EVANGELION: REWIRED
By Anguirus1955
Disclaimer: Neon Genesis Evangelion and all related characters therein are the intellectual property of Studio Gainax and Hideaki Anno.
As a foreward, this episode is pretty much character development and occasional hi-jinks. With two episodes in a row featuring Angel battles, this one is basically serving as a breather episode, kind of like Episode 04 and Episode 02. So, sit back and relax with this one.
Music that I listened to included Neon Genesis Evangelion Original Soundtrack Volumes 1 - 3 (1995 - 1997) by Shiro Sagisu, FLCL (2000) by The Pillows and Shinkichi Mitsumume, Evangelion Wind Symphony by Shiro Sagisu and Yoichi Murata and Masamichi Amano, Kare Kano (1998) by Shiro Sagisu, Evangelion S2 Works (1997) by Shiro Sagisu, Die Hard With A Vengeance (1995) by Michael Kamen, The Terminator (1984) by Brad Fidel, and The Fifth Element (1997) by Eric Serra.
Music From Neon Genesis Evangelion OST 1 - 3 (1995 - 1997): Ritsuko, Misato.
Music From The Fifth Element (1997): Korben Dallas, Koolen, Heat, Badaboom, Leeloominai, Mina Hinoo.
Music From The Terminator (1984): "Fuck You Asshole", Main Title, Reese Dreams of Future War.
Music From Kare Kano OST 1 - 3 (1998): Yukino Miyazawa III (Jazz Rock).
Music From Die Hard With A Vengeance (1995): Summer In The City (By The Lovin' Spoonful).
Music From Evangelion S2 Works: OP-1 Strings.
Music From FLCLOST 1 - 3 (2000): Runner's High.
Music From Evangelion Wind Symphony: F-02 Preview Of Next Time Take 1.
Track Order Listing - All After Opening Theme And Before Ending Theme
01. Summer In The City (kids walk home from school), 02. Mina Hinoo (Misato and friends drinking), 03. Badaboom (Makoto takes Misato home), 04. Koolen (Misato goes to bed), 05. Korben Dallas (kids at the mall), 06. "Fuck You Asshole" (Toji pisses off Asuka), 07. Runner's High (Rei and Shinji meet Mari), 08. Yukino Miyazawa III (Jazz Rock) (Asuka chases Toji through the mall), 09. Misato (Asuka introduces herself in school).
Music After Ending Theme
10. Preview Of Next Time Take 1.
OPENING THEME: A Cruel Angel's Thesis (Director's Edit - Ayanami Version), Performed by Megumi Hayashibara
Episode 07: The Red Ambassadresses
The Katsuragi/Ikari/Ayanami Apartment, Tokyo-3, Friday, September 19, 2042
"Why does it feel hotter than usual?" Toji Suzuhara whined as sweat began to drip from his brows. Ahead of him, Rei Ayanami curtly nodded her head in silent agreement with his complaint about the heat. Next to Rei, Shinji Ikari wiped his forehead with arm that was already slick from sweat.
"Great, now it does nothing," Shinji grumbled in annoyance. Rei glanced at him before rolling her eyes.
"And I hear the Defense Force is already making twelve of them as we speak," Kensuke Aida said enthusiastically as he rambled on about some new plane he'd read about on a military news website the other night. He was the only one not entirely bothered by the unusual heat wave that Japan was experiencing that month.
Walking home from school, Shinji and Rei, accompanied by Toji and Kensuke, made their way up the stairs to the floor where their apartment resided. Kensuke was still rambling on about some new military plane that was being produced for the JSSDF, while Toji just nodded his head and rolled his eyes at his friend. Rei simply tuned the boy out, while Shinji followed Toji's example, albeit without the eye-rolling. As they neared the top, Rei tilted her head in curiosity as she saw several moving boxes sitting outside the door to an as-of-yet unoccupied apartment.
"Oh, we have new neighbors?" Shinji asked rhetorically as he eyed the boxes.
