Disclaimer: I do not own Evangelion or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything belonging to Marvel Comics or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Superwomen of Eva: Iron Resolve

Chapter 1: The Beginning of an End

As consciousness slowly intruded on the blissful world of slumber that Mana enjoyed, the first thing she became aware of was a noise of some kind. It was brief in duration but quick to repeat itself, and worst of all, it was annoying. So annoying that it was slowly dragging her from her restful slumber.

"Yoohoo! Mana!" came another voice, a familiar one that Mana couldn't place in her condition. "Wakey-wakey! It's time to get up!"

Groaning miserably at this, Mana shifted about in her bed, sleepily drawing her blankets up over her head. "Aw…" she groaned, not at all willing to wake up and face the day. "…Just five more minutes…"

"That's what you said last time! And that was precisely ten minutes and thirty-six seconds ago!" the voice informed her with a good deal more impatience. "Look, Mana, let me spell it out for you; either you get out of bed right this second, or I'm breaking out the big guns!"

"Wha…?" Mana wondered, her sleep-addled mind not up to the task of making sense of what was being told her. "Big…huh…?"

"Okay, that does it," the voice decreed with weary resignation. "Big guns it is."

An instant later, there was a mechanical whirr, and it was coming from somewhere beneath Mana. Alarm bells going off in her mind, she found herself slowly coming to full alertness. But it was a case of too little, too late as her cozy bed suddenly began to tilt. "Ah – what -?!" she cried out in dismay as the angle of the bed quickly increased, until the inevitable occurred and Mana was sent sliding off of her bed and crashing down upon a mat that had been set in place just for such occasions. "Ouch!" she yelped, fully awake even as she was pelted by her blanket and pillow. "Aw, Sid!"

Quickly shoving aside the blanket and pillow, Mana sat up and glared at the one responsible for her current predicament, and found herself met with the ghostly image of a girl roughly her age with two pigtails almost as long as she was tall. But it was no ghost, and it wasn't truly a girl; the figure was female in form, but was turquoise in color, and was also transparent. "Sorry, Mana. But you know what a heavy sleeper you are," Sid returned with a coy smirk. "So...are you finally awake?"

"How could I still be asleep after that?!" Mana incredulously demanded, shooting the holographic figure an intense glare of pure annoyance. Her father, Dr. Hiro Kirishima, was a brilliant scientist specializing in the fields of computer technologies and robotics. This was evidenced by both Mana's bed of humiliation, and the holographic representation of the AI Dr. Kirishima had developed to assist him in his many endeavors; the Synthetic Intelligence Data-Node Extrapolation Entity, or S.I.D.N.E.E. for short.

"It wouldn't be the first time you managed it." Rolling her eyes at Sid, as most people referred to her, Mana was brought up short when the holographic figure smiled in a dangerously playful manner, "So, are you ready to get up? Or do I have to give you both barrels?"

Wincing at this question, Mana looked up at her ceiling and groaned at the sight of the barrels in question. Suspended right over her head were two small barrels that she knew to be filled with cold water, the perfect thing for waking her up on the rare occasions when even the rigged bed wasn't enough to bring her back to the waking world. "No, you don't have to go that far," Mana muttered sourly as she rose up on her own accord. "So where's Dad at? Did he leave for work already?"

"No, he's currently having breakfast," Sid reported even as the bed returned to its normal horizontal orientation. "And if you hurry and get dressed, you'll even be able to have a conversation before he goes to work today."

That was all the incentive Mana needed to hurry to her wardrobe and start dressing. "Sid, do me a favor and tell Dad I'm coming!" Then she made a face, glanced up at the barrels once more, and added, "And try to convince him to take down those stupid barrels! I know I'm a heavy sleeper, but there's got to be a better way of waking me up than that!"

Smiling helpfully at this, Sid responded, "I'll do both, but since this is the 156th time you've requested that he remove the barrels, I highly doubt that –"

"Just do it, Sid!" Mana grumbled impatiently even as she doffed her pajamas. To Sid's credit, she promptly winked out of sight, leaving Mana to shake her head. For while Sid was the most advanced AI in existence, exceeding the computational power of any one MAGI computer and even possessing a personality that did an excellent job of conveying a genuinely sentient person, her sense of humor, simulated or otherwise, did tend to wear thin.

As Mana sighed and wondered if she could convince her father to give Sid a much-needed reprogramming, she set about the business of getting herself at least modestly cleaned up and dressed. Rummaging about in her wardrobe, she soon found a pair of clean white socks, as well as a sleeveless white shirt and a red skirt with crisscrossing yellow stripes. Deciding that this would do for her day's attire, she made her way into the bathroom.

The first thing Mana did was quickly wash herself up somewhat, cleaning her face and basically making herself more presentable. Once this was done, she combed out her short auburn hair and then paused to study herself in the mirror. She was an attractive girl of fourteen, wore her hair short mainly because she didn't like fussing with it, and possessed a modest build and cute face. She wasn't the glamor type of girl, though, not the kind that could get away with using her feminine wiles to basically enslave boys to her will, and she doubted that she wanted to be that way, anyway. All in all, an average, ordinary girl leading an ordinary life.

Except for…well, a lot of stuff, Mana admitted as she quickly dressed, eager to get out to the dining room while she still had time. None of the other kids at school have their own live-in holographic AI.

As it happened, luck was with Mana that day. Her father was seated at the dining room table, enjoying a modest breakfast of toast with bread and jam. As he raised his cup of tea to take a sip, he took notice of his daughter's approach. "Good morning, Mana," he greeted her cheerfully even as he set his cup down. "Well, you look more-or-less dry. I guess I won't have to refill the barrels after all."

