And there we have it, evidence that asking for feedback with little to go on is difficult. The snippets were spread apart enough that I forgot the context & time-frame. Although you'd think that hallucinations would require more than a dose of darkness, since the Shinjis didn't even get knocked out. For them, it was go out, get blinded for a few hours, come back. No other affects unless mental contamination is brought into play.
Evangelion Castling
- Thread starter Andrew Joshua Talon
- Start date
- - - - - - -
His father had informed him, quite bluntly, that modesty would have to be sacrificed for the sake of piloting Eva. Shinji had learned that he hadn't been exaggerating. Ritsuko called him in for thorough physical exams at least eight times a month, and there were frequent nude synchronization tests involving all the pilots. Asuka always bore it stoically, as the good officer she was. At least she tried-The command staff and Rei and Shinji enjoyed doing little things to make her blow her cool.
Point was, he was no stranger to nude examinations, especially when they involved Ritsuko. However, the air of awkwardness was new. Ritsuko was doing her job without so much as a saucy little smirk. Maya assisted her, professional as usual but she at least usually had a few jokes. And Misato was watching behind glass, looking anxious.
Clearly, someone had to lighten the mood around here. If nobody else was willing to do it...
"So," he said with a theatrical sigh, "Couldn't wait to get me naked again, huh?"
"Excuse me?" Ritsuko asked, eyes widening in shock. Maya wore a similar expression, while Misato goggled in disbelief, like a fish in an aquarium. Shinji rolled his eyes.
"You know Ritsuko, this relationship is very one-sided," he continued. "I mean, why do I have to always be naked? It doesn't seem very fair to me. I just don't think this relationship is going to work out."
Ritsuko was now staring at him as though Shinji were possessed. Maya's face was turning bright red. Misato looked caught between laughter and shock, and Shinji couldn't tell which way she'd go. With a frown, Shinji decided to press on. If he tried just hard enough, he was sure he could get them to lighten up.
"Unless you're willing to compromise. But if not, hey, plenty of fish in the sea right?" He glanced over to Maya, on the other side of the examination table. He treated her to a charming smile. "Hey Maya-chan, you're willing to play fair right?"
"Uh..." Maya looked over at Ritsuko. The bottle blonde's jaw went up and down a few times, before she looked down at her patient-Studiously focusing on his face.
"We'll be right back, Shinji," she said. Shinji winked.
"I'll be waiting," he said in a deep, teasing tone. Ritsuko coughed, then immediately walked out. Maya followed with a look directed over her shoulder at him. He treated her to a wink as well, which she looked away at. The door closed behind them, and Shinji sighed, his roguish smile vanishing.
"Geez... What the hell is with everyone?" He muttered. It was as though they'd never heard a joke in their lives. Did everyone turn into uptight nuns while he was gone?
Mmm... Naughty Nuns... No! He couldn't afford to think about that kind of stuff now. Not when it seemed as though everyone around him had gone stark raving mad.
He sat up to watch Misato, Ritsuko and Maya as they argued furiously behind the observation glass.
Wonder what they're talking about...?
- - - - - - -
"Ritsuko," Misato began, in as calm a tone as she could manage, "what the hell was that?"
"I honestly don't know what's going on!" Ritsuko protested.
"Then what do you know?!" Misato demanded.
"... He's not acting as he normally does, and I don't know why, that's all!" Ritsuko sighed, utterly exasperated. Misato growled.
"That's it? That's all you've got for me?"
"Well, we do know that whatever reason he's acting like this, it's not a result of Angel contamination," Maya interjected. "He's clean."
"So why is he suddenly all smiles? Why is he flirting with you?" Misato snarled, and Ritsuko concluded rightly that her plan involving the N2 mines was also fueling Misato's current mood.
She's gotten so attached to him...
"Well, um, it's possible that due to the intense sensory deprivation he underwent in the Dirac Sea, that... That something happened to him, psychologically," Maya quickly tried to save her mentor. Misato shot her a look.
"Sensory deprivation?"
"Some test subjects have experienced intense psychological shifts following sufficient sensory deprivation," Ritsuko quickly explained. "It's rare, but Shinji might be among those who would benefit from such an experience."
"You're telling me being in that Angel... Cured his issues?" Misato asked. Ritsuko shrugged.
"Until we know more... That's the best theory we've got."
Misato turned and looked at Shinji through the glass. The boy cheerfully waved at her, and smiled. She awkwardly returned both. Ever since she'd met Shinji, she'd wanted to see him smile, be happy, be free of Eva without worrying...
But to see it like this, without explanation... The whole thing just felt wrong.
Shinji... What happened to you?
"Still... At least we got him back. That counts for something, right?" Maya said.
- - - - - -
"... Sempai, Major, you know the rules! You must settle this in the Jell-O Ring! One hour! Bring your bikinis!" Shinji murmured in time with Maya's lip movements.
Hey, just because things were nuts didn't mean he couldn't have some fun.
His father had informed him, quite bluntly, that modesty would have to be sacrificed for the sake of piloting Eva. Shinji had learned that he hadn't been exaggerating. Ritsuko called him in for thorough physical exams at least eight times a month, and there were frequent nude synchronization tests involving all the pilots. Asuka always bore it stoically, as the good officer she was. At least she tried-The command staff and Rei and Shinji enjoyed doing little things to make her blow her cool.
Point was, he was no stranger to nude examinations, especially when they involved Ritsuko. However, the air of awkwardness was new. Ritsuko was doing her job without so much as a saucy little smirk. Maya assisted her, professional as usual but she at least usually had a few jokes. And Misato was watching behind glass, looking anxious.
Clearly, someone had to lighten the mood around here. If nobody else was willing to do it...
"So," he said with a theatrical sigh, "Couldn't wait to get me naked again, huh?"
"Excuse me?" Ritsuko asked, eyes widening in shock. Maya wore a similar expression, while Misato goggled in disbelief, like a fish in an aquarium. Shinji rolled his eyes.
"You know Ritsuko, this relationship is very one-sided," he continued. "I mean, why do I have to always be naked? It doesn't seem very fair to me. I just don't think this relationship is going to work out."
Ritsuko was now staring at him as though Shinji were possessed. Maya's face was turning bright red. Misato looked caught between laughter and shock, and Shinji couldn't tell which way she'd go. With a frown, Shinji decided to press on. If he tried just hard enough, he was sure he could get them to lighten up.
"Unless you're willing to compromise. But if not, hey, plenty of fish in the sea right?" He glanced over to Maya, on the other side of the examination table. He treated her to a charming smile. "Hey Maya-chan, you're willing to play fair right?"
"Uh..." Maya looked over at Ritsuko. The bottle blonde's jaw went up and down a few times, before she looked down at her patient-Studiously focusing on his face.
"We'll be right back, Shinji," she said. Shinji winked.
"I'll be waiting," he said in a deep, teasing tone. Ritsuko coughed, then immediately walked out. Maya followed with a look directed over her shoulder at him. He treated her to a wink as well, which she looked away at. The door closed behind them, and Shinji sighed, his roguish smile vanishing.
"Geez... What the hell is with everyone?" He muttered. It was as though they'd never heard a joke in their lives. Did everyone turn into uptight nuns while he was gone?
Mmm... Naughty Nuns... No! He couldn't afford to think about that kind of stuff now. Not when it seemed as though everyone around him had gone stark raving mad.
He sat up to watch Misato, Ritsuko and Maya as they argued furiously behind the observation glass.
