Evangelion The Reprint and Repackaging of Evangelion
- Thread starter Anonguy
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Disclaimer: I own nothing. But hey, if you can, you should support official releases of anime here, so companies like Genon and ADV stop biting the dust. Up to you.
Author note: Chapter 5, the battle with Ramiel looks to intensify, and maybe even finish?! Well, we'll see. Let's do this.
The Reprint and Repackaging of Evangelion
Chapter 5 I Will Shut the World Away
by Anonguy
Units-00 and 01 had finally returned to base, their pilots still seething at their perceived failure. It was almost cute that they expected to win every single time they fought, but it was almost annoying. Ritsuko took charge to move them away from any planning session, especially in light of Shinji screaming to chuck N2 mines at Ramiel until the very idea of it had been killed.
Gendo Ikari, the nominal commander of this little shindig, was sitting off by himself with Fuyutsuki, watching the proceeds with his trademark cool. He had sat down off to the side since the order to withdraw had been issued, unnerving everyone with his silence. Fuyutsuki had decided to try and break the quiet between them when Gendo silenced him with a raised hand.
ôSo, it would seem we have suffered a setback.ö Gendo Ikari stated this obvious factoid in his usual gruff and frigid manner. No one dared to speak out against this, as he usually took criticism with grace, followed by a retort in the form of a bullet to the head.
ôMm, yes.ö Fuyutsuki decided to engage the conversation as he knew Gendo was speaking to him. ôThe Fifth's abilities were beyond our estimations and we went in ill prepared. Misato is currently using the MAGI to help her concoct an actual battle plan.ö
ôAny input from the pilots?ö Not that he figured they had anything really good to supply, he was simply taking the conversation to the obvious points.
ôAh, Shinji suggested just dropping N2 mines on the Angel until it was reduced to glowing ash.ö To say nothing of what Rei suggested. Fuyutsuki shuddered violently for a second.
ôI see, Shinji does take after a Yui a bit.ö Gendo chuckled to himself.
ôUh... what?ö That didn't sound like the Yui the old professor knew.
ôYou only met her after she calmed down. I knew Yui from our younger days and she had a habit of oddly invective statements.ö Gendo openly laughed in a manner approaching warmth but only served to scare anyone listening in. ôI don't know what she meant by fucking someone with a Zamboni but I try not to picture it.ö
ôThat does sound like she had a temper, yes.ö Understatement of the moment award goes to Kouzo Fuyutsuki! Luckily, Gendo didn't give him the grand prize of a bullet to the stomach, so he had to settle for Gendo talking some more. Joy.
ôMmm, did you know that the Committee contacted me yesterday?ö Of course he didn't, he never let the old man know when he was talking to them.
ôNo. What say our benefactors in the shadows?ö The UN would string them both up by the balls if the found out that the Committee was really a secret organization named SEELE that helped cause Second Impact.
ôJust an update on the Scenario.ö Quick and frank... wait, did he sound disgusted to say the word 'Scenario'? Curious.
ôIt appears to be flying ahead of schedule doesn't it?ö Ah yes, Fuyutsuki didn't know the Real Scenario did he?
ôIndeed. At least, theirs is.ö Gendo's sudden slasher smile sent chills down his mentor's spine. ôYou see, Professor, the real goal of NERV is to gain vengeance on SEELE for their hubris in attempting to piggyback humankind to godhood.ö
ôBut Third Impact...!ö Fuyutsuki was nearly choking on his tongue here. Sweat creased his brow as fear coursed through his veins.
ôMy dear mentor, do you really think that such a thing could actually work? Forcibly reuniting mankind back into the 18th Angel Lilim would do nothing for what you or I hope. If we look at it like this, what is a 'person' but a separate part of Lilim created by the AT-field? How would removing that barrier that keeps 'me' from merging with 'you' allow us to understand who is 'Yui'? The only way for us to tell that difference is to keep apart like we are now. And Yui? Still dead.ö Gendo wound down, looking angrily forward, his frank dismissal of what had been his mission for years dropping the jaw of his audience.
ôI... I have no words.ö He really didn't, as he swallowed to wet his dry throat.
ôSecondly, it won't do what SEELE wants it to either. Yui, in her study of the Second Impact phenomena, stated that the effect of the unleashing of the First was to have obliterated the barriers between us all, but failed due to distance. She surmised a better located Third Impact could do what the one before it failed, but also said that if people cling to themselves hard enough that they'd resist the merging and retain themselves. SEELE wants to use it to weed out the 'weak' right? Leave the 'strong' to survive and flourish without the 'weak' to weigh them down. But who clings to the self more: the 'weak' who needs others or the 'strong' who generally live by their strength?ö
ôNeither, they have the same desire to live.ö Fuyutsuki was starting to see what Gendo was saying.
ôExactly. If all it takes to break away from Lilim is to cling to life, then everyone would reemerge as themselves, no better or worse from the experience. In fact, Yui even suggested that people would simply dismiss the sensations of Third Impact as a nightmare and forget it. Nothing would change.ö
ôMy lord, you're right.ö It was scary to hear the normally dogmatic Commander of NERV so practical in his logic.
ôThirdly, the odds continue to improve for its success. Now, I know you'd think that'd be an encouraging sign, but look at Shinji's success against the Third and Fourth: his odds of failure greatly outweighed his odds of success. And yet, he succeeded. Probability is nothing but guesswork, as we try to predict what is to happen based on absolute hypotheticals. It seems to me that the more the odds are against something, all the myriad ways shit can go bad wind up canceling each other out.ö
ôThat's some loaded logic you're using Ikari.ö Well it was. What else was he to say, especially since he's the rational one here?
ôProbability is a loaded ideology, after all, Rei and Shinji combined for great odds from the MAGI and there's still an Angel coming. Oops?ö It proved nothing, just letting the other man know what he was thinking.
ôI suppose.ö He didn't, but he didn't feel like arguing it.
ôOn a different subject, did you ever wonder what went wrong with the First experiment?ö Gendo crossed his hands in front of his face in that evil thinker pose he did so well. Oh boy, this isn't going to be pretty.
ôWasn't it just that the First was too strong to contain?ö That was the official line.
ôIf that were true, they'd have never isolated it in the first place. And we wouldn't have our dear Captain Katsuragi around to come up with our plans for us.ö And now, here comes the bombshell. ôIt was sabotaged.ö
ôBut who would do that?ö Well, considering only Misato survived the First's escape, who do you think?
ôMe.ö It was meant to sound confident and evil with all that good stuff behind them. Instead, it sounded almost guilty. ôSEELE hadn't upgraded past conspiratorial bogeyman, so they were looking for someone who was willing to help them gain a foothold on the world's power scale. The idea of Second Impact was allegedly hidden in the Dead Sea Scrolls, so they were wanting someone to make it happen. I neither accepted or approved at first, but my silence drove them to desperation and I was promised a tenth of the collective gross national product of the member nations. That's America, the United Kingdom, Russia, Germany, France and previously China, the representative of which got killed in the world war following Second Impact. Just to restate, one tenth of the collective gross national product of the member nations.ö
ôYou... you killed two billion people and ruined the world for money?!ö Fuyutsuki was beyond galled by this.
ôPretty much yeah.ö And even Gendo was ashamed.
ôYou... you... you MONSTER.ö Wow, the old man had a set of lungs on him.
ôI was young and stupid, as opposed to old and stupid, but I let my infatuation with Yui get the better of me.ö Man, he was really letting it out now.
ôYou... you did it to impress Yui?!ö Fuyutsuki was making a strangle your ass motion with his hands.
ôThe money, not the Second Impact was for her. In hindsight, I could have just gotten an extra job.ö At this point, Fuyutsuki slugged Gendo in the face as hard as his old bones could manage.
ôOh... oh dear, I lost myself there.ö He didn't sound as apologetic as that may look.
ôIt's alright. I deserved that and probably a lot more.ö Gendo wiped the blood away and smiled almost jovially. ôNice right there by the way.ö
ôThanks, I think.ö Fuyutsuki rubbed his fist a bit. Fucker had an iron jaw.
ôI'm really pathetic you know? I let my stupid obsession with Yui cloud my judgment and then I send away my son because I knew I'd be horrible to him.ö Seems it was opening up day at the Gendo's deep personal feelings store and they weren't done giving out free shit.
ôIn your defense, you haven't done a bad job since he's return. He's even called you Dad in a casual manner, rather than the stiff lipped father.ö He didn't feel sorry for Gendo in the least, even less than before now that he knew what the man before him had done.
ôI suppose, but I know I'd have smothered him if I didn't send him away.ö Gendo shook his head and smiled ruefully. ôIn a way, he's the enduring legacy of Yui, more so than Rei when I think about it.ö
ôIsn't Rei made from Yui's DNA though?ö Fuyutsuki hated cloning, if only because he really didn't like thinking about it.
ôYeah, it's true I used Yui's DNA to be combined into Lilith's to clone her. It didn't take, as seen by Rei instead of Yui. It's apparently impossible to perfectly clone someone.ö He shook his head. ôIn fact, if you ran a DNA test on Rei, you wouldn't get any genetic markers of Yui at all.ö
ôSo Ayanami is..?ö Fuyutsuki looked dubious at all this. It was in fact his default expression when talking to Gendo.
ôA separate entity born from the return of a child to the progenitor.ö Gendo shrugged and turned to leave the bridge. ôThat's what science tells me anyways.ö
Fuyutsuki let him walk away at that, not wanting to discuss the topic further.
/-\ /-\ /-\
ôI wasn't paying attention early, so explain this Operation Yashima to me.ö Shinji wasn't going to admit he had been to busy growling about how bad he was going to kill Ramiel the next time they fought.
ôAs the Captain laid out, we'd wait for it to stop again and attack it from outside of its reach.ö That didn't explain why they had to wait around for another three hours before heading up a damn mountain somewhere. ôThe Captain said she was acquiring the centerpiece of the operation: An experimental positron cannon and a shuttle shield.ö
ôWe have one of those?ö Those uppity nerds in R & D were holding out on him again. Fuckers.
ôNo, it was made by the JSSDF.ö Rei herself was steamed by the idea that such a weapon wasn't in their arsenal already. ôShe's going to take it from them by writ of the UN and Tokyo-3's council.ö Just what Japan would want, the UN mad at them again. Tokyo-2's still smoldering crater was an ugly reminder.
ôNice. I'd almost want to be there for that.ö If only to cuss them out for being so damn selfish.
ôThe shuttle shield will allegedly protect one of us from Ramiel's beam.ö Neither of them believed that, what with barely holding it back with their AT-fields. ôThe decision of who will shoot and who will defend any possible counter offense is still being decided.ö
ôI'd probably be better for shooting than protecting. If I got attacked, I'd want to be able to fight back, so I would probably die charging it like a goon.ö A shocking admission of fault from the previously cocky pilot.
ôI suppose. My training has yet to cover long range combat.ö That and it would allow her to ensure his survival. She still hadn't made him eat his words from earlier.
ôAll I need is the one shot that will be provided to me. I won't miss his core.ö He frowned for a second, before turning around and heading for the lounge's exit. ôWe got time, let's see if the Doc can run some simulations for us.ö
ôYou want to see for yourself the likely outcomes of this operation.ö Not a question, as she knew the answer.
ôWell, the fate of the city and possibly the world is at stake here, why should I hope I get lucky?ö It was obvious this was being treated as a luck based mission and Shinji wasn't going to play that. ôI'm not leaving my life to chance like that.ö He continued out of the room, missing the slight blush that crept across Rei's face for a second.
ôFor a moment, he seemed so like...ö Rei bit that off and sauntered after the Third Child.
/-\ /-\ /-\
Up the mountain where they'd be ready to kill Ramiel from now, there was approximately 45 minutes to the mission start time. Both Rei and Shinji sat in their respective Evangelion, not wanting to sit out in the open for some reason that escaped them. Unit-00 bore the Shuttle Shield in front of it, the titan in orange looking like a giant riot policeman. Unit-01 was standing by the Positron cannon, set up like a sniper rifle.
ôThis is it, Ayanami. I'm counting on you for the plan.ö Shinji's eyes were forward, as if he could see Ramiel in the distance.
ôI will not fail, you will have your shot.ö Rei too stayed focus on Ramiel, least her underlying emotions take her out of the mood.
ôI'm gonna kill this fucker beyond dead, and then I will stand on top of its corpse and pose for all the world to see.ö So he was still mad about their last encounter, who wouldn't be?
ôI wish I could take the shot, so I could feel the thrill of killing that bastard.ö And so was Rei. Not good for Ramiel, who by the way, had just entered the outskirts of Tokyo-3, feeling pretty good.
ôNext invincible floating fortress fucker is yours.ö Maybe, depends on if it made him mad first.
ôYou're a gentleman.ö Wow, if that tone got any dryer she'd be spiting dust out.
ôAnd you have nice tits.ö He sounded sincerely insincere for some reason. Must be a side effect from living with Misato or training a lot with Ritsuko. Both of them were pretty stacked.
Unit-00 flickered blue for a second, and Shinji shut off the radio to hide from the hail of profanity over the line.
/-\ /-\ /-\
ôWell, at least they get along.ö Maya said, wincing as she monitored the pilots' vitals. Man, Shinji really got to her with that one.
ôLike Ritsuko and men,ö Misato muttered just loud enough for Maya to catch.
ôBut she do- I mean, I have no idea what you're implying.ö Ooh, she was blushing. ôW-what?ö She looked at Hyuga who was pointing to his face. ôI-I'm blushing aren't I? Why am I b-blushing?ö Poor girl, she should have known better than to say anything.
ôStatus on the Angel.ö Misato didn't feel like mentioning catching Maya and Ritsuko in the act of a private anatomy lesson, done in the nude for the best reference material natch. Or other personal bits of her history that would embarrass her as well.
ôIt's now directly above us and is beginning to drill into the city.ö Shigeru reported, having smacked Makoto in the back of the head for messing around. ôThis is the first damage an Angel has actually managed to inflict on the city.ö
ôThis is what happens when we all do our jobs.ö Misato said, smiling at the bridge crew. ôTime remaining to operation?ö
ô15 minutes ma'am!ö Hyuga responded, checking on the Evangelion. ôUnit-01 is in a prone position and ready for the shot. 00 is in position to defend.ö
ôThe generators are holding steady,ö Maya called, checking the power supply. Ritsuko chose that moment to walk in to the bridge.
ôThis should be interesting.ö Ritsuko managed to sneak up on Misato, who was waiting impatiently for the op's start. ôI figured I'd come and see the pilots in action, they were bugging me earlier about possible holes in the Operation plan.ö
ôJust like Shinji to do that, and he can't even tell me.ö Misato faked being upset simply because she didn't care. If he wanted to be serious about this, let him.
ôHe is a little inconsiderate, a trait not unfamiliar to me.ö Why did Ritsuko look at Misato like that? Who knows.
ôWhat are you implying?ö Besides implications of course.
ôNothing~.ö Ritsuko leaned over to whisper into Misato. ôNovember 13th, Freshmen year.ö She walked away, hands in her pockets, humming a tune.
ôY-you bitch! You said you'd never mention it again!ö And yes, Misato had turned as red as her jacket. Why do you ask?
/-\ /-\ /-\
ôOperation will start in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1! Operation commencing!ö Maya called, as the positron cannon hit full charge.
ôAyanami, show time.ö Shinji began aiming at Ramiel.
ôCopy that Ikari.ö Unit-00 moved farther away from the prone Evangelion and took up a wide stance. She then opened her AT-field, projecting it in front of the Shuttle Shield.
ôUnit-00 has opened its AT-field! High energy reaction confirmed in the Angel!ö Shigeru called in, freaking internally.
ôWhat the fuck is she doing?!ö Misato flew forward to get a better look at this shit.
ôOscillation has reached maximum! The target is firing!ö Hyuga called, covering his eyes.
ôREI!ö Misato screamed, before the beam crashed into the combined shield and was held at bay.
ôCheck..ö Rei managed to speak under the strain.
ô...mate motherfucker!ö Shinji finished, firing off the shot that traveled perfectly along the side of Ramiel's beam. The Angel was taken complete by surprise and couldn't raise a countermeasure in time. The beam tore right through his AT-field, the core being pierced neatly in one fell swoop. Ramiel didn't even have time to scream before his drill stopped and he fell over, dead as can be.
ôB-blue pattern has ceased. It... it's dead.ö Maya said, eyes wide with disbelief.
Misato said nothing, but looked at the main screen where both Evangelion were flipping off the corpse of their kill. What the hell was that?!
End chapter 5
Teaser for chapter 6 ôI'm By Your Side...ö:
ôMmm, I just love the feel of the ocean mist against my skin.ö A young redheaded girl dressed in a yellow sun dress, replete with an accompanying sun hat. She held it against her head and closed her eyes, smelling the air once more.
ôThat's nice Asuka,ö the older man standing on the deck next to her said. ôBe careful you don't feel the ocean spray too much. Your dad would kill me if you caught something.ö
ôJa ja,ö Asuka Langley Soryu, the mysterious Second Child, dismissed the worries of her Guardian, one Ryoji Kaji. ôI wouldn't worry too much, I'm too hardy for that.ö She smiled to belie her boast, showing she wasn't completely laughing off his concern.
ôIf you say so.ö Kaji laughed at her demeanor. She had been stoked about the transfer to Japan, with Unit-02 in tow. ôYou've been taking care of Unit-02 right?ö
ôWhat kind of person would I be if I let my partner suffer through my neglect?ö She puffed her chest out at that, accidentally pushing her breasts out.
ôYou know I have to ask, or else I can't tell the people coming today that you're already a really responsible adult.ö Kaji completely ignored the flounce of feminine flesh before him. He wasn't interested and neither was she.
ôThe First and Third Children, ja?ö She smiled brightly, looking forward to meeting them finally. She had heard about the battles they have had and she looked forward to fighting along side them. ôAnd your long lost love, Ms. Katsuragi too, ja?ö She laughed when he colored at that. ôListen to me, Ryoji Kaji, you are a great man. Any woman, even one as young as me, would be flattered by your attention. If you're serious and true in your feelings for her, you better not let her go again or else.ö She crossed her arms, not worrying for her heat due to a slight break in the wind.
ôYes ma'am!ö Kaji saluted and beamed at his young charge. Only 14 and so full of life.
ôMmm, it is a good day, ja?ö
Author note: And that's 5. As you can tell from 6's teaser, Asuka appears next chapter. And what's this? She seems... different! What's up with that? Answers to come!
Wow, this got done quick.
Author note: Chapter 5, the battle with Ramiel looks to intensify, and maybe even finish?! Well, we'll see. Let's do this.
The Reprint and Repackaging of Evangelion
Chapter 5 I Will Shut the World Away
by Anonguy
Units-00 and 01 had finally returned to base, their pilots still seething at their perceived failure. It was almost cute that they expected to win every single time they fought, but it was almost annoying. Ritsuko took charge to move them away from any planning session, especially in light of Shinji screaming to chuck N2 mines at Ramiel until the very idea of it had been killed.
