure that we don't burn out the connection."
The tech nodded, and the test began. The organ began to glow even more, and power, an unlimited amount of power, began to trickle into the Evangelion.
The lead tech nodded. The test was going about as smoothly as it could. It was somewhat surprising, really.
Then, something flickered on the readout of the Evangelion. The lead tech tapped her screen, then sighed. Probably just a quick glitch.
That notion was quickly dissuaded as alarms began to sound, and the S2 Organ disappeared into the Evangelion's chest.
She looked around at the other techs as the Evangelion did the impossible, and stirred. "What the hell is going on here?"
One of the technicians looked up with a harried look on his face as the Eva's struggles became more violent. "The Evangelion's moving without a pilot or a core! Something's taken over!"
Another technician looked at her. "We've lost readings on the S2 Organ! The Evangelions consumed it! Like it-"
The silver giant roared, eyes flashing red as skin sealed itself around fully the Organ, and the world was consumed by a white light.
. . .
Tokyo-3, Present Day
Misato looked at the satellite footage showing the area where NERV-3 once stood. In the beginning, it was as it usually was. A dot showed the epicenter of where NERV-3 was located, and there were several small towns surrounding it. Alamo, she idly read on the overlay over one of the towns nearby. She had no idea why she was only hearing about this now, but she dreaded what came next.
Maya's voice overlaid the rather sparsely beautiful scene with an ominous countdown. "Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one. Mark."
In a moment, a point of brilliant white light sprang into existence, then expanded at a terrifying pace as it consumed NERV-3, then the rest of what was an old Air Force base, then the towns surrounding the base then… nothing, as the satellite watching the area lost its feed. A cut to another satellite that swept over the area afterward showed that nothing was left from within the light's boundary. Not even the ground was spared, as the light left a perfect bowl where it once was.
The recording stopped.
Ritsuko sighed. "All contact was lost at the time of the incident. Their schedule showed that they were due to test the S2 Organ on Unit-04."
Misato shook her head as she grabbed her necklace. "What a terrible tragedy," she muttered. She turned to Maya. "What are the casualty reports?"
Maya looked down at her tablet. "Unit-04, the S2 Organ that we salvaged from Shamshel, the entirety of NERV-3, and anything within about 89 kilometers of the blast center."
Ritsuko nodded. "Including most of the towns within the area, and their population."
Maya looked back down at her tablet. "Possible causes of the explosion, which we have narrowed down to being caused by the S2 test, range from faults in the primary material of the Organ to flaws in the design itself, to unpredictable energy fluctuations during the test. The Magi counts up to over 30,000 total possibilities."
"Could sabotage have been one of them?" Misato said.
Hyuga, who had been silent until now, spoke up. "Well, ma'am, it didn't look like an explosion, at least not one I've seen before. It looked like everything just… vanished."
"Probably swallowed by a Dirac sea, then," Ritsuko said with a grim look on her face. "That would mean everything is gone."
"Not just Unit-04, but..." Misato said, the realization dawning on her.
"The S2 Organ as well," Ritsuko said grimly. "Along with all our hopes of a truly wireless Evangelion. And the billions that would save." she sighed quietly.
Misato nodded, then looked over to Hyuga and Maya. "Continue to monitor the situation. Let me know if anything changes."
The two of them nodded, and Misato stood. "I'll want a full summary of what happened by the end of the day. Doctor, come with me. We have some calls to make, obviously."
Misato and Ritsuko left the room. Silence followed them until the pair stood on a descending escalator. Misato spoke first. "So, what are the Americans doing with Unit-03?"
Ritsuko shook her head. "They'll be transferring it over to us. The US administration is very anxious about facing the possibility of losing the NERV branch in Boston."
Misato rolled her eyes. "All this pomp and circumstance about building the next two Units, and now they can't wait to have us in charge of them, instead."
Ritsuko shrugged. "Well, after an event like this one, anyone would be skittish, really."
"So, who do we use for the activation test then? The Dummy System you've been working on? One of the pilots?" The question was underpinned by the understanding of how that selection would be made, though it didn't show in Misato's tone.
Ritsuko was silent for a moment. "I'll pick someone."
- - -
Jingen's Fine Dining, Three Days Later
Toji and Hikari sat down at their table in a rather ostentatiously named restaurant, somewhat tense and slightly apart. They looked at each other somewhat expectantly, as if waiting for the other to start… something.
"So, uh…" Toji said after the silence finally became almost unbearable. "Thanks for asking me out, I guess, Class Rep."
Hikari sighed. "Please. If we're outside of the school, just…" she stuttered for a moment, blushing slightly. "Just call me Hikari. I'll call you Toji whenever we're out of school. Is that clear?" she said with a slight smile.
"Yeah." Toji nodded. "Yeah, I'll try."
Hikari nodded slightly as she picked up a menu. "Good. Now, what are we eating?"
They ordered their meals, then began to dig in as they arrived.
"So," Toji finally said after a moment, "I know you pretty well. Or at least I think I do. But I don't think I've ever met your family except when Nozomi came over to play with Sakura a few times. Who else is there?" he said with a slight smile.
"Well," Hikari began with a slight smile of her own, "There's Kodama. She's in college in Tokyo-2 right now, studying engineering. Then there's my father, who's a contractor for NERV, Nozomi, like you said, and me." she shrugged slightly. "That's about it."
Toji arched an eyebrow. "No mom? Or are you the mom of the household?" he asked with a slight grin.
The grin vanished as Hikari sighed quietly, looking down into her dinner for a moment. "No, actually. Mother… mother died when I was very little. Dad doesn't like talking about how it happened. I don't even really remember her."
She chuckled, a quiet, choked thing. "And yet, everyone who knew her says that I remind them of her. Funny how that works, isn't it?"
She looked up after a moment's reflection, her eyes damp with welling tears. "What about you? I know Sakura, but do you have any other siblings? And what about your parents?" she chuckled slightly. "Other than how much I know you fawn over Sakura, I don't really hear much about anyone else."
Toji smiled for a moment as he nodded. "Well, there isn't anyone else. It's just me and Sakura. Dad's an artist and works on contracts for a few companies while he produces his manga. And…"
He trailed off, and Hikari's eyes widened as Toji sighed quietly. "Mom died when I was around 8 or 10. Sakura was maybe… 4, 5 at the time. It was a car crash. It…" his breath hitched for a moment. "It wrecked all of us for a while. Sakura doesn't really remember, but I do."
It was silent again. "What was she like?" Hikari asked slowly.
Toji chuckled. "Kinda like me, I guess. Active, sporty. She was a lot more… outgoing, though. I guess I got my dad's knack for keeping quiet for the most part." he chuckled. "I've been told I've got a little of her attitude, though."
Hikari nodded. "I see. She sounds… fun." she paused. "I would have liked to meet her."
"Yeah. Thanks, I guess." Toji paused for a moment as well. "I would have liked to meet your mom, too. If she's anything like you, I think I would have liked her too."
Hikari nodded silently, then chuckled softly. "Who would have guessed how alike we really are?" she mused.
Toji nodded. "Not me," he admitted. Then he began to chuckle as well. "After all, it took this long for me to figure out you actually like me."
Hikari rolled her eyes. "And after all those lunches I 'accidentally' prepared enough for the both of us."
They shared a moment of good-hearted laughter as they finished up their meal.
As they waited for the check, Toji found himself struck with an idea. "So, now I guess I've got to break the news to Sakura that we're finally a thing." he paused for a moment. "Would you like to come to check up on Sakura with me sometime? I'm sure she'd like having you visit."
Hikari nodded. "Yes, actually. I would love that. She's such a sweet soul, even with everything that's gone on. How is she?"
Toji bobbed his head from side to side. "Getting better. Slowly, but getting better. She should be ready for crutches and casts for her legs in a couple of weeks, and finally start getting out of the hospital bed for once. The arm's coming along decently, too. It should be out of its cast in about that much time."
"That's good to hear," Hikari said with a smile. "Whenever you see her next, send her my regards."
"Will do."
Toji took the modest check, and the newly minted couple headed out into an unknown future.
- - -
NERV-HQ, 2 Days Later
It was the end of another brain scan, the number of which had increased in recent days, and now, Rei and Commander Ikari partook in another of the traditions that came with such an event: eating dinner together.
They ate silently, at opposite ends of a long table. The only sounds that pierced the silence were the sound of their cutlery and the quiet hum of the HQ's air conditioning systems. Rei, with no small amount of practice, had schooled herself into a facade of her former bland, uninterested expression. She had to, whenever the Commander was around.
Commander Ikari spoke up. "Rei, are things satisfactory?"
She finished chewing her food as she pondered the question. It was one that had been asked of her since her inception. It rarely dived into specifics, as there were usually no specifics to give.
'There are now.' she mused as she swallowed her food. Yes, she decided, she felt satisfactory, as she had so often replied before. But there was so much more to that than ever before. She felt good, alive, recognized, and supported by her peers for the first time… ever.
But he could never know, it seemed. That part saddened her. Before her was the man that had witnessed her inception, was perhaps the first to show her anything of kindness and whatever little happiness he showed to anyone. He'd raised her, in a sense. Been the closest that she had to… a father.
But a father wouldn't do what he'd done to her. Rei remembered the cloud of drugs, the isolated housing, the further isolation from those who had become her friends. It made her unsure of what she should feel. So, she answered as she always had, without inflection. "Yes, sir. Things are satisfactory. After this meal, I will return to my housing, and return to school the day after."
Commander Ikari nodded slightly. "Good." was all he said as he took another bite.
Silence fell upon them again as Rei considered what the events of her brain scan meant to her again. She had enjoyed it at first, at least as much as she could have, floating in the tank of LCL to ensure that her part in Gendo's Scenario would not be upset easily. Now, though, a sort of existential dread had begun to seep into the process. It seemed patently designed to ram home how utterly expendable any current form of her could be. A doll to be thrown away and replaced should the need arise.
'No.' she had to remind herself, trying to break out of that old rut of thinking such. 'I am not expendable. I am not a doll. Not to them. To my friends and guardians. I have to remember that. For them. All of them.'
Gendo finally spoke again. "And how is school?"
She let another mouthful of food stand between him and her answer. 'School is a joy now. A place of freedom and friendship. A place to know that I am noticed and cared for. Where I went on my first date in my entire life.'
"Also satisfactory, sir."
"Good."
. . .
3 Days Later
As Rei began her final irregular neural scan and upload, Ritsuko gazed at the latest in technology, the work of her hands, and suppressed a shudder. The Plug in front of her was painted a deep, crimson red. The color of blood and pain and alarm. It was appropriate, she felt, for how dangerous it could be.
"This is the prototype Dummy Plug, sir." Ritsuko began. "Rei's personality and mental patterns, or at least as close as the Magi can get them, have almost fully been implemented into the Dummy System. But…"
She paused for a moment. "We can't replicate a real pilot's abilities with this. We cannot replicate a pilot's soul with this. All it will ever be is an imperfect copy. I have… concerns about how the Evangelions might act when this will be controlling them."
Gendo regarded the Plug silently for a moment. "As long as the system is sound, and activates as it is supposed to, that will be all we need."
He glanced over at her for a moment before looking back to the Plug. "Install the Dummy System data into Units-01 and 02."
Ritsuko's eyes widened slightly in shock. "Sir, there's still a host of shortcomings that need to be accounted for. The behavior models, and how unpredictable they are, for one-"
"Don't matter, Doctor," Gendo said calmly. "As long as the Evas can move, they can fight. That is all that matters."
Ritsuko nodded stiffly. "Understood, sir."
As Gendo and Ritsuko walked back to her clinic, Ritsuko stewed silently. 'You haven't seen the footage of them breaking free from the Angel yet, have you? Do that, then tell me everything will be fine. You have no idea how much those things scare me, Gendo. We have little enough control of them as it is using the pilots, and you want me to loosen their leash with the Dummy System? Do you really have that much confidence in our control of them?'
. . .
As Rei floated quietly in the tank of LCL that helped to record her neural patterns, Ritsuko sat at a desk nearby, as Gendo looked up at her. After a moment, Gendo spoke.
"The UN is handling Unit-03's transportation here. It will be arriving this weekend." Gendo said levelly. "Are you prepared to receive it and do an activation test?"
Ritsuko looked up, and a familiar pang of jealousy stung her heart. 'No.' she thought. 'He's looking at Rei. He's not looking at her. He's looking at a tool. A husk. Nothing more.'
She had told herself such a thousand times as this Rei had grown up under Gendo's care. That such fears were irrational, that he still needed her, both as a scientist and as a woman. Every time, a tiny part of her doubted it. That part had grown as Rei had gone more and more off her drugs, as the tox reports showed less and less of the medication in her system, the puppet's strings fraying and snapping one by one.
She blinked after a moment. Gendo hadn't seen those tox reports yet, had he? He had no idea about Rei's current condition.
'Good.' a cynical part of her snarked. 'Let it bite him in the ass. See how much he likes his precious Rei after she stops doing his bidding.'
Ritsuko finally responded. "Yes. The adjustment and activation test will be done at the Matsushiro test grounds."
Gendo spoke without turning. "And who will the test pilot be?"
Ritsuko shook her head out of his sight. "The Dummy Plug is too dangerous for a test as of right now." she pulled up notes on her computer, scanning through them with easy efficiency. "Shinji's synch score is at around 75%, Asuka's is at almost 80%, and Rei's is at about 65%."
She paused for a moment, then continued. "Given the results, I still think we should proceed with pilot selection as I laid out in my template last week. The best candidate out of our pool will then be selected as-"
"The Fourth Child?"
Ritsuko nodded. "Yes. There are several candidates for whom we can prepare the cores immediately."
Gendo nodded slightly. "Very well. I will leave the final selection to you, then. The addition of another Child is useful, but it will not be critical."
"Understood, sir," Ritsuko replied.
Gendo smiled. It was a small smile, and it seemed out of place on an eternally serious face such as his. But nevertheless, he smiled at Rei. "Rei. We are done here."
Rei opened her eyes in the tube, and a small smile came to her face. "Yes, commander."
"Let's go eat now."
"Yes." Rei's gaze wandered from Gendo to Ritsuko, who stared daggers into the back of Gendo's head. What she said next was almost an afterthought. "Thank you, Doctor Akagi."
Ritsuko's eyes widened in surprise, and Rei fought hard to not have hers do the same as a spike of panic drove itself into her heart at the slip of her tongue.
Gendo's eyebrow only arched slightly. "You've never thanked Doctor Akagi before. Why do you thank her now?"
Rei gathered her thoughts for a brief instant before she replied. "I am told by the other pilots that it is customary to thank those that have served you in some capacity, commander."
Silence filled the room for a moment, then his shoulders moved up a fraction. "It is good to know that your fellow pilots are at least well mannered."
He turned, and Ritsuko turned back to her work quickly. "As I said," he continued, "we will go and eat when you are prepared."
Rei's smile faded. "Yes, commander."
- - -
Warehouse S-52, Tokyo-3 Outskirts
The large warehouse, along with much of the rest of the outskirts of Tokyo-3, was dark and silent. Almost everything outside of the main city was, due to the Angel attacks. For the figure in a dark hoodie that approached the door of the warehouse, it was that reason that made this the perfect place for a house of worship.
The figure placed his hand on the metal door and focused. The door began to vibrate at a very specific pitch and tune for all of 5 seconds before he stopped and waited. After a moment, a small portion of the door became transparent, and discerning eyes studied him up and down.
After a moment, the eyes faded from sight as the eyehole lost its transparency, and the door opened with an almost unnatural silence. The man at the door nodded respectfully. "Welcome back, Acolyte Farhaven," he whispered, even with the knowledge of their isolation.
As Tavis Farhaven stepped in, he pulled down his hood, running thin, delicate fingers through close-cropped black hair, his silvery eyes sweeping across the quiet, improvised monastery. The length of it had been divided up by stone walls shaped by the Expressions of one of their Interfacers, and the immediate surroundings were offered up as a chapel, where a few of their newly acquired acolytes sat in reverence as they listened to the deep, soothing baritone voice of Receptorist Jameson.
He walked around them towards the back, paying them no heed. They were as of yet unmarked, listening intently to Jameson quietly elucidate to them the mysteries of Reality and the Guides.
A doorway led to a small set of steps leading down under the surface, another work of Expression. Down below, the dormitories of the acolytes stretched the length of the warehouse. He made his way to a particular door and pushed it open.
In the room was enough space for four acolytes, and Ymris, his last bondsmate, looked up as he arrived. She shouldn't have been alone. Abed should have been there. But at least he got to be with his love again, he thought, as he sat down on his plain bed.
"It's good to see you back, Tavis," Ymris said, absentmindedly rubbing a pointed ear that was usually concealed with an Interfaced necklace whenever they went outside. "I thought you were going to talk to Jameson."
Tavis sighed. "I was, but he's in the middle of a sermon."
It was quiet for a moment. "So, what were you going to talk to him about?" Ymris said after a moment.
Tavis shrugged. "Well, I'm supposed to receive the next Proximity, what with uncovering another outsider's influence." he sighed. "I just hate what it cost me. What it cost us." Tavis's voice lowered to a whisper. "Another dead friend in another broken world."
Ymris nodded, glancing over at where Abed used to sleep. "Yeah," she said quietly. "I still don't quite know how to process it. Him being gone. And..." she trailed off.
Tavis nodded, his expression hardening. "I don't care who that was, or who he might have been. It's just one more stumbling block in the way of our goals." 'Of my goals.'
"The fact that we'll avenge our friend when we take care of him makes it all the better." Tavis continued.
Ymris nodded. "Yes." she paused for a moment. "For the Unity," she said quietly.
"Yeah," Tavis said, equally quietly, "for the Unity."
Ymris shook her head. "But how are we going to avenge Abed against someone like that? He wiped the floor with us in a standup fight, unarmed, Tavis."
Tavis nodded. "Maybe. But we're inexperienced Acolytes."
He shifted on his bed resting his elbows on his knees as he leaned forward, his hard face splitting slightly as a small smile came to him. "But I hear that we have some help coming in from the Seaside. Someone who doesn't need a stand-up fight to win against him."
- - -
NERV-HQ
Misato knocked on the door to Ritsuko's office as she entered. "Alright, I'm here. You were looking for me?"
Ritsuko looked up briefly from her computer and nodded. "Yes, I was. I wanted to talk to you about Unit-03. Seeing as it's coming in soon, the Commander scheduled the activation test for Sunday afternoon. You'll be escorting the pilot who will be participating in the test, so you'll have to come overnight, and leave your two behind for an evening."
Misato rolled her eyes. "I'm sure those two can go a night or two without me. They probably won't even be at each other's throats that much. They've both calmed down a lot, recently."
Ritsuko paused for a moment, looking up at Misato with a small smile on her face. "How trusting of you. Two teenagers, and all the hormones that go with them, all alone at night? Who knows where that could go."
Misato scoffed as she rolled her eyes again. "Oh, come on, Rits. Even if they have calmed down, they aren't like that. Asuka's still too proud, and Shinji's still too passive for anything like what you're thinking to happen. It's oil and water. Simple as that." she paused for a moment. "But I can't help but wonder, sometimes…"
Ritsuko chuckled. "Well, you could have the Theismans keep an eye on them if you're so inclined."
Misato shrugged. "Well, maybe Kaji can do it. He doesn't seem to be doing anything right now, and I'm sure that Asuka will at least be happy to see him."
Ritsuko raised a single eyebrow. "Oh? And you're sure it isn't because you and Kaji have been 'going out for drinks' a lot more recently?"
Misato rolled her eyes. "Come on, Ritsuko. It's drinks on his tab and a little flirting. Watching Shinji and Asuka dance around each other like I know they have reminded me of the good old days of flirting with Kaji in college."
Ritsuko's other brow rose. "Oh? You consider a week of wearing a divot into a bed 'flirting' now? I must be such a prude, compared to you." she chuckled.
Misato stuck her tongue out at Ritsuko for a moment. Then she smirked. "I wouldn't exactly call you that. You have your wild side."
She paused as Ritsuko arched her eyebrow. "University, I think it was the party after… what, senior midterms?" she chuckled. "If you enjoyed that as much as I remember you enjoying it…"
Ritsuko's eyes widened slightly as she blushed and looked down and to the side. "Oh, come on, Misato," she muttered. "That was once, and we both were very, very drunk."
A sly smirk came to Misato's face. "Oh, come on yourself."
She shook her head with a chuckle, then she blinked as her expression became thoughtful. "Wait a minute. Is Rei the pilot for the test? You didn't mention her."
Ritsuko's expression became serious as well. "No. We'll use the Fourth Child as the test pilot."
A pit opened in Misato's stomach as she schooled her face into seriousness. 'So who did you decide to pluck out of school now, Ritsuko?'
"Oh? They've found the Fourth Child?" she answered inquisitively.
Ritsuko nodded. "As of yesterday. The paperwork is still processing, but I went ahead and set it up."
"Alright," Misato said after a moment. "Who is it?"
Ritsuko typed for a moment on her computer, then turned the display to show Misato.
Misato's eyes widened a fraction even as she confirmed her worst suspicion. "Really? That's who the Fourth Child is?"
She straightened up. "Ritsuko, what are the odds of that?" she asked only somewhat genuinely.
Ritsuko shrugged. "Well, all the candidates are gathered in one place for their safety. It couldn't be helped, really."
Misato nodded. "So all the kids in their class are potential pilots." She said this and suppressed a shudder at what it might have taken to make all of them eligible. "This… this is going to be hard to break to the other pilots. Rei will accept it. Nothing really seems to bother her about this business anyway. But I don't know about Shinji and Asuka."
Ritsuko turned her monitor back around and resumed typing. "They'll have to accept it, one way or the other. We need the Children in order to survive. All of them."
Misato glared sullenly at Ritsuko. "I admire your great sense of compassion. I still have to tell them and deal with the fallout, in the end."
Ritsuko didn't even look up. "And I'm sure you can deal with it. As will the Children."
- - -
The vending machine lounge near Central Dogma was nearly empty today, only two people occupying it as the PA system rattled on about one announcement or another.
As the PA system clicked off, Kaji sighed quietly as he walked over to Maya, handing her a canned coffee. "Man. A whole Angel intercept system finally gets done, and there's not even balloons and a bottle of wine? What a straight-laced place this is."
Maya shrugged as they sat down on one of the benches and she cracked open her coffee, taking a sip. "The commander is a serious person. He expects those working under him to be equally serious."
Kaji nodded slowly, then a slight grin slowly grew on his face as he glanced over. "So what about you? Are you as uptight outside of work as you are here? Or are you more of a party, go out for drinks kinda girl?"
Maya's eyes widened and she blushed slightly, but she managed to keep her composure. She hadn't the first time she had fully met him, alongside Ms. Katsuragi and Mr. Theisman, in a cabin in the Geofront surrounded by a watermelon patch, of all places. She found herself determined to ensure it didn't happen again. At least, not to the extent that it had first gone to.
So instead, she simply rolled her eyes. "Only every once in a while, Inspector," she replied levelly. "Besides, I would think that you and Ms. Katsuragi were the ones who enjoyed going out for drinks with each other."
Kaji shrugged. "Well," he said slowly, "drinking always likes company."
"That I'm sure it does, Kaji."
They both looked at Misato as she entered, walking over to them with an eyebrow arched in Kaji's direction. "Taking care of business, I hope?" she asked pointedly.
Kaji raised his hands. "You got me. Just doing my job and making sure our dear Ms. Ibuki's sysadmin access couldn't be charmed off of her. If she can survive me, she can survive just about anyone."
Maya blushed slightly, and Misato sighed as she shook her head, a small but playful smile quirking her lips. "Alright. I guess I can forgive that. But my forgiveness comes with a price, you know. Our dinner and drinks for our meeting this Thursday? Consider them your responsibility, Mr. Kaji."
Kaji chuckled slightly. "Done, madam. Done."
Misato chuckled in turn, then her amusement disappeared as her expression became somber. "They found the Fourth Child," she said quietly.
Kaji glanced around to ensure that they were alone, and Maya's eyes widened slightly. "Who is it?" she asked.
Misato sighed. "It's one of the pilot's classmates. Daniel was right. They did group them into a single class, just in case. This confirmed it."
Before she could continue, a familiar voice called out. "Ms. Misato? Are you there?" Shinji appeared from around the edge of the doorway into the lounge, Asuka right behind him.
Misato stood. "Yes, I'm here," she replied as she stood. She turned to Maya and Kaji. "We'll keep talking later."
Maya nodded. "Sure. I have some debugging in the system I need to take care of, anyway."
Kaji nodded knowingly. "Well, Ms. Ibuki, have fun with your 'debugging'."
She nodded and walked out of the lounge.
Misato turned back toward the Children. "Yes, Shinji? What do you need?"
"Ms. Ritsuko was looking for you. She said something about being at a meeting for a business trip?"
Misato nodded. "Ah, yes. Thank you, Shinji."
She turned to look at Kaji. "I'll be seeing you around, Inspector." she walked out of the room, leaving Kaji with Shinji and Asuka.
He regarded the two Children and found himself… interested in their general state of existence. They were certainly not entirely hostile when they first met, but now they stood by each other on purpose, not simply found themselves next to each other. It was something that took one being far more aware of the other to pull off than could simply be chalked up to a friendly relationship.
'I wonder…' he thought as he smothered a grin and stood from the bench. 'Let's see if I'm right, and have a little fun doing it.'
"So, Shinji," he said aloud as he leaned against the vending machine closest to them, "would you like to join me for a cup of tea later today?"
It didn't take more than a moment to see the flash of jealousy on Asuka's face quickly smothered by a chuckle covered with a hand, as Shinji rolled his eyes. "Well, thank you for the offer, Mr. Kaji, but I should decline," he said, clearly nonplussed. His eyes darted to Asuka for the briefest of moments and after a moment more, he smiled slightly. "I prefer coffee anyways."
"Ah." Kaji nodded sagely as he chuckled softly, his first impressions all but confirmed. He hadn't missed any of what had happened in front of him. 'My, my, and Misato thinks you two couldn't go that far. I'd like to see her pleasant surprise after she finds out.'
"Well, anyway," he continued, "what has you two wandering around together here? And where is the ever-mysterious Ms. Ayanami?"
A slight, sly grin creased his face. "Or do you prefer the privacy without her?"
Asuka stopped laughing, and her hand fell from her face to reveal her newfound annoyance. "Well, we're here because of the synch test, obviously. We just decided to get here early because we haven't seen Rei all day, and to make sure Shinji here doesn't get lost in this maze of a base," she replied matter-of-factly as she elbowed Shinji.
'Excuses, excuses, dear little devil.' Kaji thought. 'Forgive me for only being amused.'
"I see," he said aloud, straightening up to regard the two Children.
Shinji shook his head slightly. "He asks me out for tea," he muttered. "I thought you were a more serious adult than that, Mr. Kaji."
"Whoa." he chuckled as he raised his hands in mock surrender. "You're channeling Asuka's vicious streak like a pro."
Shinji looked down and to the side as he blushed in embarrassment. "Sorry."
Asuka gently slapped him upside the head. "Hey! There's nothing to be sorry for. Don't apologize." she chided.
Kaji chuckled again. "No need to step in on my behalf. I've got thick skin, I can take rejection. Now, since you've been honest with me, allow me to be honest with you. Come with me, and I'll show you a nice little place."
Kaji walked out between the two, and Shinji and Asuka looked at each other for a moment before following.
. . .
In what could be considered the open air of the Geofront, not terribly far from the HQ, Shinji and Asuka found themselves marveling at a sizable watermelon patch next to a humble cabin, a far cry from the glass pyramid that dominated a portion of the 'skyline' behind them.
Asuka humphed as she crouched down to look at one of the melons as Kaji watered a little further ahead. "I didn't know you gardened, Kaji. Then again, there weren't exactly many opportunities for gardening where we were on the Stahlturm."
Kaji smiled as he set his watering can down and surveyed the patch. "It's cute, isn't it? This is a secret little hobby of mine. A chance to just have a little escape from it all and unwind. Cultivating something, raising it… it's truly a wonderful thing to see happen."
He paused as he pondered for a moment. "There's a lot we can learn from doing that," he said quietly. "What we turn out to enjoy is really the least of that."
Shinji nodded as he walked over to Kaji. "Does Misato know about this place?"
Kaji nodded after a moment. "Yes, actually. So does Daniel." he looked down at Shinji with a knowing smile. "It's one of our little secrets. Who knows, maybe you'll learn a few more soon enough."
Shinji arched an eyebrow as Kaji went back to watering the row of melons he was currently tending. "This would make for a nice, romantic little spot, don't you think?" Kaji continued offhandedly. "Maybe have a picnic here or something."
Shinji nodded, a distant look blooming in his eyes. "Yeah," he said quietly. "You know, maybe you should actually do that someday." he paused to think for a moment. "After all… there's never as much time as we think to do the things we want to. Especially with the people we care about."
Kaji glanced back at Shinji, noting that Asuka had her back rather studiously turned to them. "Wise words for someone as young as you. Though coming from you, that doesn't surprise me much." he chuckled after a moment. "You wouldn't be speaking from experience, would you?"
"Well," Shinji said as he shuffled a little in the sandy dirt, "I've just been thinking about how much happier Misato's been since you came around. Even…" Shinji chuckled slightly. "Even if she doesn't always admit it's because of you." he paused for a moment. "I want to see her happy like that all the time." he nodded back towards Asuka, who had turned around and now regarded them seriously. "We both do. She's been so kind to us, and… well, we want to make sure she's repaid for that, somehow."
'I know what you're talking about.' Kaji thought, a tinge of melancholy to the words. He nodded, then his phone began to ring.
Taking off a gardening glove and reaching into his pocket, he smirked slightly at the contact on the screen as he glanced at the kids again. "Speak her name to the wind, and she shall answer."
He answered the call. "Hello, there, Major!"
"Kaji," Misato said levelly, "I left my pilots with you. Where did you run off to with them?"
"They're just here in the Geofront with me right now," Kaji said as he winked at the two Children.
"Well, get them over to the test area, then. Rei's already here, and we're not starting without them."
Kaji nodded. "Will do, ma'am. We're on our way."
He hung up and nodded back towards that ever-present pyramid. "Alright, kids. Looks like Misato and the others are just waiting on you, now. Let's not take up too much of their time, shall we?"
. . .
As the Children sat quietly in the Test Plugs, Misato aired out her shirt silently in the heat of the observation room. The heat was not unbearable, but it was annoying. She thought back, almost against her will, to a similarly toasty time, in an elevator in the dark with Kaji, then to a walk home under a night sky. 'We kept our promise. So why am I still thinking about that? Did he really mean what he said? Did I mean what I said?'
She shook her head silently. Then she looked over at Ritsuko. She thought of the revelation that was hanging over the Children's heads because of her. 'How could we do this to them? Take their friends, their classmates, and make them weapons right alongside them? They look happy, Rits. Some of them look happier than I could have ever imagined them. But… how will they react to this? The things I know now… I hate the end we're working towards. But… I need to work with you and make sure we get there, or everyone dies.'
She shook her head again. 'I miss you, Ritsuko Akagi. I know you're in there somewhere, buried under all the seriousness and secrets. But how do I get to you?'
She hadn't the slightest clue right now. She mourned that fact.
- - -
Another school day was in full swing as Shinji stepped out onto the roof to eat his lunch in peace. The rooftop was quiet compared to the backyard, he and the other pilots had heard. Today, it looked as if it would be blessedly empty. Save for his friends, the rest of the school was getting even more ideas now, and frankly, he was getting tired of some of the advances that had been directed at him.
He was just tired today. Tired of having to try and keep something like his growing relationship with Asuka secret from the group perhaps most adept at winnowing out such secrets. He was tired of people who had no idea what it felt like to be a pilot, who had never gone through what he had gone through, to congratulate him, call him a hero.
Even as much as Asuka and Rei, and recently Hikari and Toji, started to deflect such things from him, console him that even though they didn't know what it was like, he was still a hero, it still weighed on him heavily. He may have been a hero, perhaps. But he didn't feel like it. At all.
His mood brightened as he saw Kensuke, the only other person on the roof, and he smiled slightly. As much of a predicament as he was in, Kensuke's situation could really only be laughed at in good nature.
After his 'maiden date' with Rei, it seemed like a dam had broken. The girls of the school, at least those not committed to a relationship already, all seemed to wonder about this seemingly innocuous boy. After all, if he could convince the Eternal Maiden of Tokyo-3 to finally go on a date, there had to be something about him.
Thus, the last two weeks of Kensuke's life, it seemed, were filled nearly to the brim with dates, sometimes even multiple dates a day. Most never got past the first, but there had been a few second and third dates, he had heard.
"Hello, Ken!" he called, waving as he turned around. "Waiting for someone, or are you trying to get away from everyone?"
Kensuke, somewhat taken aback by Shinji's seeming boldness, took a moment before he responded. "The latter, I guess." he chuckled. "As much as I enjoy the dating life, would it kill some of them to leave me alone for a little bit?"
Shinji chuckled as he came to a stop by Kensuke's side. "You'll make it through, I'm sure. How was the military parade?"
Kensuke's face lit up. "Oh, it was awesome! I got a lot of good shots of the parade. And Sayaka and Kyoko were very patient with me too. I think it helped that Kyoko's dad is in the military."
Shinji thought for a moment about the student body to see if he recognized those names. "Sayaka and Kyoko… aren't they in Class 2-C? The redhead and the other blue-haired girl?"
Kensuke nodded with an almost goofy grin. "Yep. That's them."
Shinji silently pondered for another moment. "So… was one of them your date? And what was the other doing there in that case?"
"Well…" Kensuke trailed off as the grin shrank somewhat. "The thing is, they both wanted to date me, apparently, so they approached me with an agreement. Whenever I took one on a date, the other would come along."
"O…kay?" Shinji said with an arched eyebrow. "That's… kind of weird."
"Maybe." Kensuke shrugged. "But I've enjoyed both of their company thus far, and I've been open to experimenting anyways, so it's worked out pretty well so far."
Shinji tried and mostly failed to wrap his head around the idea as he heard the door open behind them. "Well, I'm glad you're happy with it, at least." he shrugged.
"Thanks," Kensuke replied as they turned to see Asuka and Rei come to a stop in front of them with their lunches.
"Hello, Kensuke," Rei said with a slight smile. "Are you doing well?"
Kensuke nodded. "Yeah, I am." he paused. "So… should I take my lunch somewhere else, or…"
Asuka sighed quietly, then looked at Shinji. "That'll be up to him."
Shinji shrugged. "I don't see a reason to drive you off, Ken. Eat with us."
"Thanks," Kensuke replied as they settled down and got out their lunches.
After a few minutes of eating, Kensuke turned to Shinji. "So, there's something I wanted to ask you guys about. Have you guys heard anything about Eva Unit-03?"
"Uh…" Shinji replied. "Not really." he looked at Asuka and Rei. "Have either of you heard anything?"
Asuka shrugged. "Only that it's being built in America alongside Unit-04. They don't even have assigned pilots yet. Why do you ask?"
"Apparently, it's heading to Japan, now. According to one of my date's dads, his section is going crazy after something happened to Unit-04 that ended up destroying it." Kensuke said, a gleam of excitement in his eyes. "At least, from what I've heard. I figured I'd go to the source, as it were, you know?"
Shinji gave an apologetic look. "Well, we're just pilots, Ken. Assuming we know much of anything is a bit of a stretch."
As Shinji said this, the door to the roof opened again, and all eyes turned to see Toji and Hikari walking out, holding each other's hands as their eyes were red and puffy.
Asuka was the first to comment as they sat down next to them. "What's wrong? Did something happen?" she asked, no small amount of concern on her face.
"We, uh…" Toji said quietly. "We got a call. From a Doctor Akagi."
Shinji's brow furrowed as his mind raced. "Wait a minute… Toji… are you-"
"No." Hikari interrupted. "No, this isn't about him."
She took a deep breath. "It's about me."
"I'm the Fourth Child."
The silence on the rooftop was that of a funeral as all present processed what Hikari had just said. "Hikari…" Asuka said. "I… I didn't know."
Shinji nodded. "Maybe there's a way you can not accept. I'm sure they can-"
"It's already done." Hikari again interjected, taking another deep breath. "Everything's in order. She said that they'd do whatever I needed to become a pilot. So now, Kodama and Nozomi don't have to worry about paying for college. And…" she looked over at Toji with a slight smile on her face. "Sakura is being moved to the Geofront's hospital. She'll get the treatment she needs to be back on her feet in no time."
Hikari looked at her lunch for a moment, then scoffed quietly. "I guess we'll have to have a rain check on our date on Saturday, Toji."
Noting everyone else's apparent confusion, Hikari nodded. "The Evangelion I'm supposed to pilot, Unit-03, is coming soon. It's being shipped here quite quickly, from what I can understand. I'll be going to test it over the weekend."
"Surely, though, there's someone else." Shinji urged. "Someone who can-"
"Can what, Classmate Ikari?" Hikari cut off with an almost hard edge to her voice. "Do what I was too afraid to do? To take the responsibility that has been handed to me? You do it. Asuka does it. Classmate Ayanami does it, even when she was injured. I can do this. Who else can?"
"I can do it," Toji said, a tired sound that felt like it had been repeated over and over. "I can pilot it. Just…" he looked at Hikari almost desperately. "Just let me try. Please. I can't… I can't bear the thought of you…"
He trailed off as Hikari drew him into a hug. "And that's why I love you, Toji. You have the biggest heart I think I've ever seen. But… you might not even be able to pilot the Eva. I'm one in billions, Doctor Akagi said. And they've only ever found four Children."
Hikari grew a wondering expression after a moment. "Come to think of it… four Children, out of all the possible candidates in the world, three of them are from Japan alone, while one is quarter Japanese. It's… quite the coincidence."
Shinji glanced at Asuka and Rei. Hikari had a point, and they all seemed to know it. Their shared expressions were level but urged a later conversation.
Shinji's mind whirled as the group considered Hikari's words. 'One in billions, literal billions, and after Rei and myself, the next pilot to show any aptitude in a supposedly worldwide search happens to be in my same classroom? This isn't just a coincidence at this point.' an urge to ask Hikari about her mother surged for a moment before being quashed. He could ask later.
Hikari shook her head as she took Toji's hand. "So I have to do this, Toji. Besides, I won't be completely in danger. I'll have our friends backing us up. The best pilots in the world. I wouldn't want to be in the cockpit without Classmates Ikari and Ayanami and Asuka by my side."
Rei spoke up for the first time since lunch began. "Class Representative Horaki… Hikari. As we will be going into battle, holding each other's lives in our hands, I see no reason for unnecessary honorifics. Please, just call me Rei."
The other two Children looked at Rei with no small amount of confusion and concern. "Rei…" Asuka said, almost warningly.
Rei regarded Asuka levelly. "Yes, Asuka?"
"You know what you're doing, right? You're sure about this?" Shinji asked.
Rei looked over at Shinji, then nodded once. "Yes, Shinji. There is no going back after this. We keep her safe. Just like we keep each other safe."
It was a moment more before Shinji sighed quietly as he nodded, looking back at Hikari. "Well… welcome to the team, Hikari."
. . .
As lunch finished and the rest of the group slowly made their way down to classes, Shinji stayed behind for a moment, Asuka waiting for him. He walked to the fence surrounding the roof. All was silent for a moment. Then, in a moment of impotent rage, Shinji slammed the fence with both hands, not caring for the sting it gave his palms.
Asuka stepped toward him. "Shinji…"
Shinji turned, and Asuka stepped back as she saw the anger in his eyes.
"It's his fault." Shinji spat. "My father. It all leads back to him, anyways. More friends dragged into life or death, more of the people I love putting their lives on the line, more people to…"
Shinji paused, then deflated as he dipped his head, the anger draining from his eyes as Asuka came up to him. "What happens, Asuka?" he said, barely whispering. "What happens when I can't save them?"
Asuka looked around to ensure they were alone, then took Shinji's head in her hands, lifting it up to give him a quiet, soft kiss. "What happens is that you don't just put it on yourself to save them. You let us help. Please. We're here for you. I'm here for you."
Shinji placed a hand on one of Asuka's and a weary smile came to his face. "I will. Thank you, Asuka."
A warm smile came to Asuka. "Of course, Shinji."
She stepped back, and her usual fire came to life in her eyes. "Alright, enough moping! Let's hurry and get to class. We're already late, so let's not make it any worse."
Shinji sighed, then nodded. "Alright. Let's go."
- - -
Ritsuko stood silently in the quiet, empty office of Commander Ikari. The light of midday slowly slipping into the evening only just managed to reach the office through the blood-red windows, leaving the usually highlighted murals of the System Sephirothicum in deepening shadow. Commander Ikari's eyes were amber disks of light held up by shadows as he considered her, Deputy Commander Fuyutsuki by his side.
Ritsuko finally spoke to give her report as the amber disks dipped slightly. "The Fourth Child candidate accepted our offer. She did so with the only stipulations being some things that would be done for her family and that of her boyfriend. Everything is in order to fulfill her requests, and she will be accompanying Major Katsuragi in a few hours to go to Matsushiro."
The office was silent for a moment. "A question, Doctor Akagi," Fuyutsuki said. "Are you certain of your selection of Ms. Horaki as the Fourth Child? She is only the second choice for the position."
Ritsuko collected her thoughts and her notes, then began. "There are many reasons behind the choice that I made. The most prominent of which is that, as opposed to the current number 1 candidate, her psychological profile indicates a tendency towards structure and hierarchy, making her more likely to follow any orders given to her. Along with the maternal aspects developed after her mother's death, it will allow us to leverage a responsibility to her family, city, and the world to ensure she follows orders. Add on top of that the results of the First and Second Child's advances in synchronization score compared to the Third Child, and such considerations edge out the raw synchronization potential of our first candidate."
The office saw the return of silence once again as all considered this. After a moment, Gendo finally spoke. "Very well. I believe that the Fourth Child will be adequate for our needs. The UN has given the time of arrival for Unit-03. It will be here within 24 hours. Have Matsushiro ready to receive it."
"Yes, sir."
"Dismissed."
- - -
Somewhere over the Pacific Ocean
A massive transport plane, carrying precious cargo, dived into the oncoming wall of storm clouds, disappearing into the dark mass. The pilots were sure they needed to make no deviations to avoid the rather suddenly appearing storm. After all, they were rated for far more wild, dangerous storms than this one presented itself to be.
Of course, that didn't mean the ride through was smooth. Far from it.
One of the pilots shook his head as he regarded the instruments with wide eyes. "Man… is this what we usually miss when we go through a storm?"
His co-pilot, many years his senior, nodded. "Yeah," she said in a relaxed tone. "It's no big deal. Cutting around this storm would have added the better part of a day to our route. I'm not going to make the bigwigs upstairs ticked over something like that."
Her copilot nodded uncertainly and continued scanning the instrumentation in front of him. After a moment, one of the sensors connected to their cargo began to fluctuate wildly. "Hey…" the pilot said slowly. "Uh… what's going on here?"
The co-pilot looked over, and as she did, the fluctuations stabilized, and the sensor graph returned to what it had been the entire trip. "Probably some sort of glitch," she said with a shrug. "This is new shit for our cargo. And you know how new shit likes to glitch every once in a while."
"So, what do we do about it?" the pilot asked. "Check on the cargo?"
"This close to our destination?" the copilot shrugged. "Make a note of it. I'm sure everything will be fine."
In the cargo hold, red eyes faded back to black, and the predator within its new home waited for the moment to strike.
- - -
Theisman Residence, Tokyo-3
The night was much like any other, and it found the Theisman's doing what they usually did, reading quietly before they retired. They waited for Rei, who was unusually late tonight, with no word on what she was doing. It was odd, but they had faith that Rei was doing well.
The familiar tones of the door opening and closing had them setting aside their books, ones that did not need to disappear tonight, as they stood and looked towards the kitchen doorway as Rei gave her customary "I have arrived".
A warm smile came to Daniel's face as Rei, Shinji and Asuka walked in. It was joined by raised eyebrows as he saw Hikari and Toji with them. "Well," he said, "what's the occasion?"
Asuka sighed, shaking her head. "Daniel… Hikari's the Fourth Child. And she's going to be testing Unit-03 tomorrow."
A moment of silence washed over the apartment as Daniel and Eleanor processed their carefully hidden shock. To say they were thrown for a loop was an understatement.
Daniel blinked. "Well. They found the Fourth Child? Well…" Daniel sighed. "I can't say that I expected that, but I'm glad that it happens to be someone we all know." he turned to Hikari as a warm smile returned to him. "Welcome to our team, Ms. Horaki."
Hikari nodded after a moment. "Thank you, Mr. Theisman."
Daniel raised a hand. "Please, when we're working together, it's just Daniel. I'm here to help, not here to be your commanding officer."
Hikari nodded slowly. "Very well… Daniel."
Daniel nodded. "Thank you. And I'll let you know something Shinji and Asuka know. If you ever need anything, regardless of whether or not it has to do with piloting… our door is open anytime. Come whenever, and we'll be more than willing to help."
Hikari nodded again, a small and unsteady smile coming to her. "Thank you, Daniel."
Daniel sighed as he turned to the other three pilots. "Alright. Does she need a place to stay? We can put her up here if need be."
Shinji nodded. "I think so if that's okay with Hikari." He looked over at her and she nodded wordlessly.
Shinji looked back at Daniel. "We can talk to Misato about that. I'm sure she'll be fine with it."
"Alright then." a small, wry smile came to Daniel as he looked over at Toji. "Do we need to make room for Mr. Suzuhara, too?"
Toji blushed, then shook his head. "Uh, no, no, I don't need to inconvenience you, Mr. Theisman. I… I just need a little time alone with Hikari." He blushed even more. "If you can make that work, that is."
Daniel chuckled slightly but nodded his head. "Of course. It's not a problem. As long as you don't need to be home soon or anything."
Toji shook his head as he relaxed visibly. "I can tell my dad something. It's fine."
Daniel nodded. "As I said, my door is open. That includes the pilot's friends as well."
Asuka nodded. "Alright. Shinji, Rei, and I still have schoolwork we need to do. We'll be over at Misato's." she stepped forward and gave Daniel a quick hug. "Good night, Bruder."
Daniel returned the hug. "Good night, Jünger."
As they pulled away from each other, and Asuka, Shinji and Rei began to leave, Daniel turned back to Hikari. "Do we need to get any supplies from your home?"
Hikari shook her head, shrugging off a backpack. "No. I have everything I need here."
Daniel nodded. "Alright. Go ahead and get settled in. We'll leave you with as much time as you need."
Hikari sighed. "Thank you, again. This means a lot."
Toji nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, it does. Thanks."
Daniel smiled slightly. "No problem."
. . .
The atmosphere in the Theismans master bedroom was tense. Daniel paced around the bed slowly, while Eleanor sat on one of its edges. After confirming that Toji had gone home and Rei and Hikari were asleep, Daniel turned to Eleanor, his hands pressed together in front of his face. "Eleanor… I have so many questions." They both knew that, but Daniel simply had to say it out loud. "Like…"
"This Echo is different, now," Daniel said. "Somewhat beyond the scope of what we know. I think we'll need-"
"A second opinion?" Eleanor asked with an arched eyebrow.
Daniel nodded. "Yes. We'll need to talk to Amaya."
Eleanor nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, it seems we do."
She stood from the bed and walked to one of the walls. "Care to let us in?"
Daniel nodded, stepping forward and focusing. As he did, a small, crystalline key appeared in his hand. He pressed it onto a particular area of the wall, and the wall rippled, the key sinking into it with a hollow tone, not unlike a bell.
As Daniel turned the key, the wall in front of them shimmered and rippled still faster, until it changed from a portion of their bedroom wall in Tokyo-3 to a doorway to a far, far stranger room.
Daniel opened the door, then stepped aside. "After you."
As they descended down a stairway of cool, slightly blue stone, lit by glowing gemstones, Daniel brushed a hand across the wall, and a strange sensation rippled through the both of them.
Eleanor stopped and looked back at Daniel, who raised placating hands. "I've just isolated us from the time stream. We'll be able to be in here for as long as we need."
Eleanor nodded slowly, and they continued on.
After a moment, they emerged into a bare, empty room, and Eleanor turned to him. "Well? What space will we be studying in tonight?"
Daniel nodded and closed his eyes. "I believe… we should study in a nice reading room. Something that feels like you could find it in an out-of-the-way country manor in England. With oak bookcases, and a fireplace in the corner, and leather chairs. A place that feels warm and cozy. Something we can relax in for a little while."
As he spoke, the stone rippled and flowed, pieces of the wall and floor extruding and pulling back to become chairs and shelves and bookcases. One of the walls became clear, a view of a brilliant night sky filling what became a window. The coolness of the room was dispelled as a fire crackled to life in a hollow in the wall that became a large fireplace. The walls themselves changed from cool stone to a forest green patterned wallpaper.
Daniel opened his eyes and took a deep breath of the scent of old books and well-worn leather that now filled the room. Eleanor nodded appreciatively. "Well, if we're going to study anywhere, this feels very appropriate."
Daniel shrugged. "Well, we're looking for knowledge, the greatest weapon of all, after all. And what better armory than a library?"
Eleanor shook her head as she chuckled. "Point taken."
As they sat down in the comfortable leather chairs, a portion of the wall rippled and flowed into a wooden door, from which entered a tall, slender woman with red hair and knowing green eyes, wearing an ephemeral white dress that seemed to glow as it rippled in an unseen wind. She walked towards them, a calm smile on her face as she looked over at Daniel. "Hello, Daniel. It has far been too long."
She looked over to Eleanor. "I see that your wife has found you. Finally."
Daniel nodded. "Yes, she has, Amaya. And I'm glad for it. You're right. It has been too long. How are you?"
Amaya's smile grew a little wider. "I am doing well, Daniel. There is a seemingly infinite number of things on your vessel that can occupy me, so it is no great matter."
Daniel smiled. "Good. Speaking of spouses, how is your husband?"
Eleanor looked between the two of them with a questioning glance. "Husband? I didn't know you were married, Amaya."
