Disclaimer – NGE and all its characters are copyright their respected owners, but I'd hope everyone knows that by now.
Ch-01-Not So Subtle Changes
"Why me…"
Former head scientist of Nerv Dr. Ritsuko Akagi thought as she crawled up the beach, collapsing face first into the sand as she tried to catch her breath. It was about midday as the sun shone down brightly, the intense summer heat on her back. "After all I've done, I don't deserve to come back." But she had somehow, and she almost felt like it was against her will that she was thrust to the surface of the sea of LCL, the strangely fresh air burning her lungs. "I didn't… want to…"
Recalling her own events as she was complemented into LCL, the hellish nightmare that seemed so surreal that she was unsure if it was all just a dream. She was forced to face the truths that she tried to deny and hide away her whole life. Coming face to face with family and friends and even some enemies, from Misato to Gendo then to Shinji and even her own mother… each showing her the rights and wrongs of her entire life until finally she was forced to confront herself… the worst of them all.
She sat on her knees and let her head hang low, tears threatening to spill as a hot angry rage welled inside. All her doppleganger did was remind Ritsuko of how much she hated herself, how much of a monster she truly was and how many lives she has ruined. In the end she wished she had never become a scientist, never followed her mother, never heard of NERV or SEELE, Angels and EVA. How she wished she could take it all back forget about Gendo and his plans. How she wished she hadn't even gotten involved with him in the first place, or at least treat the Eva children like human beings instead of tools.
She looked out across the giant sea of LCL only to stare into the giant monstrous face of the combined Rei Ayanami and Lilith as the remains slowly decayed. As she stared into the massive red soulless eyes Ritsuko cursed silently, damning the giant dead thing and hating it for what it did to everyone, to her. "I was dead, gone, shot through the heart." She spat, as she closed her eyes tight and balled her hands into a fist. "Why did you revert me? Why did you let me come back! Of all people, why not Misato, Hyuga, Maya... anyone but me!"
She let her fists pound the sand underneath her. "I'm so sorry, god Shinji… I'm so sorry." Perhaps if she did show the Ikari boy a little more kindness and helped Misato stop Gendo's secret insane selfish plans… none of this would have happened, and she wouldn't be here now on this beach alone. If only she could go back and undo all the wrongs she has done, if only she could have….
She inhaled deeply as her eyes shot open.
"Have… a second chance…?"
She sat up, suddenly feeling stupid. Of all her scientific accomplishments she couldn't figure out what all that just transpired was for. She was here now wasn't she? Alive? She wiped a single tear that rolled down her cheek, realizing that entire ordeal in the sea of LCL was for her to accept what she was, what she did, and realize she could change. Change for the better and start over again, rebuild and make things right. But how when there was no one in sight? Even the chirp of a bird or the song of a cicada was missing from the summer scene, replaced solely with the gentle breeze and the lapping of the orange sea.
She closed her eyes and sighed. "If I came back… other have to be able as well. Those that deserve to, and I'll be waiting."
Ritsuko took one last glance at the giant form of Rei before standing up and deciding it best to find some clothes, as she realized she was stark naked. But as she got up something felt odd, different. She stood to her full height and she noticed she felt… good, really good. She inhaled deeply taking in the fresh cool air and for the first time in a while her lungs felt clear, as if she had never smoked a day in her life. There was also a strange ease to her movements, fluidity she has never felt in her life as each joint and muscle group moved and worked together flawlessly. Speaking of muscles…
She looked down at herself and let out a gasp in shock. Even if Ritsuko admitted to being a workaholic she did at least try to keep herself in shape…. but not like this, nowhere near anything remotely like this. For lack of a better term, she was ripped! Looking like she was beyond an athlete, but just under being an amateur bodybuilder, her body was toned beyond anything she would have accomplished on her own even if she was given a trainer and the greatest gym in the world. Ritsuko looked back out at the sea of LCL with a puzzled look and a raised brow.
She remembered the time when Shinji was absorbed by unit 01, and when he was returned his body seemed rejuvenated any bruises and cuts had healed. But he wasn't improved on in any way that warranted physical changes. "I think you exaggerated a bit here…" She said to the orange sea as she raised an arm and flexed a bit, watching in awe as corded sinew moved under her skin. She was brought out of her discovery however as an eerie sensation took hold of her causing her to pause suddenly.
Out of the sounds of the lapping sea of LCL, a distinct noise grabbed her from her thoughts as her head snapped in its direction. It was barely audible but something about it set off something in her. She had never felt anything like it, as if every one of Ritsuko's senses suddenly began to flare with a message of warning that she couldn't shake off.
Chkt-chkt-chkt-SCREEEEETCHT
Instinctively she rolled to the side taken a bit by surprise at the speed of her own movement, dodging whatever the hell it was that had burst from the sand. Pushing herself up from all fours she regained her balance and tried to get a good look at it.
Chkt-chit-chit-chkt!
It chortled as it skittered on the sand. It resembled a mix between a spider and a crab as it scuttled along on many long spindly hair legs, yet it had the head and muzzle of an eyeless dog and was about the size of one as well. Its black and white carapace was covered in small bumpy spike like growths, while inside its mouth hundreds of spiny teeth crisscrossed this way and that. Being a scientist Ritsuko knew this wasn't anything she had seen before, and was not something that occurred in nature. How she would love to take this thing and examine it, dissect it, put it under a microscope and find out what it is. But considering right now it looked like it wanted to eat her made Ritsuko push her scientific instincts aside and led her to the conclusion that… well… it had to die.