Gendo Ikari, the nominal commander of this little shindig, was sitting off by himself with Fuyutsuki, watching the proceeds with his trademark cool. He had sat down off to the side since the order to withdraw had been issued, unnerving everyone with his silence. Fuyutsuki had decided to try and break the quiet between them when Gendo silenced him with a raised hand.
ôSo, it would seem we have suffered a setback.ö Gendo Ikari stated this obvious factoid in his usual gruff and frigid manner. No one dared to speak out against this, as he usually took criticism with grace, followed by a retort in the form of a bullet to the head.
ôMm, yes.ö Fuyutsuki decided to engage the conversation as he knew Gendo was speaking to him. ôThe Fifth's abilities were beyond our estimations and we went in ill prepared. Misato is currently using the MAGI to help her concoct an actual battle plan.ö
ôAny input from the pilots?ö Not that he figured they had anything really good to supply, he was simply taking the conversation to the obvious points.
ôAh, Shinji suggested just dropping N2 mines on the Angel until it was reduced to glowing ash.ö To say nothing of what Rei suggested. Fuyutsuki shuddered violently for a second.
ôI see, Shinji does take after a Yui a bit.ö Gendo chuckled to himself.
ôUh... what?ö That didn't sound like the Yui the old professor knew.
ôYou only met her after she calmed down. I knew Yui from our younger days and she had a habit of oddly invective statements.ö Gendo openly laughed in a manner approaching warmth but only served to scare anyone listening in. ôI don't know what she meant by fucking someone with a Zamboni but I try not to picture it.ö
ôThat does sound like she had a temper, yes.ö Understatement of the moment award goes to Kouzo Fuyutsuki! Luckily, Gendo didn't give him the grand prize of a bullet to the stomach, so he had to settle for Gendo talking some more. Joy.
ôMmm, did you know that the Committee contacted me yesterday?ö Of course he didn't, he never let the old man know when he was talking to them.
ôNo. What say our benefactors in the shadows?ö The UN would string them both up by the balls if the found out that the Committee was really a secret organization named SEELE that helped cause Second Impact.
ôJust an update on the Scenario.ö Quick and frank... wait, did he sound disgusted to say the word 'Scenario'? Curious.
ôIt appears to be flying ahead of schedule doesn't it?ö Ah yes, Fuyutsuki didn't know the Real Scenario did he?
ôIndeed. At least, theirs is.ö Gendo's sudden slasher smile sent chills down his mentor's spine. ôYou see, Professor, the real goal of NERV is to gain vengeance on SEELE for their hubris in attempting to piggyback humankind to godhood.ö
ôBut Third Impact...!ö Fuyutsuki was nearly choking on his tongue here. Sweat creased his brow as fear coursed through his veins.
ôMy dear mentor, do you really think that such a thing could actually work? Forcibly reuniting mankind back into the 18th Angel Lilim would do nothing for what you or I hope. If we look at it like this, what is a 'person' but a separate part of Lilim created by the AT-field? How would removing that barrier that keeps 'me' from merging with 'you' allow us to understand who is 'Yui'? The only way for us to tell that difference is to keep apart like we are now. And Yui? Still dead.ö Gendo wound down, looking angrily forward, his frank dismissal of what had been his mission for years dropping the jaw of his audience.
ôI... I have no words.ö He really didn't, as he swallowed to wet his dry throat.
ôSecondly, it won't do what SEELE wants it to either. Yui, in her study of the Second Impact phenomena, stated that the effect of the unleashing of the First was to have obliterated the barriers between us all, but failed due to distance. She surmised a better located Third Impact could do what the one before it failed, but also said that if people cling to themselves hard enough that they'd resist the merging and retain themselves. SEELE wants to use it to weed out the 'weak' right? Leave the 'strong' to survive and flourish without the 'weak' to weigh them down. But who clings to the self more: the 'weak' who needs others or the 'strong' who generally live by their strength?ö
ôNeither, they have the same desire to live.ö Fuyutsuki was starting to see what Gendo was saying.
ôExactly. If all it takes to break away from Lilim is to cling to life, then everyone would reemerge as themselves, no better or worse from the experience. In fact, Yui even suggested that people would simply dismiss the sensations of Third Impact as a nightmare and forget it. Nothing would change.ö
ôMy lord, you're right.ö It was scary to hear the normally dogmatic Commander of NERV so practical in his logic.
ôThirdly, the odds continue to improve for its success. Now, I know you'd think that'd be an encouraging sign, but look at Shinji's success against the Third and Fourth: his odds of failure greatly outweighed his odds of success. And yet, he succeeded. Probability is nothing but guesswork, as we try to predict what is to happen based on absolute hypotheticals. It seems to me that the more the odds are against something, all the myriad ways shit can go bad wind up canceling each other out.ö
ôThat's some loaded logic you're using Ikari.ö Well it was. What else was he to say, especially since he's the rational one here?
ôProbability is a loaded ideology, after all, Rei and Shinji combined for great odds from the MAGI and there's still an Angel coming. Oops?ö It proved nothing, just letting the other man know what he was thinking.
ôI suppose.ö He didn't, but he didn't feel like arguing it.
ôOn a different subject, did you ever wonder what went wrong with the First experiment?ö Gendo crossed his hands in front of his face in that evil thinker pose he did so well. Oh boy, this isn't going to be pretty.
ôWasn't it just that the First was too strong to contain?ö That was the official line.
ôIf that were true, they'd have never isolated it in the first place. And we wouldn't have our dear Captain Katsuragi around to come up with our plans for us.ö And now, here comes the bombshell. ôIt was sabotaged.ö
ôBut who would do that?ö Well, considering only Misato survived the First's escape, who do you think?
ôMe.ö It was meant to sound confident and evil with all that good stuff behind them. Instead, it sounded almost guilty. ôSEELE hadn't upgraded past conspiratorial bogeyman, so they were looking for someone who was willing to help them gain a foothold on the world's power scale. The idea of Second Impact was allegedly hidden in the Dead Sea Scrolls, so they were wanting someone to make it happen. I neither accepted or approved at first, but my silence drove them to desperation and I was promised a tenth of the collective gross national product of the member nations. That's America, the United Kingdom, Russia, Germany, France and previously China, the representative of which got killed in the world war following Second Impact. Just to restate, one tenth of the collective gross national product of the member nations.ö
ôYou... you killed two billion people and ruined the world for money?!ö Fuyutsuki was beyond galled by this.
ôPretty much yeah.ö And even Gendo was ashamed.
ôYou... you... you MONSTER.ö Wow, the old man had a set of lungs on him.
ôI was young and stupid, as opposed to old and stupid, but I let my infatuation with Yui get the better of me.ö Man, he was really letting it out now.
ôYou... you did it to impress Yui?!ö Fuyutsuki was making a strangle your ass motion with his hands.
ôThe money, not the Second Impact was for her. In hindsight, I could have just gotten an extra job.ö At this point, Fuyutsuki slugged Gendo in the face as hard as his old bones could manage.
ôOh... oh dear, I lost myself there.ö He didn't sound as apologetic as that may look.
ôIt's alright. I deserved that and probably a lot more.ö Gendo wiped the blood away and smiled almost jovially. ôNice right there by the way.ö
ôThanks, I think.ö Fuyutsuki rubbed his fist a bit. Fucker had an iron jaw.
ôI'm really pathetic you know? I let my stupid obsession with Yui cloud my judgment and then I send away my son because I knew I'd be horrible to him.ö Seems it was opening up day at the Gendo's deep personal feelings store and they weren't done giving out free shit.
ôIn your defense, you haven't done a bad job since he's return. He's even called you Dad in a casual manner, rather than the stiff lipped father.ö He didn't feel sorry for Gendo in the least, even less than before now that he knew what the man before him had done.
ôI suppose, but I know I'd have smothered him if I didn't send him away.ö Gendo shook his head and smiled ruefully. ôIn a way, he's the enduring legacy of Yui, more so than Rei when I think about it.ö
ôIsn't Rei made from Yui's DNA though?ö Fuyutsuki hated cloning, if only because he really didn't like thinking about it.
ôYeah, it's true I used Yui's DNA to be combined into Lilith's to clone her. It didn't take, as seen by Rei instead of Yui. It's apparently impossible to perfectly clone someone.ö He shook his head. ôIn fact, if you ran a DNA test on Rei, you wouldn't get any genetic markers of Yui at all.ö
ôSo Ayanami is..?ö Fuyutsuki looked dubious at all this. It was in fact his default expression when talking to Gendo.
ôA separate entity born from the return of a child to the progenitor.ö Gendo shrugged and turned to leave the bridge. ôThat's what science tells me anyways.ö
Fuyutsuki let him walk away at that, not wanting to discuss the topic further.
/-\ /-\ /-\
ôI wasn't paying attention early, so explain this Operation Yashima to me.ö Shinji wasn't going to admit he had been to busy growling about how bad he was going to kill Ramiel the next time they fought.
ôAs the Captain laid out, we'd wait for it to stop again and attack it from outside of its reach.ö That didn't explain why they had to wait around for another three hours before heading up a damn mountain somewhere. ôThe Captain said she was acquiring the centerpiece of the operation: An experimental positron cannon and a shuttle shield.ö
ôWe have one of those?ö Those uppity nerds in R & D were holding out on him again. Fuckers.
ôNo, it was made by the JSSDF.ö Rei herself was steamed by the idea that such a weapon wasn't in their arsenal already. ôShe's going to take it from them by writ of the UN and Tokyo-3's council.ö Just what Japan would want, the UN mad at them again. Tokyo-2's still smoldering crater was an ugly reminder.
ôNice. I'd almost want to be there for that.ö If only to cuss them out for being so damn selfish.
ôThe shuttle shield will allegedly protect one of us from Ramiel's beam.ö Neither of them believed that, what with barely holding it back with their AT-fields. ôThe decision of who will shoot and who will defend any possible counter offense is still being decided.ö
ôI'd probably be better for shooting than protecting. If I got attacked, I'd want to be able to fight back, so I would probably die charging it like a goon.ö A shocking admission of fault from the previously cocky pilot.
ôI suppose. My training has yet to cover long range combat.ö That and it would allow her to ensure his survival. She still hadn't made him eat his words from earlier.
ôAll I need is the one shot that will be provided to me. I won't miss his core.ö He frowned for a second, before turning around and heading for the lounge's exit. ôWe got time, let's see if the Doc can run some simulations for us.ö
ôYou want to see for yourself the likely outcomes of this operation.ö Not a question, as she knew the answer.
ôWell, the fate of the city and possibly the world is at stake here, why should I hope I get lucky?ö It was obvious this was being treated as a luck based mission and Shinji wasn't going to play that. ôI'm not leaving my life to chance like that.ö He continued out of the room, missing the slight blush that crept across Rei's face for a second.
ôFor a moment, he seemed so like...ö Rei bit that off and sauntered after the Third Child.
/-\ /-\ /-\
Up the mountain where they'd be ready to kill Ramiel from now, there was approximately 45 minutes to the mission start time. Both Rei and Shinji sat in their respective Evangelion, not wanting to sit out in the open for some reason that escaped them. Unit-00 bore the Shuttle Shield in front of it, the titan in orange looking like a giant riot policeman. Unit-01 was standing by the Positron cannon, set up like a sniper rifle.
ôThis is it, Ayanami. I'm counting on you for the plan.ö Shinji's eyes were forward, as if he could see Ramiel in the distance.
ôI will not fail, you will have your shot.ö Rei too stayed focus on Ramiel, least her underlying emotions take her out of the mood.
ôI'm gonna kill this fucker beyond dead, and then I will stand on top of its corpse and pose for all the world to see.ö So he was still mad about their last encounter, who wouldn't be?
ôI wish I could take the shot, so I could feel the thrill of killing that bastard.ö And so was Rei. Not good for Ramiel, who by the way, had just entered the outskirts of Tokyo-3, feeling pretty good.
ôNext invincible floating fortress fucker is yours.ö Maybe, depends on if it made him mad first.
ôYou're a gentleman.ö Wow, if that tone got any dryer she'd be spiting dust out.
ôAnd you have nice tits.ö He sounded sincerely insincere for some reason. Must be a side effect from living with Misato or training a lot with Ritsuko. Both of them were pretty stacked.
Unit-00 flickered blue for a second, and Shinji shut off the radio to hide from the hail of profanity over the line.
/-\ /-\ /-\
ôWell, at least they get along.ö Maya said, wincing as she monitored the pilots' vitals. Man, Shinji really got to her with that one.
ôLike Ritsuko and men,ö Misato muttered just loud enough for Maya to catch.
ôBut she do- I mean, I have no idea what you're implying.ö Ooh, she was blushing. ôW-what?ö She looked at Hyuga who was pointing to his face. ôI-I'm blushing aren't I? Why am I b-blushing?ö Poor girl, she should have known better than to say anything.
ôStatus on the Angel.ö Misato didn't feel like mentioning catching Maya and Ritsuko in the act of a private anatomy lesson, done in the nude for the best reference material natch. Or other personal bits of her history that would embarrass her as well.
ôIt's now directly above us and is beginning to drill into the city.ö Shigeru reported, having smacked Makoto in the back of the head for messing around. ôThis is the first damage an Angel has actually managed to inflict on the city.ö
ôThis is what happens when we all do our jobs.ö Misato said, smiling at the bridge crew. ôTime remaining to operation?ö
ô15 minutes ma'am!ö Hyuga responded, checking on the Evangelion. ôUnit-01 is in a prone position and ready for the shot. 00 is in position to defend.ö
ôThe generators are holding steady,ö Maya called, checking the power supply. Ritsuko chose that moment to walk in to the bridge.
ôThis should be interesting.ö Ritsuko managed to sneak up on Misato, who was waiting impatiently for the op's start. ôI figured I'd come and see the pilots in action, they were bugging me earlier about possible holes in the Operation plan.ö
ôJust like Shinji to do that, and he can't even tell me.ö Misato faked being upset simply because she didn't care. If he wanted to be serious about this, let him.
ôHe is a little inconsiderate, a trait not unfamiliar to me.ö Why did Ritsuko look at Misato like that? Who knows.
ôWhat are you implying?ö Besides implications of course.
ôNothing~.ö Ritsuko leaned over to whisper into Misato. ôNovember 13th, Freshmen year.ö She walked away, hands in her pockets, humming a tune.
ôY-you bitch! You said you'd never mention it again!ö And yes, Misato had turned as red as her jacket. Why do you ask?
/-\ /-\ /-\
ôOperation will start in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1! Operation commencing!ö Maya called, as the positron cannon hit full charge.
ôAyanami, show time.ö Shinji began aiming at Ramiel.
ôCopy that Ikari.ö Unit-00 moved farther away from the prone Evangelion and took up a wide stance. She then opened her AT-field, projecting it in front of the Shuttle Shield.
ôUnit-00 has opened its AT-field! High energy reaction confirmed in the Angel!ö Shigeru called in, freaking internally.
ôWhat the fuck is she doing?!ö Misato flew forward to get a better look at this shit.
ôOscillation has reached maximum! The target is firing!ö Hyuga called, covering his eyes.
ôREI!ö Misato screamed, before the beam crashed into the combined shield and was held at bay.
ôCheck..ö Rei managed to speak under the strain.
ô...mate motherfucker!ö Shinji finished, firing off the shot that traveled perfectly along the side of Ramiel's beam. The Angel was taken complete by surprise and couldn't raise a countermeasure in time. The beam tore right through his AT-field, the core being pierced neatly in one fell swoop. Ramiel didn't even have time to scream before his drill stopped and he fell over, dead as can be.
ôB-blue pattern has ceased. It... it's dead.ö Maya said, eyes wide with disbelief.
Misato said nothing, but looked at the main screen where both Evangelion were flipping off the corpse of their kill. What the hell was that?!
End chapter 5
Teaser for chapter 6 ôI'm By Your Side...ö:
ôMmm, I just love the feel of the ocean mist against my skin.ö A young redheaded girl dressed in a yellow sun dress, replete with an accompanying sun hat. She held it against her head and closed her eyes, smelling the air once more.
ôThat's nice Asuka,ö the older man standing on the deck next to her said. ôBe careful you don't feel the ocean spray too much. Your dad would kill me if you caught something.ö
ôJa ja,ö Asuka Langley Soryu, the mysterious Second Child, dismissed the worries of her Guardian, one Ryoji Kaji. ôI wouldn't worry too much, I'm too hardy for that.ö She smiled to belie her boast, showing she wasn't completely laughing off his concern.
ôIf you say so.ö Kaji laughed at her demeanor. She had been stoked about the transfer to Japan, with Unit-02 in tow. ôYou've been taking care of Unit-02 right?ö
ôWhat kind of person would I be if I let my partner suffer through my neglect?ö She puffed her chest out at that, accidentally pushing her breasts out.
ôYou know I have to ask, or else I can't tell the people coming today that you're already a really responsible adult.ö Kaji completely ignored the flounce of feminine flesh before him. He wasn't interested and neither was she.
ôThe First and Third Children, ja?ö She smiled brightly, looking forward to meeting them finally. She had heard about the battles they have had and she looked forward to fighting along side them. ôAnd your long lost love, Ms. Katsuragi too, ja?ö She laughed when he colored at that. ôListen to me, Ryoji Kaji, you are a great man. Any woman, even one as young as me, would be flattered by your attention. If you're serious and true in your feelings for her, you better not let her go again or else.ö She crossed her arms, not worrying for her heat due to a slight break in the wind.
ôYes ma'am!ö Kaji saluted and beamed at his young charge. Only 14 and so full of life.
ôMmm, it is a good day, ja?ö
Author note: And that's 5. As you can tell from 6's teaser, Asuka appears next chapter. And what's this? She seems... different! What's up with that? Answers to come!
Wow, this got done quick.
Disclaimer: Mari Illustrious Makinami will not be appearing in this fanfic. Sorry.
Author note: It's chapter 6 and here comes Asuka. Why is she acting like a normal, well adjusted person? Let's find out together true believers!
The Reprint and Repackaging of Evangelion
Chapter 6 I'm By Your Side...
by Anonguy
ôMmm, I just love the feel of the ocean mist against my skin.ö A young redheaded girl dressed in a yellow sun dress, replete with an accompanying sun hat. She held it against her head and closed her eyes, smelling the air once more.
ôThat's nice Asuka,ö the older man standing on the deck next to her said. ôBe careful you don't feel the ocean spray too much. Your dad would kill me if you caught something.ö
ôJa ja,ö Asuka Langley Soryu, the mysterious Second Child, dismissed the worries of her Guardian, one Ryoji Kaji. ôI wouldn't worry too much, I'm too hardy for that.ö She smiled to belie her boast, showing she wasn't completely laughing off his concern.
ôIf you say so.ö Kaji laughed at her demeanor. She had been stoked about the transfer to Japan, with Unit-02 in tow. ôYou've been taking care of Unit-02 right?ö
ôWhat kind of person would I be if I let my partner suffer through my neglect?ö She puffed her chest out at that, accidentally pushing her breasts out.