"And it can go at speeds of-hey, why'd you guys stop?" Kensuke asked just inches away from Rei's back. He looked around her and saw the moving boxes. "Oh, it looks like you guys have some new neighbors," Kensuke noted.
"So it would seem," Rei said in agreement, nodding her head. Soon, two Section 2 agents, one bald with a goatee and one sporting a full head of short-cropped hair, walked out of the apartment alongside a man with a blue button-up shirt, a ponytail, and a stubble on his chin.
"Hey, thanks again for the help," the man said to the Section 2 agents.
"It's no problem," the bald agent said.
"I think I can take care of the rest. So, uh... I guess, go do whatever it is you guys normally do," the ponytail man said. The two agents quietly nodded their heads before turning in the direction of the four teenagers. The agents stepped to the side against the door to another unused apartment and motioned for the kids to pass them.
"Hey, these guys are Section 2!" Kensuke said with glee. "That means whoever's moving in must be important," he added.
"No shit," Toji muttered in response. Rei and Shinji both nodded at the two agents as they passed them.
"Corporal Ayanami. Corporal Ikari," the short-haired agent said curtly with a nod of acknowledgement.
"Uh... right," Shinji said with a nod, still not used to the whole ranking system that came with being an Eva pilot. He and Rei had both been promoted to the rank of Corporal following the defeat of Ramiel back in July.
"Corporal!? Shinji, you never told me you and Rei were promoted!" Kensuke exclaimed as he ran up to the boy, causing Shinji to groan and roll his eyes.
"Gee, I can't imagine how I forgot to tell you," Shinji said dryly. Standing back by the other apartment door, the man with the ponytail chuckled.
"Oh, Eva pilots, eh?" he asked loud enough for the teenagers to hear him, prompting Rei to turn around first.
"I guess that means I'm in safe hands while living here," the man added humorously. He then knelt down and picked up a moving box before carrying it into the apartment. Rei raised an eyebrow quizzically at the doorway where the man had disappeared. I wonder... Rei thought to herself as she looked over at the Section 2 agents, both of whom were busy lighting cigarettes leaning against the wall.
Then again, with myself and Shinji both living in this building, it would make sense for Section 2 to handle any new residents as a way of inspecting them in order to determine whether or not they are potential threats, Rei rationalized. Rei knew that if new pilots were to be transferred into the city, the Commander would have told her, and yet she had received no news from the Commander or anyone else in recent days regarding the possibility of any new pilots being transferred into the city. Therefore, it was likely that Section 2 was simply helping this man move into his apartment in order to inspect him and check him out.
After making their way down the hall and over to the door to Misato's apartment, Shinji unlocked the door with his key before opening it and letting everyone else in first, quickly closing the door shut behind him after Kensuke entered. Taking off their shoes, everyone made their way through the kitchen, where Shinji opened the fridge to grab some sodas and snacks for everyone, making sure to grab a juice box for Rei. During Rei's third week with Misato and Shinji, the girl had discovered the wonders of juice, and it quickly became one of her favorite drinks.
Looking at the fridge door after closing it, Shinji saw a note from Misato.
'Shinji and Rei,
I'll be working a late shift this evening. I tried making some food for you. It's in the fridge. If you feel sick after the first bite, I'll understand if the rest of it is untouched. Have fun tonight, you two, but not TOO MUCH fun, if you know what I mean!
Misato'
"Huh. I guess those cooking lessons I've been giving her might be paying off. I hope I'm not wrong," Shinji said to himself as he read the note a second time. "But, what does she mean by too much fun? Wait... she's teasing us," Shinji said, shaking his head and rolling his eyes. After fully processing Misato's note, Shinji made his way into the living room, where Rei was busy doing her homework on the coffee table, while Toji and Kensuke were flipping through channels on the TV. Sitting on the couch behind Rei, Pen-Pen was reading a magazine.
Shinji gently set the juice box down next to Rei, who glanced up at him with a small smile and a nod of her head in appreciation. "Thank you," Rei said softly. Shinji nodded his head in return with a smile of his own, before he handed a can of soda to Kensuke and Toji each. He then pulled the tab on his own soda can before taking a gulp.