Wincing at the mention of the barrels, Mana shook her head before seating herself. "Dad, I really wish you would just take those stupid things down," she pleaded of him. "It's bad enough you rigged my bed to dump me on the floor, but that -!"

Chuckling deep in his throat, Hiro replied, "Now, now, Mana! You remember our deal! You go thirty days without oversleeping, and I'll take down the barrels!" Taking a bite out of a piece of toast, he gave her a playful wink and added, "And since you've yet to make it a week without Sid having to dump you out of bed…well, there you go."

Making a face of cute annoyance at her father, Mana muttered, "You never had a problem with Mom oversleeping…"

As a dark shadow appeared on her father's face, a shadow of pain and loss, Mana sucked in a breath of shame, and immediately cursed herself for her stupidity. But even as she did so, Hiro managed to recover and shot her a playful smile. "Yes, and so you want to know why?" When the auburn-haired girl just sat there, saying nothing, he went on to say, "Because I liked it when she overslept. It meant that I could be warm and cozy and have something nice and soft to keep me company in bed. And that I had something wonderful to wake up to each morning." As Mana blinked a few times at this, the doctor snorted a laugh and added, "Besides, if I tried adding any gadgetry to our bed in order to wake her up, I would have been on the receiving end of it as well! And I have to put up with enough at work without having to worry about that!"

Now it was Mana's turn to chuckle. "And speaking of work…how's everything going at the university? Any problems with the new computer interface?"

"No, none so far," Hiro reported. "There are still a few bugs to work out of the system, but it won't be long now before the new interface will be ready. If you like, I can have Sid bring you up to speed on the exact details."

Mana let out a slight groan of disappointment at this, despite being unsurprised. Though she knew her father loved her, he wasn't the biggest conversationalist she knew. About the only thing he really knew how to talk about with her was his work, and in regards to some projects, he didn't really like discussing them. Especially when it came to the ones that he considered to be rather boring, which seemed to categorize this latest endeavor.

And while Mana could certainly appreciate this, and was even used to her father being this way, she still couldn't help but be saddened and even a bit frustrated at how he spent so much of his time focused on his work. Even at home, he preferred to have Sid relay things to his daughter, rather than speaking to her himself.

Heaving a low, quiet sigh, Mana did her best to not be overly disappointed at her inability to get her father to actually talk to her and moved on to another topic. "Well, maybe you can talk to me about it at the science fair."

This got a reaction from Dr. Kirishima, but the puzzled frown he gave Mana was not the kind of reaction she had been hoping for. "Science fair?"

Getting a bad feeling at the way he blankly repeated these words, Mana furrowed her brows. "The school science fair!" When these words failed to budge the furrowed brows that made clear her father's confusion, her concern increased and she added, "The one that Haruka and Reiko and I have been working on?! The maglev train?!"

Dr. Kirishima's eyes opened and closed a few times before comprehension appeared in them. "Oh, right, right! The one with the superconductor you worked up, right!" Letting go a sigh of relief that her father hadn't completely forgotten, Mana found her hopes increasing when he said, "Well, sure! Of course! I mean...when is that, anyway? Next month?"

Those last two words were all that were needed to cut Mana's relief short, and once again twist her insides into worried knots. "Uh...it's actually this month." A beat passed before she added, "This weekend, in fact."

The way Dr. Kirishima's eyes flew open at this was all the proof Mana needed that she was in for further disappointment. "This weekend? As in...this weekend?!" he asked in a voice of embarrassed disbelief. "You're sure about that?"

Groaning her dismay, Mana retorted, "Dad, it's written on the calendar! I've even got an advertisement for the fair on the fridge!" When Dr. Kirishima simply sat there, looking at her, the auburn-haired girl looked about and demanded, "Sid, back me up here!"

"Mana's right, Dr. Kirishima," Sid announced even as her holographic avatar resolved into existence. As Hiro looked at the AI, she went on to explain, "You even had me log the date of the science fair so you wouldn't forget it."

A beat passed before Dr. Kirishima asked, "And you didn't remind me of this...why?"

"I have. Several times, in fact," Sid informed him with what appeared to be a trace of annoyance. "Unfortunately, you fail to remember things the same way that Mana fails to wake up in the morning."

A noise of hesitation and a bit of shame escaped Dr. Kirishima's lips at this point. "Oh. Umm..." he hesitated, glancing between Mana and Sid for a time, with the auburn-haired girl dreading what he would say next. With that dread being made real when he asked, "Uh, Sid, do me a favor and check the floater camera. Make sure that it's ready, and -!"

"Dad!" Mana protested, thinking of that miserable invention of her father's that was a cross between an RC helicopter and a digital camcorder, looked like a UFO from an old movie, and was quite likely the one invention of his that she had wanted nothing more than to take a sledgehammer to. For he had built it as a substitute for himself. Something that Sid could use to attend anything special Mana was doing on Dr. Kirishima's behalf and record it for him when he was too busy to be her father.

"Just in case, Mana!" Dr. Kirishima promptly assured her, intuiting what she was thinking.

"That's what you said at Christmas! And on my birthday!" Mana reminded him in a far harsher manner than she had intended to. Not wanting to go into detail on all the other times the camera had appeared in her life instead of him.

Even as Mana was wincing at the way she had spoken, painfully aware that it would take very little to corrupt one of the few times when she was able to spend time with her actual, flesh-and-blood father into an ugly argument. And it was clear from the heavy frown marking Dr. Kirishima's face that he was aware of this. "Look, Mana...I'm sorry," he told, his voice making it clear that he knew how many times he had made similar apologies. "But...this new project...it's really important, and..."

More important than me? Mana was sorely tempted to demand. With only her mild nature and desire to avoid a shouting match keeping her from doing so.

"...And I really...there's so much that I need to get done!" Dr. Kirishima continued. "The interface...you have no idea how important it is!"