Wonder what they're talking about...?
- - - - - - -
"Ritsuko," Misato began, in as calm a tone as she could manage, "what the hell was that?"
"I honestly don't know what's going on!" Ritsuko protested.
"Then what do you know?!" Misato demanded.
"... He's not acting as he normally does, and I don't know why, that's all!" Ritsuko sighed, utterly exasperated. Misato growled.
"That's it? That's all you've got for me?"
"Well, we do know that whatever reason he's acting like this, it's not a result of Angel contamination," Maya interjected. "He's clean."
"So why is he suddenly all smiles? Why is he flirting with you?" Misato snarled, and Ritsuko concluded rightly that her plan involving the N2 mines was also fueling Misato's current mood.
She's gotten so attached to him...
"Well, um, it's possible that due to the intense sensory deprivation he underwent in the Dirac Sea, that... That something happened to him, psychologically," Maya quickly tried to save her mentor. Misato shot her a look.
"Sensory deprivation?"
"Some test subjects have experienced intense psychological shifts following sufficient sensory deprivation," Ritsuko quickly explained. "It's rare, but Shinji might be among those who would benefit from such an experience."
"You're telling me being in that Angel... Cured his issues?" Misato asked. Ritsuko shrugged.
"Until we know more... That's the best theory we've got."
Misato turned and looked at Shinji through the glass. The boy cheerfully waved at her, and smiled. She awkwardly returned both. Ever since she'd met Shinji, she'd wanted to see him smile, be happy, be free of Eva without worrying...
But to see it like this, without explanation... The whole thing just felt wrong.
Shinji... What happened to you?
"Still... At least we got him back. That counts for something, right?" Maya said.
- - - - - -
"... Sempai, Major, you know the rules! You must settle this in the Jell-O Ring! One hour! Bring your bikinis!" Shinji murmured in time with Maya's lip movements.
Hey, just because things were nuts didn't mean he couldn't have some fun.
I agree, but naming aside, there are so many bad comparisons I can make with alt!Shinji & how he will overshadow canon!Shinji to the typical FF.net reader. That's why I feel that separating the Shinjis into separate chapters might be better. Reading the two next to each other makes me want to choke alt!Shinji.
ROOK
- - - - -
Technically, the ceiling above him was familiar. Technically, it was the medical examination room, with a ceiling the same right down to the number of tiles.
But all the same, it was unfamiliar. The same, but on the insideà
ôShinji, please pay attention,ö Ritsuko told him. He turned his head to the attractive Head Scientist of Project E, and then averted his eyes again.
ôSorry,ö he said softly. He looked over at the other woman: The one who had hugged him. The one who, even now, was holding his hand as she calmly watched him. he woman sighed, and looked over at Akagi, who was now furiously typing on her laptop.
ôDo you have any thoughts, any possible ideas about what happened to my son?ö She asked.
Two words. Just two little words, but they were pounding in ShinjiÆs head even as Ritsuko and the woman continued to talk.
My son. My son. My son.
ôWell... HeÆs not an Angel, and we can rule out Angelic contamination,ö Ritsuko replied thoughtfully. ôIf that was the case, he wouldnÆt have gotten out of his Eva before setting off an alarm. As to what happenedà?ö Ritsuko sighed. ôIÆll need more time and more dataàö
ôBut you at least have a theory?ö She pressed. RitsukoÆs frown deepened.
ôI mightàö She turned back to her laptop, as the unknown woman looked back to Shinji.
ôSo, um,ö Shinji managed, after processing things for a bit. ôSoà YouÆre myà?ö
ôStep-mother, yes,ö she said with a smile. She squeezed his hand. ôMy name is Saeko.ö
ôSorry to interrupt,ö spoke GendoÆs voice behind him.
ôAH?!ö Shinji cried out, almost jumping clear off the examination table. He looked between Ritsuko and Saeko-Neither woman seemed remotely surprised his father had just popped into the room without warning. ôHow-?ö
ôIÆm a genius,ö Gendo didn't answer ShinjiÆs question.
ôSecret passages throughout NERV,ö Saeko explained, rolling her eyes.
ôRelax, he does this all the time,ö Ritsuko soothed with an amused expression on her face.
Gendo looked over at Shinji with a wounded expression. ôShe never enjoys letting me have any fun,ö he sighed.
ôI seeà?ö Shinji asked. Gendo looked over at Ritsuko.
ôI believe you said you might have a theory?ö
Ritsuko was silent, before she turned the laptop to face Gendo. The Commander of NERV scanned the files. All Shinji could see of the screen were a series of technical drawings in windows overlaying a display of Unit 01.
ôFrom the maintenance reports the crew chief just sent in, itÆs clear this isnÆt our Unit 01. The repairs made, the replacement parts, some software, even the tools used-TheyÆre all different.ö She knit her fingers together as she slowly looked over at Shinji. ôAlso, this Shinji has enough differences in his blood chemistry and the physical scans to show that he is not the same Shinji Ikari that was here one day ago. Differences that can not be faked, or explained as a result of Angel contamination-Which of course, there is no sign of.ö
Ritsuko stood up, pacing around the room like a detective about to reveal who the culprit of a crime was.
ôThis Shinji reported seeing another Shinji and Unit 01 while inside the Angel. The EvaÆs own sensors confirm that this was not a hallucination-The radio logs have been checked, contact was made with another Eva, with precisely the same identification protocols as Unit 01.ö Ritsuko spun around dramatically, standing in front of the door. She pointed her finger at him in triumph, as though he were guilty of a crime.
ôLeaving only one conclusion: While in the Dirac Sea, a bridge between two different universes was created, where another Shinji Ikari and Unit 01 had also entered the Twelfth AngelÆs Dirac Sea! Just long enough for them to switch places!ö
Shinji stared in disbelief at Ritsuko, and looked back and forth between the three adults. His grim father, the smiling Ritsukoà And Saeko just squeezed ShinjiÆs hand. She looked down at their entwined hands, and gave him a questioning look. Shinji, in turn, tightened his grip as he felt his pulse race.
IÆmà I donÆt belongà IÆm the wrong Shinjià This is the wrong universeà IÆm in another universeà Ià
He closed his eyes.
I have a father who cares about meà A step motherà Ià
ôSo,ö Gendo said quietly, ôthe question remains, how do we get our Shinji back?ö
Shinji opened his eyes, and looked at hisà The other Gendo. He looked at Shinji for a moment, looking almost sad, before his eyes moved back to Ritsuko.
ôWell, we can ask NERV-Nevada if they've made any progress with the S2 engine experiments. Other than that...?ö Ritsuko tapped her chin. ôI'll examine the data Unit 01 gathered while inside the Dirac Sea. We might get lucky.ö
ôIn the meantime, this information does not leave this room,ö Gendo stated, and Saeko nodded in agreement. ôFrankly, itÆs too fantastic for anyone to believe, but we should keep it quiet.ö
ôà Wh-What happens to me?ö Shinji asked. Gendo looked back at him. He worked his jaw before he spoke.
ôWe need all the pilots we can get, and Unit 01 is the most powerful Eva in our arsenal.ö He rested a hand on ShinjiÆs shoulder. ôYou need to fill in... Until we can send you home.ö
Home?
ôWait. Go...back?ö Shinji asked softly. Saeko frowned.
ôWell, yes... It's your home, isn't it?ö She asked.
ôIàö Shinji looked down. ôI guessà It feels like there isnÆt much to go home to,ö he admitted softly.