The strange crablike thing lunged at her again, and again on steady agile legs she dodged it easily. Again and again it skittered and jumped, trying to snap and claw at her arms and face chattering and chortling in frustration. Finally Ritsuko dodged one last attack as it charged for her, kicking up sand as it ran. As she sidestepped at the last second, the crab-thing ran smack into a thin tree splintering the trunk, only to have the top half fall over and trap it.
Ritsuko took a step back, it may have been a small tree but it was still a tree! Realizing the force needed to break such a thing in half now had Ritsuko thinking that she greatly underestimated the strength of her attacker. "Oh hell…" Unfortunately she hadn't seen the end of it.
The creature squirmed and writhed under the branches and bark unable to get up. It let out a shrill cry sounding almost like it was annoyed beyond anything then opened up its carapace. Out from under the hairy black and white shell two huge pincer claws unfolded and grabbed hold of the tree trunk, easily lifting it and snapping it in too.
"Oh…hell!" Ritsuko began to back up faster as the thing tossed the tree aside like it was nothing then turn to face at her once more. It shrieked through its fanged mouth as it brought its claws up darting towards the woman faster then any previous attempts. It took split seconds for it to close the distance between them and leap ferociously at her. Ritsuko raised her arms in defense knowing it wouldn't do much, she just watched this thing tear into a tree! There was no possible way she could fight something that strong unless…
…unless she was stronger.
She stood there stunned as she caught the crab-thing by its claws and held it out in front of her. Its pointed tipped legs dangling and flailing as it tried to bite her, dripping a fetid coloured spittle from its mouth and snapping at her face and hands in hopes she would let go. Her grip was too strong for it to wriggle free and realizing this, it let out a high pitch screech that pierced the air and caused Ritsuko to wince in pain as it assaulted her eardrums.
"What… the hell... are you!?" She shouted over the wailing, barely able to hear herself. The thing continued to shriek and Ritsuko decided she had enough ear-bleeding pain for one day. Growling, she took one last good look at the unnatural thing in her hands, and then tightened her grip on the pincers so hard the shell cracked under her fingers. With one final movement she then quickly wrenched her arms apart in either direction. The thing yelped as it split in two, spilling a foul smelling greenish black ichor all over the beach sand.
Ritsuko looked at the twitching parts of the thing still held in either hand amazed at what she had just done. She was Dr.Akagi, known for her intellect and scientific prowess, brute strength was a term not usually used when describing her, but the look of her new body and the dead thing torn in half in front of her would say otherwise.
"What are you?" She dropped the ichor dripping parts of the thing to the sand before looking down at her own hands. "What am I for that matter?"
SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECH!!
The same sound from the first time the thing made an appearance broke the silence, but this time it sounded like fifty of them all at once. She didn't bother trying to see where it came from; all she knew was that her body was tingling with an overwhelming warning telling her danger was nearby and to get the hell out of there. She didn't argue as she took off up the beach and towards the roads and buildings of the city.
She silently hoped she could find someone, anyone out in the concrete jungle and not more crab...dog…things. She picked up the pace as the sound of hundreds of legs skittering behind her could be heard.
"Great… I'm alone, naked and being chased by CrabDogs. I picked the perfect day to come back from the dead."
In a small rocky outcrop wearing only a large mans shirt and a pair of shorts that she had found, Maya Ibuki covered her ears and hoped the screeching would stop. Even if it was far away in the distance, Maya didn't want to even acknowledge those creatures were out there. She had just barely escaped her first encounter by tripping and falling down a rocky hill; the rocks were too loose that when the creature followed it caused a small landslide, crushing itself under the stones.
The second encounter, she was simply exploring and looking for other people when she stumbled on a nest of them. Luckily for Maya they were preoccupied with whatever corpse they were feasting on. Maya didn't think twice, or ponder what or who the corpse was; she just ran and ran until she came upon a familiar face. It was there she found the second child, Asuka, who lay lifeless on the sand in a bloody mess still in her plugsuit, her arm poorly wrapped already by an unknown party. Maya rushed to the girl, horrified at the state Asuka was in. She discovered she was still alive just barely, and was able to drag the child into a nearby cave.
"I can't stay here forever…" She said to herself as she tucked her legs in closer to her body. She looked back into the cave at the young girl, still unmoving but breathing ever so lightly. Maya had bandaged what she could of the girls injured head with a shirt she found, but she knew if she didn't get the girl some proper bandages, not to mention food, Asuka wouldn't last much longer.
"But I can't move her… I barely got her in here." Eyes tightened shut as tears rolled down her cheek, she hated how weak she could be sometimes but now someone's life was at stake. She came to the conclusion that she would have to leave to at least find Asuka some medical supplies.
"Sempai wouldn't be afraid, she would do what she'd have to…" The thought of her mentor scolding her at her cowardice cause Maya to whimper, but then she realized she was only scolding herself. "Sempai would never think that way…she would only encourage me to try harder." That thought made Maya feel slightly better, but the screeching sounds and the absolute loneliness didn't help break this shell of fear that had surrounded her.
"Still… I have to try. If not for my own sake, then hers." Looking at Asuka's frail form she frowned. "I have to try." She steeled her nerves and set her plan.
A/N: this is NOT a RxM fic btw, Maya just happened to fit better in the storyline then some others at this point.
Also I'm not too sure where this idea came from or where I'm going with it, but I'm going somewhere at least...that and Akagi-san could always use more love! I got more written up, I just have to make it... not... suck.