Chapter 1 - Sparkling angel, I believe, You are my saviour, In my time of need
Arael remained in the cell for a long while. How long, she couldn't tell. Her watch had been taken away from her, as had all of her clothing and personal items. All she had was the hospital gown. Fortunately, this gown did have a back to it. A tube stuck in her arm lead off somewhere into the wall. What exactly it was pumping into her, she didn't know.
What she did know is she was unable to focus her AT-Field, nor use any of her other powers.
She'd struggled trying to free herself, but she was bound too tightly. She'd finally given up and sagged her head sadly.
'I want my Sentaro.' She thought.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Outside the cell Commander Ikari and Dr. Akagi watched her. Ikari took in the sight, the mighty angel restrained by chain and human science. He could not help but think about what Akagi had told him concerning this creature. That she was a clone of one of their adversaries, a future embodiment that had apparently gone on to have some form of life. He had many questions for her, but he knew in his mind she would not give him the answers he needed easily. Not only was he the enemy, but if she were from the future and intelligent enough to divine that on her own, she may fear revealing any information to include who she was. Gendo wasn't an expert on time, but he knew she would protect hers.
"What do you think the best course of action is in this case Doctor?"
"You're asking about how best to interrogate an Angel?" Akagi asked.
"Humor me," Ikari said.
"Well, assuming she's more developed emotionally then Ayanami I will say to simply ask. She may not speak with you at all if she knows who you are. The key would be finding someone she would speak with, even if in only bits and pieces. That may be the best way to get any information out of her," Akagi said.
"Point. We should assume that it knows everything about what will occur, to include whether our plans come to fruition. I will speak with it myself. I assume the medications have taken hold?"
"Yes sir."
"Good."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The cell door opened. Arael looked up to see two orderlies carrying a table in. They sat it down in front of her, then pulled in a chair. This was placed on the opposite side of the table. The orderlies then left. A moment later, Commander Ikari entered, followed by Dr. Akagi.
Arael's eyes twitched slightly as the Commander sat down across from her and assumed his 'infamous' position, interlacing his gloved fingers and setting his head on them in such a way his face was mostly hidden. Akagi hovered behind him with a clipboard.
"I am to understand that you are an Angel." The Commander said, "As well as from the future. Tell us the year you come from."
Arael remained silent.
The Commander frowned.
"Why are you here?"
More silence. Akagi seemed to be getting nervous. The Commander showed no emotion.
"Silence is pointless." The Commander stated, "You will tell us what we want to know."
Still Arael did not reply.
"Your life is in my hands." The Commander said, "I have the power to continue your existence, or end it."
Arael turned her head away, looking elsewhere in the room.
"You will look at me when I talk to you." The Commander ordered.
The Angel turned and stared the Commander right in the eye, speaking the first word anyone had heard from her.
"No." she replied, her voice just as cold and devoid of emotion as Rei's and the Commander's.
"Why?" The Commander asked.
The Angel simply turned her head.
"Very well." The Commander said, "We will continue this conversation again."
He got up and left, followed closely by Fuyutsuki and Akagi.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
More time passed. The lights in her cell never went off, thus she had to rely on guesses as to how long she'd been here. Several times Arael could see Akagi entered the outer room, checking on the various terminals. Occasionally, she'd come in and take a blood sample. The Commander also came several times, sometimes entering with Akagi, other times with Fuyutsuki. Each time, the Commander left extremely annoyed. Each time he left annoyed, Arael was left with a sore neck or a sore cheek where he'd hit her. Within a day or so, the bruises he'd left would be gone though.
Then it happened.
She could just make out the sounds of alarms from beyond her cell.
She could sense the presence of one her brothers, or at least an Angel of this world. She ran through her memory, trying to place the feeling with a name.
'Ireul' she thought, 'The Tenth.'
She continued feeling his presence, and then he was gone.
What seemed like a few hours later, a very tired Akagi entered the room outside her cell and sat down at a terminal. Arael went back through her memories, trying to remember how Ireul's attack had gone, and how he was defeated. She had no direct knowledge, only second hand information.
That would have to do.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ritsuko sighed and ran her hands through her hair. The latest Angel had come out of nowhere and attacked the Magi directly, in the middle of a sync test with the children. It had only been through luck and her mother's notes left inside the Magi that they'd been able to stop the attack. Unsurprisingly, the Commander had decided not to tell the committee that an attack had occurred.