ôYou know I have to ask, or else I can't tell the people coming today that you're already a really responsible adult.ö Kaji completely ignored the flounce of feminine flesh before him. He wasn't interested and neither was she.
ôThe First and Third Children, ja?ö She smiled brightly, looking forward to meeting them finally. She had heard about the battles they have had and she looked forward to fighting along side them. ôAnd your long lost love, Ms. Katsuragi too, ja?ö She laughed when he colored at that. ôListen to me, Ryoji Kaji, you are a great man. Any woman, even one as young as me, would be flattered by your attention. If you're serious and true in your feelings for her, you better not let her go again or else.ö She crossed her arms, not worrying for her heat due to a slight break in the wind.
ôYes ma'am!ö Kaji saluted and beamed at his young charge. Only 14 and so full of life.
ôMmm, it is a good day, ja?ö She looked up to seagulls above and smiled again.
/-\ /-\ /-\
Despite all outward signs, there is a deep personal tragedy in the past of Asuka, something that still lingers in her heart until this very moment. It goes without saying the loss of a parent is tough, but to lose one to suicide can be very damaging indeed. Fortune visited a boon upon the Second Child, as she never saw her mother's body hanging from the ceiling.
During the three months leading up to the suicide, there was still profound damage done by the woman who was the mother to Asuka. Kyoko Zeppelin Soryu was not a cruel woman by any standards, but as a woman of science, one would expect her to have difficulty with expressing the appropriate emotions when rearing a child. Sadly, it would seem the cryptic words left behind Yui Ikari would damn this poor woman to madness.
'That which is not permitted to move the Evangelion will be forever ruined.'
It is true that the glowing light of the post-Second Impact world wound up with her life snuffed out for her hubris to dare and try to bridle the Evangelion. Kyoko's fate was worse still, leaving her a shell of a human being and in a state of perpetual delirium. This state had brought many sleepless nights to the very young and impressionable Second Child, and even further ruined an already strained marriage.
Eugen Langley was a reasonable man, but a man nonetheless. He wasn't completely guiltless for his wife's fragile mental state, due to their increasing workloads and emotional drift, he had taken to cheat on Kyoko with her psychologist, a whore of a woman whose name is best forgotten. But he did his best to be a good father for his daughter, however difficult it was to compare to Asuka's open worship of her mother.
He does deserve credit, as his intervention into his daughter's life was a considerable factor that helped undo the damage Kyoko had unknowingly caused.
Being a father is taxing work, is what Eugen would say of Asuka, even now that she has been put into the care of Ryoji Kaji. The day of the tests, he had been running behind schedule, but he was running as hard as he could to make it there in time. It was because this day would determine of Asuka was to be one of the chosen few that would be allowed to move the Evangelion.
At the crest of the stairs he had just shot up, an odd feeling of having dodged something massive ran through his being. He dismissed it all at once, dedicating to get there in time. The fork had come in the road and he took the path well taken, avoiding a nasty surprise event in the form of tumbling down the stairs and being unconscious.
Upon the gentle wings of a butterfly, a hurricane visited devastation upon the lives of Asuka and her father.
She had just finished the test when he arrived, and he was there to hold her close as they awaited the results. And he was there to hold her aloft as a proud father should, celebrating her early success despite being just four years of age. Like a doting father, he was going to spoil her rotten for this achievement, because his daughter was the Second Child and a pilot for Evangelion, her destiny intertwined with the machine that ruined her mother.
They exited the building hand in hand, looking like a model for a loving father and daughter relationship. Ice cream was to be her reward for her success, the young Asuka having something of a sweet tooth. She could tell Mommy later, but right now, she'd have to accept the affection of her father as a substitute for the praise her little heart craved.
An orderly in the asylum found Kyoko hanging from the ceiling in her cell, dead for all the world to see.
Eugen and Asuka had been on their way to visit Kyoko when they received the call, the happiness of the day ripped cruelly from them in an instant. The man that he was, though relieved to no longer be burdened by Kyoko, could not look upon his daughter's tear stained visage and not be moved. Pulling the car over, he embraced her for a long while, neither able to speak.
Had he been a far more callow man, he would have carried out with the idea of marrying his mistress and abandoning his daughter to the care of Gehrin, knowing she would be completely broken for the rest of her life. But there, with her sobbing in his arms, he felt like the world's largest bastard. How could he abandon her now, when she needed him the most?
Seems he couldn't, mocked his conscience, surfacing from the sea of his mind after long thought to be drowned in a storm of indifference.
Without understating, the mistress took the abrupt severance of their relationship as poorly as you'd expect a conniving, backstabbing bitch who would take advantage of a down on his luck man just to have some cock in her diet would. She called him every name in the book and some she wrote in herself, conveniently forgetting she had started this illicit tryst on her own. To say nothing of how shocked she was when he kindly told her to go fuck herself with a rusty razor blade.
It would seem as though he would be forced to help his daughter pick up the pieces from her mother's untimely decision to do a merry jig on the end of a rope. But thinking about helping Asuka through this ordeal appealed to a part of him he long thought buried and dead. A part of him he had tried to sabotage by not intervening in Kyoko's actions after the accident.
These feelings of fatherly love, so foreign and yet so welcome, would be the buoy that would get them through this terrible moment in their lives.
/-\ /-\ /-\
ôSo Ritsuko, I'm with Shinji and Rei, heading to rendezvous with the Over the Rainbow to meet with the Second Child.ö Misato was in communique with Ritsuko back at NERV HQ in order to go over certain updates to pet projects they had taken upon themselves to push through. ôHow's the projects on your end?ö
ôMost of the weapons, both ranged and improved melee, are nearly completed. We have new model rifles, shotguns, handguns and even a rocket launcher for some reason. We stuck with swords and spears for melee but someone had apparently made some sort of double blade chainsaw sword monstrosity.ö Ritsuko paused, thinking about the shock everyone received when they had seen that without anyone requesting it being made.
ôWhat the fuck?ö Misato wasn't one to be subtle unless it called for it. To hear someone wasted precious resources and time on it was a bit much for her tastes.
ôThe amazing part is that it was completed inside of three days. The guy in charge of it. I think it was Li Rong or something weird like that, said he wanted to make a drill but he couldn't get manufacture a way to make it spin fast enough to pierced anything, let alone the heavens.ö The fact he never elaborated how he came up with the double chainsaw thing scared the hell out of Ritsuko.
ôI'm... I... I can't think of a question for that, so let's move on. How goes the ammo development?ö Misato put it from her mind and focused on other things.
ôGood, everything is complete. The armor piercing rounds tested well and are being mass produced as we speak. If we run into another fortress, we won't have our pilots lacking in the ability to hurt it.ö The egg on their face when they could only send Rei with such rounds out still burnt her proverbial biscuits.
ôFor all the guns?ö Misato knew that the obvious details are sometimes the hardest to manage. You think you got them but you've already looked over them.
ôYes. We made sure they understood it was their ass times infinity that all guns have armor piercing rounds, among others. I can't say much now, we haven't gotten them all compiled yet.ö In fact, she was in the middle of that act right now. And sadly, sacrificing other more pleasurable acts for taking the initiative to make sure it was done.
ôGreat. Did you see the news today? The JSSDF canceled the Jet Alone project! Haven't they been working on that for years?ö Misato remembered one of the JSSDF approaching Shinji after the fight with Ramiel to question him about stuff.
ôThey have, but between our successes in preventing massive damage and loss of life, to new data that shows that they were in over their heads, they had no choice but to stop.ö Ritsuko had to remember to thank Shinji, for their resident little snarker had shut down the uppity bastard in a matter of minutes.
ôI guess that new data would be Shinji telling them like he thinks it is eh?ö Misato looked over at Shinji, who was busy playfully antagonizing Rei with something she couldn't see.
ôYeah, I don't think I could stand having a 14 year old punk just haul off and tell me that the project I've been wasting years of my life on was not only worthless but would only be a waste of everyone time and a larger hazard to everyone than what it's being built to fight.ö To say nothing of mocking the design of it or asking if they had intended to make something intentionally idiotic looking in the hopes of using laughter as a main weapon.
ôHe did have a point that without an AT-field, you'd need something with the power of the entirety of Tokyo-3 behind it just to pierce the AT-field, to say nothing of blocking any attack.ö Misato felt immense pride in her charge, who had apparently been waiting for an opportunity to shut this bullshit down, if what he said afterwards was any indication.
ôTo say nothing of the capper to it all.ö Ritsuko held the newspaper up, bearing the headline: ôHuman ingenuity will overcome this threat.ö Shinji's picture was next to Unit-01 and he was smiling, genuinely smiling in it, for once. ôHe has accomplished what years of political backstabbing and intrigue couldn't: kill the Jet Alone dead. Take good care of him captain, we need our ace back in one piece.ö
ôYou don't have to say that to me.ö Despite the standoffish words, Misato's face was covered in a brilliant smile.
/-\ /-\ /-\
ôSo they have arrived.ö Asuka withheld her smile, saving such things for the recipients to see. Kaji stood impassively beside her, insides churning as he thought about Misato coming back into his life once more. ôYou're nervous.ö
ôI wish I wasn't, but it's hard not to be.ö Though they parted on good terms, who knows what has developed in the heart of Misato Katsuragi? Kaji wrung his hands once, and only once, signifying how stressed he was.
ôThat bad, huh?ö She wasn't teasing him, though she would if she thought it'd help. But she knew it wouldn't and so kept her responses short. ôDon't waver now, and don't think of running away. You would never live long enough to make it up to me or her.ö
ôMmm. Right, just focus on the now correct?ö How helpful she was, which was why he continued to be her guardian. ôThank you.ö
ôNo need, you've helped me far too much for me to require thanks.ö She always said that in lieu of accepting it, one of her quirks. ôThe helicopter is landing.ö
Indeed it was, and once it was finished, Rei, Shinji and Misato stood on the helipad, surveying the deck.
ôI'm not one for Naval geekery, but this ship is pretty cool.ö Shinji decided to lighten the mood before the meeting, succeeding nominally.
ôI agree, there is something aesthetically pleasing in a ship like this.ö Rei decided to try out haughty today. It worked for her, I suppose.
ôI suppose the captain of the ship will love to hear that.ö Misato crossed her arms and joined in the conversation, being held up by the ship's personnel making sure they were who they said they were. Once they were give clearance, she lead the three over to the center of the deck, where Kaji and Asuka were waiting.
ôHello Misato.ö That was all he said, or all he could say, before Misato decided to check the durability of his ribs with a crushing hug. ôOOF!ö
Shinji said nothing, sizing up Asuka for a long while.
ôYou're staring Ikari.ö Rei whispered into his ear, rewarding her with the rare sight of Shinji off guard, face red with embarrassment.
ôYeah? Well... that skirt makes your ass look fat!ö He tried to cover himself in light of being caught by Rei. Asuka stood passively off to the side, not really reacting.
ôAnd you love it, don't you? I remember you humming some song when I showed up in this.ö Thankfully for Shinji, she didn't know what Queen was.
ôShut up, we have to introduce ourselves.ö He turned away and looked back at Asuka again, who looked amused about something.
ôOh of course, of course. Don't let me get in the way of your, what did the Captain call it, your game?ö Oh she was enjoying this too much.
ôNice to see you two so relaxed.ö Asuka wasn't even the least sarcastic, which confused the other two pilots a lot. ôAnyways, I am the Second Child, Asuka Langley Soryu, pilot of Evangelion Unit-02. I look forward to helping you defeat the Angels from here on out.ö
ôBecause we're bringing you in to do our housework instead.ö Shinji was still moody about Rei's teasing, so he decided to bring himself back up on the back of any awkward comment around him.
He really didn't expect Asuka to bust out laughing like that.
ôSo you have a sense of humor, ja?ö She said a minute later, smiling as she readjusted her sun hat.
ôYou could say that.ö Shinji felt a sense of relief that he hadn't alienated the new girl somehow. ôAround NERV, you have to be able to laugh at something.ö
ôI bet.ö Asuka came over and wrapped her arms around Shinji's left. ôYou can introduce yourself later, but how about I give you a tour of the ship first?ö She smiled and Shinji winced, not from the smile but from the bug-eyed look of rage on Rei's face. What the hell was that?
ôUh sure, I guess. But won't it be awkward if you don't know my name?ö He wasn't opposed to the idea of a ship tour, but he was becoming uncomfortable with her hugging him like this.
ôWill it?ö She leaned her head back and just had this weird expression that was somewhere between completely wholesome and totally devious. ôThat's okay, I like strangers.ö Oh shit, that was not a completely wholesome thing to say.
ôDo you now? What about me? Don't I get a tour too, Miss Second Child in a Sun Dress?ö Rei managed not to sound jealous and instead just sounded massively bratty instead.
ôNow where did I say I was going to leave you behind? I wouldn't be so rude, Miss Fat Bottoms.ö Shinji laughed for exactly three second, before coughing when it looked like Rei was going to come for his throat.
ôYou win this round, Second Child.ö Rei's eyes narrowed as she decided to go along with the sudden onslaught of romantic comedy by wrapping herself around Shinji's right arm. Surprisingly, this only freaked Shinji out, Asuka just chuckled lightly.
ôCome now you two, there is a lot of ship to see.ö This was going to be so damned fun.
ôI'm doomed.ö Shinji was in despair, the sudden onslaught of romantic comedy had left him in despair. Both girls laughed at that.
/-\ /-\ /-\
Sometime later, the Captain had called an emergency meeting with the passengers for some reason. He looked pretty grim as he paced the cabin for a long moment. The he finally spoke.
ôWe lost contact with some of our escorts. This wouldn't be a concern normally, but we can contact all other ships.ö He didn't need to elaborate as Shinji and Misato both caught on to what he's saying.
ôIt's an Angel, right?ö That was Shinji, looking tense when he realized Unit-01 was left behind.
ôDo we have confirmation of a Blue Pattern?ö That was Misato, who had snapped out of her daze at being reunited with Kaji instantly.
ôYes, it is circling us right now. It's possible it is looking for something in our fleet.ö The captain felt relieved as they seemed to understand the situation.
ôWhat it is doesn't matter,ö Asuka shot to her feet. ôMiss Katsuragi, the ship transporting Unit-02 is a mobile base. We can use it to fight.ö
ôAlright, tell the crew to prepare it for launch. Does it have D-type equipment?ö Misato was taking charge here.
ôOf course. We have to have it for ocean travel.ö Asuka nodded, cracking her knuckles.
ôMake sure you have a progressive knife ready for use in the operation.ö Misato followed the captain out to help with the prep however she could.
ôFufufufufufu! So my first battle with the Angels has finally come! This is perfect.ö She punched out into the air. She calmed down before she turned to Shinji and held out a hand. ôIkari! You said you read the theories on the Evangelion correct? There is only Unit-02 here, so if you want to fight, then take my hand and do so at my side! You and I together will show this beast the proof of our souls and the strength of humanity!ö
ôA-alright.ö He calmed himself from being swept along with her emotions and took her hand. ôLet's go.ö
ôDon't be frightened, I am right her besides you. I won't allow you, Ayanami, or anyone else to cry out in fear any longer! Our counterattack begins today!ö She gripped onto Shinji's arm and pulled him along.
ôThat girl...ö Rei felt moisture along her face, a solitary tear slipping down her face. ôThat incredible girl.ö She smiled as several more tears began to make their way down her face, overcome by the emotion of the moment before her.
End chapter 06
Teaser for chapter 7 ôI'm the Only Thing I'm Afraid of ö:
ôThe Angel has taken down another ship!ö Maya reported from NERV HQ, Ritsuko taking command of the bridge in Misato's stead, using the MAGI to monitor the battle from her.
ôSeven ships have been sunk already.ö Hyuga followed, teeth gritting in anger. This Angel was a coward, they hadn't completed the D-Type for Unit-00 and 01 yet. For once, NERV Japan wasn't ahead of everyone else, as Unit-02 apparently came with it. Lady Luck smiled upon them again.
ôUnit-02 deployment in 40 seconds.ö Aoba called, swallowing as he received a message from Misato. ôShinji and Asuka are co-piloting it.ö
ôSo, you're allowing that huh Misato?ö Ritsuko smirked to herself, before turning to another task. ôGet air transports off the ground, we need air support to keep all relevant info available to our pilots.ö That was Misato like, wasn't it?
ôYes ma'am!ö
Author note: No name for Asuka's dad, so I made one up. No specified underwater equipment, so I decided to use D-type and pretend that the Volcano diving was a modification. Other than that, that's 6 down. See you for 7!
Author note: It's chapter 6 and here comes Asuka. Why is she acting like a normal, well adjusted person? Let's find out together true believers!
The Reprint and Repackaging of Evangelion
Chapter 6 I'm By Your Side...
by Anonguy
ôMmm, I just love the feel of the ocean mist against my skin.ö A young redheaded girl dressed in a yellow sun dress, replete with an accompanying sun hat. She held it against her head and closed her eyes, smelling the air once more.
ôThat's nice Asuka,ö the older man standing on the deck next to her said. ôBe careful you don't feel the ocean spray too much. Your dad would kill me if you caught something.ö
ôJa ja,ö Asuka Langley Soryu, the mysterious Second Child, dismissed the worries of her Guardian, one Ryoji Kaji. ôI wouldn't worry too much, I'm too hardy for that.ö She smiled to belie her boast, showing she wasn't completely laughing off his concern.
ôIf you say so.ö Kaji laughed at her demeanor. She had been stoked about the transfer to Japan, with Unit-02 in tow. ôYou've been taking care of Unit-02 right?ö
ôWhat kind of person would I be if I let my partner suffer through my neglect?ö She puffed her chest out at that, accidentally pushing her breasts out.
ôYou know I have to ask, or else I can't tell the people coming today that you're already a really responsible adult.ö Kaji completely ignored the flounce of feminine flesh before him. He wasn't interested and neither was she.
ôThe First and Third Children, ja?ö She smiled brightly, looking forward to meeting them finally. She had heard about the battles they have had and she looked forward to fighting along side them. ôAnd your long lost love, Ms. Katsuragi too, ja?ö She laughed when he colored at that. ôListen to me, Ryoji Kaji, you are a great man. Any woman, even one as young as me, would be flattered by your attention. If you're serious and true in your feelings for her, you better not let her go again or else.ö She crossed her arms, not worrying for her heat due to a slight break in the wind.
ôYes ma'am!ö Kaji saluted and beamed at his young charge. Only 14 and so full of life.
ôMmm, it is a good day, ja?ö She looked up to seagulls above and smiled again.
/-\ /-\ /-\
Despite all outward signs, there is a deep personal tragedy in the past of Asuka, something that still lingers in her heart until this very moment. It goes without saying the loss of a parent is tough, but to lose one to suicide can be very damaging indeed. Fortune visited a boon upon the Second Child, as she never saw her mother's body hanging from the ceiling.
