Author's Note: Ah, it is time for another chapter. Shinji has been invited to have dinner at Dr. Akagi's place!

How doomed is he? Let's find out.

Begin!

xxxx

/Ritsuko Akagi's Laboratory, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

Ritsuko Akagi took a brief whiff from a cigarette, the stench of nicotine, tar, and tobacco roiling through her nostrils. "Okay." She quietly turned towards one of the various glass chambers in her lab, within which sat a small cube of crimson flesh. Unlike most of the other ones, this one was open; in Ritsuko's gloved hands was held a small gray device, its midsection ridged and glowing orange. The device ended in three thin prongs, humming with energy. "Commencing Graviton Effect Test-Number-Three on Sample 4-G-4."

A sudden spark in the lobe!

"Now…FLOAT FOR ME!"

What looked like orange electricity crackled along the front of the device, which now emitted a subtle drone as the piece of Angelic biomass began to levitate. Delightful songs about the power of flight, gliding, and floating in general danced through the doctor's ears as she kept a thumb on the trigger. "I've said it before, and I'll say it again; Freeman, bless your degree in theoretical physics!"

The Katsuragi Expedition, despite its inherent secrecy, had been a multinational effort. Vast repositories of information had been uncovered…among them a confirmation regarding the existence of gravitons, the theoretical particle that 'carried' the physical force of gravity. The entire universe, apparently, was enmeshed in a field of gravitons, with mass corresponding proportionally to the amount of gravitons in any given region of space-time.

The method by which gravitons could be observed had also been derived; via the use of a particular particle that did not exist naturally on Earth, but did exist in mostly plentiful quantities within the White Moon of ADAM, usually as blocks of orange, semi-hard gel. Dubbed Kleinium after one of the American researchers there, it was discovered that Kleinium, if exposed to a positive charge, would emit a shade of visible light corresponding to the concentration of gravitons within a sphere of radius r, where the length of r – in meters – was proportional to the number of coulombs present in the material.

If exposed to a negative charge, on the other hand, it actively repelled gravitons. The greater the charge, the greater the repulsion, to the point that the Kleinium would stay practically stationary if dropped in midair.

It wasn't an extraordinary find; after all, it wasn't ordinary, not even a little bit extra. It was a stupendous find!

Unfortunately, 'mostly plentiful quantities' had been a relative term; only twenty-five kilograms had been extracted and shipped out to various physics labs around the world before Second Impact had occurred.

In 2005, one Master's student at MIT in America had earned his PhD in applied theoretical physics – which, yes, sounds like an oxymoron, but it really isn't – by not only synthesizing Kleinium, but also devising a means by which to transmit the 'anti-gravity field' emitted by negatively-charged Kleinium to objects at a distance. The enterprising man, after being hired by a scientific research institute based in New Mexico, had had his synthesis process patented, along with the design of his 'Kleinium-induced field transmitter'.

These transmitters were called Freeman devices after their inventor.

It was still rather expensive to synthesize Kleinium, but most research labs needed but a few grams to utilize their Freeman devices; however, if more Kleinium was used, then less of a charge was needed.

Either way, Ritsuko usually preferred to call these transmitters Freeman devices, as was proper. On occasion, if the mood struck her, she thought of it as a gravity gun.

Like right now! "Oh yeah, you know you love it. You're so dirty! So dirty that you wallow in sewage to get cleaner!" All the while, the internal CPU of the Freeman device was analyzing the properties of the field emitted by the negatively-charged Kleinium, wirelessly transmitting the data to a nearby computer terminal.

Satisfied, the blonde calmly lowered the device, the piece of Shamshel's corpse now resting back on the pedestal in the chamber. The chamber was practically seething with jealousy; after all, it couldn't float, even if she fired the gravity gun at it. Truly, tis' a horrible fate to be bolted down to the ground. "Concluding Graviton Effect Test-Number-Three on Sample 4-G-4." The good doctor turned towards her terminal, analyzing the information collected by the Freeman device. "Hmm…how interesting." The rate at which gravitons disperse actually varies between samples of congruent size, regardless of what scanning processes they've undergone previously…again, contradicting prior observations regarding the use of the Freeman device on normal matter. "Again, Angels decide to mock everything. WITH GUSTO!"

Another spark. The thought of AT-Fields casually screwing over the laws of physics in all its X-Rated glory made the doctor cackle. "For Angels, they're quite naughty! Abominable. Yet KINKY! BOOAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!"

I need a break.

Dr. Akagi sighed as she put down the Freeman device, glancing at the time being displayed on her cybernetic monocle. "Hmm. 2:57 PM…how much can I get done before I go home?"

Ideas. Formulations. Metaphysical shenanigans!

"Let's compare combustive properties next."

Fire was also good.

xxxx

Episode 7: Hospitality (A book never shows what it says)

xxxx

/Rei Ayanami's Apartment, Tokyo-3, Japan/

Spartan. Empty. Practical. Easy to clean. Lacking in personality.

Those were all valid terms to describe Rei Ayanami's apartment; a rather simple domicile – a kitchen that connected to the washroom, with one large room serving as both the bedroom and living room – spoke of someone who was not prone to expressing themselves. Or perhaps Ayanami was merely a neat freak.

She was both and yet neither.

Rei Ayanami was Rei Ayanami.

Nothing more, nothing less.

So why was she in such an introspective mood as of late?

The Sergeant looked around her apartment, noting various things with her eyes.

The beige carpet underneath her bare toes. Beige. The color for standard NERV uniforms. Compared to other colors, it makes no impression. Indistinctive. The walls, bearing white paint. White. Not a color, yet every color at once. Nothingness. Endless possibilities. Her bed, with a box spring and a mattress that bore naught but a single cover and pillow. Blankets were unnecessary; she was never cold. A bed. Where humans sleep, so as to revitalize their bodily functions. Supposedly an object of comfort. Supposedly where one dreams. That was an interesting thought. Dreams. Do humans dream the same as I? Do the thoughts that I have qualify as dreams? Is it possible to dream incorrectly? Is there such a thing as dreaming incorrectly? If one has no memory of a dream, then can it be called a dream?

Her nature being what it was, pondering these questions was not odd in the slightest.

The Sergeant turned towards a small bureau standing in the corner; sturdily built yet lacking in decoration. Opening the doors, she took a look at the various uniforms of both JSSDF and NERV issue. Military uniforms. Some designed for combat. Some not. Each one carries with it a specific image, a specific meaning. They are already defined, regardless of who wears them. Her eyes turned to the few medals that sat on the shelf. Signs of service. Proof for others who would not take my word at face-value. Yet their inherent meaning can be different depending on who you are. Why? She could recall a number of fellow soldiers from the Mexican Campaign of 2010. Most wore them with pride. Some showed expressions of disbelief, indifference, or humility. A few had thrown them away, all but cursing them. These medals are made uniformly, and are not made specifically for any individual, and yet they can be treated differently all the same.

Ayanami closed the doors of the bureau, reflecting on the fragmented nature of humanity. Each person was an individual, and thus mysterious. However, there was still the fascination and desire to belong to something greater, to aspire for something beyond the self.

A paradox.

The young girl turned towards the large mirror that stood atop her small dresser. She was currently wearing a white undershirt and similarly-colored undergarments. Clothes. As many varieties as there are people. Providing cover and protection. Serving as a means of self-expression. Showing that one belongs to certain groups. Some have their own identity, others do not. People can provide their own sense of identity, or none at all. Rei was mostly indifferent to the subject of clothing; her school-mandated uniform, military fatigues, and Plug Suit were sufficient for all of her daily purposes. Her current choice of clothing was a compromise between three things: her acknowledgment of social constructs regarding nudity if someone were to arrive at her household, her desire for some measure of cover over her body's structural weak points, her preference for less constricting clothing, and her personal comfort, in the sense that she preferred less clothing to more clothing in noncombat situations.

Even in situations of minor importance, she encountered paradoxes. Was it the nature of humanity to be living conundrums?

Her sight fell upon her hair. Blue. The color of the sky. The color of the ocean. The favorite color of many. Supposedly a calming color. The color of my hair. The color that disturbs those around me. She had witnessed some of her academic peers state that blue was their favorite color. On certain occasions, some of them had died their hair in various shades of blue, usually resulting in some measure of excited clamor. Not so for when she had first begun her tenure at schools; her blue hair – upon discovery that it was natural – had been a subject of caution and wariness. By now, it was accepted as just Rei Ayanami being Rei Ayanami. However, it had always been a source of curiosity for her; apparently, even colors could bring different reactions depending on their source, regardless of how favored they were.

Another paradox.

She focused on the reflection of her eyes. Red. The color of my eyes. The color of blood. A brief twinge as she recalled the taste of LCL, how similar it smelled to the fluid that leaked from the newly dead. Somehow…an unpleasant color. Red had various connotations, often relating to warnings and alerts. Even so, blood was a part of life, a necessity…and yet it was also uncomfortable to look at.

A paradox? Did humans even consider these to be paradoxes?

She had not pondered questions like these for a long time.

The source of her reflective mood hinged on her injuries…or the lack thereof. She looked intently at her reflection, analyzing the left side of her body. Unbandaged. Unmarred. Without blemish. My body. The vessel of my soul. That which people perceive as the appearance of Rei Ayanami. She should not have healed this quickly; true, her body healed faster than that of any human, but her prognosis had been off by a whole week. Maturation was a possible explanation, but the fatigue and wounds she endured over the course of her standard training routine did not fade away any quicker than they usually did.

She certainly hadn't accessed…that. The last time she had done so had rendered her comatose.

So what was the new variable?

The Angels…? No…Ikari.

Shinji Ikari, son of the Supreme Commander.

He was…odd. His performance against the Fourth Angel had been…satisfactory. The hesitation he had shown during his first spar against her had never appeared. Why? Why hesitate against me?

That would be something to consider later. There was now the matter of Lieutenant Colonel Katsuragi's order: to be at Dr. Akagi's residence at Seventeen-Forty-Five hours for dinner. Though curious as to the nature of the Lieutenant Colonel's decision, an order was an order.

The question is: what would be socially acceptable to wear?

Rei pondered on the fact that the Operations Director had said that the Third Child would be there, while also acknowledging that the boy had exhibited…curiosity. Curiosity about her strength, curiosity about her origins.

Curiosity about Rei Ayanami.

Is the Rei Ayanami that he sees the same Rei Ayanami seen by Professor Ikari? By the Lieutenant Colonel? By Dr. Akagi? By Toji Suzuhara? By Hikari Horaki?

He had defeated two Angels. He had not run away, despite her misgivings about his aptitude.

The First Child turned back towards her bureau. Perhaps the Third had attained the right to learn a little more about his teammate, about his fellow Pilot.

xxxx

It was almost a quarter to six in the evening.