Because you won't tell me! Mana countered inwardly. The only things I know about it is that the university wants a way for the human brain to synch with a computer! You don't tell me why, or what it's for, or -!

" - incredibly complicated!" Dr. Kirishima continued, heedless of Mana's inner torment. "Me and Dr. Gakusha have spent months on this! And it needs to be completed before our grant runs out!"

I'm not asking for months, Dad! Mana pleaded in her mind. Just a day! One day out of the whole week! I just want you to be there for once! Not a robot camera!

" - and I will do my best to make it!" Dr. Kirishima continued. Pausing to give his daughter a look, he let go a weary sigh, and once more, a deep shadow of sorrow appeared on his face. "Now, I am sorry I forgot. And I realize that I...I...haven't exactly been the best of fathers. But I...I'll do my best," he told her in a solemn, almost weary voice. Then, with a forced, fake smile Mana knew all too well. "I'll really try and make it to the science fair. And...maybe later, we could...you know, do something fun. Go out to the movie, maybe?"

At these words, Mana's disappointment deepened, as well as taking on a different tone. Moving dangerously close to true anger. "Dad, you promised that last week," she reminded him, doing her best to reign herself in. For while she wanted her father to act like her father, she didn't want to completely destroy the all-too-rare moment they were sharing by turning breakfast into an argument. "Look, I..." she began, pausing to carefully consider her next words. "I know you've been...been busy and all, but...you're hardly ever here! You don't talk to me about what you're doing, you...you...!"

Caught between the need to express her unhappiness and the pain that was twisting into something more dangerous, as well as the knowledge of what that pain could ultimately make her say, Mana fell into an uncomfortable silence. Leaving the two Kirishimas unable to do anything but look at each other, until Hiro sighed and smiled. "Look, we'll talk about it some other time. But you have to get to school, and I have to get to work."

"Huh?" Mana started even as her father got up and out of his chair. "But you haven't..." she began, only to look at the breakfast he had been eating...only to find that he had somehow finished it while giving her his usual litany of excuses.

As Mana sat there, staring at the empty dishes and wondering how her father had polished off his admittedly meager meal without her realizing it, she became aware of her father's motions. Looking up, her mouth fell in surprise when she saw him at the door, briefcase in hand and that same smile on his face. "Be sure to get to school on time, alright?" he asked as he opened the door. "I'll see you later, Mana. Love you."

"Uh - Dad, wait!" Mana called out, but her protest was in vain as her father disappeared out the door. Blinking a few times in surprise, the auburn-haired girl sank back in her seat.

As she sat there, staring aimlessly at a breakfast she no longer had the appetite to finish, Sid piped up. "Dr. Kirishima's right, Mana," the AI spoke. "You need to get going soon."

Not caring about school or much of anything else at the moment, Mana turned her eyes towards the hologram. "Be honest with me, Sid," she began, speaking in a mix of sadness and dread anticipation. "Those...recordings you make for Dad? Of my birthdays and stuff?" Pausing to take a saddened breath, she asked, "Does Dad...does he even...watch them?"

"Yes, he does," Sid quickly assured her.

"The whole thing?" Mana wondered, wanting the full truth of this matter. "All the way through?"

A beat passed as Sid considered this before. "He...plays them all the way through. And he...he listens to them while he works. But..."

Holding up her hand at this, Mana issued a sigh. "I get the idea," she muttered, letting her head fall forward in despair. And as she did so, thoughts of better, happier times dancing in the back of her mind. Of a time when her father didn't rely on technology to fill in for him at every opportunity. When his work had not been the only thing that he was willing to spend his time on.

When Mom was still alive, Mana thought somberly, glancing over at a wall, where hung a photograph of her family before it had been broken. When we lost her...I lost Dad as well...

I really am sorry, Mana, Hiro Kirishima thought once more as he stood in his laboratory at the university where he worked. The place that often felt more like home to him these days than his own place of residence. The only place where he could truly allow himself outlet. To relax in his role as a doctor, as a scientist.

The only place that wasn't filled with painful ghosts of his past. And a beloved girl that he didn't dare allow himself to truly relax around. Simply because he was afraid of speaking around her. Of letting slip the horrors that, on the day of his wife's funeral, he had promised he would do everything he could to protect her from.

And I have to protect her, Hiro thought, his brows furrowed in determination as he thought back to that fateful day of tragedy. To the explosion that had ripped apart the laboratory building that had been his previous place of work, a place that he had seen as little more than a stepping stone in his plans and goals. An explosion that had very nearly claimed his life and had taken the life of his beloved wife. Had shattered his little family, possibly beyond any hope of recovery. Narumi, I know you would have understood. But even as this forceful though echoed in his mind, he let out a weary sigh. I just hope that...Mana understands. Someday.

But as Hiro worked in his laboratory, studying the information scrolling down the holographic display before him, he couldn't help but sigh, because he also knew that there was a great deal that Mana might not understand. And more importantly, he knew that, through his own actions, justifiable as they were, had done a great deal of damage to their relationship. His work kept him away from home, and he had missed a great of Mana's life as she was slowly growing into a young woman. He had come to depend on his creations to relay bits and pieces of his life to her, and to give him a window into her own life when he continued to bury himself in his work. When all he would have to do would be to take some time off, even one day...

But I can't. There's no time, not anymore, Hiro reminded himself, cutting off his dissenting thoughts. The Angels have returned. NERV is now out in the open. Which means that whatever is going to happen, it's going to happen relatively soon.

And that, in a very real way, was the most hellish part of Hiro's reality, the world he had done so much to keep Mana safe from. For while he knew he was working against a deadline, he didn't know precisely when that deadline was. It could be months away, or it could be years. Nor could he predict the exact consequences if he were to fail to beat that deadline and accomplish his goals.

