Wednesday
There's a blur and flash of blue, and Kaworu screams, running and jumping out the window. Rubbing the bridge of her nose, Hikari wonders first, how long this insanity is going to last, and second, if Kaworu's all right after jumping out the second floor window. She has to talk with Masaki, especially about the ideas her quite frankly insane sister is putting in her young, impressionable, blue-haired head.
Well, she will. After she gets over last night.
"You look like crap."
Hikari starts, turning as Asuka walks in, crutch gone but limping slightly. Hikari mutters under her breath, leaning on her desk. Just seeing her here this early sets off a small alarm, but she pushes it aside.
"Don't tell me," Asuka says, "Misato cooked?"
"No, no," she says, "No, it wasn't that. It was…well…"
She taps her fingers on her desk, gritting her teeth.
"It wasn't that bad," Asuka says, "It can't be. Sure, Misato's something of a drunken hussy, but-"
"No, no. Nonono. She was fine," Hikari responds, "The problem was she wasn't the only one."
Asuka stares at her best friend of five years for a long, silent minute. Slowly, her jaw parts, hanging open as the intent and knowledge Hikari has imparted on her sinks in.
"NO. You're s___ing me!"
**
**
The previous night.
Misato Katsuragi sits at the head of the table, her plate filled with still steaming food made by the assigned 'couple.' Normally she would be thankful for an arrangement like this. Good food, good company, good beer.
On one side of the table, Shinji Ikari and Hikari Horaki sit with their plates. The entire situation is not exactly unexpected. In fact, at some level, they expected this to happen. They just never considered it likely.
At the other side of the table, Gendo Ikari sits, elbows up and hands forming a bridge under his nose. His face is, as always, unreadable.
"Let's begin."
**
**
"Oh. My. God," Asuka says, "He just showed up?"
"Yes," Hikari says, "It's your fault."
"My fault?"
"Your father asked him to come."
"It was my belief that him attending as a parent would improve the working relationship between Shinji and Doctor Ikari."
Rei smiles, faintly, as they both turn to her. Narrowing her eyes, she turns to her side.
"I am warm."
Kensuke waves the large fan faster, not responding in any verbal sense. She walks past them, Ken following on her heels.
"That's…not right," Asuka says.
"I don't know," Hikari responds, "I've known him since third grade. We always imagined his first girlfriend would be like this."
She mutters something under her breath, turning back to Asuka.
"You didn't do any more Angel hunting, last night?"
"Nah," Asuka responds with a shrug, "Dad was working late, so we met up with Mom at his office. He knows Touji anyway, so it wasn't too awkward or anything. He had to have me do a practice test with that weapon the two mad scientists built for my Unit 02."
**
**
There was a hill in front of them a moment ago. There really was. Now there is a mount of rubble and smoke and soil, spread out over a quarter mile area, as the red and green Eva rises and powers down the massive, double bladed chainsaw.
In the shielded bunker overlooking, Touji unconsciously moves to cover his crotch.
"Shinji got her flowers after the last time she used it," Commander Sohryu says.
**
**
"Well, it was still better than last night," Hikari says, "I swear, it looked like Shinji was going to die. He wasn't…he wasn't rude or insulting. He's just…distant? Is that the right word?"
"There's an office pool at NERV on what Dr. Ikari actually is," Asuka responds, "Current front runners are Satan, a Vampire, and a flock of ducks in a Gendo suit. Please tell me that being distant was the worst thing he did."
**
**
The previous night.
"My father never gave me these talks, and I would have benefitted from them if he did. I believe we need to talk. About women."
Standing off in the living room, watching, Misato takes another swing of her beer. Hikari finds herself tempted to grab it out of her hand and drink it herself.
**
**
"He…gave him the Birds and the Bees talk."
Asuka rubs the bridge of her nose, trying to visualize the scene and failing. Miserably. Groaning, she sits on the desk as the rest of the students file in.
"He gave Shinji the sex talk, in front of you and Katsuragi," she repeats, "Oh God. That's why he's not here, isn't it? He's not here because he's swinging from the light fixture in his bedroom."
Hikari's face turns red, and she shakes her head, folding her arms.
"Actually, Doctor Ikari did mention that today was the 'anniversary.' Do you know what he meant by that?"
Sighing, Asuka nods. Cursing under her breath, she wraps her arms around herself, looking away.
"Yeah. Yeah, I do. Today's the day Shinji's mother died."
**
**
The graveyard goes on for miles. It isn't a graveyard per se, but a memorial. A grassy field going on the horizon, marked by thousands of small white crosses. The only eye witness of the Second Impact reported a great white cross in the sky over Antarctica when it happened, and even though the true details are kept from the public, it was decided that this would be the appropriate homage.
