Tokyo-3 Arcana

Author's Notes

This story is the aftermath of An Eva Pilot in Greyhawk, even if that story is only one chapter long at the time (please check it out, as otherwise this one might get a bit confusing).

I found that this little chapter just didn't kept quiet in the back of my mind (and drive). So I thought it might be better to release as it is now. At the moment, I have very vague plans of what to do both with Shinji in Greyhawk, beyond his training with the Justicar and Escalla and both his actual PC Class and magical equipment; and here, once he has returned, five years later (for him, for everybody else, he was away for less than a day). Both stories will be updated irregularily.

As the title implies, this story is a mix of Evangelion and the Urban Arcana setting for D20 Modern. However, I didn't find the option in the list, so I put it in Dungeons & Dragons.

I also didn't want to let November end without another update, as work has been heavy lately; and I'm getting kinda tired in the evenings, when I usually write my ideas down and develop the actual scenes.

Chapter 1
A Familiar Ceiling / What Happened to You?

"No, sorry. I don't know what happened… The last thing I remember is that I could barely breathe, and my head hurt; I think I must have fainted. And later I woke up in Misato's arms."

"Try to remember, Shinji." Dr. Akagi insisted once more," Somehow, while you were inside the Twelfth Angel, you suffered multiple lesions. You have lots of scars that seem like cuts, abrasions, and even burns. Plus several fractures in hands, arms, and ribs; even one on the head. Everything is perfectly healed. Plus, your whole muscular system is so well defined it looks like you have been training hard for at least several months."

'Try five years, Doc.' he thought, without showing anything but confusion and relief in his face.

"I'm s-sorry, Dr. Akagi. I don't know what happened inside the Angel." Shinji answered with both complete honesty and complete dishonesty. Five years travelling around the Flanaess with Escalla had taught him how to lie with sincerity; and after all, he really didn't know what had happened inside the Angel. All those wounds he had received? In fights outside the Angel! So it was technically true; the best kind of true, according to the faerie.

And healing spells really did come handy… He just hoped he wouldn't have so much need of them back in his own... in his original world. He actually felt so much more at home in Oerth, despite the abundance of evil people and monsters.

The chief of Project E sighed in frustration. "It's like a truck full of blades had run over you. But to heal from all that you would have been several months in a hospital, in a full body cast in intensive care. I can't understand."

Misato intervened. "Rits, leave that for later. Let him rest, for Kami's sake! We just recovered him from inside a freaking Angel! Plus, Commander Ikari wants you to check EVA-01, right now." Shinji perceived a current of barely disguised hostility in Misato's words. 'Strange,' he thought, 'aren't they friends anymore? I couldn't have gone for too long.'

"Uh… Right… Of course." Ritsuko raised her eyeglasses and pinched the bridge of her nose, unknowingly mimicking the Justicar's gesture when he felt particularly annoyed with Escalla's exploits. Or worse, Polk's unending diatribes!

Dr. Akagi sighed, she would have to sleep at her office. Again. "Okay, okay. We will have you in observation tonight and tomorrow morning. If nothing… if there's not another strange thing, you'll be released tomorrow noon, Shinji."

The boy furrowed his brow. That meant hospital food. Well, it was a small price to have come back safe and sound. And with a fair amount of experience under his belt. "Yes, Dr. Akagi. I understand."

Both women stood up to leave, Misato couldn't resist the impulse to tease her ward. The Major stopped at the threshold and blew him a goodbye kiss. She expected him to blush like a tomato, but to her surprise, the boy extended a hand, and pretended to catch the kiss!

"See you tomorrow, Misato." He smiled back at her.

'Well, progress at last!' Misato thought as she closed the door. Shinji caught a glimpse of two very familiar faces, one framed by a long mane of red hair, that quickly hid behind the door; and the other surrounded by short blue hair, completely serene.

Shinji smiled, "Come in, please."

A moment later, the door slid on its tracks. Rei Ayanami entered, pulling at Asuka Langley Soryu's wrist. The redheaded pilot put up a token resistance.

Rei tilted her head a little. "It's good to see you, Ikari."

"I'm glad to see you both, Ayanami."

Asuka pulled her hand from Rei's. "What kind of idiot are you? Who gets into their head to get swallowed by a stupid Angel?"

Her vehemence surprised Shini, 'Escalla was right! I owe her ten gold pieces.'

He gathered his thoughts. "An impulsive one. Me. But in my own defense, I think no one expected that to happen, right?"

What Asuka didn't expect was that answer. She expected one of Shinji's timorous "S-sorry", that were Shinji's most annoying habit. She gaped for about five seconds, trying to process her surprise and give him a scathing answer.

He took the chance to keep talking. "I missed you, both of you. I had never been so alone. I thought I would die there."

"Ahem, well, yes." Asuka coughed teathrically on her fist, trying to recover the iniciative. "You are safe now, of course. Now, Third; tell us, what the hell happened in there, and how did you get EVA-01 to play Xenomorph with the Angel?"

"To play what?" Shinji raised an eyebrow, he never had heard such a word.

"Xenomorph? You know, Alien? Haven't you seen that movie? Not even on TV?"

"Uh, no. My sensei didn't let me watch any movies, nor TV. Only the news, sometimes."

Asuka raised her arms to the heavens. "That explains so many things about you it's not even funny!"

Rei kept silent, although the Second Child's antics were annoying, it felt good to see Ikari in a good mood after his ordeal. Almost without realizing, her lips formed a tiny, content smile.