During the three months leading up to the suicide, there was still profound damage done by the woman who was the mother to Asuka. Kyoko Zeppelin Soryu was not a cruel woman by any standards, but as a woman of science, one would expect her to have difficulty with expressing the appropriate emotions when rearing a child. Sadly, it would seem the cryptic words left behind Yui Ikari would damn this poor woman to madness.
'That which is not permitted to move the Evangelion will be forever ruined.'
It is true that the glowing light of the post-Second Impact world wound up with her life snuffed out for her hubris to dare and try to bridle the Evangelion. Kyoko's fate was worse still, leaving her a shell of a human being and in a state of perpetual delirium. This state had brought many sleepless nights to the very young and impressionable Second Child, and even further ruined an already strained marriage.
Eugen Langley was a reasonable man, but a man nonetheless. He wasn't completely guiltless for his wife's fragile mental state, due to their increasing workloads and emotional drift, he had taken to cheat on Kyoko with her psychologist, a whore of a woman whose name is best forgotten. But he did his best to be a good father for his daughter, however difficult it was to compare to Asuka's open worship of her mother.
He does deserve credit, as his intervention into his daughter's life was a considerable factor that helped undo the damage Kyoko had unknowingly caused.
Being a father is taxing work, is what Eugen would say of Asuka, even now that she has been put into the care of Ryoji Kaji. The day of the tests, he had been running behind schedule, but he was running as hard as he could to make it there in time. It was because this day would determine of Asuka was to be one of the chosen few that would be allowed to move the Evangelion.
At the crest of the stairs he had just shot up, an odd feeling of having dodged something massive ran through his being. He dismissed it all at once, dedicating to get there in time. The fork had come in the road and he took the path well taken, avoiding a nasty surprise event in the form of tumbling down the stairs and being unconscious.
Upon the gentle wings of a butterfly, a hurricane visited devastation upon the lives of Asuka and her father.
She had just finished the test when he arrived, and he was there to hold her close as they awaited the results. And he was there to hold her aloft as a proud father should, celebrating her early success despite being just four years of age. Like a doting father, he was going to spoil her rotten for this achievement, because his daughter was the Second Child and a pilot for Evangelion, her destiny intertwined with the machine that ruined her mother.
They exited the building hand in hand, looking like a model for a loving father and daughter relationship. Ice cream was to be her reward for her success, the young Asuka having something of a sweet tooth. She could tell Mommy later, but right now, she'd have to accept the affection of her father as a substitute for the praise her little heart craved.
An orderly in the asylum found Kyoko hanging from the ceiling in her cell, dead for all the world to see.
Eugen and Asuka had been on their way to visit Kyoko when they received the call, the happiness of the day ripped cruelly from them in an instant. The man that he was, though relieved to no longer be burdened by Kyoko, could not look upon his daughter's tear stained visage and not be moved. Pulling the car over, he embraced her for a long while, neither able to speak.
Had he been a far more callow man, he would have carried out with the idea of marrying his mistress and abandoning his daughter to the care of Gehrin, knowing she would be completely broken for the rest of her life. But there, with her sobbing in his arms, he felt like the world's largest bastard. How could he abandon her now, when she needed him the most?
Seems he couldn't, mocked his conscience, surfacing from the sea of his mind after long thought to be drowned in a storm of indifference.
Without understating, the mistress took the abrupt severance of their relationship as poorly as you'd expect a conniving, backstabbing bitch who would take advantage of a down on his luck man just to have some cock in her diet would. She called him every name in the book and some she wrote in herself, conveniently forgetting she had started this illicit tryst on her own. To say nothing of how shocked she was when he kindly told her to go fuck herself with a rusty razor blade.
It would seem as though he would be forced to help his daughter pick up the pieces from her mother's untimely decision to do a merry jig on the end of a rope. But thinking about helping Asuka through this ordeal appealed to a part of him he long thought buried and dead. A part of him he had tried to sabotage by not intervening in Kyoko's actions after the accident.
These feelings of fatherly love, so foreign and yet so welcome, would be the buoy that would get them through this terrible moment in their lives.
/-\ /-\ /-\
ôSo Ritsuko, I'm with Shinji and Rei, heading to rendezvous with the Over the Rainbow to meet with the Second Child.ö Misato was in communique with Ritsuko back at NERV HQ in order to go over certain updates to pet projects they had taken upon themselves to push through. ôHow's the projects on your end?ö
ôMost of the weapons, both ranged and improved melee, are nearly completed. We have new model rifles, shotguns, handguns and even a rocket launcher for some reason. We stuck with swords and spears for melee but someone had apparently made some sort of double blade chainsaw sword monstrosity.ö Ritsuko paused, thinking about the shock everyone received when they had seen that without anyone requesting it being made.
ôWhat the fuck?ö Misato wasn't one to be subtle unless it called for it. To hear someone wasted precious resources and time on it was a bit much for her tastes.
ôThe amazing part is that it was completed inside of three days. The guy in charge of it. I think it was Li Rong or something weird like that, said he wanted to make a drill but he couldn't get manufacture a way to make it spin fast enough to pierced anything, let alone the heavens.ö The fact he never elaborated how he came up with the double chainsaw thing scared the hell out of Ritsuko.
ôI'm... I... I can't think of a question for that, so let's move on. How goes the ammo development?ö Misato put it from her mind and focused on other things.
ôGood, everything is complete. The armor piercing rounds tested well and are being mass produced as we speak. If we run into another fortress, we won't have our pilots lacking in the ability to hurt it.ö The egg on their face when they could only send Rei with such rounds out still burnt her proverbial biscuits.
ôFor all the guns?ö Misato knew that the obvious details are sometimes the hardest to manage. You think you got them but you've already looked over them.
ôYes. We made sure they understood it was their ass times infinity that all guns have armor piercing rounds, among others. I can't say much now, we haven't gotten them all compiled yet.ö In fact, she was in the middle of that act right now. And sadly, sacrificing other more pleasurable acts for taking the initiative to make sure it was done.
ôGreat. Did you see the news today? The JSSDF canceled the Jet Alone project! Haven't they been working on that for years?ö Misato remembered one of the JSSDF approaching Shinji after the fight with Ramiel to question him about stuff.
ôThey have, but between our successes in preventing massive damage and loss of life, to new data that shows that they were in over their heads, they had no choice but to stop.ö Ritsuko had to remember to thank Shinji, for their resident little snarker had shut down the uppity bastard in a matter of minutes.
ôI guess that new data would be Shinji telling them like he thinks it is eh?ö Misato looked over at Shinji, who was busy playfully antagonizing Rei with something she couldn't see.
ôYeah, I don't think I could stand having a 14 year old punk just haul off and tell me that the project I've been wasting years of my life on was not only worthless but would only be a waste of everyone time and a larger hazard to everyone than what it's being built to fight.ö To say nothing of mocking the design of it or asking if they had intended to make something intentionally idiotic looking in the hopes of using laughter as a main weapon.
ôHe did have a point that without an AT-field, you'd need something with the power of the entirety of Tokyo-3 behind it just to pierce the AT-field, to say nothing of blocking any attack.ö Misato felt immense pride in her charge, who had apparently been waiting for an opportunity to shut this bullshit down, if what he said afterwards was any indication.
ôTo say nothing of the capper to it all.ö Ritsuko held the newspaper up, bearing the headline: ôHuman ingenuity will overcome this threat.ö Shinji's picture was next to Unit-01 and he was smiling, genuinely smiling in it, for once. ôHe has accomplished what years of political backstabbing and intrigue couldn't: kill the Jet Alone dead. Take good care of him captain, we need our ace back in one piece.ö
ôYou don't have to say that to me.ö Despite the standoffish words, Misato's face was covered in a brilliant smile.
/-\ /-\ /-\
ôSo they have arrived.ö Asuka withheld her smile, saving such things for the recipients to see. Kaji stood impassively beside her, insides churning as he thought about Misato coming back into his life once more. ôYou're nervous.ö
ôI wish I wasn't, but it's hard not to be.ö Though they parted on good terms, who knows what has developed in the heart of Misato Katsuragi? Kaji wrung his hands once, and only once, signifying how stressed he was.
ôThat bad, huh?ö She wasn't teasing him, though she would if she thought it'd help. But she knew it wouldn't and so kept her responses short. ôDon't waver now, and don't think of running away. You would never live long enough to make it up to me or her.ö
ôMmm. Right, just focus on the now correct?ö How helpful she was, which was why he continued to be her guardian. ôThank you.ö
ôNo need, you've helped me far too much for me to require thanks.ö She always said that in lieu of accepting it, one of her quirks. ôThe helicopter is landing.ö
Indeed it was, and once it was finished, Rei, Shinji and Misato stood on the helipad, surveying the deck.
ôI'm not one for Naval geekery, but this ship is pretty cool.ö Shinji decided to lighten the mood before the meeting, succeeding nominally.
ôI agree, there is something aesthetically pleasing in a ship like this.ö Rei decided to try out haughty today. It worked for her, I suppose.
ôI suppose the captain of the ship will love to hear that.ö Misato crossed her arms and joined in the conversation, being held up by the ship's personnel making sure they were who they said they were. Once they were give clearance, she lead the three over to the center of the deck, where Kaji and Asuka were waiting.
ôHello Misato.ö That was all he said, or all he could say, before Misato decided to check the durability of his ribs with a crushing hug. ôOOF!ö
Shinji said nothing, sizing up Asuka for a long while.
ôYou're staring Ikari.ö Rei whispered into his ear, rewarding her with the rare sight of Shinji off guard, face red with embarrassment.
ôYeah? Well... that skirt makes your ass look fat!ö He tried to cover himself in light of being caught by Rei. Asuka stood passively off to the side, not really reacting.
ôAnd you love it, don't you? I remember you humming some song when I showed up in this.ö Thankfully for Shinji, she didn't know what Queen was.
ôShut up, we have to introduce ourselves.ö He turned away and looked back at Asuka again, who looked amused about something.
ôOh of course, of course. Don't let me get in the way of your, what did the Captain call it, your game?ö Oh she was enjoying this too much.
ôNice to see you two so relaxed.ö Asuka wasn't even the least sarcastic, which confused the other two pilots a lot. ôAnyways, I am the Second Child, Asuka Langley Soryu, pilot of Evangelion Unit-02. I look forward to helping you defeat the Angels from here on out.ö
ôBecause we're bringing you in to do our housework instead.ö Shinji was still moody about Rei's teasing, so he decided to bring himself back up on the back of any awkward comment around him.
He really didn't expect Asuka to bust out laughing like that.
ôSo you have a sense of humor, ja?ö She said a minute later, smiling as she readjusted her sun hat.
ôYou could say that.ö Shinji felt a sense of relief that he hadn't alienated the new girl somehow. ôAround NERV, you have to be able to laugh at something.ö
ôI bet.ö Asuka came over and wrapped her arms around Shinji's left. ôYou can introduce yourself later, but how about I give you a tour of the ship first?ö She smiled and Shinji winced, not from the smile but from the bug-eyed look of rage on Rei's face. What the hell was that?
ôUh sure, I guess. But won't it be awkward if you don't know my name?ö He wasn't opposed to the idea of a ship tour, but he was becoming uncomfortable with her hugging him like this.
ôWill it?ö She leaned her head back and just had this weird expression that was somewhere between completely wholesome and totally devious. ôThat's okay, I like strangers.ö Oh shit, that was not a completely wholesome thing to say.
ôDo you now? What about me? Don't I get a tour too, Miss Second Child in a Sun Dress?ö Rei managed not to sound jealous and instead just sounded massively bratty instead.
ôNow where did I say I was going to leave you behind? I wouldn't be so rude, Miss Fat Bottoms.ö Shinji laughed for exactly three second, before coughing when it looked like Rei was going to come for his throat.
ôYou win this round, Second Child.ö Rei's eyes narrowed as she decided to go along with the sudden onslaught of romantic comedy by wrapping herself around Shinji's right arm. Surprisingly, this only freaked Shinji out, Asuka just chuckled lightly.
ôCome now you two, there is a lot of ship to see.ö This was going to be so damned fun.
ôI'm doomed.ö Shinji was in despair, the sudden onslaught of romantic comedy had left him in despair. Both girls laughed at that.
/-\ /-\ /-\
Sometime later, the Captain had called an emergency meeting with the passengers for some reason. He looked pretty grim as he paced the cabin for a long moment. The he finally spoke.
ôWe lost contact with some of our escorts. This wouldn't be a concern normally, but we can contact all other ships.ö He didn't need to elaborate as Shinji and Misato both caught on to what he's saying.
ôIt's an Angel, right?ö That was Shinji, looking tense when he realized Unit-01 was left behind.
ôDo we have confirmation of a Blue Pattern?ö That was Misato, who had snapped out of her daze at being reunited with Kaji instantly.
ôYes, it is circling us right now. It's possible it is looking for something in our fleet.ö The captain felt relieved as they seemed to understand the situation.
ôWhat it is doesn't matter,ö Asuka shot to her feet. ôMiss Katsuragi, the ship transporting Unit-02 is a mobile base. We can use it to fight.ö
ôAlright, tell the crew to prepare it for launch. Does it have D-type equipment?ö Misato was taking charge here.
ôOf course. We have to have it for ocean travel.ö Asuka nodded, cracking her knuckles.
ôMake sure you have a progressive knife ready for use in the operation.ö Misato followed the captain out to help with the prep however she could.
ôFufufufufufu! So my first battle with the Angels has finally come! This is perfect.ö She punched out into the air. She calmed down before she turned to Shinji and held out a hand. ôIkari! You said you read the theories on the Evangelion correct? There is only Unit-02 here, so if you want to fight, then take my hand and do so at my side! You and I together will show this beast the proof of our souls and the strength of humanity!ö
ôA-alright.ö He calmed himself from being swept along with her emotions and took her hand. ôLet's go.ö
ôDon't be frightened, I am right her besides you. I won't allow you, Ayanami, or anyone else to cry out in fear any longer! Our counterattack begins today!ö She gripped onto Shinji's arm and pulled him along.
ôThat girl...ö Rei felt moisture along her face, a solitary tear slipping down her face. ôThat incredible girl.ö She smiled as several more tears began to make their way down her face, overcome by the emotion of the moment before her.
End chapter 06
Teaser for chapter 7 ôI'm the Only Thing I'm Afraid of ö:
ôThe Angel has taken down another ship!ö Maya reported from NERV HQ, Ritsuko taking command of the bridge in Misato's stead, using the MAGI to monitor the battle from her.
ôSeven ships have been sunk already.ö Hyuga followed, teeth gritting in anger. This Angel was a coward, they hadn't completed the D-Type for Unit-00 and 01 yet. For once, NERV Japan wasn't ahead of everyone else, as Unit-02 apparently came with it. Lady Luck smiled upon them again.
ôUnit-02 deployment in 40 seconds.ö Aoba called, swallowing as he received a message from Misato. ôShinji and Asuka are co-piloting it.ö
ôSo, you're allowing that huh Misato?ö Ritsuko smirked to herself, before turning to another task. ôGet air transports off the ground, we need air support to keep all relevant info available to our pilots.ö That was Misato like, wasn't it?
ôYes ma'am!ö
Author note: No name for Asuka's dad, so I made one up. No specified underwater equipment, so I decided to use D-type and pretend that the Volcano diving was a modification. Other than that, that's 6 down. See you for 7!
Disclaimer: This is not a serious fan fiction and I am not a serious writer. Remember that and enjoy.
Author notes: It's chapter 7 time. Gahgiel versus the Evangelion. You want all of this. Let's do it!
The Reprint and Repackaging of Evangelion
Chapter 7 I'm the Only Thing I'm Afraid of
by Anonguy
ôThe Angel has taken down another ship!ö Maya reported from NERV HQ, Ritsuko taking command of the bridge in Misato's stead, using the MAGI to monitor the battle from her.
ôSeven ships have been sunk already.ö Hyuga followed, teeth gritting in anger. This Angel was a coward, they hadn't completed the D-Type for Unit-00 and 01 yet. For once, NERV Japan wasn't ahead of everyone else, as Unit-02 apparently came with it. Lady Luck smiled upon them again.
ôUnit-02 deployment in 40 seconds.ö Aoba called, swallowing as he received a message from Misato. ôShinji and Asuka are co-piloting it.ö
ôSo, you're allowing that huh Misato?ö Ritsuko smirked to herself, before turning to another task. ôGet air transports off the ground, we need air support to keep all relevant info available to our pilots.ö That was Misato like, wasn't it?
ôYes ma'am!ö Ritsuko turned around to see Gendo standing behind her, impassive as always. ôYes commander?ö
ôThe UN has mobilized hypersonic transports for the wounded, and I have already committed ours to the rescue effort of the crew members of the ships that have been sunk.ö That was surprising, but then, he had always been a firm believer in never compromising anything to an enemy.
ôI suppose you have permission to use them over Tokyo-3 airspace?ö She didn't need to ask, it was likely asked for by the city council.
ôYes. I already told them of the situation and they're fine. They're opening all hospitals for emergency operations for hypothermia and other injuries. We will not compromise a single thing more than we have already. On this, I will not budge.ö His jaw was clinched in barely held in fury. They had been fully outmaneuvered by this Angel and it was pissing Gendo off badly.
ôAoba, open a comm link to all our transport pilots. The commander has something to say.ö Ritsuko understood Gendo's feelings, for once, and was going to allow him his piece.
ôHello, personnel of NERV, this is your commander speaking. I know I haven't been the most hands on leader as I could have been, but I just want you to know how important today's operation is.ö He paused, taking a deep breath. ôGentlemen, in this world of today, there is no longer a thing known as a meaningless death. To survive through Second Impact and the chaos that followed it means that your life has full meaning. We all have our reasons to fight against the Angels, for our families, our friends, our homes and even ourselves.ö
There was silence as everyone listened to the words of their commander, taking them to heart.
ôThis operation is important, because there are men and women, just like you, just like me, who have laid their lives down to make this world a better place. To give a better future for their kids and their neighbor's kids. For you, for me, and for everyone still alive. They have been blindsided by an Angel and need our assistance to make it home safely. Will we fail to save them?ö
ôHELL NO!ö The loud reply shook the walls, and Gendo found himself smiling so very slightly.
ôThat is correct! We are NERV! We were founded to save this world and its people from the Angels and that is what we'll do. We refuse to compromise a single life to them, because every life is important. No one is expendable now, and we shall show the Angel the strength of our resolve by saving as many as we can. We will swallow our tears and save one more for every one lost. And when those brave souls are interred we will engrave their names in our hearts to remind ourselves why we won't lay down and die. We're going to save as many as we can and do you know why? Because this is NERV and this is what we're here for. Our work begins gentlemen, go forth!ö
ôSIR YES SIR!ö
/-\ /-\ /-\
ôThis is uncharted territory for the both of us, ja?ö Asuka said, looking over her shoulder to where Shinji was crouched behind her.
