Disclaimer: All rights go to Yuki Amemiya and Yukino Ichihara. No money is being made.
Pairing: Ayanami/Hyuuga, and everyone else with Teito. :)
Please note, this story will have spoilers for the identities of Ayanami, Teito and the 07 Ghosts.
There were advantages to being the Chief of Staff of the Barsburg Empire. It gave Ayanami the freedom to conduct his search for the Eye of Michael and to crush anyone who stood in his way. But it also placed him at the beck and call of assorted top military brass and in particular, Academy Chairman Miroku. And that last was the reason why he had spent the last few days traveling to the empire's military academy for an inspection. It was graduation time for would be Begleiters, which meant new officers to place and all the attending tedious paperwork to do. The only perk was that he got to arrive in style, for there was nothing like making a grand entrance than flying in on a floating fortress.
A deep metallic boom vibrating from the decks signaled the successful docking of his ship at the academy. His defacto second-in-command entered his anteroom. "We've arrived, Aya-tan. The group's ready to leave when you are," said Major Hyuuga, his lazy smile ever present as he waved at the door.
With cat-like grace, Ayanami rose to his feet and slipped on his cap. He had no need to command Hyuuga to follow, aware his right-hand man would be there, guarding his back. They progressed to the docking area where his stalwart team was waiting. Ayanami raised an eyebrow at the sight of Lieutenant Colonel Kuroyuri, awake and actually standing at attention, both highly unusual. He shot an questioning glance at Hyuuga, wondering who had the task of getting the pink-haired child soldier ready. The major licked at his lollipop, nodded at Haruse, a stoic statue behind Kuroyuri, and smirked broadly at Ayanami. Apparently the entire team was aware that this wasn't a regular inspection after all.
The airlocks slid open and Ayanami strode through. With military precision, his five subordinates arranged themselves behind him in perfect order and marched forward. He paid little attention to the call for a salute from the rows of soldiers lining the corridor ahead in strict attention, his focus entirely on reaching the academy testing halls.
It wasn't long before Ayanami's group spilled into a viewing gallery where several of the academy instructors congregated around the glass testing chambers. Everyone turned as he arrived and the lead instructor stepped forward with a smile of welcome. "Thank you for coming, Chief of Staff Ayanami."
"How are the cadets this year, do they have some backbone in them?" Ayanami asked, wondering if anyone could impress him. Very few did, which was a reason why he remained without a Begleiter, an aide that most officers in his position refused to go without.
A loud crash drew their attention to one of the glass chambers. Within, two students were being flung around like rag-dolls by a large man, a desperate convict tempted with the prospect of shortening his sentence if he defeated the group. A third cadet whirled around and looked directly at the small crowd of watchers outside. Running to the barrier, he began to pound on it, screaming for help.
Ayanami could barely believe his eyes at this embarrassing behavior. A five-against-one fight and this wannabe soldier was asking for help. The standards of the military academy had certainly gone down if this was the caliber of the cadets. "How unsightly," he said, disdain edging his voice.
The instructor laughed nervously. "Ah well, that's a son from the noble Oak family," he said, as if the name should be reason enough for Ayanami to overlook such a display.
If anything, Ayanami was even more unimpressed. Admiral Oak was a thorn in his side though he worked with him as necessary.
"No matter how impressive their training results are, it doesn't mean anything if they cannot do the same in a real battle," another instructor pointed out with some malicious relish.
Ayanami briefly wondered if she might be harboring a grudge against the pathetic blonde beating on the glass before his attention was diverted.
The convict had noticed the vulnerable target the Oak son provided, with his back turned and his panicked state. He dived towards the cadet, his arm raised to deliver a mighty blow. But at the last moment, someone jumped before him and pushed him out of the way.
Ayanami took a step closer in interest. The combatant who'd entered the fray was small but Ayanami realized he made up for any lack with his speed. He whizzed around the room, seizing opportunities to strike at his opponent.