Ritsuko looked over into the cell. The Angel was staring at her with those damned red eyes of hers. The first few times she'd seen the Angel, all she could see was Rei. The same emotionless look, the way the eyes seemed to look right into her. But after a while, she began to notice another look in those eyes.
The look of despair.
The newest look was one of defiance, directed mostly at the Commander during his questioning sessions. Ritsuko smiled as she thought of how the Angel pissed off the Commander. He even grumbled about it during sex.
Ritsuko looked over at the terminal. She needed to take another blood sample to make sure the drugs they were giving her were working correctly. She grabbed her chart and the items she'd need to take the sample and entered the cell.
Disinfecting the area on the Angel's arm, she stuck the needle in, causing the Angel to flinch, and proceeded to draw blood. She then turned to her chart.
"How long are you going to keep me?"
Ritsuko's head snapped up.
"What did you say?" Ritsuko asked, surprised.
"I asked when you were going to let me go." The Angel replied. Her voice still sounded like Rei's, but softer. Unlike Rei's though, this voice held emotion.
"That's not up to me." Ritsuko replied. Her eyes then narrowed. "Since you can talk, why don't you answer the Commander?"
"Because he's an asshole."
Ritsuko blinked and stared at the Angel. A moment later, Ritsuko was holding her chest as she laughed.
"I…..I….I assume you know all about him then." Ritsuko gasped between breaths.
"Of course Dr. Akagi."
Ritsuko stopped laughing.
"You know my name?" she asked, now very curious and wanting to keep the Angel talking.
The Angel nodded. "I know of you. As well as the Children, NERV, Major Katsuragi."
Ritsuko stared at the Angel in surprise.
"How far in the future are you from?" she asked.
The Angel shrugged.
"I can't answer that."
"Why not?"
"Because from my point of view, this has already happened." The Angel said, "Anything I say could and can affect my future."
"The Commander wasn't kidding about his threat." Ritsuko said, "He will kill you."
"If that is the way it must be." The Angel said sadly, "Then I accept my fate." She then bowed her head.
Ritsuko frowned. She took the blood sample and started to leave the room.
"He won't be lost." The Angel said.
Ritsuko looked back.
"What?"
"The Third Child." The Angel replied, looking back up. "Don't give up on him so easily."
Ritsuko's frown deepened as she closed the cell door behind her. She stopped at the terminal and placed the blood sample into it to run. She glanced back at the cell to see the Angel still staring at her.
The eyes seemed to follow her even as Ritsuko left the room.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Three days later.
Ritsuko stared at the report on the shadow that had swallowed Unit 01 and the Third Child. The Angel, number Twelve, had first appeared as a sphere in the sky. But that sphere wasn't the true Angel's form. Upon the Third Child firing upon it, the sphere had vanished. It had reappeared as a shadow beneath Unit 01 and proceeded to suck it in. Perhaps suck wasn't the word for it, but Ritsuko wasn't worried about being over scientific about it.
All they could do was reel in the power cable, which had disconnected itself from Unit 01.
The Commander, being the man he was, immediately ordered the recovery of Unit 01, the pilot being expendable.
Misato hadn't taken it very well. She took it even worse when she was told how they were going to get Unit 01 out, using every N2 mine in Japan.
Then the ground began to shake and sensor readings went crazy. Ritsuko and Misato watched in awe as Unit 01 ripped open the Angel from the inside, freeing itself. It let out a howl, before finally shutting down.
The Third Child had been recovered alive, but just barely.
'Don't give up on him so easily.'
Ritsuko sat back. The words the Angel had said now repeated over and over again in her head. She had known what was about to happen.
Ritsuko quickly stood up and left her office.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"You knew."
The Angel only smiled.
"Why didn't you just tell me?" Ritsuko demanded.
"How is he?" the Angel asked, ignoring the question.
"He's resting." Ritsuko replied, "He nearly died."
"Nearly." The Angel said, "But she saved him."
Ritsuko's eyes narrowed.
"She?"
"Unit 01. And the soul it houses."
Ritsuko's eyes widened.
"You mean…."
"Yes." The Angel replied, "She will protect her son."
Ritsuko rubbed the bridge of her nose. Few……very few people knew that Unit 01 had a previous pilot almost ten years before. That pilot had been absorbed during an activation test and was the event that had changed Gendo Ikari. For an Angel to know about it………..
"What happens now?" Ritsuko asked.
"You have to choose the Fourth Child do you not?" the Angel asked, "As well as the Fifth."
Ritsuko stared at the Angel.
"I have to go." She finally said. She headed towards the door.
"Akagi."