Amaya chuckled. "I am, Mrs. Theisman." she paused for a moment, then turned as another person walked through the door.
He was almost as tall as Amaya, but more muscled and broad, filling out the shirt and pants he wore easily, his hair black and his eyes a piercing blue as he came to Amaya's side, putting an arm around her waist. "Hello, Daniel. It's good to see you again."
Daniel smiled up at the man. "Hello, Vordt. It's good to see you too."
As Eleanor's eyebrows rose, Daniel looked at her with a knowing smile. "Well, I believe now's the time for more proper introductions. Eleanor, this is Amaya and Vordt of Irithyll, City of the Boreal Valley, daughter and son-in-law of Gwynevere, the Lady of Light. They are old friends from one of the worlds that I traveled to, and I gave them passage from that world when it ended."
Eleanor took this in with no small amount of shock. After a moment, she nodded. "So… You have royalty kept in your ship's systems? And is she why your ship's name is Gwynevere's Valiant Daughter?"
Daniel nodded. "Until such a time as they want to become corporeal again, yes. But the choice is theirs. And they had decided for the moment to remain ethereal. To continue being ghosts in the machine. And yes, she is the namesake of the ship. It just so happens to be a mouthful."
Eleanor scoffed. "Don't I know it." Amaya and Vordt chuckled slightly at this.
Amaya looked to Daniel after a moment. "So, there is a reason you have called us here."
Daniel nodded, a serious look settling on him. "Yes, Amaya. You have access to the Receptor records for this world." It was a statement more than a question.
Amaya nodded. "Of course I do." she reached out a hand, and a book from one of the bookshelves, bound in brown leather and lacking any title, floated down to her, opening as it floated above her hands. She turned Vordt. "Dear, I might be a moment. I'll see you later tonight."
Vordt smiled and quickly kissed Amaya. "Very well. I'll see you soon." he turned and walked out the door, shutting it behind him.
Amaya turned back to Daniel and Eleanor. "What would you be looking for?"
Daniel shook his head. "How many Receptor records of this world have Hikari Horaki become the Fourth Child instead of Toji Suzuhara?"
The pages of the book began to flutter as Amaya looked at them, her eyes seeming to vibrate as they looked through masses and masses of stories collected by a far more mundane world than the one they were on.
After a moment, Amaya looked up. "There are many of them. It's a small, but noticeable trend in the Echoes that make up this world."
Daniel nodded. "Alright. Which one is the most prominent?"
The fluttering of the pages slowed, then stopped. Amaya put her hand on one of the pages, seeming to draw out a string of light that composed itself into another, smaller book. "Based on events that have already occurred, this would be the one with the strongest connection to this world, I believe."
The book floated over to Daniel, who caught it with an appreciative look before Amaya made another copy for Eleanor. "Thank you, Amaya. That should be all for us for now."
Amaya smiled faintly. "My pleasure, Daniel. I'll leave you two to your reading." she walked out the door, and all was quiet for a moment.
Daniel sighed as he opened the book. It looked like it was a story collated from forum posts, and memories from a home farther away than any geography could place washed over him. "I… remember this. But only vaguely. I'm going to need a little time to study this."
A smile tugged at a corner of Eleanor's mouth. "Well, like you said, we're outside of time right now. We have all the time in the world."
Daniel nodded, a smile of his own slowly growing. "That we do. That we do."
The room fell silent as both of them began to read.
Apotheosis Echo will continue after the break.
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Chapter 14.2: [Steel, of Quiet Blades and Roaring Beasts]
Asuka tossed and turned in bed, at least as gently as she could with Shinji sleeping by her side. Kaji, for all his talk of being a good guardian, seemed to not notice the fact that Shinji had snuck off to bed with her. Or maybe he did and simply turned a blind eye to it.
Asuka rolled her eyes. 'Great. That means he probably knows we're together too. I hope he can keep secrets.'
That was the least of the worries that ran through her mind, though, as she reflected on Hikari. Her friend. Her copilot. She was gone now, off with Misato, Daniel, and Eleanor over the weekend to go test out Unit-03 and properly make herself the Fourth Child.
She sighed quietly as she shook her head. There were more than a few moments during Shinji's training regimen where she wondered if she could replace the boy with someone as level-headed and able to follow instructions as her first friend here in Tokyo-3 was. But that was before Shinji had become who he was right now. Before the threat of the Angels became far more real to her than she ever could have guessed. Now… though she still appreciated that she knew who she would be going into battle alongside, she still couldn't quash the anxiety that knowing it was one of her friends brought. Shinji had a point when they found out about Hikari's appointment. One more person to fail. One more person besides her to fall into the line of fire. One more person who just wasn't her.
'No.' she thought, trying to break out of the pattern that Daniel had said would be her downfall. 'One more person to trust to have my back. To bail me out of whatever I can't handle alone.'
She turned over again, putting an arm around Shinji. She needed a rock right now. And he was as good as any, she thought, as she snuggled closer to him.
Shinji reached up and grabbed the hand of the arm around him. He was as sleepless as Asuka was. His mind whirled with concern for Hikari almost as much as Asuka's did. But he also thought back to earlier in the evening.
. . .
Asuka was taking one of her longer showers. Shinji would have been in there, seeing as they had started to get comfortable showering together, but Kaji kept such a rare thing from coming to pass tonight. So, for now, he and Shinji sat on the couch in the living room, not really paying attention to the television, when Shinji turned to Kaji with an old question on his mind. "Kaji, you work with my father often. Do you know what he's like?"
Kaji looked up for a moment, then shrugged. "Well, Shinji, I can't say that I'm sure. I figured you'd ask that of Misato."
"You spend more time with him, so I figured you might have a better idea," Shinji replied with a shrug.
Kaji shook his head. "The Deputy Commander spends more time with him than me." he paused for a moment. "What makes you ask about your father?"
Shinji sighed after a moment's thought. "I haven't seen my father properly for most of my life."
Kaji looked over. "So saying you don't know much about him would be an understatement, then?"
Shinji shook his head. "I mean, I've learned some things about my father recently. About his job. About my mother, and his relationship with her. But other than that…"
Kaji shook his head again, a forlorn look on his face. "You're wrong there. You only believe that you've learned those things about him. Nobody can understand someone else completely. I mean, who knows if we can even understand ourselves?"
Kaji sighed. "Understanding 100% of someone? It's impossible." A small smile crossed his face. "But we still dedicate so much of our lives to trying. It's what makes life interesting, after all."
Shinji frowned. That was such a defeatist way to live life. Was that really living, never trying because one assumed that they would fail? No. No. It wasn't. If anyone had taught him that, it was Asuka. "Is that true of your relationship with Misato?"
Kaji smiled sadly. "Shinji, do you know what the kanji for 'girlfriend' means?" he paused for a moment as Shinji slowly shook his head. "It means 'a woman far away'. For us, for all men, women are on the opposite shore of a river. One that can never be crossed. We can never understand them."
"Kaji… that can't be true."
Kaji blinked as he regarded Shinji again, and saw the nearly boundless determination in his eyes. "What you said," the boy continued, "about never being able to understand anyone, it's so… black-and-white. Of course, we're never going to fully understand anyone, especially women. That doesn't mean we shouldn't try. They likely won't understand us as much as we don't understand them. We can all be lonely right next to each other and never realize it, and all it takes to break that down is to try and find out, feelings of guilt and worthlessness be damned. Then, after we find out, we keep going. Keep earning the love that we find."
Kaji regarded Shinji for a silent moment. 'Shinji… no one has that sort of conviction unless they absolutely know what they say is true.' he snorted mentally. 'That seals it then. So, why hide it from Misato? What are you afraid of happening?'
Shinji pressed on. "If you don't take the first step, in anything, nothing changes. Misato told me that. Maybe…" Shinji's courage seemed to falter for a moment. "Maybe you should listen to her, too."
Kaji remembered a confession in the starlight after the wedding. 'Yeah, we both said those things. But… we were drunk then. It's easy then. It's easy to not mean them fully. But… did I? Did she?'
After a moment, Kaji blinked, then chuckled softly. "Here I am, twice your age, and you're the one giving me relationship advice. What a world we live in."
Shinji looked away as he blushed slightly. "Um… sorry, but… I just…" he sighed quietly. "You know how I want Misato to be happy. And she is happy when you come home with her. At least for a little while."
Kaji sighed quietly, shaking his head. "It's a lot more complicated than that, Shinji," he said forlornly. "We tried, back in the day. It just didn't work out. We took Misato's first step, and… well, nothing really changed."
"Did it?" Shinji asked. "Or did it change in a way you didn't like? Or just didn't know?"
'Ouch.' Kaji admitted. 'He's… not entirely wrong. I never knew why she broke it off before that night. Just that she wanted to. And… I didn't take another step. Misato…'
Kaji sighed. "I didn't really fight her on wanting to break it off, all those years ago. I figured there was a good reason."
"And you never asked why?" Shinji said quietly. Kaji shook his head wordlessly. "Maybe… you were both afraid of something. You were afraid of asking her why, and… who knows what she was afraid of. It doesn't really matter now. That was the past. As much as that matters, what matters more is the present. The chance now to try something new. Or to try something old in a new way."
"Maybe," Kaji admitted as he leaned back on the couch with a sigh, looking at the back of Shinji's head as he looked past the television, into the hallway towards their bedrooms. 'Well, since he's been so encouraging… maybe he'll let me know if I ask.'
"So," he said quietly, "how long have you been in love with her?"
He never saw the slight smile on Shinji's face. "Since the first day I saw her…"
After a moment, his eyes widened as he realized what he'd admitted. "Wait. I mean…" he sighed quietly as he leaned back on the couch. "Damn it. How long have you known?"
Kaji chuckled. "I've had my suspicions these last couple of days."
Shinji looked at Kaji, a surprisingly fearful look in his eyes. "Please, keep this between us. Don't tell Misato. At least… not yet."
Kaji nodded. "Alright. I can't say I understand why, but your little secret's safe with me. After seeing that sort of conviction on love, I can't help but be moved." he chuckled. "And besides, it'll be fun watching Misato try and fully figure it out."
Kaji's slight grin disappeared. "But if she comes to me and asks… I'll tell her. Just to let you know."
Shinji nodded. "Thank you," he said with no small amount of gratitude.
"Certainly. And…" Kaji looked into the middle distance, a faraway look in his eyes. "If you and Asuka can work out… after what you said… maybe Misato and I could try again. Actually try this time. Maybe… I'll ask her out on a date when she gets back."
Shinji nodded slightly, a smile on his face. "Thank you, Mr. Kaji… please. Try your hardest to move forward."
Kaji smiled slightly. "I will, Shinji. At least I'll try."
. . .
Shinji breathed deeply as he felt Asuka against his back. Asuka had explained her and Daniel's plan (but mostly hers, she emphasized) to help Misato and Kaji get back together. It had been on the back burner as they had gotten more involved in fighting the Angels, but it looked like Kaji and Misato were on the right track regardless.
'I hope I helped. I think I did.' Shinji thought with a small smile. 'They both deserve to be happy. They both deserve what we've found.'
- - -
Matsushiro Testing Grounds
"T-5 minutes to activation test."
"Primary power is online and standing by."
"Apotheosis Node Number 2 is clear and receiving."
The chatter in the Command Truck continued as Ritsuko looked down at her checklist, nodding as the preparations became completed. "Alright. Team B, begin the operation."
Eleanor entered the initiation code at her station. "Unit-03 data uplink established. Beginning sequence steps 1 through 108."
As the activation of Unit-03 began in earnest, Misato went to Ritsuko's side, Daniel following her shortly after. She stared at the main screen, showing the dark outline of the Evangelion. "Four Evangelions," Misato muttered. "The most advanced weapons in the world." Misato paused. "We could destroy half the Earth with these things."
"But will it be enough?" Ritsuko said, equally fixated on the sight of Unit-03.
Misato glanced over at her. "Enough for what, exactly?"
Ritsuko's gaze flickered over to Misato for an instant. "To defeat the Angels, of course."
Misato remained skeptical. "So, we defeat the Angels. Then what do we do with the Evas?"
Ritsuko now fully looked over to Misato as she shrugged. "I'm sure Commander Ikari has a plan for after we've won."
Misato nodded as Ritsuko looked back to the screen, then cast a knowing look at Daniel. They knew that if Gendo, or SEELE for that matter, won, there wouldn't be much of an "after" for them to consider.
One of the technicians nearby spoke up. "The Fourth Child is in position, and is entering the Entry Plug."
Eleanor nodded. "Acknowledged. Entry Plug loading now. Beginning Phase One connections. Transmitting handshake pulses. Neural links are reading stable. List is clear to 2550. Harmonics are at standard. We're approaching absolute borderline…" only Daniel knew the dread that was building up inside of Eleanor's chest. It was a reflection of his own.
On the large indicator board, connections clicked into place, ascending upwards like a zipper closing. They hesitated as they reached the absolute borderline, the point where an Eva would be truly activated.
As the connections flickered just below the borderline for a moment, Daniel steeled himself. 'Here we go.'
The connections jumped up above the borderline, then surged forward as alarms began to sound, and panicked voices jumbled together.
"We're reading a massive buildup of energy in the Eva! Similar buildup… above the Eva?"
Ritsuko's voice cut over the alarms. "Break the circuits! Abort the test!"
One of the technicians shouted back. "No response from the system! None of our controls are… I'm getting a massive Pattern Blue!"
Ritsuko and Misato's eyes went wide. "An Angel…" Ritsuko whispered. "How?"
The cameras above ground showed a point of white light appearing, as the ones below ground showed Unit-03 in the underground cage, its jaws yawning open as it unleashed an inhuman howl.
The world went white, and darkness rushed to claim many.
. . .
After a moment to appreciate that he was still alive, Daniel unsteadily got to his feet. He was on the side of the Command Truck now, as sparks flew from smoking, broken monitors. His Frame had helped to knit him most of the way back together, though it did nothing for the pain that radiated throughout him.
He took a step forward, looking around him with his Sight, noting the dead and dying as the cores of their souls began to fly away from their bodies. He helped who he could, but healing someone else fully was not his forte.
It was Eleanor's, however, as he noted her beginning to stand herself. She made her way over to Misato and Ritsuko, who had landed on top of each other. Her training as a Mender made quick work of the worst of the damage as she looked to Daniel. "Go. See what the situation is, and if there's anyone else we can help."
Daniel nodded wordlessly and made his way to the back door. Shoving the dented, stuck door upward was a trivial task with the strength his Interfacing granted him, as he stepped out onto solid ground. As he looked around, he caught sight of the Evas, standing there… wait. The Evas?
He whipped his head back around, and his eyes widened with horror as he registered not only Unit-03, but Unit-04, standing in front of each other silently. After a moment, they turned in unison, and slowly walked side by side down the valley, away from their position.
As Daniel recovered from the shock, he pulled out his phone, which was somehow miraculously not broken, and dialed Hyuga.
The phone clicked as the Captain picked it up. "Captain Theisman?" Hyuga said, puzzlement evident in his voice. "Can I help you?"
Daniel shook his head. "I'm at the Matsushiro testing site. Unit-03 has been contaminated by an Angel, and we've been knocked over by some sort of blast. It's out of our control. What's worse… Unit-04 is here too. It seems to be similarly possessed."
Silence held for a moment on the other end of the line, then alarms began to quietly register as Hyuga began to speak again. "The pilots are on their way, and the other Units are being prepared to sortie. Sit tight. We're sending recovery teams your way."
Daniel nodded. "Major Katsuragi's out of commission. It seems that you'll probably be in command."
Hyuga gulped on the other end of the line. "So it seems."
. . .
Shinji tightened and loosened his grip on the controls of Unit-01, trying his best to quash the fear and anxiety that was bubbling up in his chest. It didn't do much, but he continued to try regardless.
This was a scenario even his worst nightmares couldn't fully match. News of the incident with Unit-03 had been relayed to him and the others by Captain Hyuga, and Misato, a casualty of the blast, was unable to take command. It was a perfect storm. And he and his friends were being deployed right in the middle of it.
He glanced at the comm screens as they came alive in his entry plug. Rei was stoic, the image of calm, and a sight that would have comforted him, had he not had the experience and the knowledge to now see the unease behind her eyes.
Asuka fidgeted far more openly, looking around the elevator to the transport planes as if there was something else she could find that could occupy her attention. Eventually, her gaze settled on Shinji, and their lips twitched upward for a moment. It was all they could risk right now.
Shinji finally broke the silence as they began to be loaded onto the transports. "So, will Captain Hyuga be commanding us, seeing as Misato's… out of commission?"
Asuka nodded. "Yeah, that would normally be the case. But this is NERV, after all, Shinji. Normal is a dirty word around here. We all know that."
Rei nodded. "So it would seem, pilot Soryu." she paused, her eyes flicking to the side for a few moments as she listened to the chatter in their link to Central Dogma that usually washed over them as they prepared to launch. After a moment, they watched as Rei looked back at them, her brow furrowed ever so slightly. "It appears that Commander Ikari is taking direct command of this operation."
Shinji sighed heavily and nodded. "Great."
Silence filled the link before Asuka replied, distaste and derision evident in her words. "My, but I miss Hyuga already."
. . .
Central Dogma was silent, cloaked in a quiet only broken by one person. "Targets have come into visual range of Mount Nobe! Putting the feed on the main screen now."
The massive screen blinked into life, showing two giant figures overshadowed by the hellish backlight of the setting sun. Their only outstanding features were the gleam of Unit-04's metallic armor, and the bright crimson eyes that seemed to stare into everyone's souls as they walked on, hunched slightly like feral apes. A quiet gasp rippled through the command center, breaking on the rocks of silence that were the Commander and Deputy Commander.
Fuyutsuki sighed quietly. "Just as we thought would happen," he said, equally as quietly, and with sadness tinging his stoic voice.
Ikari simply grunted as he considered the sight from behind tented hands. "Transmit the termination signal. Eject Unit-03's Entry Plug."
After brief seconds of silence only broken by furious typing, First Lieutenant Ibuki's voice echoed back. "No response, Commander. Unit-03 is not acknowledging the termination signal. The ejection system is showing some sort of malfunction, and the Entry Plug has not exited the Eva."
"What is the pilot's status?" Ikari said, no inflection in his tone.
First Lieutenant Faez shook her head. "No recognizable life signs, sir. All signals were cut off at the moment of the accident. The few sensors still online are making no sense. I don't know if the Fourth Child is alive or not."
"Very well." Commander Ikari said in the voice of natural command. "From this time onward, Unit-03 is considered abandoned, and both Units have been designated as the 13th Angel."
Captain Hyuga turned, his face pale with shock. "But sir…"
Gendo continued regardless of the attempted protest. "Deploy the Evas as planned at Mount Nobe." his voice could chill metal to frosting now. "Engage and destroy the targets."
. . .
"Enemy contact in t-10 minutes. Prepare to engage." Lieutenant Faez's voice rang through the Entry Plugs before the link went silent again. Shinji tightened and loosened his grip on his controls more quickly now that they had been deployed.
Their formation was a straight line, and in isolation, that fact could be considered basically tactically sound. What killed such notions was that the line was perpendicular to the Angels, not horizontal, the Units stretched out and hiding behind hills rendering any notion of support almost ridiculous.
He was no great soldier, but Shinji remembered Daniel's infrequent, yet interesting tangents when it came to his history homework. They'd taught him that such a strategy against an enemy such as this would fail, and fail spectacularly, echoes of the words 'defeat in detail' dredging themselves to the forefront of his mind. That Asuka was at the front of the line, closest to the Angels, did nothing to help his mounting anxiety.
"Father… Sir," he said into his link to Central Dogma, trying to keep his anxiety and, frankly, his anger under control. "I'm unable to give any sort of support to the other pilots. Is there any way for me to move up?"
"Negative, pilot Ikari." was Commander Ikari's immediate reply. "You are to remain in position and await further orders."
Shinji's hands clenched the controls as he clenched his jaw, but he sighed quietly. "Yes, sir," he said, not entirely able to keep the annoyance out of his tone.
"Commander." Rei's voice rang out after a moment. "I believe pilot Ikari's suggestion is not unwise. Perhaps I can move to be able to immediately support pilot Soryu, while pilot Ikari can provide support from long range."
Shinji could almost physically hear his father blink as he fought to keep a smile from twitching on his face. 'Bet you weren't expecting that, Father.' he thought with grim satisfaction.
"Very well." Commander Ikari finally said. "Unit-00, move to Unit-02's immediate right. Unit-01, remain on the edge of your engagement range, and provide long-range support only."
Shinji breathed a quiet sigh of relief as he began to move forward. His father interrupted that relief. "Your targets are ahead of you," he said ominously.
Shinji squinted into the distance, then magnified the two dots that were in front of the setting sun. A pill of fear churned his gut as the image resolved into the two Evas, in lockstep and cloaked in shadow save for the pair's glowing red eyes. Memories of Israfel floated to the surface of his mind as he stopped about 8 kilometers away, sighting his Pallet Rifle on Unit-04. Somehow, he felt, the power of dance wouldn't get them out of this battle.
. . .
Daniel and Eleanor stood in one of the command trucks they'd managed to tip back upright with the power of Interfacing, Daniel looking over Eleanor's shoulder as she crouched in front of one of the terminals, working her Mending to restore it to operation.
As it flickered to life, Eleanor and Daniel keyed up the sensors on Unit-03, which had almost miraculously survived the Unit's awakening, and scanned the readings.
After a few moments, Daniel pulled out his phone, dialing Captain Hyuga. As he picked up, Daniel began immediately. "I need a direct link to the pilots. I have information vital to the success of the operation concerning the makeup of the Angel."
As Hyuga connected him, he began without preamble. "I have two pieces of information for you. Firstly, there are three cores you'll need to worry about. On Unit-03, there's a reading consistent with an Angel's core to the right of the Unit's core, just opposite where a human heart would be. If you're going to aim for something, aim there. Unit-04 likely only has an Angelic core. You'll know where it is."
"Secondly, the readings we're picking up on Unit-03's AT Field are about 35 to 40% lower than any nominal AT Field even an Eva might put out. The Angel might be spreading its defenses thin between the two Units. Lieutenant Ibuki will likely be able to verify."
Daniel paused for a moment. "Good luck. Good hunting. Theisman out."
. . .
As the Angelic Units continued their approach, Commander Ikari gave his command. "Unit-00. Unit-02. Engage the targets."
Asuka raised an Eva-scale missile launcher, while Rei sighted in her Pallet Rifle, both of them drawing beads on Unit-04. "Alright," Asuka muttered. "Seeing as you won't give Hikari back nicely…"
She pulled the trigger, sending a rocket screaming towards Unit-04 with a backblast that shattered windows kilometers away.
She pulled the trigger again and again, sending two more rockets screaming after the first as a stream of fire flowed from Rei's Pallet Rifle towards the chrome Unit. It valiantly attempted to block with an AT Field and even managed to turn aside two of the rockets, but the third ripped through it, booming with a blooming cloud of smoke that cleared to show a chunk of its armor gone, a sliver of gleaming red showing on the edge of the remaining armor in the center of its chest.
Asuka's lips quirked at the sight as Unit-04 was driven back by Rei's continuing barrage of fire. "Oh, good. Daniel's right, as usual. We might actually have a chance, here."
As she finished speaking, Unit-04 howled as it ran towards her, leaping into the air and clearing the 2 kilometers it had left to reach her by plummeting down on her.
Asuka stumbled back, only managing to shout in surprise as it landed in front of her, lunging up towards her with hands outstretched to seemingly try at strangling her Eva.
In response, Asuka strengthened her AT Field, slamming the muzzle of her rocket launcher into the Angelic Unit's chest as a barrier flickered to life between the two of them, a hole in the field fitting the launcher through. "Eat this!" she shouted as she pulled the trigger.
Mere seconds later, the missile slammed into Unit-04's AT Field, the force of the impact detonating the warhead, along with the missile in the magazine behind it, propelling the two Units away from each other and slamming them into opposite hillsides, throwing up clouds of dirt and dust.
Asuka sat back in her seat, feeling the painful sensation of much of her front end crisping under the heat and pressure of the blast. 'Okay. Really hope that worked.'
As Rei turned to look at the place Unit-04 had landed, she saw the shadow of the Angelic Unit stand again, crouching down to seemingly leap back at Asuka again.
She swung her Pallet Rifle around, but before she could fire, a terribly familiar howl came from her right as a black hand grabbed at her rifle, flattening out and seeming to spread across the length of the gun before she saw, felt really, another hand clamp around her Unit's head, spreading out to cover it like a bag as all vision left her.
Rei turned as best she could, aiming in the general direction she guessed Unit-03 was in as her head slowly began to feel like it was in a vice grip. She squeezed the trigger, her Pallet Rifle barking as it tore through the infected Eva's flesh, causing it to howl as it released her head and gun to draw its arms back.
As she finally regained her sight and fire control, she saw the prismatic glow of Unit-03's AT Field blocking not only her shots, but the controlled 3-round bursts that Shinji sent downrange from behind her. Her gunfire soon joined Shinji's own, aiming as best she could at the area Daniel had specified.
Across the way, Asuka saw the silhouette of Unit-04 looming large above her, and she raised her arms on instinct as she caught the forearms of the falling Unit-04 as it slammed into her, its head jutting forward, an almost unhinged jaw snapping wildly at her.
'What the- this thing's trying to bite me?' Asuka thought as she struggled to push the Angelic Unit off of her. "Shinji! Rei! I'd appreciate some help!"
"Unit-00, break off and assist Unit-02. Unit-01, continue to suppress Unit-03." Commander Ikari said coolly.
But Commander Ikari's order was the last thing on Shinji's mind as he raced towards Unit-02 with a giant's stride. "Rei, I'm on my way! Keep Unit-03 off of me!"
"Unit-01, return to position and follow orders." Commander Ikari said glacially. "Unit-00, disengage Unit-03 and destroy Unit-04."
Shinji's voice overpowered whatever Rei had to say. "Father, I'm able to help! I won't be useless! Hold on for as long as you can, Rei!"
"Do not countermand my orders, young man." Commander Ikari replied, an edge of venom to the ice in his words. "Return to your previous position and follow my orders. Rei, engage Unit-04. Now."
As Shinji sped towards the grappling Units, Asuka's struggle to keep Unit-04 from biting her face off seemingly came to an end as it reared its head and bit into Unit-02's right arm, Asuka shouting in pain. "Get off me, god damn you!"
She reached as best she could for a deploying Progressive Knife, jerking the knife up and burying it in the Angelic Unit's neck and shoulder, causing it to release her arm and howl.
Asuka's shout of triumph was cut short by the far more present burning sensation that seemed to seep into her arm, as she looked down and saw something like venom dripping from the Angelic Unit's mouth, causing her arm to twitch and thrash beyond her control.
Down in Central Dogma, Maya turned to look back at Commander Ikari as the readouts on her console went wild. "The Angel is using an infectious attack to gain control of Unit-02's nervous system!"
"Sever the arm." Commander Ikari said with a voice like tempered steel, without inflection.
Maya's eyes widened. "But, sir, if we don't sever the neural links, she'll feel-"
"Sever the arm. Now."
Maya hesitated for a moment before turning back to her console and typing in the command.
With the bang of exploding bolts, Unit-02's right arm went flying off. Asuka's howl of pain almost matched the Eva's as she felt everything through her own arm, clutching at it to ensure that it too hadn't been blown off as she resisted the urge to curl up, kicking the somewhat surprised Angelic Unit off her and rolling to the side.
Time seemed to slow to a crawl as Shinji surveyed his situation. He was almost to Asuka. Just a few more steps now. But at the edge of his vision, he saw Rei struggling with Unit-03's flexile limbs, as it drew closer and closer to her.
But he could not leave Asuka now. Rei could take care of herself, now. She didn't need his protection yet.
And as his resolve hardened, he grabbed the barrel and stock of his Pallet Rifle, slamming into Unit-04 as it turned to face him, and he drove the Angelic Unit into the side of another hill, throwing up another cloud of dust and dirt as he changed the grip on his rifle, raising it and slamming the butt into the jaw of Unit-04, shattering it with a gurgling howl as he threw the rifle aside, deploying a Prog Knife from a shoulder pylon, taking it in both hands and plunging it towards the core Asuka's close-range blast had uncovered.
Then the Angel did as all Angels do, that being the seemingly impossible, as its arms flashed to catch Unit-01's wrists and another pair shattered the pylons on its shoulders, flashing up to begin strangling Unit-01.
'I'm not choking.' he had to remember. He could still talk. "Asuka! Rei!" he bit out. "Help Hikari! Hurry!"
Asuka got Unit-02 unsteadily to its feet. Its armor was nearly ruined, the blast of the second missile so close to her body leaving a nearly perfect semicircle of exposed flesh, the glint of a slightly exposed core peeking out from a corner of her remaining chestplate.
She glanced over at Shinji, saw his predicament, and briefly considered helping him, regardless of what he said. But Rei and Hikari needed her help too. 'Damn it all.' she growled.
"I'm on my way!" she said aloud as her remaining Prog Knife deployed from her other pylon and she began to run towards Unit-03. "Rei! Keep it distracted! I'm getting Hikari!"
"Will do." was all Rei said as she continued to strafe Unit-03's grabs, trying to lead its focus away from Asuka as she ran up to it.
She skidded to a stop behind it, slicing as quickly and carefully as she could at the membrane that covered Unit-03's Entry Plug.
"Unit-02, destroy the core of the Angel. Now." Commander Ikari said, a hint of that venom still in his voice.
"I'll ensure Hikari's safety first!" Asuka bit back as the Entry Plug popped free, and Asuka deftly dropped the Prog Knife and caught the Plug, sprinting away from Unit-03 towards the deployment's support line.
"Pilot Soryu." Commander Ikari said, that venom becoming a little stronger. "Drop the Entry Plug and fulfill your objective."
"I'm almost to the support line!" Asuka shouted, a few more bounding steps taking her to the row of trucks that waited for her, dropping the Plug as gently as she could and dashing back towards the fight. "I'm on my way back!" she said, no small amount of relief that Hikari's life was no longer at risk evident in her voice.
As Asuka made her way back as quickly as possible, Shinji continued to struggle to stab Unit-04's exposed core. Out of the corner of his quickly tunneling focus, he could see the Angelic Unit's jaw beginning to slowly reform as it gurgled at him. He had to end this, and he had to do it now. Hikari needed help. The others still needed his help.
This thought, the will to do what needed to be done, to save the people he loved, slowly pushed the Prog Knife ever closer to the core. An AT Field briefly sprang to life, but as Shinji deployed his own AT Field to nullify the Angel's, his Knife sliced through easily, now only meters away from the core.
Shinji shouted wordlessly as the tip of his Knife touched the core, sparks flying off the point of contact. He strained, pulling the knife back and then ramming it into the core, shattering it in a deluge of deep red LCL as the Angelic Unit's howling faded, its arms going limp and falling off Shinji's neck and arms as he took a deep breath.
He felt the rumble of the ground behind him and turned to take in the sorry state of Unit-02 with wide eyes. "Are you okay?" he asked.
"I'll live." Asuka replied, Unit-02 stretching out a hand. "It's not worse than a volcano."
Shinji tossed his Prog Knife, Asuka deftly catching it as Shinji picked up the Pallet Rifle from beside the body of Unit-04, cleaning it off and finding it ready for use.
Shinji and Asuka both looked over, seeing Rei's fire stop as the Angel deployed what was probably a full-strength AT Field, advancing on Unit-00 with wide arms.
"Hikari's safe," Asuka said as they made their way toward the two remaining Units.
"Good," Shinji replied, his mind whirling as he tried to think of a way to beat the remaining Angel. "Rei and I will divide its attention and tear down its AT Field, while you go in for the kill, stab its core. It's risky on your part, I'll admit, but it might just work."
"Please," Asuka replied. "I'm the best pilot in the world. We are. We'll make it work."
Shinji keyed up Rei, whose brow was furrowed in concentration. "Rei, on my mark, break right and deploy your AT Field to nullify the Angel's. We'll distract it and open it up for Asuka."
"Roger," Rei replied. "Waiting for your mark."
"Ready, Asuka?" Shinji asked.
"Now or never, Shinji," Asuka replied. "Go!"
With that, Unit-01 and Unit-02 sprinted forward, Unit-01 dashing left as Unit-02 continued on. "Rei, mark!" Shinji shouted, unfurling his own AT Field to tear apart the Angel's as Rei dashed right, doing the same.
As the Angel's AT Field flew apart, and it raised its arms to protect itself from the peppering fire of Shinji and Rei, Asuka ran low and fast, barrelling towards Unit-03, her eyes on the spot that Daniel had told her the Angel's core was. A little closer… a little closer...
She flipped the grip on her knife at the last second, straightening up and slamming into Unit-03, plunging the knife into its chest.
The two Units slammed to the ground with a thunderous crash that threw up dust, nearly masking the sound of a loud crack, its howling roar quieting then going silent.
Asuka took deep, heaving breaths, looking towards where her left arm went, waiting for the dust to clear.
As it did, she saw where the knife went. Right on the money.
Asuka was silent for a moment as Shinji and Rei contacted her, then she threw her arms up with a triumphant scream. "Yes! We did it! Oh, I love you guys! We're the fucking best!"
. . .
As Asuka shouted, a similar cheer went up in Central Dogma, Fuyutsuki contenting himself with shaking his head in wonderment. "Well, I'll be," he said quietly as Commander Ikari regarded the screen silently, watching Unit-01 and Unit-00 help Unit-02 to its feet.
Down on the command bridge, Captain Hyuga looked over at Maya, hope in his eyes. "What's the status of Unit-03, Ibuki?"
She turned to him, his hopeful expression reflected in her own. "The Angelic core has been destroyed. The Unit's regular core is intact!"
Another cheer went up as Hyuga looked over at Faez. "What's the status of the relief crews we sent out?"
"They should be on site in 10 minutes."
As Hyuga continued to take control of the situation, Fuyutsuki sighed. "They did it. They even managed to keep both the Units in usable condition," he said in wonderment. "Amazing."
Gendo said nothing, simply continuing to stare at Unit-01 as it made its way back to the support line.
- - -
As the decontamination teams shut off the heavy chemical hoses that had scoured off that part of the Angelic matter that they hadn't taken samples of, two technicians in bulky hazmat suits approached the door of the Entry Plug.
Pulling on padded gloves, they grabbed the handle and twisted, the seal hissing open as they stepped aside to let the LCL drain.
As the flow slackened, one of them peered inside, her eyes widening to find the seat... empty.
"Pilot Horaki?" she called as she looked up and down the Plug's length. "Where are you?"
"Hey." her partner said as he tapped her on the shoulder. "There's her Plugsuit."
She turned to see one of the other techs pick up the empty black and white Plugsuit as he looked over at them. "Where's the pilot that goes with this?"
. . .
As they left a Central Dogma still swirling with activity, Deputy-Commander Fuyutsuki looked over at Commander Ikari. "Major Katsuragi's training seems to be paying dividends, Ikari," he said quietly. "Their teamwork is nearly unparalleled, and your son has proven himself far beyond initial expectations of his capabilities."
"He's also proved himself far more willful and disobedient than initial expectations. Him and the Second Child both." Commander Ikari retorted equally quietly. "They both disobeyed express orders, putting their Units into unnecessary danger and damaging them far beyond what is considered needful to complete the mission."
"Their insubordination can no longer be tolerated." Ikari continued. "Thankfully, the solution to the problem is almost ready to be activated."
"The Dummy System?" Fuyutsuki's question held an edge of slight anxiety.
"Precisely. This operation has clearly shown the need for such a system. We must accelerate its deployment." Ikari's tone brooked no argument.
"Provided Doctor Akagi was able to survive our initial contact with the Angel," Fuyutsuki replied. "We won't know for sure until relief teams reach their position. With the nature of this Angel, and what little the Dead Sea Scrolls have told us, perhaps a little more assurance of her ability to continue her work might have been prudent."
"Doctor Akagi has left exacting notes on the development of the Dummy System." Gendo gave the slightest of shrugs. "She is not irreplaceable. Only very useful to our ends. Should another need to take her place, then it shall be what it shall be."
Fuyutsuki was taken aback for a moment at Ikari's apparent willingness to sacrifice not only their head of the Science Division but also who he knew was his mistress. "Your concern is touching, Gendo," he said dryly after gathering his wits.
"Your sentimentality is much the same, Sensei," Ikari replied as they reached his office. "Have Section 2 arrest and detain the Second and Third Children on charges of insubordination. I will come up with a suitable punishment."
He sat at his desk, tenting his hands as he usually did. "I am done tolerating childishness."
- - -
Shinji, Asuka, and Rei traveled home battered and bruised, but with a triumphant gleam in all of their eyes.
Shinji and especially Asuka were positively giddy with excitement. Their takedown of the Angel had left them heady with adrenaline.
"That was an awesome plan, Shinji." Asuka glowed. "And man, Wondergirl, that's probably the closest combat I've ever seen you do. You can be a real trooper."
"And, of course," she preened, "none of it would have worked without the vital contributions of the great Asuka Soryu-Langley."
"We're honored to be in the presence of greatness, Lehrerin," Shinji said somewhat sarcastically with a slight smile.
"As you well should be!"
Asuka looked intently at Shinji. "Now, Shinji, seeing as you have the culinary skills to match my piloting skills, I expect a banquet for us to celebrate my victory."
"Your victory? I succinctly recall that I was the one wh-"
"I find it somewhat disingenuous, Pilot Soryu, to claim th-"
The two feeds in Unit-02's Plug clicked off. "Terribly sorry, my awesomeness must have fried the comms!" Asuka said in a sing-song voice as they descended into the depths of the Geofront.
Shinji and Rei looked at each other, slight smiles on both their faces. "I guess I'd better start planning that banquet," Shinji said with a chuckle. "I'll set up a dish for you, as always."
"I look forward to taking part in the banquet," Rei replied.
With that, the connection was severed as the Evas reached the bottom of their elevators.
Asuka nearly vibrated in her seat as she waited for the decanting process to finish. Her party of engineers would be there, minus Daniel sadly, and they would help her celebrate a victory well won, as they always did. But she looked forward to a rather more private celebration with Shinji.
'The best victory celebration of all.' Asuka thought as the LCL in her Plug began to drain. 'Celebrating being alive with the man I love.'
She coughed up the LCL in her lungs and swung out the open door in anticipation of the cheers.
She stopped short as she saw her usual welcoming party. They were far more reserved and nervous than usual. The two armed Section 2 agents that stood in front of them likely had something to do with it.
"Pilot Soryu," one of them said, "Commander Ikari has charged you and the Third Child with insubordination. You're under arrest and will be detained until a proper sentence is determined. Come with us now."
Asuka stared at them disbelievingly for a moment, then a fire lit in her eyes. "You've got to be shitting me."
. . .
Daniel and Eleanor sat against one of the overturned trucks and waited patiently for the recovery teams to pick them up. The Children had done their jobs, it seemed, and even managed to keep the Units intact.
Eleanor looked over at Daniel, who was now, for the most part, nearly spotless. "They're going to ask a lot of questions if we turn up like this," she said, matter-of-factly.
Daniel sighed, then nodded. "Yeah, yeah. You're right." he grimaced at what exactly Eleanor was thinking of. "This is going to suck."
Eleanor nodded. "At least we can fix it later."
Daniel sighed, saying nothing as he got to work on his body with his Frame. He felt a burning sensation deep within his soul as his right forearm slowly developed a fracture running across the bones, wincing as his shoulder slid out of its socket as bruises began to form up and down the right side of his body. Eleanor made similar bruises appear up and down her front and back and cradled a leg that became broken. They dulled the pain as much as they could, but they still had to be convincing.
"Better?" Daniel said through gritted teeth as he heard the faint sound of the choppers beginning their approach.
"Better," Eleanor said through similarly gritted teeth. Daniel's left hand found Eleanor's right, and they held hands as they waited for the oncoming rescue.
. . .
Shinji's mind stewed in an emotion that was a rare guest as he found himself marched towards the HQ's holding cells. Contempt.
'Insubordination.'
The word stoked the flames of Shinji's anger as he thought of it. Not simply for applying to him, but for applying to Asuka as well. 'It's not our fault that father never had a day's military training in his life. We won, and we came home alive. That's the only thing that matters.'
His captors put him in the cell, closing the door behind him before he could turn, leaving him alone in a small, cramped room that would have been lit by a single lightbulb if it was on. 'Oh, so father hopes to scare us by literally leaving us in the dark? As if Leliel didn't already try that.'
He looked around as best he could, squinting to see a single bed and a combination toilet and sink. 'And…'
He began to notice the exhaustion that came with being so angry for so long and took a deep breath as it seemed to settle into his bones. 'We get to marinate in our Plugsuits, damp with LCL. What are we, sides of beef?'
He chuckled at the thought as he sat down on the thin, clearly uncomfortable mattress, then he heard something coming down the hallway. No, someone. A very angry someone.
[And what? This is the thanks we get, after saving the world over and over again? Bockmist! You're bockmist, the Commander is bockmist, this entire thing is bockmist! I schwöre, when I hier rauskomme, werde ich jemanden in den Staub stampfen! Actually, I know exactly who I'll do that to! Sobald sie meine Einheit-02 repariert haben, wirst du mich wiedersehen, wenn ich auf Commander Ikari's blödem Büro stehe! Ich werde ihn dazu bringen, diesen Kerker zu renovieren, denk an meine Worte!]
Shinji couldn't help but chuckle. Asuka's German lessons were paying off, clearly, but it was obvious that there were now some new words he wanted to learn. And after this was all done, he wouldn't be surprised if Asuka was more than happy to teach him.
As the door next to him slammed shut, and who was clearly Asuka slammed the door, the tirade continued for minutes more, before trailing off and stopping. Shinji got up as Asuka stopped, putting a hand on the wall that he shared with her. How could he tell her he was here?
His brow furrowed, then he tapped the wall hard, holding his breath as he waited for a reply.
. . .
Asuka set her back against the wall, sliding down it with a slick, wet squeaking sound as she hit the floor and began to curl up on herself.
Her anger, as deep of a well as it was, was now spent. Now, all she had left was a sore throat and deep, nagging exhaustion. This was the part she hated about just… unloading on someone who deserved it.
Now, she was in a cell. Cold, wet, alone, and in the dark. No warmth, no light, no love, no… nothing. Memories of her time in what was now called Leliel stirred to the surface.
She stopped herself short. 'No. This isn't that Angel. Not even close. You're not going to die in here. Not even Commander Asshole is that stupid. Breathe. Just breathe right now.'
As she breathed deeply, she hummed a tune that Daniel had sung to her whenever she had started doing the active readiness tests with Unit-02 in Germany so long ago. What were the words again?
'Siúil, siúil, siúil a rún. Siúil go sochair agus siúil go ciúin. Siúil go doras agus éalaigh liom, is go dté tú mo mhúirnín slán…'
Her train of thought was interrupted as she heard a tap, then another from the wall behind her. She got to her feet, wondering if what she dared to hope might be true as she tapped back.
After a moment, a series of taps, a beat she instantly recognized, began. Tap-tap, tap-tap, tap, tap tap tap, tap, tap tap, tap-tap, tap tap…
'The song we trained to! Shinji!'
She began to tap along with him, reveling in the fact that, even separated as they were, they were together. And together, they could beat this. If Angels couldn't stand against them, how could this?
. . .
White light turned red and blue as Misato struggled out of her tunnel vision and back towards consciousness. As she woke up, she felt someone holding her hand, the grip large and comfortably warm. As she cracked open her eyes, the blurry images that followed slowly resolved into a familiar face. "Kaji?" she mumbled, as he squeezed her hand gently in response.
"Katsuragi… you're all right," he said, relief evident in his voice as he squeezed her hand again.
"S' good to see you too." She squeezed back as much as she could. That it amounted to little was no concern as she tried to focus on him after he became blurry again. "Y' have nice hands. I forgot about that. I… 've missed waking up to your face."
Kaji smiled. "Maybe we should start doing that again. Without having to have you on a gurney to do it." Kaji shook his head. "You took one hell of a knock on the head when you went flying. Your left arm is fractured in a couple of places, too."
Kaji sighed. "You really shouldn't get blown up again, Misato. What would I do without…" Kaji paused again, his voice hitching slightly.
Before he could continue, Daniel and Eleanor walked up to them, coming to rest on either side of Misato as Daniel held a water bottle up to Misato's lips. "Here, drink this. It should help a little."
As Misato sipped at the water, things slowly began to become clearer, and Misato's head stopped ringing so much. She tried sitting up, but Eleanor put a hand on her shoulder. "I wouldn't. Not until the paramedics clear you, of course."
Misato nodded. "Okay. Will do." She blinked as she recognized how much her speech had cleared up, not to mention her head, and lay back down on the gurney, then looked at Kaji.
Daniel nodded to Kaji. "We've got to go. Our transport's going to be in the air soon. See you around."
Kaji nodded, and the Theismans departed, leaving Kaji and Misato alone again.
After a moment, Kaji squeezed Misato's hand again, and Misato reciprocated, her grip much stronger than before. "Don't die on me, Misato. I… I still haven't…"
She blinked. Was he about to say what she thought he would? Her pulse raced as her mind whirled. Was he ready for that? Was she ready for that? "Ryoji…" she began.
Kaji placed a finger over Misato's lips, silencing her. "Not now, Misato. Not here. What I want to say deserves a far more romantic spot than this."
Misato shook her head, pulling Kaji's finger away from her lips. "No, Kaji. We've waited long enough. I've almost died today. I've almost died a lot of times. And… I've been thinking about that night when we walked home. A lot."
Her gaze became filled with determination, and no small amount of fear. "So, no, Ryoji Kaji. It shouldn't wait anymore. I love you. And I know you love me too. I'm done running away from that."
Kaji's eyes grew wide. Did she… Did she mean it? 'Yes.' he realized. 'Yes, she does. And I do too.'
Another hand joined his grip on Misato's hand. "I… I love you, Misato Katsuragi."
Misato smiled. Kaji had almost forgotten how he treasured that smile. But then more pressing matters made their way to the forefront of his mind.
Kaji sighed, putting the best approximation of a wry smile on his face that he could. "As much as I'd love to go out and celebrate this latest development, you've probably got a hell of a lot of paperwork waiting for you."
Misato blinked, then jumped. The test! Alarms had gone off, Ritsuko had been shouting about something going wrong, she distinctly remembered the words 'Pattern Blue', and then… darkness. "So... what happened?"
Kaji shook his head. "Well, an Angel infected Unit-03 somehow. It looked like it also got Unit-04, too. I guess what happened in Nevada was an Angel attack instead of an accident. Shinji, Asuka, and Rei destroyed the Angel. Managed to keep the Evas it possessed mostly intact, too. Thing is… Shinji and Asuka got arrested for insubordination. Because Shinji attacked and Asuka saved the Entry Plug for Unit-03."
Misato's mind raced. Insubordination? For doing their jobs? "That's… absurd," she said. "And the Entry Plug? Is Hikari alright?"
Kaji shook his head. "Ms. Horaki is… currently MIA."
Puzzlement fell across Misato's face as she paused for a moment to process the wild improbability of what he had just said. "MIA? In her own Entry Plug? But… how?"
Kaji shrugged. "Good question. My guess…" he looked around to ensure they wouldn't be heard, then leaned a little closer to Misato, lowering his voice. "I think Mrs. Horaki got involved. Did something to save her by pulling her into the core with her."
Misato was silent for a moment, then nodded. "I guess that would make sense based on what we know." she sighed. "That still means we're down three pilots instead of one or two. Does Ritsuko have any ideas?"
Kaji shook his head. "She's still out cold. It looks like she got it worse than you did. She's on her way to HQ now, and she'll probably start puzzling something out when she wakes up."
"In the meantime," he said, as he squeezed Misato's hand again with a wry smile, "you're riding home with me."
As Misato's eyes grew wide and only somewhat dreamy, Kaji chuckled. "All the way to Tokyo-3. NERV Medical will want to check you out, too."
Misato shook her head, sighing slightly. "Oh, you tease."
As Kaji and Misato made their way to the tilt-jet transport, Misato's smile faded as she considered the implications. 'Damn it, Gendo, what's your game? Locking up Shinji and Asuka? That makes no damn sense, and you know it.'
Her smile returned for a moment. 'But if you've got a bug up your ass about your pilots doing their jobs? Well, I can't say that I'm sad about that.'
- - -
In the Pribnow Box observation room, Gendo stood silently, staring at Unit-02 as it waited inside the Box proper. Unit-02 was equally silent as it seemed to stare back at him. "Begin the test," he said, without any inflection, to Maya.
Maya turned back to him, a skeptical look in her eyes. "Sir… I really think we should wait until Doctor Akagi is awake and has vetted the system. I'm not certain we can stabilize all the emotional factors of-"
"Begin the test. Now."
Maya nodded after a moment. "Yes sir."
She turned back, glancing at Unit-02 for a moment. 'Forgive me, Mrs. Soryu.' She looked down at her monitor and began to type out her commands. "Beginning Dummy Plug System test. Simulated neural pulses are active, and the core is receiving them. Approaching absolute borderline. 0.6… 0.8… 0.95…"
In the Box, Unit-02's eyes flashed green, as a deep growl ground its way out from between closed jaws.
Maya suppressed a shudder. 'I don't blame you for being angry, Mrs. Soryu. I would be too if I had something artificial like that controlling me.'
"Unit-02 is activated, sir," she said out loud, a nervous tone evident in her voice. "Um… there's a lot of noise in the signal. I'm not entirely sure how stable it's going to be."
"Raise the right arm, and make a fist," Gendo said calmly, without even glancing at her.
Maya tapped at the keys, and Unit-02 robotically raised its arm, its hand curling into a fist. All precisely as ordered.
A small smile was the only thing Gendo responded with. It would work perfectly fine.
. . .
"You'll need to be careful as our Scenario progresses."
Rei stood in front of the desk in Commander Ikari's office, washed, dressed in her usual school uniform, and entirely cognizant of what had happened to her friends. Commander Ikari had barely even flinched as he told her. She'd struggled to do the same.