"Gosh Shinji-kun, you're acting so…skittish!"

"Please be quiet Misato-san," politely asked Shinji as he held a hand over his ear, the other one wrapped tightly around the cell phone issued to him by Misato. Given his relative proximity to the school and to the Geofront access junctions, he had felt no real need to use it as of yet.

Now? He was inside the sidecar to Misato's motorcycle. Misato's motorcycle was en route to Ritsuko Akagi's apartment complex. Shinji was currently talking to his father, trying to obtain mercy. Or asylum. Or something! "Come on father, I've done enough to earn one favor, haven't I?"

"You're not even fifteen and your monthly salary is half a million yen."

"But I've saved the world twice!"

"Yes. Saving the world is a privilege. Especially when done with an Evangelion, since it's just like saving the world with a giant robot, except cooler."

"…what?"

"I have no reason to order the Lieutenant Colonel to not take you to dinner at Dr. Akagi's."

"Father. It's…it's Dr. Akagi! You know what she's like!"

"And that's precisely why you're going."

Shinji grimaced. "…you're…so cruel."

"Lesson #5: If you do get the chance to make a second impression, make sure your book has plenty of pictures instead of walls of barely-legible text."

"…what does that mean?"

"You'll see."

A prompt 'click' signaled Shinji that his father had hung up. "…bah."

"Trust me Shinji-kun, you'll have a great time!"

"You'll forgive me if I'm not excited," grumbled the Third Child. Given that his personal experiences with the Chief of Section 1 had been…somewhat unpleasant, he felt that his reactions were justified. Well, I'm going anyway. Might as well suck it up.

The ride continued in relative silence – well, as silent it could get when sitting in a motorcycle's open sidecar – until they arrived at the apartment complex where Ritsuko Akagi lived on the first floor.

Surprisingly, Maya and Miyata Ibuki were both waiting outside the door to her first-floor apartment, clad in casual clothing. Shinji nearly did a double-take; he had already gotten used to the two being practically interchangeable at NERV. Maya wore a blue, knee-length sundress over a white blouse, whilst Miyata wore blue jeans and a red T-shirt. On Maya's feet were white sandals; Miyata, on the other hand, wore gray sneakers.

Maya's clothing emphasized that she was, in fact, a girl. Miyata's emphasized the fact that he was a guy.

Shinji briefly wondered how much they appreciated their off-time from NERV.

"Ah, Lieutenant Colonel!" exclaimed the Ibukis as they snapped a salute.

"Mah, we're all off-duty," replied Misato with a casual wave of her hand. "No need to be so formal."

"If you insist, ma'am." Miyata then turned towards Shinji, giving him a friendly handshake. "And a pleasure to see you in better circumstances, Ikari-kun!"

"Thanks, Miyata-san." Shinji then gave a polite bow to Maya. "Hello to you too, Maya-san."

Maya smiled as she bowed back. "It seems that living with Misato-san hasn't ruined your manners."

"Now what's that supposed to mean?" fumed Misato, giving an exaggerated glare at the female half of the twins.

"Well, we can only go by what your teammates say," remarked Miyata with a shrug.

As Misato proceeded to list the creative ways in which she was going to get back at the members of her team, Shinji couldn't help but notice how much more…vibrant the Ibukis were. During the few times had seen them personally at NERV, they had carried themselves with a great deal of self-control. Their self-control would lessen if they were not within the vicinity of Dr. Akagi, for they would become more expressive and less…twitchy.

It made him wonder. "Um…Maya-san? Miyata-san?" Having captured the attention of the Ibuki Twins, Shinji continued, "Well, I was curious; why are two here?" The quizzical stares sent in his direction prompted him to explain. "What I'm saying is, well…you don't seem to enjoy how Dr. Akagi treats you at work."

Maya shrugged. "It's something we got used to."

"Senpai still hasn't realized that I've hemmed my pants yet," added Miyata, giving Shinji a conspiratorial wink.

right. "Um, okay. But even so, I thought only Misato-san and myself were invited."

Maya and Miyata both grinned before the latter explained. "Well, this event usually occurs once every three weeks, and it's usually just for the two of us."

Shinji blinked. "Just the two of you?"

"Yep! Trust us Ikari-san, it really makes up for it," finished the female twin.

Okay…maybe father and Misato-san were on to something. After all, if the Ibukis were acting this positively about dinner at Dr. Akagi's, then perhaps-

"Ah, hello Rei-chan!"

Shinji's musings were interrupted by Misato's greeting. Wait. Rei's coming to join us? On impulse, the Third Child turned to face the approaching First Child…and paused. What…is she wearing?

Rei Ayanami calmly strode towards the group of four, clad in a black ceremonial dress uniform that was part and parcel for officers of the JSSDF. The skirt came down below her knees, and her feet were clad in black, pointed-toe shoes, the leather polished to a gleaming shine. Her lapels were neatly ironed, and the whole uniform fit slimly against her frame. Over her left breast were several military ribbons, each one a cavalcade of colors that seemed…out of place with someone like Ayanami. Stitched into the fabric of her left sleeve was the appropriate insignia of a Sergeant: a single star above an arrow pointing upward.

Shinji thought that the uniform as a whole fit the girl well. Very well. "Ayanami-san?"

"What are you in your dress uniform for, Ayanami-san?" asked Maya.

"I determined this to be the most proper outfit I had on hand for the occasion."

Shinji looked around; the Ibuki Twins were dressed casually, Misato was in that short brown dress uniform that she seemed to favor, and he was in the navy blue suit he had worn the day of his arrival in Tokyo-3 (it had taken FOREVER to get the smell of LCL out). It was somewhat…obvious that Ayanami was overdressed relative to everyone else. Just as he was about to ponder why Ayanami hadn't picked clothing more befitting a casual dinner invitation, the boy was struck by the fact that the girl was wearing a ceremonial dress uniform.

For military officers of the JSSDF.

What the? Shinji was understandably stunned by this realization; why in the world did Ayanami have a military dress uniform? Is she actually older than me?

Before Shinji could deliberate on this further, his eyes flickered towards the Ibuki Twins as they suddenly stepped towards the front door. "Well, it's a quarter till' six," said Maya as Miyata rapped the door with his knuckles.

Right after the front door opened, Shinji's jaw dropped out of sheer shock.

The Ibuki Twins in casual clothing had been an unusual sight.

Rei Ayanami in a ceremonial dress uniform had made for a bewildering combination.

Ritsuko Akagi – DOCTOR AKAGI – in a sky blue kimono with a salmon-colored obi was simply earth-shattering. The serene expression on her face, which was bereft of her ubiquitous cybernetic monocle, only made the visual that much more jarring.

"Well, we have ourselves a full crowd tonight," said the blonde woman, a calm smile on her face. "Please, come in and I'll prepare dinner."

As the Ibuki Twins and Rei followed Ritsuko into the house, Misato shot her flabbergasted ward a smug grin that said 'I told you so'.

Shinji blinked dazedly as Misato nudged him into the apartment, wondering if this is what his father had been talking about when had said 'second impression'.

xxxx

/Osaka-1, Japan/

"Quite a sight, ain't it sis?"

Mayumi Yamagishi solemnly nodded. "Indeed it is."

Mana Kirishima cocked an eyebrow. "You sound sad."

"Well…" Mayumi readjusted her faux glasses, taking in the sight of Osaka-1's ruins. The two nephilim, clad in the gray bodysuits used for training purposes, stood atop one of the skyscrapers that had still remained standing after Second Impact. There was a particular cluster of the derelict towers standing in the vicinity of Alpha Site, with others dotting the waters here and there. The setting sun cast a bloody tint on the sea, granting a darker color to Mayumi's thoughts. "…it's a little depressing."

"How so?"

"There were a lot of people here...and these buildings look kind of…sad." The girl ran a hand through her hair, dyed the color of ravens. "To stay standing without being used…"

The more forward of the two – apparent in the way she carried herself, in how casually she advertised her nephilim traits – rolled her eyes. "And what? Should they be destroyed?" She looked slyly at her fellow hybrid, adding, "You saying that 'useless things shouldn't exist', eh?"

Oddly enough, Mayumi's first reaction was to smile sadly, recognizing Mana's bait for what it was. "I know where you're trying to take this. I'll be quick to remind you that a building has no will of its own."

"…"

"I win."

"Shut up, Mayumi," lightheartedly grumbled Mana.

To a casual observer, this banter would be seen as evidence of strong relationship between siblings.

They would miss the undertone that indicated the dichotomy of their viewpoints on…certain matters.

"I think it's a little funny though. The people of Japan did their damnedest to earthquake-proof their cities, had policies in place to deal with tsunamis. Even if their cities crumbled, they'd group together and rebuild." That had been the vaunted Japanese ethic; individuals conforming towards a common purpose when the situation called for it. "But the moment the bombs go off?" Mana slapped her hands together, mouthing a sound akin to shattering glass. "They collapsed like everyone else did."

"They also rebounded quickly…well, more so than others." Suffice to say, the First World nations had been the first to get back on their feet following the Impact Wars. Several others had followed suit within the ensuing years. Others…hadn't. "I still maintain that it's impressive that we've come as far as we have in fifteen years."

Mana snorted. "Eh, if things go to crap against the Angels, and Third Impact happens? It'll all come crashing down again." Her red eyes, taking in the sight of old Osaka, glinted in the sunset. The ruins of Osaka-1 did not evoke feelings of depression, sadness, or regret. No; all it did was serve as an example of how frail it all was. "They're all so damn frail."

Mayumi gazed at her sister knowingly, a wry smile on her face. "Are we any different?"

Mana chuckled, reaching down and grabbing a small piece of detritus. As she let it settle in her hand, her eyes focused on a skyscraper that stood about…seventy yards away. "And Mana Kirishima winds up for the pitch…!" The oblong piece of rubble practically flew, curving back and forth on the way to its destination.

From Mana and Mayumi's perspective, they only heard a muted tinkle after the debris shattered the window on the fiftieth floor. "Way I see it, sis?" Mana shot a cocky smirk at her fellow nephilim. "If things go to hell in a handbasket? Humanity's gonna be at each other's throats in what little time they have left. Us? We'll be surviving loo~oong after they do."

Mayumi shook her head; if nothing else, Mana's cocksure attitude was morbidly amusing. "Come on. It's almost time for the final test of the Mobile Trace System. We don't want to keep Tokita-san waiting."

"Yeah yeah yeah," grumbled Mana as she flexed her legs. "I'm startin' to get antsy, waiting for this demonstration."

Mayumi lightly laughed at her sister's impatience. "You're always antsy."

The two nephilim continued with their good-natured ribbing as they hopped from rooftop to rooftop, casually showcasing their superhuman power for any who happened to be watching.

xxxx

/Ritsuko Akagi's Apartment, Tokyo-3, Japan/

The current term describing Shinji Ikari's mood was 'bewildered', with a side order of 'pleasantly surprised'.