All he knew was the words of people who had put their faith in him. Along with a horrible feeling borne of past experience that twisted about his insides, telling him that the consequences would be horrible beyond belief.

And that's why I have to do this, Hiro declared inwardly, doing his best to shove his internal debate off to the side, if only for the moment. Besides, we're close now. Very close. Just a little more work, more research, and then...

"Dr. Kirishima," came Sid's voice, startling him from his dour thoughts. Looking up from the holographic display, he watched as the AI's holographic avatar resolved into existence. "The latest set of simulations have been completed."

"Excellent," Hiro returned, grateful for this distraction from his thoughts and inner torments. "And have you started the analysis?"

"Already in progress, as per your instructions," Sid confirmed in the all-business manner that Hiro preferred in the university. "So far, though, the new synaptic interface is looking good. This new program should improve the efficiency of the interface by 19.2%."

"Great," Hiro replied, genuinely pleased with this development. "Log your findings and generate backup files. Standard procedure."

"Understood, Dr. Kirishima," Sid returned with a polite bow of her head.

Smiling at this minor triumph, Hiro thought of the new synaptic interface he had developed, a project that was going to do more than simply advance the project he was working on at the university. The data on it, like so many other projects he had taken on, was already being sent home, as per the standard procedure he had implemented for them. A procedure that, as far as anyone who might have been monitoring his activities, would have thought to be completely harmless. Simply backing up his data to his home computer. A precautionary measure, just in case there was a problem with the university computers. All completely legitimate, in light of the contract he had negotiated, as long as he didn't try to sell the technology to anyone.

Hiro had no intention of selling the technology he developed. But that didn't mean he didn't have other plans for it.

Still, this is progressing nicely. Even better than I had anticipated, Hiro noted with a sense of subdued pride. Hmm...maybe I will be able to spare a day for the science fair after all...

Even as Hiro thought this, Sid spoke up. "Dr. Kirishima?" she began, the gravity in her voice instantly setting off alarm bells in his mind. "I'm sorry, but Dr. Gakusha is at the door. She says she wants to talk to you."

"Kyoko?" Hiro replied, raising an eyebrow at this. "Huh. I guess she's done with the redesign of the neurolytic synchronizer." Hoping that this was the case, if only because it would mean that they were even closer to the completion of their project, the doctor looked at the AI. "Let her in, Sid."

"Okay," Sid promptly replied, and a moment later, the door to Hiro's lab swung open, revealing an attractive woman in her early thirties. She was of average height, with long, dark hair, and wore horn-rimmed glasses, as well as a respectable business outfit and a lab coat. "Good afternoon, Dr. Gakusha."

"Hello, Sidnee," Kyoko replied with a pleasant smile and a bow of her head even as she entered the lab proper. Then she focused her attention on Hiro. "Dr. Kirishima."

"Kyoko," Hiro returned, preferring a less formal approach them his counterpart. "Always a pleasure."

Nodding to this, Kyoko glanced over at the AI. "Sidnee, I hate to bother you, but...would you mind...?"

Even as Kyoko trailed off, Sid nodded her understanding. "Of course, doctor." An instant later, her holographic avatar faded, quickly dissipating into nothingness.

Glancing in the direction where Sid's holographic form had once been, Hiro then looked at Kyoko. "You should know by now that Sid's hologram is just something I made to make interacting with her easier. She can still see and hear everything we do."

"And you should know by now that it's not privacy I'm after," Kyoko replied in a polite, business-like fashion. "Sidnee is a marvelous innovation, Doctor, and she really is a testament to your capabilities as a scientist. An artificial intelligence system that is even more sophisticated than the MAGI, and at the same time, acts and interacts with others in a nearly human fashion." Giving a mild snort, the doctor cocked her head to the side and added, "But she isn't human. And I really would have preferred it if you hadn't tried to make her like one."

Giving a slight roll of his eyes, Hiro found himself tempted to have a laugh at his colleague's expense. He was fully aware of how a few people were slightly put off by what was known as the Uncanny Valley effect in regards to Sid, how she was close to human, but not quite. And Kyoko happened to be one of them. "Well, I don't know what to tell you. Most people seem to be just fine with Sid." Then, with a hint of laughter, he added, "Including the Board of Trustees."

Kyoko's polite smile faltered somewhat at this. "I know. They're quite fond of Sidnee," she admitted, a tension in her voice that wasn't there before. "Ever since they gave her full access to the campus systems, she's been taking care of pretty much everything for us. And the fact that we have the only AI that can come close to the MAGI in terms of computing power certainly doesn't hurt the school's reputation."

"Actually, Sid is even more powerful than the MAGI. Well, any one of them, at least," Hiro returned, seeing no point in false modesty in this respect.

"So you've told me," Kyoko returned, still speaking in that tense manner.

Getting the feeling that changing the topic might be a good idea, Hiro asked, "So, then, Dr. Gakusha, how can I be of service to you?"

A beat passed before Kyoko replied, "Well, first, I finished reworking the neurolytic synchronizer."

"Great! I was hoping that was the case!" Hiro returned, genuinely pleased. "So, where's the data?"

"Already tucked safely away in the university's central computer. It's filed in our project directory, under neurolytic synchronizer," Kyoko returned with a note of pride. "The hardware is still in my lab. You could look it over if you like."

"Sure, no problem," Hiro replied agreeably.

"Also, there is another matter I wanted to discuss," Kyoko went on, her eyes narrowing slightly. "I've been going over the specifications for the neuro-analyzer, and I think I've found a way we can increase the data conversion rate by a factor of 1.18."

This immediately grabbed Hiro's attention. "Really?"