ôWhat do you mean?ö Gendo asked.
ôà Todayà Today was the first time that I everà Ever had fun with my dad,ö Shinji admitted. ôThe first time anyone welcomed me back from a mission with a hug.ö
A heavy silence hung in the air. Saeko gently lifted ShinjiÆs head up, allowing him to look directly into her eyes.
ôSweetie... Tell us about your world, please.ö
And so he did...he told them everything he knew. By the end of it, Ritsuko was smoking rather heavily, Gendo looked even grimmer than before, and Saeko had Shinji tightly wrapped in her arms.
ôOh Shinji...ö She had her eyes tightly shut, trying not to cry. Shinji hugged her back, unwilling to let go. Someoneà Someone cared. Someone loved him. He couldnÆt let go, it just wasnÆt possible when the affection was so freely offered.
ôCommander, if Shinji's gone to that world-ô Ritsuko began, but a raised hand from Gendo stopped her.
ôHe can take care of himselfà And the truth is, we can't help him right now,ö Gendo admitted. ôSo, we have to rely on him.ö
ôWhatà WhatÆs your Shinji like?ö Shinji asked. Saeko chuckled quietly and rubbed ShinjiÆs back.
ôOhà HeÆs much like his father. Brave, kindàö She sighed. ôReckless, stubborn, headstrongàö
ôThose are all good points,ö Gendo pointed out. Saeko rolled her eyes, and gave Shinji a smile and a wink.
ôHopeless around girls though. ItÆs probably the only way to keep him in line.ö
ôGirls?ö
Ritsuko cleared her throat, and when she spoke her voice became several degrees more sultry. ôOh Shinji~àö
Shinji looked over at her, and gulped. The good doctor was giving him a warm, sensuous look as she blew on her cigarette. Her fingers slowly lowered the zipper of her blouse, just enough for a tantalizing glimpse of skin.
Shinji flustered, his cheeks burning bright red.
ôExactly...ö Saeko said. She glanced over at the scientist. ôRitsuko, you can stop now.ö
ôMmm?ö Ritsuko asked, now rather into her teasing.
ôRitsuko!ö Saeko said disapprovingly. The bottle blonde pouted, zipped up, and looked to the side to smoke petulantly.
ôAh...so he's like m-me...ö Shinji murmured, as Ritsuko glanced back at him with a wink.
ôIn the best ways...ö Gendo assured him, patting him on the shoulder. Saeko shot him a look.
ôHe doesn't seem to have your character flaws, dear,ö she replied with a dry tone. Gendo huffed.
ôThey're not 'flaws'. They're ælovable eccentricities.Æö
This said while he had pulled out two paddleballs from seemingly nowhere and begun paddling away, the expression on his face not changed a bit. Shinji stared.
ôOf course dear,ö Saeko sighed, an indulgent smile on her lips.
ôUm, well, y-yeah,ö Shinji managed. Inwardly, he had only one thought.
...I wish my Father was like this...
- - - - -
Technically, the ceiling above him was familiar. Technically, it was the medical examination room, with a ceiling the same right down to the number of tiles.
But all the same, it was unfamiliar. The same, but on the insideà
ôShinji, please pay attention,ö Ritsuko told him. He turned his head to the attractive Head Scientist of Project E, and then averted his eyes again.
ôSorry,ö he said softly. He looked over at the other woman: The one who had hugged him. The one who, even now, was holding his hand as she calmly watched him. he woman sighed, and looked over at Akagi, who was now furiously typing on her laptop.
ôDo you have any thoughts, any possible ideas about what happened to my son?ö She asked.
Two words. Just two little words, but they were pounding in ShinjiÆs head even as Ritsuko and the woman continued to talk.
My son. My son. My son.
ôWell... HeÆs not an Angel, and we can rule out Angelic contamination,ö Ritsuko replied thoughtfully. ôIf that was the case, he wouldnÆt have gotten out of his Eva before setting off an alarm. As to what happenedà?ö Ritsuko sighed. ôIÆll need more time and more dataàö
ôBut you at least have a theory?ö She pressed. RitsukoÆs frown deepened.
ôI mightàö She turned back to her laptop, as the unknown woman looked back to Shinji.
ôSo, um,ö Shinji managed, after processing things for a bit. ôSoà YouÆre myà?ö
ôStep-mother, yes,ö she said with a smile. She squeezed his hand. ôMy name is Saeko.ö
ôSorry to interrupt,ö spoke GendoÆs voice behind him.
ôAH?!ö Shinji cried out, almost jumping clear off the examination table. He looked between Ritsuko and Saeko-Neither woman seemed remotely surprised his father had just popped into the room without warning. ôHow-?ö
ôIÆm a genius,ö Gendo didn't answer ShinjiÆs question.
ôSecret passages throughout NERV,ö Saeko explained, rolling her eyes.
ôRelax, he does this all the time,ö Ritsuko soothed with an amused expression on her face.
Gendo looked over at Shinji with a wounded expression. ôShe never enjoys letting me have any fun,ö he sighed.
ôI seeà?ö Shinji asked. Gendo looked over at Ritsuko.
ôI believe you said you might have a theory?ö
Ritsuko was silent, before she turned the laptop to face Gendo. The Commander of NERV scanned the files. All Shinji could see of the screen were a series of technical drawings in windows overlaying a display of Unit 01.
ôFrom the maintenance reports the crew chief just sent in, itÆs clear this isnÆt our Unit 01. The repairs made, the replacement parts, some software, even the tools used-TheyÆre all different.ö She knit her fingers together as she slowly looked over at Shinji. ôAlso, this Shinji has enough differences in his blood chemistry and the physical scans to show that he is not the same Shinji Ikari that was here one day ago. Differences that can not be faked, or explained as a result of Angel contamination-Which of course, there is no sign of.ö
Ritsuko stood up, pacing around the room like a detective about to reveal who the culprit of a crime was.
ôThis Shinji reported seeing another Shinji and Unit 01 while inside the Angel. The EvaÆs own sensors confirm that this was not a hallucination-The radio logs have been checked, contact was made with another Eva, with precisely the same identification protocols as Unit 01.ö Ritsuko spun around dramatically, standing in front of the door. She pointed her finger at him in triumph, as though he were guilty of a crime.
ôLeaving only one conclusion: While in the Dirac Sea, a bridge between two different universes was created, where another Shinji Ikari and Unit 01 had also entered the Twelfth AngelÆs Dirac Sea! Just long enough for them to switch places!ö
Shinji stared in disbelief at Ritsuko, and looked back and forth between the three adults. His grim father, the smiling Ritsukoà And Saeko just squeezed ShinjiÆs hand. She looked down at their entwined hands, and gave him a questioning look. Shinji, in turn, tightened his grip as he felt his pulse race.
IÆmà I donÆt belongà IÆm the wrong Shinjià This is the wrong universeà IÆm in another universeà Ià
He closed his eyes.
I have a father who cares about meà A step motherà Ià
ôSo,ö Gendo said quietly, ôthe question remains, how do we get our Shinji back?ö
Shinji opened his eyes, and looked at hisà The other Gendo. He looked at Shinji for a moment, looking almost sad, before his eyes moved back to Ritsuko.
ôWell, we can ask NERV-Nevada if they've made any progress with the S2 engine experiments. Other than that...?ö Ritsuko tapped her chin. ôI'll examine the data Unit 01 gathered while inside the Dirac Sea. We might get lucky.ö
ôIn the meantime, this information does not leave this room,ö Gendo stated, and Saeko nodded in agreement. ôFrankly, itÆs too fantastic for anyone to believe, but we should keep it quiet.ö
ôà Wh-What happens to me?ö Shinji asked. Gendo looked back at him. He worked his jaw before he spoke.