"So, Shin-man, where's Misato?" Toji asked as he took a sip of his own soda.
"She's working the night shift. She left a note on the fridge," Shinji explained.
"Oh. That must suck," Toji commented.
"Well, somebody's gotta do it," Shinji said with a shrug.
"Hey, Toji, how's your sister doing?" Shinji asked, suddenly remembering that Toji had a sister. She was the reason Toji had attacked him back when they had first met, after all.
"Well, I was hopin' ta keep it a surprise an' all, but... she's gettin' released from the hospital tomorrow!" Toji said happily, a big smile spread across his face.
"Really? That's great!" Shinji replied, happy for his friend. "So, I take it you'll want to spend all of tomorrow afternoon with... her?" Shinji asked, not remembering if Toji had ever told him his sister's name.
"Sakura, Shin-man. My sister's name is Sakura," Toji said.
"Right. So... is she angry with me for her injuries?" Shinji asked nervously.
"Naw... she's angry at Ken for convincing us to go outside with him to watch that fight," Toji said, glancing over in Kensuke's direction.
Kensuke was busy sipping a soda when he noticed Toji looking at him. "What?" Kensuke asked him in confusion. Toji just looked away and returned his attention to Shinji.
"Anyway, I was thinking that I'd take Sakura to the mall on Sunday. You know? Get her out and walkin' around now that she's actually able to walk again," Toji said.
"That sounds like fun. I-wait... hey, Rei?" Shinji asked, prompting Rei to glance up from her homework.
"Yes?" Rei asked him curiously. "Hey, do we have any sync tests or training simulations lined up for us on Sunday at NERV HQ?" Shinji asked her. Rei shook her head. "I am not aware of any such tests having been scheduled for us on Sunday. As far as I am personally aware, we do not have anything planned," Rei replied.
"Well then, wanna come to the mall with us on Sunday? We'll get to meet Toji's sister in person and we can... go to the arcade or get something at the food court," Shinji suggested.
"Such as the kebabs at the vegetable grill?" Rei asked with interest and a twinkle in her eyes. Toji blinked at Rei, having never witnessed the girl expressing any kind of anticipation before. Then again, he'd never really paid that much attention to her after the first three years of knowing her back when his family had first moved to Tokyo-3 from Osaka, shortly before his mother had died.
"Um, sure. Just remember to bring money with you," Shinji replied. Rei smiled softly and nodded her head as she returned her attention to her homework. Grilled vegetable kebabs... I enjoy eating those quite immensely. Perhaps I shall learn to make them myself one day, Rei thought to herself before she began working on her next math problem.
"So... any set time for when we should all meet up on Sunday?" Shinji asked Toji.
"Well... I've got your phone number, so I'll let Sakura decide when she wants to go, and I'll call you after that. Sound good?" Toji asked Shinji in response.
"Sure. It'll be her first full day out of the hospital, right? Let her pick the time," Shinji replied.
"Yeah. A nice day off with no giant monsters and no bad-smelling hospital rooms. Just me, my sister, and some friends as we enjoy ourselves at the mall," Toji said with a smile.
"Unless we get called in to NERV unexpectedly," Shinji added with a frown. "Aw, I doubt it, man. Besides, you guys do so much testing over there, I'm shocked you both ain't scientists by now," Toji joked.
"Yeah, well, I don't think I'd qualify as a scientist, Toji. In fact I like staying away from NERV HQ as much as I can," Shinji replied.
"Oh, man! What I wouldn't give to be able to go down to NERV HQ and see all of that cool stuff down there! I wish I could be a pilot!" Kensuke exclaimed.
Shinji narrowed his eyes at the boy, wondering if Kensuke had learned anything from the incident with the Fourth Angel. "Hey, Kensuke... how would you like to try some of Misato's cooking?" Shinji offered, a dark and insidious plan forming in his mind.
"Huh? Hey, Shin-man, I thought you told us Misato's cookin' was dangerous?" Toji asked Shinji.
"I've been giving her cooking lessons for the past couple months," Shinji replied. Toji remained unconvinced by Shinji's words.