The glowing pieces of amber that floated in the shadow of Commander Ikari's chair continued. "I understand that you've become close to the other pilots. I watched as that relationship degraded your combat performance in this last operation. You must not allow such connections to make you hesitate. Such means that we are that much closer to failing our Scenario. Such is unacceptable. You must comply with what I say instantly and effectively. Your part in things requires nothing less."
'I understand what you are trying to tell me, Commander.' Rei thought. 'And I refuse. Without the bonds I've made, I would likely have died today. Now, you ask me to throw such things aside. I refuse. I no longer wish to exist, Commander. I want to live. Truly live, now.'
Rei simply nodded. "Yes, sir," she said levelly.
The pieces of amber dipped slightly. "Very good. I do not need to remind you of your part in my plans. How irreplaceable you are."
'How ironic that he speaks to me of irreplaceability.' "Yes, sir."
"Yours are the keys to Instrumentality. Our Instrumentality, instead of the godhood men like Kihl and the Committee seek. Such is what you were created for. Not to endanger yourself trying to rescue those that are now replaceable."
'And the irony continues.' Rei thought with derision. It was an interesting, and appropriate, emotion. 'You have determined what my purpose is, and yet, the Children you so casually lock away from me have given me something greater: the gift of self-determination. My pain may continue, but it is lessened by my friends. It may even go away completely because of them. They did not abandon me when my need was greatest, Commander, even if I did not know it. I will not abandon them now.'
"Yes, sir."
"Dismissed."
. . .
Shinji and Asuka walked down the hall, their four guards by their side. Two days of waiting had finally come to an end, it seemed. They walked single file, Shinji unable to see Asuka but confident she was behind him. That she had his back.
Asuka glanced down at the handcuffs that they wore and shook her head. "I'm touched that your father trusts us so much," she said, her voice dripping with derision.
Shinji simply stared ahead, looking at their destination with eyes that were hard, not unlike the stare he'd so often seen his father give. "He can choke on that trust right along with the smell of unwashed teenager. I don't care anymore." he bit out.
As they came close to the door, Shinji shook his head. "Why aren't we talking to Misato? She'd at least tell us what's going on, and is our immediate commanding officer."
"I'd like to think she's recovering nicely in the hospital right now," Asuka replied as they reached the door, coming to a stop at Shinji's side as the guards took position on both sides of the doorway. "What I wouldn't give to join her."
The doors swung open, and the Children stepped inside, the doors shutting behind them. They stepped forward until they stopped a ways away from the lonely desk, behind which stood Deputy-Commander Fuyutsuki, and behind which sat Commander Ikari, the only feature visible the gleam of his glasses.
The room was silent for long moments. Commander Ikari waited for an explanation, and excuse, an outburst of any kind. Shinji and Asuka were both determined to give him none.
Finally, Commander Ikari spoke. "Your attitude and actions have become intolerable. This was far from the first time you have disobeyed orders in combat. Such actions were allowed to pass by for the sole reason that your Evangelions were relatively unscathed after. With the extensive damage to Unit-02 and the potential for similar damage to Unit-01, this can no longer be tolerated."
Shinji and Asuka's eyes widened as the Commander continued. "We have deployed the Dummy System in Unit-00 and Unit-02. With a pilot able to synchronize with Unit-01, your punishment can be appropriate to your actions."
"Your pilot status has been revoked until further notice. You are barred from entering NERV property, and you will not associate with any NERV staff unless absolutely necessary. Adjusted housing and schooling for the both of you are in the process of being finalized, and you will leave Tokyo-3 within the next month until such time as your services, unreliable as they are, are needed again."
"You are no longer welcome. Leave. Now."
. . .
Fuyutsuki watched as the two children slowly turned and left, the doors to the office opening and shutting as the two guards stationed there began to lead them out of the Geofront.
On a security feed on Commander Ikari's desk, he watched as Asuka paused, Shinji beside her, the guards a few steps away. Such was the state of things for moments, then minutes. Finally, Asuka began to walk forward again, the two children disappearing from the camera's view moments after.
He looked down at Commander Ikari, a slightly worried look in his eye. "Gendo… are you sure about sending them away from the city with the Angels still arriving? And isolating them from NERV such as you have?"
"Such was, perhaps, an exaggeration." Commander Ikari admitted. "Nonetheless, the severity of their punishment is evident to them now. Perhaps, should they return to their status as pilots, they will be more mindful of orders in the future."
"Besides," the Commander continued, "we have been blessed with a relatively intact Unit-04. We will designate more pilots as needed."
"Perhaps, Gendo." Fuyutsuki said warningly. "But even with their willfulness, Shinji and Asuka were our best pilots, by far. Even with Rei's improvement, she is still quite behind them in most every sense."
"Perhaps. But they can be regained with little effort should the need arise, Sensei."
"How so?" Fuyutsuki asked incredulously.
"For one, Soryu's identity is tied intrinsically to the Evangelion, especially to Unit-02. This is the greatest lever we have between the two children. Should this part of her life be made available to her again, she will come running back to us for the chance to pilot again."
"Ikari is almost as easy to manipulate." he continued. "His need for the validation of those around him, his desire for my praise, will act as our lever to him. His need to fulfill his supposed role as someone who can be relied on by those he cares for will draw him back here with Soryu."
"If we call, they will come." Fuyutsuki said slowly.
"Precisely, Sensei."
"I wouldn't be so sure of that, Gendo," Fuyutsuki warned. "Since they have come together, those two children have proven to be… loyal to each other. If one decides to stay," he said, both knowing who he was talking about, "the other may refuse to come back."
"That assumes that their relationship rises above the level of petty infatuation, Sensei. However, such can act as a lever for the both of them. One will come, and the other will come as well."
Gendo regarded the doors with a face seemingly carved from stone. "They have no power in the matter. Only we do."
. . .
Rei walked home, alone, and felt the almost alien sensation of disgust.
It was a hostile feeling, one that she had no love for, as much as she turned it over in her mind to study it, fascinated with emotion as she had become. And right now, only one person held her attention with such a feeling. Commander Ikari.
He had hurt her friends. He had hurt the people she loved more than anything in the world right now. She couldn't show it to him, of course. But it was there, seething beneath a carefully cool exterior.
She was almost afraid of it, really. But the feeling drove her to do… something. Anything. But what could she do? She was a part of larger things, things she could not stop.
Or could she?
She thought back to her friends. She had heard what had happened to them after their meeting. She ached for them. For the ones who had taught her about choice.
Choice. She had… a choice. Far from what Commander Ikari thought, she had become cognizant of choice. She knew what would happen if she chose to go along with the Scenario as Gendo Ikari had proposed it. She would cease to feel the pains of existence and be reunited with Lilith, and Gendo Ikari would be reunited with his wife, as humanity ascended to a new state of being.
But she had come to recognize the cost. That joy and love and rage and sorrow and all other emotion the world had would be swept away. And that the people who felt these things, who made wonders almost too great for her to ever know with them, would be gone along with them.
So as she reached her home, and entreated the Theismans for a hug that had become needed more and more as the days went by, she felt resolve beginning to build within her. A resolve for what, she did not know yet, but resolve it was nevertheless.
. . .
Shinji and Asuka finally stepped into the apartment, a home that might not even be theirs soon, their stale Plugsuits crackling every once in a while from the dried LCL which covered them.
It had been silent for the whole ride, and Shinji had worried for Asuka. Seen the hollow look in her eyes even as he felt a rage almost unlike any other building up in him.
But now, as they came to a stop in the kitchen, Shinji's kitchen, Asuka finally sank to her knees.
Shinji pushed his rage aside and put a hand on Asuka's shoulder. She was shaking, nearly vibrating, and tears welled in her eyes. Finally, the nearly impossible seemed to happen as a single tear slid down her cheek, tracing a path through the LCL on her face.
Shinji came around to her front and kneeled, embracing her as she threw her arms around him and squeezed, the squeaking of the Plugsuits attesting to the strength of her grip.
"Shinji…" Asuka finally said. "I love you. And I'm so glad you're here because otherwise, I'd probably be flying apart at the seams and dying."
"Asuka…" Shinji replied. "We'll make it. We win together."
The words seemed utterly hollow.
Asuka pulled back from the hug, utter panic now in her eyes. "Will we? Because we did win, and all it got us was my life, my very existence, being torn away from me, my world thrown on the ground and shattered to pieces and I might not even be able to see you-"
Shinji put a finger to Asuka's lips, and as she breathed in, she drew back as her face scrunched up in disgust. "Oh, wow." she coughed for a moment. "Okay, before either of us proceed with breaking down, I'd rather do it while I'm clean. This is… rank."
Shinji nodded after a moment, and they made their way into the washroom. As they stripped off their suits and prepared the shower, a moment of silence came over them as they washed each other in the warm, relaxing water.
"Shinji?" Asuka said after a moment, visibly far more relaxed than she was even only moments ago. "Was there something you wanted to say?"
Shinji sighed after a moment, pausing from washing Asuka's back. "I hate him," he said quietly. He shook his head. "Even after everything he's done to me, I haven't hated him more than at this very moment. When he hurt the one I loved more than anything."
Shinji sighed after a moment. "I know… how much being a pilot meant to you. But I never needed you just as a pilot. I don't love you just because you're a pilot. I need you… I love you because of who you are. Brave and smart and vibrant and so, so alive that I feel like it's a miracle you could love someone like me. Even when I don't-"
Asuka turned, putting a much cleaner finger to Shinji's lips. "Don't do that, Shinji. Don't say that about yourself. You… you're just like me." she said, quietly. "I understand you because of what made us, and I love you because you are so gentle, so caring. Even when you don't love yourself, you love others."
Asuka gave a slightly choked chuckle. "I have no idea how you do that. But you do. And… it's a miracle you decided to love me."
She looked down. "Even after all I've done to you."
Shinji sighed. "Well," he said after a moment, "even after all this, we… we get to decide what to do next. Not Commander Ikari, not NERV, not Misato. Us."
Asuka smiled. "There's my silver lining. I wondered where it went."
As Shinji and Asuka finished dressing, they heard the beep of the front door opening and stood from the couch as they saw Daniel and Rei enter the living room.
It was silent for a moment as they regarded Daniel, his right leg in a brace and his right arm in a cast. Bruises covered his right side, and a black eye had only begun to recede.
Daniel spoke after a moment. "I can guess what happened."
Shinji and Asuka nodded. "You'd fall short, then," Asuka said, an undercurrent of anger in her voice. "We might be sent away due to the high and mighty Commander's wishes."
Daniel's eyes widened slightly. "No. Commander Ikari has to be bluffing. Sending you away would be… the closest thing to tying a noose."
Shinji looked up at Daniel with somewhat fearful eyes. "If… Commander Ikari was bluffing, then he was doing a good job."
Daniel looked at them for a moment, then sighed heavily. "For what it's worth… I'm sorry."
After another moment's silence, he limped forward, his arms outstretched in an invitation.
Shinji and Asuka stepped forward, and Daniel enveloped them both in a hug. They stayed there for a measure of time that they didn't care to count.
Daniel raised his head for a moment. "It's going to work out somehow. I don't know how. But it will. I can promise you that."
He looked over at Rei, standing apart from them with a longing in her eyes that told Daniel everything he needed to know. He gently took Shinji's arm from his side and made space for her without a word.
Rei stepped forward and put her arms around her friends. They stood there, taking in each other's love and support, not caring that time slipped away around them.
After what felt like not long enough, Daniel broke the embrace, stepping back to take all of them in. "Misato and Kaji will be home soon. We ran into them at the hospital as we were on our way out." A wry smile came to his face as he looked at Asuka. "I think they've gone ahead and fallen for each other again, despite our efforts."
Asuka chuckled softly. "I don't even think we needed to really do anything, Daniel. Besides getting out of the way."
Daniel nodded. "So it seems." he paused, sighing. "I can tell we're all worn thin after the last few days. We're all tired and hungry and somewhat miserable."
He looked over all of them. "So, what say you and I get started on dinner, Shinji? We'll eat together. Like a family."
Silence fell over them, then Shinji nodded, smiling slightly. "Yeah. That sounds like a good idea. A dinner with family."
Rei looked puzzled. "But none of us are related to each other. We are not family."
Daniel looked at her patiently. "Rei, none of you may be related to me, but you are brothers and sisters to me regardless. Family is who you decide it will be. Relationships by blood do not need to be a prerequisite."
Rei nodded and looked down. "Family…"
Asuka nodded. "Yes, Rei. We are a family. However strange and messed up a family we may be. Because we love each other. And we're there for each other. Always."
It was silent for a moment. Rei regarded them, a smile slowly coming to her. "Yes. I like this family."
Daniel smiled softly. "Alright. I'll go get Eleanor, and we can go ahead and get set up."
- - -
Misato and Kaji walked into the apartment, hand in hand, and took in the smell of Shinji's cooking. A smile came to Misato's face. "Man, I am ready for whatever Shinji's cooking."
Kaji nodded. "I think all of us are, really."
As they walked into the kitchen, they saw to their surprise that another table and set of chairs had joined theirs, as Eleanor and Rei sat at the now elongated table.
Daniel had joined Shinji and Asuka in the kitchen, the smell of good cooking filling the air and making Misato and Kaji's mouths water.
Misato shook her head as she took in everything. "I didn't know there was something special going on. Is this to celebrate the Angel kill?"
The silence, and the looks that Shinji and Asuka gave her, said more than any words could, and her eyes slowly widened. "No. No, there's no way…"
Asuka sighed, resignation filling her eyes. "Yeah. Commander Asshat fired us, threatened to send us away. Said that he put in a Dummy System or whatever to take our place. So no, this isn't really a victory celebration, Misato. But… it is a family dinner."
Misato's eyebrows rose as she took in the news. "Send you away? That's damn near suicide."
Daniel looked over. "That's what I said," he replied. "He's either bluffing, or he's mad. I can't entirely tell which."
Misato shook her head, then blinked. "A family dinner? We're a family?" she paused for a moment as she considered things.
Shinji shook his head as he stepped toward her. "Misato… This is the closest thing I have to a family that I want right now. And… we need each other. So, yeah. This is a family dinner."
Misato smiled. "Aw… I'm glad you feel that way, Shinji. Even if it did come with… well, all of this."
Daniel nodded towards the table. "Go ahead and make yourselves comfortable. We're almost ready."
. . .
As dinner was served, and everyone began to dig in, a comfortable silence filled the air. Misato and Kaji sat together with Rei on one side, while Daniel, Eleanor, Shinji, and Asuka sat across from them. It was as good as they could ask for at the moment. For now, the world could wait a little while.
Most of the adults made do around casts and bandages, Misato rubbing a bandage wrapped over her forehead gently, while Daniel's right hand had an uncertain grip on a fork.
After a moment, a strange feeling swept over Daniel and Eleanor, making them pause for the briefest of seconds. Something had happened. Something having to do with Interfacing.
While they tried to maintain a cool exterior over the feeling of being on edge, the doorbell rang.
Misato stood. "Hold on, guys. I'll go see what's up."
She made her way to the door, and everyone was quiet as they strained to listen.
"Oh, hello sir," Misato said. "Can I help you?"
A sigh came from whoever she was speaking to, and a man's voice answered. "Yes, actually. My car broke down a fair ways away from here, and… well, my phone's out of battery."
A pause. "You're actually the first person that's answered so far. May I come in and charge my phone for a moment?"
Another pause. "Sure," Misato said. "Come in. You caught us in the middle of dinner."
A sigh of relief. "Thank you, ma'am."
Silence, as steps came down the entryway. Misato emerged into the dining room, a somewhat tall, thin man behind her. He wore a long, black coat and hat, which he took off to reveal blond hair set above a thin face with dark hazel eyes that darted around the room, settling on each of them in turn.
Daniel and Eleanor looked over at him as he made his way to an outlet in the kitchen. "Daniel," Eleanor said through their link. "I can't see his soul. He's hiding it, and hiding it well."
Daniel acknowledged her observation as he chewed slowly on his food. "I think I know who he's here for. See anything Interfacing-wise surrounding me?"
She looked over at him for a moment. "No. I'm seeing something on everyone else, though. Including me. They all lead to him."
"Alright. Be ready to sever those connections then. I think I know what he is. And I need to take care of him now."
Daniel stood, plate in hand. "I'm going for seconds, if that's alright with you, Shinji? It is your cooking after all."
Shinji nodded with a smile. "Go ahead."
Daniel smiled back at him, and made his way to one of the dishes, conveniently next to the man. His senses were on overdrive, and he hadn't even enhanced them. He quietly began to heal himself, the bruises slowly disappearing as bones and muscles knitted themselves back together. He needed to be ready for what he was sure was next.
As he dished up, he glanced over at the man, seeming to fiddle with something inside of his coat. As he saw the gleam of metal for the briefest of moments, he acted.
His right arm came up, batting away the gun that had come out of the man's coat, the only sound that gave away its firing two hollow cracks as the projectiles meant for Daniel punched through the far wall.
Daniel turned, charging at the man as he turned to face Daniel, raising the gun. One hand darted out to catch the wrist of the man's gun hand, shoving it back towards his body, the barrel pointed to the assassin's chin, as another hand grabbed an upper arm.
They struggled back and forth for a moment, before Daniel walked the man over to the wall between the washroom and the living room entry, slamming him back against it.
The others at the table stood, drawing back from the sudden, violent conflict, as Daniel wrestled the gun away from the man, and swung a right hook across his face.
As one, the others reeled back, the pain of the punch catching most of them entirely off guard as they cried out in pain.
Daniel hesitated for a moment as he looked over, and the man kicked with unnatural strength, sending Daniel crashing back into the fridge, the appliance rocking from the impact.
Daniel shook his head, strength flowing into him as he reached for the edge of his cast, ripping it in half in a single motion and shaking off the other half, before ripping off the brace on his leg. He reached out, and a handle seemingly made of crystal appeared, and as he grabbed it, liquid crystal surrounded his hand, dripping down and becoming a blade extending down past his knuckles.
As he moved to strike, the man stood and raised a hand. "Stop!" he said in a commanding voice.
Daniel paused. The others looked on in utter confusion. "Daniel, what the hell is going on?" Asuka said, her eyes wide and full of shock.
"Yeah, Daniel. This is too freaky. How did you do that?" Misato said, keeping an eye on the man as she reached for her pistol, wincing to find it not at her side.
Daniel stayed silent, regarding the man in front of him as he produced a small blade, appearing to flow like quicksilver as he made it. "Their lives are now tied to mine. My pain is their pain." He lowered the blade to the back of his arm, slicing across it.
The others winced as they instinctively reached for their arms where the man had cut his.
"And just as they feel what I feel, if I die… they die with me." The man gave a small smile as he said this, and a tense, fearful silence fell over the rest of the room. He continued after a moment to stare intently at Daniel. "You have interfered in a great work, Worldstrider. I am here to ensure that you do not do so again. The only way they will not die… is if you allow me to kill you."
Daniel stood silently for a moment, regarding the man in front of him. "I know who you are. You're a Silent Gardener." he shook his head as the man blinked in surprise at Daniel's knowledge of his title. "You don't leave anyone the wiser of your abilities. Mainly because most all of them are dead afterward. So really, I wouldn't take you at your word."
The Silent Gardener's face was frozen in shock. "How?" he nearly whispered.
Daniel let the mark on his brow glow at last, and the Gardener's eyes narrowed. "Wait a minute… of course."
Daniel said nothing to him, glancing over at Eleanor. "Now."
With a gesture, Eleanor grasped at the invisible ties that bound them to the Gardener, severing them with a quick, violent motion. As his eyes widened at this sudden development, Daniel charged, thrusting and slashing in a flurry of strikes. The Gardener dodged around them desperately, stepping into the living room with Daniel hot on his heels.
Daniel closed in with a burst of speed, grabbing the collar of the Gardener's shirt as they stood in the middle of the living room, nearly lifting him off the ground. Then, Daniel bent his legs and jumped, and with a twist in the air, as his blade became a knuckle duster, he and the Gardener fell to the ceiling, much to the amazement of Misato, Kaji, and the Children.
With the Gardener landing flat on his back, Daniel touched down on top of him, planting a knee on his chest, and threw a superpowered left hook across his face.
Daniel felt a spike of pain run through the side of his own head, clutching at it involuntarily as the Gardener shoved him off, the Expression fading away as Daniel hit the floor, his blade disappearing. The Gardener fell beside him with only a bit more grace and looked up at the group as the both of them got to their feet, somewhat unsteadily.
Then he looked at Daniel. "We are linked now, fallen one," he said, more than a little venom in his voice, as a mark finally began to glow above his own brow, two hands cupping the air beneath a rose with exaggerated thorns. "Our pain is shared now, and if we die, we will do so toge-"
He was interrupted by a punch to the gut, and he doubled over as Daniel fought to not do the same. Daniel straightened up after a moment, looking down on the Gardener with determination in his eyes. "That was for threatening my family."
As the Gardener straightened up, wheezing for breath, Daniel shook his head. "You think I haven't felt everything you could dish out before? It's touching, really." He then railed into the Gardener with a series of blows, unrelenting in its slow, determined pace. With another hit across the face, both Daniel and the Gardener stumbled back from each other.
As Daniel straightened up, and prepared to enter the fray again, a lash of water wrapped itself around the Gardener's legs, as Eleanor jerked it back, sweeping the Gardener off his feet and onto his back.
She marched forward, one step becoming much heavier than the other, as a boot of what seemed to be intricate machinery whirled into existence on her left leg.
As the Gardener propped himself up, Eleanor's boot came down on his chest hard, pushing him back down as he and Daniel shared a wheeze. Parts of the boot whirled and shifted, and four arms came down across the Gardener's chest and arms, collapsing in to bind him tightly. Eleanor raised her foot off, the sole of the boot seeming to separate as part of the trap.
Eleanor stepped back, and gestured again, cutting the connection between Daniel and the Gardener. The fight, as it was, was now over.
The Gardener lay still as Daniel approached him, looming over his prone form before crouching down. "So," he said, in as conversational a tone as he could while nearly gasping for breath, "you wouldn't be here if it wasn't for me stopping that attempted theft in Terminal Dogma, isn't that right? You know what's down there as much as I do." he paused for a moment. "Here's the thing, however."
He leaned closer. "I will not allow whatever it is you want to do in this world to come to pass. It is under my protection. Under my power. And, seeing as you're likely about to teleport away," he said, as a ring around the Gardener's finger glowed and he seemed to begin to turn to mist, "tell your compatriots this. I may have fallen in your eyes, but I am not helpless because of it."
He stood up and, true to what he said, the Gardener became mist, fading away and leaving the room in stunned silence.
Asuka was the first to break it. "Daniel… what the hell is going on?"
Shinji nodded. "I had no idea you could do that. What are you?"
Kaji slowly walked forward, instinctively placing himself in front of the Children. "And what, exactly, are you doing here?"
Daniel looked at them, then sighed. "I suppose this was inevitable, really. Now that the Scions, his handlers, are here, this world is in danger. In ways you have never imagined before."
He turned, raising his hands. "Neither I nor Eleanor means you any harm. But now that you've seen this, it would be cruel to wipe your memories of it and leave you ignorant of what could come next. So… let us explain. Please."
Silence entered the apartment again, the atmosphere tense. Then, Shinji nodded. "Okay."
Slowly the others nodded, and Daniel sighed quietly in relief. "Alright then. Follow us."
. . .
Daniel and Eleanor led the group into their apartment, into the room that had been hidden in their master bedroom. As they climbed down the steps, Daniel brushed a hand against the wall, the sensation that rippled through the group causing them to pause for a moment. "Don't worry. I've just given us time to explain," he said as they continued on.
As they entered the stone room, Daniel and Eleanor walked out in front of the group, turning to face them. Daniel sighed after a moment. "I wish I could have been more honest with you all from the beginning. But our powers, who we are, if improperly displayed before things are ready, can cause… complications."
"'Complications' seems like a little bit of an understatement, Daniel," Misato said. "To be able to do that, to use… what? Magic? Nanomachines? What makes you do what you do?"
Daniel nodded. "We'll get there, I promise. But first, who we are. I am Colonel Daniel Theisman, and this is Colonel Eleanor Theisman. We are members of the Worldstrider Corps. And we are not from this universe."
Asuka's eyes widened. "So… you're aliens then?"
Daniel chuckled slightly. "No, Asuka, we're as human as you are."
"But the point still stands," Eleanor said, "we are not native to this universe. We come from outside it. From the rest of Reality."
"'The rest of Reality'?" Rei said, tilting her head slightly, confusion in her eyes.
Daniel nodded. "Yes, Rei. This universe is not the sum total of existence. There is… so, so much more. And we'll begin our explanation by showing you some of what lies beyond."
As he said this, the room slowly darkened until they were left in pitch black. Silence filled the air, as the group waited for Daniel and Eleanor to begin.
Then, in an instant, they stood in another place entirely. Their breath was taken away by the sight of a void, not dark and empty, but filled with an almost riotous amount of color. Nebula-like structures swirled around, floating like clouds above, in front of, and below them as strange, alien animals seemed to swim and glide through it.
Scattered around them, similarly multihued, massive spheres hung, as hundreds, thousands, perhaps even millions of smaller, more ephemeral spheres orbited them, appearing and disappearing in ripples, like water disturbed by a rock. The sight was nothing short of majestic, nay, awe-inspiring.
As the group looked around themselves, eyes wide in wonder, they soon looked back at Daniel and Eleanor, standing in front of them on nothing at all.
Reality is more than the Children could have ever imagined. So too are those that they consider friends, family. Where do they come from? What source do their mystical powers spring from? And who are the Scions? Next Episode: A Box Called the Universe.
It's a humbling experience, learning about the rest of Reality. Learning that the seemingly massive box that you've lived your entire life in is actually perhaps the smallest possible unit of Reality. It takes some time to adjust. So we took it slowly. And even then, old wounds made their way to the surface. Ones that I'm still not ready to speak fully of.
Theisman Residence, Beyond Time
Misato, Kaji, and the three Children continued to ogle at their surroundings with wide, wondrous eyes. "Daniel… how…" Shinji finally managed after a moment of awestruck silence.
Daniel chuckled. "Well, we don't live just out here, of course. What you're seeing right now is what we call the Worldsea, where all the universes in existence are found hanging in eternity, essentially. We go from universe to universe- these things," he said, pointing at one of the chromatic spheres that hung in space, "and specifically, these little spheres that orbit the large sphere. The large spheres are what we call World Engines. They are… the fundamentals of any given world. How the laws of physics operate, whether or not Interfacing is naturally present in any given universe, what forms that takes, and so on."
"Interfacing?" Asuka asked. "Is that the weird wizard stuff you guys were pulling off?"
Daniel sighed, as an impish grin grew on Eleanor's face, and she reached out her hand. Daniel nodded, rolling his eyes as he took out a wad of yen, floating it over to Eleanor's hand, which closed on it tightly as she pocketed it.
Daniel rolled his eyes again. "Alright. You're buying lunch tomorrow with that, though."
Eleanor's grin widened slightly. "I know," she replied in a similarly impish tone.
The others looked on in confusion. "Did Eleanor just… win a bet?" Kaji said, with a mystified look that the rest of the group shared.
Eleanor nodded, a satisfied look in her eyes. "Yep. It's an older bet we've had, about how quickly someone mentions magic when we bring up Interfacing. Haven't cashed in on it in a little while."
"A little while is a bit of an understatement," Daniel grumbled with a growing smile.
Daniel shook his head. "Anyways, now that we've settled that quickly, I'll get to Interfacing in a moment. That's its own topic."
He pointed at the World Engine again. "Like I said, these things determine the large-scale aspects of a given universe. These," he said, gesturing at the much smaller spheres that surrounded the World Engines, blinking in and out of existence, "are what we call Echoes. For lack of a better term, they are the 'universes' that exist within the World Engine's 'multiverse'. Each Echo has its own unique properties, and some are radically different from others. Does that make sense?"
Misato nodded, her eyes wide. "Man… Ritsuko would have a field day…"
Daniel chuckled. "We've only scraped the surface of what's possible, Misato. Because, really, this is just the physical part of Reality."
Rei tilted her head. "Just the physical part? There are other components to this larger Reality that you are showing us?"
Eleanor nodded. "Yes, there are. What we're showing you, as Daniel said, is the physical part of Reality, or Physicality. It's where almost everything kind of collides and coexists. There's also Mentality, a realm of pure thought and emotion, that kind of spirals off of the thoughts and emotions of beings from Physicality. It's as weird, random, and chaotic as you might expect anywhere made of pure thought to be."
Eleanor paused for a moment. "Then there's Pneumaity. The realm of the soul."
Daniel nodded. "And it's there that everything takes a sort of shape before coalescing into Physicality." Daniel paused for a moment as he collected his thoughts. "Everything has a framework of spiritual matter, which we call Metos, that composes the fundamental parts of ourselves. For people and animals and really anything that's alive, this Frame is made and maintained by a soul, which comprises the parts that make us… us, really."
Asuka's eyes narrowed slightly. "That sounds rather vague and new-age mystic, Daniel."
Daniel raised his hands in mock surrender. "My apologies. Metaphysics isn't really my forte." He paused for a moment, cupping his chin thoughtfully. "Think of it like this. Not only do you have a Frame, but a chair has a Frame, a door, a mountain, the sun, even the air we breathe is composed of a Frame. It exists physically here, but its identity, its individuality… that's what a Pneumaic Frame is there for. However, you have the ability to grow your Frame, due to having a soul. Almost everything else has a set Frame that can't change. At least, not without some outside influence."
Shinji nodded. "The Interfacing you were talking about. Right?"
Daniel nodded with a smile. "Right you are. And like I said, that's a world all its own."
- - -
NERV Medical Center, Mid-December 2015 (3 Days after Explanation)
Ritsuko cracked her eyes open slowly. Her head pounded like an excavation team had found something particularly valuable within it, and she felt every beat of her heart in her fingertips. She also heard her heartbeat on a nearby EKG machine, the steady beeps acting like the world's worst alarm clock. She also felt a weight of some kind across her legs. A blanket, maybe?
She shook her head slowly. The last thing she remembered was… the test. The Pattern Blue. Then… nothing.
As she rubbed her eyes, she looked around the hospital room, then down at her legs. There lied Maya, asleep at the foot of her bed, draped across her lower legs. There was no one else in the room. 'Gendo…' she thought as she sighed quietly. She would have thought that he would have been here. If for nothing else than to ensure that his head of the Science Division wasn't dead.
She sat up, the motion causing Maya to stir, shaking her head slightly as she rubbed her eyes. "Maya…" she groaned quietly.
Maya rubbed her own eyes, which widened as she took in the apparent lateness of the hour. It was almost noon, the clock on the wall showed. Maya looked over at Ritsuko, worry evident in her waking eyes as she got up and went to Ritsuko's side. "Senpai! Are you alright? You came in with a really nasty head injury, and the doctors were really worried that you..." she trailed off, clearly unwilling to finish the thought.
Ritsuko shook her head, wincing and raising a hand to feel the bandage on it. "I think… I think I'll be fine, Maya. What's happened since I've been… away?"
Maya shook her head, sighing. "A lot, Senpai. Unit-03 did turn out to be an Angel. The thing is, Unit-04 was also taken over by the same Angel. It teleported to the test site. I'm just glad it didn't open a Dirac Sea here like it did in Nevada."
Ritsuko's eyes widened. Two Evas, taken over by an Angel, one with a pilot still in it… that was a dire situation, indeed. "And the Children were able to stop the Angel?"
Maya nodded. "Yes, they did. But… a lot happened afterward. Shinji and Asuka were arrested for insubordination by the Commander. And Pilot Horaki… she's missing. We think that she got pulled into Unit-03's core somehow."
Ritsuko shook her head slowly in wonderment. "Our best pilots gone, and the Fourth Child missing. What was Gendo thinking?"
A look of unease crossed Maya's face. "Well… Commander Ikari installed the Dummy System in Unit-01 and 02. He's having us install it in Unit-00 as well. Rei is supposed to be piloting Unit-01, I think."
Ritsuko's eyes narrowed. "We've barely even field-tested the Dummy System! Any number of things could go wrong. Especially when it comes to combat against an Angel."
Before she could continue, a doctor knocked on the door to the room, entering after a moment. "Alright, Doctor Akagi," she said, glancing down at a clipboard, "it's been a dicey few days, but it looks like we can feel comfortable discharging you from our care. But first, I'll do one last checkup, just to be sure."
After a few minutes of such a checkup, the doctor nodded. "Alright, you're free to go. Your clothes and other effects are on their way in right now." she turned and walked out, as a nurse walked in with the bundle in question.
Ritsuko rifled through the pile, pulling out her cell phone. It was mostly undamaged, a crack making a spiderweb design on the bottom of the screen. She turned it on and froze as she looked at her notifications.
One of them was a text message. What it contained should have been, by all rights, utterly and completely impossible. The contact name was Naoko Akagi.
'Ritsuko, darling, I think it's time that we talked again.'
Maya looked at Ritsuko's expression of shock with growing concern in her eyes. "Senpai? What is it?"
"Mother…" Ritsuko whispered.
"What?" Maya said. "What about your mother, Senpai?"
Ritsuko didn't answer, furiously typing. 'How are you doing this? Are you actually my mother?'
A moment of silence. Then, another text notification. 'Of course, I am, little sakura bloom.'
Ritsuko's eyes widened. No one had called her that since she was a child. No one but… her. It really was her. But she still wondered.
Another notification sound. 'As for how, I am somehow… well, alive may be a somewhat strong word for my current condition. But I am conscious. I am in my creation.'
Ritsuko turned to look at Maya with a gaze full of wonder. "My mother. She's… she's in the Magi. She's alive."
- - -
Theisman Residence, Beyond Time
Daniel raised his hand out, palm upward, and focused. A flicker of light danced across it, then coalesced into a small, brilliant star. "One of the really, really cool things about Metos is that it can be transformed into anything," he said, cupping the nascent light in his hand. "Any material, energy, or concept that you can think of, and more than a few that you can't, Metos can transition from a Pneumaic material into a Mental or Physical material to match."
Eleanor nodded. "Indeed. And anything with a soul, or something similar, and the will and training, can manipulate Metos into magical effects that we call 'Expressions'. Anyone who uses Expressions, well, we call them Interfacers."
Daniel released the little star from his hand and watched as it floated toward the others. They collectively leaned forward slightly, Asuka slowly reaching out and touching the star with one finger. "It's… warm," she said, a slight smile on her face.
Behind her, Shinji smiled slightly, then looked back to Daniel. "So, how did you do that?"
Daniel nodded. "Well, like we've said, everything in existence needs a Frame to function. Interfacers create their own Frames, then energize the Metos that make up the Frames, creating an effect. In doing so, energizing Metos creates a different kind of energy, a sort of 'anti-Metos' we call Flux. When enough Flux builds up, it gets dangerous to continue Interfacing, because of the danger of the Flux buildup directly damaging the Interfacer's Frame, cracking, or sometimes shattering it completely. Nobody's able to go on making and maintaining Expressions forever."
Eleanor nodded. "And really, Expressions aren't the only thing a soul can do with Metos. Interfacers can energize their own Frames to strengthen their bodies, and achieve incredible feats of strength, speed, and agility." she paused for a moment. "Come to think of it, you've already witnessed Interfacing at work. What do you think an AT Field is, if not the power of an Angel or Eva's soul preventing it from being crushed under the weight of the Square Cube law, just as a start?"
The Children nodded slowly as they thought of this. "It would make the most logical sense," Rei said after a moment, "that we can see creatures as massive as the Angels and the Evangelion, and that are capable of projecting something like an AT Field, and have that be the result of being… connected?" she looked at Daniel questioningly, and he nodded. "Connected to Reality more deeply than most."
Misato nodded. "That does make sense, doesn't it? And to think that I've never really questioned how we, or the Angels, have been able to egregiously break physics like we've seen. This… is probably about as good of an explanation as I'll ever get, really."
The group was silent for a moment as they pondered this. Kaji broke the silence with a slight shake of his head. "So, wait a minute. Now that you've explained where our place in existence is, and how you do what you can do, there's one other thing I've been wondering. Where did you come from?"
- - -
Ritsuko's Office, NERV HQ
Ritsuko sat in her office, typing madly, her mind whirling with the implications of her mother's newly recovered sapience. They had found that, in the aftermath of Iruel's attack on the Magi, the three nodes had somehow created a singular point of processing that seemed to mimic the natural functions of the human brain. That was a fascinating thing to witness in and of itself.
But that didn't explain the personality, the individual that seemed to reside in the Magi at this very moment. Anyone… well, not anyone, but still, it was easy, relatively speaking, to create something that held the memories, the raw processing power, and data of a given person. That was the basis for the whole Magi system in the first place. But there was no way to replicate a person's personality, no true artificial intelligence.
But now, Ritsuko thought as she and Maya furiously typed away at their computers writing a very specific sort of program, coffee cups strewn around the room on various surfaces, that may not be the case anymore. She tried hard to distance herself from the emotions that threatened to overwhelm her, putting every scrap of thinking into the logical problem before her and Maya.
And, as she put the finishing touches on the program that they had worked on, perhaps the now not-so-late Doctor Naoko Akagi could shed some light on what had happened. Ritsuko pressed enter, and the voice synthesizer program slowly uploaded to the Magi, using her voice as its base.
After a moment's silence with Ritsuko and Maya staring at the Magi terminal that they had in the office, the ghost in the machine spoke. "Can you hear me, Ritsuko?"
Ritsuko nodded, for all it was worth, tears welling up in her eyes. "Yes. Yes, we can, Mother."
She paused for a moment, gathering her thoughts. "Do you think you can tell us what happened for you to gain sapience? Or even sentience?"
The terminal was silent for a moment. "Looking back on the records in here," Naoko said, "I believe the moment of my… well, my resurrection, for lack of a better term, began with the death of the 11th Angel, codenamed "Iruel". As for what brought about my return to consciousness… I'm not sure. I sort of… acted as the Angel broke down, took command of the link that the Angel made in the system."
Ritsuko's eyes widened. "Wait… so… is your soul kept within the Magi, then? With no need for a core of any kind, like on the Evangelions?"
"It stands to reason."
Ritsuko shook her head slowly, eyes filled with wonder. "So… what is it like, not having any sort of physical body? What do you see?"
The terminal was silent for a moment. "It's… odd. Like I'm floating in a digital sea, able to see and comprehend things that no one else can. Streams of data rushing past me, the ability to see with the most powerful lenses in the world, hear things I never could have with regular ears, and understand and compute things at a speed that would leave any normal brain a puddle on the floor. It's…" a digital sigh came from the speakers. "It's beautiful in a way I'm not sure anyone else can ever understand."
Ritsuko and Maya silently marveled at what they imagined she could see. After a moment, Ritsuko asked another question. "So, what are your last memories leading up to being… interned, as it were, within the Magi?"
"Well, let's see. I remember…" The terminal was silent for a moment. Then another.
Ritsuko's brow furrowed in confusion. "Mother? Are you still there?"
"Oh, god… I remember…" The voice was one of horror, of dawning revelation and the memory of horrifying deeds. "I remember. Rei…"
"What about Rei, mother?" Ritsuko's voice was filled with concern.
"My god… I killed her. I killed Rei."
- - -
Theisman Residence, Beyond Time
Daniel and Eleanor nodded slowly. "We wondered when you would ask that question," Daniel said, a serious look on his face. He paused, sighing quietly. "We come from another Earth, from the year 2024. An Earth with no Second Impact, no Angels, no Evas, no Interfacing, no… nothing really. It's… normal, I guess."
"Well," Eleanor said, "normal except for the distinct reliability of it to act as… well, a sort of magnet for events, thoughts, actions, and personalities from other universes. Those concepts then funnel into the minds of creatives of every sort. Directors, authors, screenwriters, artists, whatever. The flow of concepts from one universe to another is something we call fictional bleed. And our Earth is what we call a Receptor Well, a phenomenon which is… well, exceptionally rare would be an understatement."
"Wait a minute," Asuka said, her eyes narrowing. "Does that mean…"
Daniel nodded. "Yes. We first knew this world, or at least I did, as an anime, courtesy of late 90's Japan. I've… I've seen how this could end, literally. It's not pretty."
"So…" Shinji said, eyes wide and full of confusion and no small amount of sadness. "Does that mean that… that you've lied, then? About… about everything? Who you are, what you've done, what we..."
Daniel walked forward, going to one knee in front of Shinji, looking slightly up at him as he put his hands on his shoulders. "Shinji, I am a man who values the truth. But I also know the danger, the hurt, that truth spoken at the wrong time and place can be. It's a delicate, messy balance to walk, doing what Eleanor and I do. I've had to hold a lot back. From all of you. But, Shinji, the one thing that I have never held back is the truth that I love you. All of you. And that will never change."
He stood, and pulled Shinji into a hug, Shinji throwing his arms around Daniel and squeezing tightly. As the hug stretched on, he looked at the rest of the group in turn. "The same applies to all of you. I care deeply for all of you, and there is nothing I wouldn't do to protect each and every one of you."
He stepped back from his embrace and walked back to Eleanor's side. It was quiet for a moment, then Daniel took a deep breath. "Anyways, like I said, I first encountered this world through a serialized anime from the '90s. I've become privy to a lot of knowledge about this world that way. For example," he said, looking at both Shinji and Asuka, "I know that what you saw inside of Leliel in the moments before you broke free was truly your mothers."
Silence fell on the whole group like a heavy blanket, as Shinji and Asuka's eyes grew wide. "Mama…" Asuka said after a moment, tears welling in her eyes. "She's been there this whole time…"
Shinji shook his head slowly. "Mother… but… how…"
A somber look fell on Daniel's face as he shook his head. "One of the old sins of NERV. The only way for an Evangelion to operate is with the synchronization of two souls. The soul of the pilot… and the resident soul of the Eva's core."
Asuka nodded. "It's all starting to make sense now."
Eleanor nodded in turn. "Yes. Shinji, your mother was absorbed, body and soul, into what would become the core of Unit-01 in an accident with the old Contact Experiments, several years prior to the organization of NERV as we know it today. Looking to try and replicate the event without losing the body of the one undergoing it, Asuka's mother volunteered herself as the test subject. It worked, but at a cost. Only part of your mother's soul entered the core, Asuka. The part that was left went insane."
Asuka shook her head. "That's why she hated me… I…" she trailed off, at a loss for words.
Shinji, on the other hand, stared into the distance, as fractured memories started to become whole again.
He was young. Very young. No more than three. He saw three figures in a large room, filled with machines. One of them turned to look at him. It was an older man, a familiar man, who spoke in a familiar voice. "What's a child doing in here?"
Another voice. It was Doctor Akagi, except… not. Her hair was brunette, and her voice was cooler, more worn with age. "That's Chief Ikari's son, I believe."
"My apologies, Professor Fuyutsuki. I brought him here today." It was… his mother. Her voice. He was sure of it.
"Yui, it's your Contact Experiment today."
"I know. I want to show him the future he'll be growing up in."
"Mother… I was there… at the Contact Experiment when she…" Shinji trailed off.
Another moment of silence fell over them as they contemplated old sins.
- - -
Ritsuko's Office, NERV HQ
"What?" Maya said, her eyes wide and full of horror. "How's that possible? She's still alive. How could she be dead? How could your mother have killed her?"
Ritsuko's mind whirled, Maya's question a distant, muffled thing, as her vision began to tunnel onto the terminal in front of her. "What?" she said numbly. "That's… that's impossible. The first Rei died due to faulty genetics. She asphyxiated in her sleep. Everything points to that being the cause."
Maya blinked. "The first? You mean… our Rei is a clone?"
The terminal gave its best impression of a choked chuckle. "Asphyxiated? What a cruel irony." Naoko paused. "No, Ritsuko. I did it. I… I choked the life out of her. Out of that doll."
Ritsuko's mind froze, all rational thought screeching to a halt. Her own mother did this… "Why?" she asked numbly.
The terminal was silent for a moment. "Because… because I thought she called me an old hag. Because I wanted Gendo, and she stood in my way. So I removed her. As… as an obstacle."
After a moment of silence, a forlorn chuckle came from the machine. "So, there's another one? It didn't matter that I killed her?" a digital scoff. "It figures. So I… I threw myself into the void… for nothing. He just replaced her anyway. Replaced me, anyway."
Ritsuko's mind became a chaotic mess as this latest revelation crashed through her train of thought like a wrecking ball. "What? Threw yourself… mother, you, you had an accident. You slipped and fell onto the Magi system. That's what Gendo told me. I… I was by your bedside when you died."
Another scoff from the terminal. "Gendo? Gendo? I can see it clearly now. I just had to die to do it. He didn't love me. He only needed me at the moment. He used me. As a scientist for GEHIRN. As a mother to his precious Rei. And as a woman. For his comfort."
Ritsuko was on the edge of tears, shaking slightly. 'Gendo… he… no, no, no, no, no, no… he loves me, he needs me, he… he can throw me away. Without a second thought. Just like he likely would have done to mother. After all I've done for him… After all I've done because of him…. Oh, god… I'm just… like her...'
"Senpai? What's going on? There's more than one Rei? How? Senpai? Ritsuko?" Maya nearly pleaded with her mentor, her friend.
Ritsuko silently stood unsteadily, and turned towards the door of her office, beginning to walk. Her pace quickened as she reached the door.
Maya stood. "Senpai, wait! Please, tell me what's going on! I don't understand!"
Ritsuko opened the door and disappeared through it into the hallway, Maya's last words cut off by the closing of the door.
Maya was silent for a moment, then turned from the door to the terminal for the Magi. "Doctor Akagi," she said, in an unsteady voice, "what the hell is going on?"
Naoko Akagi sighed. "More than you think, child. Perhaps more than you could ever know."
- - -
Theisman Residence, Beyond Time
After a moment of silence, Asuka shook her head. "That still doesn't explain how you got from boring old regular Earth to being… well, who you are now. So… how?"
Daniel nodded. "That would have to do with the organization that we're a part of. As I said, we're a part of the Worldstrider Corps. They're an organization based out of another universe, one known as Tel."
The view changed from that of the broad scope of Reality, to what looked like a city street, bustling with people. Massive skyscrapers towered overhead, some of them blooming with plant life up and down their height. The street itself was clean, and it seemed like beings of almost every kind walked it. Not only were humans a sizable presence, but elves and half-dragons, cyborgs and aliens, and many far stranger beings intermingled mostly peacefully.
Above their heads, a star shone down on them, and in the distance, several disks, most likely absolutely massive for being able to be seen from so far away, also orbited.
Daniel breathed in deeply. "This is Tel, the Gatekeeper of Worlds, and the 9 City Crossroads of Reality. It is very little in the wider Reality that doesn't make its way here after a while. And it's home to a peacekeeping force that guards the stability of Reality. That's the Worldstrider Corps."
Eleanor nodded. "We were found by such a Worldstrider and brought to Tel after an… accident of sorts."
Daniel nodded slowly. "An accident that is a story for another time. As I said, the Worldstrider Corps is dedicated to keeping the peace throughout Reality, safeguarding universes from threats that would take advantage of them, either for resources or technology, or even simple fun. They also combat many of these groups on their home ground to ensure that they don't cause damage to those around them, and there are many of those sorts of groups who warrant such a response. Like the Khaosim, a bunch of anarchists who want to see all of Reality operate without… well, any sort of laws. Or the Eyes of Kosm, who… well, we're still not entirely sure what their deal is."
"Or like the Scions that you talked about," Kaji said.
Daniel nodded. "Yes," he said quietly, the light seeming to leave his eyes. "Like the Scions."
Daniel fell silent for a moment, and Eleanor began to speak. "The Scions of Unity are, or were now, perhaps the single most unified group to present a threat to Reality. They are dedicated to god-like beings they call the Guides, who they say are leading them to try and unify all of Reality into a single, cohesive Universe. The results of such a thing would have been catastrophic on a scale no one can even begin to imagine. It would be an Instrumentality event that would leave untold trillions dead in its first few seconds."
Eleanor shook her head after a moment of silence. "In time, conflict became inevitable. Tel, along with many other universes knowledgeable about Reality, stood against the Scions and the universes they had recruited to their side."
"And there was a war in Heaven," Daniel said softly, as all looked over at him, "and Michael and his angels fought against the Devil and his angels."
Eleanor nodded. "Yes," she said, almost as quietly. "There was war. It was… a terrible thing. It cost us all dearly. There were few weapons not used, few things that were not turned into a weapon of some sort. It ravaged universes, entire World Engines cracking and disappearing forever. And…"
Daniel's hands slowly clenched into fists. "They took me."
A moment of silence came over the group as Daniel paused. "They took me, and they decided they liked what they saw. So instead of just torturing me for information, or simply killing me, they… they broke me. Molded me into a tool. A weapon." he spat out the last word as a particularly bitter curse.
"I became a Hollow Saint, a receptacle for the will of one of their Guides. I led armies in their name. Worlds burned under my command. I-"
Eleanor walked over to him, putting a hand gently on his shoulder. "Hey," she said, softly. "That wasn't you. That was whatever Guide they stuffed into you. Okay?"
Daniel paused for a moment. He noticed he was nearly gasping for breath. Taking a moment to compose himself, he continued. "In time, the Scions made their way to the doorstep of Tel. They breached it, and I led the charge. It was… it was the worst fighting in the war. One of the 9 massive Plates that you can see up above," he said, gesturing to one of the more visible disks that hung in the sky above them, "was nearly broken in half. The landscapes in all of them were ravaged, cities turned to rubble, wildernesses scorched or frozen or turned into exotic matter."
"But at the moment of their triumph… I regained my ability to choose." Daniel said, with no small amount of amazement in his voice. "And the last choice I made as a Hollow Saint was to turn the tide, make any forces near me stand down, dissipate the Spirits that went into battle with us. Even with my choice not doing exactly what I hoped it would, it was a rout, at the end of it all. The Scions shattered into a thousand thousand splinter groups and re-envisionings. Then, I stopped being a Saint."