ôWe need all the pilots we can get, and Unit 01 is the most powerful Eva in our arsenal.ö He rested a hand on ShinjiÆs shoulder. ôYou need to fill in... Until we can send you home.ö
Home?
ôWait. Go...back?ö Shinji asked softly. Saeko frowned.
ôWell, yes... It's your home, isn't it?ö She asked.
ôIàö Shinji looked down. ôI guessà It feels like there isnÆt much to go home to,ö he admitted softly.
ôWhat do you mean?ö Gendo asked.
ôà Todayà Today was the first time that I everà Ever had fun with my dad,ö Shinji admitted. ôThe first time anyone welcomed me back from a mission with a hug.ö
A heavy silence hung in the air. Saeko gently lifted ShinjiÆs head up, allowing him to look directly into her eyes.
ôSweetie... Tell us about your world, please.ö
And so he did...he told them everything he knew. By the end of it, Ritsuko was smoking rather heavily, Gendo looked even grimmer than before, and Saeko had Shinji tightly wrapped in her arms.
ôOh Shinji...ö She had her eyes tightly shut, trying not to cry. Shinji hugged her back, unwilling to let go. Someoneà Someone cared. Someone loved him. He couldnÆt let go, it just wasnÆt possible when the affection was so freely offered.
ôCommander, if Shinji's gone to that world-ô Ritsuko began, but a raised hand from Gendo stopped her.
ôHe can take care of himselfà And the truth is, we can't help him right now,ö Gendo admitted. ôSo, we have to rely on him.ö
ôWhatà WhatÆs your Shinji like?ö Shinji asked. Saeko chuckled quietly and rubbed ShinjiÆs back.
ôOhà HeÆs much like his father. Brave, kindàö She sighed. ôReckless, stubborn, headstrongàö
ôThose are all good points,ö Gendo pointed out. Saeko rolled her eyes, and gave Shinji a smile and a wink.
ôHopeless around girls though. ItÆs probably the only way to keep him in line.ö
ôGirls?ö
Ritsuko cleared her throat, and when she spoke her voice became several degrees more sultry. ôOh Shinji~àö
Shinji looked over at her, and gulped. The good doctor was giving him a warm, sensuous look as she blew on her cigarette. Her fingers slowly lowered the zipper of her blouse, just enough for a tantalizing glimpse of skin.
Shinji flustered, his cheeks burning bright red.
ôExactly...ö Saeko said. She glanced over at the scientist. ôRitsuko, you can stop now.ö
ôMmm?ö Ritsuko asked, now rather into her teasing.
ôRitsuko!ö Saeko said disapprovingly. The bottle blonde pouted, zipped up, and looked to the side to smoke petulantly.
ôAh...so he's like m-me...ö Shinji murmured, as Ritsuko glanced back at him with a wink.
ôIn the best ways...ö Gendo assured him, patting him on the shoulder. Saeko shot him a look.
ôHe doesn't seem to have your character flaws, dear,ö she replied with a dry tone. Gendo huffed.
ôThey're not 'flaws'. They're ælovable eccentricities.Æö
This said while he had pulled out two paddleballs from seemingly nowhere and begun paddling away, the expression on his face not changed a bit. Shinji stared.
ôOf course dear,ö Saeko sighed, an indulgent smile on her lips.
ôUm, well, y-yeah,ö Shinji managed. Inwardly, he had only one thought.
...I wish my Father was like this...
Scygnus Darkhawk said:
Okay, I'm sorry AJT, I'm enjoying this quite a bit, but I have to call either hivemind or slight plagiary. The rest is significantly different, but Ritsuko's explanation sounds almost directly lifted out of my version. Especially the Phoenix Wright stance.
As payment, I demand you write more.
As payment, I demand you write more.
Part of the next bit.
KING
- - - - - - -
"I can't believe it," muttered Ritsuko to Misato. "He's eating more than you."
"Where does he put it?" Maya murmured in awe.
Misato shakes her head. "I have no idea..."
Shinji finished off the last in a long line of sandwiches and licked his lips happily. Fries, chips, vegetables, fruit, and deserts-They'd all disappeared into his mouth. He grinned at the three women across the table.
"Man... That hit the spot!" He sighed and stretched his arms over his head. "Geez..."
"Shinji, do you eat this much all the time?" Ritsuko asked. Shinji shook his head.
"No, just after Angel missions. Besides, I was in that Angel for, what, twenty-four hours?"
"Fair enough, but still," Maya said. Shinji shrugged.
"I'll just burn it off training or something.ö He looked around with a frown, eyes glancing around carefully. Ritsuko and Maya exchanged looks. Misato cleared her throat.
ôShinji? What are you looking for?ö
ôHm? Ohà You know.ö
Misato gave him a wry look. ôNo, I donÆt.ö
Shinji frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. ôYou shouldà This joke is really getting stupid, you know.ö
ôWhat joke? What are you expecting Shinji?ö Ritsuko inquired. Shinji shrugged.
ôMy Dad.ö
Once again, concerned looks were exchanged between the women. Shinji began to get seriously annoyed. HeÆd settled on the most likely possible theory for this situation, outside of still being inside the Angel and being in some kind of strange hallucination: His dad was playing a prank on him.
A very, very elaborate prank, sure: A little more elaborate than his eighth birthday, and far crueler, but not entirely out of the question. What the joke was, Shinji wasnÆt really sure, but it was in really bad taste.
Maybe MomÆs been cutting him off or somethingà He mentally thanked Ritsuko for keeping his mental processes from straying any closer to the boundary of ôTruly Traumatizingö.
ôYour Dad?ö Ritsuko questioned.
ôYeah. He hasnÆt shown up yet. Wait, let me guessà HeÆs going to be all super serious. Or maybe stroking his cat while cackling evillyà Something like that?ö
ôNo,ö Misato said flatly, ôweÆd be more concerned about him than you if he was doing that.ö
ôSeriously? Have you met him?ö Shinji asked in disbelief.
ôLet me get this straight. You think thereÆs some kind of practical joke going on at your expense, and your Father is involved?ö Ritsuko asked. Shinji thought about it, looking up at the ceiling of the mess hall, before he looked back at the three women.
ôYes.ö
ôà ThatÆs your explanation?ö Ritsuko asked softly. Shinji shrugged.
ôWell, itÆs either that or IÆm still inside the Angel, and this is some kind of illusion designed to get me to reveal information about NERV that might let the Angel win.ö
Much staring. It was Maya who broke the sudden silence.
ôSoà WeÆre Angelic illusions,ö she said slowly. Shinji scowled.
ôWhat? ItÆs not a bad theory, right? I mean, how could I know I wasnÆt actually back here, or I was just going insane? Maybe the Angel just isnÆt good about replicating things, because its knowledge is incomplete.ö
Misato blinked. ôShinjià WeÆre not an illusion.ö
ôAn illusion would say that, wouldnÆt it?ö Shinji pressed.
ôWell, that wouldnÆt be a bad way to get informationà If we were an illusion, which weÆre not,ö Ritsuko said calmly. Shinji huffed.