"Hm... well, sure! Why not?" Kensuke said eagerly, trusting Shinji. Excellent, Shinji thought darkly as he made his way back into the kitchen.
"You've got a death wish, Ken-man," Toji said, shaking his head. Kensuke looked at him in confusion. "What do you mean?"
NERV HQ, Later That Night...
Ritsuko Akagi looked at the harmonics readings for the two pilots with an impassive expression on her face. "Well, everything seems to be nominal," she said. "Okay, Sohryu. That's enough for today. You and Makinami are free to go," Ritsuko said into the com. "Finally! I was afraid you were gonna keep us in here all night!" Asuka whined over the com.
"Hey, I don't mind being in LCL all night," Mari commented over the com.
"That's because you're insane," Asuka retorted.
"Please, Princess. I'm just more comfortable in it than you are," Mari retorted over the com.
"You have a fetish for this stuff! That's not healthy!" Asuka shot back. Ritsuko rolled her eyes as she listened to the two girls snipe at each other.
Sitting at a terminal nearby, Maya chuckled as she listened to the two girls verbally assault one another while they exited their Evangelions. "They sound like sisters," Maya commented with a smile.
"Mm-hm. They sure do," Ritsuko said in agreement.
Turning to look at one of the screens nearby, Ritsuko let out a drag from her cigarette. "So, we should have plenty of data to work with over for the next few days," she said.
"Yep," Maya said, nodding her head in agreement.
"So, ready to meet up with Captain Katsuragi and Hyuga later, Sempai?" Maya asked Ritsuko eagerly.
"Well, if we can set the MAGI to run a series of simultaneous archival scans of this data before we leave... yes. But we still need to set a marker for where we'll be leaving off before we go," Ritsuko replied. "Of course... when we get the chance, I'd like to schedule the other pilots for some cross-synchronization tests in Units Two and Five. Oh, Ibuki? Have we run any cross-synchronization tests involving Pilot Ikari and Unit Zero yet?" Ritsuko asked Maya.
"Um, let me check," Maya said as she accessed the harmonics archives from her terminal. Her eyes scanned over date after date in her search for any tests that didn't involve Rei and Unit 01. "Uh... no, it looks like we haven't yet. Should we schedule a sync test soon?" Maya asked Ritsuko.
"I'll take care of that," Ritsuko said. She would have to bring this up with Gendo when she had the chance.
A Few Minutes Later, In The Pilot Shower And Locker Rooms...
"Ugh!" Asuka groaned as she rinsed the LCL out of her hair. "I hate smell of this stuff. And it tastes like blood!" Asuka whined.
"You always complain about that, but whenever you're offered the chance to get back in the Eva, you don't seem to have any problems getting back into the LCL," Mari remarked knowingly as she showered in the next stall over.
"Oh, bite me," Asuka growled at Mari through the stall.
After both girls had finished rinsing off the LCL, they grabbed their towels and began drying off before heading over to their lockers, grabbing clean underwear and casual clothes. "Okay, I guess we should go get some new school uniforms tomorrow," Mari said as she buttoned up her pink shirt. Standing next to her, Asuka tucked in her yellow T-shirt before zipping up her blue jeans and looping her belt.
"So, is it true that kids go to school on Saturdays here? Like, a half day of school on a Saturday?" Asuka asked Mari.
"From what I've heard, yeah," Mari replied as she began putting on her socks and shoes.
"Gib mir eine pause," Asuka muttered in German.
"Hey, we're in Japan now, so start whining in Japanese," Mari teased.
"Pisse Davon," Asuka retorted as she tied her shoe laces.
Mari just stuck her tongue out at Asuka in response. "Really?" Asuka asked her with one eyebrow raised. "You can be so childish at times," she said with a sigh while shaking her head in disapproval.
"Hey, I'm not the one who's constantly whining about everything," Mari retorted.