"Yes. I redesigned the primary and secondary uplink, and I replaced the microchip we were using with a new design I was working on in a previous project," Kyoko explained. "I haven't had a chance to properly test the modifications, but so far, the results are encouraging. So...I'd appreciate it if you had Sid run the appropriate tests."

"Well, of course!" Hiro returned, even more pleased. If Kyoko was correct in her assessment, her contribution could well be the final piece in the puzzle. Not just of their college project, but for his own plans as well. The exact thing he needed to jumpstart his plans. "Have you filed the redesign on the central computer?"

"Most of it. But the most complete version is right here," Kyoko explained even as she reached into her lab coat pocket and pulled out a PDA. "I was making some adjustments, and...well, I thought I should tell you about it before I did anything further. I'd like to see how my redesigns fare before I make any more adjustments."

"Fair enough," Hiro nodded. "Well, if you'd be so kind as to send the file to Sid, we'll get to work on running the appropriate tests posthaste."

"Certainly," Kyoko replied, giving a polite bow of her head. A moment later, she was working on her PDA, rapidly tapping away at it. A few moments later, she lowered the PDA. "Done. Here's hoping that my little work passes whatever tests Sid tosses at them."

"I'm kinda hoping that myself," Hiro admitted. "Sid? Do me a favor and get to work on the data Kyoko sent you. Standard procedure."

"Of course, Dr. Kirishima," came Sid's voice, though the AI didn't manifest its holographic avatar.

Satisfied with, and the knowledge that Kyoko's contribution was presently on its way back home. And if it worked out, would then be incorporated into his own project. The potential salvation of the world.

We're one step closer, Narumi. One step closer to completing the I-System and Ultron, Hiro thought with fresh hope. Is this pans out, then all we'll need is a little more time - and a lot of luck - to make sure our daughter has a bright future to live in.

With this in mind, Hiro then focused on his counterpart. "Now, then, Kyoko, why don't we head over to your lab and look over that neurolytic synchronizer?"

"Certainly," Kyoko returned, and with that, the two of them departed his lab.

"Come on, Haruka! Why are you wasting your time with that guy?!" asked a girl with short, black spiky hair who was presently seated opposite of Mana. "He's just a dumb jock! A filthy moron! Nothing upstairs but empty air and a bad attitude!"

"Don't be that way, Reiko!" protested Haruka, a pleasant looking girl with long, orange-red hair. "Torazo really is a nice guy."

"He's a moron!" Reiko quickly countered in a scornful manner even as she took a bite of her hamburger. "A complete waste of space! The exact same kind of jerk as all the rest of his jock buddies!"

"Now that's not fair, and you know it!" Haruka countered in a somewhat pouty manner. "Besides, he's not dumb! He just...he's trying to keep up an image at school!"

"So not only is he stupid, he's being even dumber by trying to blend in better with the rest of idiots!" Reiko intolerantly countered.

Groaning in dismay at how intransigent her friend was being, Haruka looked about. "Look, I...Mana!"

"Hmm?" Mana frowned, looking up at the mention of her name.

"Could you please stop fussing with that thing and help me out here?!" Haruka pleaded of her friend.

At this, Mana glanced down at the device she had been laboring on, one of the magnetic field generators that were part of their project for the science fair, and sigh. It had already been a bad day, what with how her morning with her father had gone. And so when her friends and collaborators in the science fair project had suggested that they stop for a bite to eat after school, Mana had been all-too-willing to go along with them, if only so she could have a few sympathetic ears to listen to her woes, and an opportunity to properly distract herself.

Unfortunately, it had taken almost no time at all for Haruka and Reiko to lose themselves in the subject of the day, which was Haruka's boyfriend. Leaving Mana little refuge but to continue to fuss with one of the generators and see if she could squeeze a bit more energy out of it in an effort to better their chances at winning first prize, and to try and tune out what she saw as pointless bickering.

And now, I have to try and remember what exactly they were talking about! Mana thought, her cheeks coloring as she struggled to think of what to say.

As Mana sat at the table of the fast food place, wishing she was someplace a lot more private, Haruka groaned despairingly. "Don't tell me you weren't listening!"

"What did you expect?" Reiko wondered in a coy manner. "Once Mana gets going on one of her little projects, she forgets about everything else!"

Sucking in a breath at this, Mana felt stung by this casual remark, and for two reasons. The first was the fact that there was a degree of accuracy to it. For while the auburn-haired girl wasn't introverted, she was still a bit shy and had difficulty in dealing with people at times. Something that was compounded by the fact that she sometimes said the wrong thing without even realizing it until it was too late.

But even worse was the fact that this accusation brought back her earlier confrontation with her father.

Mana knew she took after her father in several ways. They both had difficulty with dealing with others at times, and they both had a great gift when it came to science and technology. She had made a steam engine out of scrap metal and soda cans back when she was in elementary school, and was well-known for her knack with computers and machines. And she supposed that, growing up with a technological wizard like Hiro Kirishima, that was inevitable.

But the fact that she was doing the same sort of thing that her father did, getting so wrapped up in her own little world of machines and science that she ignored her own friends, couldn't make time for them...

But it's not the same thing! Mana inwardly protested. I'm trying to distract myself because they're having a stupid argument! Dad, he...he's gone practically all the time! He's locked himself out of my life! And it's been going on for...ever since...

But even as Mana made this protest, she knew that her father was once the same way she was now. That before he had done everything he could to hide away in his own little science world, he would tune out conversations he found boring or pointless by busying himself the same way she was. That it had gotten worse after the violent death of his wife, Mana's mother.

And if he could come to so easily bury himself in his work, so readily exclude himself from Mana's life...

"I - I'm sorry, you two," Mana got out, shoving the magnetic device away, along with her inner torments, and looking shamefacedly at her friends. "It's just...I'm kinda down right now, that's all."

