"Mister Igor?"
"Yes, Sokila?"
"...will I ever be able to go outside?"
"And what would you do?"
She frowned. "...I dunno...hang out with Shinji, I guess...?"
"What would it accomplish, at this point?"
"...it'd make me feel better...your other 'Tendants were also able to leave, weren't they...?"
"The circumstances were different, as you well know. But do not be disheartened: a time will come, when your current existence will not be so limited."
"...kay..."
xxxx
/Wednesday: June 17, 2015/
/NERV-03, Southern Outskirts of Darmstadt, Germany/
Mere miles to the west of the Rhine, NERV-03 sat to the south of Darmstadt, in a relatively isolated forest. Some would have considered it an odd location for NERV's Third Branch.
Alas, more typical locations such as Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Cologne, or any other number of larger cities were inhibited by a number of factors: the increased military presence in the cities, inconvenient competition from various NGOs in the fields of cognitive psience and metaphysical biology, the numerous dead zones in places stricken hard by Angel Syndrome in the past, and myriad other reasons.
Honestly, however, it had to do with the simplicity of converting an old GEHIRN facility into one fit for NERV's use. Thus, the question would have turned as to why
GEHIRN had originally chosen this region to build its facility here, back in the latter years of the second millenium.
The biggest draw - besides its relative isolation - was the mental imprint of Frankenstein Castle, looming large in the cognitive world. Despite its gloom and stark character, it provided stability and mental security precisely because of its historical weight and the cultural impact of a certain novel. Little wonder, that GEHIRN's old facility had been built underneath the foundation of the castle, if cognitive psience had been the reason for its existence.
Alas, such historical exposition was not something that Asuka Langley-Sohryu worried about on a day-to-day basis. Beyond training, participating as a subject in NERV's various experiements, assisting the A.T. Task Force, the German military, and the United European Armed Forces in various Metaverse operations...she had very little in the way of free time.
Which was why the upcoming meeting with Director Kirijo was...not exactly one she was looking forward to. It had nothing to do with the fact that Mitsuru was stone-cold and could terrify anyone with a glance. Or with the fact that, despite being a woman in her late forties, the Director and her Persona were capable of schooling practically anyone in the training arena. Nope. Not at all.
She briefly gazed at the digital clock on the wall: 05:47 AM.
Still got over seventy minutes. Maybe she could risk getting another half-hour of sleep? With her Evangelion, she could literally skip to the Director's office in the blink of an eye.
A gentle knock sounded on the door to her room. "
Asuka, it's almost time for the meeting with Director Kirijo," said the temperate voice of a young woman from outside.
"...seriously, Sister Mary?" she grumbled, refusing to move a single inch from her bed. "It's not until 7 AM!"
"
Well, knowing the time you tend to take getting ready, I felt it best to make sure you had sufficient time to freshen up."
Asuka narrowed her blue eyes. "...this is all because I left you behind in Iceland, isn't it?"
"
Why Miss Sohryu, that would be utterly petty of me!" Her voice sounded slightly too cheerful. "
After all, I am only following the commandments of my order when accompanying you onto the field of battle."
"Yeah yeah," she grumbled. What a world she lived in, where religious and clergy had actual applications on the battlefield.
Like something out of a verdammt anime. "Just give me five more minutes..."
Without ceremony, the nun opened the door, flicking the light on. "We both know that five minutes will translate into fifteen," lightly admonished the young woman, who appeared no older than twenty based on the condition of her face. Bearing a dark blue habit and a white hoodless scapular, the only signs of her order's militaristic nature were the outlines of body armor barely visible through the folds of her clothing. Brunette hair was almost completely hidden by her white veil, but her chaste and modest appearance did nothing to mitigate the delighted humor in her teal eyes, magnified by red-rimmed glasses. "If you'll hop into the shower, I'll go ahead and prepare a suitable outfit for your meeting with the Director."
"And knowing you, my room will also look spotless by the time I get out," growled Asuka, trying to ignore the layers of dust gathered in various places; she was rarely in this room as it was. "You seriously don't have to."
"Consider it a lesson in humility, Miss Sohryu," cheekily said Sister Mary Makinami, tertiary of the Third Order of St. Jeanne d'Arc. "Now, up and at em'! The day is short, and time's a-wasting!"
xxxx
/hmm
//Mari as a member of an order of battle nuns?
///sure, why not