They were situated around a short dinner table, kneeling in a traditional style; Misato sat between Shinji and Rei on one side, whilst Ritsuko Akagi sat between the twins on the opposite side. The décor, with its earthen colors and antique design, evoked images of a home from the Edo period of Japan. Ritsuko had calmly and diligently served cups of tea and sake (needless to say, Shinji and Rei's sake cups had been quickly pilfered by Misato), before presenting bowls of miso soup, bowls of steamed rice, and gyoza filled with pork and vegetables.

You can probably imagine the boy's reaction upon learning that everything had been homemade.

The dinner conversation had been somewhat colloquial amongst the four adults present, with Shinji and Rei being mostly silent; Shinji because he was still rather shell-shocked and Rei because…she was Rei.

It was too much. The boy was practically going crazy from the contradictions at play here. "Um…Dr. Akagi?"

"Please Shinji-san, I'd prefer not to be called by my title while I'm off-duty. Ritsuko would be fine."

"Um…okay, Ritsuko-san." The politeness was also jarring. Politeness had NEVER been a priority for Dr. Akagi. "Well…this is probably gonna sound rude, but-"

"No, I don't have dissociative identity disorder. 'Unclassifiable', remember?"

Shinji threw his hands into the air. "But this is just so…weird! And my father's Gendo Ikari, so I'm a pretty good authority on what's weird and what's not!"

"Welcome to the club, Ikari-kun," remarked Miyata as he took a sip of his sake.

Maya finished chewing on her gyoza before adding, "After we became senpai's assistants, we HAD resigned ourselves to a grisly fate…fortunately for us, she insisted on us having dinner with her whenever she had the opportunity."

"I swear, I honestly don't know how you two put up with me," lamented the kimono-clad Ritsuko as she gracefully sipped from her cup of tea. "My actions would constitute harassment in any other working environment."

Maya laughed it off; whether it was forced or not, Shinji couldn't tell. "At least none of it's permanent."

The Head of Project E rolled her eyes at Maya's attempt to cheer her up. "A broken leg isn't permanent either; it still hurts."

"…so, why this?" Seriously, Shinji needed an answer, pronto; the strangeness of the whole scenario was driving him batty!

Ritsuko smiled as she leaned back on her feet, her expression wistful. "It was…a culmination of factors that led to my current psychosis. Needless to say, when I get involved with my work…when I get involved with matters of an Angelic nature, or with Project E, or the MAGI…" A tiny spark. "My brain…it's like it gets struck by lightning." Another spark. "GREASED LIGHTNING, BABY!"

A simultaneous cry of 'senpai' and 'ma'am' rang out as the Ibuki Twins place their hands on her shoulders, trying to calm her down. The blonde shook her head, blinking rapidly before sighing. "Yes. Like that."

"…okay." Shinji's placid expression was rather efficient at hiding his thoughts. Which, by the way, were somewhere along the lines of 'Crazy lady crazy lady crazy lady crazy lady!'. "But…how? I mean, why?"

"The factors that led to this particular state of mind…" Ritsuko ignored Misato's sniggers at the pun. "…are varied and rather intricate. Unlike many other mental disorders involving alter egos or split personalities, my memory is unaffected."

"That sounds…awful." Remembering your actions as…well, a mad scientist? To remember perfectly how you were so unlike yourself? It was somewhat maddening to contemplate.

Ritsuko shrugged. "I'm touched by your concern, Shinji-san. Fortunately, there are some benefits…for one, I can remember who to apologize to. And how to apologize, depending on my actions at the time." This was no joke, either. Not that Shinji could tell, given how casually she was talking. "Plus, when I'm…under the influence, so to speak, I can formulate ideas that I would have no hope of conjuring normally."

"And no, Shinji, this is not an excuse for you to take drugs," interjected Misato.

Shinji shot his guardian a pointed glare. "…I wasn't thinking that."

"Just being responsible," remarked the Lieutenant Colonel, a devilish grin on her face.

"At any rate, this was one of the reasons I wanted Misato to bring you over for dinner." Ritsuko drank some more of her tea, basking in the warmth that inundated her body. "To clear the air between us. To reassure you that my actions towards you up to this point were not…malicious in origin."

The Third Child nodded, feeling rather uplifted. Everything had been relatively normal thus far, the food was good, and nothing had blown up! "Well, thank you Ritsuko-san. I've really enjoyed dinner so far, and…what?" Shinji blinked; Ritsuko now had an amused smile on her face, while the Ibuki Twins were trying their hardest to not laugh. "What's so funny? Why are…?" The boy, having grown up experiencing the likes of both Gendo and Annette, was immediately suspicious. Slowly, knowingly, the boy turned around.

Randall was sitting right there, giant robotic body and all.

Shinji could only sigh out of exasperation. "How in the world are you so quiet?"

"I AM A CAT."

Ritsuko giggled. Femininely. "There's my baby boy; Maya, Miyata, could you please extract him? I know that we just put him back in yesterday, but I think one more day won't hurt."

"Yes, senpai!"

"Yes, ma'am!"

As Randall calmly strode away for the table, Shinji arched an eyebrow. "Extract?"

"You see Shinji-san, I have to periodically let Randall out of his robotic avatar, so as to prevent muscular atrophy. It also gives him a chance to…well, be a cat. The usual schedule is one week in, one week out, with the change occurring every Friday."

That certainly explained why Shinji hadn't seen hide nor hair of Randall the past week; the cat had actually been a cat! "Ah. I see."

Maya and Miyata diligently unlocked the front panels along the torso, which then extended out from the main body. The entirety of Randall's body could now be seen, restrained by cushioned straps; the fur on the back – from the neck down to just past the shoulder blades – was shaved clean, revealing odd nodes arranged along the spine. Segmented cables were attached to these nodes, apparently serving as the means by which Randall controlled the robotic suit. Slowly and meticulously, all eight cables were removed, revealing an incredibly thin spike at the tip.

Shinji briefly twitched at the thought of spikes connecting with his spinal cord, sending a brief shiver over his skin. "So, Ritsuko-san, what are those things on his back?"

"I call them command nodes; they're based off of GEHIRN's research into cybernetic augmentation. They provide the means by which the feline nervous system interacts with the software of the robotic suit. The software for each of Randall's robotic vessels has to be programmed individually, but after years of working on it, it's become a relatively simple process."

Shinji held up a hand. "Hold on…you said 'each'. As in, he has more than one body."

Ritsuko nodded with a wide smile. "Of course! Randall got his first robot prosthetic when he was very young. Once he reached physical maturity about six years ago, I was able to outfit him with robotic shells of various types and sizes."

"…like what?" asked Shinji.

xxxx

/May, 2009/

/Primary Research Facility, GEHIRN, Geofront, Hakone, Japan/

"RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!" screeched a male technician as dozens of GEHIRN staff fled one of the facility's many laboratories.

The reason why they fled soon appeared by the lab doors: an orange tabby.

Specifically, an orange tabby clad in a metallic harness, from which extended four segmented tentacles – each one capable of extending over ten feet – that ended in three-pronged claws. The bottom two appendages were used for walking, whilst the top two were playfully juggling a brown-haired scientist, who had long since passed out.

Following the cat was none other than a younger Ritsuko Akagi, as blonde as ever, as boisterous as ever. "Yes! SHAKE IT! SHAKE IT LIKE A 7.0 ON THE RICHTER SCALE! BWAAAAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAAAAA!"

xxxx

Ritsuko's grin now sported teeth. "Aah…showed that smug Dr. Molina who was boss. Hm hm hm hm…hoohoohoo…BOHOHOHO-!"

Maya and Miyata snapped their fingers in front of the blonde woman's face.

Dr. Akagi immediately blinked. "Ah yes, sorry about that. I was just reliving a…fond memory."

"…I see," muttered Shinji, now fully aware that Ritsuko-san could transition into Dr. Akagi at the drop of a hat. His paranoia was still justified!

Randall then made his presence known as he shook his fur and gleefully scratched at his ears with his feet. Shinji quietly marveled at how Randall proceeded to rub against everyone at the table…and simultaneously, he wondered why. "Is there any particular reason for the…robot bodies?"

"A whim on my part," glibly replied Ritsuko. "In any case, Randall isn't one of the reasons I invited you here tonight. What I wanted to do was gauge your…'understanding' of certain…events."

"Huh?" Shinji blinked at the sudden shift in the conversation, away from Randall and his augmentations. "Er, okay."

"Tell me Shinji-san, how much do you know about Second Impact?"

The mood turned stoic as everyone turned their focus towards Shinji. Even Rei, who had been relatively uninvolved with the discussion thus far, turned a keen eye towards the Third Child.

"…again, my father is Gendo Ikari." Shinji spoke as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. The UN had declared the truth of Second Impact to the public over a decade ago, and his father was charged with defeating the ones who would initiate Third Impact. Suffice to say, Shinji knew more than most did about Second Impact.

"Humor me."

Shinji sighed. "Okay Ritsuko-san…" The boy took a sip of his tea before continuing. "There was an expedition to Antarctica that was launched in 1999, with approval from the UN." As he spoke, his mind began to substitute images to go along with the tale. He was now envisioning several ships unloading supplies onto the chilled Antarctic wastes. "Satellite scans had detected a strange spherical structure buried in the ice near the South Pole, and a multi-national coalition had been formed to unearth it in secret." A large spherical expanse, rife with strange architecture and humming with power. "The ensuing excavation revealed a facility of alien origin." A white giant, sitting calmly in a complex throne of machinery and electronics; a silent sentinel over its domain. "They discovered a creature that seemed alive, yet would not respond to any prompt. It was…named ADAM." Scientists and technicians in bodysuits and parkas, carefully tinkering with the alien artifacts. "Research ensued in the hopes of advancing humanity's understanding in all fields of knowledge." A familiar man, keeping a calm eye over all proceedings. "My father was one of the chief supervisors on behalf of the UN. He…always said that he owed the position to the influence of my mother's name."

Gendo Ikari had never been shy about admitting to Shinji that the name 'Ikari' had so much more influence than his original name 'Rokubungi'. The man had likened it to being branded by Yui.

"And?" interjected Ritsuko, knocking the boy from his thoughts. "What happened next?"

"Oh. Um…well, things proceeded like that for a while. Due to the alien technology present, security and secrecy was paramount. It was to the point that all of the chief supervisors had to personally ferry the results of the expedition's findings out of Antarctica, since wireless communication couldn't be trusted." A helicopter taking off from the research site; onboard was Gendo Ikari, carrying a casket full of compact disks and hard drives. From there, he would land at an improvised airport that had been built near Antarctica's shore. A military cargo plane would serve as his transportation back to Japan. "Things continued like that for a while…then came the Tenth of September, 2000."