A beat passed as the two girls shared a look. "Don't tell me, let me guess," Reiko started with a knowing expression. "It's your father, right?"

Mana's initial reaction was for her mouth to pop open in surprise, but then surprise gave way to a resigned groan. "Is it that obvious?"

"Obvious?" Reiko wondered with a raised eyebrow. "Mana, since when you do you have problems with anything else?!" The auburn-haired girl opened her mouth to protest this assessment, only for it to fall shut again when she realized that her friend had a point. She didn't have much in the way of social issues, her scientific know-how and Sid's assistance made things such as homework a walk in the park. She wasn't a target for bullies, if only because there were other people that made for better targets.

"Reiko..." Haruka intoned in a mildly disapproving manner. Then, in a more sympathetic manner, she went on to ask, "I'm sorry, Mana. What's wrong?"

Mana opened her mouth to reply, but Reiko broke in with, "Don't tell us, let me guess; your Dad can't make it to the science fair, so he's sending the UFO again. Is that about it?" Wincing at this all-apt nickname for the floater camera, Mana gave a weary sigh, which apparently was all the answer that Reiko needed. "Mana, how many times do I have to say this? Your father's a jerk! And if he can't stick his head out of his lab long enough to -!"

"Reiko!" Haruka promptly countered.

"Don't you say something like that about my father, Reiko!" Mana declared, her friend's casually insensitive remark stinging deeply. "He's just...when my Mom died, he took it very badly, okay?"

"So badly that he can't bother to spend so much as a day with you?" Reiko countered with a raised eyebrow. When the auburn-haired girl issued a groan of annoyance, the spiky-haired girl sighed. "Look, I'm sorry I called your dad a jerk. But...seriously, Mana! It's been three years already!"

"I know," Mana returned, trying hard not to think about that day of three years ago. Of the lab explosion that had ruined the business where her father had once worked. An explosion that had brought down half the building upon many of the people that had worked there...and one innocent woman that had stopped by to surprise her husband. "But..."

"Reiko, give Mana a break!" Haruka pleaded of the dark-haired girl. "Some people just don't handle this sort of thing well! She can't help it if her dad is one of them!"

"But that doesn't give him the right to just completely ignore her! He's still Mana's father!" Reiko countered. "And he can't even bother to even to show up for...anything?! Seriously, I -!"

"Okay, that does it. I'm sorry I even brought it up," Mana groaned, unwilling and unable to take any more of this. She has hoped for some sympathy in regards to her plight, not to be the center of an argument. "Look, I'll see you two tomorrow, okay?"

"Huh?!" Haruka started as the auburn-haired girl gathered up her things and started away. "Uh - Mana, wait!"

But Mana didn't respond. The situation with her father already weighed heavily upon her, and while she could understand to a degree why Reiko would be so quick to condemn him, that didn't make it any less hurtful. And already burdened with disappointment and having her friend bring up such a painful point quickly made that hurt even worse. So she did the only thing she could think of; she quickly gathered up her things and hurried out the door as fast as she could.

But once she was about half a block away from the restaurant, Mana's pain subsided just enough for her guilt to reassert itself. I shouldn't have done that... she niggled at herself, her stomach turning about as she replayed what had just happened in her mind. Those events weighing coming to settle upon her shoulders, causing her hurried dash to slow greatly. Reiko...she was only being honest. I...could have told her to...I dunno...

Her forward progress slowly to a crawl, her eyes falling upon the sidewalk, Mana issued another heavy sigh, her mind conjuring up all the ways she could have handled that situation differently. Handled it without running away from her friends, without allowing her difficulty in dealing with people get the better of her.

Handled it some other way than...Dad would have... was the thought that echoed in Mana's mind. Just before a distant cry caught her attention.

Letting out a puzzled squeak, Mana stopped in mid-step and looked back over her shoulder. "Mana!" called a girl with flowing orange-red hair who was running towards her. "Wait up!"

"Haruka?" Mana returned, somewhat startled as her friend came rushing up to her side. "What...?"

"Listen, I'm really sorry about what Reiko said and everything!" Haruka blurted out, looking solemnly at Mana with clenched hands. "I - I'm sure she didn't mean it - well, you know how she is, and -!"

"No, it's okay, Haruka," Mana returned easily, grateful that at least one of her friends was being understanding. "I guess I should have seen it coming. Dad...I know he's..." Unable to think of a way to give voice to her grievances, especially after what happened with Reiko, the auburn-haired girl again sighed. "I just..."

"I know. You just wanted someone to talk to. Not someone to shoot you down for wanting your dad to...be your dad," Haruka assured her. "Look...if you like, we can talk about it on the way back to your place."

Starting somewhat at this, Mana returned, "But...are you sure? I mean...your apartment, it's on the other side of town, and..."

"Hey, I don't mind! I probably need the exercise, anyway!" Haruka assured her with a warm smile.

A moment was all Mana needed to smile in response and say, "Thanks. I really appreciate that." A beat passed before she added, "And for what it's worth, I think Torazo's a good guy, too." When Haruka looked at her, the auburn-haired girl added, "At least...he's always been nice to me."

Heaving a deep sigh of relief at this, Haruka replied, "Oh, God! Thank you, Mana!" Giving a slight chuckle, she added, "I knew you had more sense than Reiko!"

"Well, I wouldn't be so sure of that," Mana admitted. "If I had, I wouldn't have expected Reiko to give me a shoulder to cry on!"

This prompted an even deeper chuckle from Haruka. "You've got a point there!" Issuing a few more titters, the redhead patted Mana on the back. "C'mon! Let's get going!"

Grateful for Haruka's presence, Mana sighed, and as one, the two girls set off for the Kirishima residence. "You know, I really do appreciate this," she assured her friend. "Especially with...you know."