Ritsuko turned and looked back at the Angel.
"Please come again." The Angel said, "It gets lonely down here."
Ritsuko nodded, then left.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Commander's frown grew deeper as Ritsuko spoke to him regarding the Angel and what she had said.
"It knew the Third Child would be taken by the Angel?" he asked.
Ritsuko nodded. "That is what I assumed based off of the conversation I had with her before and after the attack."
"This is not going according to the scenario." Ikari murmured.
"Even SEELE couldn't have seen this coming." Fuyutsuki said, "Are you sure you don't want to tell them about her?"
"If it has knowledge regarding the attacks," Ikari said, "I intend for it to give us the information."
"She won't tell you anything." Ritsuko said, a slight smile gracing her lips.
"Why not?"
"Well," Ritsuko replied, "She doesn't like you."
"Wither I am likeable or not is irrelevant." Ikari snapped, "That it has information that can help my scenario is."
"But how will you get it?" Fuyutsuki asked, "She won't talk to you. And from Akagi has stated, she only gives hints about what is to happen."
Ikari sat silent for sometime.
"Send for the First Child." He finally said.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rei Ayanami walked down the corridor towards the Commander's Office. She had just reported that Ikari, the Third Child, had awakened. Almost within moments of doing that, she'd received the summons.
She stepped up to the Commander's door and knocked.
"Come in Rei." Came the Commander's voice.
She entered and walked across the expanse of the office to the desk. The Commander was sitting there with his head resting on his hands as usual. Vice-Commander Fuyutsuki was standing just behind him.
"How are you Rei?" the Commander asked.
"Fine sir."
"I have a task for you." The Commander began, "We have captured an Angel."
Rei's eyes widened slightly, but otherwise there was no other reaction.
"It has information that would benefit NERV. I want you to get it from her."
"Yes sir." Rei replied.
The Commander pushed a file across his desk to her.
"This is all the information we have on the Angel at this time."
Rei took the file.
"Dismissed."
Rei turned and headed out of the office.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arael was nearly drifting off to sleep when she felt her. It was only a faint glimmer at first, but it was growing stronger by the moment, even in her weakened state. She opened her eyes and looked out the window just in time to catch Rei Ikari……….Rei Ayanami she corrected herself, entering the room. The First Child continued to the cell door and entered. She then sat down in the chair across from Arael.
The two stared at each other for several minutes.
"He sent you didn't he?" Arael finally asked.
"Yes." Rei replied.
"Ordered you?"
Rei shifted.
Arael nodded. "So he did."
"The Commander believes you have information on the Angels." Rei stated.
"Perhaps I do."
"Why will you not answer him?" Rei asked.
"He does not deserve the answers." Arael replied.
"He is the Commander." Rei replied, "He is to be obeyed."
"Not by me." Arael replied.
Rei frowned.
"Why do you obey him?" Arael asked, "He has done nothing to earn your respect."
"He has given me a purpose."
"Eva."
"Yes."
"And what happens after Eva?"
Rei frowned in thought.
"My purpose will be at an end."
"Rei." Arael said softly, "Whatever purpose the Commander has for you, is wrong."
Rei stood up.
"You are an Angel." She stated, "What you believe is irrelevant. You will be destroyed."
"Resistance is futile." Arael replied. Seeing Rei's face, she sighed. "Sorry, I had to say it."
Rei turned and started to walk away.
"What about Shinji?" Arael asked.
Rei paused at the doorway.
"Ikari?"
"If you proceed with his scenario, you can't protect him."
"I will protect him." Rei said.
"Because you were ordered to."
"No," Rei replied, "Because I want to."
"Why?"
Rei turned and sat back down.
"He risked injury to save me." She replied, "He…..cried when he saw I was safe."
"He cares for you." Arael said.
A puzzled look appeared on Rei's face.
"He should not have placed himself in jeopardy." Rei replied, "He is not replaceable. But I can be replaced."
"No." Arael stated, "You can't."
"But….."
Arael looked firmly into Rei's eyes.
"You can't."
Rei was quiet for a moment.
"Ikari told me the same once." She said softly.
"Believe him." Arael said, "He cares for you and you care for him."
Rei looked at Arael curiously.
"You know Ikari?"
"Yes." Arael replied.
Rei was silent for several minutes. Arael broke the silence.
"We're alike you and I."
"Alike?"
"We both served uncaring individuals who sent us into battle, not caring if we survived or not."
Rei shifted in her chair.