Where a great cross of fire nearly ended Man, billions of white crosses would remember them.
Two people stand in front of one of these crosses, one marked with a single name.
IKARI YUI
No dates are given, nothing else written upon it. It is meticulously cleaned, gleaming white.
"It has been three years since we were here," Gendo says, "It did not end well."
Next to him, slightly in front of him, Shinji nods.
"I said things I shouldn't have," he responds, "Mother's not buried here, is she?"
"No. Nothing of her remains. Even this grave is an artifice."
He turns, slightly.
"Is that why you destroyed all the pictures of her?"
"Everything of Yui that I need is stored within here," Gendo says, tapping his forehead, "Everything else is a distraction."
Shinji nods, turning back to the grave.
"I can't remember her face," he says, "I know about Rei, but..."
"Rei is no more a copy of Yui than you are," Gendo responds, "Even if the intent was different in her creation, neither of you will ever be an exact copy."
"What was she created for?"
"An abandoned dream."
Shinji turns, a question on his lips. Gendo raises a gloved hand, silencing him.
"One of the reasons I was passed over for the post of Commander was my treatment of you," he says, "I can not change the past. I can not bring her back. Ask yourself, would you be happier living with me? Knowing that I stay for days at my office? I would not bring others into my home like Katsuragi did, nor would I provide a home like she has."
"I…no. No, I think I'd be miserable. Just like with my uncle."
Gendo's face is impassive, silent. He stares at the grave for a moment longer, and turns on his heel.
"Our time is up."
He begins to walk away, hands clasped behind him.
"And Shinji?"
Shinji turns.
"You are a better cook than your mother was."
Gendo disappears into the waiting VTOL, and off into the sky.
**
**
"The third night's assignment is balancing a budget," Hikari says, sitting at the coffee table in Katsuragi's apartment across from Shinji, "So, since we're both teenagers, we're assuming that we're using an allowance."
Shinji nods, reaching into his book bag and taking out a folder.
"What's that?" she asks.
"It's my tax forms," he responds, "We get paid."
Hikari stares at him, narrowing her eyes.
"We do?"
"Yeah. Since we're Eva pilots, we qualify for compensation," Shinji responds, "Technically, Misato was supposed to tell us. But, with me I sort of got drafted against the Third Angel, and…well, I don't think she has an excuse with you."
Sitting at the kitchen counter, Misato glowers at them both.
"Okay, we can factor that in," Hikari sighs, "What's our salary?"
He hands her the folder. She opens it, and stares. And stares. Her eyes slowly go wide as she reads off the number, mouthing it before closing it and turning to Shinji.
"This…this is more than my father makes," she says.
"Yeah."
"This is twice what my father makes."
He shrugs.
"They have a lot of resources."
"Technically it's so your families are compensated if an Angel eats you," Misato says, leaning back on her chair, tipping it back, "But really, if you get killed, that means the Angel's gonna cause Third Impact anyway and-F___!"
They both look up as the chair, and Misato, and her beer, crash to the kitchen floor.
**
**
Thursday
A finger taps on his shoulder, and he turns, screaming. Kaworu narrows his eyes and glares at Shinji, before cautiously walking out of the apartment with him.
"Are you alright," Shinji asks.
"No," Kaworu growls. It isn't the anger behind it, but the very fact that Kaworu is perturbed that catches Shinji off guard. He's never seen his room mate so much as frown before.
"Kaworu-kun!"
Kaworu shudders and spins, as Touji nearly falls off the railing from laughing. Kaworu shoots him a dirty look, muttering as they walk down the street towards the school.
"Why aren't you with Asuka?" Shinji asks.
"Red Sonja said wanted to sleep in. I wanted to come along to make sure you weren't doing anything untoward with your 'wife'."
"I'm impressed," Kaworu says.
"That I'm so concerned?"
"That you used 'untoward' in the correct context."
"Kaworu-kun."
"Touji, stop that."
They halt, turning to him.
"That…that wasn't me," he says.
They turn. A familiar girl begins walking towards them, in slow measured steps. An expectant smile on her face, quite unlike her normal demeanor.
"Rei?" Shinji asks.
"Odd," Kaworu says, narrowing his eyes, "Where's Kensuke?"
"Dragging behind with her bags, probably," Touji says, and pauses, "Wait…is that…"
**
**
Ritsuko Akagi walks into the Commander's office to find him on the phone, furiously tapping his desk as he apparently attempts to listen.
"Maya," he says, "Maya…no, no. Calm down. Calm down and tell me what happened."
He places his hand over the receiver, gesturing Ritsuko forward.
"It's Maya. She's hysterical and won't tell me what's wrong. You talk to her."
Ritsuko shrugs, taking the phone as she sits on the desk.