Ritsuko's eyes twinkled. "Oh? What's so special about that day?"

"…there was report of the discovery of another alien, deeper within the alien facility." A large tank – dozens of meters high – within which lay another white giant, this one bearing a purple mask. "This new creature was named LILITH. My father, as per his job description, left Antarctica to deliver the reports concerning LILITH, along with the usual cache of extracted data." Shinji's throat stalled as he thought of what came next; the day where everything changed. "Three days later…"

A white giant…stirring.

"…ADAM awoke…"

Four wings of amber light, extending high above Antarctica.

In a single flash, the facility – along with the entire continent – was annihilated.

"…and initiated Second Impact."

It was impossible for Shinji to speak of such an event lightly, given the sheer magnitude of its scope and power. The people around him were also rather quiet, as if engaging in a spontaneous moment of silence.

"Well, that certainly is a nice summary of events," remarked Ritsuko, using a hand to scratch Randall's chin as she spoke. "You seem to have a thorough understanding of why the secrecy was necessary, along with some of the less general details." The blonde suddenly smiled. "Unfortunately, you're also incorrect about a number of things."

This…hadn't been an expected response. "Huh?"

Misato giggled at Shinji's flabbergasted expression; it was so adorable! "She's right, Shinji-kun. Even though the UN conducted an official 'investigation' of the events leading up to Second Impact, there were a few details that…skipped notice."

The Third Child frowned at Misato's word choice. "You mean covered up, right?"

"It is highly probable that the Supreme Commander did not want to risk NERV's operational integrity so soon." This was the most that Rei had spoken the entire evening. "Now that you have shown a willingness to remain a Pilot despite the inherent difficulties involved, you have been cleared to receive classified information."

"…I guess," muttered Shinji, feeling somewhat peeved at how his father had decided to keep certain truths hidden. Still, it wasn't as though he could blame the man; on the contrary, he understood the need for secrecy.

Last year.

A grave that was no longer empty.

Fire. Smoke. Thunder.

Blood.

The boy mentally grimaced at the memory, remembering the painful lesson it had taught him. "…I understand."

Maya blinked. "You sure?"

Shinji nodded, prompting Miyata to chuckle. "Man, you're quick to adapt, aren't ya?"

"He is the son of Professor Ikari. It is only natural to assume that he may possess…hidden depths."

It was a somewhat odd compliment, but the fact that Rei had said it prompted everyone to turn their head. Misato had turned so fast that her hair smacked Shinji in the face. Despite the taste of deep purple keratin, Shinji couldn't help but marvel. Did I hear that right?

"…so, moving on to the topic at hand…" Dr. Akagi cleared her throat, trying to regain control of the conversation. "The official reports do mention the discovery of a second creature called LILITH, yes. However, everything else you've heard is falsified. For one, LILITH was not discovered in the White Moon, the place where humanity found ADAM. There was data found concerning another entity comparable to the First Angel; after some preliminary satellite scans, we discovered – in late 1999 – a facility congruent in size and shape to that of the White Moon, underneath Hakone."

The answer was already there; it just needed the proper question to unveil itself. "The…Geofront?"

Maya smiled. "That's right! It was called the Black Moon when discovered, because of the color of the outer shell, and to differentiate it from the White Moon facility in Antarctica."

"The technology obtained in Antarctica gave humanity a huge boost scientifically, but we'd be hard-pressed to create something like the GEOFRONT in a matter of decades, let alone a few years," admitted Miyata, his engineering background giving him insight into the sheer time, effort, and resources that would be involved in constructing such a monstrosity. "The Geofront was a perfect sphere when it was discovered, with a diameter of precisely thirteen-point-seventy-five kilometers. When Hakone was being refurbished to be a fortress, the top was shaved off to serve as the foundation for the city of Tokyo-3…and the city's only about one-point-five kilometers long at its widest." The male Ibuki leaned back, briefly dizzying himself over the dimensions involved. "We're only utilizing a fraction of the Black Moon as it is."

"Tell me Shinji-san, how do you think we got that ecosystem down here? The mountains, the hills, the cliffs, the forests, the lake?" queried Dr. Akagi. "After all, if we're trying to turn Hakone into a fortress city, what would be the point? Why, when the resources involved could be better spent elsewhere?"

Shinji frowned, putting his mind to the test. If nothing else, he had grown to appreciate that which was practical, especially since anything 'practical' was an uncommon presence in his life. So it made him wonder; for what practical reasons would such an endeavor be undertaken? "Well, the Geofront is the last line of defense, right? If…something goes wrong, it can be sealed up to protect those inside…but you'd run out of oxygen eventually, right?"

Misato grinned, giving the Third Child an impromptu noogie. "Kid's got a brain on him!"

"That IS a plausible guess, yes…" She looked down at Randall – who was now lightly gnawing on her knuckles – before smiling…sadly? "The truth is…it was already there."

"…what?" Shinji shook his head, brain still trying to register that new piece of information. "What?"

"The ecosystem was already in place," explained Maya. "Those lamps attached to the 'roof' of the Geofront? Already there; every single test we've been able to run cannot distinguish between the light provided by those lamps and the actual solar radiation that gets through our atmosphere. The lamps' intensity was even in-sync with the rising and setting of the sun for our geographic position, which is why the investigation still operated on a diurnal cycle."

"But…" The implications were there. "That's…" They were very troubling.

"The facility that is NERV-1? Some of it's new, but most of it was refurbished from buildings and structures already in place," continued Ritsuko, wondering how deep down the rabbit hole the Third Child was descending. "The initial investigations of the Black Moon revealed self-contained chambers that perfectly mimicked biomes all over Earth. Meanwhile, data caches found at the White Moon revealed recorded logs of numerous events throughout history, going back millions of years...and that includes human history."

Shinji Ikari was grateful that he was sitting down; his legs would have given out otherwise. Everything that had happened over the course of his short life had engendered an important lesson, one hammered repeatedly by both his father and uncle: 'given any event, what are the consequences of that event?'

Right now, the consequences of this information provided very frightening possibilities about the nature of the creature called 'Angel'. "Millions of years…?"

"ADAM, the First Angel. LILITH, the Second Angel." Ritsuko leaned her elbows against the table, her gaze firm and unrelenting. "From what information we've gathered…they've been on Earth for a long time. Since before the time of homo sapiens. And they've been studying us, with no one the wiser."

That…certainly put a new spin on things.

It was generally accepted by the public that the First Angel had been entombed for a long time within the Antarctic wastes. After all, for such a large structure to be completely buried underneath the ice with no one noticing, it had to have been there for hundreds and hundreds of years, right? As far as the UN investigation had revealed, ADAM had been dead to the world…until it awoke.

But to hear that ADAM had been awake? To learn that it had been watching? Observing?

The technology present had already spoken of great intelligence that was far beyond humanity's. But this? This spoke of a creature that had been recording and observing the events of the world, content with leaving things alone.

What had been the catalyst? What would cause such a powerful entity to change course and annihilate an entire continent? "What…what changed? ADAM…could the First Angel communicate?"

Ritsuko shrugged. "ADAM never tried, as far as we know. I would…" The blonde twitched for a few moments, visibly shuddering before taking a deep breath and exhaling. "…I would imagine that it could, given how much information it had about us."

"Then why? Why did it initiate Second Impact?"

"The generally-accepted opinion by the public is that the discovery of the Second Angel was the primary factor, given that only three days elapsed between the time it was found and Second Impact…but you know otherwise, don't you?" Ritsuko's smile was soft yet forlorn, a seeming indication that she knew all too well what the boy was instinctively feeling. "Since LILITH was discovered months before ADAM…we don't know. We just don't know why ADAM caused Second Impact."

Shinji sat in silence, still trying to wrap his head around everything he had just learned. His previous mental imagery, culled from the reports of the UN's investigation and from the words of his own father, would have to be reevaluated. One thing in particular stuck out. "Where is LILITH now?"

"The most secure section of NERV-1 is called Terminal Dogma," answered Misato, her tone subdued. "At the very bottom of Terminal Dogma is LILITH. Secured. Unmoving. As supposedly comatose as we thought ADAM was."

Shinji had a mental vision of the masked giant, sitting stoically in a throne similar to that of ADAM. "And…we've just left it there?"

"There's really nothing that we can do, Shinji-san," lightly admonished Dr. Akagi. "After Second Impact occurred, the biome chambers deep inside the Black Moon were locked down without our prompting. Although Terminal Dogma is the deepest part of NERV itself, the facilities of the Black Moon go down much further…and they were locked down as well. It was as if the Second Angel was telling us to stay away…and for the most part, we have." A spark. "We…" Ritsuko grit her teeth; the seriousness of this conversation did not warrant deranged nattering! "We…"

Miyata patted Ritsuko on the back whilst Maya held a cup of tea in front of her face.

"Ah. Thank you." Ritsuko took a sip, once again retaining control. "We were just doing as humans are wont to do: to expand our reach further and further, demanding to know all the truths of the universe, even though we can barely understand them." A bitter chuckle bubbled past her lips. "It's all so ludicrous…the Angels coming now, only parts of a greater whole, yet capable of ending the world all on their own." The doctor began to hyperventilate, slowly but surely. "It would've been so much easier if those two had just crashed here, or if they had been truly comatose, or even sleeping in death's grip, but no! They were watching! Watching! All the power of the gods, all the intelligence of man, controlled by a will beyond our understanding!" Hands impulsively gripped the edge of the table. "So far beyond us, yet we think we can control them, and GODS, we're still trying! WHY WERE THEY WATCHING US?"

Even Maya and Miyata – having dedicated themselves to keeping their senpai under control for the evening – were cowed by Ritsuko's intensity. Randall, seemingly disturbed by the blonde's emotional outpouring, hopped onto the table in front of her, adjusting the placement of his hind legs. Although Rei was unmoving and Misato kept a stony gaze on her friend, Shinji was feeling the uncomfortable urge to flee from the suddenly unhinged woman.

"Studying us? For what? For what purpose? There is a reason, there's always a reason, even if we can't explain it, even if it's irrational, there's ALWAYS a reason." A serene look suddenly came over the doctor's face, like a cloud briefly blocking out the searing light of the sun. "I've pondered these questions a lot…and I always think back to the time I first pondered them, when I became involved with my dear mother's work." A spiteful snort. "Always looking, always judging…like I was some fool for letting it get to me." The serene look began to crack. "How could it not? The sheer scale of Project E, the gains we've made for the sake of protecting mankind, to prevent a Third Impact…and we still don't know why it all started…were we truly so wrong…?" The woman's tone became despondent, spiraling downward and falling like rain. "We just wanted to learn…we're practically infants in the eyes of the universe…what did we do wrong…?" Her low laughter was downright acidic. "Heh. Maybe we were guilty of breaking a law that we didn't even know existed. Makes as much sense as anything else!" Her eyes went wide, and her lips spread into a full-blown grin. "THAT'S ALL ANY OF IT AMOUNTS TO! Scurrying about, practically living on borrowed time, hoping that we can survive using the cannibalized remnants of creatures WE STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND." She suddenly went quiet; the calm before the storm. "And so I figured…might as well make a show of it! Might as well laugh! MIGHT AS WELL PLAY UP THE MAD SCIENTIST ANGLE! BECAUSE IT WON'T AMOUNT TO ANYTHING IN THE END!"

