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!