ôJust like a hallucination to tell me whatÆs real and not real.ö
ôShinji, if the Angel really was using an illusion to get inside your head, and it came up with an illusion as detailed as this, why would it need to ask you anything?ö Misato pushed. ôIt would know the layout of NERV, the defenses-ô
ôDo you know how Angel telepathic bullshit works? I donÆt think so!ö Shinji retorted.
ôBesides, IÆm fairly certain if this was an illusion designed to get you to talk, weÆd be naked,ö Misato said with a smirk. Shinji blushed.
ôH-How do you know IÆm not seeing you naked right now?ö He huffed.
ôIf you were, youÆd have passed out by now,ö Misato said, smirk turning into a grin.
Shinji leered unconvincingly at all three women, managing to get a blush out of Maya before he relented and held up his hands. ôOkay, okay, I canÆt see you naked.ö
Lousy Angel.
ôUnless youÆve seen us naked before, the Angel wouldnÆt have much to work from,ö Ritsuko said. She looked sideways at Misato. The Tactical Director of NERV scowled.
ôWhatÆs that look for?ö
ôNothing,ö Ritsuko said airily. ôPoint is Shinji, youÆre acting very oddly. You have to admit there's reason to be concerned.ö
ôGood! That makes all of us,ö Shinji said. ôLook, can I just go see my father? Clear up the prank theory at least?ö
ôHeÆs probably busy right now, Shinji,ö Maya offered. Shinji huffed.
ôSure he isà But if I canÆt see him, then IÆm left with the Angel illusion theory.ö Shinji crossed his arms over his chest once more. öWhich wonÆt be refuted unless I see you all naked.ö
ôA twisted and convoluted argument,ö Ritsuko commented with a small smile. Shinji shrugged.
ôYes. Yes it is. But it would be worth it.ö
ôFlatterer,ö Ritsuko replied.
ôHonest,ö Shinji said.
KING
- - - - - - -
"I can't believe it," muttered Ritsuko to Misato. "He's eating more than you."
"Where does he put it?" Maya murmured in awe.
Misato shakes her head. "I have no idea..."
Shinji finished off the last in a long line of sandwiches and licked his lips happily. Fries, chips, vegetables, fruit, and deserts-They'd all disappeared into his mouth. He grinned at the three women across the table.
"Man... That hit the spot!" He sighed and stretched his arms over his head. "Geez..."
"Shinji, do you eat this much all the time?" Ritsuko asked. Shinji shook his head.
"No, just after Angel missions. Besides, I was in that Angel for, what, twenty-four hours?"
"Fair enough, but still," Maya said. Shinji shrugged.
"I'll just burn it off training or something.ö He looked around with a frown, eyes glancing around carefully. Ritsuko and Maya exchanged looks. Misato cleared her throat.
ôShinji? What are you looking for?ö
ôHm? Ohà You know.ö
Misato gave him a wry look. ôNo, I donÆt.ö
Shinji frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. ôYou shouldà This joke is really getting stupid, you know.ö
ôWhat joke? What are you expecting Shinji?ö Ritsuko inquired. Shinji shrugged.
ôMy Dad.ö
Once again, concerned looks were exchanged between the women. Shinji began to get seriously annoyed. HeÆd settled on the most likely possible theory for this situation, outside of still being inside the Angel and being in some kind of strange hallucination: His dad was playing a prank on him.
A very, very elaborate prank, sure: A little more elaborate than his eighth birthday, and far crueler, but not entirely out of the question. What the joke was, Shinji wasnÆt really sure, but it was in really bad taste.
Maybe MomÆs been cutting him off or somethingà He mentally thanked Ritsuko for keeping his mental processes from straying any closer to the boundary of ôTruly Traumatizingö.
ôYour Dad?ö Ritsuko questioned.
ôYeah. He hasnÆt shown up yet. Wait, let me guessà HeÆs going to be all super serious. Or maybe stroking his cat while cackling evillyà Something like that?ö
ôNo,ö Misato said flatly, ôweÆd be more concerned about him than you if he was doing that.ö
ôSeriously? Have you met him?ö Shinji asked in disbelief.
ôLet me get this straight. You think thereÆs some kind of practical joke going on at your expense, and your Father is involved?ö Ritsuko asked. Shinji thought about it, looking up at the ceiling of the mess hall, before he looked back at the three women.
ôYes.ö
ôà ThatÆs your explanation?ö Ritsuko asked softly. Shinji shrugged.
ôWell, itÆs either that or IÆm still inside the Angel, and this is some kind of illusion designed to get me to reveal information about NERV that might let the Angel win.ö
Much staring. It was Maya who broke the sudden silence.
ôSoà WeÆre Angelic illusions,ö she said slowly. Shinji scowled.
ôWhat? ItÆs not a bad theory, right? I mean, how could I know I wasnÆt actually back here, or I was just going insane? Maybe the Angel just isnÆt good about replicating things, because its knowledge is incomplete.ö
Misato blinked. ôShinjià WeÆre not an illusion.ö
ôAn illusion would say that, wouldnÆt it?ö Shinji pressed.
ôWell, that wouldnÆt be a bad way to get informationà If we were an illusion, which weÆre not,ö Ritsuko said calmly. Shinji huffed.
ôJust like a hallucination to tell me whatÆs real and not real.ö
ôShinji, if the Angel really was using an illusion to get inside your head, and it came up with an illusion as detailed as this, why would it need to ask you anything?ö Misato pushed. ôIt would know the layout of NERV, the defenses-ô
ôDo you know how Angel telepathic bullshit works? I donÆt think so!ö Shinji retorted.
ôBesides, IÆm fairly certain if this was an illusion designed to get you to talk, weÆd be naked,ö Misato said with a smirk. Shinji blushed.
ôH-How do you know IÆm not seeing you naked right now?ö He huffed.
ôIf you were, youÆd have passed out by now,ö Misato said, smirk turning into a grin.
Shinji leered unconvincingly at all three women, managing to get a blush out of Maya before he relented and held up his hands. ôOkay, okay, I canÆt see you naked.ö
Lousy Angel.
ôUnless youÆve seen us naked before, the Angel wouldnÆt have much to work from,ö Ritsuko said. She looked sideways at Misato. The Tactical Director of NERV scowled.
ôWhatÆs that look for?ö
ôNothing,ö Ritsuko said airily. ôPoint is Shinji, youÆre acting very oddly. You have to admit there's reason to be concerned.ö
ôGood! That makes all of us,ö Shinji said. ôLook, can I just go see my father? Clear up the prank theory at least?ö
ôHeÆs probably busy right now, Shinji,ö Maya offered. Shinji huffed.
ôSure he isà But if I canÆt see him, then IÆm left with the Angel illusion theory.ö Shinji crossed his arms over his chest once more. öWhich wonÆt be refuted unless I see you all naked.ö
ôA twisted and convoluted argument,ö Ritsuko commented with a small smile. Shinji shrugged.
ôYes. Yes it is. But it would be worth it.ö
ôFlatterer,ö Ritsuko replied.
ôHonest,ö Shinji said.
Part the next.
- - - - - - -
In the Commander's dark office, the two most powerful men in NERV were conducting their business. Not the usual philosophizing about the nature of mankindÆs imminent destruction induced by their own actions-That was for quieter moments. This was a more practical time.
ôReturning the N2 mines to the JSSDF is proceeding on schedule,ö Fuyutsuki reported. He didnÆt need to mention that the JSSDF was once again complaining about how they were mobilized and then just as quickly not utilized. That was just implied.