Shinji was literally too terrified to move, even as he subconsciously cursed himself for not bringing his pocket knife.

It was just so unnerving to have a crazy woman looking right at you.

"WELL? ISN'T IT HILARIOUS?" The woman was practically screaming by now. "ISN'T IT HYSTERICAL?"

Randall leapt, headbutting his owner on the chin.

The blonde blinked, suddenly struck from her reverie by the cat's unorthodox method of getting attention. "Oh..." She looked down at the orange tabby, her expression melancholy yet relieved. "How in the world do you put up me?"

Randall's response was to meow and purr as he rolled onto his back.

It was at this point that Maya stood up. "You've had a long day senpai. Let's get you to bed."

"Yes…that sounds nice…" The blonde was slowly helped to her feet, held at the arms by the Ibuki Twins. "Forgive my inhospitality Shinji-san…but I feel tired…" The two assistants quietly led the morose doctor deeper into the house, followed quietly by Randall.

Shinji was still staring at the spot Ritsuko was sitting at, still trying to understand what had just happened.

"Well. That actually went quite well!"

The glare that Shinji sent Misato was downright caustic. "MISATO-SAN!" he yelled in an offended tone.

"Shinji-kun, do you think I would joke about this?" Misato nonchalantly took another sip of her sake. "I'm dead serious when I tell you that she's been a lot worse than this."

"But…that was…it's just…!"

"Second Impact screwed a lot of people over, Shinji." The drop of the '-kun' made Shinji stop his rambling. "All the lives lost, all of the damage done…and yet to the Angels, it might not amount to anything." A brief flicker of fury leaked through her voice before it was brutally suppressed. "The true nature of the First and Second Angels remains classified for a lot of reasons…but you just saw one of them. Because some people just wouldn't be able to handle it."

xxxx

/Corpus Callosum, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/

"How unsightly."

The mind of Naoko Akagi had been very capable of multitasking as a human.

Augmented to operate a MAGI system, that very same mind was able to multitask with a degree of efficiency, magnitude, and speed beyond any living human. At this very instant, she was simultaneously overseeing a number of processes and events.

The coolant from the Lymph Nodes was being cycled out and replaced with a more efficient mixture that she had designed.

As the sun set, she offered conditional agreements to the other three MAGI regarding the proper distribution of electricity on the city's power grid.

She was collating the data gathered from research on the Third and Fourth Angel, analyzing any and all similarities and differences. Another cycle was currently going over reports sent from NERV-Alaska regarding the progress made on weaponizing the samples culled from the Third Angel.

Various cycles were dedicated to observation of the news – televised and digital – gauging public opinion on NERV's performance against the Angels, along with all potential critics. Two cycles were set into a point-counterpoint system so as to determine the actual validity of criticisms, with a third cycle moderating.

One cycle was continuing work on a mod for some popular first-person-shooter, to be eventually released under the alias 'f0rSCI3NCE'. It was a simple hobby to pass the time.

Most of her conscious attention, however, was on surveillance footage from Ritsuko Akagi's apartment.

It was standard operating procedure to have the homes of NERV personnel bugged, but Ritsuko had practically covered her entire apartment with monitoring devices. A few would call it paranoia, but the blonde had out and out told her that it was simply a chance.

A chance to actually watch over her, 'like a mother should', as Ritsuko had phrased it.

My daughter can be exceptionally cruel, wryly thought HEROD as Ritsuko's assistants guided her to her bedroom. "I suppose your little psychosis will make the boy sympathize with you, but it was poor form to lose your control like that."

Control. Self-discipline. Perspective.

Naoko Akagi had long ago considered the ramifications of the discoveries made in the White Moon and the Black Moon. She had proceeded to continue on ahead, adapting to the new reality without complaint. After all, what was the point of fretting over that which was beyond your control? For the time being, the intentions of the First and Second Angel were irrelevant; there was only the protection of humanity, no matter the cost.

It was odd; for all of the hidden fear and anguish that her daughter seemed to experience regarding the Angels, Naoko had likened them to fire. True, they still didn't fully understand the physical and metaphysical properties of Angelic-derived materials (which included all technology attained in that manner, biological or otherwise), but they knew enough to utilize them effectively.

And unlike the intellectual infants that discovered fire, we now have the capacity to contain them. It was only a matter of keeping their tools up to date.

One particular cycle caught her attention with the mental equivalent of an alert message. Within seconds, MAGI-00 was analyzing two different data sets: the first being Shinji's sync ratios from the battles against the Third and Fourth Angels, with the second being a chronologically-ordered report of Rei's medical progress. By all accounts, the young girl had healed faster than predicted, without use of her…other talents.

There was a rather simple explanation.

The core of HEROD chuckled bitterly. "Metaphysical biology…the science of the soul..." Yes, the explanation was all too simple. "I wonder if the boy's presence will make Unit-00 less…ornery." The scientist closed the two data sets, turning her conscious attention towards security footage of Lymph Node-E, where technicians from Section 1 and Section 3 were running a diagnostic on the orange Evangelion. "Either way, you'll get your way regardless…won't you...? Yui."

The woman's bitter ruminations gave way to the scientist's focus as Naoko returned her attention to her duties and projects, briefly reviewing all ongoing processes before the mother's…'concern' brought her conscious attention back to the home of Ritsuko Akagi.

xxxx

/Ritsuko Akagi's Apartment, Tokyo-3, Japan/

"Is Ritsuko-san okay?" asked Shinji as Maya and Miyata walked back into the dining room.

"Senpai will be okay," remarked Maya, a sad smile on her face. "We've grown accustomed to her mood swings, and we're usually able to get a handle on her before she…starts breaking things."

"A lot of the assistants in Section 1 call them the 'Cheer Squad'," helpfully added Misato.

'Helpfully' being relative, given how Miyata's eyebrow twitched. "Ah…I was hoping Ikari-kun wouldn't find that out for at least a little while longer." Not that being tasked with cheering up their boss wasn't a privilege, but it sounded so…demeaning!

"Lieutenant Colonel Katsuragi."

Rei's calm voice cut through the uneasy atmosphere with decisive precision. The Chief of Section 2 turned her gaze towards the young girl, asking, "You need something, Rei?"

"I believe it would be prudent to inform Pilot Ikari about Project Nephilim."

This statement elicited a round of blinking from the three adults in the room, prompting Shinji to blink himself. "Huh? Project…Nephilim?"

"Sergeant Ayanami…you sure?" asked Miyata, a look of unease on his face.

Naturally, his worried expression drew Shinji's focus. What's…going on? Why are they so concerned?

"With the impending Jet Alone demonstration, it would be…practical."

Misato suddenly snapped her fingers. "Ah, that's right!" The Lieutenant Colonel turned towards the Third Child, a nervous grin on her face. "I was gonna bring it up earlier, but with all that happened…so Shinji-kun, you ever heard of NHIS?"

"…um…isn't that Nippon Heavy Industrial Systems?" NHIS: a major defense contractor and scientific research institute, with its headquarters based in Tokyo-2. "What about them?"

"One week from now, Nippon Heavy Industrial Systems is unveiling an anti-Angel weapon that's currently codenamed 'Jet Alone'. The demonstration will be taking place on the outskirts of Tokyo-1, and a bunch of bigwigs are gonna be there; military officials, politicians…" Misato sighed out of irritation. "Of course, given the nature of the event, NERV needs to send a representative…and that's me."

"…Jet Alone…" Shinji let the name roll around his tongue a few times, trying to get a grasp of the concept. An anti-Angel weapon, not designed by NERV? "Will…it actually do anything? I mean, is there actually a chance it could be effective against the Angels?"

Misato shrugged. "Beats me. We won't know until the demonstration occurs…but I do know a couple of things." The Lieutenant Colonel poured herself some more sake, appreciative that Ritsuko had gone for the good stuff. "It'll be a Gundam of some kind…nothing quite like any they've made before, I'm certain. It'll also be piloted by two people…and the pilots are both nephilim."

"Um…" Shinji nervously scratched the back of his head. "Is that a term I'm supposed to know?"

Miyata laughed as Maya helpfully explained, "Well, not exactly. Anyone with sufficiently high ranking in the military would know…and it doesn't technically involve the Evangelions, so I guess your father didn't say anything."

Shinji sighed. More secrets. However necessary they were, it was still annoying.

Rei, on the other hand, knew exactly why the Supreme Commander had kept it a secret. It was…comforting…and yet…why did she feel a slight sense of trepidation? How odd.

"So…Project Nephilim." Misato leaned back, giving one last glance at Rei before taking the proverbial dive into the deep. "It was 2005. Research into the technology obtained from the Black Moon and the White Moon had reached new levels, moving beyond the anti-Angel weapon we now call Evangelion. There was the lingering question if an Eva, being created from genetic material cloned from the First and Second Angels, could even be controlled by purely human pilots."

"It was for that reason, among others, that GEHIRN initiated the project," continued Miyata. The man inhaled deeply, as though mentally preparing himself for his next statement.

Shinji felt…strangely anxious. Why are they so nervous? This talk of 'purely human' pilots…and the use of Angelic genetic material…wait. Were they…?

Miyata looked Shinji dead in the eye. "Ikari-kun. The project's goal was to create viable hybrids. Human…and Angel. These hybrids are called nephilim."

The Third Child blinked. He had long gotten used to the knowledge that Evangelions were gigantic cyborgs whose bodies were Angelic in nature. To be honest…it wasn't that surprising, per se, that GEHIRN – and, by proxy, its successor NERV – would seek alternate applications. "I…I see." Still, there was a degree of inhumanity to it; how did…'nephilim' think? How different from humanity were they? How much was Angel and how much was human? And…why was Ayanami looking right at him?

What is…she thinking? It was a thought that Shinji had often had concerning the Sergeant, particularly during and following the first training session. Her skewed perspective, her freakish strength, her…oh.

Oh.

Things fell into place.

Ayanami's attitude. Ayanami's power. Why his father had said there were 'issues' with her upbringing. Why Misato and the Ibukis had reacted nervously at Ayanami's request. Her blue hair. Her red eyes.

"I get it." Shinji looked into those red eyes, as if searching for anything similar to the two Angels that had perished by his hand. "You're a nephilim."