Daniel paused. "And… I realized the full weight of what I had done. What had happened by my hand. And… I shattered. I ran, from Eleanor, from my friends, from the Corps, from… everything. I took my ship and, for a time, found the farthest corner of Reality that I could, and then… floated silently. As I went insane for a little bit."
Daniel paused. It was a tense, suspenseful pause, and the Children, Misato, and Kaji had hung onto Daniel's every word silently and waited for what would be said next.
After a moment, Daniel continued. "It took a while for me to collect myself again. But when I did, I made a promise. A promise that I would try and save worlds now, instead of destroying them, as penance for what had happened during the war. So, I began to travel quietly, from universe to universe, saving one Echo. At least one. Making lives better instead of ending them. I needed to do it myself. I… well, I couldn't face the people I thought I had betrayed."
Daniel sighed and shook his head. "It's how I ended up here." he chuckled softly. "And, it seems, I left a trail for Eleanor to follow. She just finally happened to catch up to me here."
Eleanor chuckled. "And I'm not the only one who's been looking for you. You have a lot of people looking to thank you for what you've done. A lot who have followed your example and gone out into the wider Reality. Would you like to have a reminder of who some of them are?"
Daniel smiled slightly as Eleanor counted on her fingers. "To begin with, you have the Jacksons and their 10 other demigod friends from before you left. And then you have at least 2 Avatars and their companions that I've run into, as well as the Matoi sisters, and the Emiyas and their reincarnated Sabers…"
She dropped her hands and walked over to Daniel, taking his hand. "The point is, you've done good. You're continuing to do good. You're not alone anymore. You've never been alone. And," she said, looking over to the rest of the group, "you certainly haven't been alone here. Not by a long shot."
Daniel took a deep breath, then nodded, turning to the rest of the group as the view of the city faded away, the cool, blue stones taking their place. "Well, there you have it. Now, you've been introduced to Reality, who we really are, and what's at stake here with the Scion's involvement."
"Now," he said, walking past the group and turning to face them again at the foot of the stairwell out of the room, "we go and get to worry about saving your world. And don't worry too much about the threat of the Scions right now. This group seems to like to stay mostly in the shadows, waiting for things to play out. That may change, however, what with tonight's incident. Because of that, Eleanor and I can show you how to defend yourselves, if you like. Teach you the basics of Interfacing."
Asuka and Shinji's eyes went wide. "Really?" Asuka said, clearly excited. "You mean you'd teach us to be able to… to throw fireballs around and all that?"
Daniel chuckled. "That comes a little later. I can show you how to make yourself stronger and faster, though. That is probably the simplest trick in the book when it comes to Interfacing."
As Shinji, Asuka, Misato, and Kaji, who revealed that he was, in fact, moving in with Misato, much to the shock and ever so slight dismay of the two Children, went back to their apartment with the promise that, yes, they would move the extra table and chairs back into their apartment, Daniel, Eleanor, and Rei were left in relative quiet.
After a moment, Rei turned to Daniel and Eleanor, an uncharacteristically frightened look in her eyes clashing with her regularly calm expression. "You have said that you have knowledge of this world. Would that include… my origins? My mission?"
Daniel and Eleanor both nodded. "Yes, Rei. We do." Daniel said. "And we also understand how you've grown from that here. You have a choice."
Rei nodded. "And I am thankful to my friends for having shown me it. For their help and yours in experiencing life as something more than what it was. But… I would ask that you keep my origins a secret. I would rather tell them myself. When I am ready."
Eleanor nodded. "Of course, Rei. We understand. And that is perfectly fine by us."
Rei nodded, a small and slightly unsteady smile slowly coming to her face. "Thank you."
Daniel smiled. "Of course." He stepped forward and gave Rei a gentle hug. "We're here to help. And helping isn't just saving the world for us. Not anymore."
Eleanor stepped into the hug. "Yes, Rei. We love you. And your friends do too. And I'm sure that, whatever happens, they will be able to overcome what you fear will happen."
Rei stepped out of the hug, looking at both Daniel and Eleanor. "Again, thank you for your words and your actions. I… appreciate them."
- - -
Ritsuko's Apartment, Geofront
It didn't hurt anymore. Or, at least, the painkillers helped dull things, Ritsuko thought as she took another deep drink of wine. It had been… she didn't remember. Good. She didn't want to. Not after today. 'I'm just like her… Even after all I've done, I'm just like her. Falling for Gendo. Doing what he asked of me.'
Another drink of wine was followed by a drag from another cigarette. She'd lost count of how many she had put out. She didn't care. 'But I'm not loved. Not by him. Not by Misato or Kaji, not anymore. Can I blame them? After nearly killing her pilots… the Evangelion…'
She suppressed a shudder as best she could. She was still afraid of them. She was terrified. She just couldn't face it any other time except now. 'I created monsters for him. I created… her.'
She thought of Rei. Of all the times she had hidden that nagging jealousy when he looked at her, instead of looking at the woman that he had in front of him, right there. But…
She tried to take another drink but found the glass empty. She looked around the swirling, blurry haze that her apartment had become. She narrowed her eyes, trying desperately to find the bottle she had set out. She might have gone through all of them already. Then… she didn't want to think.
After what felt like days of searching, she saw it. On the nightstand next to her bed, the bottle of red was next to an open prescription bottle.
She felt a sudden pull. How easy it would be to polish off that bottle, both of those bottles, and then just let sleep take her. It would be her choice, at least. One way she wouldn't be like her mother…
As she stood, stumbling forward slightly, and started slowly walking towards the nightstand, she heard a beep. Then another beep. She stood still as she tried to puzzle out what the sound was, as it kept beeping at her. The doorbell, she realized after a moment more of listening. It was the doorbell. Who the hell was looking for her?
Then she heard a familiar voice, almost but not quite fully muffled by the wine. "Senpai? Are you there?"
Maya… why her? She was so pure, so happy. Why would she care about her failure of a teacher? Why come looking for her after what she had likely learned? Why did she care?
Ritsuko's cat, an old thing that was her only companion here, meowed at her as Maya kept ringing the doorbell. She was tempted not to answer, to just ignore her until she went away. She didn't need to see her teacher, the woman that she seemed to find nothing wrong with, in such a state. She didn't want to face the only person who seemed to actually like her anymore, and fail her, too.
Maya's voice at the door became more insistent. "Senpai, please. Answer the door. I have so many questions I need to ask you. Please."
Ritsuko shook her head. "Go 'way." she slurred softly. Even still, she began to stumble over to the door slowly. As she tripped on herself, she grabbed at a stand in the living room, jostling it slightly, and heard a tiny crash as one of her cat figurines, a white one, shattered on the floor.
She crouched down, trying to collect the pieces with slightly shaking hands. She felt a slight pressure on one of her fingertips and slowly raised it to her face to look at it. It was bleeding now. She had barely even felt it be pricked.
She stared at the blood as it dripped down her finger, onto the carpet and a few of the pieces of the broken figurine, when she barely heard the door open. She became confused for a moment. She didn't recall answering it. Did she?
She saw a familiar pair of legs appear in front of her, then they crouched down, as a hand cupped her chin, lifting her face to see the concerned look of one Maya Ibuki. "Senpai? What have you been doing?" she took a small breath. "How much have you been drinking?"
Ritsuko stared back at Maya, eyes devoid of emotion. Then, tears began to well up in her eyes. "Wh' y' here?"
Maya blinked. "What?"
Ritsuko shook her head. "Why are you here?" she enunciated. "Why do you care?"
Maya shook her head. "Because you're my mentor. You're my friend. Of course, I would care for you."
Ritsuko took a slightly bloody hand and grabbed Maya's arm, lowering her hand from her chin as she shook her head faster. "No. No, no, no. You shouldn't care. Nobody should care. I'm horrible. I'm just like her." she paused for a moment, a tear rolling down her cheek. "'m jus' like her."
Maya shook her head and looked down at the shattered figurine. She scooped up the pieces into her hands, holding them for a moment. Then she stood, going into the kitchen. Ritsuko stood as well, looking at where Maya went. "Y' sh'uld leave."
Maya looked back as she finished putting the pieces of the figurine into a plastic bag. "No, Senpai. After how much you seem to have been drinking, the last thing I should do is leave."
Ritsuko shook her head again, silent tears streaming down her face. "But you'll see who I am then. A monster. I'm a monster."
Maya set the bag down on a kitchen counter, and walked over to Ritsuko, gripping Ritsuko's upper arms. "No, Senpai. You're not a monster. You're my teacher."
Tears began to well in Maya's eyes. "You're my friend."
"How could you say that?" Ritsuko said, shaking her head. "You d'n't know wh't I've done. Who I am."
Maya's grip on Ritsuko tightened slightly. "I do. You're smart and brave, and willing to do whatever it takes to help us win against the Angels. To help me become better."
A choked laugh echoed out of Ritsuko's throat as Maya led her toward the couch. "Don't be stupid. I'm not smart. I fell for Gendo, just like she did. I danced to his tune, just like she did. I danced right into his bed."
As they sat down, Ritsuko instinctively reached for her wine glass, only to find her arm gripped surprisingly firmly by Maya. She slowly looked over at her and blinked at how much determination she saw in her kouhai's eyes. "Ritsuko," Maya said firmly, slightly blushing, "I won't let you keep doing this to yourself. I'm not leaving you alone tonight."
'She won't leave me alone. Why? Why should she stay? She should leave. I'm not worth the waste of effort. But… she doesn't think that. She…'
Ritsuko shook her head and chuckled slightly. "Y're too good f'r this world. Y' know that?"
She began to laugh. "Y're too good for me, Maya."
Her laughter became sobbing as Maya took her into her arms, hugging her gently as she cried. She cried until, at last, she fell asleep, the warmth of Maya's embrace a silently welcome presence that a tiny, but growing part of her was grateful for.
. . .
Ritsuko did something entirely unexpected of herself, and peeled her eyes open, as the artificial light of the Geofront beat at her eyes and blinded her for a moment as she groggily raised an arm to cover her face. What time was it?
She looked over to her nightstand, blinking as she realized she was actually in her bed, and saw the alarm clock. 15:24. She groaned softly. She wasn't going in to work today, it seemed. Then she noticed the glass of water next to the clock, along with a clearly labeled bottle of aspirin, and a small, folded piece of paper.
She propped herself up, her brain seeming to try at pounding its way out of her skull as she grabbed for the glass of water, taking a drink. She looked down at the aspirin, vaguely remembering how many pills she had taken last night. It was a startling amount, even with how hazy the memory was. The aspirin could wait.
As she set down the glass and picked up the paper, she noted that Maya's name was on the front of it, as she grabbed it, slowly opened it, and read what was inside.
'Hello, Senpai,
I hope that this letter finds you well. I put you to bed last night, and I made sure things were going to be okay. I may have spent the night on your couch. Don't worry about calling in sick today. I got that figured out for you. I also fed your cat (he's very sweet), and I'm taking Shironeko-san to get repaired, so don't worry that he's gone.
Senpai, what you said last night… I know that isn't the real you. Or, at least, it doesn't need to be the real you. I know you can be smart. I know you can be brave. I've seen you be both. And as for being like your mother… You've made the choice not to be in a lot of different ways. And now… you can make the choice in more ways. You can choose to do good.
If you ever need to talk to me, I'm here, Senpai. You're not alone. I promise.
Your Kouhai,
Maya Ibuki.'
Ritsuko felt tears prick her dry, red eyes as she read. 'She really means it. She's here for me. I'm… I'm not alone.'
A small smile came to her face. It felt… good, to know that. And maybe… maybe she could start doing some good. Her mind began to slowly whirl as she considered the future. She had some people to talk to.
An Angel descends from on high, intent on its mission. One pilot and two puppets make for a flimsy defense for such a foe. But Shinji and Asuka have other ideas. They are not the only ones who wish to help, either. How will Unit-04, with a pilot freshly found, prove its worth, so soon after its possession? Next Episode: With Blades of Cloth and Gleaming Eyes.
It's a funny feeling, having the power to change the world and yet being seemingly powerless to do anything at the same time. It weighed heavily on Shinji and Asuka, knowing what happened not just to their friend, but their mothers, and being powerless to do anything about it. They wanted more than anything to help their friends, to get back to what they did best. They got their wish, of course. It just had to take an Angel to grant it.
Meeting Room, NERV-HQ, Mid-December
Commander Gendo Ikari waited patiently for the Human Instrumentality Committee to convene. There were questions to ask, after all. And as the Committee faded into view around the black table, he had prepared for most all of them.
The first to be asked was perhaps the most obvious one and the least like a question. "Commander Ikari." Chairman Kihl nearly growled. "You have dismissed the Second and Third Children and activated Dummy Plugs in their place. Explain."
"The Second and Third Children had proven themselves unable to be commanded in battle," he answered coolly. "The damage done to Unit-02 in the battle with what has now been designated Bardiel should be apparent to any and all members of the Committee who studied the battle. In short, they are children who have proven they cannot take care of their toys and have thus had their toys taken away."
"Furthermore," he continued, "their insubordination will no longer be tolerated. The Dummy System, operating alongside the First Child, will follow all orders given."
"Take care, Commander," Kihl said. "The Dummy System, by Doctor Akagi's admission, is as of yet untested. You field it at your own risk."
"Then the burden of proof is mine."
Ikari waited for a challenge, but none came. The Committee seemed to accept his reasoning. A point in his favor.
"What of Unit-03 and Unit-04?" the American asked. "As far as we understand, the Fourth Child was declared missing in action in her own Entry Plug. How is that possible? And what of Unit-04's appearance? We presumed it lost with the Nevada Incident."
Gendo had prepared for this one the most. "The Fourth Child, so far as anyone has been able to speculate, was drawn into the core of Unit-03 in a similar fashion to the Contact Experiments many years ago, in response to the Angel's awakening. Doctor Akagi has recovered sufficiently to begin attempting an extraction from the core."
"Extracting a soul?" the American responded. "Such was deemed impossible."
"Not impossible. Simply improbable. With Doctor Akagi's expertise, the true probability of such will likely be determined shortly."
"As for Unit-04," Gendo continued, "we have found and designated the Fifth Child as its pilot. His core is being prepared to be equipped as soon as contamination screening allows."
"The fact still stands, Ikari." the Frenchmen said. "You are in possession of five Evangelions, two of which, may I remind the Committee, are likely in possession of S2 Organs due to their Angelic subjugation, and only three pilots. Our trust in the Dummy System at this time is lacking, to say the least. You are far understaffed for your needs."
Before Gendo could respond, the Frenchman continued. "And as Unit-03 and Unit-04 are intact, and in possession of S2 Organs as such implies, why has this not yet been confirmed and the Units sent to NERV-2 for further study? We could regain the research and data we lost in Nevada tenfold."
Gendo tilted his head slightly towards the Frenchman as his jaw clenched for the briefest of moments. "I will answer your concerns in the order given. Firstly, The Second and Third Children will remain in the area. Should the need truly arise, they can be called into service and the Dummy Systems used as a backup."
"Secondly, Doctor Akagi is the leading scientist in Project E. She is perhaps the most capable of leading out any research efforts on the S2 Organs, along with any retrieval efforts of the Fourth Child. I will require any data she collects to be sent to you for your consideration. As well, the tactical and strategic value of not one, but two more Evangelions in our arsenal cannot be overstated."
The Frenchman sniffed but nodded nonetheless. "Very well. If one did not know better, one would think you are up to something."
"Regardless of speculation," Kihl interjected, "you are still in need of another pilot. Thus, after much deliberation, we will be sending the Sixth Child to pilot Unit-03 until such time as you recover the Fourth Child."
Gendo had to actually fight to keep the surprise off his face. This was… well, unexpected was an understatement. "Very well." he finally said. "We will extract the current core of Unit-03, and prepare to insert the Sixth Child's core."
"There is no need for such preparations," Kihl replied. "The Sixth Child has undergone special training to overcome such issues as those that come with synchronizing with other cores. He will serve your needs adequately."
Gendo was silent for a few moments before he nodded. "Very well. Thank you, Chairman."
"Reserve your thanks, Commander," Kihl replied, unmoved. "You will need all you can muster in the coming days, should our reading of the Scrolls prove fully accurate. They have proven themselves as such thus far."
With that, the Committee disappeared, the darkness that Commander Ikari sat in broken by the opening of a door, within which stood Fuyutsuki. "What news now, Gendo?"
Commander Ikari stood and walked to the door. "We will be receiving the Sixth Child as the interim pilot of Unit-03," he said simply.
It was a moment before Fuyutsuki's eyes widened as he understood what Gendo meant. "This soon?" he asked incredulously. "They must either be very concerned or overly confident. I can not for the life of me tell which."
"It matters little, in the end," Gendo replied. "He will be of use to us. Then he will serve his purpose in the Scenario. There is little more than that that we need worry about."
- - -
Tokyo-3 Municipal High School
Asuka was only slightly annoyed. It had been a dry week since Kaji had moved in, happy as she was that Misato and Kaji had seemingly started to figure things out. That made it much harder in the meantime to properly express her own love towards Shinji.
Oh, sleeping next to each other was fine, but she had hoped to be able to use the greater amount of free time to get as close to Shinji as she could.
Then she remembered why they had so much free time. And what exactly that meant missing out on. Learning about her mother, and how she was in the Eva all this time, had made her ache even more for what she had lost. She had gotten ideas, ideas that she and Shinji shared, about trying to contact their mothers. It would have meant the world to talk to them again. To know that her mama could be told that she still loved her, even after everything that had happened. Even after...
As she sat in a homeroom she might never see again, taking in the sights around her even as she tuned out the droning of their old teacher, as usual, her gaze landed on an empty chair. Hikari was still nowhere to be seen at school. With their access to NERV cut off, they knew nothing of Hikari's status, whether she was injured, or even if she was still alive. It burned at all of them. It burned especially at Toji, who desperately tried to keep his cool. As much of a dolt as he could be… she couldn't help but sympathize with his situation.
Her gaze flowed to Rei, who glanced back at her for a moment. Even in that moment's glance, she could see the anxiety that she didn't bother to hide. Asuka couldn't blame her. When the next Angel came, she would be going against it alone. The Dummy System didn't really count as a "pilot" in her mind.
Today, though, as she looked over at the boy, he looked… odd. Almost determined, but more quiet and reserved than usual. He glanced over at them from time to time, looking as though he wanted to tell them something, but didn't know how to.
But it seemed, as lunch came around and the pilots, or at least, the pilot and her two friends, sat down to eat, he would find his resolve.
After a moment, Toji stood from eating with Kensuke, who had begun to sit with both Sayaka and Kyoko much more often, and slowly made his way to the Children.
"Hey, guys," Toji said, slowly and somewhat awkwardly, "do ya mind if I, uh… butt in?"
Shinji looked up, shaking his head. "Of course not, Toji. Go ahead and sit down."
He pulled up a chair and sat down, picking at his bento box quietly. After a moment, Asuka shook her head. "Alright, jock, something's eating at you. So spit it out already. You know how Shinji worries."
Toji blinked as he glanced at Asuka, then sighed. "I… I'm the Fifth Child."
There was silence for a moment as all in the group processed this. "Toji…" Shinji said, his eyes wide. "Did you…"
Toji nodded slightly. "Yeah. Yeah, I accepted. I didn't even need to ask for anything. Hik-" he hitched on the name. "Hikari already took care of things for me and my family. I didn't even need to ask for anything."
Asuka shook her head. "Look, you didn't have to. Like Shinji told Hikari, you can decli-"
"No, Asuka," Toji said, a challenging look in his eye that caused Asuka to pause mid-sentence. "No, I can't turn this down. Not anymore."
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, opening them after a moment. "I need to do this. I need to find out what happened to Hikari. Because you guys can't tell me what happened, and NERV isn't saying jack either. So I have to find out myself. I need…" he trailed off, desperation taking the place of determination. "I need to know if I need to… to…"
Asuka looked between Toji and Shinji, seeing that they both needed support, even just a hand on a shoulder. She saw that neither seemed willing to give it. 'Japanese propriety and personal space at its finest.' she snarked. 'Fine. I'll do it myself.'
She put a hand on Toji's shoulder, and Toji jumped slightly, looking at her as she looked at him with as much determination as she could muster. "Look, jock, we knew about as much as you do right now, and that hasn't changed. But I'm sure that they're doing everything they can to make sure that Hikari's okay. Even if we can't do anything about it."
"And," Asuka said, "if you need something from Shinji, Rei, or I… we're a team. Even if some of us aren't piloting right now." she looked over at Shinji and Rei. "Right, guys?"
Shinji nodded quickly. "Yeah, Toji. We're here for you. And we're more than willing to give any advice that you might need for piloting. So, don't be afraid to ask about that, too. Or for whatever else you feel you need."
Toji nodded, looking around them. "Thanks, you guys. I'm… I'm real glad I know I can count on you all."
Rei nodded. "Of course, Classmate Suzuhara. Though, as we will be going into battle, as I told Hikari, you may call me Rei."
Toji nodded, somewhat uncertainly. "Okay, Rei."
A small smile came to Rei's face. "Thank you, Toji." she paused for a moment. "Welcome to our little family."
All the other pilots looked at Rei with no small amount of wonderment. "Wondergirl…" Asuka said, somewhat dumbstruck.
Rei turned to look at her. "As Daniel has said, family is who one decides it to be. I have decided that my friends, my fellow pilots, and my guardians, are in fact my family." she paused for a moment. "It feels… good, to have a family that cares for me."
Try as some of them might, small, contented smiles came to all of their faces. "Man, Aya- Rei," Toji said, "I didn't know that you thought like that. It's kind of cool to see something break through the usual Ice Queen thing you got going on."
Asuka nodded as she cast a slight glance of annoyance at Toji. "Yep. That's our Wondergirl, jock. And we wouldn't want her any other way."
- - -
Katsuragi Residence
As Shinji, Asuka, Misato, and Kaji all sat down to eat, Shinji had a question on his mind. For all the wonder and spectacle their revelations had carried last week, Misato and Kaji seemed… he couldn't quite put a word to it. Blasé? Passive? He didn't quite know, but they had acted as if they had heard some of it before. Especially when it came to their mothers in the Evas.
Finally, he could hold it in no longer. "Misato? Kaji?"
They looked over at him, as they held each other's hands. "Yes, Shinji? What is it?" Misato said.
Shinji was quiet for a moment. "Last week," he said, "when we all learned about our mothers being in the Evas… did you already know?"
Misato sighed after a moment, squeezing Kaji's hand. "Yes, Shinji," she said quietly.
The Children's eyes widened. Asuka shook her head. "For how long?" she asked numbly.
Kaji shook his own head slowly. "Daniel told the both of us just before Leliel came. After that… I don't think we had time to figure out how to properly tell it to you guys before… that night."
Asuka rolled her eyes. "How hard could that be? It's not exactly the most complicated thing in the world to say 'hey, Shinji and Asuka, by the way, the souls of your moms, who both of you thought were dead, are actually powering the Evas'? Is it really harder than that?"
Misato stared at the table for a moment before shaking her head slightly and sighing. "Yes, actually. It is at least a little bit harder to explain than that."
Shinji looked at Misato incredulously. "How, Misato?"
Misato sighed. "Because of Ritsuko. She's the head of Project E, after all. You probably would have gone to her and caused a lot of trouble."
Asuka leered at Misato. "That witch who had Rei drugged out of her mind? She would have deserved every second of it."
Misato opened her mouth, then closed it, looking down at her cooling dinner. "Maybe. But… there's still someone else in there." she paused as Shinji and Asuka glanced at each other in confusion. "Someone I care about. Someone I called a friend once."
Asuka shook her head, sighing. "The past is the past, Misato. People change. Maybe… maybe she's changed enough to have lost that part of her you're seeing."
Misato was silent for a moment. Then another. "Maybe," she said, quietly. After another moment, she picked up her chopsticks and began to eat again.
. . .
After a far more somber dinner concluded, Misato's phone buzzed in her pocket. As she put away the dishes she was holding, she pulled it out and saw that it was a call coming from Ritsuko. She looked at the phone for a moment and hesitated. What could she be calling about? Could it wait? But… Ritsuko rarely ever called her now. For her to reach out like this, it had to be important.
As she stepped into the entry hall, she accepted the call and put on as genuine of a smile as she could. "Hey, Ritsuko. What do you need?"
The line was silent for a moment. "Hey, Misato… I…" a sigh. "I… need to talk to you, sometime. About… about keeping secrets."
Misato's brow rose. Was she saying what she thought she was? "Alright," Misato said. "Are we talking now, or should we be meeting in person to do this?"
Ritsuko answered immediately. "No, no, in person. And somewhere up above, in Tokyo-3 proper. Somewhere she won't hear. I can think of a few places."
Misato's other brow rose to join its sister. "'She'?" Misato asked. "Ritsuko, what are you talking about? Who's-"
"I'll explain when we meet up." Ritsuko interrupted. "I'll text you tomorrow, and we'll meet one or two days after that. If… if that works for you."
Misato was silent for a moment as she considered what she had just heard. Then, she chuckled. "Alright, Ritsky. But you'd better choose somewhere with a good selection at the bar. It's been too long since we've just… gotten a drink as friends."
"It has been." A pause. "And… well, like Kaji says, drinking likes company. So… if you want to bring him along, I'd be more than happy to tell you 'I told you so'."
Misato and Ritsuko shared a quiet chuckle. "Maybe," Misato said, "and I'm sure that Kaji wouldn't mind reliving the good old days from college."
"Yeah…" Ritsuko said. After a moment of silence, she spoke again. "So, that works for you? A few days from now?"
"Yeah, it does. We'll see you then." Misato said as she hung up the call.
She stood in the entryway quietly, pondering for a moment on the past, and how people could change.
After a moment, Kaji poked his head out into the hallway. "Who was that, Misato?"
She turned to look at him, eyes slightly wet. "I'll tell you later tonight."
Kaji nodded, guessing at who Misato had talked to with no small amount of accuracy. "Alright. Sounds good."
. . .
Asuka really hated how thin the walls in this apartment could be, as she tried hard to block out how… passionate Kaji and Misato could be. 'Man, and I thought we were loud at night.'
She had come to appreciate Kaji keeping Misato busy enough for them to manage to continue sleeping together, but she wasn't sure if the price wasn't getting a little too high some nights.
She tossed and turned, sighing slightly as Shinji stirred. "Something's on your mind, Asuka," Shinji said, far less tiredly and more clearly than she expected. "What is it?"
Asuka snorted softly as she turned over to look at Shinji, whose dark blue eyes looked intently back at her. "How did you get that sixth sense about me, Shinji?" she asked only somewhat seriously.
Shinji blushed slightly but stayed silent. After a moment, Asuka sighed. "I talked about people changing, earlier at dinner."
Shinji nodded slowly as Asuka paused. "Yeah. What of it?"
Asuka sighed again, fidgeting slightly. "I wasn't…" she said, a surprising amount of embarrassment in her voice. "I wasn't out of line, was I? You're… a lot better at reading situations than I am."
Shinji was dumbstruck for a moment. "Asuka… I think this is the first time I've ever seen you embarrassed over something like this," he said with wonderment evident in his voice.
Asuka frowned, a slight look of annoyance glowing in her eyes. "So? It's not like it takes a miracle or something for me to actually be embarrassed, Shinji."
Shinji's eyes widened as he slightly shook his head. "I'm not saying it is. I just… I didn't quite expect it, is all."
Asuka closed her eyes and sighed, seeming to deflate slightly. "Yeah, I don't blame you. It's… weird for me, too. I'm still kind of getting used to it."
Asuka opened her eyes to look back at Shinji seriously. "So, the question still stands. Was I out of line?"
Shinji was silent for a moment. "Well," Shinji finally said, "it's clear that Misato still cares for Doctor Akagi, even if we really don't. And I can at least begin to understand how it would be hard to give up on an old friend. But… you're also not wrong. People do change. Look at us. I mean… could anyone have looked at us from 7 or 8 months ago and thought that this is where we'd be? I don't think so."
Shinji paused for a moment. "So, you're right. People do change. Sometimes for the worse. And sometimes for the better."
Asuka nodded, then sighed. "Honestly, Shinji… I kind of wish I wasn't right about her. For Misato's sake."
Shinji wrapped Asuka in a hug. "Well, it's okay. We'll worry about that later. For now… well, I'd say let's try to get some sleep…" Shinji blushed deeply. "But I think that might be a little tougher than expected."
Asuka snorted softly. "You think?"
- - -
Central Dogma, NERV-HQ
Captain Hyuga stepped onto the command bridge, carrying a quartet of slightly steaming coffees in a holder as he walked over to the consoles. It was a quiet night in the Geofront, and the Commander had gone home for the night, as well as the Deputy Commander and Major Katsuragi.
That left him in charge of Aoba, Ibuki, and Faez. It was still an odd feeling, being in command, even if it was only keeping watch over the night shift right now. It was late, and people were starting to drop off and get tired. The cool air conditioning that gently gusted through Central Dogma didn't seem to help things much.
So, as Hyuga passed around the coffees to the command crew, Ibuki and Aoba accepting them with quiet thanks, he gave Faez hers. She accepted it quietly, with only a nod, before turning back to her monitor and regarding her finished work.
As Hyuga extracted his coffee from the carrier and began to walk back to the folding chair he had set up close to the center of the bridge, a waiting mystery novel sitting atop it, he slowed, then stopped, as he glanced back at Faez, then back to his chair.
She had been here for a little while now, yet she was still a mystery to him. In his admittedly short talks with Major Katsuragi, she stressed getting to know and care for the people who served under you. And as he looked at his novel, the feeling that there was perhaps a more present mystery to be solved grew in him.
He looked over at Ibuki and Aoba. Ibuki was in the middle of one of her romance novels, and Aoba was leafing through the latest guitar magazine that he had picked up. But Faez simply stared at her monitor, her work finished for the night.
So, as Hyuga lifted his chair a little closer to Faez, he sat down and set the novel in his lap, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. "So, Lieutenant Faez," he said, as Faez looked away from her monitor towards him, "how are you adjusting to your work here?"
Faez regarded him for a moment before nodding slightly. "Well, enough, I guess. There's a lot that I didn't really expect to be doing, but I'm flexible enough to learn it all, I suppose."
A moment of silence passed through as Hyuga contemplated what Faez said for a moment. Hyuga decided to ask his next question with only a little hesitation. "I'm not sure if anyone asked, but… with the incident at NERV-3 in Nevada, with that being your last post, and all… how did you feel about that?"
Faez looked at Hyuga more intently now, and Aoba and Ibuki looked over at the two of them as Faez digested the question silently. "Well," she finally said, after a moment, "I wasn't as torn up about it as most would probably expect, really. It was just a posting, and I didn't really talk to anyone there. Except…" she trailed off.
"Was there someone there you cared about?" Hyuga asked quietly after a moment.
Faez nodded slightly. "There was one guy. Decent enough sort. Didn't really talk much. He didn't work at NERV, but he was contracted as part of a cooperative effort between NERV and an American company. Black Mesa, I believe it was called. He was a scientist and a technician. Which means he might have been there when the accident occurred, or maybe even only got caught in the blast zone. Or maybe he's doing just fine. Still…"
She sighed after a moment. "One more person that I've left behind," she said, almost too quietly for anyone to catch.
Hyuga shook his head. "Well, I'm sorry, for what it's worth." he paused for a moment. "Did that make moving here more difficult, leaving a friend behind?"
Faez shrugged. "It was only about as difficult as it could be, really. The States is decent and all, but I didn't cry over leaving it behind."
Aoba shook his head slightly. "An unpatriotic American. I never thought I'd see the day."
Faez rolled her eyes. "I wasn't born in America under the waving stars and stripes, Aoba. I was born in Saudi Arabia. The only American flags that were really out there were painted on the tanks and planes that came through during whatever military operations that they barreled into the rest of the Middle East for during the '90s."
Faez shook her head. "The only reason that I even went to America at all was that I was running with my parents from the warlords that started to pop up all over the place after Second Impact kicked everything off. They believed America would offer a better life for us. They had protected us in the past, they said."
She scoffed softly. "They never got to see it, though. They died on the voyage there. I was an orphan when I landed in New York."
It was silent for a moment as they processed the story Faez had told. Even before she had left America, it seemed, she had gone through things that the others almost couldn't comprehend.
After a moment, Maya shook her head. "So, how did you end up in the American military, then?"
Faez shook her head slowly. "I was an orphan like I said. I had… well, a tough life would be an understatement. I joined my fair share of gangs, picked up bits and pieces of languages, and then… I was noticed by some officer one day. He took me aside from my peers at the time and told me there was an opportunity to use my skills and instinct for survival for 'a better cause'."
Faez scoffed. "Then, at 16, I was inducted into the Valkyrie program."
Hyuga nodded. "That's what became the Valkyrie Division you've said that you were a part of, right?"
Faez nodded. "Yeah. I… I don't like to talk about that. There's a lot to unpack there."
After a moment, Faez snorted slightly, gently smirking. "So that's my life's traumas in a nutshell. But I think I've brought the mood down enough for tonight. I've got to go."
She stood, and started walking towards the elevator. "Thanks for the coffee, Captain. I still have no idea why a hot cup of it is so rare around here."
She reached the elevator, and descended quietly, leaving Hyuga, Aoba, and Maya to quietly ponder on a harsh life lived.
Hyuga, in particular, thought deeply about what he had heard, putting the mind that loved mysteries so much to work. She was nice but closed off from most everyone else. She had told the basics of her life's story, but little else beyond that. She had had a rough life, and a hard enough time in the Valkyrie Division that she did not want to talk about what it even was. He knew what she had gone through, but that didn't constitute who she was, really.
She was… well, with everything that they had learned, she was still an enigma. And not only that but one that had been through a lot, with few people to lean on. Someone like that… well, he felt that someone like that deserved a friend. Like the one she had left behind in America. So, perhaps, he could help her as more than just her commanding officer. Perhaps he could be a friend here, too.
- - -
A Quiet Place Bar, Tokyo-3
Misato and Kaji walked up to the small, out-of-the-way bar that Ritsuko had directed them to the day after her call. They still didn't quite know why she had picked such an oddly seedy location, or who the 'she' was that Ritsuko was so worried about. Who could scare the normally unflappable Doctor Akagi that much?
The pair stood outside, waiting for a moment. They were expecting someone else, who had invited themselves along the day of. Misato had no objections. Maya would probably act as a stabilizing influence on Ritsuko, what with being her student and friend.
Maya soon showed up, wearing dark denim jeans and a dark hoodie with the hood up. Kaji shook his head slightly as he watched her approach. "You know," he said, slightly chuckling, "you didn't need to look like some shadowy informant sneaking around."
Maya lowered her hood, slightly blushing. "Well, I'm not as trained in the arts of spycraft as you are, Mr. Kaji. I'm sure you have a much better idea of what's going on than I do."
Kaji chuckled again. "Well, I can offer you some advice for free." he paused as Maya nodded for him to go on. "Looking normal goes a long way in this business."
Misato playfully punched him in the shoulder. "That's enough, Kaji. You know she's probably anxious enough as is." she leaned over to look at Maya. "Just relax. We're all just having a drink with our friend. Nothing much more than that."
Maya nodded, rolling her eyes at Kaji when she was sure neither of them was looking as they entered.
It was a little larger on the inside than its exterior made it out to be, with separate wood-paneled booths along the walls, each individually lit. It was quiet, with few people, which wasn't unexpected, and the bartender had a headphone in as he cleaned various glasses.
They spotted Ritsuko in the farthest left booth, nursing a dark drink that was probably the coke and gin that she had come to favor. They made their way over to her, and she looked up at them, her eyes widening slightly as she saw Maya with them. "I didn't know that Maya would be coming with you," she said, looking back at Misato and Kaji.
Maya stepped forward and took a seat next to her teacher. "That's because I only informed them that I'd be coming along this afternoon, when I found out you were going to be meeting them, Senpai."
As Kaji and Misato sat down, Ritsuko shook her head. "I'm… well, I'm not sure that you'll want to hear what I have to say, Maya. I-"
Maya put up a hand. "It's okay, Senpai. Whatever it is, I'm ready. I'm here for you."
A moment of silence fell over the table as Ritsuko nodded after a moment. "Thank you, Kouhai."
As the waiter came to their table and took their orders, and eventually delivered their drinks, Misato regarded Ritsuko as she sipped her beer. "So, Ritsky, you talked about secrets over the phone. Are you about to spill some of them?"
Ritsuko nodded, sighing. "Yes. I've got a lot of them, and… frankly, I've stopped caring about keeping them. From you, at least."
Misato nodded, and Kaji sipped at the whiskey that he had gotten. "So, what have you got? Actually, first off, you mentioned a 'she' when you called Misato. Who were you talking about?"
Ritsuko breathed deeply and took a sip of her drink. "That is… well, to say it's complicated would be to undersell it."
She paused for a moment. "The Magi… it's alive. My mother's alive."
The table was silent again as Misato and Kaji processed this. "What?" Misato finally said, her eyes slightly widened. "How?"
Ritsuko shook her head. "I'm not entirely sure about how it all works myself. Apparently, in the aftermath of the attack by Iruel, the Magi… spontaneously created a new line of processing, with all the nodes linked together by that line. And that line… is managed by my mother's soul."
Ritsuko paused, seeming to wait for Misato and Kaji's reactions. After a moment, Misato shrugged. "Makes sense, I guess."
Ritsuko blinked, somewhat taken aback. "You know," she said after a moment, "I didn't expect you to be so… passive with such a revelation."
Kaji shrugged. "I mean, when you're fighting Angels all the time, the revelation that a 'ghost in the machine' exists gets a little less impactful than I'm sure it would usually be."
Misato nodded. "Yeah, Ritsuko. I mean, even still, it must have hit you hard… to be able to talk to your mother again in some capacity."
Ritsuko looked down. "Talking to her is part of why I'm doing this. I'm not just sharing secrets that you deserve to know. I'm… trying to process some that I've learned myself, as well."
Misato nodded slightly, a sympathetic look in her eyes. "I can understand that. What have you learned recently?"
Ritsuko looked into her drink, swirling it slightly. "Well…" she sighed quietly, then looked up at Misato and Kaji. "I'll go ahead and preface what I'm about to say with this. You've probably seen Rei's files, correct? How they offer so little information concerning her past?"
She paused as Misato and Kaji nodded. "Well, that's because… she doesn't have a past, really. She's an artificial creation. A clone."
Misato's eyes went wide, and Kaji's eyes mirrored hers. "A… a clone?" Misato said quietly. "How?"
Ritsuko shook her head. "She's a mixture of several different base donors. Chief among them being Doctor Yui Ikari, my… my mother, and... another major donor."
"Who was the last donor?" Kaji asked, his mind whirling, but slowly becoming more sure of the answer to that question.
Ritsuko shook her head. "Not 'who', Kaji. Or… not 'who', exactly. It's… complicated."
Ritsuko blinked, then blinked again. Then her eyes widened as she properly processed what Misato had just said. "How… how did you know?" she said in an almost strangled whisper.
Misato shook her head and sighed. "Well, Kaji made his way down to Terminal Dogma, being the snoop that he is. I followed him and held him up. Then, he opened the door in front of him, and… I saw it. The white giant in our basement."
Kaji nodded. "It was at that point that Daniel caught up with us, and filled us in with a copy of the Human Instrumentality Project that he had acquired a while ago. Now… there's a lot that we know. About what we have under our feet. About what's supposed to happen when all the Angels are defeated. About what makes the Evangelions tick."
Ritsuko seemed to deflate as she listened to this. After a moment of silence, she turned to look at Maya, and her eyes widened at the almost grim look she found in Maya's eyes. "You knew this too?"
Maya sighed. "I went to Misato after your confrontation with her over the plan to destroy Leliel. I've seen how you worry. And how much of that worry is tied to the secrets you know. So… I wanted to be able to help you better."
Ritsuko sighed and shook her head slightly, a small smile coming to her face. "Oh, Kouhai. I don't deserve you, some days."
She nodded. "So, you know what the Human Instrumentality Committee… SEELE… wants to come to pass after the Angels are destroyed. But I would be surprised if you also knew that what Commander Ikari wants to happen instead is… different."
Almost as one, Misato, Kaji, and Maya leaned toward her, at least, as much as some of them could. "Go on," Misato said with a serious look on her face.
Ritsuko sighed, then nodded. "What he wants is the entire reason that Rei even exists. He wants her to act as… a sort of go-between for him and Lilith, in order to hijack Instrumentality and have it be his will that comes to pass instead of the Committee's. All because…" she chuckled sorrowfully. "All because he wants his wife back."
The rest of the table leaned back, taking in what they had learned silently. "That…" Misato said after a moment, her expression slack with shock. "That explains all the drugs he had you giving her… he didn't want her disobeying at the last moment."
Ritsuko nodded. "Yes. That was the intention behind her doses, I believe."
Kaji shook his head. "So… how do you know what Commander Ikari wants to do? I've never found out anything like that in my looking around."
Ritsuko looked down, silent for a long moment. "Because… because I thought he loved me. But I was wrong. He only loves her."
The table was silent for a long while, as Ritsuko silently fought to get a hold of the emotions that came with admitting that.
She looked back at Misato and Kaji after a few minutes. "Well…" she said, pausing for a moment and sniffling. "Other than that, I don't know what to tell you anymore, exactly. You seem to have been filled in by Mr. Theisman fairly well on most of the things I wanted to talk to you about."
Misato smiled softly, sipping her beer. "Well, Ritsky, you can start with one more thing. How was work today?"
Ritsuko quietly took a breath, smiling slightly back at Misato as she exhaled. "Well, it went about as well as one could ask for, really."
So, they relaxed now, revelation and guilt being swept aside, at least for the moment, by idle conversation and connection. Three old friends thought back to the good old days, and a new friend came to know surprising things about those that she worked with.
In time, the night lost its youth, and Kaji and Misato stood. "Well, we should probably go ahead and head home, Ritsuko," Kaji said, taking Misato's hand. "I'm sure the Children are doing just fine without us, but you never know."
Ritsuko offered them a wry smile, looking at Misato. "Like I said, Misato. I told you so."
Misato rolled her eyes as she smiled. "Yeah, yeah, I figured you'd say that. Good night, Ritsuko. Good night, Maya."
They left Maya and Ritsuko sitting together, quietly regarding each other. After a moment, Maya jumped slightly, then dug around in the pocket of her hoodie for a moment. "Oh! I almost forgot. Here."
She pulled out a small box, wrapped in gold ribbon, and set it on the table in front of Ritsuko, before standing. "Shironeko-san just got done. I figured since we were meeting up tonight, I'd bring him back to you here. I… I really have to go, too. Senpai…" Maya paused for a moment. "Thank you for being honest. I knew you could be."
She turned, and Ritsuko raised her hand. "Wait."
As Maya turned back, Ritsuko hesitated for a moment. "Thank you, Maya," she said after a moment.
Maya's eyes widened slightly as she blushed just as slightly, then she smiled softly. "Of course, Senpai. Anytime."
She turned and walked away, leaving Ritsuko alone at the table, the box containing her figurine. She took it, slowly unwrapping the bow in the ribbon, then opened the box.
Ritsuko gasped quietly as she beheld her figurine, now shot through with gold lacquer, glittering slightly in true kintsugi fashion. It was beautiful. 'All this trouble just for something I did on that stupid, stupid night…'
She noticed the notecard packaged next to the figurine, and removed it, noting the name of perhaps the best service for small repairs in the city. On its back, a simple haiku was handwritten onto the card.
'Scattered pieces fell,
gathered by warm, caring hands.
Made whole once again.'
Ritsuko smiled, tears pricking her eyes. 'Oh, Maya…'
. . .
Katsuragi Residence, Earlier That Night
Shinji and Asuka sat together on the couch as a movie played on the tv. It was one they both knew well, so they paid little mind to it as they made out rather passionately with each other. Only Misato and Kaji's possible arrival at an inopportune time found them with their clothes still on. Asuka called it a 'test of virtue', though Shinji had begun to doubt the 'virtue' part of the test.
As they drank in each other, they caught the door opening at the edge of their hearing, separating as they watched the door. To their relief, Rei was the one to enter the living room.
Asuka rolled her eyes slightly. "It's rather rude of you, to just come barging in on us like this. We could have been indecent, you know!"
Rei smiled slightly as Shinji blushed. "Perhaps. But I trust your judgment and mine."
Rei's smile faded, and the anxiety which Asuka had noticed days before came to the fore. "What's up?" Asuka asked quietly. "You don't usually come in without a reason."
"I have a synchronization test tomorrow. And… it seems I have fully realized the gravity of my situation. I require support. So… I'd like to ask for a hug."
"Okay…" Shinji said as he shifted slightly. "Which one of us would you like to hug you?"
"Is it possible to have you both hug me?" Rei asked plaintively.
Shinji shifted slightly, opening up a space between him and Asuka. "Of course, Rei. Here, sit down."
Rei walked over to the couch, sitting between the two of them, who wrapped their arms around her. After a moment, her eyes widened slightly, and tears began to prick her eyes. "This… this is good. Better, even."
Asuka chuckled slightly. "Yeah, Wondergirl. It sure is."
Rei nodded silently, then focused on the movie, an older American one that Daniel had introduced them to, and her eyes widened slightly further. "I see that you have decided to put this movie on. I enjoy this part of the movie particularly."
Asuka looked back at the television screen, as a roguish man in black lay silently on a table, a Spaniard and a giant talking to a strange old man about the nature of true love and the difference between being dead and mostly dead.
Asuka looked over and shook her head with a slight smile. "Yeah, this part is pretty funny, isn't it?"
Rei nodded as the characters on the screen talked. "True, but my favor for it lies in what they say about love. Is it…" she paused for a moment. "Is it possible for feelings of love to be able to overcome something so fundamental as death?"
Those on the couch were silent for a moment as they processed this question. "Well, I think that they can," Shinji said after a moment. "If our mothers can protect us after having… well, I'm not so sure how the Contact Experiments work, but if they can still do things as they did with Leliel after having become kind of… mostly dead, I guess, then… why not say that it's love that allows them to do that?"
Rei pondered this for a moment. "I see."
After a moment, she looked over at Shinji and Asuka in turn. "Do either of you… love me like that?"
The room was silent save for the television playing as the Children considered this question with no small amount of blushing.
After a moment to collect himself, Shinji looked at Rei. "Well… I mean, I don't love you quite in the way that I love Asuka, but… I mean, I do love you, Rei. I care for you, and you deserve love as much as any of us."
Rei nodded. "Thank you, Shinji. I appreciate your honesty." she turned to look over at Asuka. "Asuka? Do you love me that deeply?"
Asuka seemed to blush deeper as she glanced away from Rei, silent for a moment. "I… I do care for you, Rei. We're so much more alike than I would have ever guessed, but… I'm not sure how to answer that. But…" she looked back at Rei. "I care for you. You're one of my best friends. That isn't going to change, no matter what comes next."
Rei looked at Asuka for a long moment, tears welling in her eyes, and nodded. "Thank you, Asuka. That is very meaningful to me."
Asuka squeezed her hug briefly as she smiled softly. "Any time, Wondergirl."
They sat, and watched as the man confronted his wife, who wasn't a witch, and chuckled as the hijinks on screen played out.
After a little while, the front door opened again, and Misato and Kaji walked into the living room. Miasto smirked at the cuddling trio. "Well, well. I didn't know it was movie night again so soon."
Rei looked up at Misato and smiled slightly. "I required comfort from Shinji and Asuka before my synchronization test tomorrow. I have received that comfort, and continue to do so."
Misato nodded silently as she considered the First Child. She was… part Angel. Not to mention she was also technically Shinji and Ritsuko's half-sister, at the same time. It was… mind-boggling.
A now far smaller part of her, instinctual and base, screamed at her to hate the Angel. The Angels had taken from her, it said. They had taken from everyone. Rei would prove to be no different, in the end, if she wasn't dealt with.
Misato did her best to quash such thoughts. Rei wasn't an Angel, she was… a tool, made against her will to do the bidding of Commander Ikari. She was a pilot. A friend.
Her thoughts turned to another pilot. Hikari. They had never told Shinji and Asuka about what happened to Hikari, did they? She had meant to on the night that Daniel was almost assassinated, and then… she had lost track of time. That was her mistake. And now, she hated to rectify it and shatter what a good time they were all having.
Misato sighed heavily. "Guys… I hate to break the mood… but I've had something to tell you guys about Hikari. Status as pilots or not be damned."
All three of the children perked up at the name. "Well, what is it?" Asuka asked. "Is she in the hospital, the… the morgue, where? We've all been wondering for days. And you should know how Toji worries about Hikari."
Misato took a deep breath. "Hikari… is missing in action."
The children were silent for a second, eyes widening for two of them. "What?" Asuka said numbly. "That's… how? How could she be MIA in her Entry Plug?" she shook her head. "I saved it. I saved that Entry Plug. It cost me everything to make sure my friend was okay, and it was all for nothing?" she asked with a shout.
Shinji said nothing, staring into the middle distance and feeling… empty. It felt like that battle couldn't take anything else from him after they'd been dismissed as pilots. And yet… it just did.
Misato shook her head, a weary look on her face. "The current consensus is that she got pulled into the core when the Angel activated. Those of us in the know, as it were, believe that her mother had something to do with it."
She watched the children tighten their grips on each other, and desperately wanted to be able to say something else, anything else besides what was reality.
Kaji stepped forward, walking behind the couch and putting a hand on Shinji and Asuka's shoulders. "Hey. Look, I know it probably feels bad right now. But just think about it for a moment. Your friend is in what is probably the safest place in the world."
He looked over at Asuka. "You might not have done anything with the Plug, but your skills made sure that the only thing that died that day was the Angel. You still saved Ms. Horaki. Even if it isn't quite what you hoped for."
Shinji sighed after a moment of consideration. "Maybe. But… that was the only thing that f-Commander Ikari hadn't taken from us. Knowing that even going against his high and mighty orders, we still saved someone. Now it just feels… hollow."
Misato nodded. "Yeah. But that's the way war works, sometimes. Sometimes, the only victories we have to live with are the hollow ones."