ôLeave that in the hands of the logistical division chief,ö Gendo stated. ôItÆs not worth our time to engage directly with them.ö
ôTrue, though a lessening of tensions with them might serve us better when the time comes. We are entering the latter stage of the scenario, after all,ö Fuyutsuki reminded his student. Gendo shook his head.
ôIn the grand scheme of things, their cooperation is forced by circumstances. At this stage, no amount of civility will resolve it-They would recognize it for the empty gesture it is.ö
Fuyutsuki nodded. Subject closed, Gendo moved onto something more relevant.
ôWhat of the status of Unit-01?ö Gendo inquired.
ôIt was undamaged,ö Fuyutsuki began slowly. ôHowever, the maintenance chief has uncovered someàö He searched for the proper word, and decided to go with the words of the head of Unit 01Æs maintenance, ôdiscrepancies.ö
He handed over the relevant report. Gendo glanced through it, his eyebrows rising noticeably. He looked over at Fuyutsuki, as though to confirm this was not some elaborate joke being played on him, before looking back.
ôUpgraded components, more advanced sensor systems, considerable software changes, and a few minor cosmetic differences,ö Fuyutsuki dutifully summarized the contents. ôAccording to the maintenance chief, these upgrades are all parts that would have been coming to Unit 01 in the coming months.ö
ôThese upgradesàö Gendo began, before his eyes fell upon a photograph in the report. He scrutinized it. ôWhat are these markings on the entry plug?ö
ôAngelsà With xÆs through them,ö Fuyutsuki said. ôIt appears to be a kill count.ö
Gendo felt a headache coming on. ôThis is not our Unit 01.ö
ôNo,ö Fuyutsuki said.
ôà And the Third Child?ö Gendo asked. His intercom chose that moment to beep, and his secretaryÆs voice came through.
ôCommander, your son is here to see you,ö she stated.
Commander and Sub-Commander exchanged looks. Gendo looked at the door.
ôSend him in.ö
Shinji entered the office, eyes firmly up and locking onto GendoÆs own. This gaze slipped, and for a moment Gendo thought his sonÆs traditional lack of confidence had come into play. However, the look of disbelief and concern he saw when ShinjiÆs gaze returned to his own overrode that.
ôGeezàö He said, an English term of shock. He looked over at Fuyutsuki, a question in his gaze. Fuyutsuki was startled at the familiarity the look implied, unable to say anything. Shinji looked back at Gendo, naked confused on his face. Finally, after a moment of serious thought, ShinjiÆs face became determined and he walked into the office.
ôOkay, fine,ö he murmured. Shinji circled the desk to GendoÆs side and stopped in front of his father, who had turned in his chair to look at him.
He then bent down just enough to embrace his father in a tight hug. Over ShinjiÆs shoulders, GendoÆs eyes widened, visible despite the orange tint of his glasses. Fuyutsuki felt his jaw drop, and tried to summon the willpower to close it back up again.
ôI'm sorry if I worried you,ö Shinji said with earnestness in his voice neither man had ever heard before. He pulled back and smiled at his shocked father. ôI mean, okay, I jumped into the Abyss. I donÆt argue that. I had to do it though. I mean, the fate of mankind is at stake and I can't afford to just follow orders.ö He smiled and shrugged. ôIÆm Unit 01Æs pilotà The future rests with me.ö
Shinji sighed and lightly glared at Gendo, a gentle admonishment so like his mother it almost broke FuyutsukiÆs emotional control. ôButà Considering how bad Asuka took it, I'm guessing youÆre really twisted up if you're acting like this. So IÆll try to be less reckless, okay?ö
Gendo worked his jaw, clearly trying to find something to say. As the silence stretched on, Fuyutsuki cleared his throat to say something, anything to re-establish control over the situation. He lost it just as quickly at GendoÆs next words.
ôWellà Stillà You did fine work,ö Gendo spoke slowly, unaccustomed to the words. Shinji smiled broadly.
ôThanks Dadàö He made a face. ôBesides, if I died, I'd never live it down. Killed by a hole?ö
Gendo slowly nodded. ôIt is an ignoble death.ö
ôYeah.ö Shinji smiled and patted Gendo on the shoulder. ôSo relax, okay? You need to stop worrying so much. If itÆs a problem with Mom, you need to work it out. DonÆt just go æDarth IkariÆ,ö he said, pointing at the gloomy interior of the office. ôSpeaking of, where is she?ö
Gendo stared for a few moments. Shinji slowly nodded.
ôà Okayà Look, just relax all right? IÆm fine. Not going anywhere. IÆll just run through some sims with Asuka and Rei tomorrow, figure out how to kill Angels the right way. You get some rest.ö He glared at Fuyutsuki. ôYou make sure he gets it.ö
ôIàö At ShinjiÆs Yui-like glare, Fuyutsuki quickly nodded. ôOf course.ö
ôGreat. IÆll see you both later then,ö Shinji said. He nodded to his father and the Sub-Commander, before turning and walking out the door, hands in his pockets. Once the door had closed behind him, the tension in the office released enough for normal conversation to resume.
ôThatà Was not the Third,ö Gendo pronounced.
ôNot your son at all,ö Fuyutsuki confirmed. He crossed his arms over his chest and stared intently at the closed doors. ôThere was no sign of mental contamination. If anything, his synch ratio has improvedà Is considerably better than our Third.ö
ôHow much?ö Gendo asked.
ôEven when not engaged in combat? Over ninety percent,ö Fuyutsuki replied. Gendo resumed his trademark position, despite the fact his hands were shaking slightly.
ôThe Dirac Sea?ö Gendo asked. Fuyutsuki nodded.
ôItÆs the best explanation I haveà The different maintenance, the change in the boy.ö He sighed. ôUnfortunately, the only way we could generate one to try and fix this is with an S2 Organ.ö Fuyutsuki rubbed the bottom of his chin. ôAnd with Unit Four's coming sacrifice...ö
GendoÆs thoughts were on a different matter. ôThis boy claims to have a Mother.ö
ôIf it were Yui, we would have discovered that in our analysis of Unit 01,ö Fuyutsuki said, quite bluntly, to convince Ikari as much as himself. ôThereÆs no reason to assume she is not in there as well.ö
Gendo let out a small sigh, a nod conceding the point. ôEventually he will discover that this is not his world.ö
ôYesà And what then, Ikari?ö Fuyutsuki asked.
ôAt current I'm not sure...but this changes the Scenario, considerably,ö Gendo said, a bit of black humor in his tone. Fuyutsuki couldnÆt help a smirk.
ôNo sitcom-esque antics to preserve the illusion?ö
ôThat would just be a waste of time,ö Gendo said. Fuyutsuki nodded and turned to head for the door.
ôConvincing the Committee to return the S2 organ to us from the Americans would be difficult... But not impossible. And finding out who he considers his Mother would be useful. He seems the type to seek her out. I can see to both.ö
Gendo nodded. ôThank you, old friend.ö He turned his attention back to the paperwork he had yet to look through. ôIf Shinji asks, I'm on business.ö
There was a moment's silence while Fuyutsuki walked to the door, and was only broken by FuyutsukiÆs short chuckle. Gendo looked back up to see Fuyutsuki smiling.
ôJust wishing I had a recorder, Ikari. Nothing more.ö The old man turned and exited the office. The doors shut behind him, just in time to see a flicker of shock on GendoÆs face at what he had called his son.
- - - - - - -
- - - - - - -
In the Commander's dark office, the two most powerful men in NERV were conducting their business. Not the usual philosophizing about the nature of mankindÆs imminent destruction induced by their own actions-That was for quieter moments. This was a more practical time.