ôOf course, this was all just theory but Unit-02 is responding so I guess we're proving the thesis true.ö Now wasn't the time for getting uppity, they had an Angel to bag. ôJust remember what we talked about, if we focus, we should be able to use the AT-field to protect the ships around us.ö
ôUnderstood. This fish bastard won't take another ship from us.ö Unit-02 picked up the progressive knife from the deck beside it and took a fighting stance. ôTHERE!ö They deployed the AT-field just in front of an escorting frigate right as Gahgiel was about to smash it. The Angel roughly body slammed into the field instead of deploying his own, bouncing off and skipping off the water.
ôIt doesn't seem to be that intelligent.ö Shinji said, as they put Unit-02 into leap landing on a platform created by repositioning their field below them. The Evangelion reared back and slugged the recovered Gahgiel in the face, pushing it back farther from the ships.
ôBack to the deck, so we can keep and eye on it.ö And so, the Evangelion returned to the deck of the transport ship. ôWe're doing good so far Ikari.ö
ôLet's hope we can keep it up.ö He watched for movement from Gahgiel, spotting it going for another ship and blocking it with the field again. ôInto the water, we can use the cable for quick retrieval.ö They dove in, working to keep their ratios in unison so the Evangelion fought at its peak.
ôNo you don't!ö Asuka yelled, twisting Unit-02 into a mighty kick that managed to throw the Angel from the water. ôUp we go, Ikari!ö
ôYes!ö And with that, an ascending Unit-02 met a descending Gahgiel, the former punching the latter away from the fleet again. ôHm, hypersonic transports?ö They sprang off their field and back to the deck of the transport ship.
ôLooks like they're here for the people from the sank ships.ö Asuka refocused on the battle at hand, deciding to help give the cover. ôLooks like we got more targets to defend.ö
ôYeah, but he also has more targets to choose from, which means he'll have to work to pick one.ö The Angels were limited in cunning to Shinji's measure, which is why he was confident this wouldn't be a hindrance.
ôI like the way you think.ö Asuka smiled as they blocked another desperate rush from Gahgiel with their projected field. ôWhy doesn't it use its field?ö
ôWhen it was falling, I saw gills on the side of it, so it probably has to be careful using it too much or it will kill itself accidentally.ö Shinji wasn't sure, but that made the most sense at the moment. ôWe should be glad, we don't have to worry about it taking out the fleet unless we guess wrong.ö
ôAvoiding a long term underwater battle huh?ö Asuka was impressed by the logic, even as they went on the offensive again, this time scoring a small gash against its hide. ôGeh, its hide is pretty durable. Conventional weapons would be mostly useless and take too long to damage it.ö They changed up their tactics and dove underwater instead of retreating back to the ship, allowing them to slam a knee into the underbelly of the Angel. This was followed by an impressive spin kick that pushed Gahgiel away again.
ôIt feels like hitting a brick wall, if that brick wall was on wheels.ö Shinji paused, realizing how messed up that sounded. ôSo not like hitting a brick wall at all.ö They were back on deck again, watching for Gahgiel's recovery.
ôDon't you just love situations you can't put into words?ö Asuka smiled as they blocked another sudden charge from Gahgiel. It just wasn't learning at all it seems.
ôTotally, I mean, who doesn't love being brought to a total stand still be sheer stupidity?ö Unit-02 moved again, followed unnoticed by an eye of Gahgiel floating independently from the main body. It was watching it, seemingly counting the time between the movement.
ôI know I do!ö Asuka laughed as they kicked Gahgiel away again, before bounding back to the deck. Unnoticed by either, that last jump was a tiny bit slower. But Gahgiel caught it, and if it could, it would have begun laughing maniacally.
ôI wonder if it will give up soon.ö Shinji wondered aloud, blocking Gahgiel yet again, before following it up with their usual hop down to knock the Angel away again. Just slightly, it wasn't as fair as before and Gahgiel disappeared under the waves once more.
Just as Unit-02 was making its leap back to the deck, a shadow appeared beneath it. Unable to react fast enough, the Evangelion was captured in the mighty jaws of the Angel and pulled underwater. Everyone observing the battle just stared in shock, save for Rei.
ôRRRRRRR, NO! NO! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!ö She wasn't taking this development well, as you might have noticed.
/-\ /-\ /-\
ôSon of a bitch, it's been setting us up this entire time.ö Shinji was angry but controlling it. Majorly because he was managing to ignore the blinding pain in his abdomen.
ôI should have seen that.ö Asuka wasn't about to blame Shinji for that, as she was the one in the seat.
ôWe both should of, now stay focused! If it stops, we'll shank its ass!ö Considering the speed they were traveling, that was unlikely though.
ôThis is not the end, it has to stop at some point.ö Asuka forced one eye open in difference to the pain.
ôWe'll get through this somehow.ö Shinji tried to be reassuring, but he wasn't confident.
/-\ /-\ /-\
ôRei!ö Misato came running out to check on the angry First Child, who was looking ready to dive in after the Evangelion. ôJust stay put, we'll get them back somehow.ö
ôI can do it.ö Rei was quiet, but Misato heard her.
ôDo what?ö Misato was confused by the sudden shift from frothing at the mouth to quiet confidence.
ôI can talk to the Evangelion, I was born with this ability.ö It wasn't a total lie, as Rei didn't also mention she was part of a large batch of clones made from the leftovers of Yui Ikari. ôI am the First Child, and this is my power.ö She seemed to glow a soft white now, causing Misato to back up.
ôWhat are you talking about?ö Misato was only in the dark before she remembered the report on Rei's sync test. ôYou did this to Unit-00 didn't you?!ö
ôCorrect. I chained down the wild beast within it so it could suit my purposes. Unit-00 is my steed for me to ride into battle.ö Rei smiled as she felt Unit-02 beneath the waves. ôGood, I can feel the spirit of the Evangelion Unit-02 still. I won't be too late.ö Her face was suddenly streaked with tears of relief. ôShinji, Asuka, I won't fail you.ö
ôJust what are you going to do?ö Misato was suddenly frightened by the sight of Rei crying.
ôBridge the gap between my soul and the one inside Unit-02 and join them in their fight.ö She wiped her face and laughed. ôPlease take care of my body, I don't want to be trapped in there should it fall into the ocean.ö
ôLeave it to me.ö Misato didn't voice her concerns, they needed a miracle now.
ôSpirit of Evangelion Unit-02, I call upon you now and allow me entrance into your domain.ö She smiled as she felt a questioning response. ôBecause, I intend to save you and your passengers. Believe in me, I won't fail you.ö Another pulse and Rei smiled. ôThank you, my friend. I will take these wings you have given me to fly you to safety once more.ö An explosion of colors swept over her vision as she felt herself pull away.
ôThese colors, it's so beautiful...ö Her body slumped against Misato back on Over the Rainbow, who was joined by Kaji.
ôMisato! What's happening?ö Kaji was trying not to panic about his charge's predicament.
ôThe calvary has just arrived.ö Misato gently laid Rei down and closed her eyes in prayer.
/-\ /-\ /-\
ôWhat is that feeling?ö Shinji muttered before turning around and seeing a naked Rei standing behind him, smiling regally. ôA-Ayanami, how did you get here? And more importantly, why are you naked?ö
ôI asked Unit-02 to bring me on board and I'm naked because this is my soul.ö Rei laughed as Shinji tried to hide his face.
ôCan she really do this?ö Asuka was shocked to have another passenger on board her Evangelion, but she wasn't going to complain if it got the out of this predicament.
ôApparently!ö Shinji kept his eyes forward, so as to not be distracted by the naked girl behind him. ôLet's do this then. If it's all three of us, we should be able to win!ö
ôRoger that.ö Asuka agreed, clenching the controls.
ôOur combined AT-field should force its jaws open.ö Rei suggested, taking a deep breath as their combined ratios began to merge. A small orange sphere took form in front of the chest of Unit-02. ôI am Rei Ayanami, the First Child!ö
ôI am Asuka Langley Soryu, the Second Child!ö It began to flatten out into the familiar hexagonal shape now.
ôI am Shinji Ikari, the Third Child!ö An orange glow got the attention of Gahgiel. But not fast enough to matter, for him anyways.
ôAnd nothing is hopeless, BECAUSE WE ARE THE PILOTS OF EVANGELION!ö The field expanded into the face of the Angel with the force of a thousand freight trains moving at max speed. Unit-02, which found itself free from the jaws of Gahgiel, flexed its legs before checking where Gahgiel went. The Evangelion swam to the surface and made a sturdy AT-field platform to stand on.
ôWe made it.ö Asuka breathed a sigh of relief while Shinji rubbed the phantom pain in his abs away.
ôAnd now we'll finish this.ö Rei sounded confident, which was helping buoy the other two for now.
ôHuh, we got a message from Ritsuko.ö Shinji said, as Asuka opened it, remembering the briefing on NERV Japan's personnel.
ôHello Unit-02, this is Dr. Ritsuko Akagi here, telling you to look over to your right. We have a gift for you, in the form of the Maglock-E Anti-Angel Blade, one of NERV's many new weapons for you kids to hack apart those pesky Angels. Enjoy~!ö The three did so, and saw a transport floating there with an enormous broadsword dangling down.
ôDr. Akagi, I love you.ö Shinji said in joking manner, as they sprang over and took the thing from it, landing back on the platform.
ôThis is amazing. NERV Japan does not fuck around.ö Asuka admired the blade for a long second.
ôThe Angel is awake again. We need to get it out of the water.ö Rei was the calm one, keeping her eyes on the prize.
ôAT-fields are just domain control. If we can unify our sync ratios and manifest a field that's 3 in one...ö Shinji let it hang, which was picked up by Asuka.
ô...then we can use three different ones. After all, the shape, strength, and location are all up to us.ö She gripped her controls again. ôThis is it.ö
ôMMH!ö Wordlessly the other two agreed. Unit-02 leaped from its perch once more, casting off the D-type equipment before jumping off a single AT-field and getting higher than before. Another twined around the length of the Maglock, turning it into a giant fishing pole. With a flick, the cast the line down.
ôGOT YOU!ö Asuka yelled, focusing on yanking Gahgiel from the ocean, which they succeeded spectacularly as the giant flat fish Angel twirled helplessly in the air.
ôDAI-RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!ö All three screamed this, the eyes on Unit-02 glowing a brilliant green as they swung through the flesh of Gahgiel in an instant, utterly ending the life off their foe.
ôToo bad for you, there is no need to recover your carcass.ö Rei smirked as another AT-field expanded over the remains of the Angel, twisting them until they simply burst into an impressive display of gore.
ôAnd with that, the operation is a success.ö Shinji summed up, taking a deep breath as they used the AT-field to guide Unit-02 down to the deck of Over the Rainbow.
End chapter 7
Teaser for Chapter 8 ôIf You Talk Too Much, My Head Will Explodeö:
ôSo Ritsuko, explain this domain control to me again. I kinda spaced out when you were talking about it the other day.ö Misato bowed in apology, which Ritsuko accepted. It wasn't a hard concept to grasp, it was just hard to believe it was real.
ôDomain control was a theorized form of psychokinesis, wherein the manifestation of psychic powers would allow the use to control an area of influence through force of will. The stronger the conviction, the stronger the form and ability.ö Ritsuko explained in her most patient voice. This one of the rare times she used it in discussing stuff in public, but Misato didn't need to know that.
ôSo what you're saying is that the Evangelion is a psychic medium?ö Misato grasped at a straw, and happened to mostly be correct.
ôCorrect to a certain degree. It's theorized the AT-field could be used by whoever piloted an Evangelion, but the problem is that the ability to pilot is few and far between. Additionally, neither Shinji nor Asuka have shown a manifestation of psychokinesis.ö Ritsuko was glad Misato was at least accepting the explanation.
ôI noticed you didn't mention Rei.ö Misato blinked at her old friend's suddenly pained face.
ôNo one knows what the deal with Rei is. By all accounts there is no way she should have been able to interface with the Evangelion from outside. Her origins are protected with security of which no one has access to, not even the Commander. In fact, there is no one high enough to access her records.ö In another world, another time, Ritsuko would have been tearing the pants off Gendo Ikari for access to them, debasing herself to the degree that she would never recover from the downfall that came with the illicit tryst. But that was another place and time, and had little bearing on the Ritsuko here and now.
ôIs she really that important?ö Misato looked at Ritsuko, who was texting Maya something for some reason.
ôMore than we can know, from what I can see.ö
Author note: And down goes Gahgiel. Filler chapter is next, but delicious exposition will be had. Stay tuned please.
Author notes: It's chapter 7 time. Gahgiel versus the Evangelion. You want all of this. Let's do it!
The Reprint and Repackaging of Evangelion
Chapter 7 I'm the Only Thing I'm Afraid of
by Anonguy
ôThe Angel has taken down another ship!ö Maya reported from NERV HQ, Ritsuko taking command of the bridge in Misato's stead, using the MAGI to monitor the battle from her.
ôSeven ships have been sunk already.ö Hyuga followed, teeth gritting in anger. This Angel was a coward, they hadn't completed the D-Type for Unit-00 and 01 yet. For once, NERV Japan wasn't ahead of everyone else, as Unit-02 apparently came with it. Lady Luck smiled upon them again.
ôUnit-02 deployment in 40 seconds.ö Aoba called, swallowing as he received a message from Misato. ôShinji and Asuka are co-piloting it.ö
ôSo, you're allowing that huh Misato?ö Ritsuko smirked to herself, before turning to another task. ôGet air transports off the ground, we need air support to keep all relevant info available to our pilots.ö That was Misato like, wasn't it?
ôYes ma'am!ö Ritsuko turned around to see Gendo standing behind her, impassive as always. ôYes commander?ö
ôThe UN has mobilized hypersonic transports for the wounded, and I have already committed ours to the rescue effort of the crew members of the ships that have been sunk.ö That was surprising, but then, he had always been a firm believer in never compromising anything to an enemy.
ôI suppose you have permission to use them over Tokyo-3 airspace?ö She didn't need to ask, it was likely asked for by the city council.
ôYes. I already told them of the situation and they're fine. They're opening all hospitals for emergency operations for hypothermia and other injuries. We will not compromise a single thing more than we have already. On this, I will not budge.ö His jaw was clinched in barely held in fury. They had been fully outmaneuvered by this Angel and it was pissing Gendo off badly.
ôAoba, open a comm link to all our transport pilots. The commander has something to say.ö Ritsuko understood Gendo's feelings, for once, and was going to allow him his piece.
ôHello, personnel of NERV, this is your commander speaking. I know I haven't been the most hands on leader as I could have been, but I just want you to know how important today's operation is.ö He paused, taking a deep breath. ôGentlemen, in this world of today, there is no longer a thing known as a meaningless death. To survive through Second Impact and the chaos that followed it means that your life has full meaning. We all have our reasons to fight against the Angels, for our families, our friends, our homes and even ourselves.ö
There was silence as everyone listened to the words of their commander, taking them to heart.
ôThis operation is important, because there are men and women, just like you, just like me, who have laid their lives down to make this world a better place. To give a better future for their kids and their neighbor's kids. For you, for me, and for everyone still alive. They have been blindsided by an Angel and need our assistance to make it home safely. Will we fail to save them?ö
ôHELL NO!ö The loud reply shook the walls, and Gendo found himself smiling so very slightly.
ôThat is correct! We are NERV! We were founded to save this world and its people from the Angels and that is what we'll do. We refuse to compromise a single life to them, because every life is important. No one is expendable now, and we shall show the Angel the strength of our resolve by saving as many as we can. We will swallow our tears and save one more for every one lost. And when those brave souls are interred we will engrave their names in our hearts to remind ourselves why we won't lay down and die. We're going to save as many as we can and do you know why? Because this is NERV and this is what we're here for. Our work begins gentlemen, go forth!ö
ôSIR YES SIR!ö
/-\ /-\ /-\
ôThis is uncharted territory for the both of us, ja?ö Asuka said, looking over her shoulder to where Shinji was crouched behind her.
ôOf course, this was all just theory but Unit-02 is responding so I guess we're proving the thesis true.ö Now wasn't the time for getting uppity, they had an Angel to bag. ôJust remember what we talked about, if we focus, we should be able to use the AT-field to protect the ships around us.ö
ôUnderstood. This fish bastard won't take another ship from us.ö Unit-02 picked up the progressive knife from the deck beside it and took a fighting stance. ôTHERE!ö They deployed the AT-field just in front of an escorting frigate right as Gahgiel was about to smash it. The Angel roughly body slammed into the field instead of deploying his own, bouncing off and skipping off the water.
ôIt doesn't seem to be that intelligent.ö Shinji said, as they put Unit-02 into leap landing on a platform created by repositioning their field below them. The Evangelion reared back and slugged the recovered Gahgiel in the face, pushing it back farther from the ships.
ôBack to the deck, so we can keep and eye on it.ö And so, the Evangelion returned to the deck of the transport ship. ôWe're doing good so far Ikari.ö
ôLet's hope we can keep it up.ö He watched for movement from Gahgiel, spotting it going for another ship and blocking it with the field again. ôInto the water, we can use the cable for quick retrieval.ö They dove in, working to keep their ratios in unison so the Evangelion fought at its peak.
ôNo you don't!ö Asuka yelled, twisting Unit-02 into a mighty kick that managed to throw the Angel from the water. ôUp we go, Ikari!ö
ôYes!ö And with that, an ascending Unit-02 met a descending Gahgiel, the former punching the latter away from the fleet again. ôHm, hypersonic transports?ö They sprang off their field and back to the deck of the transport ship.
ôLooks like they're here for the people from the sank ships.ö Asuka refocused on the battle at hand, deciding to help give the cover. ôLooks like we got more targets to defend.ö
ôYeah, but he also has more targets to choose from, which means he'll have to work to pick one.ö The Angels were limited in cunning to Shinji's measure, which is why he was confident this wouldn't be a hindrance.
ôI like the way you think.ö Asuka smiled as they blocked another desperate rush from Gahgiel with their projected field. ôWhy doesn't it use its field?ö
ôWhen it was falling, I saw gills on the side of it, so it probably has to be careful using it too much or it will kill itself accidentally.ö Shinji wasn't sure, but that made the most sense at the moment. ôWe should be glad, we don't have to worry about it taking out the fleet unless we guess wrong.ö
ôAvoiding a long term underwater battle huh?ö Asuka was impressed by the logic, even as they went on the offensive again, this time scoring a small gash against its hide. ôGeh, its hide is pretty durable. Conventional weapons would be mostly useless and take too long to damage it.ö They changed up their tactics and dove underwater instead of retreating back to the ship, allowing them to slam a knee into the underbelly of the Angel. This was followed by an impressive spin kick that pushed Gahgiel away again.
ôIt feels like hitting a brick wall, if that brick wall was on wheels.ö Shinji paused, realizing how messed up that sounded. ôSo not like hitting a brick wall at all.ö They were back on deck again, watching for Gahgiel's recovery.
ôDon't you just love situations you can't put into words?ö Asuka smiled as they blocked another sudden charge from Gahgiel. It just wasn't learning at all it seems.