"Maya, slow down and explain everything to me," she says.
She listens. As she does, her face begins to turn more and more pale, eyes slowly widening as the horror of the situation slowly dawns on her. She grabs the phone, holding it in front of her, her mouth trembling in terror.
"You WHAT?!"
**
**
As the other figures approach, Shinji's eyes go wide. Touji begins counting off his hands, as Kaworu turns more pale than before.
"Five…ten…"
It is no longer Rei approaching them.
"Thirty…thirty five…"
Instead, it is plural. Now they are being approached by Reis. Touji loses count soon enough, and Kaworu shrinks back, noticing the gaze at which the many, many First Children are eyeing him with.
The same gaze which Touji regularly eyes their guardian.
"Run," Shinji snaps.
**
**
"What do you mean, the Dummy Plug Cores got out?"
"A computer glitch leftover from Iruel," Ritsuko says, as she and Pieter walk down the hallway, deliberately slow and measured as to not cause a panic, "It's a batch of twelve of them that Mother was experimenting with."
"Anything special about them," he asks.
"Yes…they can undergo mitosis."
Pieter stops, staring at her. His eyes go wide, as he slowly, meticulously, takes apart the implication of what the word means.
"Oh dear God," he says, "They can make more?"
"Temporarily. Then they are reabsorbed. Each one has an upper limit of twelve copies they can create."
Pieter palms his face and continues walking, taking out his phone.
"This is the Commander," he says, "I want Section 2 to pick up any person resembling the First Child."
**
**
Two Section 2 agents lean against the side of their nondescript black van, having decided to take a cigarette break while musing over the orders just handed down to them.
"How many albinos are there in Tokyo-3 anyway," the first one says, "I mean, it's not like Ayanami runs away in the first place. Really, none of them do."
"We had an office pool on Ikari," the second says, "Then he starts making goo goo eyes at the Second, and that's that."
"Though she does try to trick us. And we have to keep her from killing Horaki's friends every now and then."
"Tell me about it. For the Commander's daughter, she can be a pain in the ass."
The two lean back, taking long drags of their cigarettes while watching the Tokyo-3 street through the cement and metal arch.
The first one to run by is Touji. As an athlete, he has the best stamina and overall running speed.
The second is Shinji. Considering his strong flight reflect, it is not surprising, as despite is scrawny appearance keeps in good shape.
Right behind them is Kaworu. Living in Germany and in striking distance of both Asuka and Mari have taught him that running is a skill he needs.
Right on their tails are the Reis, like a wave of white and blue and school uniforms, destroying everything in their path. One hundred and forty four Rei Ayanamis in all, taking a good second and a half to pass.
As the wave passes, two cigarettes drop to the floor as the two agents watch in dumb horror. After a moment, one of them finds his voice.
"Yeah, that order's starting to make sense, now."
**
**
"The problem is, they have Rei's complete memories, but without the experience of Rei, they lack emotional control," Ritsuko says, walking quickly with Pieter as they both exit the Geofront, "So that means they're going to take an almost primitive reaction."
Pieter stops, ticks off his fingers, and nods.
"They're going after Nagisa."
"That's my best guess," she says, "Considering that he's forefront on her mind due to their relationship."
Pieter nods, grunting.
"It won't end well if they get their hands on him, will it?"
"Emotional control versus emotional response. Primal instinct. They'll show Nagisa their affection for him."
She shudders.
"In a prison sort of way."
**
**
Arms pumping and legs burning, and running as if the Wolves of Hell are behind him, Kaworu can FEEL the hungry red eyes behind him, like the laser pointers of two hundred and eighty eight sniper rifles.
Skidding to a stop, he ducks into an alleyway, Shinji and Touji running past. And not a single Rei behind them.
"Oh no," he whispers.
He turns, as from the apartment buildings he is between the Reis begin to fall. Landing with grace on their two feet, they rise like a line of dominoes in reverse, smiling at him in a way that for normal girls would be flirty.
For him, in this situation, it is simply terrifying.
"Oh dear," he says.
**
**
After a few moments of struggle, gripping the sidewalk like a cliff side above a terminal drop, Kaworu drags himself out of the alley. Hungry, clawing hands grab at his pants and back, ripping off part of his shirt before he throws himself to the concrete.
Rolling with the impact, he takes off in a sprint, towards the one place he hopes he can find sanctuary.
The domed Tokyo-3 convention center.
**
**
Taking the steps two and three at a time, Shinji and Touji run down the escalator to the Geofront. Pushing people aside, Shinji yells out apologies, clearing the last step and running full tilt towards the great pyramid of NERV-1.
"Where are we going?!" Touji yells.
"I have an idea!"