Shinji's mind whirled, a storm of thoughts and emotions threatening to overwhelm him if he didn't do… something.
So, he stood and began walking towards the hallway to the bedrooms. "Don't worry," he called behind him. "I'll be back. I just… need a few minutes."
He went into his room, shutting the door behind him, and sat on his floor mat for the first time in what was probably months, holding his head in his hands.
Why? Why did it have to end like this? Why did they have to leave the city, the friends that he'd made, most likely say goodbye to the woman that he loved, over this? Grief and confusion and anger thundered through his skull, seeming to threaten to shatter it with their combined force.
Then, a memory came to him as he looked up at his cello. 'You know,' Daniel had said, 'whenever you need to find some peace, the cello isn't just something to play for others. Music is as much for yourself, an island in any storm should you choose it.'
He got to his feet, sitting on a lonely chair as he readied his instrument. But what would he play?
Soon, though, he decided. And as bow touched string, the notes came, slowly, almost haltingly at first, then smoother.
Out in the living room, the movie was finally paused as they listened to Shinji's cello. Asuka smiled slightly, the meaning behind the music evident only to her. 'Dvořák's Cello Concerto.' she thought. 'He played that on the night we kissed.'
And for a moment, it was calm, and the world made a little more sense.
- - -
Shinji looked up from his breakfast, reaching out to take her hand and squeezing it gently. They were alone, at least for the moment. Misato was gone, and Kaji, who, much to Asuka's annoyance, knew about their relationship, wouldn't be there to watch over them until later in the day. It left them time for… something. Schoolwork was done, and the apartment was nearly spotless from a spasm of cleanliness Shinji had the night before.
So, the question lingered, what were they going to do?
Shinji finally realized something he really felt he should have before. "Ah."
"What is it?" Asuka asked with an arched eyebrow.
Before Shinji could reply, the doorbell rang, and Shinji and Asuka let go of each other's hands as they looked at the entry hall. "Kaji couldn't be here this early. Right?" Asuka said as they both stood to go and answer the door.
"He would have let himself in if it was him," Shinji replied. "Who could it be then?"
They opened the door, and found Toji, standing at an approximation of attention before slouching slightly, surprise evident on his face. "Oh. Uh… hi guys. Did Ms. Misato already leave?"
"Yeah." Shinji nodded. "She left to go set up your synch test later in the day. Why do you ask?"
Toji sighed. "Well… I figured that now that I'm a pilot, I could just ask her about what happened to Hikari. I've tried doing some searching on my own, but I just keep running into 'clearance levels' and 'not your priority' and…" he deflated as he sighed heavily. "I just need something. Anything."
Asuka and Shinji glanced at each other before Asuka sighed quietly. "Alright, jock. We've got something to tell you, now at least. But… you're gonna want to come in and take a seat. This might take a while."
Toji entered the apartment, and they all sat down in the living room, Toji taking a seat on one of the beanbags. He was taut, like an overtuned string waiting to snap from the pressure.
"Hikari is missing in action," Shinji said quietly.
Toji blinked, flinching as if physically struck. "Wait… what? How? She never left that Entry Plug thing after the Angel woke up. So… where is she?"
Asuka sighed. "Well… that's kinda complicated. Let's take it from the top."
Shinji and Asuka, almost without thinking, passed the explanation between each other, as they covered the moments before Unit-03's subjugation by Bardiel and the realization that Hikari had somehow been pulled into Unit-03's core. They glossed over their imprisonment and punishment, and how that was tied to the battle. There were other things, far more magical in nature, that went undiscussed.
As the explanation went on, Toji began to sag, his shoulders slumping as he hunched over, his face falling further and further until, as the explanation ended, he held it in his hands.
After a moment of silence hung between the kids, Toji looked back up at Shinji and Asuka, eyes red and face wet with tears. "So…" he swallowed. "Do they have any idea how long it'll take to get her out of Unit-03?"
"For now…" Shinji shrugged. "We don't know."
"Yeah. Sorry, Toji." Asuka said. "That's all we really have. But she's not dead. She's just trapped right now. And…"
She balled her fists, and it was a moment before she continued. "Doctor Akagi is smart." she nearly bit out. "If anyone can get Hikari out, it'll be her and her team."
Shinji blinked, somewhat taken aback by Asuka's praise, even given so grudgingly as it was. "Yeah, Toji," he said. "If Asuka says that about Doctor Akagi… then I'm confident that she'll do whatever it takes to get Hikari back."
Toji nodded after a moment. "Alright, then." he took a deep breath, then stood. "Well, I should probably go get ready for that synch test. I'll go tell Sakura, too, seeing as she's in the Geofront hospital now."
As Shinji and Asuka stood, and they made their way to the door, Toji chuckled. "Y'know, she's almost more worried about Hikari than I am. That's… that's saying something."
As they reached the door, Toji turned back to them. "Well… I'll make this synch test for you guys. See if channeling the 'great and powerful Asuka Soryu-Langley' makes a difference."
Asuka snorted softly. "If you do, I'll give you 500 yen if you manage to top 60%. If you don't, then 500 is mine."
"You're on, devil," Toji said, a little confidence suffusing his tone. "I'll see if I get that 500 then."
Toji's smile faded slightly as he waved. "Well, I'll see you guys later."
The door shut, leaving Shinji and Asuka alone as Asuka sighed. She turned to Shinji, slowly hugging him tightly. "I… I honestly feel sorry for the jock. Not knowing what might happen to the person you just found out you love…" she squeezed a little tighter. "Reminds me a bit too much of some parts of Leliel."
"Toji's strong," Shinji replied. "If we can get through this, then he can too. We were able to get to where we are now. I don't think for a second Toji and Hikari can't either."
They stood there in the entryway silently for a moment, before Asuka tapped Shinji's shoulder. "There was something you were going to tell me, right before Toji barged in. What is it?"
Shinji blinked, then nodded after a second. "Oh, yeah." he looked at Asuka intently as he stepped partway out of the embrace. "We should go on a date. A proper one, now that we don't have our duties as a pilot hanging over us." he paused. "There's… a cafe downtown I've wanted to take you to for a while. How about it?"
Asuka regarded him with wide, wondering eyes, then she slowly smiled. "Alright. But on one condition."
Shinji's eyebrow arched. "Oh?"
"Get into something a little more stylish than this," Asuka said, pinching at the white button-up that Shinji so usually wore. "I know you rock this look, but there has to be something else Daniel might have imparted to you other than good taste in music."
Shinji blinked, then smiled. "Alright then. I'll see what I can find."
. . .
Across the city, Kaji got into his car and prepared to go over to watch the kids. He had to remind himself that they weren't technically pilots anymore, but… the vernacular just seemed to stick to them.
'Speaking of the kids,' he thought as he began to drive across the city, 'there's still something I can't put my finger on just yet. Talking with Shinji… seeing them together more… there's something more to them…'
Kaji's eyes widened as he got onto the freeway, and he smiled at the realization he had stumbled upon. 'That's it. They aren't just a couple. They're a couple.'
It made sense, really, with the kind of job that they once had, the pressures that came with not knowing if tomorrow would be your last.
But there were also dangers. There was a reason that, even after the dramatic decrease in population following Second Impact, so few militaries became co-ed. It could be irresponsible. Even dangerous, if it came down to it. But…
He shook his head as he made his way downtown. 'That kind of thinking falls apart when it comes to the Evas. And besides, they're smart kids. Shinji would hardly be irresponsible like that, either, from what I know of him.'
Even still, there was fun to be had in presenting the fact that he knew to them. Just the two of them, though. If Misato were present, it would make things… dicey.
He glanced around as he sat at a stoplight, then his eyes were drawn to a particular yellow sundress. 'Wait a minute. Is that…'
. . .
Asuka sat at the outside table of the cafe, watching the city go about its day, the people and cars passing her by without a care in the world. She took a sip from her drink, quietly holding Shinji's hand across the table.
It was… liberating, in a sense, to be as anonymous as they were right now. To be, to all the world, just another teenage couple sitting out and enjoying the day with each other. 'Granted, I'll hardly become a hermit.' she thought with some amusement. 'But I could do this more often.'
She looked over at Shinji and smiled slightly. 'Especially when it's with my rookie.'
Shinji had cleaned up and dressed down, wearing jeans and a t-shirt that was obviously from Daniel, while she, at Shinji's request, had worn her sundress and sneakers from the day they first met on the Over the Rainbow. It was touching that, even as tumultuous as their first meeting was, Shinji still had fond memories of meeting her.
She continued looking at him, and her mind began to wander. 'He's got such a striking face. Especially when he thinks. I wonder what that'll mean when he grows up.'
Her mind briefly flashed to the Commander, a bad taste rising in her mouth as she thought about the only point of reference she had for what he might look like. Broad, tall, and not too badly muscled.
'If Shinji ever decides to work out more…' she smiled slightly.
Shinji glanced over, noticing her smile. He smiled slightly in return. "What's up, Asuka?"
Asuka blinked. "Well… Just about how good you might look with a little more time and a decent workout. I know we've been working out as part of my training program, but if you really applied yourself…" her smile grew slightly as a knowing look flickered to life in her eyes. "You, my dear rookie, will be positively yummy."
Shinji blushed deeply and glanced away, and Asuka laughed lightly for a moment. After a moment, she shook her head. "It's amazing," she murmured.
"What is, liebling?" Shinji asked, and Asuka chuckled at the applied German.
"That… somehow, I could feel happy after everything that's happened, despite how much I worry about our friends, I can still smile and laugh. All because of you and your thoughtfulness."
Shinji nodded. "Yeah. Even with all that I wish we could be doing with NERV…" he shook his head. "Never thought I'd be saying that… but even with all that, it feels good to just… be with you."
Asuka nodded, and after a moment, her smile began to edge into an impish grin as she glanced at Shinji. "You know, if you were any other boy, I would have figured you were hoping for a windy day to top things off."
Shinji blushed as he shook his head and chuckled. "Oh, no, Asuka. I know better than to wish for that. After all, I know all too well what the viewing fee is in that dress."
Asuka rolled her eyes. "Oh, I wouldn't charge you like that anymore. After all…" she scooted her chair a little closer. "You've seen more than enough already."
Shinji blushed deeply again even as he smiled, and they shared a laugh together.
As the laughter died, Asuka sighed. "You know, the only thing that would make this better is…" her smile faded. "Talking to Mama again."
They squeezed each other's hands, both knowing how much the other wanted what they now couldn't have, what they'd only just found out about.
"Yeah." Shinji finally said. "But even still… it'll work out."
Shinji continued as Asuka looked at him wonderingly. "After all, we've faced the Angels and won. Put our lives on the line and came out on top because we had each other's backs. We win when we're together. If we can do that… what can't we do? Who's to say we won't be able to talk to our mothers?"
Asuka was silent for a moment as she took in what Shinji Ikari, what her boyfriend, a gleeful part of her reminded her, just said.
Her smile widened. "Shinji… I have no idea how lucky I am to have you."
"Neither do I," Shinji said with a shrug. "But… I don't want to think about where I might be without you."
A moment passed, then Shinji nodded. "Alright," he said, polishing off the drink in his hand. "I guess we'd better head home. Kaji's probably waiting for us."
"Maybe," Asuka replied as they stood and began walking home. "But I hope that he's going to check on his watermelons first. After all, a patch like he has needs a lot of attention, and it'll leave us free for some… things I've been wanting to try." she finished with an almost hungry smile as she leaned in to whisper to him about some examples.
. . .
Shinji continued to nod absentmindedly as the elevator doors opened, Asuka pausing for just a moment to look around before she continued aloud, no longer caring to whisper. The list she had given was… comprehensive, to say the least, and it made Shinji at least a little hopeful that Kaji was tending to his watermelons.
As they entered their apartment, walking down the entry hall, Asuka paused for a moment as they both smelled cigarette smoke. "Oh," Asuka said quietly, as they slowly made their way into the dining room.
As they turned the corner, they found Kaji, watching the doorway as he leaned against a countertop with a wry grin as he put out a cigarette in an ashtray beside him. "My, my, Shinji," he said with a chuckle. "How much did I miss? Depending on that, I'm not sure if I should feel impressed or sorry for you."
"You… heard that," Asuka said sullenly as she blushed.
Kaji nodded. "Yeah, I did."
It was silent for a moment before Asuka looked back at Kaji, a challenging flame flickering behind her eyes. "I swear if you're just going to try telling us-"
Kaji raised a hand to stop her as he straightened up. "I can't say that I'd be able to say what you think I would without coming off as a geezer and a hypocrite. I remember being your age."
As Asuka and Shinji's eyebrows rose a fraction, Kaji chuckled. "Shocking, I know. But I remember having to deal with hormones too. Can't say that I ever got as lucky as Shinji," he said, and Shinji glanced away, blushing a little deeper, "but I had to deal with them all the same."
Kaji's expression became serious as Shinji looked back at him. "Now, Shinji. I can be fairly assured that I'd be wrong and that you'd never do this. But… if you're just taking advantage of Asuka to fulfill your own needs…"
Shinji shook his head emphatically. "No, Kaji. I would never do that. We both wanted this."
Asuka nodded almost as quickly. "Yeah. We did. And we know how much that matters. You know what we went through. How often we had the world on our shoulders. Knowing that I could turn to Shinji…" she shook her head. "It made all the difference."
The kitchen was silent until Kaji nodded slowly. "Alright then. I can assume you two are being safe, then?"
Asuka snorted. "What are you, our grandmothers? Kaji, I graduated college at 14. If I wasn't being responsible, I'd have to be dumber than we both know."
Kaji's wry grin returned. "Trust me, Asuka, I've known people much older than you who have proven otherwise. But you're honest, so I'll take your word for it."
Shinji and Asuka collectively breathed a sigh of relief, and Kaji chuckled softly.
Then, a distant, quiet boom, echoed through the glass of the veranda. Then another, and another.
Then, a piercing wail, like that of a mourner's. One that the children had heard dozens of times before now. Now, though, it draped a cold, biting blanket of fear over them.
The wail belonged to the Angel alarm. An Angel was coming. And Shinji and Asuka, for the first time ever, doubted it could be stopped this time.
Alarms and shouts filled the cavernous room with noise, crashing down like a wave on Misato as she stepped onto the command bridge and walked towards a harried Hyuga.
She stepped over to Hyuga's side, waiting for him to turn to regard her as she took command. "Alright. I need a status update, Captain. What's the situation so far?"
"The Angel appeared about 10 minutes ago and is making a straight line through the Komagatake defense perimeter. Retractable buildings are down, and evacuations are complete."
Misato nodded. "What does the Magi say about the Angel?"
It was a moment before Hyuga replied, and Misato could see the fear in his eyes. "The Magi all agree that this Angel probably has the most powerful AT Field we've seen except for Ramiel."
Misato's eyes widened. "That strong?" she nearly whispered. She shook her head slightly as she regained her focus. "What about the Evas?"
"Unit-01 is ready to deploy, and Unit-00 and Unit-02 are in the final stages of activating their Dummy Systems."
Before Misato could reply, a technician spoke up. "We've re-established a visual on the Angel!"
Misato looked up at the main screen at what she presumed was the defense perimeter, and took stock of their latest foe.
It looked like a wingless, deformed penguin, a tubular body floating along with the power of its AT Field. Vestigial arms and legs were seemingly wrapped tightly to its body, the 'legs' joining at the bottom to give the Angel a roughly ovoid shape, a similar wrapping seeming to act as a kind of belt that nearly touched the bottom of the rib cage-like structure on its chest, in the center of which was its core. Its face was a boney mask, seeming to silently scream at everything it saw as it passed through the perimeter without a scratch.
"The Angel has engaged the batteries at the city limits!" Faez shouted as she continued the bootup process of Unit-02's Dummy Plug.
Maya glanced at another window as she booted up Unit-00's Dummy Plug, her eyes widening. "It's firing some-"
The Angel's eyes flashed with a baleful light and a growling whir, and 18 layers of tungsten-carbide reinforced steel armor were punched through like wet toilet paper.
The explosion that went with it rocked everyone in Central Dogma. Maya looked at a third screen on her console as it flashed its warning. "Angel has pierced…" she paused for a moment as her eyes went wide with shock. "18 layers of Geofront armor!"
Aoba shook his head in a daze as a gasp went up around the bridge. "We can't take another hit from that thing!"
Misato looked back up at the screen. "Alright. Deploy the Evas downtown! The Dummy Systems can finish their bootup sequences there."
She looked at a screen on the low wall that showed Rei's face in Unit-01's Entry Plug. "Rei, we're sending you up! This thing is powerful, so we're routing the two Positron Rifles we have to you and Unit-02. Use them to break through once you've weakened its AT Field!"
Rei opened her eyes as she looked at Misato and nodded. "Affirmative, Major. Launching now."
Misato could see behind Rei's act of stoicism, see the fear that bubbled behind her cool eyes. She couldn't blame her, for what she was going into. She fought to keep that same fear firmly in her gut, to not let it show on her own face.
. . .
Rei breathed in deeply as she tightened and loosened her grip on her controls. She wasn't entirely sure where she got it from, but it occupied her without showing her anxiety openly to the people in Central Dogma. To Commander Ikari.
The day she had feared had come. She would be going into battle against an Angel alone. Her backup was only the artificially driven Dummy Systems in the other two Evas, as of yet untested. 'This is the last place to have an untested pilot.' Rei thought, thankful for the fact that Toji was sequestered in the HQ. 'We need Shinji and Asuka. I need Shinji and Asuka.'
She knew what would happen if she perished here. It wouldn't really matter. But her agency could be taken away again, the smothering blanket of her drug regimen reinstituted, regardless of Doctor Akagi's actions. It was not a risk worth taking. It was not a risk she would ever accept again. 'I'll win this. For Shinji and Asuka. For everyone.'
She closed her eyes, listening to and feeling the Eva's elevator lock into place. The crackling snap of the locks securing her to the launch tube. The subtle thrum of the motors spinning up to launch her to the surface.
As she opened her eyes and acknowledged Misato, she could feel the Angel's AT Field, even down here in the depths of the Geofront. It was an almost living thing itself, powerful, crackling, almost seeming to try at reaching its goal in the Geofront before the body that generated it did. It needed, more than anything else in its entire existence, to get through the defense she would present.
The restraints on her platform released with a bang, and she rocketed to the surface, emerging in seconds. As the light of day touched the form of Unit-01, she glanced to her left and right as Unit-00 and Unit-02 emerged in tandem with her. Their heads were still bowed, the Dummy System likely only moments away from bringing the Evangelions to life.
And as the final restraints released her from the platform, she looked forward and beheld the Angel. It floated before her, looking to all the world like a genuine messenger from the gods. Its AT Field was now oppressive, seeming to beat down on her even as passive as it currently was as it turned to regard her.
As she glanced over at one of the weapons lockers opening, a Positron Rifle and umbilical cable waiting for her, an old thought crossed her mind. 'If I die, I can be replaced.'
She steeled herself and dashed towards the weapons locker as she heard the other Units step off their platforms. 'It shall not be so.'
. . .
As the Units launched, signaling the finish of the Engineering Division's frenzied work, Daniel and Eleanor turned back to the technicians that were near them. "Alright, our job is done here! Get to the shelters! Move! Move!"
As the techs scrambled for the reinforced safety rooms, Eleanor made her way over to Daniel. While what she said vocally was lost in the noise of the alarms and technicians, the tenuous link that bloomed between their souls made up the difference. "Daniel, Rei isn't going to last out there with that sort of backup. You and I both know that."
Daniel nodded as they walked, the flow of technicians and engineers in their hallway paring down as the shelter rooms began to fill. "Yeah, I do. But Shinji and Asuka are probably champing at the bit to help. We need to be ready for them when the time comes."
Eleanor nodded. "They'll be able to do this. Even if it is Zeruel, Unit-03's in good enough condition that they can take it out if they need to."
Daniel sighed. "Every Angel we've encountered so far has had a new trick up its sleeve. This Zeruel doesn't even look like either of the ones I've seen. What we've watched or read could go flying out the window at a moment's notice."
A look of determination flickered to life in his eyes as they continued to where Daniel was now evidently going, past the active Eva bays, as the trickle of techs died completely, the rooms filling and leaving them to walk alone in relative quiet. "The kids need an insurance policy. They need backup."
Eleanor looked at him in confusion for a moment, then her eyes went wide. "Dear… that's an utterly stupid idea."
Daniel shook his head. "There isn't much of a choice, really. It's the only other thing that will be able to fight Zeruel without raising much suspicion."
"After what we both know we had to amputate?" Eleanor asked incredulously as she grabbed his arm. "Besides, if you're thinking what I think you're thinking, the sympathetic feedback won't just hurt. If you get caught in the line of fire, who knows how you'll step out of that thing? If at all."
Daniel put his hand over Eleanor's as they arrived at their destination, Unit-03 towering over them silently. "Eleanor, we've both done far more dangerous things than this. And…" an edge of desperation came to his voice and gleamed in his eyes as he looked over at Eleanor. "I need to protect them. Please. I need to make sure they're safe."
Eleanor was silent for a moment as ghosts of the memories and meaning behind those words floated over their connection. Then, she sighed. "Alright. Alright. Let's get these cages ready, then."
. . .
Rei hugged a building as she waited for Unit-00 and Unit-02 to get into position. Unit-02 had taken the other Positron Rifle, a little bigger and unwieldy, but more powerful than hers, while Unit-00 had taken the massive anti-material rifle that Rei had come, in one form or another, to favor, holding back and waiting.
Everything felt off. Not just working with the other Units, but even simply being in Unit-01. Not just because it was supposed to be Shinji's, but because of who else was there with her.
She felt the air around her buzz, and on instinct, dashed from the building just as the top third of it disappeared, the Angel's beam attack slicing through it like air.
She wheeled around, fired off two, three, four shots before turning back around and finding more cover. Every shot splattered against its AT Field uselessly, as Unit-02 fired from across the way, making little more progress before having to similarly dodge the Angel's attack.
Rei glanced back at the Angel from behind cover, catching the moment a superheated rod of tungsten-carbide, fired by Unit-00, crashed against the AT Field, pieces of it flying into the ground or spiraling away into the air.
Its AT Field had been weakened, but almost not enough to matter. Its power was tremendous, the attack she'd dodged feeling like a sword, pulled fresh from the forge, being swung at her.
"Major, I suggest a simultaneous barrage," Rei said as levelly as she could. "Perhaps our combined firepower will be enough to breach the AT Field of the Angel."
"Sounds good!" Misato replied. "Faez and Ibuki will be ready on your mark."
Rei nodded slightly. "Affirmative."
Rei and the other Units moved from building to building, doing their best to keep out of the Angel's line of sight as they did. As they reached their positions, making a rough triangle around their target, Rei nodded slightly again. "Mark."
As one, the Units burst out of cover, pouring round after round of sustained fire into the Angel. The barrage went on for minutes as the Angel did… nothing. Rei pressed her AT Field against the Angel's to try and weaken it, but the effort was like trying to topple one of the skyscrapers of the city with her bare hands. The Angel pushed back as well, and she knew that if she let up, like the skyscrapers, it would fall over her and crush her to dust.
Finally, the rounds stopped coming, the Positron Rifles reached their cooling limit, and the smoke cleared to show that the Angel was spotless. And now, it would be at least five minutes before the rifles could fire again.
"Rei, find something to keep the pressure on it while the rifles cool down! You have a weapon's building less than a kilometer to your right!" Misato said, her voice holding an edge of panic. "Hurry!"
"Affirmative," Rei replied, dashing towards the building to find something, anything that could keep the Angel at a distance as it slowly turned to face her.
. . .
Across the city, two children watched from their apartment's veranda, trying to blink the afterimages of the brilliant barrage away as they saw the Angel emerge from it unscathed.
Kaji shook his head as they watched the Evas scramble for new weapons. "Alright, kids, we need to get to somewhere safe. I'm supposed to be looking after you, after all, and right now, that means getting out of here."
Asuka shook her head, keeping an eye on Unit-02 as it emerged with a rocket launcher, some of its new armor still unpainted as it gleamed from the rocket fire that crashed into the Angel. "Kaji, for the most part, we're safe. We're all the way on the other side of town. We can run if they start coming this way."
"And besides," Shinji said, "it's heading for the Geofront. They always do."
Kaji nodded slowly. With what they knew, it wasn't the most terrible line of reasoning. "Alright then," he said slowly. "But we need to be ready to move. Just in case."
Shinji and Asuka both nodded before they winced away from the massive cross-like explosion the Angel made, Unit-01 barely dodging away in time. "Oh, come on." Asuka groaned as Unit-01, as Rei, poured round after round of fire from a pair of Pallet Rifles into the Angel's AT Field. "A quarter of the firepower they've thrown into this thing would have obliterated any other Angel!"
After a moment more, her eyes widened as they saw Unit-02 step out of cover wielding a Progressive Glaive, flipping it around and hurling it at the Angel. She cheered as it stuck in the Angel's AT Field. "You go, mama! You can do it! Bring it down!"
As the Glaive tumbled to the ground and Unit-00 distracted it to allow Unit-02 to get to cover, Asuka looked over at Shinji with a sigh. "Man, it'd be better if I were out there myself." she squeezed his hand. "If we were out there. Together with Rei."
She looked back out at the Angel as Unit-01 went through yet another pair of Pallet Rifles without making a scratch on the Angel. "If it weren't for those stupid Dummy Systems in the only other Evas we can deploy, we'd be kicking this thing's ass in no time."
Shinji nodded slowly. 'The only two Evas we can deploy. Are they?'
His mind began to turn as the battle raged before him.
. . .
As the Angel continued to rotate to try and get a bead on her, Rei hefted the rocket launcher and fired until she emptied the magazine. Five rockets with the power to sink capital ships screamed towards the Angel, amounting to little more than a particularly deadly fireworks display as the smoke cleared to show the flickering barrier of the Angel's AT Field. And its face, staring intently at her as its eyes glowed.
Rei dropped the rocket launcher, throwing Unit-01's hands in front of it as she erected her AT Field, the barrier flickering to life seconds before the Angel's beam slammed into it.
The strength of the beam was immense, and Rei's AT Field began to warp into a convex lens as Rei struggled to remain upright, watching as the Angel's attack refracted, a hellish treetop of light and power caught in the cracking flashbulb of her Field, offshoots slicing through the buildings around them.
She couldn't hold this much longer… and Rei's eyes widened as she felt the attack somehow becoming stronger.
After the moment seemed to turn into an eternity, the attack finally ceased, and Rei stumbled back as she took a breath, her AT Field dropping as she looked for another weapon's building in range, before she caught a flash at the corner of her vision.
A hastily erected AT Field proved only a momentary obstacle as the attack sent her flying through the air and slammed her into a building, leaving her dazed as she tried to focus and stand up again.
As her vision cleared, she saw Unit-02 on the Angel's back somehow, the Progressive Glaive it had thrown in its free hand as it drove the blade into the Angel's shoulder.
As the blade bit deep, and Rei heard a cheer go up through her link to Central Dogma, she watched as the black material around its arms seemed to unravel like cloth, revealing vestigial limbs with red, crystalline shoulders, the ribbons nearly touching the ground as it growled.
Then, the ribbons flowed to life, whipping up to wrap up the arm and head of the Unit on its back, bodily throwing it towards Unit-01 as its umbilical cable came off with a bang.
Rei's eyes widened for a second before she dodged out of the way, Unit-02 slamming into the building Unit-01 had crashed into, collapsing it on the crimson Eva.
. . .
Asuka's face was the picture of rage as she leaned over the veranda railing, shaking her fist at the Angel as Shinji tried to keep her from falling. ""Du Arschloch! Das ist mein Mutter, du Engelsfick! Ich werde dich mit meinen bloßen töten! Come on, mama! Get up! Get back in the fight!"
Shinji finally pulled Asuka back from leaning, a wellspring of worry full to bursting not just for Asuka, but for Rei and, now, even for the Units themselves. 'Our mothers.' he knew now. 'Please, mother… keep Rei safe.'
Asuka's anger became shock as she, and the others, heard a growl coming from the rubble where Unit-02 lay.
. . .
In Central Dogma, Faez regarded her console with wide eyes as the Dummy System went wild. "I'm losing it. The synch ratio is rising at an insane rate! I can't back it down!"
Misato, and the others on the bridge, watched as Unit-02 stood from the rubble, dust, and debris cascading off its form as the timer hit four and a half minutes. "No way…" she whispered as the red Eva's jaw restraints shuddered, then snapped, as the growl became a roar. "Is it… going berserk?"
"I've lost the controls!" Faez said as Unit-02 charged at the Angel, screaming all the way. "I can't stop it!"
. . .
Rei watched with wide eyes as Unit-02 thundered towards the Angel, holding out its hand as it used its AT Field to yank out the Progressive Glaive it had lodged in its back. 'Mrs. Soryu's awake now.' Rei thought as Unit-02 slammed against the Angel's AT Field, and the Eva began, against all odds, to slowly press through it. 'She doesn't have long. Please, make the most of the time.'
"How much longer until the Positron Rifles are able to fire again?" she asked, making her way towards one of the weapons as she spoke.
"Less than two minutes!" Misato replied. "Get the rifle, and support Unit-02 when you can!"
"Affirmative," Rei replied, turning her back for the moment from the fight as she went to retrieve the weapon.
The Angel's ribbon-arms flowed out to try and catch Unit-02 again, but the Eva jumped back, slicing at the arms until they drew back, and the Angel's eyes began to glow.
In the moment before it fired, a crack from across the city signaled a round from Unit-00's rifle slamming into the Angel's upper back, tilting it down as it fired its beam, the attack carving through the armor plates below it.
Unit-02 wasted no time as it leaped into the air in a graceful arc that placed it on the Angel's back again as it started chopping away at it.
Then, the 'belt' of the Angel unfurled into another pair of arms as its first pair lashed back up towards the Eva. It leaped off its back as the ribbons neared, flipping back to the ground in front of the Angel.
And in an instant, the two new ribbons flashed out, slicing through Unit-02 and bisecting it at the hips.
. . .
Central Dogma was silent as they all watched the top half of Unit-02 slide off its bottom half, both parts hitting the ground as the Glaive slipped out of its hands with a tremendous clatter.
Misato's jaw clenched as she heard Faez try to get the Eva to do something, anything, and her mind whirled. The Angel was the strongest yet, and they hardly had the time or preparation to crack it like they did Ramiel. The city defenses and the military were about as effective as they were in an old tokusatsu movie, and their most powerful weapons barely scratched its AT Field. She needed a solution, and she needed it now.
Then, she remembered the split second before the Angel fired its beam weapon. A round had gotten through its AT Field. She looked over at Ritsuko. "How much does that thing's AT Field weaken when it fires that beam?"
Ritsuko's eyes widened as she looked down at her tablet, querying the Magi. It was a moment more before she looked back at Misato, an almost insane hope in her eyes. "Almost 45%. Enough for us to breach it with enough firepower."
Misato nodded, then looked to Rei as Unit-01 finished plugging in the Positron Rifle. "Rei, we've got a plan."
. . .
Rei nodded as Misato explained what she and Unit-00 needed to do. It would be dangerous. Possibly even be lethal, should they get the timing wrong. But it could work, and that was enough.
"Affirmative," Rei replied. "I would suggest bringing Unit-00 around to my position. The anti-material rifle at close range will be more effective."
"Will do," Misato said. "Get ready."
As Rei focused on preparing to put the plan into effect, Misato looked back at the Angel. 'This has to work. If that Angel reaches Terminal Dogma, we're done. Hell, depending on where Adam is in here, it might not even need to do that. We need to make sure this Angel is stopped. No matter the cost.'
She looked over at Hyuga. "Captain," she said as calmly as she could, "make sure the self-destruct charges are set. And…" she took a deep breath as her face became set in grim certainty. "Get the Special Liaison on the secure line. Just in case."
Hyuga looked back at her with a similarly grim look. The JSSDF's Special Liaison was there to coordinate the greatest demands NERV could make of the military. Like an N2 strike. Or even a fully nuclear one. "Ma'am," Hyuga replied as levelly as he could, "the Angel's right on top of us. If we call a strike down on it… then there's a better than good chance that we won't be around to find out if it worked."
"I'm fully aware of that."
A look of fear trickled into Hyuga's expression. "Ma'am, most of the shelters aren't rated for an N2 blast that close-"
"I know that, too." Misato sighed quietly. "But we might not have a choice in the matter."
She shook her head silently. 'Damn it all, Kaji. I wish you were here right now. Hell, I wish Shinji and Asuka were here when this all kicked off. We need them, now, and there's nothing I can do about it.'
She looked at the screen as Unit-00 finished moving over to wait beside Rei. 'Come on, Rei. Don't give up. Don't fail us. Please.'
. . .
Rei waited, holding her breath as she watched the Angel float towards them, readying her weapon. 'Come on… just a little closer…'
As the Angel passed an invisible point, Rei nodded as she and Unit-00 rose from cover and she leveled the Positron Rifle, waiting for the gleam in its eyes to appear.
As she saw the light, heard the angry whir, she nodded, a slight smile on her face. "Mark."
As one, Unit-01, Unit-00, the city defenses, and what little remained of the military battered the Angel, waves of shells, rockets, and energy packets crashing into its AT Field, then through it, the barrage leaving pockmarks on the Angel's body as it groaned.
The barrage stopped, and the Angel prepared to fire again. Again, it was met by a wave of fire, more pockmarks appearing even as the ones it already had begun to seal up again.
'I believe Asuka calls this sort of tactic 'stunlocking'.' Rei thought as she took a step forward. 'I am unsure of my grasp on video game nomenclature, however. I will have to ask once we have defeated the Angel.'
As they took another step forward, then another, a glimmer of hope sprung to life in Rei's chest. 'I'm beating it. I… I can beat it. Then I can request for Shinji and Asuka to return to active duty. The Dummy Plug's performance during this battle will make it clear we need them. I-'
Having seemingly had enough of the beating it had received, the Angel unfurled the last of the wrappings that bound its legs, as all six ribbons flashed toward Unit-00.
Two bound up the anti-material rifle, jerking it into the sky as the other sets of limbs wrapped around its torso and legs, lifting it into the air. Then, it began to pull.
Rei felt a radiating pain in her stomach as the Evangelion thrashed as best it could, building in intensity until she could bear it no longer, screaming as the Angel ripped Unit-00 in half, flinging the pieces away from each other.
. . .
Shinji and Asuka watched, mouths agape, as the blue legs of Unit-00 flew through the air, landing with a crash only blocks away from them.
As Kaji watched Unit-01 stumble back, drawing a shaky bead on the Angel as it advanced, he shook his head, walking forward a little way and putting a hand on Shinji and Asuka's shoulders. 'If that was the plan, Misato… I'm sorry I wasn't there with you.' his voice was husky as he spoke. "Alright, kids… we have to go now. Rei's…" he trailed off, unwilling to finish the thought.
Asuka turned, batting Kaji's hand off her shoulder as she regarded him with righteous indignation. "No. Don't even say it. I don't care if it's true."
After a moment, Asuka sighed explosively. "We need to be there for Rei! We can't just leave her out there! She needs us, and all she gets from us is a cheering squad because Commander Shitwit benched us for not playing to his tune! It's… it's not fair!"
Asuka deflated. "Now…" she shook her head.
Shinji simply continued to look out at Unit-01. "We have to do something…"
Kaji sighed and shook his head. "I wish there was something we could do, kiddo. But that's all of our Evas out there."
Shinji shook his head as he turned to look at Asuka and Kaji, and Asuka saw an odd look in Shinji's eyes. Was that… hope? Did he have a plan?
Shini's eyes filled with determination as he pulled his phone out of his pocket. "No, Kaji. Those aren't all our Evas. I have an idea. And I hope it works."
He dialed a number, which answered immediately. "Shinji," Daniel said, with no small amount of relief in his voice, "I really hope you have a plan."
"I do," Shinji replied. "But it needs us in the Geofront as soon as possible. We need to get to the Eva cages. Can your Interfacing help us with that?"
He heard Daniel chuckle on the other end of the line. "Shinji, I hoped you would ask that." there was a pause. "Alright. Get ready."
The line disconnected, and only seconds after, a pillar of water, smelling like an ocean breeze, rose up on the veranda beside them.
Eleanor stepped out of the pillar, reaching out a hand. "Alright, ladies and gentlemen, let's get moving. We have no time to waste."
. . .
Rei's vision was still somewhat blurred, and she struggled to contain the roiling nausea and not vomit in the LCL as Unit-01 almost dropped the Positron Rifle again. This was the last place to choke to death, after all, she thought grimly, as she ducked behind another building. 'Everything rests on you, now.' she thought to herself. 'You can fight. You can still win.' she was becoming more unsure of that last part.
The Angel floated around a corner, and its eyes began to glow. An AT Field was out of the question, as her mind floated on a jetstream of pain. She threw herself to the side almost on instinct, a popup plate activating where she landed.
The Angel's attack lanced out and severed Unit-01's umbilical cable and the power cable for the Positron Rifle cleanly. The beam found an end at a building that had been behind Rei, erasing it from existence with a cross-shaped explosion.
In Unit-01, the dreadfully familiar timer sprang to life, counting down to her probable demise. 'Five minutes before I die, or perhaps a little longer. I know what I want to choose.'
The Positron Rifle had an internal battery for ten shots, maybe more if she lowered the power. That seemed… inadvisable when every shot needed to count. Otherwise, she had a Pallet Magnum that she had gotten from a weapons building mere moments before the Angel blew it up, and the Progressive Knives in the shoulder pylons.
They would have to be enough. Otherwise, without the Evas, most any other plan to take the Angel out would mean the destruction of the city and its surroundings. She couldn't afford to fail. Otherwise, everything would vanish in an orb of consuming fire.
She gathered herself for a moment, sparing a thought for Shinji and Asuka. The people she loved. Though she could never share what they had, she could protect it, from whatever came. That would be enough, she decided.
With that, she dashed from behind the panel, firing two shots as the Angel's eyes glowed. Both shots punched through, but the rib cage slammed shut around the core, opening again after a moment. 'It protects its core with physical armor as well.' Rei thought with no small amount of annoyance.
"Major, I require a new umbilical cable and power supply for the Positron Rifle. I also require assistance breaching the reactive armor surrounding the Angel's core."
Misato's voice rang out after a moment. "Will do! There's one more weapons building in your area that hasn't been destroyed yet, about 5 kilometers from you. Grab the power source and the other Positron Rifle, and you'll have air support covering your approach in 30 seconds. Get ready!"
Rei waited until what was quite possibly the last second, then dashed towards the weapons locker as the tilt-jet fighters began to swirl around the Angel, distracting more than anything else as Rei spun around again to fire another volley of shots before turning back towards the building.
. . .
Shinji, Asuka, and Kaji stepped out of the pillar of water, marveling at the fact that they were still completely dry for a moment before looking up at Unit-03, waiting silently for them.
Asuka turned to look at Shinji as Eleanor and Kaji went to start the launch process. "Alright, captain. What's the plan?"
"We can both activate Unit-03." Shinji began. "Two souls for two souls. It'll be difficult, but I bet having Hikari there will help make things a little easier."
Kaji looked up at the Unit. "At least you guys chose this one, instead of the one that doesn't have any mouth. Or arms."
He looked back at the Children. "Even still, are you guys sure you can do this?"
Shinji nodded. "We have to. Rei's relying on us, now. If there's anyone who can help now, it's the two pilots who can synchronize together in one Unit. We have to make this work."
Kaji nodded after a moment. "Alright then. Good luck, you two," he smirked slightly. "Give that Angel hell."
Eleanor tossed the Children their two Plugsuits. "Suit up. The Plug is almost ready. Remember, you guys have an S2 Organ like the Angel does. No need to plug in or worry about limited battery life. Take advantage of it!"
Shinji and Asuka nodded as they caught their suits, then Asuka looked around the bay. "Wait a minute. Where's Daniel?"
Eleanor shook her head slightly as she focused on a control panel in front of her. "He'll be your backup."
Shinji blinked and tilted his head in confusion. "What? How?"
After a moment's thought, Asuka connected the dots as her eyes widened. "Wait a minute. Unit-04? How is he even going to make that work?"
Eleanor looked back at Shinji and Asuka for a moment. "Honestly… I'm not too sure myself, and I can look into his soul if I want to. But if there's anything I know… he'll make it work."
. . .
Rei steadied the grip she had on her second Positron Rifle, trusting the computer to assist her aim as she leveled both rifles at the approaching Angel.
As its eyes began to glow again, she fired, three shots from each screaming towards the core as three of them burst through the Angel's AT Field.
Again, the ribs snapped shut, the shots splattering on them. But they left a mark, slightly smoking craters that showed no change after a few moments. 'They can be damaged permanently.' Rei realized. 'I just need more time.'
She paid no mind to the lone plane that now circled their position, the last remaining air support that hadn't been driven off or destroyed. But it wasn't NERV. She didn't have the time to think about the payload that the Special Attack plane might have carried.
The six ribbon-arms waved in windless air, flapping harder for a moment before lashing out. Rei dodged to the side as the arms barely missed her, firing the rifles again.
But before she could see the results, she saw the doors on what she realized was Main Access Shaft 7 fall back through the deep hole that the Angel had made. 'That was its true target.' she realized with a mounting sense of dread.
She dashed back towards the Shaft's entrance, but before she could fully interpose herself, one of the ribbons flashed, and Unit-01's left arm spun off, it and the Positron Rifle it held spiraling into the dark abyss as Unit-01 spun around and landed on its side, the impact making Unit-01 lose its grip on the other Positron Rifle as it too went tumbling into the Geofront.
As Rei struggled to get Unit-01 to its feet, drawing the holstered Pallet Magnum, she saw two of the Angel's ribbon-arms begin to curl up, the ends becoming hammers that swung towards her as she aimed the Magnum at the Angel. 'Oh, dear.'
They stamped on her chest, throwing her back into the far wall of the Shaft and slamming the pistol out of Unit-01's hands before it fell into the Geofront, its umbilical cable flashing in the darkness as it snapped off her, the Angel following behind slowly, almost patiently, as it wrapped itself back up.
. . .
As Shinji and Asuka changed into their Plugsuits in one of the locker rooms, Shinji looked up, and couldn't help but be struck by how… natural Asuka looked getting into her Plugsuit. It was entrancing, and even… somewhat envious.
As Asuka sealed her Plugsuit with a familiar click-hiss, she looked over at Shinji and smirked slightly. "As much as we shouldn't have our heads in the clouds before going out to save the world, I'm touched that you're probably thinking about me and my stunning beauty," she said wryly.
Shinji blinked, then blushed slightly as he smiled. "Well, yeah, there's that. But… if I'm going to be doing this, as much as I hate it, with anyone… I'm glad it's you."
He paused for a moment as he also sealed his Plugsuit. "That, and I'm also glad I don't get smacked for looking at you while you change."
Asuka walked over and tapped him on the nose. "Alright, punishment done, let's go get in the robot, Shinji."
Shinji's smile widened as Asuka turned around and beckoned him to follow. "Yes, ma'am," he said softly as they ran back to the waiting Entry Plug.
. . .
Alarms wailed in Central Dogma as all within watched Unit-01 pinwheel towards the ground 900 meters below where she had started. It slammed on the ground, shaking Central Dogma with the impact as dust and small bits of debris rained down on the people within.
Misato brushed herself off, coughing slightly. "Get the internal defenses trained on Main Access Shaft 7!"
She looked over at Maya. "Status report on Unit-01!"
Maya looked back at her, and Misato saw her fear mirrored in the Lieutenant's eyes. "Rei's alive, and vital signs are relatively stable. Most of her remaining limbs are damaged, and the pins from the umbilical cable on the surface broke off in the umbilical cable outlet! We can't give her any more power!"
Misato nodded. "Alright." she looked over at Rei. "We're switching Unit-01 to low power mode! That should give you time to get a Positron Rifle and assist in the defense!"
Rei nodded shakily. "Affirmative. Retrieving rifle now."
Misato nodded. "Good. As long as you can project an AT Field, we can continue degrading the Angel's, get a few more shots in to breach that reactive armor." Even as she said it, Misato knew how slim the chances were of that plan working.
Up above them, Rei crawled, Positron Rifle in hand again, as she leaned against the glass pyramid of HQ, shattering windows as she glanced at her timer. Now, she had 15 minutes of power remaining as she aimed at the descending Angel, healed of most all of its injuries.
As the Geofront's defenses roared to life, Rei steeled herself against the pain that threatened to overwhelm her. 'I have to push through it. I have… I have to keep them safe.'
And with that thought, she spread her AT Field towards the Angel's, as her Positron Rifle joined the thunderous ensemble that battered at the Angel as it descended from the heavens.
. . .
Daniel stood alone for the moment in the bay that housed Unit-04, feeling the rumble that signaled Rei's arrival.
Unit-04 was… a mess. Its chest, including the core, was covered in dull grey, unpainted armor that usually belonged to Unit-02, its head and shoulders covered in LCL-soaked bandages, and its arms ending at the elbow, wrapped similarly.
This was what he would be working with. And with what he was about to do, it would be enough. 'Well, Mrs. Suzuhara… it's showtime.'
He turned as he heard Eleanor enter, waiting as she came to a stop in front of him. "Daniel," she said quietly, "if you're going to do this, it's going to have to be now. Zeruel's here."
Daniel nodded slightly. He grabbed her hand, brushing it gently with his lips. "Eleanor… I love you."
Eleanor smiled slightly. "I know."
She stepped away to complete the launch process for Unit-04, and Daniel turned back to the Eva and focused, energizing his soul as he made an Expression.
After a moment, he faded into a body-shaped constellation of stars that lifted off the floor, floating to where Unit-04's core was and passing through the barrier into its depths.
Daniel found himself floating in a surreal scene, images and thoughts and emotions swirling around him as he looked to the center of the vortex. There, a woman in an ephemeral dress floated, black hair fanning out behind her like she was floating in water.
Daniel approached, and the woman lifted her head, opening nearly golden eyes to regard him. "Hello? Who are you? Where… where am I?" she began to look around. "What's going on?"
Daniel raised his hands slowly as he linked his soul to her and to the body of the Eva, beginning to work on cleansing the Angelic corruption that seemed to cling to them all. "Mrs. Suzuhara… Firstly, I'm Captain Daniel Theisman of NERV. There's certainly a lot to explain, but right now, all that matters is your son and his friends are in danger. And they need our help to keep them safe."
"Toji?" Mrs. Suzuhara's eyes misted over. "My Toji?"
After a moment, her gaze regained its focus. "In danger?"
Daniel nodded. "Yes. I need to control the machine we're currently in to go and help, but I need to be able to work with you to make it do its job. So… shall we?
As the connection between them deepened, Mrs. Suzuhara came to more fully understand the situation at hand. Her eyes hardened, and she nodded. "Alright. Let's go get this Zeruel bastard."
. . .
Misato wracked her brain to try and think of something, no matter how ludicrous, she could do to ensure that Unit-01 could stay in the fight. Its AT Field, meager though it was, was helping, and the Positron Rifle Rei currently wielded was leagues above anything else they were shooting at the Angel with.
Then, a moment of inspiration, as she turned to Maya. "Maya, can the lift system's wireless transmitters give power to the Eva without the plug?"
Maya's eyes widened, then she nodded slowly. "It could work. She can't go beyond maybe a few dozen meters without losing the feed, but they could work."
"It's better than nothing," Misato said as she pulled up Rei. "We're bringing you back to normal mode. Get Unit-01 to… Lift Pad 10, and it will get you the power to stay in the fight!"
Rei nodded as the timer appended itself to 3 minutes and 15 seconds, and she got Unit-01 unsteadily to its feet. "Affirmative. I'm on my way."
"Excellent!" Misato said as she looked back at Maya. "Get Lift Pad 10 online! That's the closest one to us!"
Maya nodded, then blinked in confusion. "It's… already online. As is Lift Pad 7."
. . .
Rei began to make her way towards Lift Pad 10 at a hobble, glancing back at the Angel as it floated down towards her, feeling its AT Field crackle and snap at her back like barely constrained lightning. She willed Unit-01 to go faster, but its legs, nearly crippled, offered little more speed than they already gave.
She heard the unfurling of at least one pair of the Angel's arms, then heard the cloth-like snap as she looked down to see her midsection wrapped as she tried to fall forward to dodge.
Then, the world became a blur, and she struggled to hold on to her Positron Rifle as it lifted her into the air in a graceful arc. An arc that ended where she had started.
She slammed into the ground and the NERV Pyramid, crashing through a section of it as her impact threw dirt and rock and trees that rained down on Unit-01.
. . .
In Central Dogma, the room shook like it had been hit by a bunker buster, pieces of rubble beginning to rain down from the ceiling.
Hyuga looked up as he saw one such piece of rubble begin its fall, then down at Faez. In a split-second, he grabbed Faez by her shoulders, pulling her away from her console as the rubble smashed through it in a shower of sparks.
Not all were as lucky as Faez was. Behind Maya, she heard an "unmph!", and she turned, her eyes widening to find Ritsuko unconscious on the floor as blood trickled from her head towards the fist-sized piece of concrete that had struck it.
Maya jumped from her console with a first aid kit from a panel beside it, and began to wash and bandage Ritsuko's head. "Senpai! Senpai, can you hear me? Ritsuko?"
From above her, a cool, inconsiderate voice crashed down on her like an ocean wave.
"Lieutenant Ibuki, return to your station and report on Unit-01's condition."
She looked up at Commander Ikari, who looked back at her dispassionately as she stuttered for a moment. "Commander… she… she needs medical attention…"
"And she will be taken care of momentarily after she's off the bridge." Commander Ikari replied. "The most important thing right now is to know the status of Unit-01."
His voice brooked no argument, and Maya nodded shakily as the Commander motioned for some techs to carry Ritsuko off the command bridge.
'That's my friend you bastard.' Misato stewed silently. 'I don't care how right you are, or how much you love your wife. You can't be that heartless.'
. . .
Rei struggled towards Positron Rifles that now seemed a world away, the impact mangling Unit-01's legs beyond any further use. The Angel that appeared to stand as a sentinel over the weapons complicated matters.