ôTotally, I mean, who doesn't love being brought to a total stand still be sheer stupidity?ö Unit-02 moved again, followed unnoticed by an eye of Gahgiel floating independently from the main body. It was watching it, seemingly counting the time between the movement.
ôI know I do!ö Asuka laughed as they kicked Gahgiel away again, before bounding back to the deck. Unnoticed by either, that last jump was a tiny bit slower. But Gahgiel caught it, and if it could, it would have begun laughing maniacally.
ôI wonder if it will give up soon.ö Shinji wondered aloud, blocking Gahgiel yet again, before following it up with their usual hop down to knock the Angel away again. Just slightly, it wasn't as fair as before and Gahgiel disappeared under the waves once more.
Just as Unit-02 was making its leap back to the deck, a shadow appeared beneath it. Unable to react fast enough, the Evangelion was captured in the mighty jaws of the Angel and pulled underwater. Everyone observing the battle just stared in shock, save for Rei.
ôRRRRRRR, NO! NO! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!ö She wasn't taking this development well, as you might have noticed.
/-\ /-\ /-\
ôSon of a bitch, it's been setting us up this entire time.ö Shinji was angry but controlling it. Majorly because he was managing to ignore the blinding pain in his abdomen.
ôI should have seen that.ö Asuka wasn't about to blame Shinji for that, as she was the one in the seat.
ôWe both should of, now stay focused! If it stops, we'll shank its ass!ö Considering the speed they were traveling, that was unlikely though.
ôThis is not the end, it has to stop at some point.ö Asuka forced one eye open in difference to the pain.
ôWe'll get through this somehow.ö Shinji tried to be reassuring, but he wasn't confident.
/-\ /-\ /-\
ôRei!ö Misato came running out to check on the angry First Child, who was looking ready to dive in after the Evangelion. ôJust stay put, we'll get them back somehow.ö
ôI can do it.ö Rei was quiet, but Misato heard her.
ôDo what?ö Misato was confused by the sudden shift from frothing at the mouth to quiet confidence.
ôI can talk to the Evangelion, I was born with this ability.ö It wasn't a total lie, as Rei didn't also mention she was part of a large batch of clones made from the leftovers of Yui Ikari. ôI am the First Child, and this is my power.ö She seemed to glow a soft white now, causing Misato to back up.
ôWhat are you talking about?ö Misato was only in the dark before she remembered the report on Rei's sync test. ôYou did this to Unit-00 didn't you?!ö
ôCorrect. I chained down the wild beast within it so it could suit my purposes. Unit-00 is my steed for me to ride into battle.ö Rei smiled as she felt Unit-02 beneath the waves. ôGood, I can feel the spirit of the Evangelion Unit-02 still. I won't be too late.ö Her face was suddenly streaked with tears of relief. ôShinji, Asuka, I won't fail you.ö
ôJust what are you going to do?ö Misato was suddenly frightened by the sight of Rei crying.
ôBridge the gap between my soul and the one inside Unit-02 and join them in their fight.ö She wiped her face and laughed. ôPlease take care of my body, I don't want to be trapped in there should it fall into the ocean.ö
ôLeave it to me.ö Misato didn't voice her concerns, they needed a miracle now.
ôSpirit of Evangelion Unit-02, I call upon you now and allow me entrance into your domain.ö She smiled as she felt a questioning response. ôBecause, I intend to save you and your passengers. Believe in me, I won't fail you.ö Another pulse and Rei smiled. ôThank you, my friend. I will take these wings you have given me to fly you to safety once more.ö An explosion of colors swept over her vision as she felt herself pull away.
ôThese colors, it's so beautiful...ö Her body slumped against Misato back on Over the Rainbow, who was joined by Kaji.
ôMisato! What's happening?ö Kaji was trying not to panic about his charge's predicament.
ôThe calvary has just arrived.ö Misato gently laid Rei down and closed her eyes in prayer.
/-\ /-\ /-\
ôWhat is that feeling?ö Shinji muttered before turning around and seeing a naked Rei standing behind him, smiling regally. ôA-Ayanami, how did you get here? And more importantly, why are you naked?ö
ôI asked Unit-02 to bring me on board and I'm naked because this is my soul.ö Rei laughed as Shinji tried to hide his face.
ôCan she really do this?ö Asuka was shocked to have another passenger on board her Evangelion, but she wasn't going to complain if it got the out of this predicament.
ôApparently!ö Shinji kept his eyes forward, so as to not be distracted by the naked girl behind him. ôLet's do this then. If it's all three of us, we should be able to win!ö
ôRoger that.ö Asuka agreed, clenching the controls.
ôOur combined AT-field should force its jaws open.ö Rei suggested, taking a deep breath as their combined ratios began to merge. A small orange sphere took form in front of the chest of Unit-02. ôI am Rei Ayanami, the First Child!ö
ôI am Asuka Langley Soryu, the Second Child!ö It began to flatten out into the familiar hexagonal shape now.
ôI am Shinji Ikari, the Third Child!ö An orange glow got the attention of Gahgiel. But not fast enough to matter, for him anyways.
ôAnd nothing is hopeless, BECAUSE WE ARE THE PILOTS OF EVANGELION!ö The field expanded into the face of the Angel with the force of a thousand freight trains moving at max speed. Unit-02, which found itself free from the jaws of Gahgiel, flexed its legs before checking where Gahgiel went. The Evangelion swam to the surface and made a sturdy AT-field platform to stand on.
ôWe made it.ö Asuka breathed a sigh of relief while Shinji rubbed the phantom pain in his abs away.
ôAnd now we'll finish this.ö Rei sounded confident, which was helping buoy the other two for now.
ôHuh, we got a message from Ritsuko.ö Shinji said, as Asuka opened it, remembering the briefing on NERV Japan's personnel.
ôHello Unit-02, this is Dr. Ritsuko Akagi here, telling you to look over to your right. We have a gift for you, in the form of the Maglock-E Anti-Angel Blade, one of NERV's many new weapons for you kids to hack apart those pesky Angels. Enjoy~!ö The three did so, and saw a transport floating there with an enormous broadsword dangling down.
ôDr. Akagi, I love you.ö Shinji said in joking manner, as they sprang over and took the thing from it, landing back on the platform.
ôThis is amazing. NERV Japan does not fuck around.ö Asuka admired the blade for a long second.
ôThe Angel is awake again. We need to get it out of the water.ö Rei was the calm one, keeping her eyes on the prize.
ôAT-fields are just domain control. If we can unify our sync ratios and manifest a field that's 3 in one...ö Shinji let it hang, which was picked up by Asuka.
ô...then we can use three different ones. After all, the shape, strength, and location are all up to us.ö She gripped her controls again. ôThis is it.ö
ôMMH!ö Wordlessly the other two agreed. Unit-02 leaped from its perch once more, casting off the D-type equipment before jumping off a single AT-field and getting higher than before. Another twined around the length of the Maglock, turning it into a giant fishing pole. With a flick, the cast the line down.
ôGOT YOU!ö Asuka yelled, focusing on yanking Gahgiel from the ocean, which they succeeded spectacularly as the giant flat fish Angel twirled helplessly in the air.
ôDAI-RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!ö All three screamed this, the eyes on Unit-02 glowing a brilliant green as they swung through the flesh of Gahgiel in an instant, utterly ending the life off their foe.
ôToo bad for you, there is no need to recover your carcass.ö Rei smirked as another AT-field expanded over the remains of the Angel, twisting them until they simply burst into an impressive display of gore.
ôAnd with that, the operation is a success.ö Shinji summed up, taking a deep breath as they used the AT-field to guide Unit-02 down to the deck of Over the Rainbow.
End chapter 7
Teaser for Chapter 8 ôIf You Talk Too Much, My Head Will Explodeö:
ôSo Ritsuko, explain this domain control to me again. I kinda spaced out when you were talking about it the other day.ö Misato bowed in apology, which Ritsuko accepted. It wasn't a hard concept to grasp, it was just hard to believe it was real.
ôDomain control was a theorized form of psychokinesis, wherein the manifestation of psychic powers would allow the use to control an area of influence through force of will. The stronger the conviction, the stronger the form and ability.ö Ritsuko explained in her most patient voice. This one of the rare times she used it in discussing stuff in public, but Misato didn't need to know that.
ôSo what you're saying is that the Evangelion is a psychic medium?ö Misato grasped at a straw, and happened to mostly be correct.
ôCorrect to a certain degree. It's theorized the AT-field could be used by whoever piloted an Evangelion, but the problem is that the ability to pilot is few and far between. Additionally, neither Shinji nor Asuka have shown a manifestation of psychokinesis.ö Ritsuko was glad Misato was at least accepting the explanation.
ôI noticed you didn't mention Rei.ö Misato blinked at her old friend's suddenly pained face.
ôNo one knows what the deal with Rei is. By all accounts there is no way she should have been able to interface with the Evangelion from outside. Her origins are protected with security of which no one has access to, not even the Commander. In fact, there is no one high enough to access her records.ö In another world, another time, Ritsuko would have been tearing the pants off Gendo Ikari for access to them, debasing herself to the degree that she would never recover from the downfall that came with the illicit tryst. But that was another place and time, and had little bearing on the Ritsuko here and now.
ôIs she really that important?ö Misato looked at Ritsuko, who was texting Maya something for some reason.
ôMore than we can know, from what I can see.ö
Author note: And down goes Gahgiel. Filler chapter is next, but delicious exposition will be had. Stay tuned please.
Disclaimer: I'm typing as fast as I can
Author note: Chapter 8 and we hit the brakes on the Angels for a bit of exposition. Hope it's good.
The Reprint and Repackaging of Evangelion
Chapter 8 If You Talk Too Much, My Head Will Explode
by Anonguy
ôSo Ritsuko, explain this domain control to me again. I kinda spaced out when you were talking about it the other day.ö Misato bowed in apology, which Ritsuko accepted. It wasn't a hard concept to grasp, it was just hard to believe it was real.
ôDomain control was a theorized form of psychokinesis, wherein the manifestation of psychic powers would allow the use to control an area of influence through force of will. The stronger the conviction, the stronger the form and ability.ö Ritsuko explained in her most patient voice. This one of the rare times she used it in discussing stuff in public, but Misato didn't need to know that.
ôSo what you're saying is that the Evangelion is a psychic medium?ö Misato grasped at a straw, and happened to mostly be correct.
ôCorrect to a certain degree. It's theorized the AT-field could be used by whoever piloted an Evangelion, but the problem is that the ability to pilot is few and far between. Additionally, neither Shinji nor Asuka have shown a manifestation of psychokinesis.ö Ritsuko was glad Misato was at least accepting the explanation.
ôI noticed you didn't mention Rei.ö Misato blinked at her old friend's suddenly pained face.
ôNo one knows what the deal with Rei is. By all accounts there is no way she should have been able to interface with the Evangelion from outside. Her origins are protected with security of which no one has access to, not even the Commander. In fact, there is no one high enough to access her records.ö In another world, another time, Ritsuko would have been tearing the pants off Gendo Ikari for access to them, debasing herself to the degree that she would never recover from the downfall that came with the illicit tryst. But that was another place and time, and had little bearing on the Ritsuko here and now.
ôIs she really that important?ö Misato looked at Ritsuko, who was texting Maya something for some reason.
ôMore than we can know, from what I can see.ö Ritsuko read the reply and nodded, before looking over at Misato. ôWe should be careful around her though. By all accounts she's been heavily volatile these past few weeks and it can't be good for her.ö
ôWouldn't over-controlling her emotions be just as bad?ö Misato was already concerned about Rei, but it had more to due with her attitude with relations to Shinji and the recently arrived Asuka.
ôIn a normal person, probably. But Rei has no baseline emotional level, so when she's in control, she's way in control, and when she's out of control, well, look at Unit-00.ö The fact that Rei could bend the Evangelion to her will scared Ritsuko shitless. ôSo we have to be careful, if she keeps swinging from extreme to extreme, she may lose her grip on her sanity, and someone who can subjugate an Evangelion is someone we need sane, alright?ö
ôOf course, I'll do my best to keep an eye on her when ever she's over to visit Shinji and Asuka.ö Speaking of, she had to get home soon, or else the possibility of the three being alone without supervision would come to pass. ôThanks for explaining that, Ritsuko. If I understand it, I can help them train in it better.ö
ôIndeed. Oh, before you go...ö Ritsuko trailed off and held up her cell phone. ôMaya wants to know if you and Kaji want to come to dinner tonight.ö
ôI dunno, the last time we three hung out, I wound up naked in Maya's apartment and my clothes in her washing machine.ö Misato wasn't sure she'd be up to anything crazy for the time being.
ôRelax, we'll keep it in check for Kaji, since he has too much penis to be part of a proper girl's night out.ö Ritsuko liked Kaji, after all, he had pretty much swept Misato off her feet and helped bring the girl fully from her shell. ôBesides, you know she was kidding about you two being engaged.ö
ôI know, I know. I'll give him a call okay? No promises.ö Misato bit her bottom lip for a second, a nervous habit of hers whenever she wanted to do something but she wasn't sure she'd be allowed to.
ôI wouldn't dream of it.ö Ritsuko held up her hands in a mock show of innocence, before grinning fiendishly. ôIf he doesn't want to come, we'll be gentle. Maybe.ö
ôYou're not helping.ö And here Misato thought monogamy would could Ritsuko of her sex fiend ways. Oh well, can't be right all the time.
ôI'm supposed to be helping?ö Ritsuko laughed at the glare Misato leveled her way, ducking down a sudden hall.
/-\ /-\ /-\
Shinji found himself at home alone, a rare occurrence since Asuka moved in with them. Kaji had his own place and had appointed Misato co-guardian, and there were many jokes had on the appointment ceremony. At least until Misato started chasing him around the building, but he was expecting it and loved every minute of it.
Coincidentally, it was rather hot out and Shinji felt the need to bathe to cool off. He envied Pen-Pen who got to live in a fridge all the time and never worry about the heat, well, as long as there was power that is. Anyways, Shinji stood before the door and amused himself reading the sign on the changing room door.
'Beware of surprise events, always knock before entering. Violators will be shot.'
Slipping into the room, Shinji always asked her what that meant, only for his guardian to break off muttering and promptly start drinking. He assumed it was something that traumatized her in the past, like someone walking in on her while she was naked. Though he assumed, as he prepped for the bath, if it were Kaji, she wouldn't mind so much.
Heedless of the warning, Shinji threw open the door to the bath proper, looking over at the dividing wall that covered the toilet, knowing there to be another door just to get to it. Again, it probably had something to do with this surprise event thing, though he understood the logic of allowing the use of the toilet in emergencies. Hell, it was even on a special waterline just so flushing it wouldn't fuck with the hot water.
Unmindful of anything to come, Shinji entered the bath and enjoyed himself.
Time passed and he heard Misato, Asuka, and Rei arrive, which meant he need to get out of the tub. Too engrossed with making dramatic noises like one would expect from a scene of Godzilla emerging from the ocean, Shinji didn't hear the door open. He did hear Rei's shocked gasp as she got a full view of his naked form. Well shit. The door slammed closed and Shinji paused for a second.
ôSo this is a surprise event.ö He said this calmly, before he started chuckling to himself, exiting into the changing room to get dressed.
/-\ /-\ /-\
ôI told you the door on the left is the toilet.ö Asuka was too amused to be mad about things, especially since Rei hadn't stopped blushing since she had come running back from the necessary room like there was a live tiger in there. ôThat's why you always knock if going to the bath proper. You can't get to the toilet from there anyways.ö
ôM-m-my a-apologies for i-ignoring your instructions.ö Damn hormones. Before she could simply throttle them, but taking the lid off all her emotions had left her at the behest of her traitorous body and its wicked impulses. No, she wasn't going to pin Shinji to the floor and do the kind of things that Misato did to Kaji, if Shinji's implicative suggestions were any indicator.
ôDamn girl, do you got it bad for him or something?ö Asuka switched from amused to concerned in a flash. In the small time she had known the First Child, this was the most vulnerable she had seemed.
ôN-no. J-just hormones.ö Though she did admit he had a ni-Rei violent put an end to that line of thinking. Damn hormones. Logistics were her friend, maybe they could calm her down. ôIt's j-just that he is a m-moderately attractive male and I am a young woman in prime mating conditions.ö
ô...You're on your period aren't you?ö And she didn't seem to be bothered by it, which made Asuka slightly envious. The monthly demon was something she always dreaded.
ôP-p-p-p-ö Oh shit, Asuka broke Rei's brain. Where's the reboot button? Shinji finally arrived in the living room at this point.
ôWas it that traumatic?ö If Rei kept reacting like that, she'd really start hurting his feelings.
ôHer hormones are out of control.ö Asuka put bluntly, slapping Rei lightly on the cheek to try and bring her around.
ôShe's on her period.ö He said the p word again, and was rewarded by Rei screaming as loud as she could, throwing Asuka off her and causing Shinji to fall on his ass. ôWhoa, holy shit!ö
ôDamn it you two, I can't leave you alone with her at all can I?ö Misato was busy putting up groceries and had missed Rei getting a surprise event.
ôDon't look at me, she walked in on me as I was getting out of the bath.ö Shinji managed to regain his feet and looked at the now violently blushing and shaking Rei staring right at him. ôI... I should just go...ö He started to back out of the room when Rei rocked back on her heels and proceed to dive at him.
ôGoddamn it, Rei, calm your crazy bitch self down!ö Asuka made a diving save, preventing Rei from reaching Shinji in a display of goalkeeping so brilliant, the remains of England was trying to get her made a citizen and they didn't even know why.
ôOh god, I got to call Ritsuko and have her come help with this.ö Not that she thought the good doctor would help, but she didn't want to see Rei rape Shinji. Not enough beer to erase that, no sir.
ôShinji, go to your room and lock the door.ö Asuka took charge of the situation, maneuvering with Rei's squirming to keep the blue haired girl in check.
ôRight.ö Shinji specifically advanced in reverse and got the hell out of dodge.
ôNow listen to me Ayanami Rei, you will calm yourself girl.ö Asuka ignored any sensation she was getting from Rei thrashing against her. She just prayed her clothing would be intact from all of this.
Ritsuko entered the apartment without knocking, arriving in exactly two minutes and forty two seconds. She looked at Asuka pinning Rei to the floor, and looked over to Misato, who wasn't sure what to do. In lieu of announcing her presence, she decided some humor would be nice.
ôAw, damn it Misato, I wanted to be the one to corrupt them.ö Misato's bug eyed look told her the joke wasn't appreciated. Or tolerated much. People have no sense of humor these days.
ôI'll pretend I don't hear you casting doubts on my sexual preferences and ask you stop gawking and help me!ö Asuka was losing her grip on Rei, as the girl continued to try and escape.
ôMisato, grab an arm and help me get her into the bathroom.ö Ritsuko took charge then, grabbing a waving arm in a surprisingly strong grip and ripped her out from under Asuka, leaving her kicking wildly in the air.