"Come on, let's just get out of here," Asuka said as she led the way out of the pilot locker room, stepping into a hallway while retrieving her new NERV ID card from her pocket and fiddling with it in her hands. The two of them traveled through the corridors of NERV HQ in relative silence until they came across an elevator. "So... do all grades wear the same uniforms, or are there different uniforms for each grade?" Asuka asked Mari.
"Huh?" Mari asked her.
"For school. Do different grades have different uniforms?" Asuka reiterated in frustration.
"Oh. I dunno," Mari replied, shrugging her shoulders.
"Figures," Asuka muttered as the elevator doors opened and they stepped inside. "Let's see... which floor has the visitor lobby on it? That's where Kaji said he would meet us, right," Asuka asked as she hovered a finger over the buttons on the elevator's control panel.
Meanwhile, In Gendo Ikari's Office...
"This is it," Kaji said as he lifted the false layer out of the briefcase. On the true bottom layer, a small compact cube made of Bakelite was situated inside a sterile hold. There was a small control panel next to the Bakelite cube, while in the cube itself was something that looked like an embryo.
"The remains of Adam, the First Angel," Gendo said as he gazed upon the small form of the being that had caused millions of people and animals to die when it initiated 2nd Impact.
"This was not easy to get a hold of," Kaji said as he stared into Gendo's face. "What exactly do you need this for?" he asked Gendo.
"Presently? Keeping it out of SEELE's hands is the main priority. That's all you need to know," Gendo replied, staring at Kaji coldly.
Kaji offered his conman smile before closing the case. "Of course, Commander," Kaji said, before he glanced down at his watch. "Well, if you'll excuse me, I have two girls to pick up and take home," Kaji said as he left the briefcase sitting on Gendo's desk. He turned around and walked over to the door, never once glancing back at the two men standing behind the main desk as he exited the room.
A Short Time Later, In The NERV HQ Visitor Lobby...
Sitting down on a bench, Asuka glanced around at the various personnel milling about. Sitting next to her, Mari was busy listening to some music on a portable media player, with a set of headphones plugged into the device. The bespectacled girl was currently humming along to some song, a smile plastered on her face as she hummed. Looking around, Asuka couldn't help but notice just how different NERV HQ felt in comparison to the German Branch. The lighting felt more subdued, and there was a slightly more tense feeling in the air. The walls also felt as though they were a shade darker than the walls at the German Branch.
The atmosphere was different as well. At the German Branch, there was usually a feeling of contentment in the air, a sense of peace and tranquility. Here at the Japanese Branch, however, the air was more melancholy. It wasn't blatant, but the slight difference in tone was noticeable to Asuka. Given how three Angels had already attacked the city above them, she supposed it made sense for everyone to be a little bit on edge. However, each Angel had been defeated, and with three victories in a row, shouldn't everyone be feeling more jubilant? Shouldn't there be a feeling of triumph in the air?
Asuka was shaken out of her thoughts when Kaji's voice broke through the air. "Hey, girls! Sorry I'm a little late. I had a meeting with the Commander that took a little longer than expected," Kaji said as he approached Mari and Asuka.
"I was beginning to think you'd gotten lost," Asuka lied. Asuka then nudged Mari in the arm, causing the girl to open her eyes and take off her headphones.
"Huh? Oh, what's up?" Mari asked as she saw Kaji standing in front of them.
"We're going home now," Kaji replied with a smile. Mari and Asuka both got up from the bench and followed Kaji through the lobby. "So, Kaji, tomorrow, Mari and I are gonna do some shopping for school uniforms. Wanna come with us?" Asuka asked him.
"Well, I'd like to, but I just got my new schedule, and I've gotta be back here tomorrow afternoon," Kaji replied.
"Aw!" Mari whined.
"Hey, you girls will be fine. I trust you to take care of yourselves and not go overboard with your spending," Kaji said reassuringly. "After all, it's your own money you'll be spending, not mine," Kaji added with a snicker and a shit-eating grin.
"Aw, but how are we gonna make you go broke!?" Mari pouted playfully.
"You won't," Kaji said with a smile, just before Asuka looked around the corridor they had entered.
"Um, Kaji? I think we're going the wrong way," Asuka said as she pointed to a sign on the wall. Kaji looked at the sign and read it to himself.
