The following is a non-profit, fan work based off the respective works of Hideaki Anno and Guillermo del Toro
All rights belong to the original creators, Legend Pictures, LLC; and Gainax Company, Limited
The Bluefire Phoenix presents...
A Chapter of Evangelion 2: Blood is (not) Thicker…
Chapter II: Raging Hormones
"The Security Council has grown concerned about NERV's increasing secrecy. As such they have decided to open an investigation into the events that occurred on June sixteenth of this year in an effort to promote transparency."
-From an email by UN Inspector Ryoji Kaji to NERV Director Gendo Ikari, sent 6 September 2015
Somewhere in the depths of the GeoFront was a dark, damp chamber below even the most secret of vaults. The dim lighting flickered to life. Thirteen cylinders formed a circle around the center of the room. Several other doors led to other chambers.
Ritsuko walked through a thick door that began to mechanically close. Her every step ominously echoed around the chamber. Pipes dripped with condensation.
The metallic walls were covered in rust. Weird grime clung to the few cracks. A foul odor hung in the stagnant air.
Unused computer monitors lined the far wall. Other monitors were attached each cylinder. They read out information related to vitals.
Ritsuko stopped in the middle of the circle. She logged into her tablet computer. Gendo Ikari appeared on the catwalk above.
"What is the status of our spare?" The man asked.
"Six of them have survived the embryonic stage and I am starting the accelerated growth cycle today. They should be ready to receive programming in a week," Ritsuko reported. She swept a glance over the cylinders. "Do you still think we need one?"
"Shinji's attachment to our current model is starting to become a problem. Until we—"
Gendo's phone went off. He pulled it out of his pocket. His free hand adjusted his glasses. "I'm sorry but I have to prepare a briefing. Make sure to update the memory stores and send me your full report over our private network later." The man walked away. Ritsuko nodded and began to inspect the cylinders.
Shinji saw nothing but darkness closing in on. He could feel the void eating away at him. His heart tried to claw out of his chest.
Something creaked out in the distance. He took a deep breath and tried to still his mind. Nothing happened. The boy's breath became erratic.
He hit the button on his chest. A hatch above him popped open. Sweat light rushed into the cramped. Shinji rushed out and landed on all fours, gasping for air.
Marshal Pentecost stood over him. The officer offered his hand. Shinji grabbed it and felt his body rise up.
"Congratulations Shinji, you finally passed," Stacker said. Shinji raised an eyebrow.
"But I bailed, that's—that's an automatic fail," Shinji said. Stacker showed him a stopwatch. "But that's—"
"Two hours past the required time," Stacker finished. Shinji twitched. "It was your father's idea not to tell you."
"Of—of course it was," Shinji muttered. Stacker placed a hand on the boy's shoulder.
"It will be fine. Go take a shower and head over to the briefing room."
The rec-room was crowded beyond normal capacity. The off-duty staff surrounded a large mat. Auska Langley Sohryu laid out a fast brutal jab on a large man.
Her opponent staggered back. Auska followed up with a quick succession of crosses. Her gloved hands delivered each blow with a satisfying pop.
The girl's feet never stopped moving. She seemed to teleport from place to place. Her larger opponent couldn't match her lightning pace. His punches and kicks missed by a matter of millimeters and seconds.
Auska finally popped up and performed a devastating roundhouse kick to the man's jaw. He crumbled to the ground. The crowd went nuts as a medic and an assistant lifted him up.
The only person not interested in the result was Rei. She was trying to watch television. Her red eyes stared lifelessly at the current program.
Auska relished the victory. She exchanged high-fives and back slaps. Sweat ran down her tight fitting Under Armor tank top and short shorts. Her hair was tied in a damp bun.
She spotted Rei. "Hey doll!" she shouted. Rei blinked and slowly turned towards the red head. "Let's go a round!"
The blue haired girl rose up and stripped off her shirt. She threw it at a woman in the crowd, leaving her in shorts and a blue training bra. Rei took the mat.
Auska took a ready pose. Her feet started to pump up and down.
Rei smoothly started to move around Auska. Her feet barely left the surface.
The pilots started to circle each other. Auska started with a quick jab. Rei easily evaded with a turn of her shoulders. She had yet to raise her hands.
The blue haired girl continued to dodge Auska's attacks. Not so much as a drop of sweat formed on Rei's body. She skillfully evaded a powerful roundhouse kick aimed at her stomach by arching her back down, supporting her body with her arms.
She quickly returned to her feet. Auska unleashed a killer blow set for Rei's jaw. Rei raised a hand and deflected the strike. Her momentum started to carry her forward, setting Auska onto the back of her feet.
A whistle erupted from the entrance. The crowd fell silent and parted to allow Misato to get to the pilots. Rei and Auska immediately jumped away from each other.
"Get dressed you two; we've got work to do. The director has a briefing planed in thirty minutes," Misato barked. Auska brushed past Rei.
"This isn't over, doll," Auska growled in Rei's ear.
Rei followed Auska out after retrieving her shirt. The red head went to the Icebox while Misato and Rei proceeded to the briefing room.