"Yes," stoically replied the First Child, revealing nothing of her reaction towards his realization.

The Angels. The four that had appeared thus far had been…otherworldly. What human features they possessed had been paradoxically inhuman; even the pictures that Shinji had seen of ADAM and LILITH – despite their humanoid appearance – were striking in their alien essence.

Everything about them was beyond humanity in power and presence.

"Shinji-kun?" Misato asked, her guarded expression – oddly enough – revealing how worried she was about his reaction.

Shinji did not reply. He was mentally juxtaposing the Angels…with Ayanami.

The first time he had met her. Despite her injuries, she had wanted to pilot Unit-01. Even though she had bluntly made her opinion of his potential known – right in front of his father, no less – she had wanted to defeat the Angels just as much as anyone else.

His first day at school, where he had seen her as a fellow student. Where he had seen her conversing with the other Class Representatives at lunch. Looking for all intents and purposes like just another girl. A very pretty one, at that.

Here, now, where she was staring at him with such intensity. It was…humbling, to realize just how much revealing this mattered to her, even if she didn't show it…okay, maybe he was overreaching just a tad. "A lot of things make more sense now." Shinji inhaled, gathering his conviction. Regardless of the nervousness that made him scratch the back of his neck. "Well…I can't really speak for any other nephilim, but you're just another girl as far as I can tell." He paused before briefly chuckling. "You know, except with super-strength."

The Ibukis visibly sighed with relief while Misato squealed. "Aw, you hear that Rei? Such a gentlemen!" She wrapped her arm around the boy's neck – inadvertently (or perhaps purposefully) mashing his face against her bosom – and gave him a friendly noogie. "He's a keeper!"

"MMRPGH!" screamed Shinji as he tried to pull himself away.

Rei Ayanami kept on staring, revealing nothing. However, she was in the midst of analyzing her mental reaction. I feel…relieved. This is…a pleasant feeling. Why? The blue-haired nephilim settled for sipping more of her tea before standing up. "If you'll excuse me, I'll be right outside on the veranda."

Shinji – having finally extricated himself from Misato – watched as Rei stepped out of the dining room, her military uniform bringing another question to mind. "How old is Rei?"

"Huh?"

Shinji turned his gaze towards Misato. "I mean…she has a military uniform. She had some ribbons for time served, and a couple I couldn't recognize." This train of thought changed tracks, taking him to a different, more unsettling location. "But…if that's the case, then why is she in our school, in our year?" Another destination, even more disturbing. "But if Project Nephilim began in 2005…shouldn't she be...ten years old?"

Cue another exchange of looks between the adults. "Well Ikari-kun, we sorta weren't finished talking about Project Nephilim, " muttered Miyata. "We were just glad that you didn't outright freak out about the Sergeant being a nephilim."

"…why would I?"

"Because nephilim are the fusion of humankind with genetic material derived from godlike beings who are now seemingly focused on annihilating us?" offered Maya.

"Within the space of thirty minutes, I've learned that the Second Angel is still alive and aware inside the Geofront, that ADAM and LILITH have been on Earth longer than humanity has, and I've witnessed Ritsuko-san experiencing what most people would call a 'psychotic breakdown'," replied Shinji in a droning monotone. "Compared to all of that, finding out that Rei is part Angel actually explains a lot. Plus, I don't think my father would let her go to school if there was a chance of her suddenly flipping out and killing everyone."

Maya and Miyata stared before the former said, "You were right Miyata-kun; he IS quick to adapt."

The Third Child shrugged. Adaptation was something he had become rather adept at, in his personal opinion. How could you not with a father like Gendo or a cousin like Annette? "So…you were saying something about this project?"

"GEHIRN was a UN agency, hidden though it was," continued Misato, her cheeks showing not one bit of flushing due to copious amounts of sake she had already consumed. "When this project officially began, there were…conditions. From GEHIRN's perspective, it was about creating a hybrid being that could hopefully synchronize more easily with an Evangelion, in the event that a human couldn't do it."

Given the circumstances behind why Shinji himself could pilot Unit-01, he wisely decided not to broach the subject. "I'm sensing a 'but'."

Misato grinned bitterly. "Even though the major powers had stopped fighting each other following the Valentine Treaty, wars were still going on all over the world. Terrorists, rogue nations, mercenaries...South America, Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia were still hotspots following the formal 'conclusion' of the Impact Wars. Given the human costs involved in restoring just a little measure of order…and given that GEHIRN still possessed a monopoly on research into Angelic technology at the time…"

Shinji quickly drew a conclusion, his expression growing dark. "They wanted weapons."

"Specifically, soldiers. Something that UN forces could use in combat with causing excessive environmental damage."

"The process of creating nephilim…wasn't easy at first," stated Maya, eyes downcast as she recalled words from Ritsuko. "Senpai was working here before all aspects of nephilim creation were handed over to NERV-Lyon and NERV-5 following GEHIRN's formal dissolution. After all, her mother was involved in the project from the beginning, along with the Professor and…your mother."

"My mom?" Shinji blinked out of surprise. "I…didn't know." Anything involving his mother, as a general rule of thumb, was open for (mostly awkward) discussion with his father. The man had never shied away from talking about her, their work at GEHIRN, and the insight she had possessed regarding the nature of the Angels and the Evangelion. Was this project that much of a secret?

"Yui Ikari, Gendo Ikari, and Naoko Akagi. They were the three members of GEHIRN who initially began research into the possibilities of genetically engineering hybrids, although it was Akagi-senpai's mother who took effective command of the project upon its official inception in 2005," added Miyata. "At first, it was small stuff, like cell cultures. What they discovered though was amazing; although the First and Second Angels were made of exotic matter that defies the conventional laws of physics, a thorough examination of their DNA – at least, the Angelic equivalent of DNA – revealed a sequencing pattern that was ninety-nine-point-nine-eight percent similar to human DNA."

"...huh?" Now the Third Child was well and truly confused. "They're that similar…and yet they're made of…I mean…huh?"

Misato giggled. "Aw, he can be flummoxed!"

Maya smiled. "It's okay Ikari-san. The formal study of Angelic DNA is titled 'crystalline DNA theory', and that field is still in its infancy, relatively speaking. However, this similarity was invaluable; it increased the probability of any hybrids surviving." Her smile quietly vanished. "Eventually, they moved beyond working with cells and tissue, and moved on to human embryos." When Ritsuko had gotten to this part…the sheer emptiness on her senpai's face…Maya sighed, bringing herself back to the present. "The first generation of nephilim…well, they were like Unit-00, in a sense. Proofs of the concept. Test models. Where the breeding, cloning, and aging techniques they had researched were refined and perfected. Once that was done, the second generation of Project Nephilim began. It was at that point that one of those 'conditions' came into play."

Shinji felt a strange chill inhabit his gut; the grim look on Maya's face was unsettling. "What condition was that?"

"Once GEHIRN perfected the process of creating nephilim, they could no longer create new ones at will; they now had a finite limit on the number of nephilim they could have on hand for the purposes of research. Anything beyond that?" Miyata absent-mindedly nibbled on a lukewarm piece of gyoza. "Commissions only."

"Commissions?"

"Member nations of the UN, if they attained approval from the Security Council, could commission GEHIRN for the creation of nephilim for their own military forces, provided that they provide the embryos. Once the embryos were attained, GEHIRN would then splice them with genetic material from the First or Second Angel. Cloning would ensue, followed by artificial aging to anywhere between the ages of six and eight. Anything beyond that would result in…'instability'." Misato chucked down the rest of her sake in one gulp.

"Wait…I…I don't understand…" Oh, Shinji understood, all right. He just didn't want to. "Child soldiers? But…that's illegal! It's a war crime! How could-?"

"Using child soldiers is a war crime if they're humans, Shinji," muttered Misato, a dark look settling on her face. "Nephilim were unlike anything ever seen before. They could lift cars! They could project fields that could repel bullets! Crush objects at a distance! No one cared that they looked like children…because using them for special operations would save the lives of hundreds of soldiers, maybe even thousands. For them, the decision was easy." The Operations Director grimaced as she poured more sake. "It doesn't matter anyway…from a legal standpoint, nephilim are the property of whoever commissioned their creation. No ifs, ands, or buts about it."

Shinji was silent, his expression blank.

Then he stood up, walking away from the dinner table. "Excuse me."

"Ikari-kun?" Miyata frowned, a worried expression on his face. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to talk with Ayanami-san."

xxxx

The sun had since slipped beneath the horizon, its tremendous radiance giving way to the weaker light of the moon and stars. The blue-haired nephilim found the nighttime glow…soothing, compared to the brilliance of day.

It brought comfort, even though she couldn't exactly pinpoint why.

Why did I find relief in Pilot Ikari's reaction? Although the existence of nephilim was still a well-kept secret – all instances of their military successes were off the record – Rei knew the range of opinions regarding her…kin, she supposed would be a proper term. Most were ambivalent, declaring them a necessary evil. Others were…less charitable.

Regardless, she was aware of her purpose in life.

She sensed the presence of Pilot Ikari before he even opened the door to the veranda. His footsteps were slow, but not tentative. He was here with purpose, regardless of his instinctive wariness regarding her abilities.

Yes; he had defied her initial expectations. Perhaps that was why she was feeling so…odd, around him. Her objections to the Professor regarding his piloting aptitude had been rendered pointless. However, what she was feeling was not embarrassment, nor was it shame; those were feelings she associated with disappointing the Supreme Commander, and that was not what she was feeling.

So…why?

"What was it like?"

Rei glanced at the Third Child, who was looking at the darkening sky, eyes focused on the stars. "You will need to be more specific."

"…growing up. I'm…curious, is all."

He had far more to ask; the nephilim could tell that much. About what was still indeterminate. "There are many facets regarding my growth. Please be more specific."

The Third Child sighed out of obvious irritation.

It was though he had expected her to know what he wanted to ask about. Such an expectation was…commonplace in the daily interaction amongst students at the school, from what she had noticed. Despite her small ring of…compatriots amongst the Class Representatives, she still had not mastered this art. Perhaps I should offer suggestions. "Are you curious about how I was acclimated to the outside world? Are you curious about how the Supreme Commander saw to my upbringing? Are you curious about my nature as a nephilim?" Before she could say anything else, the boy spoke up.

"Your…time in the military."

Ah. Her dress uniform. A fairly innocuous thing to ask about. "What about it?"

"Why do you have that uniform?"

Now the boy was being daft on purpose. She was sure of it. "Because I served in the military," she said with a wary stare.

"I know, but that's…" The Third Child sighed, this time out of frustration. "I'm trying to think of what to say."

"What is there to think about? I have this dress uniform because I served in the SSDF."