**
**
"The Fourth Child was reported as heading towards the convention center," Ritsuko says, as she and Pieter walk out of the elevator, walking through the lobby of the domed building, "Maya will meet us. If we can coral Nagisa, we can use him as bait to attract the Reis."
Pieter mutters greetings, as men in expensive suits try to get his attention.
"Ah, crap," he mutters, "This is the UN budgetary meeting, isn't it?"
"You should make an appearance."
"I should. And show off my daughter's new chainsaw."
Weaving through back hallway, they end up on the stage of a massive lecture hall, half-filled with men of many nationalities. Conversation stops as Pieter and Ritsuko end up on the stage, Pieter rubbing the bridge of his nose as questions are asked, and-
The door slams open. Slamming the door shut, Kaworu presses his back against it.
"Kaworu," Pieter shouts, "Are you alright?"
"So…many…Reis," he breathes.
A pale fist punches through the hardwood door, feeling around the door before settling on Kaworu's face and squeezing his cheek.
"Kaworu-kun…"
Nagisa screams, pulling away and grabbing a nearby table, slamming it against the door to block it.
"Right," Pieter says, "Gentlemen, if you'd all approach the stage…"
Undeterred, more pale fists burst through the door, as Kaworu stumbles down the stairs, looking in abject horror. Members of the audience start asking loudly what exactly is going on, as Maya steps out from back stage to join her mentor and the Commander.
"Yeah, this isn't ending well," Pieter says.
With a whine, the door explodes, the Reis almost oozing into the room as dignitaries begin screaming. As one, they turn, seeing the target of their affections, moving as one towards him.
For someone about to be ganged upon by 144 half-angel clones, he is holding up surprisingly well.
They pause, sniffing the air, sensing a new presence. Something beneath them roars. The wood shudders and the floor splits, the part the Reis are standing on rising, dipping down as they begin sliding.
And horn first, the massive visage of Unit 01 rises. The Great Rei Army shrieks as the Eva opens its jaw and they slide en masse into its mouth.
With an affirmative, satisfied burp, it closes its jaw and descends.
"That was ironically beautiful," Maya says, and quickly withers under Pieter's gaze, "Sorry."
Ritsuko sighs, walking over to the podium. She gestures to Maya, and she takes out of her pocket a pair of sunglasses, handing another pair to Pieter as she puts them on. Ritsuko puts on a pair of her own, clearing her throat as she takes a silver metal rod out of her pocket.
"Ladies and gentlemen, your attention please."
The guests, still shaken, turn to her. The rod extends, a red light at the tip emitting a whine before flashing. Dumbstruck, they stare as Ritsuko closes the device and places it back into her pocket.
"Ladies and gentlemen," she says as she closes her sunglasses, "What you saw was not 144 clones of the First Child being eaten by Evangelion Unit 01. Instead, what you witnessed was a gas main explosion, and we're all lucky to be alive. Please exit and resume this meeting in the next available lecture hall."
The guests silently walk out the doors, as Kaworu finally collapses onto his seat.
"Right," Maya says, "I'll prep the stomach pump for Unit 01."
**
**
Friday
"Miss Ayanami, am I to understand that you have given your assigned spouse Stockholm Syndrome?"
Standing in front of the teacher, Rei inclines her head and nods. Next to her, Kensuke Aida stares at him with empty, lifeless eyes. A week of psychological torment and torture, despite not a single mark on his body, has left him a broken, dependent shell of a man.
"My case study," she says, handing the teacher a bound packet three inches thick, "I have detailed the techniques I have used. I submit this as extra credit."
The teacher begins flipping through the pages. With each page, his face turns more ashen, more white. His eyes go wide and water, lips trembling in veiled horror.
"Miss Ayanami," he says, quickly closing the packet, "These techniques you've…you've outlined are illegal under the Geneva Conventions."
"Only against enemy combatants," she responds, "I have also used subconscious imagery and hypnosis to create Pavlovian responses."
She turns to Ken.
"Turnip."
Kensuke's entire form shudders and he screams. Eyes wide, body shaking, starting in the stomach and loud enough to shake the room. Every student stops what they are doing and stares at the display in dumb, mute horror.
"I…I see," the teacher says, "I…very…very impressive, Miss Ayanami."
He slowly, unsteadily sits down.
"It…will he be…alright?" he asks.
"Yes. Everyone I have done is reversible. Observe."
She snaps her fingers in Kensuke's face. His eyes clear as he blinks, life and focus returning as he looks around and stretches.
"Wow, Friday already. Is it lunch yet?"
Whistling, he walks back to his seat.
"You get an A," the teacher says, "And we'll never speak of this again."
Sitting at their seats, Asuka visibly shudders, Hikari turning white.
"I've created a monster," Asuka whispers. Hikari only nods in agreement.