Auska heard the water running inside the men's room. Her heart skipped a beat. She stopped and listened. A nearby vent caught her eye. The girl looked around.
The hallway was clear. She quietly ripped off the vent and shimmied into it. Her body stealthily moved up the shaft. This was easier back home. Seriously who builds ventilation ducts this small. She angrily thought.
She found a vantage spot and peered into the bathroom. Her eyes locked onto Shinji's developing body. Auska felt her body start to numb as she stared through the gate.
His nearly hairless frame was staring to exhibit muscles. They glistened with an oil-like shine under the stream of water. His brown hair was slicked back, emphasizing his divided face. The girl's eyes moved between each side. Her heart sank as said eyes moved past Shinji's torso and arms.
The young man had firm, lithe legs to be sure. But he was somewhat underdeveloped in a more important region. It wasn't enough to deter Auska's gaze, but still a bit of a disappointment.
Her heart skipped a beat or two every time Shinji ran his hand through his hair. Her eyes grew wider each time his body flexed to reach a new spot. A familiar feeling stirred between her legs. They started to rub together, amplifying the feeling.
A loud bang on the door brought Auska out of her trance.
"Ten minutes Shinji," Marshal Pentecost said. The boy turned off the water.
Crap. Auska thought. She started to work her way over to the women's bathroom. The vent was dispatched with a quick kick.
She jumped down, and carefully snuck over to her room in the Icebox. Her room was sparsely populated with items. The only out of place thing was a doll on her dresser. All her used cloths were neatly tucked away in a hamper. No speck of dust dares touch the anything in the room.
Auska quickly covered up her door. She stripped off her shirt and bra, and then put the discarded items in the hamper. Next she pulled down her shorts and panties. She kicked the extra damp clothing under her bed and got dressed.
The girl straightened out her fresh uniform and cleanup her hair. She bumped into Shinji on the way out. Their heads banged together hard.
"Watch where you're going idiot," Auska growled. She shoved him away and walked down to the briefing room.
Director Ikari was silently standing at the front of the room. Stacker and the Major were sitting over to the side talking. Rei was patiently waiting. Auska sat down and crossed her legs. Shinji quickly took a seat away from her and close to Rei.
The Director adjusted his glasses. The screen behind him filled with a picture of the Pacific Ocean. The Breach was marked with a purple dot.
"Thus far we have repelled the Nephilim that have come our way with acceptable civilian casualties. But NERV isn't here to just shield humanity, we are here to permanently stop the Nephilim from coming to our plant," the Director said. He turned to the major and nodded.
Misato pulled out three thick binders. She distributed them amongst the pilots.
"That's why the UN has approved Operation Final Abyss," Ikari said.
Auska flipped open her binder and started to read the plans. Her face filled with smugness, she looked up at the Director. "So this is why you've locked us up in tiny boxes all week," she pointed out.
"Correct. We needed to be sure you could bear the pressure of a worst case scenario."
"Will this even work?" Shinji asked. Rei continued to read what was in the binder.
"We are unsure what the final result will be. The Type-D equipment was designed with this kind of mission in mind, if that's your worried about," the director said. Shinji slumped down.
Rei raised her hand. "Where do you plan to get a fusion bomb?" she asked.
"The Americans are replacing the core of the Palo Alto Facility. They've agreed that we can have it," the director answered. "The plan itself is rather simple: the Evangelions will deploy on the ocean floor twenty clicks from the breech. From there Unit-01 will take the weaponized core to the Breach and throw it in. The gravitational effects of the bomb should destabilize it and force it to collapse. Unit-00 will provide cover with a specially designed rifle and Unit-02 will handle any Nephilim that get too close with the Progressive Knife."
The group dismissed after a training schedule was created. Only Stacker lingered.
"A Fusion core, even an old one, is worth billions of dollars. The Americans would never part with it for free. What did they ask for?" Stacker asked.
Gendo sighed. "I got an under the table deal with the Secretary of State. We get the core if the next pilot we select is from America," he admitted. Stacker blinked.
"That's impossible, there are no Americans on the Marduk Report," Stacker whispered. Gendo nodded.
"I know but they have a candidate and Unit-04 lined up. Once the unit is finished, they'll expect our announcement," he said.
"Do you think they had anything to do with this?" Stacker followed up.
"Please don't speculate. I'll handle the situation," Gendo growled.
A shadowy figure outside the room quietly took off.
Shinji and Rei were watching the maintenance crews work on NERV's conventional weaponry from a catwalk. Rei took a worried at her friend. The boy's expression was empty.
"What's wrong?" Rei asked.
Shinji shook his head. "Everything, it seems," he said. He leaned over the railing. "My body is one bad day away from a total breakdown, Auska still acts like she has it out for me, and my dad barely acknowledges my existence."
"Is that all?" Rei asked. Shinji half smiled at the question.
"All that I can handle at any rate," the boy admitted. The two continued to watch in silence.
Maybe—maybe I could help them both somehow. Rei pondered.
Auska sat on her cot. Her binder sat on the nightstand. Misato entered the room.