"That." The boy seemed to hang on to a particular part of her phrase. "The SSDF. Where did you serve?" His eyes fell upon her military ribbons. "I recognize a few of those…one of them is for the Military Medal of Honor." Following Second Impact, Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution had been amended, removing the prohibition against waging war, enabling Japan to once again use the threat of force – implied and actual – to settle international disputes. Upon the organization of the Japanese Strategic Self-Defense Force, a number of older military decorations had returned, including the Military Medal of Honor. "For meritorious service above and beyond the call of duty."

For some reason, the Third Child sounded upset. This decoration was for exceptional service. Being the son of the Supreme Commander of NERV, one would assume that he would be impressed. Apparently not. "Yes. This ribbon is for the Military Medal of Honor." Perhaps he was simply wondering how she had come to earn it. "Awarded for rescuing multiple squads under heavy enemy fire and for killing Rosarita Cisneros, thus forcing the terrorist organization El Baile de la Muerte to unconditionally surrender."

"Rosarita…" Shinji paled. "You mean…Roberta the Bloodhound…?" It was a name that had captured the attention of the entire world for a good portion of 2010. Her organization – El Baile de la Muerte, i.e. The Dance of Death – had carved a bloody swathe from Colombia through Central America and into Mexico. Everyone had been astounded by the lengths she had gone to exact vengeance upon the Mexican and Central American warlords that had killed the head of the prestigious Lovelace family. Her carnage had served as a clarion call for revolution throughout Central and South America, sparking another series of wars that had required intervention by the UN on behalf of its member nations. Eventually, attention had turned towards Mexico, where the Bloodhound had gone hunting for the warlords that had gone into hiding. The very government of Mexico, entrenched as it was in corruption, had fallen into chaos…and it fell to the UN to restore order.

The Mexican Campaign – concluding the Central American Wars of 2010 – had been hard-fought and surprisingly bloody, given that it involved a single terrorist organization – albeit a large and well-armed one, with many of its members being soldiers of various nations from Central America and South America that had fallen under Roberta's thrall – against a UN coalition consisting of American, Canadian, French, British, and Japanese forces. The last conflict of the war – the Battle for Mexico City – had quickly gained notoriety as one of history's most famous battles.

"And you…you were there?"

"Yes." Ikari's body was suddenly full of tension. "You are…displeased."

"It's just…" The boy grit his teeth, trying to keep a lid on his anger. "...how…" He seemed to be maintain some measure of self-control. "How old are you?"

Among all the questions she had expected, that had not been one of them. So much so that she actually replied, "Pardon?"

"Your age. How old are you?"

"…this body is of the second generation of Project Nephilim, physically less than ten years old. However, assuming you mean how old I am physiologically, I am fourteen years old." Did she need to add another qualifier? Perhaps. "Like you." There; that should do it.

"…so you were only nine years old when you served in the military…?"

Rei did not miss the cold tone in his voice, as though he were…in disbelief. "Yes."

"…why…" The boy was looking truly despondent now. She had answered his questions satisfactorily, hadn't she? "Why were you there…?"

He desires more background information. Very well; he had earned this much. "As per NERV's charter, all employees who are of legal age are required to serve for no less than one month in a military contingent recognized by the UN. The mandated time for the period of service is no longer than three months, although they can gain an extension with permission from the Commander of their respective NERV facility. Being a nephilim, the laws are different for me, so I was able to serve in the SSDF for two months. My period of service happened to coincide with the entirety of the Mexican Campaign."

"That doesn't tell me why!" The Third Child was shouting now, his eyes bearing a strange emotion that Rei couldn't quite quantify.

She would later learn that it was the look of one who had been betrayed.

"I served in the SSDF because the Supreme Commander ordered me to."

"…that's…" His voice was trembling. "That's it?"

"Yes. For the purpose of fully developing my inherent abilities as a nephilim, so I could learn how to control the power at my command. It was necessary."

"THERE'S NOTHING NECESSARY ABOUT SENDING A KID INTO A WARZONE!" roared the Third Child, his sudden outburst actually surprising the Sergeant.

She hadn't expected him to be so…upset. Why is he upset? It was actually quite irritating; for all intents and purposes, she had accomplished her goals over the course of the Mexican Campaign. The Supreme Commander himself had congratulated her on her accomplishments. Why didn't his son have the same perspective? "Are you questioning your father's judgment?"

The boy looked at her as if she had gone insane. "What 'judgment'? Of course I am!" Ikari's teeth grit together, his eyes beginning to shimmer with unshed tears. "No excuse…no excuse…I don't care what his reasons were! He was wrong to send you there!"

In an instant, her hand was wrapped around his collar.

In the next, his back was on the ground, her foot applying twenty pounds of pressure to his chest.

She hadn't felt this heated in a while. Not since the day Ikari had arrived in Tokyo-3.

It felt…invigorating. "Say that again."

xxxx

Shinji Ikari had gone through a bit of a loop tonight, to say the least.

He usually tried his best to be the even-headed one, to try and go about things in a reasonable manner. For example, his father's work; he had long been aware that the work of NERV was highly-classified, due to the Angelic technology involved. He had long been aware that his father was viewed with suspicion and paranoia by many people for a variety of reasons.

He had even been aware that some were willing to kill his father because of his position.

Nonetheless, his father had never hidden the importance of the task given NERV, nor had he tried he tried to hide how heavy the burden of being an Evangelion Pilot would be.

Saving the world from Third Impact, after all, was no small task.

Still…Evangelion wasn't the end-all, be-all of NERV.

Child soldiers.

If there was one thing that Shinji's uncle had tried to do during his seven years in Okayama, it was to instill conviction. 'You know my opinion on what the idiot father of yours is doing, so I won't even try to convince you otherwise. You will be thrust into an adult's world at such a young age…and you will have to make decisions. Painful ones. Above all else…I can only ask that you do what is right.'

Tomoe had reiterated that lesson many times over.

Protect the weak. Help the innocent. Do what is just. Condemn that which is evil. Have the courage and conviction to do all these things, no matter how afraid you were.

Tomoe had been a policeman in Kyoto before Impact, and he had passed on the lessons he had learned to his nephew.

At this moment, Shinji questioned if Tomoe's attitude about his father had been…entirely unjustified.

Child soldiers!

It didn't matter that nephilim had super powers. It didn't matter what their legal status was.

How could you, father?

The boy's back collided with the ground, and the breath in his lungs was pushed out by a dainty foot pressing against his ribcage.

Shinji Ikari looked up at Rei Ayanami, going still at the look in her red eyes.

Not quite fury...not quite anger…yet it was an expression that he hadn't seen on the Sergeant's face since arriving in Tokyo-3. She was actually showing irritation on her features… but to a greater degree. "Say that again."

Shinji suddenly realized that Rei Ayanami could easily crush him.

Right now, he didn't care. "My father was wrong to send you there."

The blue-haired nephilim's frown became sharper, revealing her obvious displeasure. "Then you are a fool."

"How am I a fool?" screamed Shinji. "Sending a kid to fight in a warzone? That's ludicrous!"

"I am not human. Whatever beliefs you may possess about children being soldiers does not apply."

"Why not?" The boy watched as the First Child's eyes narrowed, taking the chance to go further. "You go to school with everyone else. You talk with people…" He remembered that look in her eyes at the dinner table, the relief when he had accepted her nature as a hybrid of human and Angel. "Your body may not be pure human…but you're human in every way that counts!"

For a moment, the blue-haired girl seemed…puzzled, by his words. It quickly passed, however. "Then you would condemn to death the lives of many."

Shinji blinked at the sudden swerve. "…what?"

"Creating nephilim was a reality. GEHIRN was subject to the will of the UN. The potential of nephilim in combat was apparent from the start." Her voice did not waver, did not falter; her opinion on the matter was as resolute as his. "In the Central American Wars, nephilim were used in special operations. Their successes prevented casualties that would have occurred otherwise. Clad in black, we traversed the battlefields like ghosts." The Sergeant increased the pressure on his chest ever-so-slightly. "My actions alone saved at least one hundred men and women. Would you condemn them to death because you feel that it was 'wrong' for me to fight?"

There was hesitation now. The Sergeant had given him a concrete reality; she had personally saved over one hundred soldiers. Would her absence from the field of battle – the absence of nephilim entirely – have resulted in their demise?

Rei, seemingly sensing his uncertainty, pressed forward. "Are you so different from me, Pilot Ikari?"

Shinji's eyes snapped open. "What?"

"You have been aware of Evangelion for many years, even before Marduk selected you as the Third Child. You were aware that an Evangelion needs a child as a pilot. You yourself have partaken of a war of your own choosing, a war against the Angels. So tell me...is it also wrong for you to fight?"

In most scenarios, this would seem like a rather devastating blow. After all, he was participating in a war as an active soldier of sorts. The hypocrisy seemed evident on the surface.

However, Shinji's mind returned to his first day of training. "You're doing it again…"

Rei blinked.

"Just like when you compared our spar…to a battle against an Angel…" Shinji inhaled deeply, trying to ignore how painful Rei's foot was. "It's not the same."

Rei's eyes narrowed. "Elaborate."

"Evangelions…aren't like guns…they can't be used by just anyone," wheezed Shinji. He recalled the day where his father had revealed to him the truth of the Contact Experiment. "Without a soul…the Evangelion can't move…and the soul of the Evangelion can't connect with just anyone…"

"To move the Eva, you must open your heart to it," murmured the First Child on reflex, as if recalling a memory from long ago.

"And I…I was told over and over about the danger. I knew from the beginning what would be awaiting me when I returned to Tokyo-3…but I chose to come anyway." Shinji's gaze hardened. "If my father hadn't ordered you to go…would you have fought anyway?"

The answer was immediate. "If the Supreme Commander had not ordered me to go, then I wouldn't have." Shinji's initial elation was quickly dashed when she added, "I had no desire one way or another regarding that war. My purpose is to pilot Evangelion; following Professor Ikari's orders is pursuant to that purpose."

Somehow, that set Shinji off even further. "Don't give me that…"

"I have faith in your father's work. I believe that he knows what he is doing." She paused, looking oddly at him. "I think that you believe that to. Otherwise, you wouldn't be here."

okay, she's got me there. That was the thing; Shinji DID believe in his father. That's why this entire conversation had even gone the way it had…because he didn't want his faith to have been misplaced.

"I am…curious." Shinji turned his attention back to Rei, who was now looking at him with a quizzical stare. "Why is it that you are so offended by the fact that I served in the SSDF?"

Ah. He had been building up this point. "My father once told me…that passing down our sins to the next generation is one of the most despicable things that we can do." It was a phrase that was entirely consistent with Tomoe's own philosophy; each generation had its own problems to deal with. Burdening them with the troubles of their predecessors only compounded their difficulties. "But it's an imperfect world, so sometime's it's unavoidable…I understand that." Shinji breathed with difficulty, his lungs straining against the pressure brought by Ayanami's foot. "But to willingly involve the next generation…?" Shinji wheezed, resisting the urge to cough as he gaze determinedly at the face of his fellow Pilot. "The war against the Angels is for the very survival of humanity…it's different from a mere human war. So…I don't care about the advantages a nephilim has in battle; purposefully involving an innocent child in an adult's war will never be okay. That's a line that should never be crossed…and I don't care what my father's reasons were."