"I was like you once." Arael said, seeing the effect her words were having on Rei. "Unsure of my emotions, how to interact with others. Shinji, even Asuka helped me. They can help you too."
Rei frowned again.
"I do not care for Pilot Sohryu."
"She is complex." Arael said, smiling slightly. "Perhaps it'd be best you ask Shinji."
Rei nodded.
"What should I do now?" she asked, "The Commander expects a report."
"Tell him……" Arael thought a moment, "Tell him the truth. I talked with you….but revealed nothing."
Rei frowned.
"He will not like that."
"No," Arael said with a chuckle, "I expect he won't."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A day later
Kaji Ryoji whistled as he typed away at the terminal in a little used office deep in the NERV facility. He'd discovered it almost by accident while he'd been exploring and found that the area it was located in had few security cameras. It had only taken him a bit of effort to move a Computer terminal into the office as well as run a line into the MAGI. With this and his little computer chip, he had access to everything in the Magi, including those things that should remain hidden.
Including the fact that the NERV Second Branch had vanished.
Now he saw that Unit 03 was coming to Japan, the US Government having had its fill of Evangelions. Dr. Akagi had already been given the task of selecting the Fourth Child. It would only be a matter of time before Kaji knew his identity.
It was while searching through Akagi's files, he found a project he'd never heard of, Special Project 11. From the file's date, the Project had begun just after the Tenth Angel's attack. He selected the project and began to review its contents.
"Well hello." He murmured.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shinji looked up from where he was working on dinner as the front door buzzed. A quick glance showed that his roommates weren't in that big of a hurry to answer it. Asuka was flipping through the channels, muttering about the lack of good programs. Misato was sitting at the kitchen table, downing a few beers as she typed on her laptop.
The door buzzed again.
With a sigh, Shinji went and answered it. He blinked at the person the door revealed.
"Ayanami?"
"Ikari." Rei replied. Her voice was softer then normal.
"What brings you here?" Shinji asked.
"I do not know." Rei replied, frowning slightly. "I was told…… I……" She took a deep breath, then looked Shinji in the eyes. "I wish your assistance."
Shinji blinked.
"My assistance?" he asked.
Rei nodded.
"Doing what?"
Rei hesitated for a moment.
"I…..wish to understand…..certain feelings." She said.
"Ahhh….shouldn't you be asking Dr. Akagi?" Shinji asked nervously. The last thing he really wanted to do was to discuss feelings with Rei while Misato and Asuka were around.
"Please?" Rei asked, her head bowed slightly, "You are the only one who I believe can help."
Shinji scratched his head and glanced nervously back into the apartment. Rei was one of the few people he could call a friend in Tokyo-3. And for some reason, he just couldn't say no to her.
"Come in." He said finally.
Rei looked up and gave him one of her rare smiles.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ritsuko sat at the bar, rubbing her forehead.
Her problems seemed to be increasing. Unit 03 was expected in a few days. She'd had to blackmail the Fourth Child by using his sister's ever increasing medical needs. Misato had found out who the Fourth Child was. The Commander wanted the Dummy Plug online by the time of Unit 03's activation test. He was also becoming more and more irritated by the lack of progress in regards to Special Project 11.
Ritsuko sighed. The Angel was causing her a lot of sleepless nights now. They'd had her for a month now, and still knew nothing. Oh they had her DNA, her blood, and her vitals. The Angel would talk to her, but keep silent whenever the Commander was present. The talks though revealed almost nothing.
'I don't even know her name." Ritsuko thought to herself.
The Angel had only tried to free herself her first time waking up. Since then she'd remained virtually still. Recordings while taken when left alone showed that the Angel did sleep, though she seemed to be plagued by nightmares. What those nightmares were one could only guess. Only twice did she speak in her sleep, and that was to beg forgiveness from someone named Sayoko. The second time, she called out the name Sentaro.
Any attempt by Ritsuko to ask about the dreams was met by silence. The Angel refused to speak of them, but tears from her eyes told Ritsuko that they were people of importance to the Angel.
All these things were beginning to affect Ritsuko personally. She'd been referring to the Angel as a 'she' even as Commander Ikari referred to her as an 'it'. She truly began to feel sympathy for the Angel.
"Well hello Rit-chan."
Ritsuko looked up as Kaji sat down beside her.
"Kaji." She said in greeting, "Shouldn't you be chasing the Major?"
"Ahh, but Misa-chan is at home." Kaji said, "And so is Asuka."
"Ah," Ritsuko replied, "Avoiding the Second Child are you? Some spy you are."