"Well, this won't taking us to the parking garage at all," he said thoughtfully before he turned around, Asuka and Mari following him.
"So, when do we get to meet the other pilots?" Asuka asked.
"Well, I think we live in the same apartment building as them, so you'll probably meet them tomorrow," Kaji said as he led that girls back into the lobby and over to the proper hallway.
"What are their names again?" Asuka asked, having forgotten to read up on the pilots of the Japan Branch before leaving for Tokyo-3.
"They are Rei Ayanami and Shinji Ikari, both recently promoted to the rank of Corporal after the battle with the Fifth Angel," Kaji replied.
"Ikari? That's the name of the Commander. So, I take it he's a daddy's boy?" Asuka asked.
"Not from what I've heard. Apparently, the two Ikaris don't get along very well. Their relationship is... kind of similar to the one between you and... your own father," Kaji said hesitantly.
Asuka's eyes widened in realization. "So... the Commander wants nothing to do with his own son? Aside from having him pilot the Eva?" Asuka asked.
"That's what I've heard," Kaji replied as they continued walking.
"That's... harsh," Asuka said softly.
"Yeah... not exactly the best of relationships," Kaji said in agreement.
The rest of the trip to the parking garage was quiet. Mari listened to her music as Kaji led them to the car, while Asuka silently stewed in her own thoughts, the mentioning of her father having brought back some rather unpleasant memories. She tried to ignore them as she and Mari kept following Kaji to the garage, but the memories of being neglected would not go away. Neither would the connected memories of her own mother shunning her and replacing her with a doll.
RECREATION CENTER 8-04, Level B-08, NERV HQ, Later That Evening...
Makoto Hyuga watched as Misato emptied her third cup of beer. "You know, Captain, I think you should slow down a bit there," Makoto said worriedly.
"Nonsense! I've got a good buzz goin'!" Misato chirped happily in response, a big smile plastered on her face. Sitting next to Makoto, Maya gingerly sipped her own drink, while Ritsuko smirked at Misato as she leaned back while ordering another beer, nearly falling off of the stool in the process before she caught herself.
Maya held a small wad of cash in one hand, while Ritsuko held a small wad in one of her own hands, both women having made a bet on how long Misato would last before she got completely plastered. "One more after this and she'll be toast," Maya whispered.
"Please. She'll go at least five more drinks before she calls it a night. Just you watch," Ritsuko whispered back at Maya.
Ritsuko had known Misato since college, and she'd witnessed first hand just how much alcohol Misato could handle. Hell, she'd even had a few drinking competitions with Misato herself before she had been forced to cash in her credits and graduate early after receiving her first clandestine assignment from Gendo Ikari back when NERV was still GEHIRN. Making bets with people on how much beer Misato could consume was just a way for her to collect some easy money at this point.
"You're on," Maya whispered back with a grin. It was a challenge from the younger woman, who rarely displayed such a game face. The liquor must have made her less inhibited. Were they making bets on anything else, Ritsuko would have found Maya's boldness endearing. As it was... she pitied the poor girl for just how much money she was going to lose.
Five drinks later and nine drinks total, Misato was finally hammered and more than capable of falling flat on her face without the need to be pushed from behind. As such, Makoto was currently helping Misato walk away from the counter, with Ritsuko having used some of Maya's hard-lost cash to pay for Misato's drinks. Makoto had one of Misato's arms draped over his shoulder while he had his right arm snaked behind her back to hold her by the waist.
"Come on, I'll get ya home," Makoto said to the intoxicated Misato, who just giggled in response with rosy cheeks.
"Ho-ho-home!" Misato laughed.
"Yeah. Home," Makoto said, rolling his eyes. Misato then started humming some unknown tune to herself as Makoto helped her walk through the corridors and over to an elevator, eventually taking them up to the parking garage.
Makoto kept his eyes facing forward, but once in a while, he would glance over at Misato and see those rosy cheeks and that big grin plastered on her face while she drunkenly hummed some nondescript tune to herself. When they eventually reached Misato's blue Renault Alpine A310, Makoto let out a sigh of relief. When Misato saw the car, she let out a gurgle and a squeal of happiness.