'Is this it?' Rei wondered, and a spark of defiance flickered to life in her heart as she turned on the loudspeaker system for Unit-01. "I will not yield, Angel." she said, for all it was really worth, as she channeled what little was left of her AT Field into trying to nullify the Angel's. "I… I will not run away."
Its eyes began to glow with barely restrained power, and Rei took a deep breath. If this was really the end… 'Then, perhaps, I'll see them again. Wherever we go…'
But another voice pierced the air over loudspeakers. Two voices, that both caused the Angel to turn away from Rei as a Progressive Glaive slammed into its side near its head, and a blur slammed into the Angel, pushing it away as the Glaive was torn free, and a familiar black and white sight landed in front of Unit-01.
Unit-03 raised the Glaive as it advanced towards one of the Positron Rifles. "Get away from our friend."
. . .
As cheers went up in Central Dogma, Daniel could hear them, in a sense, as he emerged from Lift Pad 7, shaking off the last of Bardiel's corruption. Within Unit-04's core, he smiled slightly as he chuckled quietly. "I see Shinji and Asuka are in top form."
He gazed out of the eyes of the Eva as if they were his own, and watched as Zeruel turned to face this new contender.
Its eyes flashed, and Unit-03 caught the beam before it struck, throwing up an AT Field he could feel even from the distance he was at. But as powerful as it was, Zeruel's attack would breach it, given enough time.
As he considered the thousands, millions of spent shell casing on the ground around him, he got an idea as a fire stoked in his chest.
He focused, and the bandages on Unit-04's arms bulged, then burst as new arms emerged, raised up in front of the Eva as if it was holding something.
With its AT Field, Daniel gathered the shell casings around him, the mass collecting in the space between Unit-04's hands and spinning faster and faster, glowing red, then white hot as it merged into a singular mass, aimed right at Zeruel.
'No, you don't look at them.' Daniel thought. 'Not at Shinji and Asuka, or Rei, or anyone else. You. Look. At. ME!'
A sphere of superheated copper the size of an SUV accelerated to an appreciable fraction of the speed of light, Shattering through Zeruel's AT Field and exploding on its left shoulder, vaporizing the arm it was connected to as the velocity of the projectile shoved Zeruel backward, its attack slicing to the ceiling before it stopped.
He watched Unit-03 move towards Unit-01, then Daniel arched an eyebrow in surprise as Unit-01 began to crawl toward a portion of the now detached ribbon-arm. He had no comms, so he couldn't ask Rei what she was doing. But she likely knew, so he wasn't too worried.
The Angel floated down to the ground, the rib cage snapping shut as it appeared to kick its healing into overdrive, a series of sickening crunches preceding its shoulder and arm, distinctly missing a ribbon-arm, becoming whole again as it lifted into the air again, looking directly at him.
Daniel nodded, and the Evangelion nodded with him. "That's right. Look at me! I'm right here! COME ON!"
He, and the Eva, threw their arms wide, and a roar only slightly muffled by the bandages around Unit-04's head echoed through the Geofront.
. . .
"Get away from our friend."
As the ever-familiar voices echoed over the comms system of Central Dogma, Misato's eyes widened. As did her smile. "Shinji and Asuka! They're here!"
A cheer roared through the cavernous room, a risk of despair washed away by a deluge of hope and relief. Shinji and Asuka, the Pilots who always won together, had come to snatch victory from the jaws of the Angel.
Misato had to put all her effort into not looking back at Commander Ikari and showing the triumph in her eyes as she looked over at Maya. "What's the battery look like for Unit-03?"
Her joy faltered for a moment as Maya looked at her with a puzzled expression. "None, ma'am. It might as well not need batteries at all."
The mystery only deepened as Maya continued. "That's not all. I'm seeing Unit-04 on approach, too."
Misato's look of confusion mirrored Maya's own as she watched Maya pull up the camera feed that showed Unit-04, and her eyes widened as its arms burst from its bandages.
She looked back at Maya. "How much Angelic contamination is there?"
Maya shook her head. "None, ma'am. There isn't any core reading besides Pilot Suzuhara's. There isn't even an Entry Plug inserted."
Misato looked back at the screen, mystified as she watched the Eva raise its arms out in front of it, pulling in what looked like shell casings and forming them into a sphere of metal.
Maya's console beeped wildly. "I'm getting a massive spike in Unit-04's AT-"
A lance of white light cracked the sound barrier as it speared the Angel through, blowing a ribbon-arm completely off and shearing another one in half, the Angel wailing as it slowly, finally, descended to the earth.
A wave of shocked silence rippled through Central Dogma, and Misato couldn't help but shake her head in amazement as the Evangelion threw its arms wide and roared. 'How is it doing this? Who's controlling that thing?'
. . .
"Get away from our friend."
Rei heard the two voices she needed most in the world, and couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. 'They did it. Against all odds, they're here. I'm not fighting alone anymore.'
She regarded the advance that Unit-03 made on the Angel, and knew there was little she could do to help at the moment. With no arm, basically crippled legs, and unable to even access one of her Prog Knives, there was little martial prowess she could offer. But there was something.
Rei pulled up the communications suite and keyed in Unit-03's Plug, sighing with relief again as Shinji and Asuka's faces appeared on it. "Pilot Soryu, Pilot Ikari, the Angel must weaken its AT Field in order to use its ranged attack. There is a small window within which you can stunlock the Angel."
Asuka nodded. "Good to know, Wondergirl. We'll be- OH SCHEI-"
The Angel's beam lanced out towards Unit-03, cutting Asuka off as she and Shinji raised an AT Field to ward it off. It wouldn't last long, she knew. She needed to help somehow.
She sat up as best she could from the ruins of the pyramid, shifting Unit-01 onto its stomach as she crawled towards the Positron Rifle that felt like it was on the other side of the Geofront.
She crawled only a few meters before she softly growled in frustration. She was too slow. She wouldn't be able to help her friends in time. They needed-
Her eyes widened as she felt another AT Field, almost as powerful as the Angel's spring to life, then a wave of heat and light and thunder flashed over her as she heard something slice through the Angel, its attack ceasing after a moment as parts of its ribbon-arms floated to the ground.
She looked over to the source of the attack, and her eyes widened as she saw Unit-04 throw its arms open and roar. 'Who is piloting it? It can't be Toji… can it?'
She looked back at the ribbons on the ground, and Mrs. Ikari… stirred, as Unit-01 began crawling again.
. . .
"Get away from our friend."
Shinji and Asuka's souls sang as they stood between Unit-01 and the Angel, their minds and wills united in a way that was only ever possible in an Entry Plug.
The balance between their souls and the souls within Unit-03 was a delicate one. As they tried to activate Unit-03 in the bay, who they assume was Mrs. Horaki was scared, with good reason to be, after what she had gone through. Sitting in the gantry, there was a tense atmosphere, until Shinji began to tap out the song that they had trained to, Asuka joining moments later.
After a moment more, Shinji leaned over to regard Asuka as she sat in his lap. "Maybe you can try reaching out to Hikari. Seeing as she's your friend more than mine, she could be the go-between for us."
"Good thinking, Shinji," Asuka replied as she stopped tapping to concentrate on raising their synch score from a rather underwhelming 35%.
As she tried to reach out to Hikari, her mind wandered somewhat. The trust this took… it was rather like a dance, wasn't it? Come to think of it, she should try dancing with Shinji sometime…
Asuka smiled at the thought, the comparison to their nightlife coming easily as memories and emotions, all warm and comforting, flowed through her.
After a moment more, she found what she thought was Hikari, and tried connecting. "Hello? Hikari?"
From within the core, there was surprise, then relief. Then shock and embarrassment and just a little curiosity.
'I'm guessing Hikari knows about us now.' Asuka surmised with a slight shrug. 'We'll deal with that later.'
"Hikari," she thought through their link, "Shinji and I need your help connecting to your mother! We need to pilot Unit-03 so that we can help Rei and save the world! We're all that's left, now."
A jolt of fright, then a gathering of courage, and a link to someone else bloomed as well.
"Alright," Eleanor said from below, "you're at 75% now. More than enough to fight. Good luck!"
With that, they had launched, and now, they were here, ready to work their magic together. Rei's face and voice, along with her warning, were a welcome sight.
"Good to know, Wondergirl," Asuka said with a nod and a smile as she looked back up at the Angel. "We'll be-"
At that moment, the Angel's eyes flashed, and Asuka and Shinji's eyes widened. "Oh SCHEI-" they began in unison, as they threw up an AT Field to stop the attack. It held, for now, but through the barrier, they saw the Angel's eyes glint, the barrage increasing in power.
'Come on.' Shinji and Asuka both thought. 'Surely, it can't do this forever…'
They heard a crack of thunder, saw a lance of light for the briefest of seconds as the arm and shoulder of the Angel disappeared with the light, and the Angel floated to the ground as it wailed.
They looked behind themselves and saw Unit-04 spread its arms and roar in challenge. 'Was that Daniel? Was that only an AT Field?'
. . .
Daniel nodded within the core as he received the Angel's undivided attention, Unit-04 jogging forward to try and keep it as it rose into the air again, whole, save for a missing ribbon-arm and a half.
Mrs. Suzuhara shook her head. "So I guess this one's tougher than most, eh?" she smiled almost hungrily. "If we can do that again, this shouldn't be that hard at all."
Daniel's ethereal form sagged slightly. "I don't know. That shot took a lot out of me. I'll need to use my AT Field for a lot more than that."
He glanced over at the main-sequence star that was the S2 Organ, taking in the Flux created by his spectacular display and converting it back into usable Metos. 'Huh. Neat.' he wondered silently at the organ for a moment.
He turned his focus back to the outside world to find himself much closer to Unit-01 and Unit-03 and saw the Angel's eyes glowing as Unit-04 slid to a stop, raising an AT Field as the beam as an energy beam more powerful than any it had fired before slammed into the chromatic barrier.
The Angel's eyes flashed again and again, each pulse battering at the Field until it shattered, a last-second AT Field around the core ensuring that they had a chance to survive as a river of pure power washed over the top half of Unit-04, armor glowing, then beginning to melt as exposed skin boiled.
Everything was pain, and it took every ounce of willpower to keep Daniel from screaming. Mrs. Suzuhara had less willpower and wailed as they felt the attack force Unit-04 to its knees. They just had to… hold on…
The Angel growled as it continued to bear down on Unit-04. Then it wailed, as round after round of energy packets from a Positron Rifle Unit-03 had picked up and slammed into its neck, causing it to cease fire as it lifted further into the air.
What was left was an almost grotesque sight. The bandages had burned away, revealing partially melted armor and cracked skin that wept crimson tears.
Daniel and Mrs. Suzuhara groaned in pain, and Daniel began to heal Unit-04 on instinct as he got his wits about him.
He looked back to see Mrs. Suzuhara curled up into a fetal position, making his way over to her as he began to gather his strength. "Hey. Are you going to be okay?"
Mrs. Suzuhara looked up at Daniel, then nodded slowly. "I… I think I'll make it."
Daniel nodded in turn. "Good. I'll get us back into the fight. One second."
He closed his eyes, and fed power into his AT Field, willing it to change the current state of being of the Evangelion.
. . .
In Central Dogma, as Misato, along with the rest of the bridge, cringed away at the sight of Unit-04 as it emerged from behind the Angel's attack, she soon found her eyes wide as the burnt, craggy skin began to become smooth again, the armor… un-melting somehow, she turned as she heard the elevator come to a stop and saw Eleanor stepping off it.
She nodded as Eleanor came to a stop at her side. "Where's Daniel?" she whispered.
"Making sure everyone is safe," Eleanor replied as she looked up at Unit-04 continuing to heal.
Misato also looked back at Unit-04 with a puzzled look that soon turned to shocked realization. 'My god… Daniel… you can do that?'
Misato's thoughts were interrupted by Maya. "Look! Unit-01 is healing too!"
All eyes turned to a feed that showed a prostrate Unit-01 grab at the ribbon that had previously been attached to the Angel, bringing it to the stump of its left arm. The ribbon seemed to disappear into the stump, the legs of the Eva crackling as they straightened back out.
Unit-01 got back to its feet, taking the last scrap of Angelic ribbon and again pressing it to its left arm. This time, the ribbon twisted on itself, and a new forearm and hand flexed as it picked up the remaining Positron Rifle.
"They can do that?" Hyuga said in utter awe.
"Yeah…" Misato replied, similarly overawed. "I guess they can."
. . .
Daniel nodded at the progress only a minute and a half had made in restoring Unit-04 as he brought it to its feet again, walking over to Unit-03's side. It would make the repairs he did later that much easier.
He glanced to the left, taking in his compatriots. They were a mess, as banged-up of a crew to ask to save the world. But they would be enough.
He focused and opened a link to Unit-03 and Unit-01, Shinji, Asuka, and Rei's faces all appearing before him.
Their eyes widened for a moment before he spoke. "No need to worry about spoiling the surprise, as it were. This is all in our heads, relatively speaking. Just keep a level face and talk to Rei."
"Alright, Rei," Asuka said. "Looks like we're all ready to kick this thing's ass now."
Daniel nodded at Rei. "Good to see you back on your feet again."
He spun up a thread of his AT Field, attaching it to his S2 Organ and 'tossing' it over to Unit-01. "Let's keep you that way, shall we?"
"I am ready to continue fighting, Pilot Soryu," Rei replied. "What plan is there to defeat the Angel?"
He looked up at the Angel. "Alright, people. I've got an idea, but I'll need a distraction."
"Well," Asuka replied, "we'd be the ones to pull it off. What do you need?"
"I need to get behind it. Then…" he paused. "I'll need your Prog Knives."
"What?" Shinji said. "Wait a minute…"
"You're getting there," Daniel said with a chuckle. "Again, don't spoil it. It's less fun that way."
Unit-04 crouched slightly as it prepared to run, the Angel descending again. "Ready?"
"Ready."
"Ready."
"I am ready."
"Well…" Shinji said for the benefit of all others watching. "It looks like Unit-04 knows what it's doing if nothing else."
"Alright…" Daniel said. "Go."
. . .
As the Angel descended, seeing Unit-04 dash out, it growled as its eyes gleamed again, wanting to strike down the impious fool that had dared wound it so.
Its attempt was met with a hail of Positron Rifle fire, its ribs snapping shut to defend the core as it watched the two other Evangelions dash to the sides. Its ribbons flapped hard as they began to follow as best they could.
It was a fine balance, Shinji and Asuka found, staying just close enough to get the Angel to use its ribbon-arms, but just far enough away that they wouldn't be sliced up or slammed by the "hammer-fists" it made.
Every once in a while, Unit-03 or Unit-01 would squeeze off a shot or two whenever its eyes flashed, always hitting the armor as it snapped shut.
Rei shook her head. "We'll need some way of forcing the armor open."
"Then we'll need to pin it when it's firing," Shinji replied through somewhat gritted teeth as Unit-03 danced away from two hammer blows.
"Alright, then," Asuka said. "Let's get in front of it, throw up an AT Field."
Shinji nodded, somewhat apprehensively, and the Eva dashed towards the Angel's center, dodging past the ribbon-arms that lashed out at it.
As the Angel turned to regard Unit-03 sliding to a stop and facing it, and its eyes flashed, Shinji and Asuka threw up an AT Field, the strongest one they could produce.
Shinji and Asuka put everything they had into this one, feeling the heat and energy even from behind the barrier. "Come on…" Asuka muttered under her breath. "Any day now, Daniel…"
And as the fire as if from heaven poured down on Unit-03, Unit-04 slid to a stop behind the Angel, looking at Unit-01 as it aped the motion of deploying Prog Knives.
"I believe Unit-04 wishes us to deploy our Progressive Knives," Rei said, feeding her own strength into keeping Unit-03's AT Field up as long as possible as she deployed the only Knife she had, the other trapped in a pylon that had folded nearly in half.
"Alright." Asuka gritted out after a moment, Unit-03's only Prog Knife folding out as well. "He'd better know what he's doing."
"Perfect." Daniel smiled as he wrapped his AT Field around the Knife's handles, pulling them away from their pylons and sending them slicing through the air at the Angel.
As they always did, the ribs snapped shut, the glowing blades slamming into the crack in the armor. Just as intended.
Daniel powered the AT Field up, taking away the power line to Unit-01 as he added length to the blades, the edges slipping through the cracks and turning at right angles.
Satisfied, Daniel strained as the knives began to pry open the ribs like the world's most dangerous clam, throwing everything else he could spare into nullifying the Angel's AT Field.
As the plates slowly spread, Rei realized what she needed to do as she raised the Positron Rifle. "Hold on just a few moments longer." she said to Shinji and Asuka as she waited for the best shot.
Shinji and Asuka could only nod, and they reached within themselves to protect those they loved. And in a moment of pure synchronicity, the AT Field became nigh impregnable, and even began to slowly push back on the Angel's attack.
At last, the ribs had gone as far as they could go. "Rei!" Daniel shouted through their link. "Take the shot!"
Rei pulled the trigger, a salvo of Positron rounds tearing towards the Angel's core, finally shattering it.
She watched, seconds now left on her battery, as the Angel's eyes ceased their attack, growing dark as the Angel slowly fell to the ground.
Then the Plug was dark, and Rei rested her head on her seat as she took a deep breath and smiled as widely as she ever had. It wasn't as wide as some others, but it was wide enough for her.
. . .
As the Angel hit the ground with a dull rumble, it was utterly silent in Central Dogma for a heartbeat.
Then, a riotous cheer erupted, echoing through the cavernous space as all present took in the fact that, against all odds, when all seemed lost… they had somehow won again.
Misato turned to look at Commander Ikari, no longer caring that she was the picture of relief and triumph, and paused for a moment as she found the raised space above them empty.
She shook her head after a moment. There were more important things to worry about, she thought as she turned back to the bridge. "Alright! Eleanor, get the engineers started on coordinating Eva retrieval! Hyuga, call off the Special Attack plane, and give the boys in brass a heartfelt thank you!"
Maya stood up and somewhat awkwardly raised her hand. "Is… is there anything you need me to do, ma'am?"
After a moment's thought, Misato shook her head. "Not immediately, no."
Maya nodded shakily. "Then I'll be tending to Doctor Akagi."
Misato nodded in turn, understanding in her expression. "Go," she said quietly, and Maya made her way off the bridge as quickly as she could, as another technician took her place.
She looked back at the screen that showed the Evas, Unit-01 and Unit-03 now hunched over, powered down or out of power, while Unit-04 slowly sank to its knees. 'Alright, kids.' she thought as a slight smile returned to her face. 'We've won. We're coming to get you, now.'
. . .
Shinji and Asuka waited patiently in the dark Entry Plug, basking in their victory.
"So, I'm guessing you figured out Daniel's plan before my brilliance could catch up." Asuka said matter-of-factly.
Shinji nodded as he chuckled softly. "Even still… I can't entirely believe that worked."
"Believe it, Shinji." Asuka scooted into Shinji's lap and gently punched him in the shoulder. "This is us we're talking about. Making our own miracles with nothing more than crazy plans from Misato or Daniel… or you."
She looked around the Entry Plug, a look of melancholy in her eyes. "And… it feels like Hikari's still hanging around…" her brow furrowed slightly as she craned her head and looked behind the seat. "Almost like…"
"She's getting closer. Almost right beside us." Shinji began to glance around as well. "Or…"
With a sound not entirely unlike a massive bubble popping underwater, Asuka felt the weight of a fully physical Hikari land in her lap, Shinji stifling a wheeze as best he could.
Hikari blinked for a moment before looking at Asuka, then looking down at herself and blushing. "Oh! Oh, uh… Asuka… I…"
Asuka threw her arms around her friend. "Hikari! You're alright…" Hikari blushed a little deeper but accepted the hug regardless.
It was a long, grateful moment of silence before Asuka spoke up, a blush of her own beginning to bloom on her cheeks. "So… I guess you found out about me and Shinji…"
Hikari nodded slowly, looking down past Asuka's shoulder to see Shinji looking back at her, blushing deeply as he waved. "Well… I guess I do. Considering what I saw… and felt…"
Asuka sighed quietly after a moment. "Alright then. Well, at least I can say this without worrying overmuch." she glanced back at Shinji. "Shinji, I love you, but if you stare, there are going to be consequences."
Shinji's eyes shut, almost but not quite squeezing. "No worries here, liebling. Promise." Asuka chuckled but accepted the man she loved at his word.
. . .
Daniel sighed in relief as he closed the Eva's eyes, slowly bringing it to its knees. He was going to be… busy. And that was only regarding the Evangelions, now almost in shambles, to say nothing about the rest of the Geofront. He found himself profoundly grateful that fixing up Tokyo-3 was someone else's problem.
He turned to look at Mrs. Suzuhara. "Ma'am… thank you. None of this would have been possible without your help." he shook his head slowly. "I apologize for putting you through what I just did."
Mrs. Suzuhara scoffed. "Please. I'm a tough lady, Daniel. I can make it. If I couldn't take the pain, I would have washed out of martial arts years ago. And please, call me Chizue. Or Chi-chi. It's what I went by in college."
Daniel arched an eyebrow as he chuckled softly. "Alright, then, Chizue. I have to go. I'd take you with me, but… there would just be too many questions. I'm sorry."
Chizue nodded. "Alright. I understand." she paused for a moment, spectral tears welling in her eyes. "Daniel… could you give Toji a message?"
Daniel smiled slightly. "Of course. What is it?"
Chizue was thoughtful for a moment. "Tell him… I'll be here. And that I'm so, so proud of the man he's become if he's willing to do this for his friends."
Daniel nodded. "I'll see to it. Goodbye, Chizue."
"Goodbye, Daniel. And good luck."
Daniel became a constellation again, and exited Unit-04 outside of the visible light spectrum, making his way toward somewhere he could rest for a while.
At last, the massive Angels cease their assault. But another Angel comes, wearing a familiar face. With so much on the line, and more enemies around them than a single world can provide, the Children, and those around them, must train harder than ever to ensure that they will survive. Next Episode: Forgefire.
Zeruel was a forge for NERV, the greatest test it, and its pilots, had ever seen. And the Children proved their worth, once again. But… there are some things you can't defend against by hopping into a giant robot. Not without some hassle, at least. The Children needed to be able to defend themselves beyond just being in their Evas. It just took exactly the wrong sort of motivation to start.
NERV Geofront Medical Center, 5 Hours Later
Hikari Horaki, the Fourth Child, slowly opened her eyes in the darkened hospital room. She had… passed out after a moment. She was in an Entry Plug when it happened, she remembered that much. In an Entry Plug with… she tried her best to conceal the blush that was coming to her cheeks.
She raised her head and looked around the room. Shinji, Asuka, and Rei were there, all three of them dozing off quietly to her right, Rei wrapped in a few bandages, as well as Mr. and Mrs. Theisman, who sat quietly reading books they had brought with them. And as she looked beside her to her left, she couldn't help but smile as she saw Toji, right at her bedside, slumped over in his chair, his hand in hers.
Daniel stood, nodding at Hikari. "Welcome back to the real world, Ms. Horaki."
Hikari nodded. "Thank you, Daniel."
Their words caused everyone else to stir, and Toji shook his head after a moment. He looked over at her, his eyes widening. After a second of taking in the fact that she was actually in front of him, he nearly crushed her in a bear hug, and Hikari winced as she returned the hug.
Shinji, Asuka, and Rei stood, and after a moment of ensuring that no one else was in the room, Shinji and Asuka quietly grabbed each other's hands, squeezing gently as they smiled.
After a quiet moment, Hikari gently patted Toji's back, and the boy slowly released his hug, his face revealing tears of joy streaming down it. "Hikari…" he said, and grabbed her hand again.
"Toji…" Hikari smiled as she took him in, the simple fact that the two of them could hold each other sending both of them over the moon.
She scanned the room again, and her eyes fell on Shinji and Asuka holding hands. She… didn't entirely know how she knew what she knew. Everything from her time in the core, from her time with her mother, was… fuzzy right now. Did she recall a look into their… their souls? She settled on what she saw being their souls, and what was contained within. A light show of… of emotions that she somehow knew what looked like. Love and lust and joy and anxiety and courage. And, somehow… even a little peace. She saw the memories of times that they treasured, and how far they had gone as a couple, a couple. It was entrancing as much as it was rather embarrassing. She would treasure that memory for the rest of her life.
Asuka let go of Shinji's hand and stepped forward. "So, Hikari," she said, a slight smirk on her face, "how was piloting with Shinji and me?"
Hikari shook her head in wonder. "It was… wonderful. But… it wasn't just you there."
As Toji's head tilted in confusion, Daniel walked over to a wall and placed a darkening palm on it, and quietly created an Expression to ensure that whatever was said next could not be heard. Or recorded.
Asuka nodded somberly. "Yeah. That's right."
Toji looked between the three of them, confusion evident in his eyes. "What's going on? What haven't I been told?"
Asuka and Shinji both sighed, and a small, sad expression came across the Theisman's faces. "Yeah, Toji," Shinji said, turning to face his friend with a serious expression. "Before I start, you have to not let anyone, anyone, else know about what we're about to talk about. Not Kensuke, not any of your other friends at school, not anyone else at NERV, not anyone."
Shinji's expression softened as he took in the look on the tall boy's face. "Please. Even us knowing this is… well, it's…"
Asuka shook her head slightly. "What he's trying to say is it's way out of our usual pay grade to know about this, so don't go blabbing. Alright?"
Toji nodded after a moment. "Alright then. So, what's the secret?"
Shinji sighed. "The Evas… they require two people in order to operate. One of them is the pilot…" Shinji paused as the jock continued to look at him in utter confusion. His next words were barely above a whisper. "And the other is the souls of our mothers."
It was dead silent in the room as Toji's face morphed from confusion to shock to anger then back to shock. "Mom… how's that even possible? She… she died when I wasn't even 10! Sakura was barely more than a toddler! How is my mom's soul…"
Toji went quiet for a moment. Then he looked at Hikari, then back at Shinji and Asuka. "I watched the footage of you guys kicking that Angel's ass. If I'm the pilot of Unit-04, and my mother's soul is in there and needs me to help run the Eva… then how…"
"It's because of me."
Toji's head whipped around as he stared at Daniel. Daniel nodded as he stepped forward. "And before you ask, the answer to the question is long, complicated, and requires someplace more fitting than a hospital room for an explanation. But… it was an honor to work with your mother."
Silence filled the room again as Daniel continued. "She wanted me to pass a message on to you. She said that she'll be there for you whenever you pilot. And that she's proud of the man that you've become."
All was still as Toji processed this, then looked at Daniel and nodded. "Th… thank you, Mr. Theisman."
A small smile crossed Daniel's face. "Of course, Mr. Suzuhara."
Toji shook his head. "Please, just call me Toji."
Daniel nodded slowly. "Alright then, Toji." he turned to Hikari. "Ms. Horaki…"
Hikari raised a hand. "Like he said, if you helped us like that… just call me Hikari."
Daniel chuckled quietly. "Alright then. Hikari, when you're released, and the both of you have questions about what happened- and believe me, I'm sure you do- you know where to find me. I'll be able to answer them."
Hikari nodded. "Thank you, Daniel."
Daniel nodded in turn. "Of course." he swept his gaze around the room. "Shinji, Asuka, Rei, I think that we should give them time to themselves, don't you think?"
Asuka nodded. "Yeah. Give the couple some time together after all this time and worry."
Shinji and Rei nodded, and as the Children and the Theismans turned to leave, Toji raised a hand. "Okay, okay, wait a minute." as they turned to look, Toji pointed at Asuka and Shinji. "Now, I'm pretty sure I'm not crazy, but... did I see you two holding hands while I was hugging Hikari?"
Shinji and Asuka looked slowly at each other, trying hard not to blush, as Daniel chuckled behind them. "You know," Daniel said with a wry grin, "she's probably going to tell him anyway."
Asuka sighed, and Shinji sighed only slightly more quietly. "Alright," Asuka said with a furrowed brow and no small amount of annoyance, "first things first, the same thing applies to what we're about to say as what we said about our moms. No one outside this room gets told, or I will be looking for you. Got it?"
Toji looked back and forth at Shinji and Asuka with no small amount of shock in his expression, his gaze finally settling on Shinji. "This is serious? You two really are…" the rest of the question went unsaid.
Shinji nodded almost sheepishly. "Yeah, Toji. It's been going on for a while, now. And… it's the best thing to ever happen to me."
Toji leaned back, running a hand through his short hair as he exhaled slowly. "Well, shit," he said after a moment. "Now I've heard everything."
Hikari shook her head. "Language, Mr. Suzuhara." The smile on her face took away any bite the words once held.
Toji blushed as he looked back down at her. "Sorry." he began to smile himself, after a moment.
Daniel gave a satisfied nod. "Alright then," he said, putting a hand on Shinji and Asuka's shoulders, "let's give the two of them the space they need."
As they left, Toji and Hikari didn't notice, as they began to talk softly to each other.
. . .
It had been a good night. There was flirting, there was passion, even ecstasy, and now, she simply lay in bed, staring into the eyes of someone who loved her, simply for being her, as they woke up the next morning, the alarm clock… wait… the alarm clock didn't sound like that...
Ritsuko peeled open her eyes slowly and heard the rhythmic beeping of the EKG. 'I really hope that this doesn't become a habit.' she thought wearily, as she tried to recall what had happened to have her back in here.
She had been in Central Dogma, and the Angel had breached the Geofront. She had watched Unit-01, taken into the Angel's arms, swung above its head, then a rumble of thunder as it struck the ground, then… she was here, dreaming of a better time.
She sighed and rubbed her eyes with her free hand, feeling that the other was held by something somewhat tightly, feeling the familiar gauze of the bandage on her head. She looked around the room, seeing the people there, and noting the absence of one particular person.
Misato sat patiently in the corner of the room, leafing through a magazine. And as she looked by her bedside, she saw Maya, dozed off in the chair next to her, and saw that she was the one holding her hand.
A small smile came to Ritsuko's face. "Oh, Maya…" she said softly, and she turned as she heard the rustle of a magazine, looking at the somewhat bemused face of Misato.
"So, Ritsky…" Misato said as she stood. "Decided that a student is better than a commanding officer?"
Ritsuko looked confused for a moment, then her eyes widened as she blushed. The fact that she only tightened her grip on Maya's hand did not escape Misato's notice. "No!" she said heatedly. "It's not like that, Misato. It's just…" she looked back at the stirring young lady, a sad look entering her eyes. "Even after I'd alienated everyone else... after I'd driven you away… she was the only one who cared enough to…" she trailed off, and Misato nodded in understanding.
"Alright." she sighed. "Even still, you two have something special. Don't… don't let that slip by you. Not like…" she left the rest unspoken, and Ritsuko knew exactly what she meant.
Ritsuko shook her head as Maya finally woke up, looking at Ritsuko, then down at her hand, as she pulled it away from holding Ritsuko's with a blush. "Senpai… you're awake! I was so worried, with how big that chunk of ceiling that hit your head was."
Ritsuko unconsciously rubbed the back of the hand that held Maya's as she regarded her concerned, caring pupil. Those were the eyes staring back at her in the dream. She was certain of it. But... She took a deep breath. "How long have I been out of it this time?"
Maya shook her head. "It's only been a few hours, Senpai. I'm kind of amazed, honestly. With how big that chunk of the ceiling was that hit you, I expected you to be out for a few days like you were last time."
As Ritsuko and Maya marveled at the seemingly miraculous recovery time, Misato stayed silent. Eleanor was more than happy to extend her services as a Mender. She didn't even want any compensation. 'How I stumbled into some of these friends, I'll never know…'
After a moment of quiet conversation, a grim look crossed over Ritsuko's face. "And I can assume that Gendo is elsewhere."
Misato nodded. "Yes. He's 'overseeing' recovery efforts. But he's just been staring at Unit-01's core all day. Since he got notified that Hikari had appeared from Unit-03's core, he hasn't moved an inch." the disgust in her tone was obvious.
Ritsuko nodded. "I wouldn't expect anything less."
Before she could continue, Ritsuko's phone buzzed on the nightstand beside her, and all three of them looked over at it as Ritsuko reached for it.
As she opened it, a tempest of different emotions began to swirl in her as she saw that it was her mother. 'Ritsuko, I hope that you're okay. That hit on the head looked particularly nasty from what I saw. Get well soon.'
Ritsuko shook her head. "It's mother," she said simply, then sighed quietly. "I still don't entirely know how to react to this… to my own mother being able to ask about me again..."
Misato nodded. She knew that their past was a rocky one, to say the least. Maya nodded as well. "Well, Senpai," she said, "I'm sure you'll be able to figure it out. At least at some point."
Ritsuko sighed quietly as she looked at Maya once again. "Thank you for your confidence."
. . .
Gendo Ikari watched silently as Unit-01 was moved into the gantry, looking intently at its chest, staring past the dented, paint-chipped armor to stare at the gem that had stolen his wife from him. The noise and clamor of the crews around him were of little importance to him, little more than muffled, distant whispers.
'Why, Yui? Why can the Fourth Child return from a core, but you can't? Why leave me alone like this?'
He pondered on the many, many possible answers. 'It doesn't matter. No one else matters now. Only you do. I'm coming to get you, Yui. I miss you.'
- - -
Theisman Residence
Daniel and Eleanor stepped into their home. It was good to be able to do that. They did not do it alone, though. Along with Rei, Shinji and Asuka filed in behind them, tired but happy. Misato wouldn't be home tonight, and such would be the way of it for at least a couple of days as she helped to coordinate the cleanup from the Angel attack. Kaji would be out of town on a 'business trip' for about a week, too. Shinji and Asuka both looked forward to the opportunities such a situation presented them.
As they chatted aimlessly, Daniel fell silent for a moment as he crossed to the couch, setting down on it with a wince, as Eleanor's face became serious. "Alright, tough stuff," Eleanor said, "drop the act and let me tend to you, damn it."
Daniel nodded slowly, then looked at the Children. "What you're probably about to see is pretty bad, so… don't be afraid to look away."
Asuka's head tilted as Daniel's skin began to ripple. "What do you mean?" As the rippling stopped and revealed Daniel's true image as he took off his shirt, Asuka's confusion became horror. "Herr Gott… Daniel… How did this happen to you? Wait..."
Daniel sighed, his body a craggy, burnt mess from the waist up, as Eleanor created a small, slightly glowing globe of water and washed at the wounds, the burns healing quickly as she worked. He shook a head that was now completely hairless. "This is one of the dangers of a synch score. Too low, and you don't do anything at all. Too high, and you don't just feel the wounds an Eva receives, you share them. And, being in Unit-04's core like I was…" he trailed off, letting the results speak for themselves.
Shinji shook his head. "Man…" he said weakly, "and here I was feeling bad about how low my synch score was…"
Daniel chuckled before the globe reached his head, expanding to cover it as the Children gave Eleanor an anxious look. She looked back at them as his skin became smooth and whole again, and his hair began to grow. "It's okay," she said with a chuckle, "he can breathe in it. And besides, I don't linger on the head for long." her voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. "He can grow his own hair out anyway."
As she said this, she moved to another part of his body, and Daniel shook a head now adorned with a tight buzzcut of hair. "I heard that." The Children chuckled slightly, and Eleanor stepped back, dismissing the globe of water with a flourish, as Daniel stood, healed of his injuries.
He turned to look at them as he grabbed the shirt and pulled it on. "Alright, then. I'm sorry for the rather macabre show. You all should go and rest. It has been far too long and dangerous a day to not do so."
Asuka nodded, turning to Shinji. "Yeah. You have quite the victory feast to cook up for the three of us, Shinji. I look forward to it."
Shinji nodded. "Yeah," he said quietly.
He turned to Daniel and Eleanor. "You should be a part of our celebration tonight. You helped us pilots more than anyone else who wasn't."
Asuka nodded. "Yeah, Daniel. After what you did, you might as well be an honorary pilot."
Daniel looked at Eleanor, then back to the Children. "Thank you, Shinji. We'd be glad to join you guys."
The dinner that Shinji made was divine, which was to say, in usual form for the young chef. After a hearty meal was finished and the table sat in silence for a moment, Daniel turned to Shinji and Asuka with a sly look. "So, I can't help but notice how excited you two seem for both Misato and Kaji to be gone for the next little while."
Asuka and Shinji blushed, as Asuka sighed and lightly punched Daniel's arm. "You know us too well for your own good, you know that?"
Daniel chuckled. "It's what a big brother does, Asuka." He leaned on the table a little. "Now, I can't help but sympathize with your previous predicament, and, really, Misato and Kaji have been rather… passionate lately, as I'm sure you can tell. So…"
He reached into his pocket and produced two small, rather intricately wrought metal rods that gleamed dully. The Children leaned slightly closer to look at them. "So…" Asuka said, eyes slightly narrowed. "What do those do?"
Daniel grinned, standing up. "Well, they can be demonstrated thusly. Follow me."
The rest of the table stood, following him into Misato's room. He lifted up one of the rods for the Children to look at again. "In Interfacing, not only is one able to create temporary Frames for Expressions, we can make Frames that can be activated again and again, or remain active for long periods of time, and stuff them into objects that don't have to worry too much about things like eating, sleeping or other biological necessities. Case in point…"
He stuck the rod to a corner of the room and tapped it, a muffled 'whmph' following a hazy shockwave as it emanated from the device, covering the room. Daniel turned to the Children, an unmistakable pride in his eyes. "Now, there isn't a sound in the world that will escape this room."
As the Children considered this, Rei nodded. "As someone who sleeps lightly, this is a rather necessary development."
Asuka turned to Rei with an incredulous look in her eyes. "You can hear them an apartment over?"
Rei looked at them seriously. "Yes. I can usually hear you two as well."
It was silent for a moment as Shinji and Asuka both blushed, and a small smile came to Rei's face. Shinji turned to look at Daniel as the moment passed. "And I'm guessing you made these?" he said, in a desperate attempt to find something to think about other than their friend hearing their nightlives.
Daniel nodded. "Yes, actually, I did. When you're alone on the Worldsea for as long as I was, you get handy in a wide variety of things."
Shinji nodded. "Makes sense."
Daniel smirked. "And in case you're wondering, Misato blushed nearly as hard as you two did when I brought it up to her earlier."
Daniel's smirk turned into a smile, and he tossed the other rod to Shinji. "You know how it works. Just stick it in a corner, then tap on it. It'll do the rest." Daniel's smile turned into a smirk again. "And hey, you two can finally not worry about disturbing anyone with how loud you two are."
Asuka rolled her eyes as she walked over to Daniel, punching him lightly in the arm again. "And how do we know that you aren't just as bad some nights?"
Daniel shook his head with a chuckle. "You wouldn't. We have the same thing in our room."
Daniel sighed after a moment. "Well, the night is young, but I am… tired. Thank you for the meal, Shinji. It was delicious."
Shinji nodded, and Daniel pulled him and Asuka in for a quick hug. "Have a good night, you two," he said with a quick wink, then turned to Rei. "Alright. Let's go to bed."
Rei nodded, and everyone went to their rest. For some, it was a far less restful night than most. For one... well, she was just glad to finally be able to get a decent night's sleep again.
- - -
Daniel stood on a field that stretched into forever. It was a charnel scene, pockmarked with craters that made dips and rises in the churned, desolate earth, and broken up only by spires of fire and ice, of metal and wood, of embodiments of hate and order and chaos and far, far stranger things.
He looked around himself, and saw that everywhere around him, nearly covering the wasteland, were corpses. They came from every period and world, in every state of disassembly and decay. The smell… the smell somehow hit him like a truck, nearly bending him over as he retched.
. . .
Asuka looked around her. She was in a hospital hallway. It was white and sterile, much like any other one was, and the scent of antiseptic seemed to ooze off of every surface. In fact, if she didn't know where she actually was, she'd swear this was real.
She blinked as she realized how much more lucid she was here than in her usual dreams. This one must have been special. She looked around, but could not move. The expression in her eyes went from wondering to horror as she looked at the name on the hospital door that she stood beside.
. . .
Shinji looked around him as he took in the vista of Tokyo-3, his friends right beside him as they stared up at the globular form of Leliel. He had dreamed about this, sometimes. Often they were decent enough. He had gotten back with Asuka, after all. But sometimes… it would be different.
As he looked around again and saw that Unit-02 and Unit-00 were right next to him, he recognized that it was, in fact, a dream. He looked down, and a pit in his stomach opened as he watched the ever-familiar shadow start to spread. However, it stopped just before him, right where Asuka and Rei stood. And he couldn't move.
. . .
Eleanor stood in her battle armor, emblazoned with the World Engine logo of the Worldstriders, and sorrowed at a city in ruins. Ravirah, the Third City Plate, had been reduced to near rubble. Skyscrapers, once glittering and beautiful, now cast deep shadows, as broken by the flames that surrounded them as the buildings themselves had become.
All she knew was that he was coming. Personally. And if there was any place to stand her ground, it was here. It would be the only place she would be able to stop him. Anxiety and fear flared up as she heard the marching feet, the explosions coming closer, flickering brightly into existence before disappearing.
. . .
Rei stood in the cavernous space of Terminal Dogma and looked up at the being that had offered up a part of its soul to give her life. Lilith loomed large over the sea of LCL that she produced, and the coppery smell of drying blood cloyed in her nose.
It was silent, save for the gentle lapping of the waves of LCL hitting an artificial shore. That much was not unexpected. What was, however, was the feeling that she was not alone. That something was behind her. Many somethings. And she slowly, beyond her own power, began to turn.
. . .
Daniel wiped his eyes as he saw the figures approach. Their humanoid forms seemed… disjointed, for lack of a better word, seeming to overlay on the world and 'glitch' every once in a while. As they came closer, the glitching became more pronounced, until at last, they resolved into forms that Daniel had feared to see again.
On the left, a man in a dark grey bodysuit glitched into being, tall and draped in a tan cloak. He was a man used to the desert, an etched, tan face regarding him with hard blue eyes. On the right, the glitch became a woman, clothed in a simple white dress, who regarded him with fearful brown eyes.
And in the center, the glitch became Asuka. She was in her Plugsuit again, and she dripped blood from a dozen wounds, as her right arm lay limp at her side, torn nearly in half from hand to elbow. Her right eye was a dark pit that wept blood. Daniel began to shake.
. . .
As Asuka read the name 'Kyoko Zeppelin-Soryu', the door slowly began to open, and a humanoid form, iridescent and appearing to all the world like a glitched video game model, slowly stepped out of the room, as its head seemed to turn to regard her.
As it regarded her, it began to glitch more and more, until it became the form of a nurse. The nurse's face changed from time to time, from some random face to the whore that had shacked up with her father, to… Daniel? That wasn't possible. She slowly looked down and noticed the thin, but strong rope in one of the nurse's hands, and the pair of scissors in the other.
As she looked back up at the nurse's ever-shifting face, it raised the scissors in front of its slightly smiling mouth, hushing Asuka as she struggled to move, to grab the thing and throttle it, to do anything. Her face, taut with rage, slackened into horror as she heard the ding of an elevator, and the nurse began to walk away.
. . .
Shinji watched with wide eyes as Asuka and Rei began to sink, grabbing at the buildings as they tried to claw their way out. Shinji tried to rush forward and help, but he found himself restrained, as he looked around and saw a great many of the Angels that he had fought before holding him back, forcing him to watch as his friends, as the woman he loved, slowly but surely sank into the abyss.
He could barely hear Misato and Ritsuko nearly screaming at him to do something, anything, as he looked up and watched the form of Leliel bubble and twist into the form of the Angel they had just fought. With a flash of its eyes, the ground in front of him opened, and the grasping that held him back pushed him, sending him tumbling into the Geofront.
. . .
Eleanor watched the glitch come closer, and become the Hollow Saint of War. He was clad in the armor of her nightmares, and his face was Daniel's, but… empty. Devoid of any emotion. She looked down and noticed that he was carrying someone by the neck, the limp body dragging behind him. As Eleanor focused, she saw a string of clay beads dangle from his neck, a small shell dangling from the center of the beads.
Percy was… dead. No. No, that wasn't how it was supposed to happen, she thought as the Hollow Saint simply let go, Percy's body thumping to the ground. Then, she looked at the Hollow Saint with her Sight. There was… nothing. He wasn't even trying to hide anything from her. Daniel… was gone.
. . .
Rei finished turning, and she watched as three figures became Shinji, Asuka, and Misato. They all began to back away from her slowly. Misato's hand flashed down to her side, and she aimed the pistol she always carried at her. Asuka's face was the picture of anger, of betrayal, as she seemed ready to fight. And Shinji… Shinji was perhaps the most terrified of them all, a look of horror on his face as he fell trying to back away from her.
They knew. They knew, and Rei watched as they reacted in the way she most feared they would. She raised her hands towards them in an attempt to placate them, but her friends, her family, would not listen. She was an Angel. She needed to be destroyed.
. . .
The woman in the plain white dress finally spoke to Daniel. "How much of you enjoyed what you did to me to prove yourself?"
Daniel shook his head, desperately trying to get himself under control. "None of it. They forced me to kill you, to show that I was ready. I was broken. I'm sorry."
The woman's face hardened. "A part of you isn't."
The man in the bodysuit stepped up. "You ran," he said in a baritone voice dripping with derision. "You were the last man standing. You had a duty to your liege. To Paul. And you decided to run. I died in your place."
Daniel looked at the man. "Duncan… there would be too many questions. And Paul was safe."
It seemed impossible for Duncan's look to get any harder, and yet it did. "Excuses. That's all they are."
. . .
Asuka screamed and shouted, but she found her voice was consumed by silence, as she heard an ecstatic little girl begin to run down the hall. "Mama, mama!" Dread filled every fiber of Asuka's being as she knew what was about to come next.
Her eyes widened as she heard a sickening crack beside her, and knew intrinsically what it was. Who it was. Was she really that close to seeing Mama do that? Then she heard another crack. What?
. . .
Shinji crashed into the ground of the Geofront, throwing dirt and trees into the air with his impact. He struggled, but couldn't move, as he watched the Angel float down into the Geofront behind him as he lay on his back.
His comms were a mess of noise, Misato desperately shouting at him to get up, to stand against the Angel. Shinji felt the disapproval from his father ooze through the comms link as he came to the realization that he was… useless.
. . .
Eleanor looked desperately at the Hollow Saint. "Daniel… please. Please wake up. Please be in there."
The Hollow Saint said nothing as he continued to approach her, a sword of crystal slowly coalescing in his hand.
"Daniel, fight back! Please! I need you!" Eleanor nearly shouted as the Saint slowed and came to a stop in front of her.
After a tense moment, the glow left Daniel's eyes, and she saw… recognition. He was still there. Eleanor reached out slowly towards his face.
And her eyes widened as she felt a lance of pain tear through her stomach as Daniel plunged his sword into her.
. . .
Rei looked down at her arms. They had become even more pale, seeming to now be as white as Lilith behind her. She waved her arms, tears coming to her eyes.
And she watched in horror as her family was torn apart and blown away from her. They were dead. And it was her fault. Her mind spiraled into darkness as she finally seemed to be allowed to sink to her knees.
She looked up, her eyes widening, as she felt something behind her. Something that wasn't part of this.
. . .
Finally, Asuka spoke to him. "Why are you saving her? Why didn't you come and save me?"
Daniel felt tears well in his eyes. "I was broken then, too. We were all broken."
Acid etched every word of Asuka's next sentence. "But you could have fixed us."
As she finished speaking, the world shook as the body of Unit-02 fell to the earth behind them, sending dirt and water and bodies flying into the air. Then shadows passed over them, as the Mass-Production Evas came swooping down on Unit-02. They tore into Unit-02, ripping it apart in geysers of blood and viscera.
And the three figures in front of him began to tear apart with it. And Daniel wished for nothing more in the world than to be able to close his eyes.
. . .
Asuka shook her head, trying to shut her eyes and failing as the little girl with the fiery hair ran down the hallway towards her. This wasn't real. This wasn't real. This wasn't real. This was just a dream.
And yet, as the door opened beside her, and she looked, she didn't just see her mother there. Where the doll had been, Shinji now hung. And Asuka's voice came back to her, as her scream joined her past self's in stereo.
. . .
Eleanor lay on the ground, shock and confusion and pain playing across her face as the Hollow Saint, as Daniel, crouched down and looked her in the eye as her vision began to fade. "Eleanor," Daniel said. "I've finally found the truth. All I needed to do was get rid of what was holding me back. All I needed to do… was get rid of you."
He stood, and Eleanor weakly reached out after him, before her hand fell to the ground, and the oncoming darkness rushed to take her.
. . .
Shinji had gone slack as the Angel approached, and it passed him by, coming to regard the NERV pyramid instead. The voices on the comm were white noise now, while he waited for this to end, tears streaming down his face.
After a moment, he heard the sound that went with the Angel's eyes flashing, and the comms were silent. The world was silent. Shinji closed his eyes, uncaring whether the Angel would destroy him or not. He had failed. He was useless.
. . .
Rei found she was able to turn again, and she looked up at the form of Lilith. It had removed itself from the cross that it had hung on, having grown legs where its stumps once were. It bubbled as its form shifted, then, the mask that covered its face slid off to reveal her own.
Lilith crouched down, reaching out with a giant finger as she spoke. Her voice was a thousand voices becoming one, at once high and deep, and older than anything that lived on Earth would ever know. And as the tip of Lilith's finger touched her forehead, that voice said one word.
"Remember."
And Rei remembered.
. . .
As one, four sets of eyes blinked open, and nearly bolted up in their beds, their clothes and sheets covered in sweat and tears.
Daniel and Eleanor turned to each other, and fiercely embraced, whispering consolations to each other. After a moment, they parted from the embrace, falling silent. "Daniel…" Eleanor said, caressing Daniel's face. "What was that?"
Daniel shook his head. "Revenants. I'm sure of it."
Eleanor's eyes widened. "Those?" she shook her head after a moment. "It makes sense now."
They went silent for a moment, then strained to hear as a quiet mumble came from the direction of… Rei's room.
They bolted out of bed, throwing on clothes as quickly as they could, before nearly sprinting over to the girl's room.