Kaji blinked.
"You're not that good." Ritsuko said, "Especially when it comes to computers." She enjoyed the look on Kaji's face as he paled.
"Don't worry," she said, "The Commanders don't know."
"And what do I owe you for keeping this from them?" Kaji asked, his face very serious.
"I'll think of something." Ritsuko replied, "Now you didn't just come here to avoid Misato."
"What makes you think that?"
"Because there are a lot of bars closer to your apartment then this one." Ritsuko stated, "Now spill."
"I know about your friend." Kaji said.
"My friend?"
"The special one. The one helping you with that project." Kaji replied, "Eleven I believe."
Ritsuko's eyes narrowed.
"How did you find out? That file is under the highest security."
"Perhaps I'm better at computers then you thought." Kaji replied with a smirk.
Ritsuko sighed. "What do you want to know?"
"What has she said?"
"Of importance? Nothing." Ritsuko sipped her drink, "She gave vague hints regarding the Twelfth and the Thirteenth."
Kaji frowned, "I didn't know the Thirteenth had attacked."
"It hasn't. But she feels it's coming soon."
"What does the Commander think?"
Ritsuko chuckled. "He's pissed. She's only talked to myself and Rei. And she referred to the Commander as an asshole."
Kaji smiled. "I think I like her already. Any way I could meet her?"
"It's dangerous." Ritsuko said, "Libel to get you shot. Me as well."
"Ah, but then who will Ikari get to talk to 'her'?" Kaji replied, "Besides, this is all mute if we get killed in the next Angel attack."
Ritsuko started rubbing her forehead again.
"Why do I get the feeling I'm going to regret this?"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A day later, Kaji was being led down a corridor by Ritsuko.
"All the security cameras are in a loop back mode." She explained as she approached a door. "All they will show are blank hallways.
Kaji nodded as the Doctor ran her card through the slot.
"Who has access to her?" he asked as they entered the second hall.
"Myself, both Commanders," She paused before the last door, "and Rei."
The two entered the outer room. There beyond the glass Kaji could finally see the Angel. Her head was flopped off to the side, her grey hair covering her face. He could also clearly see her restraints.
"She's been restrained the entire time?" Kaji asked, his voice barely a whisper.
"The Commander's orders." Ritsuko replied, "He doesn't want her to get loose."
"What about her AT-Field?"
"Blocked by a special cocktail and fed intravenously. Again, the Commander's orders."
Ritsuko led Kaji to the cell door and opened it. At the sound of the door, the Angel lifted her head.
"Kaji," she said, nodding her head, "How nice of you to come by. Please excuse me for not getting up to greet you, but I seemed to be tied up at the moment."
Kaji turned and looked at Ritsuko who had a faint smile on her face. He then turned back to the Angel.
"So you know who I am?" he asked.
"Of course." The Angel replied.
"Don't suppose you could tell me how we met?"
"Sadly no."
Kaji looked around the room.
"Not much to do in here."
"Oh but there is!" the Angel said, "Since I've been here I've composed a symphony, created several major literary works, solved several theoretical physics theorems, and found the exact angle to achieve excellent harmonics in this room."
Kaji blinked.
"You're bored out of your mind, aren't you." Ritsuko asked.
"Yes." The Angel replied, "I don't suppose you could inform the Commander that I find my accommodations…..lacking?"
"I could." Ritsuko replied, "But I don't think that would help."
"I didn't either." The Angel said, sighing. "What can I do for you today?"
"Ritsuko told me about you." Kaji explained, "that you are from the future."
"I am."
"I don't suppose you could tell us about it?"
"No."
"Oh come now," Kaji said, smiling, "Surely you couldn't just share a bit of information to us. I'm sure you're just bursting wanting to tell someone."
The Angel's eyes narrowed.
"The lady killer smile doesn't work on me Kaji." The Angel stated.
"Oh." Kaji frowned.
"You know." Ritsuko said, moving forward. "We've been talking all this time. You know my name. You even know Kaji's. But we don't know yours."
The Angel looked down at the floor.
Ritsuko moved in front of the Angel's chair and knelt down. She looked up into her face.
"Please tell us that." Ritsuko said softly, "It'll be better then referring to you as 'hey you'."
The Angel sighed.
"Arael."
Ritsuko stood up quickly and stared at the Angel, her eyes wide.
"Arael?" Kaji repeated, scratching his unshaven chin.
"The expected Fifteenth." Ritsuko murmured.
Arael looked down at the floor.