"What do you want?" the girl bitterly asked.
"Just wanted to talk. You've been having trouble sleeping," Misato said.
"So?" Auska spat.
"So, it's my job to make sure you are healthy. Is there anything you'd like to say?"
The girl kept quiet.
"I know how you feel. Alone, abandoned. That's what it felt like when my parents died. There was this man though; he did everything to see me happy. I didn't know him and he certainly didn't owe me anything. But he did it because he cares for me. You've never had someone who did that for you or anyone who feels that way about you," Misato said. Auska rolled her eyes.
"Is this the part where you tell me that if I soften up, you all will be the family I never had?" She sarcastically asked. The Major shook her head.
"I'm not asking you to accept us as your family. All I am asking is that you be a part of our team. So if you ever need anything just let me know," Misato said.
She left the girl alone. Auska picked up the doll on her dresser. The girl laid her back on the cot and raised the doll into the air. Their eyes met, Auska's glazing over.
What does she know? She's just like the others. All faux-smiles and false kindness.
But she really seems to care!
That's how they always are! Even Mama never cared; she'd have never left us with them if she did!
Mama did love us! She wrote those letters from Antarctica.
If she really loved us she would have never followed that stupid woman!
Something clanged out in the main room. Auska put the doll back and crept to the door. She peeked out from behind her curtain. Misato was desperately trying to keep a towel around her body as she picked up her dropped shower equipment.
Auska tried to pry away. But her eyes were locked tightly on the woman's generous endowment. The girl felt her lips slowly open and close. Misato finished getting her stuff and walked out to the bathroom.
That night, Ritsuko and Misato sat in a private booth in an upscale restaurant. It was surprisingly full. The patrons were bathed in the aroma of dozens of eastern spices. The main dining room was bathed in the light of dozens of peacefully lit lamps.
Ritsuko had most of her hair up in a tight bun. Misato wore her hair in a low ponytail. They each had on a pricy dress.
Their server picked up their salad plates and refilled Misato's water glass. Ritsuko fiddled with the bang that bordered the right side of her face. The major cocked her head.
"What's up Rits?" Misato asked. Ritsuko shrugged.
"I was just thinking about my hair."
"Your hair?" Misato skeptically asked.
"Yeah, I've been wondering if my mom was behind it. I mean this is natural, what's up with that?"
Misato crossed her arms and shook her head with her eyes closed. "No, you don't think about your hair. Something's eating you and it ain't your mom this time."
Ritsuko frowned. "It's Auska."
"Yeah, we've all had some growing pains with her."
"No, it's not that. Her blood work came back. She's starting to show signs similar to Shinji."
"But I thought LCL exposure only affected boys?"
The doctor took in a deep breath. "I wasn't sure how a normal girl would react," Ritsuko admitted.
Misato smirked. "So are you admitting that there is something abnormal about Rei?" She asked. Ritsuko glared at her friend a moment.
"Rei is sterile. She doesn't even have periods. Auska is a healthy fourteen year old girl. For now anyway."
Their server returned with their meal. Misato breathed in the sweet smell of her steak. Ritsuko had a sushi plate.
"Can we put her on a hormone treatment like Shinji?" Misato tentatively asked.
"I'm not sure. I just don't know anymore."
Misato raised her glass. "To the unknown," she toasted. Ritsuko brought her drink up. A weary smile emerged on her face.
"To the unknown."
To Be Continued...
A/N: Hello! We're back way sooner than expected. I say that only because I moved some stuff that was originally going in here over to chapter three. So I had to basically rewrite this chapter. And I have to say, I kind of like how it turned out. The primary focus on Auska was mostly unintentional. I just really liked the way it flowed (get your mind out of the gutter) together. When I was putting this chapter together I was concerned over whose sexual psyche we were going to look into and Auska won out. Mostly because Shinji and Misato's have been examined to death.
Voyeurism is an interesting fetish. It is really a power fantasy as much as it is a sexual one. Think about it, you are watching people literally in their most vulnerable position. Why do you think slashers in movies always end up around the promiscuous teenagers? I doubt it is because of their strong abstinence only policy. Because then they'd just beat them to death with a Bible (actually I'd love to see a movie like that). Back on track, with everything I've gathered on Auska I could easily see her spying on people to get off.
Also, Operation Final Abyss. I was playing a game of XCOM: Enemy Unknown the other day and I always love the generated mission names. So yeah, that is where the title came from.
One thing that I kind of regret about Today was that I never gave Rei a chance to show off her fighting skills. Fortunately I was able to build a scene to show both her and Auska's prowess. Oh and Auska has some mommy issues. I can see your shocked faces at that revelation.
In other news: for those interested in Operation Dusk Hour (check it out in on my profile page), the first chapter maybe up by the end of the month. No promises as this is my top priority right now. If you are currently following and/or have added this story to your favorites, send me a PM and I'll see about getting you a sneak peak.
As always feel free to leave a review or send me a question. See you guys later in "A Mother's Wish."
Until next time, we are counting on you commander (not you, Shepard)