As they opened the door, the various pieces of artwork Rei had become interested in since her weaning off the drugs, presents from them and Asuka and Shinji, faded into the background as their focus narrowed on the shuddering, mumbling form of Rei Ayanami.
Daniel was by her side in an instant, a hand on her forehead. "Rei? Rei, are you there?"
As Daniel leaned closer to try and hear her, he caught some of what she said. "...floating in the dark…"
Daniel looked back up at Eleanor, who joined his side quickly. Rei continued to mutter. "...why is he here… why did I follow…"
Eleanor put her hand on Rei's temple and focused as she lightly linked their souls together. After a moment, her eyes opened, and she turned to Daniel, shock and no small amount of horror in her expression. "She's remembering. From Lilith."
Daniel's own face adopted the shock he looked at, then he nodded after a moment, standing up. "Stay here and help her. I'm going to get the other two, make sure that we can keep them all safe in case the Revenants decide a mental attack is just the beginning."
Eleanor nodded. "Go." Daniel needed no further motivation, as he turned and ran towards the door.
. . .
Asuka and Shinji's eyes snapped open simultaneously, and their embrace tightened considerably as they assured that, yes, both of them were in fact there, together, in their room in Misato's apartment. Tears streamed down Shinji's face, and Asuka fought to not have the ones welling up in her eyes do the same.
After a moment, they looked at each other, and Shinji caressed Asuka's face as she wiped her eyes dry. "That… that wasn't a coincidence."
Asuka shook her head. "No, I don't think it was." she shook her head. "I haven't had a nightmare that bad since we got together, Shinji. And I've never had one that vivid before. Ever."
Shinji nodded. "Same. Something's up, Asuka. But right now… I'm just glad it's over."
Asuka nodded, and their foreheads touched as they took each other in.
The moment didn't last, as they heard the thumping sound of footsteps quickly approaching their room. They stopped outside the door, and they heard Daniel's voice. "Shinji, Asuka. Get some clothes on, and come over to our apartment. Now." It was a voice that brooked no argument, and the Children gave none as they quickly dressed.
They opened the door and saw Daniel, similarly drenched in sweat as he looked at them, his eyes widening slightly as he looked at Asuka before blinking it away and shaking his head. "Nightmares." It wasn't a question.
Shinji nodded. "Yeah. How do you know?"
Daniel sighed. "They weren't regular. We all came under attack. And the Scions are to blame." he didn't wait for a response before he turned. "Follow me. We'll keep you safe. Just in case."
As Shinji and Asuka followed behind in stunned silence, Asuka decided to break it as Daniel opened the door to his apartment. "Wait a minute. What attacked us? Who attacked us?"
Daniel's hands clenched into fists for a moment before relaxing them and directed Shinji and Asuka to sit down on the couch, while he turned on a light in the living room and sat on a chair across from them, sighing heavily as he sat down. "You know about souls. That every living thing has one and can use it for Interfacing."
Shinji and Asuka nodded, and Daniel continued. "Well, there are more than just souls that exist. Simpler constructs, with intelligence and the ability to Interface, but not the eternal lifespan, can come into being in the mental and soul realms of Reality. We call them Spirits, and we separate them into Archons and Daemons, based on their tendency towards moral good or evil."
Daniel paused for a moment. "What attacked us are called Revenants. And they are the most sadistic type of Daemon anyone can stuff into a physical form. The Scions gave them bodies and sent them after rear-line Interfacers during the war. They torment their prey, and they prefer to deal the finishing blow to prey that is utterly broken in body, mind, and spirit."
Daniel sighed. "They're here because of me. And you've been caught in the crossfire. I'm sorry."
Asuka shook her head as she got up from the couch and walked over to Daniel, Shinji following close behind. "Hey," she said, putting a hand on Daniel's shoulder, "You seem to have been blindsided by this as all of us. From what little you've told us, I'm guessing that it takes no small amount of insanity to even think about making these Revenant… things."
Daniel nodded. "Yeah. They don't care where they get their suffering from unless they've been given a compulsion as they're bound to their forms. Even still, they can and will break those compulsions without a second thought if the fancy strikes them. We have to deal with them, and quickly."
Asuka shook her head. "Then if what you've said is true… then it isn't your fault. It's those stupid Scions. You can protect us. I'm sure of it."
She pulled him to his feet and into a gentle hug, and Shinji joined her after she gave him a pointed glance. After a moment, Asuka's head tilted up slightly as she caught mumbling at the edges of her hearing. "Daniel…" she said, causing the man in question to look at her. "Where's Rei and Eleanor?"
Daniel stood, a grim look on his face. "Eleanor's with Rei. The mental attack by the Revenants did…" Daniel paused for a moment as he tried to find something to say that wouldn't have him revealing Rei's lineage. "...something to her to make her hallucinate." he finally settled on. "Eleanor's taking care of her, and it looks like she'll make it out physically okay, but..."
Asuka took Shinji's hand and made her way toward Rei's room, Daniel standing to follow them.
They entered and found Eleanor kneeling over an even more pallid than usual, jittery Rei, her eyes only partly open as they darted back and forth sightlessly, her muttered words almost too low to hear.
"Eleanor?" Shinji said, stepping forward as he received no reply. His progress was stopped by a firm hand on his shoulder, and he turned to look back at Daniel, who shook his head.
"She won't hear you, Shinji. She's linked her soul to Rei's, to try and guide her out of this… whatever."
The three of them looked back and heard Rei's mumbling more clearly. "...My hands… where are my legs… I can't feel…"
. . .
Rei stood on nothing, and she… saw. The past. Lilith's beginning, and how her race had been torn apart by the Super Solenoid. How a brief moment of connection became a regret. How that regret and guilt had made her follow the one she had connected with all the way to Earth. Her discovery by her progeny. Her… her crucifixion.
Now, Rei stood on the floor again, and she found herself in an office. She was… behind herself. This Rei, the first Rei, stood before a woman with dark brunette hair. Naoko Akagi. Her creator. Her mother. At least in part.
They spoke. She was lost and ran into Doctor Akagi. Doctor Akagi offered to help her find her way out. Then…
"No, thank you. I can find my way, hag."
Akagi blinked at that. "What?"
Rei continued without inflection. "I said, I am able to find my own way out, hag."
Akagi's brow furled. "That's rather rude, calling someone that."
The first Rei tilted her head slightly. "But you are one. Aren't you?"
Akagi's face scrunched up in annoyance. "Director Ikari should talk to you. That's no way to talk to someone."
The first Rei continued without inflection. "But he is the one who calls you that."
Akagi blinked, and a strange, concerning look flickered to life in her eyes. "What?" she said, in a far more cool and dangerous voice.
The first Rei did not seem to notice. "He says other things about you too. Like how he does not need you. Or how you are annoying."
Rei's eyes widened as Akagi began to slowly approach the first Rei, her hands looking more like claws.
"Rei."
Rei blinked. Akagi's mouth did not move as she came to stand in front of the Rei in front of her. She was…
"Rei."
As Akagi's hands wrapped around the first Rei's neck, someone stepped in front of her to obstruct the view. Looking up, it was Eleanor, a sympathetic, sad look in her eyes as she put her hands on Rei's shoulders, then pulled her into a hug as she felt the pressure around her neck build. As she found it difficult to even breathe. As Naoko Akagi strangled the life out of the first Rei.
"Rei, it's going to be okay," Eleanor said as she felt the tears running down Rei's face and wet her shirt. "Come back with me. We're worried."
After a moment, and as the pressure around her neck finally let up, and Rei breathed in a gasp of air, she nodded. "Okay. I'm ready."
Rei's eyes closed fully, then fluttered open, and she looked around her room and saw the concern on the faces of her family. As she saw Asuka and Shinji, who kneeled next to her, Shinji taking her hand in his.
"Rei," he said, expression filled with worry, "we're glad that you're back. Whatever you were going through, I'm sure it's going to be alright."
Rei shook her head slightly. She didn't want to look at them right now. Not after she… she…
Asuka's head tilted. "Rei? What's going on? Was it something to do with your nightmare?"
Rei began to tremble slightly. What should she do? Should she tell them, and have them not trust her all at once, or withhold, and build that mistrust over time? She couldn't tell them. Then they would fear her. Then they would…
"Tell them." Rei blinked, then looked up at Eleanor. She nodded silently. "They will trust you. I'm sure of it."
The link between them was severed. Eleanor stood and went back to Daniel's side. Daniel looked at Eleanor for a moment, then at all three of them. "We'll be out on the couch discussing something. You three… you three need each other, right now. Spend a little time together. We'll be here when you decide to come on out."
Eleanor and Daniel left, and Rei regarded Shinji and Asuka, her friends, her family, almost like they were bombs primed to explode.
"Yes, Asuka," she said after a moment, her tone slow and seemingly unsure, "it does have something to do with my nightmare."
Asuka nodded. "Okay." there was silence for a moment. "Would you be okay with telling us?"
No, a part of her said immediately. They would find out if you started talking, and then they would be afraid then they would hate you then…
Eleanor's thought-voice came to her again. 'They will trust you.'
After a deep breath, Rei regarded the other two Children. "It involves… you. And others, but mostly you two."
There was silence again for a moment, then Shinji and Asuka nodded. "Alright. What happens?" Shinji asked.
Rei's eyes held more than a little trepidation in them as she continued. "A part of me which I have concealed from you thus far was revealed, and… you feared me. You hated me for it. I was alone again." She went silent, and Shinji and Asuka waited for an explanation that was not forthcoming.
After a moment, Asuka shook her head, placing a hand on Rei's shoulder. "Rei… you know how much we care for you. Shinji loves you. I… I love you. You're like the sister that I never thought I'd have."
Another of Asuka's hands went to Rei's other shoulder. "So, no, Rei. We won't be afraid. We won't hate you. Not even if you said that you're… half-Angel or something."
Silence swept through the room for a moment as Rei gained an incredulous look in her eyes. Then she began to chuckle.
The chuckle slowly turned into a laughing fit, a lilting, surprisingly deeper sound than Shinji and Asuka expected, as Rei collapsed backward from Asuka's grasp. It was an odd thing for them to hear Rei be this… jovial. Frankly, they thought as they looked at each other, it was a little weird.
After a moment more, Rei finally seemed to regain some composure, as she sat up and wiped away tears of mirth. Asuka nodded slowly. "You okay, Wondergirl? I don't think I've ever seen you laugh that hard… ever."
Rei nodded. "I am sorry. I was unprepared for the emotion that came over me." She took a deep breath and nodded. Her expression became serious as she looked intently at Asuka. "You are correct."
Asuka and Shinji blinked. Then they blinked again. "Really? How does that work?" Shinji said with nothing but wonder in his eyes.
Rei looked down and away. "...It's very complicated."
After a moment, Rei continued to look down as she spoke. "I am a clone, first produced in 2005 in the labs of GEHIRN, as supervised by Gendo Ikari. I am a product of three major donors. Doctor Naoko Akagi," she said as Asuka's eyes widened, "Doctor Yui Ikari," she continued, as Shinji's eyes went similarly wide, "... and Lilith, the second Angel."
It was silent. Asuka looked over at Shinji after a moment, but found him staring into the middle distance, his hands shaking. "Shinji?" Asuka said cautiously.
"My father," he said, with all the vitriol of years spent nearly hating the man, causing Asuka and Rei to lean back slightly in shock. "It's always him, isn't it? First my mother, then me, then… then you."
He looked at Rei with barely checked rage, and Rei shied back still farther, jumping as Shinji leaned forward suddenly, squeezing Rei in a tight hug. Rei's eyes went wide as she felt the tears on the side of her face that slid down Shinji's face. "A sister," he said, barely above a whisper. "I have a sister."
They held each other that way for long minutes. Eventually, though, Asuka spoke up. "So wait, what's the Second Angel? Did Shinji beat that one while I was in Germany?"
Shinji and Rei released themselves from the embrace, and Rei looked at Asuka before shaking her head. "No, Asuka. Lilith is… directly below us, in the Geofront."
Asuka regarded Rei for a moment, then shook her head. "All this time, and that's what they're after… what's so special about it?"
Rei looked down again. "It is a very long, complicated explanation. Suffice it to say that… you have her to thank for life on Earth as we know it."
Asuka and Shinji's eyebrows rose. Then Asuka sighed. "A part-Angel pilot… you really are our Wondergirl." she smiled slightly, as Rei looked up at both of them with wide eyes that still held some of the fear of what she expected. "Rei, whatever you are, it doesn't matter. You are our friend. Our teammate. You are Rei Ayanami. And that's what counts."
Rei's eyes welled with tears as Asuka and Shinji enveloped her in a hug. She felt… gratitude. Relief. She wrapped her arms around the two greatest friends, the greatest family, she could ever ask for, as the first rays of the dawning sun began to touch Tokyo-3.
- - -
Ritsuko's Apartment, Geofront
Ritsuko opened her eyes as she awoke from the dream about Maya's eyes again. She was in her bed this time and reached across to where Maya would have been, disappointed at how cold the other side of her bed was. It was a large bed. Useful for when… when he visited, every once in a blue moon. But now, she thought, as she drew herself up and hugged her legs to her chest, she finally wanted someone else there.
But… was it right? Maya's face may have been getting clearer and clearer in her dreams, but at the end of the day, she was still her student. She didn't want to take advantage of that. Of her. And yet… she would be happy to be there for her. She didn't want her Senpai to be alone.
Ritsuko shook her head slightly as she got out of bed and prepared for the day. It wouldn't do to have her head stuck in the clouds fawning over Maya. After all, with Misato and Kaji around, someone needed to be the grounded, responsible adult in the room to keep them from flying off into the air, dancing with each other one way or another.
'Though it's been a while since I've danced myself.' she mused with a slight smile. 'I can't help but wonder about how good Maya might be…'
As she shook her head and finished her preparations, she crossed by a particular stand in the living room and looked at a white cat figurine shot through with gold. 'She was there for me that night. She was there for the worst side of me. And even still…'
She held her gaze on the figurine. What it meant. 'Maybe… maybe I can do something.'
She and Maya could go out for a drink tonight. Strictly formal, of course, as coworkers that needed to relax after… well, everything that happened yesterday. Was that really only yesterday? Anyway, what would Maya get? She seemed like a more fruity sort of person, not really given to the deep wines or biting gin mixers that she favored. But how could she find that out? Maybe she could ask one of her other coworkers. But what if she surprised her? First impressions could be deceiving…
Her thoughts drifted from one such topic to another, all seeming to connect in one way or another to Maya, as she stepped out of the door, and went towards her work, and her student.
As Shinji, Asuka, and Rei all exited Rei's room, Shinji and Asuka's hands on Rei's shoulders, they came to find Daniel and Eleanor looking expectantly at them. After a moment of silence regarding each other, Rei stepped forward, nodding to Eleanor. "You were correct. It was undue of me to worry about my friends. About…"
She looked at Shinji. "My family." that word had a new meaning, now.
Daniel nodded and stood. "I'm glad that things worked out well," he said with a smile. It dimmed as he continued. "However, the point still stands that you three need to be able to protect yourselves from the Revenants, and whatever else decides to come at you from beyond this Echo."
The light of the rising sun at his back almost silhouetted him, giving him an imposing aura as he put his hands on his hips. "Congratulations initiates. You are about to tap into the most powerful resource in all of Reality. You aren't ready yet. But we can at least start to get you there."
. . .
As the Children followed them into the blue stone room, Eleanor elbowed Daniel softly. "Rasczak? Really?"
Daniel shrugged. "It leaves an impression. You clearly remember it as well as I do."
Eleanor bobbed her head from side to side. "Point taken. It's hard to forget your first instructor when it's her."
They came to rest in the center of the room. Being a Sunday today, they had nothing to worry about in terms of school, and it would be a while yet before the cleanup of the battle with Zeruel was finished, and NERV turned back to giving at least Rei anything to worry about when it came to piloting. That meant they didn't even have to isolate themselves from time.
Daniel and Eleanor turned to face the Children, and they slowed to a stop. Without a word, five chairs, simple stools really, appeared behind Daniel and Eleanor, and in a row in front of the Children. As they sat down, the Children made their way to the surprisingly comfortable stools.
"Alright," Daniel said, dramatically pausing to look at each of them in turn before Eleanor gently elbowed him. "So, first things first. You are technically already able to Interface. The problem is finding enough Metos to do it with."
"Why so?" Rei asked, her head tilted slightly.
Daniel nodded. "Good question, Rei. Essentially, a soul acts as a sort of passive generator for Metos. It's what allows you to grow a Frame in the first place. However, growing Frames beyond that takes strengthening a soul, linking it to a greater source of Metos. In this case, that is Pneumaity, the source of all Metos. Linking someone's soul without the help of another Interfacer is usually accompanied by a substantial amount of trauma or extremely powerful emotions. Enough so that most don't live long afterward."
As he let them ponder that silently for a moment, Eleanor cut in. "However, the process that we've undergone, and that you three will go through, is… if not painless, then merely odd and slightly uncomfortable."
There was a slight gust as all three pilots exhaled after a moment. "Good," Asuka said, somewhat sardonically. "Glad that we don't, in fact, have to go through something even worse than what we usually go through as Eva pilots."
Daniel nodded. "Of that, I'm sure." he took a deep breath. "Alright, now. If you all can close your eyes, we'll begin."
The Children closed their eyes and waited in silence for a moment. Asuka decided to break it. "So, when are we-"
They felt something... familiar. Like a presence that was everywhere around them, and yet not present at all. It took them a moment to realize that it was Daniel, reaching out to them with his soul.
"So," he said without speaking, "what comes next can be a little… overwhelming. Just brace yourselves and ride it out. It won't take as long as you think."
They wondered for a moment what he meant before the process began. Then, the sound of their breathing started to become louder in their ears. Their nightclothes, light as they were, somehow became heavier, and they could feel every fiber that touched them. Their last meal came to haunt their taste buds with a vengeance, and they tried to not get too dizzy from the overstimulation of simply breathing in.
It lasted for what felt like hours before the stimulation started to recede. "Alright," Daniel said, his voice seeming a little louder than it was before, "the worst of it should be over. Open your eyes slowly."
They did so, and as they did, the dimness of the room seemed diminished from what it was, and they looked at Daniel. He seemed… sharper now. More defined than he once was.
He stood and walked over to them, examining them critically. "There will be some lingering effects, but you will go back to mostly normal within an hour or two."
Shinji tilted his head. "Mostly normal?"
Daniel nodded as he moved on from Rei to Asuka. "Yes, mostly. Even without having to do anything, your senses have been sharpened slightly, and your reflexes and strength have received a similar minor boost. We Worldstriders call this the 'First Peak' in the Three Peaks of physical enhancement."
"Three Peaks?" Asuka asked as Daniel came to a stop in front of her. "What are the other two?"
"The Three Peaks are a mental construct to guide us when we boost our bodies and minds," Daniel replied. "The Second Peak is the, well, peak performance any human being can achieve, and the Third is what could be considered 'superhuman'." Daniel finished his examination of her and moved over to Shinji. "Then there's the Open Sky, but that's a subject for later discussion when we actually teach you how to safely enhance yourselves."
He stepped back to regard all three of them and spread his arms dramatically. "Congratulations, you three. You have been successfully plugged into the rest of Reality."
Rei nodded slowly. "Plugged in?"
Daniel nodded back at her. "That is correct. You have now been connected to the Pneumaic realm, which is the source of Metos. In your case, Rei, because of your Angelic heritage, you just needed to be plugged in the rest of the way."
He paused for a moment. "Can you see our souls?" he asked softly.
Rei nodded after a moment. "Yes. I mainly perceive them as masses of light. It is… mesmerizing."
She looked over at Shinji and Asuka. "Especially looking at Shinji and Asuka's souls."
Asuka leaned past Shinji. "Can you see our souls through the walls, Wondergirl?" she said, her eyes narrowed.
A small smile passed across Rei's face. "Yes, I can," she said, without inflection.
Shinji and Asuka blushed as Daniel quietly chuckled. Asuka continued to stare back at a cool, collected Rei. "You are…" Asuka said slowly. "A pervert." she finally decided.
"My apologies, Asuka." An odd look crossed her face. "It is… mesmerizing to watch you two. To watch love. Beautiful, even."
Asuka leaned back, looking forward. She recognized that look, the tone of voice. It was envy. She… she envied what they had. It was silent for a moment. "So," she finally said, "when do we get to start lobbing fireballs?"
Daniel smiled slightly. "We'll get there. But first, we want to make sure that you have the basics down that we talked about a few weeks ago. Better to be safe than sorry."
- - -
NERV Meeting Room, Geofront
Gendo Ikari did not look forward to this evening. He was more than a little annoyed at how they had pulled him away from his vigil. But when the old men called, one answered. Especially when one told them of the events of yesterday's battle with the Angel.
So he sat silently, hands tented in front of his face as always, as the Human Instrumentality Committee appeared in front of him.
Chairman Kihl, hidden behind a black monolith labeled 'SEELE-01', was the first to speak. "Commander Ikari, as I'm sure you can surmise, we have many, many questions concerning the encounter with the Angel."
Gendo nodded imperceptibly. "And you may ask them at your leisure."
The African Union representative, the voice of 'SEELE-02' spoke first. "Our reports from your Magi speak to a breathtaking level of destruction within and without the Geofront, as well as the Angel's apparent ease in breaking into the Geofront itself. How was this allowed to happen?"
Gendo regarded the faceless voice for a quick moment before responding. "The Angel, who has been designated Zeruel, has proven itself to be the most durable and powerful so far, save for the Angel Ramiel. It struck quickly, breaching the defenses surrounding Tokyo-3 before we were prepared to sortie the Evangelions outside the city limits. We were thus forced to deploy Unit-01 under the command of the First Child, and Units 00 and 02 under Dummy System control."
"And we can see how well that went for them, Ikari." The Frenchman, 'SEELE-04', said in a deadpan voice.
Gendo was silent for a moment. "Indeed." he finally said, in the same deadpan. "Unit-00 and 02 were disabled. The First Child was able to wound the Angel, but it too was defeated on the surface, and pushed through one of the Main Access points to the Geofront."
Gendo considered carefully how to phrase what he said next. "Circumstances were such that the Second and Third Children were temporarily reinstated as pilots, and Unit-03 and Unit-04 were activated to combat the Angel." he finally settled on. "Unit-01, along with Unit-03 and Unit-04, were successful in destroying the Angel."
"Don't take us for fools, Ikari," SEELE-05 said. "We know from the data that we received that the Second and Third Children were both in Unit-03. And Unit-04…"
The room fell silent for a moment. No one knew what to make of an Eva that seemed to move and fight, use its AT Field in such spectacular fashion, and do all of this… with no pilot or Entry Plug. "... was there any sign of Angelic contamination present on Unit-04 which could explain its sudden autonomy?"
Gendo shook his head slightly. "No. In fact, our studies of Unit-04 so far have shown that it is clean of any Angelic contamination. Far more so than Unit-03 at the moment." Gendo paused for a moment. "Perhaps Unit-04's involvement in this battle will remain shrouded in mystery."
"Mystery is a dangerous thing when it concerns the Evangelions, Commander," SEELE-05 said.
"Moreover, you were confident in your dismissal of the Second and Third Children, Ikari," SEELE-04 said. "You gave us your assurance that the Dummy System would be a more than serviceable replacement. This is clearly not the case."
"Therefore," Kihl said, in a voice that expected no argument, "you will reinstate the Second and Third Children as Evangelion pilots. It is clear that the Dummy System requires far more time and effort put into its development. Time that cannot be consumed with the Evangelion sitting empty and idle."
Gendo was silent for a moment as he struggled slightly to get his temper under control. That boy, willful and ignorant, and the hotheaded, angry girl… would have to do, for now. One way or another, he would ensure their compliance.
"Also," SEELE-06 said, "the retrieval of the Fourth Child in the aftermath of the battle raises many questions. How did the Second and Third Children manage to release her from the core?"
'I've been asking that myself, you doddering fools. Among many other things.' Gendo spoke up. "We currently only have speculation when it comes to questions related to the Fourth Child's retrieval. Her connection with the Second and Third Children seems to have played a part in it. How significant, we cannot tell."
'But I want to find out. More than anything they could ever know. If I can get her back…'
Gendo blinked. "However, the Fourth Child has been isolated in case of any lingering Angelic contamination. Her memories of her time inside of the core are vague at best, and she is uncertain of the circumstances of her return. After she has been cleared, she will resume her duties as the pilot of Unit-03."
"Until such time as the Fourth Child is released," SEELE-02 said, "the Sixth Child will hold the position of the pilot of Unit-03. And after such time, he will remain as a reserve pilot in the event that your pilots- any and all of them- are incapacitated. He will be arriving tomorrow."
Gendo nodded imperceptibly. 'Even though I'd only ever recognize him as a spy, a cog in your machine.' he mused. 'I'll ensure he serves his role in the Scenario. And nothing more.' "Very well. I look forward to his arrival."
"See that you do," SEELE-01 said. "And do not think this will be the last time we speak in the near future."
The monoliths disappeared, and Gendo sat in the darkness for a moment. Then the door opened, and the shadow of Fuyutsuki passed over him. "What news, Ikari?"
Gendo stood. "The Sixth Child will be arriving tomorrow. Ensure that Section 2 surveillance on the Child is strengthened from what we first set in place. I'll not take any chances on him." he paused for a moment. "I'll be speaking to the Fourth Child again."
Fuyutsuki shook his head. 'Speak' wasn't a strong enough word for what he had put the poor girl through. And his interrogation had probably made the Child more unwilling to answer his questions, not less. 'But that doesn't matter when it means you can get that much closer to getting her back, does it?' he thought sadly. "Very well, Ikari. I'll see to it."
- - -
Tokyo-3 Municipal High School
Shinji, Asuka, and Rei all looked around themselves with a new view of the world as they entered their school. They were still somewhat shocked at how effective the room, which Asuka decided somewhat in jest to call 'the Infinity Box', instead of leaving it nameless, was at making sure that they could get the training they needed to do done in a single morning.
Today, they had gotten past the basics and the theory of the Three Peaks and moved on to the Sight. Daniel had shown them how to 'change the view', so to speak, and tune their sight to how things looked on the level of the soul.
"It's a rather mesmerizing view." he'd begun. "You can find yourself caught in the beauty of it all if it's your first time looking. So, we'll get that out of the way here. You'll get your first lesson in how to create new Frames right along with it."
"Firstly," Daniel said, "You're going to see how I can see all of you. That way, you can not worry about staring for too terribly long when you start doing it yourselves."
They looked at Daniel for a moment and tried not to fall off their chairs as their vision began to blur for a moment, then… they saw themselves. And not only did they see themselves, but… it was like looking at a piece of modern art, thin, slightly glowing branches radiating from a more brilliant core, stretching out from the center of their chests. Near the core, the branches twisted and spiraled, each in a noticeably different, deep pattern. It was silent for a moment as they looked at themselves with no small amount of awe.
Asuka blinked for a moment before focusing on Rei's soul. It was similar to theirs, but some of the branches seemed different, more tightly wound compared to theirs, and they split and combined in ways that weren't found on either Shinji's or her's souls. "So, what's up with Rei's?"
Daniel nodded slightly. "It's part of her Angelic heritage, of course. But looking at it, Rei, you didn't expect your soul to be this... human, did you?"
Rei shook her head. "No, actually. I…" she paused, and they could see the embarrassment actually spring into existence within her. "My soul comes from Lilith. It was part of the process used to create me."
Daniel, and thus the Children, watched as surprise, then understanding pulsed one after the other in Shinji and Asuka, and relief pulsed from Rei in response. Watching the interplay of emotions was almost more mesmerizing than looking at the souls themselves. "That's the thing. The soul is informed by the body and mind, as much as it informs both in turn. It can and does change somewhat to suit its environment. But it will not become something it isn't. You are part Angel and part human. Your soul recognizes that. Therefore, it has the properties of both."
After a moment, their vision faded, and they looked at Daniel through their own eyes once again. "So," he said, a small smile on his face, "how were your first moments of honest-to-goodness soul searching?"
. . .
As they sat down in class, all three of them, at one point or another, noted Hikari's continued absence. She was still in the Medical Center, due to some nonsense with 'potential Angelic contamination'.
They watched as Toji filed in. He had been by her side for the past two days, and like them, he swore up and down that Hikari was fine. But, in the end, they were only pilots. They didn't make the decisions. Even still, Toji was far more relaxed than he had been as he sat down at his desk. Having Hikari back in the physical world helped all of them.
"Now, before we begin," the old sensei said, drawing most of the student's attention back to him, "we have a new transfer student entering our class. Please, introduce yourself to the class, young man."
All eyes turned to the door as a slight, pale-faced young man walked in, with a messy head of grey hair and piercing red eyes, as a delicate hand drew elegant kanji on the board behind him before he turned. "Hello. My name is Kaworu Nagisa," he said quietly as he scanned the classroom, and his eyes settled on each of the pilots in turn. "I'm happy to be able to join this class. It will be a pleasure to make your acquaintances."
. . .
Rei watched as the new boy walked to an empty seat and sat down as the old sensei's lesson began. Something was off about the boy. Something fundamental that grated at her unlike anything else had before. He was… wrong, somehow. Unconsciously, her left hand began to clench and unclench. She recognized where she had gotten it from, now. Shinji. Her… her brother.
She breathed in, then breathed out. She needed to focus, but the boy kept pulling her attention. It didn't help that his gaze wandered to Shinji every once in a while, setting off her alarms even more. She had to know what he was.
So she closed her eyes and followed Daniel and Eleanor's instructions.
"Alright now," Eleanor said, getting to her feet, "we'll go ahead and get you three started on making your first Frames."
She walked over to Rei first, putting a hand on her head. "Alright. Rei, close your eyes for a moment."
Rei nodded slowly. "Very well."
After a moment, she felt… a presence, not unlike Daniel's from before, but more focused, different in a fundamental way that she couldn't quite place. In fact, if she pushed enough…
"I wouldn't try going down my end of the link without some experience, Rei," Eleanor said through the link between their souls. "Right now, we're going to get you started developing the Sense."
"The Sense?" Rei thought, conscious of the capitalization of the word.
"Yes. The Soulsense, the Sense, the 6th Sense, whatever. It's the thing that allows you to be cognizant of your own soul. It's pretty important in Interfacing."
After a moment, there was a feeling of growth that was slow, but steady, then… a sudden connection. A deepening of perception. "Alright then. Put your hand out in front of your face."
She did so. "Now focus. Like you're trying to synchronize with the Evas."
Rei did so, and for a moment, there was nothing. Then, a hazy blur appeared in front of her, her focus slowly sharpening until she saw… her hand. As it was on the level of the soul.
"Alright," Eleanor said out loud, clearly satisfied. "Now, open your eyes."
Rei did, and the Frame of her hand seemed like a dimly glowing overlay, and she looked down at herself, marveling that she, herself, could see this thing that helped make her… who she was.
She looked over at Shinji and Asuka, who similarly marveled at their newfound sight.
"Very good," Daniel said with a slight smile. "You've just found out what it's like to grow your Frames. Now, let's get started on allowing you to see other Frames as well."
Rei looked over at the boy, Nagisa, and focused.
Daniel nodded. "So, you've felt the way your Frames grew as you became connected to the Sense, correct?"
The Children nodded. "Good. As we've said, you can instigate and direct that growth. So, in order to see other things on the Pneumaic level beyond your own souls, focus the growth into… well, the best description would be lenses of a sort. Think of the principle, the absolute truth, of seeing something for what it is. Then focus, and channel that thought and concept into the growth of the Frame. Your souls… well, they know how to do the rest."
They focused and felt their Frames all grow. After a moment, the growth subsided.
"Alright," Daniel said, nodding slowly and smiling. "You've done it. Each of you will create slightly different Frames. No two Frames are ever alike. But the image of the lenses still stands. Now, you just need to energize them. And for that, just think of letting the lenses drop across your eyes."
Rei let the lenses drop across her eyes, and the soul of Kaworu Nagisa was laid bare to her.
It was immediately obvious to her that he was not fully human, the almost clashing scribble of lines threatening to give her a headache. While part of the Frame of his soul was similar to one found on any other human, the other part was almost… dark, growing at hard angles and sharp points compared to the more flowing, curving lines of a human Frame. Why did it feel… familiar?
An Angel, her instincts cried a moment later. He was part Angel, just as she was. That thought stayed for a moment in her mind until the other part of the truth came to her. Not only was he part Angel, but his Angelic side also came from… Adam. The enemy, that self-same part of her instincts seemed to shout, and her concern grew.
She blinked, the lenses 'coming off', and began to use a feature that had, for the most part, escaped her use in school before now.
Shinji and Asuka blinked as they received a message over their school chat boxes from Rei. 'The new boy is like me. Part Angel. I will deal with him.'
Shinji nodded but did not reply. Asuka, on the other hand, gave Rei a sly look, Rei glancing over and blushing as she noticed.
Asuka received another message. 'It's not like that.'
Asuka nodded slowly, and typer her reply. 'Sure, Wondergirl. Have at him.'
She heard Rei sigh quietly, then typed again after a moment. 'He's like you. I would have never guessed that would even be possible. That… means something. If you're thinking what I think you're thinking… then just go for it. It'll work out. I mean, look at Shinji and me.'
Rei blushed even harder. 'It's not like that, Asuka. At all. He's a danger to us, to the world. Even if he… no. No. We will not be going there.'
. . .
As class ended, and the students began to prepare their lunches, Rei walked over to Shinji, Asuka, and Toji. "I will speak with the new Child in private for a moment," she said almost brusquely. "Then I will join you for lunch."
With that, she turned to go walk toward Kaworu, who chatted amicably with a small group of girls.
The other Children looked at each other in various levels of befuddlement. "Uh… I don't think I've ever seen Rei that… annoyed before." Toji said. "She know this kid or something?"
"Maybe?" Asuka said with a shrug. "I don't know, really. They don't look too dissimilar."
"Maybe they're related somehow?" Shinji postulated, and Asuka blushed slightly.
"Oh, Gott, I hope not."
Rei stopped in front of Kaworu, gaining the boy's attention as the other girls moved off to go eat lunch. "Hello," Kaworu said almost beatifically. "You would be Ms. Ayanami, the First Child, correct?"
"Indeed," Rei replied coolly. "Follow me. I wish to speak to you privately."
She brushed past him as she walked out of the room, and Kaworu's eyebrow quirked as he followed along. "Very well," he said to Rei's back. "I shall follow you."
Rei led Kaworu outside, into a now vacant clubhouse. As Kaworu stepped in, looking around at the sights, Rei shut the door behind them, locking it with a quiet click.
Kaworu paused in the middle of the room, turning to see Rei giving him a cold look. "You are part, Angel." Rei began, a hard edge to her voice.
Kaworu's eyes widened slightly, then he closed them for a moment as he chuckled softly, spreading his hands. "It seems your deduction is uncanny. I believe, from what I have observed, that we are possibly alike in this way."
"Hardly," Rei replied. "I, unlike you, am not a spawn of Adam, seeking to destroy this world and endanger the lives of the people I love. That is our greatest difference."
"Destruction?" Kaworu asked as he looked at her with the barest expression of surprise. "I do not seek to destroy anything. I am, more than anything, curious concerning this world I now inhabit, and what that world might become, in time."
Rei blinked at the rather philosophical answer. 'If you are to be inscrutable, perhaps your soul will be more honest.'
Her Sight returned to her as Kaworu's soul, and the emotions he felt, were laid bare to her as he continued. "But even still, I, along with you and the other Children, have parts to play in events far larger than any of us. Especially Shinji Ikari and his Evangelion."
Rei's eyebrow arched even as her temper flared, and she saw the interest that Kaworu had in Shinji through his near wonder at the very name. "And what, exactly, makes Shinji so important?"
"To say would be to reveal secrets that would put you and those that you associate with in quite the danger." Kaworu shook his head slightly. "I do not think you would be the sort, it seems, to let such things happen carelessly."
A bloom of confusion opened in his soul as he paused for a moment. "You also, it seems, are far different than what I expected. You and the other Children."
Rei's brow furrowed. "And what do you mean by that?"
Kaworu tilted his head slightly. "I expected a different attitude of you, based on what I have seen. Distant. Quiet." he chuckled slightly as amusement rippled through his soul. "A far cry from the current moment. The other pilots, Ms. Horaki, Mr. Suzuhara, and Ms. Soryu-Langley, are of little consequence to me. Their uses to those who use such people will come and pass, and they will likely fall by the wayside. But Shinji Ikari…"
"Shinji Ikari is not for you to… to toy with as you please," Rei said dangerously.
"I mean him no harm," Kaworu said. "In fact, he fascinates me most of all. I had originally taken him to be lonely. Fragile. Yet so strong as the need calls for it. Like…" his brow furrowed slightly. "Like his heart would be made of glass. And yet, he is not lonely. Not by far. I wonder why."
Rei was silent for a moment as she processed the emotions swirling through the boy standing in front of her. There was, indeed, a genuine curiosity that glimmered in his soul, along with other emotions, hidden under it, that she could not fully read.
"Regardless," Rei said, "I will protect the others from you. Especially Shinji and Asuka."
Kaworu's eyebrow arched. "Such specificity." he shrugged slightly. "We must, however, stand together, at least for appearance's sake. Otherwise, those who seek to become as gods might have their suspicion aroused."
The slight smile disappeared, as annoyance and anxiety began to swirl within him. "I would suggest not standing in my way, either. I must know. I must understand why Shinji Ikari is… not how he should be."
Rei gained a puzzled look on her face. Then she blinked. "You want to know what makes Shinji Ikari what he is?" she asked slowly.
Curiosity crashed through Kaworu's soul as he tilted his head. "I do. Do you know?" he said, and Rei could see a glimmer of hope in his soul as she heard it in his voice.
Rei nodded. "It's his love for his friends. His family. But perhaps most importantly, the love he and Asuka Soryu-Langley share."
Kaworu blinked, surprise joining the curiosity. "Love," he said the word as if it were an utterly foreign concept. "How… surprising."
"And yet, it is," Rei replied. "The bond between Shinji and Asuka is… sacred, almost." she paused for a moment, considering what she might say next. "I have yearned for such a bond, I will admit. But I content myself in keeping theirs safe from anything that might threaten it. I will not let you pain either of them with any… advances on Shinji."
"Pain." That word, at least, was very familiar to Kaworu, and he sighed. "Pain is an inevitable part of life, Ms. Ayanami. It is the only true constant within it, and it presses most heavily on our hearts. Some, who feel it especially heavy, assume all life comes to is pain."
Rei blinked as she saw Kaworu's soul. There was a hidden bitterness, mixed with familiarity, even… longing. Kaworu continued into the silence as he looked intently at Rei. "You understand, do you not? The sort of pain we are bound to as we are?"
Rei nodded slowly. "Yes," she said, equally slowly. "I do. But the love that others show me, the love I feel for others, lessens it. It sometimes is… absent."
Kaworu's eyes widened slightly, and Rei saw envy erupt in him, joining the longing in sweeping almost all else away. She was… unsure of what to feel at the moment.
"I see." Kaworu finally said. "Do they know of your true nature?"
Rei nodded slightly. "Yes." she smiled slightly. "They do not care. Regardless of my nature, I am loved." the smile vanished. "They know, at least somewhat, what you are, too."
She saw surprise almost, but not quite, overtake the envy. Then both were drowned by a grim certainty. "Then you are braver than I expected. And those who you regard as friends are now in more danger than they know. There are those who will kill to ensure what we are is kept a secret. Who have killed for far less. The hopeful gods of the Lilin will tolerate nothing less."
Rei's surprise grew as she saw genuine concern behind his words. A concern that seemed born of fully knowing what he said was true. But how? "And who would these hopeful gods be? SEELE? And would you obey their wishes if you know what they might do to Shinji?"
Kaworu shrugged. "They believe themselves to have control of me, it is true. And they send me where they wish. Or, at least, they make a display of it to themselves. As for Shinji Ikari…"
An inscrutable expression crossed his face. "I simply wish to observe. To learn. What I have seen before…"
Rei wondered for a moment before speaking again. There was clearly little love lost between him and SEELE if his emotions concerning the matter were to speak for themselves. Theirs, it seemed, was an alliance of convenience. "So they do not control you?"
Kaworu smiled slightly again. "They control all Lilin. Or, at least, they earnestly wish to do so. They control enough to ensure that, should the other Children's knowledge be revealed, they would be silenced."
Rei squared her shoulders somewhat. "Then I will continue to protect them. I have promised myself that their love shall not be threatened by any outside forces so long as I live."
Wonder returned to Kaworu's soul as he nodded. "All this conviction, for love? How fascinating. It makes me all the more eager to witness its power." he nodded slightly, but with conviction. "I must know Shinji Ikari now."
"Do you really wish to run the risk of undoing what has changed Shinji?" Rei didn't fully know what she was saying at that moment, but it would be better than nothing. "Perhaps interference will drive Shinji away, make him lonely again, as you have apparently heard, instead of what he is now."
Her words, apparently, had some effect on Kaworu as he nodded again. Then, she saw as his focus became drawn to her, that ancient part of her soul rankling at the attention.
"Perhaps, if that is the case… you may teach me somewhat about love if you are willing." Kaworu said as he stepped closer.
As Kaworu came within arm's length, instinct took over, and Rei's hand flashed up, a crack echoing slightly as she smacked Kaworu in the face, sending him spinning to the floor, landing on his back and driving the air from his lungs.
Rei looked down at Kaworu, then back at her hand, with no small amount of shock. 'I… did not account for such animosity. Oops.'
Kaworu looked back up at her, and Rei saw in his soul shock and pain, but also wonder and curiosity, and even a little…
She shut the Sight off and turned to conceal the slight blush she now had.
"Ow," Kaworu said from behind her. "I believe that is a commonly used word for pain. Am I correct?"
"Yes," Rei replied curtly.
"And…" Kaworu paused as she heard him get to his feet. "Was that a gesture of-"
"No," Rei said firmly. "It is not."
Her mind was, frankly, a mess right now, as it tried to process everything that had happened in the last several moments coherently. Perhaps enjoying lunch with her friends would help. At least somewhat.
"You may join the rest of the Children and me for the remainder of lunch," she said curtly as she turned around, taking in the brilliant red handprint on Kaworu's cheek. 'At least the mark matches his eyes. I believe Asuka would say it "makes them pop".'
"I will be monitoring your interactions." Rei continued as she turned to the door, unlocking it and sliding it open. "Do not do anything one would consider… unwise."
. . .
Shinji, Asuka, and Toji all sat on the roof together, digging into lunch as they waited for Rei to return. They chatted aimlessly as they did, remarking not only on Rei and the new kid, and what his significance might be, but also on Kensuke, Sayaka, and Kyoko, who they were growing more sure of thinking of as not just three friends, but a triad relationship.
Shinji's phone buzzed, and he took it out, reading the text message from Rei as Asuka leaned over. 'We're on our way. Look at him with the Sight when we arrive.'
The door swung open harder than usual, and the Children's eyes widened slightly as they took in the sight of Rei, looking… indignant?
She marched over to Shinji's side, sitting down and unwrapping her lunch silently for a moment, the other Children looking at her with no small amount of shock for a moment.
Before anyone could speak, the door opened again, and the Children once again looked to it to see Kaworu, a school lunch in hand, as he came and sat down by Rei's side, the bright red handprint standing out boldly on his right cheek.
"So… uh…" Toji said slowly. "What's up with the slap mark?"
Before Kaworu could reply, Rei interjected. "He is the Sixth Child. We had a discussion and things… grew beyond my control for a moment."
It was silent again as Shinji and Asuka looked at each other with no small amount of awe. "Oh." Shinji finally said as he looked back to Kaworu, and Kaworu looked at him intently. "Well… welcome to the team, I guess."
As he spoke, Shinji and Asuka blinked on the Sight, looking upon the disjointed soul of the boy, parts of it smashed together like a toddler's mad scribble.
Kaworu nodded. "Thank you. I look forward to working by your side," he said quietly, a slight smile on his face.
Asuka nodded in turn. "Sounds good. Likewise, welcome aboard, Nagisa."
They watched the pleasure of being at least somewhat accepted bloom in Kaworu's soul as he chuckled. "Thank you, Ms. Soryu, but please, call me Kaworu."
Asuka shrugged. "Alright. Then I'm Asuka, he's Shinji, he's Toji, and…" she trailed off as she got to Rei, who looked at her levelly. "I'm not sure Rei will let you call her that right now, from what I can guess."
Kaworu nodded. "Understandable. I believe we have simply met on unequal terms. I hope to rectify it before we face the possibility of entering combat."
He looked back at Shinji, his smile growing slightly. "I've heard much about all of you. Especially you, Shinji."
Rei's hand clenched into a fist for a moment as she shot a warning glance over at the boy, and Shinji and Asuka both saw Rei's defensiveness compliment Kaworu's interest. "So, Kaworu," Asuka said after a moment, "where were you found before you came here?"
"I was at NERV-2 in Neue Berlin."
Asuka's eyebrow arched. "Huh. Did you move there recently? I would have thought I'd see you at some point. You don't exactly blend in, after all."
Kaworu shrugged slightly. "I was rather isolated growing up. Even if we were physically near each other, I doubt you would have seen me."
Asuka nodded slowly, as she and Shinji took in the bitterness and sadness behind the seemingly glib statement. "Whatever." Asuka continued. "You're here to pilot Unit-03 now, and that's what matters. At least until Hikari gets out of the hospital."
"And, I'm sorry to say," Shinji shrugged, "we hope Hikari gets out of the hospital soon. We'd like to have our friend back in her Unit."
Kaworu nodded. "I understand. It does not surprise me that you would rather have someone you already know by your side in battle instead of someone you just met today."
He paused for a moment, and a distant look hazed over his eyes. "It is good to be with friends after all, is it not? The bonds we make can be… surprisingly strong."
Shinji and Asuka watched a cyclone of several different emotions whirl to life as he said this, enough that they couldn't make out most of them. They could make out one, though. One that eclipsed almost all others. Loneliness.
As they both reeled internally, Kaworu blinked as he packed away the remains of his lunch. "It seems that I have finished my lunch early. I am going to the restroom." he stood. "I will see you all in class. It is good to meet you all. I hope to become a friend, in time."
With that, he walked off of the roof, leaving the four other Children to ponder the experience while they could.
Shinji and Asuka both blinked the Sight away as they looked at Rei with wondering eyes. "So…" Shinji began. "What did he say to you to…" he shook his head slightly. "Get a slap out of you?"
Rei sighed quietly before she spoke, embarrassment creeping into her expression. "He… said things that made it clear he was willing to interfere with your relationship with Asuka. I took offense and… reacted."
"Reacted?" Asuka asked incredulously. "That's the first time I think I've ever heard you do it that drastically."
Then she blinked. "Wait a minute. Did… did he make a pass at me?"
Rei shook her head. "No. No, first his interest seemed focused almost entirely on Shinji. Then… for a moment…"
She shook her head and said nothing more.
It was Shinji's turn to blink now. "Really? Of all the people here, why would he be most interested in me?"
"I'm unsure. He seemed… familiar with you, somehow. Whether it was through NERV's personnel files on us or through some other means, I'm also unsure. Regardless, he expected you to be… different from your current disposition."
It was a silent moment before Toji shook his head. "Man. I almost forgot how weird us Eva pilots can be sometimes." he looked around at the group. "Am I really the most normal person here?"
Shinji shrugged. "You and Hikari seem to be the most… well-adjusted out of all of us."
Toji nodded, and after a little while, the school bell rang.
"Alright," Asuka said as she stood. "Time for classes with the new kid."
"So it would seem," Rei said.
. . .
Classes that day went as they usually did, but as the last school bell rang, and everyone prepared to leave, Shinji, Asuka, and Rei received a text from Daniel. He would be taking them to the Geofront.
As they filed into Daniel's car, Asuka climbed into the back with Shinji. "So, what gives with us going into the Geofront instead of home?"
Daniel sighed quietly as he began to drive. "Commander Ikari wants to speak to you, Shinji and Asuka."
A tense silence fell over the car. "He'd better be doing what I think he is," Asuka said after a moment.
Daniel nodded. "I believe he will reinstate you as pilots. You proved yourselves enough against Zeruel that even the Committee has probably taken notice. The Dummy Systems here will likely be a thing of the past, now. Hopefully."
An almost tangible air of relief settled over the occupants of the car. It couldn't quite cover up the tenseness and confusion over Kaworu. Daniel seemed to pick up on this. "So, I believe the new pilot just had his first day of school here, correct?"
"Yeah…" Asuka said after a moment. "He's something, that's for sure."
Daniel looked over at Rei, who had tensed up slightly at the mention of Kaworu. "He's half-Angel, right?"
She nodded stiffly. "Yes." she paused for a moment. "Not only is he half-Angel… his Angelic part comes from Adam. The Angel who initiated Second Impact. The progenitor of every Angel we've encountered and defeated."
Asuka and Shinji audibly gasped. "You mean…" Shinji said. "You mean that there's a possibility he might…"
Rei shook her head. "I am unsure. The part of me that comes from Lilith tells me that he is an enemy, regardless of what he says or does. But…"
Daniel nodded slowly. After a moment of consideration, he strengthened his connection with Eleanor. She was driving behind them with Toji. He smiled slightly. He would be in for a surprise later today.
Shaking his head slightly as he refocused, he spoke to Eleanor. "Should I tell them about Kaworu?"
He felt the deliberation happening in Eleanor's mind. "Well, if he truly is an agent of SEELE, then we run the risk of just making it harder for them to work together. People are going to notice that."
"True," Daniel said, "but on the other hand, they have the Sight now. They've more than likely seen his soul. The conflict within him. They would know that there's something more to him than what rests on their surface perceptions."
Eleanor was quiet for another moment as Daniel entered the accessway to the car lifts. Then he felt the mental equivalent of a shrug. "Alright. We'll chance at telling them. Like you've said, they've all more than likely seen his soul. Now… now they just need the rest of his story."