"Yes." She whispered.
"She's the Fifteenth Angel?" Kaji asked, pointing.
"The Dead Sea Scrolls list the Angels that will attack and their order." Ritsuko explained, "It also tells of certain prophetic events, but those need interpretation."
"Where did you….." Kaji began to ask.
"Commander Ikari has his own copies." Ritsuko said, "Copies directly from the texts that the Committee uses." Ritsuko looked back at the Angel. "So you're the one that does us in?"
Arael shook her head.
"No."
Ritsuko glanced at Kaji, then back to the Angel.
"Then you were defeated." Ritsuko asked.
"Yes." Arael whispered, "But…..not before………" Her voice trailed off.
"Before?" Kaji asked.
Arael lifted her head and stared at Kaji. He was shocked to see tears rolling down the Angel's cheeks.
"Of all the attacks," the Angel said, "Mine………was the worst. I………." She closed her eyes and sagged her head. "I was defeated by Unit 04."
Ritsuko and Kaji frowned.
"Unit 04 is gone." Kaji said.
Arael's head snapped up.
"What?"
"Unit 04 and the Second Branch vanished," Ritsuko explained, "during the activation test of Unit 04's S2 engine."
"But…….but…….I faced……" Arael murmured, looking away. "How………?"
"Unit 03 will arrive in a few days for its activation test." Ritsuko said, "We expect to have the Fourth Child by then."
The Angel's head snapped around when Ritsuko mentioned the Fourth Child.
"Touji Suzuhara?" she asked.
Ritsuko blinked while Kaji turned and stared at Ritsuko wide eyed.
"How did you….well…yes." she finally said.
"And the Fifth?"
"We have no need for a Fifth at this time." Ritsuko said.
Arael closed her eyes and nodded. She then turned and looked at Kaji.
"Can you do me a favor Kaji?" she asked.
"Within reason." Kaji replied.
"Talk to Shinji." Arael said, "When Bardiel comes, Shinji will be the only one who can stop him."
"The Thirteenth?" Ritsuko asked. Arael nodded.
"How is Shinji the only one to stop him?" Kaji asked, "He doesn't even like to pilot."
"Shinji must stop Bardiel." Arael repeated, "Tell him….. tell him if he doesn't……. his friends will die."
Kaji ran his hands through his hair.
"That's a hellova thing to tell a kid." He muttered.
"It is." Arael said, her voice filled with deep sadness, "But he and the others stopped being children long ago."
"Why me?" Kaji asked.
"Because," Arael replied, "you are the Father the Commander could never be to him."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ritsuko and Kaji walked silently back up from the depths of NERV. Ritsuko glanced over at her companion several times. Each time, she saw that he was deep in thought.
"I've never seen you thinking this hard Kaji." Ritsuko said with a slight grin, "Not even when we were in school."
Kaji stopped and looked back down the way they had come.
"You know what first came to my mind when she asked for a favor?" he asked.
"What?"
"To be freed." He turned and faced Ritsuko. "Instead, she tells me I'm Shinji's father figure and that I'm the one to tell him to fight."
"You are the only male role model in his life to look up to." Ritsuko pointed out.
"Never mention that to Misato." Kaji stated, "She'll flip." He then looked back down the hallway.
"You feel sorry for her too, don't you?"
Kaji turned and looked back at Ritsuko in surprise. The Doctor was looking off down the hall as well.
"I've seen her almost everyday for two months." Ritsuko said, "Only once did she ask when she would be freed. Since then, she's simply talked to me." She looked at Kaji. "I don't think she has the information the Commander seeks."
Kaji nodded. "She was surprised by Unit 04 being gone."
Ritsuko held her chin for a moment.
"Suppose," she said slowly, "That she is from the future, but an alternative one. While certain events remain true in both timelines, there are…..variances."
"Unit 04 was not destroyed." Kaji said, understanding, "It was brought here with Unit 03."
"And a Fifth Child was chosen to pilot it." Ritsuko added.
Kaji frowned. "She said she was defeated."
"But she's also a clone."
"She does seem to know a lot about us." Kaji said, "How?"
"I don't know." Ritsuko answered, "And I doubt we'll find out while she's in there."
The two resumed walking.
"Call me crazy." Kaji said, "But I'm actually considering trying to free her."
"You've always been crazy." Ritsuko replied, "And I was thinking the same thing."
Kaji smiled.
"The Commander isn't going to like this."
Ritsuko smiled back.
"I don't plan on telling him."
"Good. I wasn't planning on it either."