ôYou're not going to...ö Misato was cut off by Ritsuko's withering stare, and so complied with the Doctor's order, taking Rei's other arm away. Without prompting, Asuka tied up the legs and led their march to the bathroom.
ôI have some standards you know.ö Very few, but she had waited for Maya to get to legal status before she had done anything beyond furtive glances and double entendres with her.
ôI'm leaving before I hear more than I want.ö Asuka slipped past the both, deciding to go check on Shinji.
ôSo are we chucking her into an ice bath or what?ö Misato held Rei even higher, preventing her from using her newly freed legs to kick free.
ôNo, I'm going to teach her the joys of self-stimulation.ö Misato waited for the punchline from the good doctor. It didn't come.
ôYou're serious.ö Ritsuko nodded and Misato recoiled in horror, dropping Rei's arm, who suddenly stopped thrashing. As much.
ôCompletely. If someone has a lot of nervous energy to work off, you don't splash cold water on them, you give them a way to work it off.ö Ritsuko sighed, wondering if Misato would ever grow out of her double standards. But that wasn't important, so we'll move on.
ôI don't want to watch, but I don't trust you not to get caught up in the moment and do something untoward to her.ö Misato crossed her arms and stood her ground.
ôYour call, but I don't have to touch her, you know.ö Ritsuko had only pure intentions here, even if she knew that she herself was a complete sex maniac when she got going.
ôIf I leave, I'll tell Maya about what happened at the party you threw for me at the end of my first month at NERV.ö This totally wasn't payback for the embarrassment on the bridge a while back.
ôYou're calling that favor in?ö Even though Maya wouldn't really care. The girl was bananas for her, to the point she could get her to spin in circles singing cocks on a whim.
ôYou told me to keep quiet about it.ö Misato knew it was a mostly empty threat, Maya was always an adventurous sort, if judging by her constant comments about a three-way relationship. Misato wondered briefly if that was the secret behind the weird relationship her old roommate had with the bridge bunny. Poor Aoba.
ôAlright, stay, but keep out of my sight. I'm being a doctor for Rei but you're an acceptable target.ö Ritsuko held up a hand to stop the forthcoming protest. ôAnd you know Kaji doesn't care. He loves you Misato, to the point it hurts him in every facet of his life that doesn't involve long hot sweaty nights with you.ö
Misato sulked off to the corner out of sight, and Ritsuko began her dark work.
/-\ /-\ /-\
ôThanks for the save earlier.ö Shinji wasn't entirely sure he should be thanking her, but he supposed not having his pelvis broke by mach-speed humping was a good thing.
ôNo problem, it wouldn't due for her to do things you both might regret later.ö In fact, Asuka was only worried of the possibility that Rei could get pregnant and nothing more. Sure, Shinji was cute and all, but she had known him for a short period of time.
ôI suppose.ö Shinji couldn't be mad, it wasn't like she purposely cockblocked him. Not that he was sure he wanted to get his groove on with Ayanami, but the First Child was surprisingly attractive under all that bullshit that made up her personality. In fact, her sometimes bizarre moments of uncanny valley behavior were when she was the most appealing. And thus ends the author's warped attempt to get into the mind of a fourteen year old boy who didn't even exist.
ôI hope they manage to calm her down.ö She wasn't going to elaborate how or think about it. She didn't swing that way or bat for that team, and she wasn't going to pinch hit either. In fact, Asuka hated softball, which is a weird thing to bring up all of a sudden, all things considering.
ôYeah, I'd hate to have to lock myself up in here for the night to escape the amorous wrath of Rei Ayanami.ö It was steak night, there was no way he was eating leftovers from glorious, glorious steak night.
ôHmhmhm, yeah.ö Asuka chuckled and looked at Shinji, taking in his profile in the chair next to her. He was cute, even if he had a mouth that roared at everyone near him. ôThough, I suppose if that was the wrath being visited on you, you'd probably be alright with it.ö She'd call him a pervert but if he was, he'd have been diving at Rei too.
ôMaybe. Or maybe there is someone else I'd rather have sexy time with.ö Shinji looked at Asuka briefly from the corner of his eye.
ôToo bad Kaji has already claimed the Captain's ass in the name of his wang ja?ö Boy she was crude at times.
ôThat's not what-ö He started to explain himself for some reason, before Asuka silenced with a finger over his lips.
ôOf course not dummy.ö She smiled and leaned in close to whisper in his ear. ôAnd I'm flattered and grateful for that. But that's taking it way too fast, boyo.ö
Shinji pouted against Asuka's finger, a meaningless gesture since she couldn't see him.
ôBut in a couple months, who knows. After we've had time to get to know each other enough to see if we want to pursue something more than friendship.ö She pulled back and smiled, removing her finger as well.
ôAsuka.ö He couldn't think of anything to say. Not even a good snark for her sappy more than friends line. He was slipping!
ôBut from now on, you'll have to keep your clothes on around me, or I may say damn my logic and ravish you anyways.ö She struck a little pose before she got up and started out of the room. ôIt may not be all that good because neither one of us would know what we're doing, but it'd certainly be fun to learn ja?ö Then she was gone, leaving Shinji alone.
And thus, Rei wasn't the only pilot who was partaking in the joys of self-stimulation this evening.
End chapter 8
Teaser for Chapter 9 ôIt Seems the Sun is Still Sleepingö:
ôCaptain.ö Oh, it was one of the weapon techs. Lei Ti as Misato recalled.
ôWhat can I do for you?ö Misato was curious, as the woman worked with the nut who made that chainsaw sword thing.
ôJust need you to sign off on the weapon load-out for the next mission.ö They were getting better prepared. Hell, NERV was bringing in rockets from Japan's former space program just in case they needed them.
ôOf course.ö Misato took the form and signed it. ôOh, and how's Ron doing?ö
ôSill stuck on the drill again.ö Lei sighed, he had been at it since he finished the sword.
ôI'll send Shinji along to help.ö Misato turned to get back to work.
ôCan he really help?ö Lei wasn't doubtful he could, seeing as he had become the Ace of Project E in general and allowed her and Ron to run amok in the weapon labs.
ôHe's good at spotting the obvious and telling you if you missed it.ö
Author note: And that's 8. Not as much exposition as I thought, but I'm trying to keep things in the same ball park unless I have to go word crazy. See you later for 9. And yes, the lesbian subtext is totally plot relevant (no it isn't).
Misato's First Day will proceed 9. And yes, I'm fully aware that hormones don't work like that. It's fiction yo.
Author note: Chapter 8 and we hit the brakes on the Angels for a bit of exposition. Hope it's good.
The Reprint and Repackaging of Evangelion
Chapter 8 If You Talk Too Much, My Head Will Explode
by Anonguy
ôSo Ritsuko, explain this domain control to me again. I kinda spaced out when you were talking about it the other day.ö Misato bowed in apology, which Ritsuko accepted. It wasn't a hard concept to grasp, it was just hard to believe it was real.
ôDomain control was a theorized form of psychokinesis, wherein the manifestation of psychic powers would allow the use to control an area of influence through force of will. The stronger the conviction, the stronger the form and ability.ö Ritsuko explained in her most patient voice. This one of the rare times she used it in discussing stuff in public, but Misato didn't need to know that.
ôSo what you're saying is that the Evangelion is a psychic medium?ö Misato grasped at a straw, and happened to mostly be correct.
ôCorrect to a certain degree. It's theorized the AT-field could be used by whoever piloted an Evangelion, but the problem is that the ability to pilot is few and far between. Additionally, neither Shinji nor Asuka have shown a manifestation of psychokinesis.ö Ritsuko was glad Misato was at least accepting the explanation.
ôI noticed you didn't mention Rei.ö Misato blinked at her old friend's suddenly pained face.
ôNo one knows what the deal with Rei is. By all accounts there is no way she should have been able to interface with the Evangelion from outside. Her origins are protected with security of which no one has access to, not even the Commander. In fact, there is no one high enough to access her records.ö In another world, another time, Ritsuko would have been tearing the pants off Gendo Ikari for access to them, debasing herself to the degree that she would never recover from the downfall that came with the illicit tryst. But that was another place and time, and had little bearing on the Ritsuko here and now.
ôIs she really that important?ö Misato looked at Ritsuko, who was texting Maya something for some reason.
ôMore than we can know, from what I can see.ö Ritsuko read the reply and nodded, before looking over at Misato. ôWe should be careful around her though. By all accounts she's been heavily volatile these past few weeks and it can't be good for her.ö
ôWouldn't over-controlling her emotions be just as bad?ö Misato was already concerned about Rei, but it had more to due with her attitude with relations to Shinji and the recently arrived Asuka.
ôIn a normal person, probably. But Rei has no baseline emotional level, so when she's in control, she's way in control, and when she's out of control, well, look at Unit-00.ö The fact that Rei could bend the Evangelion to her will scared Ritsuko shitless. ôSo we have to be careful, if she keeps swinging from extreme to extreme, she may lose her grip on her sanity, and someone who can subjugate an Evangelion is someone we need sane, alright?ö
ôOf course, I'll do my best to keep an eye on her when ever she's over to visit Shinji and Asuka.ö Speaking of, she had to get home soon, or else the possibility of the three being alone without supervision would come to pass. ôThanks for explaining that, Ritsuko. If I understand it, I can help them train in it better.ö
ôIndeed. Oh, before you go...ö Ritsuko trailed off and held up her cell phone. ôMaya wants to know if you and Kaji want to come to dinner tonight.ö
ôI dunno, the last time we three hung out, I wound up naked in Maya's apartment and my clothes in her washing machine.ö Misato wasn't sure she'd be up to anything crazy for the time being.
ôRelax, we'll keep it in check for Kaji, since he has too much penis to be part of a proper girl's night out.ö Ritsuko liked Kaji, after all, he had pretty much swept Misato off her feet and helped bring the girl fully from her shell. ôBesides, you know she was kidding about you two being engaged.ö
ôI know, I know. I'll give him a call okay? No promises.ö Misato bit her bottom lip for a second, a nervous habit of hers whenever she wanted to do something but she wasn't sure she'd be allowed to.
ôI wouldn't dream of it.ö Ritsuko held up her hands in a mock show of innocence, before grinning fiendishly. ôIf he doesn't want to come, we'll be gentle. Maybe.ö
ôYou're not helping.ö And here Misato thought monogamy would could Ritsuko of her sex fiend ways. Oh well, can't be right all the time.
ôI'm supposed to be helping?ö Ritsuko laughed at the glare Misato leveled her way, ducking down a sudden hall.
/-\ /-\ /-\
Shinji found himself at home alone, a rare occurrence since Asuka moved in with them. Kaji had his own place and had appointed Misato co-guardian, and there were many jokes had on the appointment ceremony. At least until Misato started chasing him around the building, but he was expecting it and loved every minute of it.
Coincidentally, it was rather hot out and Shinji felt the need to bathe to cool off. He envied Pen-Pen who got to live in a fridge all the time and never worry about the heat, well, as long as there was power that is. Anyways, Shinji stood before the door and amused himself reading the sign on the changing room door.
'Beware of surprise events, always knock before entering. Violators will be shot.'
Slipping into the room, Shinji always asked her what that meant, only for his guardian to break off muttering and promptly start drinking. He assumed it was something that traumatized her in the past, like someone walking in on her while she was naked. Though he assumed, as he prepped for the bath, if it were Kaji, she wouldn't mind so much.
Heedless of the warning, Shinji threw open the door to the bath proper, looking over at the dividing wall that covered the toilet, knowing there to be another door just to get to it. Again, it probably had something to do with this surprise event thing, though he understood the logic of allowing the use of the toilet in emergencies. Hell, it was even on a special waterline just so flushing it wouldn't fuck with the hot water.
Unmindful of anything to come, Shinji entered the bath and enjoyed himself.
Time passed and he heard Misato, Asuka, and Rei arrive, which meant he need to get out of the tub. Too engrossed with making dramatic noises like one would expect from a scene of Godzilla emerging from the ocean, Shinji didn't hear the door open. He did hear Rei's shocked gasp as she got a full view of his naked form. Well shit. The door slammed closed and Shinji paused for a second.
ôSo this is a surprise event.ö He said this calmly, before he started chuckling to himself, exiting into the changing room to get dressed.
/-\ /-\ /-\
ôI told you the door on the left is the toilet.ö Asuka was too amused to be mad about things, especially since Rei hadn't stopped blushing since she had come running back from the necessary room like there was a live tiger in there. ôThat's why you always knock if going to the bath proper. You can't get to the toilet from there anyways.ö
ôM-m-my a-apologies for i-ignoring your instructions.ö Damn hormones. Before she could simply throttle them, but taking the lid off all her emotions had left her at the behest of her traitorous body and its wicked impulses. No, she wasn't going to pin Shinji to the floor and do the kind of things that Misato did to Kaji, if Shinji's implicative suggestions were any indicator.
ôDamn girl, do you got it bad for him or something?ö Asuka switched from amused to concerned in a flash. In the small time she had known the First Child, this was the most vulnerable she had seemed.
ôN-no. J-just hormones.ö Though she did admit he had a ni-Rei violent put an end to that line of thinking. Damn hormones. Logistics were her friend, maybe they could calm her down. ôIt's j-just that he is a m-moderately attractive male and I am a young woman in prime mating conditions.ö
ô...You're on your period aren't you?ö And she didn't seem to be bothered by it, which made Asuka slightly envious. The monthly demon was something she always dreaded.
ôP-p-p-p-ö Oh shit, Asuka broke Rei's brain. Where's the reboot button? Shinji finally arrived in the living room at this point.
ôWas it that traumatic?ö If Rei kept reacting like that, she'd really start hurting his feelings.
ôHer hormones are out of control.ö Asuka put bluntly, slapping Rei lightly on the cheek to try and bring her around.
ôShe's on her period.ö He said the p word again, and was rewarded by Rei screaming as loud as she could, throwing Asuka off her and causing Shinji to fall on his ass. ôWhoa, holy shit!ö
ôDamn it you two, I can't leave you alone with her at all can I?ö Misato was busy putting up groceries and had missed Rei getting a surprise event.
ôDon't look at me, she walked in on me as I was getting out of the bath.ö Shinji managed to regain his feet and looked at the now violently blushing and shaking Rei staring right at him. ôI... I should just go...ö He started to back out of the room when Rei rocked back on her heels and proceed to dive at him.
ôGoddamn it, Rei, calm your crazy bitch self down!ö Asuka made a diving save, preventing Rei from reaching Shinji in a display of goalkeeping so brilliant, the remains of England was trying to get her made a citizen and they didn't even know why.
ôOh god, I got to call Ritsuko and have her come help with this.ö Not that she thought the good doctor would help, but she didn't want to see Rei rape Shinji. Not enough beer to erase that, no sir.
ôShinji, go to your room and lock the door.ö Asuka took charge of the situation, maneuvering with Rei's squirming to keep the blue haired girl in check.
ôRight.ö Shinji specifically advanced in reverse and got the hell out of dodge.
ôNow listen to me Ayanami Rei, you will calm yourself girl.ö Asuka ignored any sensation she was getting from Rei thrashing against her. She just prayed her clothing would be intact from all of this.
Ritsuko entered the apartment without knocking, arriving in exactly two minutes and forty two seconds. She looked at Asuka pinning Rei to the floor, and looked over to Misato, who wasn't sure what to do. In lieu of announcing her presence, she decided some humor would be nice.
ôAw, damn it Misato, I wanted to be the one to corrupt them.ö Misato's bug eyed look told her the joke wasn't appreciated. Or tolerated much. People have no sense of humor these days.
ôI'll pretend I don't hear you casting doubts on my sexual preferences and ask you stop gawking and help me!ö Asuka was losing her grip on Rei, as the girl continued to try and escape.
ôMisato, grab an arm and help me get her into the bathroom.ö Ritsuko took charge then, grabbing a waving arm in a surprisingly strong grip and ripped her out from under Asuka, leaving her kicking wildly in the air.
ôYou're not going to...ö Misato was cut off by Ritsuko's withering stare, and so complied with the Doctor's order, taking Rei's other arm away. Without prompting, Asuka tied up the legs and led their march to the bathroom.
ôI have some standards you know.ö Very few, but she had waited for Maya to get to legal status before she had done anything beyond furtive glances and double entendres with her.
ôI'm leaving before I hear more than I want.ö Asuka slipped past the both, deciding to go check on Shinji.
ôSo are we chucking her into an ice bath or what?ö Misato held Rei even higher, preventing her from using her newly freed legs to kick free.
ôNo, I'm going to teach her the joys of self-stimulation.ö Misato waited for the punchline from the good doctor. It didn't come.
ôYou're serious.ö Ritsuko nodded and Misato recoiled in horror, dropping Rei's arm, who suddenly stopped thrashing. As much.
ôCompletely. If someone has a lot of nervous energy to work off, you don't splash cold water on them, you give them a way to work it off.ö Ritsuko sighed, wondering if Misato would ever grow out of her double standards. But that wasn't important, so we'll move on.
ôI don't want to watch, but I don't trust you not to get caught up in the moment and do something untoward to her.ö Misato crossed her arms and stood her ground.
ôYour call, but I don't have to touch her, you know.ö Ritsuko had only pure intentions here, even if she knew that she herself was a complete sex maniac when she got going.
ôIf I leave, I'll tell Maya about what happened at the party you threw for me at the end of my first month at NERV.ö This totally wasn't payback for the embarrassment on the bridge a while back.
ôYou're calling that favor in?ö Even though Maya wouldn't really care. The girl was bananas for her, to the point she could get her to spin in circles singing cocks on a whim.
ôYou told me to keep quiet about it.ö Misato knew it was a mostly empty threat, Maya was always an adventurous sort, if judging by her constant comments about a three-way relationship. Misato wondered briefly if that was the secret behind the weird relationship her old roommate had with the bridge bunny. Poor Aoba.
ôAlright, stay, but keep out of my sight. I'm being a doctor for Rei but you're an acceptable target.ö Ritsuko held up a hand to stop the forthcoming protest. ôAnd you know Kaji doesn't care. He loves you Misato, to the point it hurts him in every facet of his life that doesn't involve long hot sweaty nights with you.ö
Misato sulked off to the corner out of sight, and Ritsuko began her dark work.
/-\ /-\ /-\
ôThanks for the save earlier.ö Shinji wasn't entirely sure he should be thanking her, but he supposed not having his pelvis broke by mach-speed humping was a good thing.
ôNo problem, it wouldn't due for her to do things you both might regret later.ö In fact, Asuka was only worried of the possibility that Rei could get pregnant and nothing more. Sure, Shinji was cute and all, but she had known him for a short period of time.
ôI suppose.ö Shinji couldn't be mad, it wasn't like she purposely cockblocked him. Not that he was sure he wanted to get his groove on with Ayanami, but the First Child was surprisingly attractive under all that bullshit that made up her personality. In fact, her sometimes bizarre moments of uncanny valley behavior were when she was the most appealing. And thus ends the author's warped attempt to get into the mind of a fourteen year old boy who didn't even exist.