"Yay! My baby! My beautiful blueeeecghh!" Misato let out before she threw up on the pavement, Makoto holding her hair out of the way.
"That's it. Just... let it all out," Makoto said softly as Misato emptied her stomach contents on to the garage floor. This way, she shouldn't need to throw up while in her car, Makoto thought to himself. Seeing the opportunity, he retrieved her car keys before unlocking the car doors.
As gently as he could, Makoto helped ease Misato into the back seat of the car and laid her down before strapping her in with both sets of seat belts. Misato just looked around with a groan before closing her eyes and falling asleep. I sure hope no one looks in the back and thinks I've kidnapped her, Makoto thought to himself worriedly as he closed the door and got up in the front of the car. While Makoto didn't own a car himself, he did have a driver's license. He just rarely needed to use it.
The Parking Lot Of The Katsuragi/Ikari/Ayanami Apartment, Some Time Later...
Opening the door to the back seat, Makoto carefully undid the seat belts and tried to wake Misato up. "Come on, Misato, you need to wake up, just until we get to your apartment," Makoto said pleadingly. Misato wouldn't budge. "Please, Misato, you need to wake up. It'll only be for a little bit," Makoto pleaded again, this time gently placing his hands on Misato's shoulders and trying to gently shake her awake.
"Uh... wha?" Misato asked groggily as she looked around the interior of her car, disoriented.
"Misato, we're at your apartment building. We just need to get up to your apartment and then you can go back to sleep," Makoto said.
"Shleep shounds good," Misato slurred with a smile.
"Yes, but you have to get into your bed first," Makoto said.
"Mm, okayyy," Misato said with a yawn, sending the stench of beer and an unwashed mouth into Makoto's face. He grimaced but remained in place as he helped Misato sit up before helping her climb out of the car. He made sure to close the doors and lock them with the key fob as soon as Misato was fully outside the car.
"That's right. Just one foot in front of the other," Makoto said as he draped Misato's right arm over his shoulders and held it in place while snaking his left arm around her waist. "We'll take the elevator so you can get to bed quicker," Makoto said.
"Oh, bed," Misato said with a grin.
"I... I like bed," Misato said drunkenly.
"We all do," Makoto said as he humored her.
"It... it... it feel nice," Misato said happily. Slowly, the duo made their way into the first hallway of the building before reaching one of the elevators, passing by a room full of third-shift Section 2 agents along the way. The agents recognized Makoto and allowed him to carry Misato to the elevator undisturbed.
Entering the elevator, Makoto released his hold on Misato's waist, missing the brief look of disappointment flashing across her face, and pressed the button to take them up to the floor where her apartment was located. Listening to the sound of the elevator rising, Makoto chanced a look over at Misato's face. Even when drunk, he still found her beautiful, especially with those cheeks being rosy and her eyes being soft instead of glaring.
As if some unknown force had controlled her, Misato turned her head to face Makoto's and she smiled at him. Makoto smiled back before hearing the loud DING that signaled the elevator arriving at their destination. Carefully walking through the corridor, Makoto and Misato soon happened upon the door to her apartment. Carefully reaching into Misato's jacket, Makoto retrieved Misato's house key.
"Hm, tryin' ta' have your way with me?" Misato asked him cheekily. She soon hiccuped before letting out a giggle.
"Just getting your keys," Makoto said as he finally found said key and inserted it into the lock. Misato watched him insert the key with half-lidded eyes as a jumbled mess of scenarios ran through her head, all of them being distorted and incoherent in her drunken state.
After opening the door and stepping inside, Makoto now had to figure out how to take his and Misato's shoes off without her falling onto the floor in a heap and passing out again. Realizing that it wouldn't be possible, Makoto let out a defeated sigh and decided to simply help carry Misato through the apartment. "We're almost there, Misato," Makoto said as they passed through the kitchen, just before he noticed a penguin looking at him curiously.