"Yeah, I know," Haruka returned. As the two teens continued along their way, the redhead looked thoughtfully at Mana and said, "You know...I'm sure you father isn't trying to hurt you or make you feel bad or anything. Like you said...what happened with your mother..."

Nodding even as Haruka trailed off, Mana replied, "I know that. And...believe me, I understand. I mean...we're a lot alike. We both tend to...bury ourselves in machines when...things get difficult." A beat passed before she added, "Now, don't get me wrong! I really like hanging out with you and Reiko, and...well, I don't mind a lot of stuff. But...I have an easier time figuring out a reciprocating positronic coupling or deciphering an oscillating interface signal than I do figuring out how not to screw up a conversation with the guys at school!"

"I guess machines are a lot more predictable than people are," Haruka admitted.

"Exactly!" Mana replied, warming to the subject. "And I've been around computers and Dad's inventions and Sid and everything else since...well since I was born! I can handle stuff like that, no problem! I bet I could take apart every car in the school parking lot and put them back together, even better than they were before!" Smiling at the thought of actually committing such an egregious act, the auburn-haired girl then sighed. "But...I know that...losing Mom...hurt him. I mean, I...there are days when I...I still can't believe that...she's really gone. But I never thought that..."

Nodding her sympathy to Mana, Haruka gave her a sorrowful, yet comforting look. "I don't know what to tell you, Mana. Some people...I guess it just takes them a long time to get past losing someone like that. Take Shihi in our class, for example! His father died over five years ago, and his mother -"

"Got so messed up that they wound up moving in with his uncle. I know," Mana returned, not at all comforted by the idea of winding up in a similar predicament. "And...I understand Dad was hurt. And...I'm not trying to force anything on him. But...I just want him to be a part of my life again! To...be there for me! To spend some time with me! Not a lot of it! I don't want him to wrap himself around me! I just...want us to do things together, the way we used it. That's all."

"Then talk to him about it. Maybe you could take the bus to the university, talk to him there," Haruka suggested. "It's worth trying, at least."

Considering this for a time, Mana slowly nodded. "I'll think about it. I can't see how it could make anything worse," she finally admitted. "Thanks, Haruka."

"No problem," Haruka beamed, clearly pleased that she could be of assistance. "Just remember, whatever you do, try and be patient with your father. He's been this way for a while now, so it's going to take him some time to...you know. Start being your dad again."

"I realize that," Mana assured her. "But...I really do want to be with him again. Because...well, I learned the hard that...you don't always get the chance to say or do...everything you want with someone. You know what I'm saying?"

"Oh, I understand. And...if you told him that, I'm sure that...your dad would understand as well." At this point, Haruka's smile broadened somewhat. "But to be honest, I wouldn't worry about not having time. I mean...he works at a university now! What could possibly happen?"

"I think I'm happier not thinking about that sort of thing," Mana returned with a slight shudder.

Miles away from where Mana stood, beneath the Earth's surface within the private colony established by NERV that was known as the Geofront, Gendo Ikari worked in within the confines of his office.

The Commander of NERV was alone at the moment, dealing with certain issues and problems that were too important for him to be able to delegate to anyone else. Boring, tedious matters that were unfortunate thorns that came with the position of power he had worked so hard to secure for himself. But as distasteful as Gendo found such distractions to be, he still worked to see them down. For they were a small price to pay for the things that his power brought him.

For the ultimate goal he sought to achieve.

As Gendo continued to labor in the near darkness of what many called his lair, the minimal light shining in from the Geofront illuminating the Angelic glyphs that marked its various surface, the familiar ring of his phone sounded, immediately drawing his attention. For this phone was his secure line, a direct link for him to be contacted by in regards to situations or people that he could not afford for his secretary to intercept or eavesdrop.

Picking up the receiver and holding it to his ear, Gendo intoned, "This is Commander Ikari. Speak."

"Commander," came a deceptively mild voice. "I've got some good news."

Raising an eyebrow at this, Gendo asked, "What kind of...good news?"

"I've been monitoring one of you...former assets," the voice returned. "Do you remember Dr. Hiro Kirishima?"

The instant this name was mentioned, Gendo's interest was piqued. "What about him?"

"One of the people we had monitoring him has managed to get into his personal files. And was able to find something very special," the person on the other end explained, his voice becoming increasingly pleased and silky-smooth. "Heavily encrypted data files...conforming to Stark technology."

Stark. This name rang in Gendo's mind, causing him to flash back to memories of the time before Second Impact. To a man whose genius had created technological wonders that would have greatly advanced his own agendas, would have all but guaranteed certain victory against the Angels, if only they were under his control. "Has your operative been able to secure these files?"

"Unfortunately, no. Kirishima's security protocols are too tough to be breached. Not without alerting him unduly and giving him a chance to wipe out everything," the man on the other end of the line admitted. "However, we have been able to at least confirm the nature of information within the data files." A beat passed before the man added, "They're a perfect match to the data we have on Stark's arc reactor. And his greatest weapon."

At this, possibilities immediately began dancing in Gendo's mind, possibilities that he had thought long lost to him by the deviousness of the man who had given life to the technology that birthed them. "So...Kirishima has somehow secured Stark's legacy. And has been working to bring it back from the ashes of its creator."

"Certainly looks that way," the voice on the other end concurred. "Would you like me to handle this?"

"No," Gendo immediately returned. "Just send me whatever you have regarding Kirishima and the data you've obtained. I'll take care of the rest."

"Done," came the voice on the other end even as Gendo hung up. The paperwork on his desk forgotten in the wake of this revelation.

So, Kirishima...you have access to Stark's technology...and were able to keep it secret from me all this time... Gendo thought, caught between elation and anger. Elation that the power that he had sought years past might well be once again within his reach. And anger that he had been cheated of that power for far too long by someone who had once dwelled within these halls. You will pay dearly for keeping this from me...