"Teito!" the final student in the room cried in warning and leaped to his aid. But this student, another blonde with an interesting cross scar on his cheek, was obviously not as good. The convict landed a strike on him, which seemed to incense his little green-eyed companion. Teito flipped a kick at the convict's eye-patch, bringing the man crashing down. He whirled in a pirouette and landed with an air of lethal grace. Hand outstretched, Teito sketched a binding zaiphon, sending it whirling around the convict's neck.
"Good moves," Hyuuga said, leaning in to murmur into Ayanami's ear.
Ayanami ignored him, his violet eyes wide as he waited in anticipation for the inevitable finish. He loved seeing bloodshed. Everyone knew what was required to pass this test. They had all gone through it, after all.
But the strike never came. "If you move, I will kill you," Teito said to the convict. The man bowed, and knelt in defeat, calling for mercy.
The door to the testing chamber slid open. Instructor Shigure entered. "This exam is not over," he reminded the group within. "I've told you that he must be killed."
Teito shook his head. "But he's not our real enemy, there's no reason to kill him," he argued. Teito lowered his hand and released the binding zaiphon.
At this point, Ayanami released a disgusted breath. This was turning out to be an absolute waste of his time. Barely containing his impatience, he strode into the room, his killing intent flaring. With a mere flick of effort, he sent his zaiphon at the condemned man. The red words of hate circled into position and impacted. Ayanami held onto the power as the man was slowly strangled and crushed. His spirit rejoiced at the satisfying destruction. For a brief moment, Ayanami debated allowing himself to consume the soul, but decided against it. The man was a convict and would probably taste terrible.
"You're too soft," Ayanami growled, enjoying the wide-eyed horrified look from the cadet. There should be no mercy for a defeated foe, no arguing with superior officers. Not in the Barsburg Empire. If this brat wished to stay a soldier for long, he had best learn this lesson now.
Ayanami released the deadly zaiphon and swept out, leaving his audience stunned speechless. It was dramatic as hell, but he rather enjoyed it. The kill had restored his mood. He refused to look at Hyuuga, who was probably grinning from ear to ear at the wanton destruction. He knew the major thrilled at seeing him in action.
That evening saw Ayanami, in his spacious quarters at the military academy, reviewing potential officers with Hyuuga.
"Only 19 passed, eh, Aya-tan?" Hyuuga asked, eyes studiously down as his pencil busily scratched away at a piece of paper. "What did you think of the one Miroku wanted you to see?"
Ayanami knew no paperwork was being done by Hyuuga. He had no idea why his subordinate was obsessed with sketching him every opportunity he got. "Miroku's pet? Disappointing. No killing intent."
"Seemed like the best fighter of the bunch. I know you saw the power of that zaiphon," said Hyuuga, glancing up to compare his pen and paper rendition to the original. He grinned to himself. Everything paled in comparison.
"Are you volunteering to beat him into shape if I take him into the Black Hawks?" asked Ayanami with snide sarcasm. He removed his heavy military jacket and stretched his arms up, working the kinks away from sitting so long, his movements languid and sensuous. It was something he would never do in front of anyone except Hyuuga.
"Aya-tan is mean. Don't I already do enough for you?" Hyuuga replied in tones filled with laughing innuendo. He abandoned his pencil and sketch and allowed himself to watch his commander's teasing show, eyes peering above his little black square shades, transfixed on the glimpse of flesh revealed by Ayanami's stretching.
Ayanami's soft laughter filled the room. "What do you do? Obviously not any of the paperwork," he said, waving at the pile of documents on his desk. He swept a careless hand over his silver bangs and headed to his bedroom.
Hyuuga surged to his feet, his hands moving to undo the buttons of his coat too. "Let me show you exactly how I make myself useful, Aya-tan," he purred. Paperwork was the last thing on his mind as he followed his leader out of the room.
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Not sure how good this is. Writing up chapter 2 now. Comments are welcome. And yes, I know Hyuuga is lowest on the ranking totem, but he's as good as Ayanami's right-hand man correct? So I made him defacto second-in-command, because Katsuragi does very little in the canon as far as I can see.