ôReturning the N2 mines to the JSSDF is proceeding on schedule,ö Fuyutsuki reported. He didnÆt need to mention that the JSSDF was once again complaining about how they were mobilized and then just as quickly not utilized. That was just implied.
ôLeave that in the hands of the logistical division chief,ö Gendo stated. ôItÆs not worth our time to engage directly with them.ö
ôTrue, though a lessening of tensions with them might serve us better when the time comes. We are entering the latter stage of the scenario, after all,ö Fuyutsuki reminded his student. Gendo shook his head.
ôIn the grand scheme of things, their cooperation is forced by circumstances. At this stage, no amount of civility will resolve it-They would recognize it for the empty gesture it is.ö
Fuyutsuki nodded. Subject closed, Gendo moved onto something more relevant.
ôWhat of the status of Unit-01?ö Gendo inquired.
ôIt was undamaged,ö Fuyutsuki began slowly. ôHowever, the maintenance chief has uncovered someàö He searched for the proper word, and decided to go with the words of the head of Unit 01Æs maintenance, ôdiscrepancies.ö
He handed over the relevant report. Gendo glanced through it, his eyebrows rising noticeably. He looked over at Fuyutsuki, as though to confirm this was not some elaborate joke being played on him, before looking back.
ôUpgraded components, more advanced sensor systems, considerable software changes, and a few minor cosmetic differences,ö Fuyutsuki dutifully summarized the contents. ôAccording to the maintenance chief, these upgrades are all parts that would have been coming to Unit 01 in the coming months.ö
ôThese upgradesàö Gendo began, before his eyes fell upon a photograph in the report. He scrutinized it. ôWhat are these markings on the entry plug?ö
ôAngelsà With xÆs through them,ö Fuyutsuki said. ôIt appears to be a kill count.ö
Gendo felt a headache coming on. ôThis is not our Unit 01.ö
ôNo,ö Fuyutsuki said.
ôà And the Third Child?ö Gendo asked. His intercom chose that moment to beep, and his secretaryÆs voice came through.
ôCommander, your son is here to see you,ö she stated.
Commander and Sub-Commander exchanged looks. Gendo looked at the door.
ôSend him in.ö
Shinji entered the office, eyes firmly up and locking onto GendoÆs own. This gaze slipped, and for a moment Gendo thought his sonÆs traditional lack of confidence had come into play. However, the look of disbelief and concern he saw when ShinjiÆs gaze returned to his own overrode that.
ôGeezàö He said, an English term of shock. He looked over at Fuyutsuki, a question in his gaze. Fuyutsuki was startled at the familiarity the look implied, unable to say anything. Shinji looked back at Gendo, naked confused on his face. Finally, after a moment of serious thought, ShinjiÆs face became determined and he walked into the office.
ôOkay, fine,ö he murmured. Shinji circled the desk to GendoÆs side and stopped in front of his father, who had turned in his chair to look at him.
He then bent down just enough to embrace his father in a tight hug. Over ShinjiÆs shoulders, GendoÆs eyes widened, visible despite the orange tint of his glasses. Fuyutsuki felt his jaw drop, and tried to summon the willpower to close it back up again.
ôI'm sorry if I worried you,ö Shinji said with earnestness in his voice neither man had ever heard before. He pulled back and smiled at his shocked father. ôI mean, okay, I jumped into the Abyss. I donÆt argue that. I had to do it though. I mean, the fate of mankind is at stake and I can't afford to just follow orders.ö He smiled and shrugged. ôIÆm Unit 01Æs pilotà The future rests with me.ö
Shinji sighed and lightly glared at Gendo, a gentle admonishment so like his mother it almost broke FuyutsukiÆs emotional control. ôButà Considering how bad Asuka took it, I'm guessing youÆre really twisted up if you're acting like this. So IÆll try to be less reckless, okay?ö
Gendo worked his jaw, clearly trying to find something to say. As the silence stretched on, Fuyutsuki cleared his throat to say something, anything to re-establish control over the situation. He lost it just as quickly at GendoÆs next words.
ôWellà Stillà You did fine work,ö Gendo spoke slowly, unaccustomed to the words. Shinji smiled broadly.
ôThanks Dadàö He made a face. ôBesides, if I died, I'd never live it down. Killed by a hole?ö
Gendo slowly nodded. ôIt is an ignoble death.ö
ôYeah.ö Shinji smiled and patted Gendo on the shoulder. ôSo relax, okay? You need to stop worrying so much. If itÆs a problem with Mom, you need to work it out. DonÆt just go æDarth IkariÆ,ö he said, pointing at the gloomy interior of the office. ôSpeaking of, where is she?ö
Gendo stared for a few moments. Shinji slowly nodded.
ôà Okayà Look, just relax all right? IÆm fine. Not going anywhere. IÆll just run through some sims with Asuka and Rei tomorrow, figure out how to kill Angels the right way. You get some rest.ö He glared at Fuyutsuki. ôYou make sure he gets it.ö
ôIàö At ShinjiÆs Yui-like glare, Fuyutsuki quickly nodded. ôOf course.ö
ôGreat. IÆll see you both later then,ö Shinji said. He nodded to his father and the Sub-Commander, before turning and walking out the door, hands in his pockets. Once the door had closed behind him, the tension in the office released enough for normal conversation to resume.
ôThatà Was not the Third,ö Gendo pronounced.
ôNot your son at all,ö Fuyutsuki confirmed. He crossed his arms over his chest and stared intently at the closed doors. ôThere was no sign of mental contamination. If anything, his synch ratio has improvedà Is considerably better than our Third.ö
ôHow much?ö Gendo asked.
ôEven when not engaged in combat? Over ninety percent,ö Fuyutsuki replied. Gendo resumed his trademark position, despite the fact his hands were shaking slightly.
ôThe Dirac Sea?ö Gendo asked. Fuyutsuki nodded.
ôItÆs the best explanation I haveà The different maintenance, the change in the boy.ö He sighed. ôUnfortunately, the only way we could generate one to try and fix this is with an S2 Organ.ö Fuyutsuki rubbed the bottom of his chin. ôAnd with Unit Four's coming sacrifice...ö
GendoÆs thoughts were on a different matter. ôThis boy claims to have a Mother.ö
ôIf it were Yui, we would have discovered that in our analysis of Unit 01,ö Fuyutsuki said, quite bluntly, to convince Ikari as much as himself. ôThereÆs no reason to assume she is not in there as well.ö
Gendo let out a small sigh, a nod conceding the point. ôEventually he will discover that this is not his world.ö
ôYesà And what then, Ikari?ö Fuyutsuki asked.
ôAt current I'm not sure...but this changes the Scenario, considerably,ö Gendo said, a bit of black humor in his tone. Fuyutsuki couldnÆt help a smirk.
ôNo sitcom-esque antics to preserve the illusion?ö
ôThat would just be a waste of time,ö Gendo said. Fuyutsuki nodded and turned to head for the door.
ôConvincing the Committee to return the S2 organ to us from the Americans would be difficult... But not impossible. And finding out who he considers his Mother would be useful. He seems the type to seek her out. I can see to both.ö
Gendo nodded. ôThank you, old friend.ö He turned his attention back to the paperwork he had yet to look through. ôIf Shinji asks, I'm on business.ö
There was a moment's silence while Fuyutsuki walked to the door, and was only broken by FuyutsukiÆs short chuckle. Gendo looked back up to see Fuyutsuki smiling.