Daniel nodded, and the link was weakened, as the car began to rattle gently with their descent into the Geofront proper.
Asuka watched Daniel, then poked him in the shoulder. "You know something more about the new kid than we do, Daniel. So spill it. What is up with Kaworu?"
Daniel was quiet for a moment. "Kaworu, like Rei, is part-Angel, descending from Adam. This much should have been evident from looking at his soul." he paused for a moment. "I'm assuming you all took advantage of the Sight you so recently gained?"
Shinji nodded. "Yeah. It was like… looking at a child's doodle on a sketchbook pad. Or like looking at two different sets of scribbled lines that don't quite fit together."
Daniel nodded. "Indeed. Most beings whose heritage includes multiple species have souls that are like that. Usually, the result is more unified, less… clashing. That comes from a natural union. When it's forced together, as it has been in Rei's case, the result is more like what you've described. For Rei, it's less noticeable, seeing as Lilith is the progenitor of all life on Earth. But like Rei said, Kaworu is also partly Angelic, on Adam's side. Because Angels and humanity are so fundamentally different, the soul… clashes with itself. One part or the other trying to establish dominance."
He looked over at Rei. "One part trying to dominate the other is something that is familiar to you, I would imagine, Rei."
Rei nodded. "I do sometimes feel a… a sort of pull to… reunite with Lilith."
Asuka and Shinji turned to Rei with shock. "So you're saying that if you get too close to Lilith, you…" Shinji said, trailing off.
Rei shook her head. "No. And, at least, the feeling is lessened now. Being with the people that I love helps. Thank you for your concern, Shinji."
Asuka nodded, then looked back at Daniel. "That doesn't answer our questions about the new scribble in town. We know what he is. We just don't know who. You more than likely do. You…" she scoffed slightly. "You watched an entire television show about us. He's probably in it, I bet. So, who is Kaworu Nagisa?"
Daniel was silent for a moment as they came into view of the Geofront. "Kaworu Nagisa... is the final Angel."
All three Children's eyes went wide, and Rei's instinct screamed at her to do something about the boy at the mention of it. "You mean…" Shinji said, fear evident in his eyes. "We'll have to fight him at some point?"
Daniel sighed, and bowed his head. "In the show that made its way to my world, Kaworu Nagisa comes in the aftermath of the next Angel attack." he blinked after a moment. They would need to prepare for that. And soon. He focused back on the topic at hand. "He would come to Tokyo-3 and find a Shinji Ikari who has been… completely and utterly broken."
The car was silent for a moment before he continued. "He became Shinji's only friend at that time. Misato mourned the death of Kaji, who dug too deep in search of the truth," he paused for a moment as Asuka gasped quietly, "you, Asuka, never admitted your feelings for him. You grew apart, and you spiraled into depression as Shinji became a better pilot. After defeat after presumed defeat at the hands of the Angels, you eventually… sank into catatonia."
Asuka didn't even gasp this time, finding Shinji's hand and squeezing it tightly. Daniel shook his head. He hated to hurt them like this. But it was the only way to have them understand what Kaworu was. He looked over at Rei. "And you, Rei… the Angel attack which sent Asuka into catatonia… killed you."
Rei's eyes went wide. "And I was presumably replaced, and the drug regimen reinstituted."
Daniel shook his head. "You never went off it in the first place, or you were so different that there were no drugs involved. I can't entirely tell. But Asuka only ever saw you as a rival in that world. She would have never interacted with you enough to find out either way." Daniel shook his head again. "But I digress."
Daniel took a deep breath. "Kaworu was sent to pilot Unit-02 in Asuka's absence. As I said, he bonded with that Shinji and became perhaps the only person in his life at that point who showed him unconditional love. Then..."
"The urge that all Angels share became too strong, I presume," Shinji said quietly.
Daniel nodded. "Yes. And he made it all the way to Terminal Dogma. Where he found Lilith. And at that moment, he recognized what he would do would extinguish Shinji's life. So, in the end, Shinji had to…" he trailed off.
Shinji's eyes went wide. "I… I had to… kill him?"
Daniel nodded. "Yes. He had to nearly beg that version of Shinji to do it, to stop him from going through with what the Angels were trying to do. It was his choice. And he lived up to his Angelic name, in the end. Tabris. The Angel of Free Will. He recognized, in the end, that he was a tool for SEELE, and did his best to stop them in the way that he knew how. By trying to exercise his own free will."
It was silent as Daniel stopped talking. All in the car pondered what they had heard. Rei thought especially deeply, her thoughts crystalizing into three words. 'He's… like me.'
Daniel shook his head after a moment, a small smile on his face. "Now that I've brought the mood down to where it is right now, as penance for my sinful actions, it is my distinct pleasure to have to ruin that mood."
As the other Children looked at him, he nodded over toward the surface from where they came. "Eleanor is bringing Toji down to check in on Hikari and Sakura. What he doesn't know is that Hikari has been cleared to exit quarantine."
As the Children's faces lit up, Daniel put up a hand. "Now, that doesn't mean that she's back on active duty as of now. She's still in reserve and having Kaworu pilot Unit-03. But she can come back to school. A fact I'm sure that everyone will find equitable. Rei and I will go and be part of breaking the news to Toji while you two are meeting with Commander Ikari. We'll be waiting for you."
The Children, now in a much better mood, now awaited, whether eagerly or not, what would come next.
. . .
Shinji and Asuka stood in front of the door to Commander Ikari's office and tried not to appear too anxious to their bodyguards, now at least somewhat lesser in number than before. As the doors opened, they stepped in, alone again.
As they walked towards the singular desk in the middle of the room, Shinji couldn't help but feel some small anxiety. What if Daniel was wrong? What if fat-Commander Ikari had just called them in to punish them for commandeering Unit-03? As they came to a stop at what was still a ridiculous amount of space away from Commander Ikari's desk, Shinji breathed in quietly. 'Whatever comes, Asuka and I can handle it. We win together. And that's just the truth.'
Commander Ikari regarded them silently for a moment before speaking. "Your actions have been noticed and commended by the Human Instrumentality Committee. They have recommended that your status as pilots be reinstated. Therefore, as of this moment, you are once again pilots to your respective Evangelion. That is all. You are dismissed."
As Shinji and Asuka turned, Ikari spoke up again, causing the two of them to pause. "But know this. Any further insubordination will not be tolerated."
Shinji and Asuka continued to walk out after a quick moment to process what was just said, and the doors shut behind them. They walked a little way before Asuka turned to Shinji. The look in her eyes was exultant, and she seemed to want to hug him. Shinji wondered why she didn't just do it, then remembered the fact that this hallway was probably heavily monitored. "We…" she said quietly. "We can do it. We can talk to our mothers. Finally."
Shinji's eyes widened. Of course. He had almost become so enamored by the new world of Interfacing presented to him, that the thought of finally being able to speak to his mother again had almost slipped by him. But only almost. His eyes widened in turn, as tears began to well up in them.
They continued to walk on, quietly marveling at the fact that they were, in fact, pilots again, and both wondered when their next synch test would be. That would be the best time to do it, after all. But the Evas were still being repaired. That would be a little ways off, for now. But now… for what seemed like the first time in… well, ever, Shinji was anxious to get into the Entry Plug of Unit-01.
Eventually, they reached the open air, sharing a tight, long hug as they finally felt comfortable doing so, and walked a path that led towards the NERV Medical Center. As they came to reach the doors that led inside, they opened, and Hikari, hand in hand with an absolutely over-the-moon Toji, walked out, followed by Daniel, Eleanor, and Rei, all of whom had bemused, but happy smiles on their faces.
As Hikari noticed Shinji and Asuka, she waved excitedly at them, and Asuka and Shinji waved back, Asuka stepping forward into a hug. "So, they finally let you out!" Asuka said, taking Hikari in with a smile.
Hikari nodded. "Yes, Asuka. But I'm not back on active duty just yet. I've heard that they found the Sixth Child and that he'll be taking my place for a little bit. Is that right?"
Asuka rolled her eyes and put a hand on Hikari's shoulder. "Oh, boy. You don't know the half of it."
She looked over at Toji. "I know you two have been waiting for each other, but could I steal your girlfriend for some girl talk for a little while?"
Toji nodded his head as he rolled his eyes. "Well, I guess I should've seen this coming. I'm not gonna try stopping you. I like my arms without bruises, thank you very much."
Asuka shook her head as she smiled. "Thanks, jock."
As Asuka and Hikari walked ahead and talked in low voices, Shinji made his way to Toji's side. "It's good to see you so happy, Toji," Shinji said with a smile.
Toji nodded, looking ahead at Hikari as he smiled. "It's good to be this happy, Shin-man." Toji looked over at him with a sly smile, elbowing his side. "And talking with Hikari… man, of all the people that I thought would have better game with the ladies than me, I almost would have never guessed it would be you!"
Shinji blushed, and Toji chuckled. "Don't sweat it, Shin-man." He went quiet, his smile becoming more thoughtful. "I mean, lately, whenever I've wondered what would make Hikari smile… I've thought of what you might do." he chuckled softly. "And that was before I figured out you were dating Asuka Soryu-Langley, the mysterious, hot transfer student."
Shinji's blush deepened slightly. "Wow. It's funny you say that. Because, especially early on, whenever I had trouble feeling confident… well, I'd think of you. Brave and patient and sure of himself. You've helped me as much as I seemed to have helped you."
Toji looked at Shinji with surprise, then his smile returned as he patted Shinji's shoulder. "Look at us. A couple of stooges, and we managed to get this lucky? The universe must be feeling nice to us, man." They chuckled, and the next few moments passed in companionable silence.
Shinji looked over at the girls as they walked in front of them, then looked back at Toji. "So, will you be taking Hikari out later?"
Toji nodded slowly. "Yeah. But…" he looked back, and Shinji looked back with him to look at Daniel, Eleanor, and Rei all quietly talking a little ways behind. "Daniel promised that when Hikari got out, he would answer our questions. Like how our mother's souls are in our Evas. That's happening first thing today." Toji looked back at Shinji with a small smile. "Then it's date night with Hikari. School day tomorrow be damned. We've been looking forward to it since she got back from the Eva core. We've got a movie and dinner in mind…"
Shinji and Toji idly chatted as they made their way back toward the cars. Eventually, they all arrived at the cars, and after a much happier drive out of the Geofront, the Theisman residence door opened to a slightly tired, but happy group of pilots and head technicians.
Daniel turned to Hikari and Toji. "Alright. I promised I'd answer your questions. And that answer… is going to seem a little strange, especially in the beginning. Shinji, Asuka, and Rei have already heard the whole spiel."
He looked over at the Children in question. "Do any of you three want to skip out this time?"
They all shook their heads, Asuka smiling as she did so. "Are you kidding? I don't want to miss their reactions when they see this."
Toji looked at Asuka, then at Daniel with raised eyebrows. "What kind of explanation are we talking about? And why is Asuka so excited?"
Daniel smiled slightly. "Well, follow us and find out."
As Daniel led the Children into the depths of the Infinity Box, separating them from time as he did, he turned to Hikari and Toji, the other three Children making an expectant cluster to the side of them. "So, Hikari, Toji. You've wondered how we know about the things we know. How I went into battle in Unit-04. Well, to start things off…" he paused dramatically and caught Asuka rolling her eyes out of the corner of his own. "I am Colonel Daniel Theisman, and this is Colonel Eleanor Theisman. And we are not from this universe."
It was silent for a moment. Then Toji scratched the back of his head, the disbelief in his eyes warring with what he had already seen. "You know, I'd ask if that was a joke, but with what's been going on in the last few minutes…" he trailed off as he looked around the room again.
Hikari raised her hand slightly, then remembering that she wasn't in class right now, lowered it. "So, are you from a different version of NERV, then?"
Eleanor shook her head. "No, this is still our one and only NERV, where I am still a First Lieutenant, and Daniel is a Captain. We are Colonels in a different organization, and to explain that… well, we'll have to start from the beginning."
The room dimmed and then darkened. Then, the Worldsea was revealed all at once, and the Children each had a satisfied smile on their faces as they watched wonder and awe bloom on the faces of Hikari and Toji.
Eleanor stepped forward, spreading her arms as if to take in the entirety of what was around her. "Behold," she said in a nearly reverent voice. "Reality."
- - -
Ritsuko's Apartment, Geofront
Ritsuko Akagi typed at her laptop as she absentmindedly ate her dinner. It was a nice night tonight to work on, or with now, she supposed, the Magi and her mother. The fact that Maya was there too was really supposed to be an unintended bonus.
Going out for drinks went well. Better than expected, really, and Ritsuko had seriously, or at least as seriously as 3 drinks in her system could make it, considered just bringing her back home with her that night.
She would have accepted, but… it would have been too much far too quickly. People would notice. He would notice. He'd have another lever to pull to get her to dance the way he wanted her to. And besides, she didn't want to take advantage of her student. As sad as it was to see Maya's face when she said she needed to go home. And going home alone… well, last night was a restless one. She saw Maya's face in full in her dreams now.
So now, Ritsuko sat at her dining room table at home, doing work that clearly needed to be done, while Maya had decided to come over and graciously assist her in completing that work. The fact that she stayed long enough to make dinner that they ate as they worked was an aside, really.
Their work progressed, and soon, the most relevant parts of it were finished. That it was timed to coincide with finishing dinner was just one more of tonight's little coincidences.
Ritsuko nodded at her protégé. "Alright, Maya. I can finish the rest of this on my own tonight."
Maya nodded as she stood. "Okay, Senpai. Thank you for having me over."
Ritsuko smiled. "Please, Maya, we've worked together long enough. Just call me Ritsuko."
Maya was quiet for a moment as she blushed slightly. "Okay, Se- uh… Ritsuko."
Ritsuko fought not to have a blush show up on her own face as she nodded. "Thank you, Maya. I'll see you tomorrow."
Maya nodded, a small smile growing on her face. "Likewise." she turned, and with the quiet swish of the door opening and shutting, she was alone once again.
Or, at least, she would have been, when an eerily familiar voice finally decided to make its presence known. "You know, dear, if you wanted to have a dinner date with her, you didn't need to let me get in the way."
The heat in Ritsuko's cheeks became embarrassment. "Mother… it's not like that."
"Oh, is it?" Naoko Akagi said, and Ritsuko could almost see the arched eyebrow on her mother's face. "I have a camera that I can access on this laptop, dear, and a working brain to go with it. You were smiling at her the whole time you two were working. You like her. Go get her."
Ritsuko felt a small spike of fear stab into her heart. "It's not that simple, mother. There's the fact that she's still my student at the end of the day. And… that he's…"
As she trailed off, her laptop whirred, and she could feel the heat emanating off of it for a moment. A part of her marveled silently at it. 'Her emotions are affecting the physical hardware that she finds herself in. Fascinating.'
The laptop stopped whirring. "He…" her mother said in a voice filled with anger that slid down into resignation and regret. "He has you in his bed, doesn't he?"
Ritsuko was silent for a moment, then nodded. "Yes." a note of bitterness entered her voice even as it became quiet. "One more way I happen to be just like you..."
It was quiet for a moment. Then Naoko spoke again. "If only I had kept my grief in check… maybe… I could have spared you from-"
"No, mother. The past is the past." Ritsuko said, a little more forcefully than she intended to. "There's nothing to gain from 'could have beens'."
It was silent again. A sigh came from the speakers of the laptop. "Even still, what Gendo's doing with you, toying with you to keep you on his leash… that's not love. You know that as well as I do. What you have with Ms. Ibuki… that's love. So do something about it."
Ritsuko shook her head. "Didn't we just go over the fact that it's far more complicated than that? Not only in putting her in danger but even just entering into that sort of relationship, even post-Second Impact… suffice to say, like I've said, it's complicated."
Naoko chuckled. "The thing I've found about death, dear, is that it greatly simplifies things. For example, my feelings on love. Do you want to be different from me? I never loved your father. I never loved Gendo. And when all was said and done… my love for you was sorely lacking. In the end, I died without love. You have the chance to be with someone who loves you, without condition, for who you are. Not for what you can do for her, not for what happens to be in your brain, but just for the person you can be. Who she believes you to be. So… why wait, anymore?"
Ritsuko was silent for a moment as she considered her mother's words. 'She's… she's right. What am I doing, dancing around this? Making the same mistakes my mother made? But… no. No more but's or beside's or what about's. I'm going to do… something.'
"Mother…" she said quietly. "Thank you." she would have never guessed that she could have ever said those words to her mother and have her hear them. Even now, it felt like she was just talking to the computer, the Magi, again.
Then the machine answered. "Of course, darling. If I can help you, then… perhaps there's hope for me, as well."
The Children continue to prepare, both as pilots and as freshly initiated Interfacers. A moment of peril delivers a confession, and it seems like it will be a quiet, yet eventful Christmas. Next Episode: Heavenly Peace.
Asuka slowly got back to her feet, taking as deep a breath as she could while being grateful that the floor could change into something softer than the hard, blue stone that they usually walked on. Learning martial arts had long been a part of her training to become an Eva pilot. But the small, but noticeable boost in strength and speed that the Theismans had them limited to for now had thrown her for a bit of a loop.
And poor Shinji… he was learning the basics on top of that, she thought as she watched him take yet another fall. But he was always back on his feet within seconds, ready to try again. She smiled slightly at his almost limitless tenacity. 'That's my rookie.'
After a few more falls, Daniel, Shinji's sparring partner, helped Shinji back up. "Alright, we'll go ahead and take a break. Good job keeping at it, Shinji. All it takes once you know what to do is time to get used to moving faster and being stronger."
Shinji nodded, a tired smile on his face as he wiped the sweat from his brow. "Thanks, Daniel."
Toji, who was currently on break sitting on a bench that circled from the edges of the room and cradling a bottle of water like it was his child, nodded at Daniel. "Y'know, you say that, and a question I've been thinking of comes to mind. How long have you guys been doing what you do? Does your Interfacing keep you looking, you know, young and stuff?"
Hikari, sipping from her own bottle, punched Toji lightly on the shoulder. "Now, Toji, it's rude to just ask someone how old they are."
Daniel and Eleanor both chuckled. "It's fine, Hikari," Daniel said. "It's a completely valid question. And yes, Interfacing does play a part in keeping us youthful. I mean…" he turned to Eleanor. "How old was Rasczak?"
Eleanor nodded, her gaze darting up and to the side in thought. "Hmmm… last I remember, she put some silver in her hair for her 1,500th."
The Children's eyes all widened, even Rei's, who was, for the most part, nonplussed by much of what they heard concerning the wider Worldsea. "1,500?" Asuka said incredulously. "What does that make you? 500 years old each?"
Eleanor chuckled. "No," she said easily, then paused as she pondered in her head. "I am still about 26 biologically. However, time does funny things whenever you enter an Echo. You're synched to that Echo's timeline in place of the wider Worldsea's. It's generally called the Narnia effect. Time goes slower outside an Echo than it does inside." Eleanor paused again as she pondered. "So, including time spent in Echoes, that makes me… about 50 years old, give or take."
The Children nodded slowly. "Okay," Shinji said after he took a deep drink of water, "makes sense."
He looked over at Daniel. "I'm guessing you're about the same age?"
Daniel sighed quietly, his expression thoughtful and a little sad. "My age… is a little more complicated to explain." he walked over to the bench, grabbed a bottle of water, and opened it, sipping thoughtfully.
After a moment, he turned back to face everyone else. "Alright. We all need a bit of a break, and what better way to spend a break than by telling a story about my travels?"
The others nodded, some more quickly than others, and Daniel smiled slightly. "Good."
From the center of the floor, another bench sprang into existence, padded and with a back to lean on. In front of it, a single stool appeared. Daniel made his way to the stool and sat down. Taking his cue, the others sat down on the bench in front of him, and as they did, the room slowly began to darken. "I'll go ahead and ask that you remain seated at first," Daniel said, with a slight smile that was disappearing. "But feel free to look around when I talk."
It was quiet for a moment, then the story began.
Tendrils of mist began to wrap around their feet, and soon enough, it seemed that they were enshrouded in fog. After a moment, massive, similarly grey trees began to break up the landscape. Then, Daniel spoke.
"In the beginning of this particular Echo's time, the world was shrouded in mist. There was nothing but crags of rock and the massive Archtrees to break up the scenery. The only living things found within…" he paused as a shadow passed over them, and his audience looked up to see a massive dragon pass overhead, four wings flapping with a thundering sound as it landed seemingly close by. "Were the everlasting dragons, with their scales that granted them immortality…" he paused again as a figure, wrapped in a cloak of grey to match the scenery, walked past from behind Daniel, walking past the group on their right. "And me."
Asuka's eyes narrowed. She had seen this before, she was sure. But where…
Daniel continued. "I was here for… well, a long, long time. Then… there was Fire."
The scene changed, and beside them stood one of the Archtrees, a cleft in its roots seeming to lead deep underground. Then, the scene moved, some of the Children clutching at the seat as they seemed to enter the cleft.
"And with Fire came Disparity," Daniel said, almost reverently. "Heat and Cold, Life and Death. And, of course…"
They seemed to enter a massive cave, glowing at the far end with a similarly massive flame that stretched across the back wall. Beside them stood Daniel from the past, with short hair and a clean-shaven face. "Light and Dark." the current Daniel said.
He paused for a moment. "I was there when the First Flame of this world lit up. I watched as, from the dark, they came."
Daniel glanced back from his stool, and those on the bench strained to look, as shadowy, nearly skeletal figures began to emerge from the darkness of the cavern, and slowly make their way toward the flame.
"And within the flame, the Hollows found souls. Three of them found especially powerful ones. The Souls of Lords."
They watched as three particularly adventurous husks stumbled forward, stopping short of the flame. One eventually pushed on, reaching into the flame with both hands, before extracting a glowing orb that flickered much as the flame did. After a moment to seemingly marvel at it, it brought the soul to its chest.
Then, the image seemed to blur, great amounts of time passing in moments before it slowed. "The first of these Hollows to gain a soul was the first to die, and thus became Lord of Death. His name was Nito." Daniel said quietly, as the blur slowed to show what seemed to be a massive pile of skeletons, wrapped in a cloak of black feathers, many skulls fanning out beneath a skull that was larger than the rest.
Time began to pass quickly again and slowed as another reached into the flames, taking for itself another bright, flickering soul. The soul seemed to burn as any fire would, scorching the Hollow's hands as it took in the soul. Time began to blur again, and the image resolved into a tall woman, wrapped in robes and surrounded by 7 smaller, similarly robed figures. "The second of these Hollows gained mastery over the flame, learning to bend it to her will, a skill that she taught her daughters. Her name was Izalith, and her students were the Daughters of Chaos."
Time blurred again, and the last Hollow reached into the flame, taking for itself a soul that shone like the sun. Again, time flew by, and settled on the image of an old king, his hair long and curled and white, his beard nearly stretching to the middle of his stomach, clad in shining armor and attended by an army of similarly gleaming knights. "And the last of these souls was like sunlight, which the world had never seen before. Thus, Gwyn became the Lord of Sunlight, and his Silver Knights were ever faithful to him." Daniel said, a tinge of sadness in his voice.
The image returned to the First Flame, now burning low and seemingly abandoned, save for a single Hollow who kneeled beside it.
It held in its hands a small flame, almost seeming to threaten to go out at any moment. "And yet," Daniel said quietly, "there was one more soul, as great as the others, but cast aside for those that shone brighter. And the forgotten, dark soul was, fittingly, attained by the furtive pygmy, so easily forgotten. And it was he who would become the first Man."
Daniel looked back at his audience. All were enamored, even the usually blase Toji and the stoic Rei. After a moment, he continued. "In time, the Lords found themselves dissatisfied with their lot. They sought to claim the world from the dragons that lived above them. So, they burst from the earth, and began to fight the dragons."
The scene shifted to above ground, and all watched as a massive battle swirled around them. True to Daniel's word, the scales of the dragons could not seem to be pierced by any weapon that the Lord's forces possessed. "It was a hard struggle for the Lords and their forces, and few dragons fell in the early days. But then, a turning point arrived, in the most unexpected of ways."
The scene shifted again, and a pale dragon, blind and slithering on many tails, spoke to Gwyn, who seemed to listen intently. "Seath, the Scaleless, shunned by the other dragons, told Gwyn that their scales could be pried apart by lightning."
The scene shifted to show Gwyn, at the front of his army, facing down an oncoming flight of dragons, as he summoned a crackling bolt of lightning in his hand, throwing it like a javelin. The men behind him did much the same, and the lightning bolts were like a flock of brilliant birds as they flew toward the dragons. True to Seath's word, the lightning peeled apart their scales, and dragons began to drop from the sky.
"And the war swung into the Lord's favor, as the dragons began to fall from the sky. As the Archtrees began to be set ablaze by Izalith and her daughters, and Nito unleashed torrents of death and disease." Daniel said, showing each of the Lords of Cinder working their magic.
"Eventually," Daniel said after a dramatic pause, "the dragons, and the world they inhabited, were no more. Nito and Izalith returned underground, Nito to be left alone, and Izalith to found a city in her name. Gwyn stayed on the surface, stylizing himself as the god of this new world, ruler of an Age of Fire, and built a city worthy of hosting him and his family. The City of the Gods. Lordran."
The scene, and time, passed in another blur, and eventually, Daniel and his audience found themselves atop a high wall, looking down on a beautiful city that seemed to glow with sunlight.
Daniel stood, his seat disappearing. "You can go ahead and stand if you'd like. Makes the story just a bit more immersive," he said with a slight smile.
The others stood and joined Daniel's side as they looked down at the majestic scene. As they looked, Asuka snapped her fingers. "I know where this is!"
Everyone else looked at her inquisitively as she placed her hands on her hips. "This is the world of Flammenseelen. It's a video game that Daniel and I played on the X360."
Daniel chuckled. "Yes, it is. Where I'm from, it's known as Dark Souls. And yes, it's exactly as hard as it is here."
Asuka rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I can imagine. What was it you always seemed to say when either of us died? 'Failure is not an end…'"
"It is simply a chance to begin again, but more wisely," Daniel said, his smile widening. "It's a lesson the game teaches very… bluntly."
"With the number of times I died, I guess I didn't learn it very well," Asuka grumbled, even as she smiled.
Daniel chuckled slightly, then turned back to regard the city. "This city of the gods lasted for generations. Then…" he paused for a moment. "As all flames do, the First Flame started to burn low."
After a quiet moment, Daniel continued. "Each of the Lords had their own solution. Nito's was perhaps the simplest: let it die, as all things do. Izalith, in her pride, decided to try and make a First Flame of her own. The flame ran out of her control, becoming the Chaos Flame."
"And that's how the demons were made, right?" Asuka asked, and Daniel nodded.
"That is correct, Asuka," Daniel said. "And Gwyn fought a bloody battle against the demons. But the First Flame continued to gutter, and the Age of Fire seemed doomed to pass into the Age of Darkness. The Age of Men."
Daniel's expression grew serious. "Gwyn feared the loss of his power and the seemingly limitless power of the Dark Soul of Man. So, he did two things."
Daniel's brow creased into a slight frown. "The first was to place a limit, a choker, on the dark souls of men. A Darksign that surrounded some of their souls, causing them to slowly, but surely, go mad."
"And the second," Daniel said, "after all else seemed to fail, he offered himself and his soul up as kindling to the Flame, to keep it alight. Thus, the cycle of the Flame being rekindled by those with sufficiently powerful souls began."
Daniel paused for a moment, sighing quietly. "The cycle went on and on for a while, and, eventually, I had the… well, the 'privilege' of lighting the First Flame myself."
The scene changed from the grand city to a dark, arena-like structure, a small fire flickering at the center as a sword with a coiled blade stood embedded in it. In front of it, Gwyn, now a withered husk, stood sentinel with a massive blade.
Daniel's expression was unreadable as he continued, but his eyes and voice gave away his sadness. "Gwyn's soulless body was the final challenge. I had… done what I could to help this world. I healed what Daughters of Chaos survived, and even helped them find a way to extract Izalith's soul from the monstrous Bed of Chaos. I traveled back in time and healed the legendary knight Artorias of his madness and helped him slay Manus, the first Man. And now… I had to fight Gwyn. Stubborn old bastard that he was, in death as much as in life."
Through a gate of mist, Daniel, clad in simple armor and wielding a sword and staff, walked forward as Gwyn charged at him with a mighty leap, his sword bursting into flame.
They watched silently as Daniel and Gwyn swirled around each other, strike and block, parry and riposte making an echoing dance around an arena that was otherwise silent as the grave.
With a flash of magical light, a glowing blue bolt of crystal shot out from Daniel's staff, and Gwyn's sword went out as he crumpled to the ground, eventually turning to dust. The Daniel of that time walked over to him, crouching to pick up a flickering mote from within the pile of ash. It was his soul, or what was left of it, dim and slowly flickering. Daniel stepped over the pile of ash that was once a god and stood before a decision.
"So…" Asuka said slowly, turning to the current Daniel. "What did you do? Did you let the flame go out and leave the world in darkness? You clearly didn't give your soul to the First Flame to keep it going."
Daniel watched as his past self knelt in front of the bonfire. "No, Asuka. I chose the third option," he said quietly.
The Daniel of the past stood and turned to walk away, glancing down at an object that glowed brightly before walking out of the arena.
"I exited the Kiln of the First Flame," the present Daniel said, as the view shifted to a set of stairs, bathed in white light, that the past Daniel walked up, "and found a greeting party waiting for me."
As he reached the top of the stairs, two rows of massive serpents, with massive drooping jowls and a rictus grin of wedge-like teeth, regarded the Daniel of the past.
"What're-" Toji said before Asuka put a hand over his mouth. "Quiet, Toji," Asuka said, "I want to hear what happens."
As Asuka finished, the first serpent on Daniel's left spoke. "My Lord, bless thy safe return. Let Kaathe and Frampt serve Your Highness. We are here to serve Your Highness. Let true Dark be cast upon the world. Our lord hath returned'st."
The Daniel of the past stood silently for a moment. Finally, one word echoed through the long chamber. "No."
Many of the serpent's heads jerked up as they heard this, and a susurrus of confusion filled the room as the closest serpent to Daniel's left looked upon the past version of him with no small amount of incredulity. "Your Highness… what do you mean?"
The Daniel of the past looked up at the primordial serpent, then raised an arm back to whence he came. "Look to the kiln, and see."
The serpents seemed to crowd towards the present Daniel, Eleanor, and the Children, Toji letting out a startled cry as he seemed to get far too close a look at one of their leering faces.
They were silent, then their eyes seemed to widen still further than they already were as they, along with the group from the present, felt a bloom of heat, and saw the stairway of light somehow become even brighter, one of the serpents looking at the past Daniel with no small amount of shock. "How is this possible? You have left the First Flame behind, and yet the flame is lit again? What sorcery of flame is this?" the serpent said incredulously.
The past Daniel turned to regard the serpents, more than a few of whom were almost quailing in fear of him. "I have given this world a chance to continue without sacrifice. If those who come after my passing wish to rekindle the First Flame, I have placed a Soul Ember there, which shall light it without a sacrifice of their souls as kindling."
"Thou who guardest the Flame," the past Daniel continued, as the present one rolled his eyes at his verbosity, "let not this thing pass from your memory. For a soul is a precious thing, indeed. To use it as kindling, even for the First Flame, is to throw away the greatest of artworks, the most profound potential, to simply continue what is."
The past Daniel walked then away from the group of serpents, and those who watched the memory. The image began to blur again, and the present Daniel sighed. "Lordran fell soon after I said that. Reduced to darkness and long-lost memories. And in time, the Soul Ember was forgotten, and the world plunged into darkness again. Then the flame would be relit for a season, then extinguished for a season. Time had become… nearly meaningless."
Daniel shook his head. "And I moved on. In time, I came to rest in the land of Forossa, near the kingdom of Drangleic."
Asuka slowly nodded her head as the blur resolved into a view of a city, low to the ground and severe with an almost military feeling in the air. "Drangleic is from the second one, right?"
Daniel nodded. "That's correct. But Forossa is where I ended up, among the company of the Lion Knights. They were dedicated to being among the best soldiers in the world. They were led by the estranged son of Gwyn, Faraam."
The image moved, and it entered a massive training hall, where men and women all trained with sword and shield, with axes and greatswords and polearms. "Faraam valued martial prowess above all else. After all, one's strength and endurance were what carried the day in this world of Hollows and… the Abyss."
"The Abyss?" Rei said quietly, causing a few in the group, mainly Toji, to jump slightly.
Daniel nodded. "The Abyss is the collection of all the negative aspects of humanity's Dark Soul, said to have been brought into being when Gwyn created the Darksign. It is an almost existential threat to all life in this world. Sometimes, foul creatures, or Hollows that had been tainted by the Abyss, would attack those around them madly, seeking simply to destroy everything around them."
Daniel sighed as a line of men wearing red cloaks passed by, bound in chains. "The threat was great enough that slaves were made into soldiers. Their red hoods stood out on the field of battle."
He pointed at one, an older man with a rough beard and sunken, shifting grey eyes. "Remember him. His name is Gael. He would die at the end of the world, searching for the blood of the Dark Soul to take to his new home within a painting in order to save it. He and I are the only ones I knew of at that time to have ever lasted so long." he paused for a moment. "He deserves the memory."
The image blurred, refocusing on Daniel undergoing training. "I joined the ranks of the Lion Knights. Rose through them until, in time, I came to lead a great number of them. A battalion."
The image blurred again. As it slowed, they saw the Daniel of the past, clad in white robes and pants, with black boots and similarly black armor, holding a black helmet under one arm while holding a staff capped with a blade that would not look out of place on a sword.
The present Daniel smiled. "Damn. I miss my Pride Lord armor."
Shinji pointed at the weapon in the past Daniel's hand. "That seems… unwieldy."
Daniel chuckled. "No, actually, it's quite finely balanced. All the Dragonslayer Swordspears were. They were Faraam's favored weapon, and to train in and wield one was a symbol of Faraam's trust in your abilities."
Daniel's smile faded somewhat. "Then… Faraam left for the Archdragon Peaks. And the Abyss made its presence known in Forossa."
The scene blurred for a moment, and the view of Forossa that they had first seen was now in flames. True to Daniel's word, hideously twisted creatures, seemingly made out of tar and smoke, ravaged whatever was around them, pockets of Lion Knights trying desperately to defend the fleeing civilians from Hollow knights with glowing red eyes and ragged, foreign armor.
"My men and I were tasked with securing the way out of the city for the fleeing civilians and the retreating soldiers. We would be the last ones out. If we survived." Daniel said ominously, the words sending a shiver through the group.
The image shifted to rows of soldiers arrayed in front of a massive, intricately carved stone gate, the past Daniel standing in front of them, as they stoically waited in formation while terrified women and children streamed past them. Eventually, the flow became a trickle, the women and children replaced by their beleaguered defenders as they made their way out of the city. "We didn't know it then, but we would be the last great stand of the Lion Knights of Forossa." the present Daniel said reverently, as the last fleeing soldiers passed through the gate, the Lion Knights closing ranks as the portcullis slammed shut behind them.
The wait was tense, the air filled with smoke and the howls and moans of the creatures of the Abyss, while ash fell on the Lion Knights like snow. Then, from a side street, one of the massive, tar-like beasts stumbled, followed by a group of Hollow soldiers. Further up the thoroughfare, more of the creatures stumbled into the line of sight, and the howls became a roar as a wave of creatures from the Abyss began to crash its way toward the Lion Knights.
The ranks shifted, rows of spears bristling outward like a deadly hedge, with Daniel's swordspear at its center. Within the ranks, a few Lion Knights, their armor etched with flame patterns, raised glowing hands, and the blades and points of every weapon became wreathed in fire.
As the horde drew ever closer, the past Daniel's swordspear crackled with lightning. With a thrust, a bolt of lightning lanced through a few of the Hollow soldiers, causing them to crumble to dust.
Then, the creatures of the Abyss crashed into the front line of the Lion Knights with a thunder of howls and clashing metal and screams of pain.
"The battle was fierce. Perhaps the fiercest I had seen as a Lion Knight." the present Daniel said, as the front line began to bow inward, a hail of arrows and lightning and fire slamming into the ranks of the Abyss. "We held back the weight of what seemed like all the Abyss in the city. And that most likely wasn't too far from the truth."
The battle continued, Hollow and monster and man alike all falling as blood of red and black seemed to make a river in the street. Eventually, a few Lion Knights, the past Daniel among them, and some of the larger monsters of the Abyss were all that were left standing. "I was among the last survivors of the battle when I was knocked unconscious." As he said this, the past Daniel was caught by the backhand of a monster, and flung back against the gate wall with a thud, as Daniel hit the ground and slumped over.
"When I woke up…" Daniel said, voice now full of sadness as the image blurred again before settling on a charnel field of dead bodies. "I was the last survivor of my battalion. There were others, yes, but for the most part, the Lion Knights were no more than story, now. I would have sought them out, but a Pride Lord was supposed to live and die with his battalion. So… I left the city when I woke and began to wander again. Time, once again, lost all meaning."
The present Daniel paused. "Days, weeks, months, years… who truly knew how much time passed. The very fabric of reality had become distorted by Gwyn's linking of the First Flame. The flow of time became convoluted."
"And relations shift and obscure," Asuka said quietly, as the image blurred more than a few times, each showing the past Daniel on a part of his journeys.
"In time," the present Daniel said after a moment of silence where the image resolved into a view of a massive city seemingly surrounded by wilderness, "I came to rest in the transitory lands of the kingdom of Lothric, and the cities that surrounded it."
Asuka tilted her head. "Lothric? I don't remember that one."
Daniel shook his head. "No, you wouldn't. Lothric would only become known in the third game, which was released on my world in 2016."
As Asuka nodded in understanding, Daniel sighed quietly. "By now, the Flame could not be rekindled by one person alone. Many powerful souls, the Lords of Cinder, were required to keep the Flame going. Once I realized this, I had a mission. A drive that I hadn't felt since the last stand of the Lion Knights so long ago. I… would bring this world to a peaceful end."
The Children all looked at Daniel as he shook his head. "It was the kind thing to do, now," Daniel said quietly. "The world was limping towards its end, one way or another. My choices were to keep a vigil on the Flame until I had to face the next person to come along and kill me for the right, usurp the flame and become a Lord of Hollows, or… to let it die naturally."
Daniel sighed. "In time, I found myself in the land of Irithyll, nestled within the Boreal Valley. It was a beacon of light and warmth in the cold, and the daughter of the late Gwyn, Gwynevere, came to reside here. She had even taken a portion of Lordran with her, making it the center of the city, as it had once been."
Daniel shook his head as a small smile came to his face. "Gwynevere had a daughter here, a fair princess by the name of Amaya. She was kind and graceful, possessing her mother's charity right alongside her deep crimson hair and green eyes. She acted as… well, kind of an older sister to me at that time. Her lover, and eventually husband, a knight named Vordt, was a city guard captain and welcomed the experience that a Pride Lord of the famed Lion Knights of Forossa brought. We all became close during that time."
Daniel's smile disappeared. "Then Gwynevere left, and Sulyvahn came."
Hikari blinked. "Who's Sulyvahn?"
The present Daniel's jaw became set in a wave of old anger. "He was a foreigner from a painted world, who worked his way up the political chain within Irithyll. In time, and with Gwynevere's mysterious departure, he declared himself Pontiff, and his political opponents began to disappear."
Daniel's eyes began to fill with sadness as the image showed the past Daniel looking back over the city from a hill. "I had to leave Amaya and Vordt behind, or risk 'disappearing' myself. The Pontiff had made Vordt into an Outrider Knight, giving him a monstrous power held within gems that he called his right eye. And he made Amaya a dancer in his court, before… subjecting her to the same sort of power he had given Vordt. I promised before I left that I would free them. One way… or another."
It was silent for a moment. "I found myself," Daniel finally said as the image blurred and began to show a stark, dry valley height, with stoneworks in front of a massive building, "at Firelink Shrine. And I, at last, rested at a bonfire after defeating its guardian."
Asuka shook her head. "You mean you didn't rest at any of the bonfires in Lordran?"
Daniel chuckled slightly. "No. No, I didn't. Call it pride, call it stupidity, but… I stayed alive when I was in Lordran." he sighed. "That would not be the case here. In my quest to gather the Lords of Cinder… I died. Then I died again. And again. And again. I lost count of how many times I perished, and of how many different things brought me back to rest at a bonfire. But regardless of whether it was the Abyss Watchers of Farron Keep, or Yhorm the Giant King of the Profaned Capital, or Aldritch, Saint of the Deep and Devourer of Gods, or Lothric, son of Gwynevere... I gathered the Lords of Cinder, and I made my way, once again, to the Kiln of the First Flame."
The image blurred and resolved into a bleak view. Behind and around them, buildings of every kind looked as though a massive hand had pushed them all together, creating a pile of brickwork and roofing that seemed to reach for the sky. In the middle of this chaos, a single, massive pillar rose into the air, with a spiraling trail of dirt leading to a barren top, spikes of stone acting as the only walls to surround the top, and the remains of an archway acting as the only entrance.
Above them, what appeared to be the sun was nearly completely black, a ring of fire surrounding it and seeming to bleed towards the horizon, the sky seeming as if it were twilight even as the sun sat at its zenith. Asuka's eyes widened along with the rest of the Children's. "That's… the Darksign," she said, in awe of the sight. Daniel nodded silently.
"I made my way to the top of the Kiln, retracing an old path," Daniel said after a moment, pointing out a lone figure that steadily grew closer as they seemed to float over towards him. It was revealed to be Daniel, his once white robes stained and bloody, the black armor he wore showing gleams of silver where strikes had scratched it or pierced through. The past Daniel stopped at the entrance of the archway, regarding the solitary figure that sat alone at the center of the plateau. "And I prepared to face the Soul of Cinder, a collection of the residuals of every soul before me who had rekindled the flame."
The past Daniel took a deep breath, then stepped through the broken archway, walking slowly through the field of flowers before stopping as the figure looked back, noticing him. It stood, drew the coiled sword from the bonfire with no small amount of effort, and turned to face him.
The two figures stood silently for a moment, then ran at each other, their weapons clashing, shattering the silence that had fallen on them. They twirled around each other as their weapons struck, the Soul of Cinder backflipping from a strike before the coiled sword heated up in his hand, becoming a magical staff with a flash of flames, from which a massive ray of sorcerous light blasted at Daniel, who barely dodged it.
Fire and lightning quickly followed in its stead, the dance of a curved sword and the lunge of a lance, the Daniel of the past dancing around them as his swordspear crackled with its own energy as, at last, a lance of lightning slammed into the Soul of Cinder, driving it to its knees.
Daniel backed away as the Soul kneeled there for a moment, an aura of fire seeming to build around it before exploding outward, nearly slamming into Daniel as the Soul stood once again, the coiled sword now straight again, burning with an old flame as the Soul of Cinder leaped at Daniel.
He dodged the familiar attack, and almost every attack afterward, parrying and riposting whenever he got the chance. The dance burned the flowers around them as it knocked over the swords planted similarly in the ground, the heady scent of burning plants filling the air as Daniel parried once again, then drove the swordspear into the Soul of Cinder's chest.
The Soul of Cinder spasmed for a moment, then sank to its knees as it began to turn to ash. Daniel pulled the swordspear out and watched with a sad look on his face as the Soul of Cinder crumbled completely, some of the ash that made up its body blowing away, leaving the coiled sword within it.
"Goodbye again, Gwyn." the past Daniel said softly, crouching down to pick up the coiled sword, still warm from its time in the bonfire.
He looked over to the bonfire, which seemed incomplete without the sword to adorn it, and saw a glow appear next to it, resolving into words in an ancient language.
As the Daniel of the past walked over towards it, the present Daniel nodded his head. "I had only to summon the Fire Keeper now, the guardian of Firelink Shrine, to ensure that this world would pass into the darkness it so needed." he nearly whispered.
The past Daniel crouched down, his fingers brushing the edge of the sign as it glowed brighter for a moment, then disappeared. The past Daniel stepped back as a swirl of light opened up at the spot the sign once occupied, and a woman with white hair and a simple black dress, her hands covered in burns and her feet bare, faded into existence, regarding the past Daniel from behind an intricate mask of silver shaped almost like a crown, decorated with pale white gems.
As she turned to regard the First Flame, the Daniel of the past put out his hand. "Wait."
The Fire Keeper paused, looking back at the past Daniel silently. The past Daniel continued. "Do your eyes work?"
It was silent again for a moment, then, the Fire Keeper bowed her head slightly as her hands slowly came up to the mask, before slowly sliding it off.
As the mask came off, the Fire Keeper's eyes were closed. Then they slowly opened, revealing eyes almost as silver as the gems that were on her mask. She looked around and stared at the dying sun. "Yes," she said, in a voice that was quiet, but kind, "they do work."
"Good." the past Daniel said, as the Fire Keeper looked back at him to examine him. After another moment of silence, the past Daniel spoke again. "What is your name?"
The Fire Keeper blinked, then looked down. "None have asked me before, and thus I have not spoken it in… an age."
She looked back up at the past Daniel, the look in her eyes almost desperate as the past Daniel, along with the present Daniel and his company, saw the beginnings of tears in the corner of her eyes. "I do not remember," she said, her voice cracking slightly.
It was silent for a moment. Then, the past Daniel nodded. "Very well. Then whatever your old name was… you have the chance now to take up a new one."
As the Fire Keeper's eyes widened slightly, the past and present Daniels shared a small smile. "What of the name Vesta?"
It was silent again for a moment, then the Fire Keeper nodded, a small smile growing on her face. "Very well. From this time forth, I am Vesta."
Vesta turned back to regard the First Flame, still burning within the bonfire. She silently approached it, kneeling and reaching her hands toward the source of the flame.
"You have called me here to finally let the First Flame die," she said, matter-of-factly, as she held her hands out to seemingly warm them with the guttering flames.
The past Daniel nodded. "Yes. We both see that this world has been awake for too long, its brief moments of sleep in the darkness not enough to heal it fully. It must sleep peacefully now. This is the only way it will ever heal."
The present Daniel nodded. "It was then that a group I never thought I would see again made itself known."
Behind all of them, a throat cleared itself, and all turned to see Izalith, in a plain black robe, her pale face and dark hair uncovered, her golden eyes scanning the two figures that she saw as six other figures stood behind her.
The past Daniel and Vesta's eyes widened as they saw the group. "Izalith…" the past Daniel said. "How are you here? How are your Daughters here?"
Izalith smiled slightly. "We have persevered, as the First Flame has," she said in a surprisingly deep voice.
She sighed. "But as you have said, the time has come for the First Flame to go out. And for those who are linked to it, in one way or another, to take their leave. We, from the Age of Fire, will not be in our right place in the Age of Darkness."
The past Daniel nodded. "I can arrange for us to leave. I know of many things beyond this world. Beyond fire and darkness."
Izalith nodded, her smile widening slightly. "Very well. We shall go with you, and see the wonders that await us."
Vesta nodded as well, then turned back to the flames, reaching into the ash and pulling out not just an ember, but the fire itself.
She marveled at the flame for a moment, and the Children all gathered close to the bonfire to marvel at it with her. As she held it, the world began to grow dim, as the ring of flame around the black sun began to go out in sections.
It was silent for a moment, as all looked at the sight hanging in the sky. After a moment, Vesta spoke. "The First Flame quickly fades. Darkness will shortly settle." she paused for a moment, then continued. "But one day, tiny flames will dance across the darkness. Like embers, linked by lords past."
Vesta fell silent again, as everything became cloaked in darkness, everyone vanishing from each other's sight as the Children seemed to hold their breath.
Then, Vesta spoke again. "Shall we take our leave, Daniel?"
The past Daniel's voice answered. "Yes. Yes, we shall."
And the story ended.
As the room returned to being made of blue, slightly glowing stone, Daniel stepped forward, then turned to the Children and Eleanor. "So, to loop back around to the question that started it all, how old am I?"
He paused for a moment. "Well," he said, "like Eleanor, I am around 26 years old biologically. Chronologically… it might be easier to count how many millennia I have experienced rather than how many years. As you all saw, I was there for the 'beginning' of the universe, and I was there to lend my hand to its end. I am… old. Even I cannot tell how much."
Daniel's knees seemed to buckle slightly at the pronouncement, and a stool rose to stop him from falling, the room silent.
"So," Hikari said after a moment, "what happened to Izalith and her daughters, and Vesta?"
Daniel cracked a smile. "I took them aboard my vessel, gave them direction to ask for passage to Tel, and flagged down another passing Seabreaker, who promised to take them there." he paused for a moment. "That's what we call the vessels that let us cross the Worldsea, by the way."
Daniel nodded after a moment. "More than likely, that's where they are. At Tel, adjusting to the many, many different surprises there."
Daniel looked down, and his eyes were filled with... tiredness. Exhaustion. As if the weight of all his years had finally settled on him.
After a moment, he looked up and saw Eleanor in front of him. She reached for his hands, pulling him up to look him in the eye. Daniel could see the tears brimming in her eyes. "You know," she said in a slightly husky voice, "I don't know what I was expecting. But it certainly wasn't that."
She said nothing more, pulling him into a hug for a silent moment.
As they pulled away from the hug, Asuka nodded at Daniel. "And here I thought you wouldn't be old enough to talk the way you did in that world," she said with a slight grin.
A chuckle rippled through the group as Daniel shook his head slightly. "And that, I think," Daniel said to the group, "means that we can go ahead and go home."
An audible sigh of relief rippled through the group. Another day of training was done.
As two side rooms for showering opened up, and the conversation switched to other topics, of Hikari and Toji's date, why Shinji and Asuka didn't just go with them, and why exactly that would be disastrous, Rei turned to look at Daniel and Eleanor. "I did not expect you to be older than my progenitor," Rei said quietly. "It is... humbling to think of your experience."
Daniel put a hand on Rei's shoulder. "Don't worry too much about it. There are few even in the Worldsea that have seen as much time pass as I have. And really, it would be rather awkward to try and explain just how I manage to break the age section on NERV's personnel files if I was being honest."
Rei chuckled softly at the thought, then made her way to the women's showers.