ôI hope they manage to calm her down.ö She wasn't going to elaborate how or think about it. She didn't swing that way or bat for that team, and she wasn't going to pinch hit either. In fact, Asuka hated softball, which is a weird thing to bring up all of a sudden, all things considering.
ôYeah, I'd hate to have to lock myself up in here for the night to escape the amorous wrath of Rei Ayanami.ö It was steak night, there was no way he was eating leftovers from glorious, glorious steak night.
ôHmhmhm, yeah.ö Asuka chuckled and looked at Shinji, taking in his profile in the chair next to her. He was cute, even if he had a mouth that roared at everyone near him. ôThough, I suppose if that was the wrath being visited on you, you'd probably be alright with it.ö She'd call him a pervert but if he was, he'd have been diving at Rei too.
ôMaybe. Or maybe there is someone else I'd rather have sexy time with.ö Shinji looked at Asuka briefly from the corner of his eye.
ôToo bad Kaji has already claimed the Captain's ass in the name of his wang ja?ö Boy she was crude at times.
ôThat's not what-ö He started to explain himself for some reason, before Asuka silenced with a finger over his lips.
ôOf course not dummy.ö She smiled and leaned in close to whisper in his ear. ôAnd I'm flattered and grateful for that. But that's taking it way too fast, boyo.ö
Shinji pouted against Asuka's finger, a meaningless gesture since she couldn't see him.
ôBut in a couple months, who knows. After we've had time to get to know each other enough to see if we want to pursue something more than friendship.ö She pulled back and smiled, removing her finger as well.
ôAsuka.ö He couldn't think of anything to say. Not even a good snark for her sappy more than friends line. He was slipping!
ôBut from now on, you'll have to keep your clothes on around me, or I may say damn my logic and ravish you anyways.ö She struck a little pose before she got up and started out of the room. ôIt may not be all that good because neither one of us would know what we're doing, but it'd certainly be fun to learn ja?ö Then she was gone, leaving Shinji alone.
And thus, Rei wasn't the only pilot who was partaking in the joys of self-stimulation this evening.
End chapter 8
Teaser for Chapter 9 ôIt Seems the Sun is Still Sleepingö:
ôCaptain.ö Oh, it was one of the weapon techs. Lei Ti as Misato recalled.
ôWhat can I do for you?ö Misato was curious, as the woman worked with the nut who made that chainsaw sword thing.
ôJust need you to sign off on the weapon load-out for the next mission.ö They were getting better prepared. Hell, NERV was bringing in rockets from Japan's former space program just in case they needed them.
ôOf course.ö Misato took the form and signed it. ôOh, and how's Ron doing?ö
ôSill stuck on the drill again.ö Lei sighed, he had been at it since he finished the sword.
ôI'll send Shinji along to help.ö Misato turned to get back to work.
ôCan he really help?ö Lei wasn't doubtful he could, seeing as he had become the Ace of Project E in general and allowed her and Ron to run amok in the weapon labs.
ôHe's good at spotting the obvious and telling you if you missed it.ö
Author note: And that's 8. Not as much exposition as I thought, but I'm trying to keep things in the same ball park unless I have to go word crazy. See you later for 9. And yes, the lesbian subtext is totally plot relevant (no it isn't).
Misato's First Day will proceed 9. And yes, I'm fully aware that hormones don't work like that. It's fiction yo.
Disclaimer: This is Evangelion fan fiction. And there is NOTHING canon about it. Because I'm not the creator of Evangelion, savvy?
Author note: A little joke One-shot to go with chapter 8 of Reprint. Enjoy~
Misato's First Day
by Anonguy
It was a nice day, Misato thought as she parked her car in NERV's garage for the first time. She had been poached from her duties in the UN to serve as the tactical commander of Project E, which was rumored to be a giant robot or two. Honestly, she thought Second Impact would have halted the nonsensical chatter about Japan building mechs in secret. I suppose not.
Anyways, she quickly looked at the provided map, helpfully taped to her door by her old pal Ritsuko. She decided not to think about the implications that were being made about her directional skills, and instead worked to find out where in the bloody hell she was going. Why is it that the place seemed to be designed like a labyrinth to repel an invading force?
Like anyone would invade NERV, right?
Making up her mind, Misato descended into NERV, ominous music filling her head as she wondered if anything bad lurked in the halls down there. Shaking her head and resolving not to read any more goofy horror novels about some place called Amalia, Misato tromped off down the first turn she came to, and proceeded to get lost. How unexpected, especially since she had gotten lost because she was staring at the map instead of paying attention to where she was going.
ôOh motherfucker.ö She had come to a wall and didn't know how she got there. Great, just great. ôWhere the hell am I supposed to go anyways?ö
ôExcuse me,ö a kindly elderly voice said off to the side, and Misato turned to see Fuyutsuki standing there smiling at her in that weird old man way that makes you think they were going senile. ôYou're Misato Katsuragi correct?ö
ôYes, correct. You're Sub-Commander Fuyutsuki right?ö She might find her way yet.
ôIndeed. If you'll follow me, I'll take you to the Commander.ö He turned on a heel in manner that seemed about ten years too young in terms of spryness and let her away.
ôGendo Ikari, he was an adviser on the Adam contact experiment.ö Misato swallowed, remembering the man briefly, and the phone call she had gotten to ask her to join NERV.
ôA shame it went so out of hand.ö It was said in the tone you'd use to gloss over your dog peeing on someone's rug. ôWho could have predicted the chaotic results?ö
ôThe Commander's late wife sure seemed to know a lot about the phenomena.ö Too much for Misato's like. Her father and the expedition team were the first casualties, so talk about that made her angry. So very need to binge drink for hours to calm down angry. Or Thursday, depending on the week. Whichever.
ôMiss Katsuragi, the amount of knowledge that was locked away inside that woman's brain borders on the far side of a theoretical event horizon for absurdity.ö Yui always seemed to be on the point so much more than anyone else, Fuyutsuki would have bet she was a time traveler.
ôRight, I suppose you're right.ö Luckily for her future employment, Yui Ikari was long since dead, or she'd have words for her. Bullets were words right? Well, that was after she determined how the woman had accurately guessed that the security measures put in place failed.
ôWe should probably stop talking about this.ö Talking to the sole survivor of the opening salvo of Second Impact about it was not a good move in his opinion. Especially after years in the capsule that left her on the brink of complete madness. Well, if not for the years and years of isolation and fever dreams sending her into a catatonic state of depression.
ôOf course.ö No need to give off the impression she wasn't fit for the job.
- - -
ôHello, a pleasure to meet you, Miss Katsuragi.ö Gendo Ikari wasn't too physically imposing, but his voice and demeanor gave off the impression of something far more terrible lurking beneath the surface.
ôAnd a pleasure to meet you as well, Mr. Ikari.ö Misato wasn't impressed by the man's cold attitude, but then again, she had wanted to know how he had known to get the fuck out of Antarctica. ôWe never got a chance to speak in person back then.ö She left it vague which back then she was referring too.
ôOne of my many regrets, I assure.ö Gendo shifted in a manner that would have been seen as uncomfortable in most people, but it looked like a really excessive shrug coming from him. ôYour father was a good man, one that the world continues to suffer his absence.ö
ôIndeed.ö She measured him for a long second, trying to determine if he had caught on to her baiting or if he was simply using ideas torn from her profile. ôSo tell me what Project E's ultimate goal is, since it wasn't covered in my briefings for this post.ö To say nothing of the fact that the UN had been mostly split on her joining NERV in the first place.
ôDo you believe the being termed ôAdamö by the research team was the only one to exist?ö Gendo liked being cryptic, it was one of the things he practiced at constantly. Nothing like confusion to keep control of a conversation after all.
ôOf course not, I was with my father when they found ôLilithö along side ôAdamö.ö She smiled fiercely at that, enjoying seeing the man's eyebrows climb past his shades.
ôSo you know there are more.ö He was impressed, he had momentarily forgotten she was accompanying the expedition team.
ôI would have to be an idiot if I didn't.ö She closed her eyes, remembering the opening events of Second Impact briefly. ôSo, do we mean to capture them?ö
ôTheir corpses. Living subjects have shown to be too dangerous to experiment on.ö If he weren't Gendo Fucking Ikari, he would have stepped back in response to Misato's expression just now. But he was, and so he stood his ground.
ôUnderstood. I won't let you down.ö She spun on her heel and left the room swiftly.
ôI'll have to apologize to her one of these days.ö But not today. Maybe tomorrow, yeah, tomorrow. That was it.
- - -
We rejoin Misato walking through the halls, looking for Ritsuko in this blasted place. It wasn't a bad design choices, if you were paranoid a secret military force will break in and try to kill you all that is. But there's no way that could happen right? Ahem.
Anyways, she finally got her bearings and found herself in front of our esteemed doctor's office. As she decided whether to barge in or not, a feeling of deja vu flooded her senses. This was, as an old colleague would put it, a surprise event, so named for a situation where opening a door could have a surprise waiting on the other side.
Misato steeled herself and chose to open the door and confidently stride in.
Her stride halted exactly three and a half steps in, the half because she paused mid-step when she discovered her surprise in the form of Ritsuko engaged in the type of amorous actions she used to get up to with Kaji. She did note that the brunette girl didn't seem too upset by this and only shot her a brief come hither look before Ritsuko cranked up her intensity, giving the sudden audience a show. Woodenly, Misato rewound her steps, face blank save for a shocked what the hell did I just see look on her face.
ôShe-ah-took-uh-that-ah-well.ö Maya managed to get out mid-coitus. Talented girl isn't she?
ôWe were roomies back in the day.ö Ritsuko didn't relent, as was her normal response to being caught. What was she going to say, it wasn't what it looked like? Especially since, hello, it was exactly that. ôI'd go after her, but I'm a bit busy.ö
Maya wasn't in a position to argue, nor was she inclined to, and thus she didn't.
- - -
ôMisato.ö Ritsuko called out to her old friend, cigarette perched on her lips precariously as she came up to the other woman. ôSorry, you just came at a bad time.ö
ôNah, I should have knocked.ö She really should have, their old friend always said that knocking when confronted with a surprise event was the best way to deal with one.
ôI forgot that they poached you from the UN.ö Well, not entirely true, she was just distracted by her cute little assistant.
ôYou make it sound like I'm an endangered species.ö Misato liked that idea for some reason.
ôIn a way, you are. It's rare someone with your tactical skills can still keep a human perspective on their troops.ö Ritsuko reached into her pocket and pulled out a beer, holding it out. ôTo celebrate your hiring and a belated congratulations on fourteen successful ops without any wounded.ö
ôYou know just how to make me feel better.ö The implications to the words were not lost on Misato, but she wasn't going to think about it. Also, beer. Glorious, glorious beer, it was even her favorite brand.
ôToday was a good day, wasn't it?ö Ritsuko was being facetious, but once Misato started hitting the beer and it hit back, she wouldn't remember much of what was to come.
ôI think so.ö Misato popped the tab and took a good chug from the can. She breathed a sigh of satisfaction, before looking at the can for a long second.
It was a nice day, really, she thought.
The End
Author note: So yeah, nothing too in depth, just a bunch of stuff I slapped together.
I probably won't upload this to FF.nazi (oh noes, Godwin), so I guess some TFF bonus content. Yays. Or something.
Author note: A little joke One-shot to go with chapter 8 of Reprint. Enjoy~
Misato's First Day
by Anonguy
It was a nice day, Misato thought as she parked her car in NERV's garage for the first time. She had been poached from her duties in the UN to serve as the tactical commander of Project E, which was rumored to be a giant robot or two. Honestly, she thought Second Impact would have halted the nonsensical chatter about Japan building mechs in secret. I suppose not.
Anyways, she quickly looked at the provided map, helpfully taped to her door by her old pal Ritsuko. She decided not to think about the implications that were being made about her directional skills, and instead worked to find out where in the bloody hell she was going. Why is it that the place seemed to be designed like a labyrinth to repel an invading force?
Like anyone would invade NERV, right?
Making up her mind, Misato descended into NERV, ominous music filling her head as she wondered if anything bad lurked in the halls down there. Shaking her head and resolving not to read any more goofy horror novels about some place called Amalia, Misato tromped off down the first turn she came to, and proceeded to get lost. How unexpected, especially since she had gotten lost because she was staring at the map instead of paying attention to where she was going.
ôOh motherfucker.ö She had come to a wall and didn't know how she got there. Great, just great. ôWhere the hell am I supposed to go anyways?ö
ôExcuse me,ö a kindly elderly voice said off to the side, and Misato turned to see Fuyutsuki standing there smiling at her in that weird old man way that makes you think they were going senile. ôYou're Misato Katsuragi correct?ö
ôYes, correct. You're Sub-Commander Fuyutsuki right?ö She might find her way yet.
ôIndeed. If you'll follow me, I'll take you to the Commander.ö He turned on a heel in manner that seemed about ten years too young in terms of spryness and let her away.
ôGendo Ikari, he was an adviser on the Adam contact experiment.ö Misato swallowed, remembering the man briefly, and the phone call she had gotten to ask her to join NERV.
ôA shame it went so out of hand.ö It was said in the tone you'd use to gloss over your dog peeing on someone's rug. ôWho could have predicted the chaotic results?ö
ôThe Commander's late wife sure seemed to know a lot about the phenomena.ö Too much for Misato's like. Her father and the expedition team were the first casualties, so talk about that made her angry. So very need to binge drink for hours to calm down angry. Or Thursday, depending on the week. Whichever.
ôMiss Katsuragi, the amount of knowledge that was locked away inside that woman's brain borders on the far side of a theoretical event horizon for absurdity.ö Yui always seemed to be on the point so much more than anyone else, Fuyutsuki would have bet she was a time traveler.
ôRight, I suppose you're right.ö Luckily for her future employment, Yui Ikari was long since dead, or she'd have words for her. Bullets were words right? Well, that was after she determined how the woman had accurately guessed that the security measures put in place failed.
ôWe should probably stop talking about this.ö Talking to the sole survivor of the opening salvo of Second Impact about it was not a good move in his opinion. Especially after years in the capsule that left her on the brink of complete madness. Well, if not for the years and years of isolation and fever dreams sending her into a catatonic state of depression.
ôOf course.ö No need to give off the impression she wasn't fit for the job.
- - -
ôHello, a pleasure to meet you, Miss Katsuragi.ö Gendo Ikari wasn't too physically imposing, but his voice and demeanor gave off the impression of something far more terrible lurking beneath the surface.
ôAnd a pleasure to meet you as well, Mr. Ikari.ö Misato wasn't impressed by the man's cold attitude, but then again, she had wanted to know how he had known to get the fuck out of Antarctica. ôWe never got a chance to speak in person back then.ö She left it vague which back then she was referring too.
ôOne of my many regrets, I assure.ö Gendo shifted in a manner that would have been seen as uncomfortable in most people, but it looked like a really excessive shrug coming from him. ôYour father was a good man, one that the world continues to suffer his absence.ö
ôIndeed.ö She measured him for a long second, trying to determine if he had caught on to her baiting or if he was simply using ideas torn from her profile. ôSo tell me what Project E's ultimate goal is, since it wasn't covered in my briefings for this post.ö To say nothing of the fact that the UN had been mostly split on her joining NERV in the first place.
ôDo you believe the being termed ôAdamö by the research team was the only one to exist?ö Gendo liked being cryptic, it was one of the things he practiced at constantly. Nothing like confusion to keep control of a conversation after all.
ôOf course not, I was with my father when they found ôLilithö along side ôAdamö.ö She smiled fiercely at that, enjoying seeing the man's eyebrows climb past his shades.
ôSo you know there are more.ö He was impressed, he had momentarily forgotten she was accompanying the expedition team.
ôI would have to be an idiot if I didn't.ö She closed her eyes, remembering the opening events of Second Impact briefly. ôSo, do we mean to capture them?ö
ôTheir corpses. Living subjects have shown to be too dangerous to experiment on.ö If he weren't Gendo Fucking Ikari, he would have stepped back in response to Misato's expression just now. But he was, and so he stood his ground.
ôUnderstood. I won't let you down.ö She spun on her heel and left the room swiftly.
ôI'll have to apologize to her one of these days.ö But not today. Maybe tomorrow, yeah, tomorrow. That was it.
- - -
We rejoin Misato walking through the halls, looking for Ritsuko in this blasted place. It wasn't a bad design choices, if you were paranoid a secret military force will break in and try to kill you all that is. But there's no way that could happen right? Ahem.
Anyways, she finally got her bearings and found herself in front of our esteemed doctor's office. As she decided whether to barge in or not, a feeling of deja vu flooded her senses. This was, as an old colleague would put it, a surprise event, so named for a situation where opening a door could have a surprise waiting on the other side.
Misato steeled herself and chose to open the door and confidently stride in.
Her stride halted exactly three and a half steps in, the half because she paused mid-step when she discovered her surprise in the form of Ritsuko engaged in the type of amorous actions she used to get up to with Kaji. She did note that the brunette girl didn't seem too upset by this and only shot her a brief come hither look before Ritsuko cranked up her intensity, giving the sudden audience a show. Woodenly, Misato rewound her steps, face blank save for a shocked what the hell did I just see look on her face.
ôShe-ah-took-uh-that-ah-well.ö Maya managed to get out mid-coitus. Talented girl isn't she?
ôWe were roomies back in the day.ö Ritsuko didn't relent, as was her normal response to being caught. What was she going to say, it wasn't what it looked like? Especially since, hello, it was exactly that. ôI'd go after her, but I'm a bit busy.ö
Maya wasn't in a position to argue, nor was she inclined to, and thus she didn't.
- - -
ôMisato.ö Ritsuko called out to her old friend, cigarette perched on her lips precariously as she came up to the other woman. ôSorry, you just came at a bad time.ö
ôNah, I should have knocked.ö She really should have, their old friend always said that knocking when confronted with a surprise event was the best way to deal with one.
ôI forgot that they poached you from the UN.ö Well, not entirely true, she was just distracted by her cute little assistant.
ôYou make it sound like I'm an endangered species.ö Misato liked that idea for some reason.
ôIn a way, you are. It's rare someone with your tactical skills can still keep a human perspective on their troops.ö Ritsuko reached into her pocket and pulled out a beer, holding it out. ôTo celebrate your hiring and a belated congratulations on fourteen successful ops without any wounded.ö
ôYou know just how to make me feel better.ö The implications to the words were not lost on Misato, but she wasn't going to think about it. Also, beer. Glorious, glorious beer, it was even her favorite brand.
ôToday was a good day, wasn't it?ö Ritsuko was being facetious, but once Misato started hitting the beer and it hit back, she wouldn't remember much of what was to come.
ôI think so.ö Misato popped the tab and took a good chug from the can. She breathed a sigh of satisfaction, before looking at the can for a long second.
It was a nice day, really, she thought.
The End
Author note: So yeah, nothing too in depth, just a bunch of stuff I slapped together.
I probably won't upload this to FF.nazi (oh noes, Godwin), so I guess some TFF bonus content. Yays. Or something.