ôJust wishing I had a recorder, Ikari. Nothing more.ö The old man turned and exited the office. The doors shut behind him, just in time to see a flicker of shock on GendoÆs face at what he had called his son.
- - - - - - -
And the final bit of this chapter.
- - - - - -
Shinji left the office, hands firmly in his pockets. He took a deep breath and blew it out.
His father and his mother were both very physical people, and Shinji himself had inherited that. His mother had never hesitated to hug him, and his father had gotten in hugs whenever decorum would allow: Or pats on the back and shoulder, or even a friendly fist bump.
That Gendo Ikari though? That wasnÆt his father. He was too stiff, too quiet, and too uncomfortable with physical contact.
ThatÆs not my father, he thought, rubbing the back of his neck. So, this isnÆt my NERV. He glared up at the ceiling. Come on you fucking Angel. Show yourself! I figured it out; itÆs all part of your evil plan! Come on! Come on!
à Seriously, come on! What do I have to do to get you to own up?
à Well, I suppose I could strip naked and streak through NERV. If it is an illusion itÆs just me having a bit of fun and-
ôIkari-san?ö
ôAh?à Oh, hey Ayanami,ö Shinji said, looking at the blue-haired girl. She stared at him, dressed in her school uniform.
ôYou do notàö She seemed to visibly struggle for a moment before finishing with, ôseem yourself.ö
Shinji let out a little laugh. ôOh I bet I donÆt.ö He smiled at her. ôAh, you know, IÆm sorry about hugging and kissing you.ö
For all I know she has a boyfriend in thisà Whatever it is.
The illusion theory was getting less likely. The alternate universe theory, instead, was gaining a bit more ground. Sure he had never thought that would be something heÆd ever think, but then once upon a time he had never thought heÆd be piloting a giant robot to save humanity.
Granted, nobody had goatees but all the little differences were beginning to add up to the fact this was not home.
Rei shook her head. ôIà Enjoyed that,ö she admitted.
ôOh. Good,ö he said with a smile. ôThen maybe I can do it more often-?ö
ôBaka-Shinji!ö
Asuka stormed up, and Shinji was able to finally peg her emotional state-Jealousy. The way she kept looking back and forth between himself and Reià What else could it be? His Asuka could get jealous too, but she was usually a bit more subtle about it.
Maybe the other Shinji is a serious playboy in this universe? He thought.
ôHey Asuka.ö
ôWell? Are you done whining to Daddy, or can we go home now?ö Asuka demanded. Shinji shrugged.
ôAh, well, sure. IÆll see you at the parking lot,ö he said.
ôYou had better be there!ö
ôI will, I will! Relax Cap-Uh, I mean Asuka,ö he said. Asuka snorted and placed her hands on her hips.
ôWhat else do you have to do, anyway?ö She demanded. Shinji sighed, and shrugged.
ôI donÆt really know. I guess I donÆt have anything else to do right nowàö
Not until I figure this all out. If I do anything else out of the ordinary I might get locked up. After all, he wasn't locked up now right?
He looked over to Rei and smiled. ôCome on Ayanami, letÆs go home.ö
Rei blinked and stared at him. Shinji responded by sighing, and grabbing her hand.
ôCome on! IÆll cook your favoriteà And your favorite too Asuka, trust me!ö
ôYouÆre bringing her along too?ö Asuka asked in disbelief. Shinji shrugged.
ôWeÆre all Eva pilots, right? Besides, we beat the bad guys. I say we have a party.ö He grinned at them both. ôSee you at the parking lot!ö He turned and ran off, leaving his fellow pilots to stare after him.
Asuka looked over at Rei, as though about to ask a questionà But upon realizing who she was about to talk to, rolled her eyes.
ôMein Gottà That thing must have fucked him up even worse than I thought,ö she muttered.
ôHe isà Not himself,ö Rei admitted.
- - - - - -
Shinji left the office, hands firmly in his pockets. He took a deep breath and blew it out.
His father and his mother were both very physical people, and Shinji himself had inherited that. His mother had never hesitated to hug him, and his father had gotten in hugs whenever decorum would allow: Or pats on the back and shoulder, or even a friendly fist bump.
That Gendo Ikari though? That wasnÆt his father. He was too stiff, too quiet, and too uncomfortable with physical contact.
ThatÆs not my father, he thought, rubbing the back of his neck. So, this isnÆt my NERV. He glared up at the ceiling. Come on you fucking Angel. Show yourself! I figured it out; itÆs all part of your evil plan! Come on! Come on!
à Seriously, come on! What do I have to do to get you to own up?
à Well, I suppose I could strip naked and streak through NERV. If it is an illusion itÆs just me having a bit of fun and-
ôIkari-san?ö
ôAh?à Oh, hey Ayanami,ö Shinji said, looking at the blue-haired girl. She stared at him, dressed in her school uniform.
ôYou do notàö She seemed to visibly struggle for a moment before finishing with, ôseem yourself.ö
Shinji let out a little laugh. ôOh I bet I donÆt.ö He smiled at her. ôAh, you know, IÆm sorry about hugging and kissing you.ö
For all I know she has a boyfriend in thisà Whatever it is.
The illusion theory was getting less likely. The alternate universe theory, instead, was gaining a bit more ground. Sure he had never thought that would be something heÆd ever think, but then once upon a time he had never thought heÆd be piloting a giant robot to save humanity.
Granted, nobody had goatees but all the little differences were beginning to add up to the fact this was not home.
Rei shook her head. ôIà Enjoyed that,ö she admitted.
ôOh. Good,ö he said with a smile. ôThen maybe I can do it more often-?ö
ôBaka-Shinji!ö
Asuka stormed up, and Shinji was able to finally peg her emotional state-Jealousy. The way she kept looking back and forth between himself and Reià What else could it be? His Asuka could get jealous too, but she was usually a bit more subtle about it.
Maybe the other Shinji is a serious playboy in this universe? He thought.
ôHey Asuka.ö
ôWell? Are you done whining to Daddy, or can we go home now?ö Asuka demanded. Shinji shrugged.
ôAh, well, sure. IÆll see you at the parking lot,ö he said.
ôYou had better be there!ö
ôI will, I will! Relax Cap-Uh, I mean Asuka,ö he said. Asuka snorted and placed her hands on her hips.
ôWhat else do you have to do, anyway?ö She demanded. Shinji sighed, and shrugged.
ôI donÆt really know. I guess I donÆt have anything else to do right nowàö
Not until I figure this all out. If I do anything else out of the ordinary I might get locked up. After all, he wasn't locked up now right?
He looked over to Rei and smiled. ôCome on Ayanami, letÆs go home.ö
Rei blinked and stared at him. Shinji responded by sighing, and grabbing her hand.
ôCome on! IÆll cook your favoriteà And your favorite too Asuka, trust me!ö
ôYouÆre bringing her along too?ö Asuka asked in disbelief. Shinji shrugged.
ôWeÆre all Eva pilots, right? Besides, we beat the bad guys. I say we have a party.ö He grinned at them both. ôSee you at the parking lot!ö He turned and ran off, leaving his fellow pilots to stare after him.
Asuka looked over at Rei, as though about to ask a questionà But upon realizing who she was about to talk to, rolled her eyes.
ôMein Gottà That thing must have fucked him up even worse than I thought,ö she muttered.
ôHe isà Not himself,ö Rei admitted.