Shinji didn't hesitate to answer. "I'd like to watch that movie with you, Asuka."

Asuka's mind blew a fuse. 'Is the baka trying to..? No, it cannot be!' Her natural bluster came to the light. "Hah! I don't think you could manage to watch it all! With your delicate constitution, you'll either faint or flee to your room!"

"Challenge accepted." He smirked. "If I can watch the whole movie, what do I get?"

'Oh, no! No no no no no.' Asuka tried to think quickly. She pursed her lips into a thin line. Nope, nothing came to mind.

A mischievious spark appeared in Shinji's eyes. "You do the laundry for the next two weeks. No complaints."

"Uh..."

"Unless you're scared."

"Scared? Me? The Great Asuka Langle Soryu, scared? A Soryu never shies from a challenge! And if, I mean, when, you lose?" She poked his chest with a finger. 'Funny… it's not as soft as last time… It actually feels like there's some muscle there, not just skin and bones…'

"You get to pick the menu for the two weeks. And I'll even add the lunches you choose."

"Real food? No rice or miso soup?"

"Whatever you want." Shinji laced his hands behind his head. For Asuka, the very idea of Shinji Ikari showing any self-confidence was… very… strange. And distracting.

"Agreed!" Asuka turned to her colleague. "Wonder Girl, you are witness! I don't want this baka to try to back off our bet when he loses."

Rei nodded, somewhat amused.

"I'm leaving, I have to find a movie." Asuka almost ran out of the room, the door slid close behind her.

Shinji laced his fingers over his belly, and waited for a good twenty seconds. "She's so excited she forgot her question."

"Yes."

Shinji and Rei enjoyed a confortable silence. Neither had anything to say. Just their mutual company was enough for the time being.

Shinji knew perfectly well that Asuka smiled expectantly. One of the first things the Justicar had taught him was to be always aware of his surroundings. Her posture and breathing told him that in any moment, something would happen in the movie. He wasn't disappointed.

"That's disgusting!" he exclaimed, as the creature burst from the astronaut's chest, killing him, and his blood sprayed over his companions. Shinji didn't need to look directly at Asuka to know she was surprised. His peripheral vision was excellent.

'I saw worse in the Flanaess, and without any special effects!' he thought. Although grotesque, the movie was completely harmless. Still, Shinji was on the edge of his seat. Without looking, he took the pop-corn bowl from Asuka's hands, and began eating the snack.

Asuka was completely amazed. She was sure the Third Child would bolt during the scene when the second stage of the creature wrapped the head of the unfortunate astronaut like a mask.

Some time later, Shinji leaned back onto his seat, actually looking like he had had fun! "Hey! That was great! Do you have any more?"

An angry Asuka stood up like a spring, again poking Shinji's chest with a finger. "You cheated! You had seen it before!"

From her seat, Rei spoke. "Pilot Soryu, I watched Ikari just as you asked me to. His reactions don't seem to indicate any previous knowledge of the movie. I must conclude he hasn't cheated."

"Yeah, sure, get on his side, will'ya; Wonder Girl?" Asuka crossed her arms, with a magnificent sulk.

"No. I just did as you asked." Asuka gave her the stink-eye, putting her nose up in the air. Even for Asuka, that was very impressive pout.

"Hey, easy. Don't get angry." Shinji put his hand on Asuka's shoulder, just for a moment. "Are you going back on your word?"

"Okay!" She raised her hands to the heavens, annoyed at the outcome. "Never let it be said Asuka Langley Soryu doesn't honor her bets." And she stomed towards the laundry room.

"Wait, you don't have to do it right now. I got a new recipe for ice-cream, and I'd like your opinion. Both of yours."

"Ice-cream you said..?" Asuka's black mood lifted up in an instant.

"Sure, I prepared it as soon as I came back here. I bet it is ready by now. Just let me serve it."

Shinji expected a ferocious criticism of his ice-cream, but apparently, Asuka's kryptonite came in chocolate flavor. She practically purred in delight as the creamy concoction melted in her mouth.

What really was surprising was that Rei asked for a second serving.

Before going to sleep, Shinji tried to get comfortable on his bed. He just couldn't find the right posture. Finally, he gave up, and put a couple of blankets on the hard wooden floor. He had gotten used to sleep on the rough.

Face up, he looked at the ceiling of his little room. "It's almost an unfamiliar room again." He sighed. He almost heard the breathing of the friends he had left behind back on Oerth. Escalla's little chipmunk-like noises, Enid's soft purring, Polk's unending turning around, Cinder's attentive ears, always listening for any enemies or prey; Henry's soft hiss; and the disturbingly silent breathing of the Justicar. Even the occasional rattle of Morag's scales.

For a moment, he was tempted to put on his SDAT, but he discarded the idea immediately, he didn't want to dull his senses. They had gotten so sharp with the training that he could recognize his friends in complete darkness, just from the noise of their breathing.

At the other side of the wall, he heard Misato's roaring snores, and Asuka's turning around. He thought she and Polk had that in common.

He rubbed his left thumb against the other fingers. The callouses he had formed with almost ten years of cello practice had disappeared long ago. It would take a while to build them up again.

And surely, his technique had rusted a lot.

Well… there was only one way to remedy that.

Lot's of practice.

Meanwhile, he hoped his next synch test would come soon. He wanted to speak again with his mother, and recover the little souvenir he had brought from his adventures.

And all it contained.

At the other side of the city, in some abandoned subway tunnel, a dark fog invaded the place. It dissipated after a few minutes, leaving a small creature behind. It looked around, and mumbled something.