The First Child stared at him with a quiet intent, her expression pensive…yet calculating.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, she removed her foot and stepped away. "You are...strange, Third Child." With that said, she quietly walked back inside, leaving Shinji alone on the veranda.

you're just as strange…Ayanami…

xxxx

"Tell Dr. Akagi that I was grateful for the invitation. Would it be permissible for me to leave?"

"Sure, go on Rei-chan. Don't forget your pills!"

The First Child briefly shot the now-tipsy Lieutenant Colonel a queer look. "You are aware that I never forget."

"Eh, first time for everythin'."

The Sergeant absorbed Misato's words before calmly saluting her superiors. "Lieutenant Colonel Katsuragi. Lieutenants Ibuki." The young girl turned on her heel, the long skirt of her dress uniform flowing behind her as she departed from Ritsuko's apartment.

The Ibuki Twins suddenly slumped onto the nearby couch, the tension leaking from their bodies like LCL. "Gah…that was…I mean…"

"I know, Miyata-kun," concurred Maya, knowing full well where her brother's train of thought was going. The trio of adults had been spending the entirety of the last ten to fifteen minutes eavesdropping on the Pilots' conversation from an open window.

The mood had been…strained, to be charitable. "For a moment, I thought that she would have…well, that she might have-"

"She wouldn't have killed the kid," interrupted Misato, who was now pouring what was left of the sake into her tea cup. "It would have made the Professor go ballistic. Sides', Cute Bruiser is prohibited from fatally injuring a fellow NERV employee."

"…I guess, but she actually looked upset."

Misato mulled over the male Ibuki's words. Then she sipped her spiked tea. "Eh, she practically lives and breathes self-control. She wouldn't have hurt him."

It was at that moment that Shinji trudged into the dining room, wearily rubbing at his chest. "Where…where'd Ayanami-san go?"

"Decided to leave." Misato shrugged as downed the rest of her beverage, eyeing the bottom with suspicion. "Meh…no more…" She tilted her head towards her charge, flashing a jaunty grin. "So kiddo, ready to go home?"

"…Misato-san, you're in no condition to be driving."

"WHUT?" The woman's face, flushed red from both anger and inebriation, leapt to her feet. "I am perfectly capable of WHOA-kay, maybe not." She went down just as quickly, barely catching herself before her face hit the floor.

Maya and Miyata sighed. The former looked over at Shinji and said, "Maybe it would be best if you stayed her for the time being…unless you feel comfortable going home on your own?"

Shinji smiled wearily. "Actually…I was just gonna take a little walk." I need to…think about things. "I guess Misato-san can just sleep off her hangover here?"

"Wouldn't be the first time," muttered Miyata.

"Heh heh heh…passed out drunk on Ritsky's bed…just like college!" slurred a giggling Misato.

Shinji rolled his eyes before bowing to both of the Ibukis. "Could you give my thanks to Dr. Akagi for the wonderful meal? Tonight was…very revealing."

Both of the Ibukis smiled as they knelt down to pick up the drunken Lieutenant Colonel. "We're just glad that senpai made a…second impression on you," said Maya, a nervous grin on her face.

Shinji settled for waving before departing.

The moment he left, Miyata said, "Dibs on the couch."

"Wha? Come on bro, ladies first!"

"You're my sister, you don't count."

The only sound in the house now was playful bickering as the Ibukis carried their superior to Ritsuko's room.

xxxx

Shinji wandered.

His feet seemed to move of their own volition as he took in the sights of Tokyo-3's downtown on a Saturday night. Glowing neon lights, bustling crowds…you wouldn't have thought that two Angels had attacked the city recently. The teeming masses of individuals, going to and fro about Shinji…it provided a distracting background noise.

Oddly enough, it gave him a greater opportunity to mull over what he had to do next. Given what he had learned tonight…there was no choice but to acquire some form of closure.

But how?

That was the one question that occupied his attention for the entirety of his trek. If one term could describe what he was doing, it would be…soul-searching, in a sense.

Through downtown. Past a string of apartments. Onto a forested trail on the outskirts of the city, taking him along the layered mountainside of Owakudani, the air rife with steam from the sulfuric vents of the volcanic mountain. Eventually, he found himself near a grassy field, the bright skyline of Tokyo-3 still within sight.

All of a sudden, he paused, wondering what time it was…and then he sighed, deciding that it didn't really matter.

I won't run away.

Shinji Ikari calmly took out his NERV-issued cell phone and dialed a number that he knew by heart.

Unsurprisingly, it only took a few dial tones before he was answered. "I was wondering when you'd call."

The voice of his father, never lacking in fervor. A man who always spoke as if he knew all of the answers.

It was time to test that. "Then you saw…everything?"

"Surveillance is standard for most NERV employees, and your position is being tracked by Section 2. Your status as a Pilot warrants nothing less."

"…so you know why I'm calling then." The boy sniffed, trying to collect his thoughts. What he wanted to do was rant and rave, and ask what his father had been thinking. However, all he could muster was "Why?"

"Among the other reasons that the Sergeant told you, there was one…practical reason."

"And what is that?"

So his father told him.

Quite frankly…Shinji didn't know what to think. "…you honestly believe it will come to that?"

"After the things I've had to deal with in this line of work, it is an utmost certainty in my mind."

"That's…pretty depressing."

"That is why that all I can do is shore up our position. For the foreseeable future, all you have to worry about is defeating the Angels. And doing your school work."

The boy couldn't help but snicker at that line; school work was the least of his worries. "Well…still…"

"You know…I wasn't entirely honest that day. When we discussed your contract."

"…what?"

"The truth is…Rei was meant to be your replacement." Before the enormity of that statement could knock Shinji to the ground, Gendo added, "At least, with regards to piloting Evangelion."

"...what?"

There was a sigh on the other line. It was one of those sighs that Gendo had mastered, in the sense that the remorse was so subtle it was practically invisible. "Ritsuko Akagi's mother was the one who originally conceived the idea of splicing an Angel's genetic material with human beings. When your mother and I looked at the proposal, do you know what Yui told me?"

"…what did mother say?"

"She said…" Brief hesitation, vanishing in a mere moment. "...that we had found a way to keep the burden of Eva from our son."

Shinji's throat impulsively convulsed. Don't cry, don't cry, not when you're talking to father, don't cry! "I…I see…"

"We both worked with great…zeal, alongside Naoko Akagi, laying the groundwork for Project Nephilim." Another sigh. "Unfortunately, we soon learned the truth about the Evangelion, about its need for a soul of its own."

"To move the Eva, you must open your heart to it," murmured the Third Child, recalling the First Child's statement from earlier that evening.

"Yes. In the end, Rei Ayanami was created to serve the needs of NERV. The restrictions due to UN supervision on Project Nephilim limited what actions I could take in regards to her treatment. I…tried to do as much as I could."

"…I'm still mad at you though. And I still think you were wrong."

His father chuckled. "Of course I was wrong. There was no right decision, so I settled for the most efficient choice. Hopefully, your conversation with Rei will change things."

"Huh?"

"The prism through which Rei views life is inexorably tied to Evangelion, to NERV, to me. Putting her into a school has broadened her horizons, but the prism still remains." There was another chuckle, dry and laden with self-recrimination. "Maybe you'll be the one who finally enlightens her to…alternatives in life."

It was at that moment that Shinji knew that his father had put a lot of thought into his actions, like he had with everything else in his life. Regardless of how wrong sending Ayanami to fight in a war had been, at least he now knew that his father hadn't made the decision callously. Or maliciously, for that matter. "Do you really think that?"

"Son, I would jump for joy – figuratively speaking – if Rei were to one day condemn me for what I've done to her."

"That's…harsh."

"I deserve nothing less."

After that, there was a long moment of silence. What could Shinji add to that? "…okay then…thank you for answering my questions."

"I suggest that you get some sleep. You have a busy week ahead of you. Good night son."

"Good night father."

Click.

Shinji's gaze turned upward to the stars, becoming lost in the infinite sea. Man…I'm tired…

"Yo."

"GAH!" yelped Shinji as he turned on his feet, adrenaline pumping through his system at the sudden interloper. "…Aida?"

"Hey, Ikari!" exclaimed the bespectacled Gendotaku, clad in jungle camouflage.

"…what are you doing here?"

"Foraging, survival training, that kinda thing," he said in a flippant manner, as if it were no big deal. "Now lemme ask YOU the same question; what are you doing here?"

"…going on a walk."

Kensuke blew a raspberry. "LAME. Come up with a better excuse than that! I heard ya talking to your dad."

Shinji impulsively wondered how much Kensuke had overheard until he realized that his part of the conversation had been…lacking in specifics. "Oh..."

"I heard you say something about Eva. Lemme guess: top secret? Classified? Omerta?"

"…yes. My conversation with my father involved classified…stuff."

"Gotcha!"

I really don't have time to deal with this. As cold as that seemed, Shinji was in no mood for antics of any sort. "Look…I'm sorry if I seem so short with you, but it's been a long night…and I'm really tired." How the heck am I gonna get back to Misato's apartment?

"Ah…lost track of time then!" The boy jerked his thumb toward the grassy field, where a small clearing had been patted down. "You can crash in my tent if you're too tired to get back home. I've got a spare sleeping bag."

"Really?"

"Of course!"

"…thanks…" Shinji couldn't help but grin. For all his oddities, Kensuke was a genuinely nice guy. "Thanks, Kensuke."

The Gendotaku blinked at the use of his given name before grinning widely. "Any time, Shinji!"

As the two boys walked through the tall grass, the Third Child found solace in the fact that his day would close on a mostly pleasant note.

"You know, if you had a jet pack, you'd be able to get back to your house REALLY quickly."

"…why would I use a jet pack to travel?"

"Because it's a jet pack! I mean, I've seen your old man do it at least TWICE!"

Key word being 'mostly'.

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

Episode 8: JET ALONE

xxxx

Author's Note: I've just realized that the one big difference between MFE!Shinji/Gendo and Canon!Shinji/Gendo is that these guys actually communicate with each other. Imagine; talking about your issues!

Now, try and spot the references.

On another note, this story has a TVTropes page; I want to know what's worked the most, so add your favorite Awesome/Heartwarming/Funny moments to the appropriate pages!

tvtropes pmwiki / pmwiki . php / FanFic / MobileFighterEvangelion

Next time, we finally see the mysterious Jet Alone. It comes with kung-fu action grip!

See you soon, and please review!