With this in mind, Gendo once again picked up his phone and hit the quick dial button for one of his operatives. It wasn't long before the person in question picked up. "Chiron here."

"Captain Chiron, report to my office immediately," Gendo intoned in a deadly cold manner. "I have a special assignment for you..."

Author's Notes: Recently, I was contacted by Rei-Fan, who had been working on "Superwomen of Eva: The Truth Is...", that he/she (I don't know which) felt that he/she could no longer continue work on the story as it was.

As such, I have decided to take over Mana's adventures in this story, "Superwomen of Eva: Iron Resolve". I hope all of you enjoy it!

Omake 1

"I don't believe this..." Sid grumbled as she looked down at the prone form of Mana, the AI's systems unable to decipher how in blazes the younger Kirishima could sleep through so much without being in a coma.

"I've already dumped you out of bed and given you both barrels!" Sid muttered almost despairingly as she looked at Mana, who was curled up on the floor, sopping wet from having two barrels full of cold water being dumped on her. "Why won't you wake up?!"

Mana didn't respond, saving for curling up even more tightly on the floor and smacking her lips a few times.

"Mana, please wake up!" Sid pleaded her human friend. "I really don't want to have to go with the nukes!"

If Mana heard the AI's words, she gave no indication of it. She simply stayed curled up on the floor, sawing timber like there was no tomorrow.

"Oh, great...!" Sid moaned, knowing there was no way of getting out of it now. "Alright, fine! But just for the record, this is gonna hurt me more than it will you!"

With that, the AI sent the command that caused the walls of Mana's bedroom to slide open. Hidden beneath them were a set of massive woofers that were even now sliding into position for optimal deployment.

Once they were in place, Sid cast one final look at the sleeping girl. "This is your last chance, Mana!" the AI girl pleaded. "Don't make me do this!"

Mana's answer was to snore some more.

"Oh, damn...!" Sid moaned even as she deactivated her audio receptors throughout the house. "Alright...nukes it is...!"

An instant later, the massive woofers came to life, blasting the room with, "WHAT'S NEW, PUSSYCAT? WHOA, WHOA! WHAT'S NEW, PUSSYCAT? WHOA, WHOA!"

The instant this audio onslaught began, everything within Mana's room began shaking as if being subjected to a perfect ten on the Richter Scale. And that included Mana herself, who was jolted almost all the way up to the ceiling by the auditory assault. When she subsequently came crashing back down to the floor, she cried out something that Sid couldn't hear. So the AI girl promptly deactivated the monstrous woofers, restored her audio receptors, and said, "Please tell me you're awake now...!"

"Awake?! I'll be lucky if I'm ever able to sleep again after that!" Mana cried out in dismay. "Sid -!"

"Don't blame me, Mana! I already tried everything else to get you to wake up!" Sid assured her. "Believe me, the last thing I wanted was to go this far! You know I hate Tom Jones! It scrambles my circuitry! And all that vibration kills my uplinks!"

"And you think it did me any favors?!" Mana demanded even as she cleared her ears.

"Well...at least it gets rid of earwax for you," Sid noted, drawing an irate scowl from Mana. "Uh...I'm gonna shut up now."

"Good choice," Mana grumbled sourly.

Omake 2

"Okay, move it, people, move it!" Orion called out, his bullhorn magnifying his voice as he supervised the controlled chaos that was his production studio. "Misato, be careful with that arc reactor! One wrong move -!"

"I know, I know! A lot of equipment goes up in smoke," Misato returned, the gamma-powered woman looking a touch annoyed as she carried the massive generator.

"Ritsuko, Maya! How's the new wiring coming along?" Orion wondered somewhat impatiently.

"So far, so good!" Maya reported.

"But it would be going a lot smoother if you weren't looking over our shoulders all the time," Ritsuko noted in a snarky manner.

"Deal with it," Orion shot back impatiently. "Mari, Rei, how goes the reworking of those older sets?"

"Nearly done," Rei reported even as she used her board to reprocess the temporary sets. "These sets will now be suitable for full-time use, instead of just cameo appearances."

"Great. Just great," Orion nodded. "Shinji? We're gonna need some more stagehands and crew members to film this story! Any luck finding me some extra people?"

"Uh...some," Shinji returned as he looked through the directory of people with the needed skills. "I'm sorry, but...this is kind of short notice."

"I'm aware of that," Orion returned in a sardonic manner. "Just be sure to get me some qualified hands! And I'm definitely gonna need an extra script doctor while we're at it! Asuka -!"

"Don't even start with me!" Asuka shot back, flames spewing from her eyes as she scowled at the fanfic writer.

Orion was about to say something in response, but was interrupted when Mana remarked, "Wow...you're sure going to a lot of trouble over this..."

"Hey! If a job's worth doing, it's worth doing right!" Orion declared. "And since I'm taking over your SOE story, then you better believe that the job will be done right!"

A beat passed as Mana considered what to say to this. "But...are you sure you want to do this? I mean, you already have so much you need to do. Stories, pictures..."

"And I'm gonna do 'em! And they will get done!" Orion shot back before returning his attention to the people surrounding him. "Hikari, get to work on the filming schedule! I want everything ready to go as soon as we have the new filming crew in place! I want...!"

Watching as Orion marched towards the pigtailed girl, Mana shook her head slowly. "Does he ever take a break?"

"Not really," Ritsuko remarked in all good humor. "He is something of a workaholic."

"I think he just needs to get laid," Mari remarked with a wicked smirk.

"I heard that!" Orion shrilled unhappily. "Look, would somebody get me some aspirin! I swear I've got ten tons of script to bam out, and..."

"Correction; he definitely needs to get laid," Misato tittered even as she continued to haul the arc reactor around.