"What the... oh right. She's mentioned you now and again," Makoto said as he looked at Pen-Pen. "Your name is... Penny?" Makoto asked hesitantly. Pen-Pen narrowed his eyes at Makoto and shook his head. "Um... it has Pen in it, I know that," Makoto said, before one of Misato's giggles caught his attention.
"Ish... ish dat Pen-Pen?" Misato asked as Makoto turned slightly to give Misato a better look at her feathered companion.
"Wark!" Pen-Pen replied.
"Hi, Pen-Pen!" Misato said with a clumsy and sluggish wave of her free hand.
"Right, Pen-Pen. Gotta remember that," Makoto said with a nod of his head before he continued helping Misato through the kitchen.
"Nighty-night, Pen-Pen!" Misato called out drunkenly. Pen-Pen simply stared at the duo with an unreadable expression on his face and beak before he waddled over to the fridge and pulled out some leftovers from the dinner Shinji had cooked earlier.
It was basically noodles and vegetables, since Shinji's testing of Misato's cooking via one extremely stupid Kensuke Aida had proven that Misato had not learned a damn thing from any of his cooking lessons. Either that, or Kensuke was simply allergic to something in the food. In either case, Shinji and Rei had both agreed upon the decision to simply throw away the food for fear of their own safety rather than risk getting themselves or anyone else sick.
Placing some of the noodles and vegetables on a plate, Pen-Pen then put the remaining leftovers back in the fridge before opening a secret compartment in the fridge and retrieving a bottle of imported Guinness. He carefully poured himself a small amount in a cup before placing the container back in the fridge and closing both the compartment door and the fridge door. He then looked at the noodles and dug in with just his beak.
Meanwhile, Makoto had finally gotten Misato into her bedroom. "Here we go," he said as he carefully walked over to her futon and gently knelt down. "Y-You're sho shweet, Makoto," Misato slurred with a smile as Makoto helped her. Letting his grip on her waist and arm begin to loosen, Makoto carefully allowed Misato to slip down onto the futon. Just as she was almost off of him, she hooked her arms around him and pulled him down on top of her.
"Mm, my Makoto!" Misato chirped drunkenly.
"Uh, M-Misato!" Makoto cried out in surprise as the drunk woman tried nuzzling him.
"M-Mine!" she repeated with a big cheesy smile on her face.
"M-Misato, please!" Makoto pleaded as he struggled against her grip, not bothering to correct himself on using her name instead of her rank. Even when drunk, the woman was still strong enough to carry an ox. "Misato, please, I have to get to my own apartment and get ready for work tomorrow," Makoto pleaded quietly.
Misato refused to let go. "N-No. My Makoto! Mine!" Misato retorted drunkenly before she pressed her face against his chest, humming contently with a smile. Makoto let out a sigh and decided to simply wait her out. Eventually, Misato's grip began to slack as she drifted off to the far away hills and valleys of slumber land. Soon, once Misato's grip had lost enough of its strength, Makoto was able to disentangle himself from her and stand up.
Closing his eyes and letting out a brief sigh, Makoto slowly shook his head. "You sure are a hassle sometimes, Misato," he said as he rubbed the back of his head with one hand. "But... I don't mind it too much," he said softly. He briefly considered kneeling back down to give her a peck on the forehead, but thought better of it. They didn't have that kind of relationship. They were just friends, at least for now, and he wouldn't give her a kiss of any kind without her explicit permission. He respected Misato far too much to take advantage of her in this kind of situation.
Slowly turning around, Makoto began to walk away, only to stop after feeling something tugging on his left pant leg. "Huh?" Glancing back down, Makoto saw Misato clutching his pant leg with one hand, her other hand balled into a fist with her thumb in her mouth. Makoto wished he had a camera just then, as Misato looked absolutely adorable. Reluctantly crouching down, Makoto gently pried Misato's hand from his pant leg.
"Abbadababa," Misato cooed while keeping her thumb in her mouth. That is just... too... adorable, Makoto thought to himself. "Good night, Misato. I'll see you at work tomorrow," Makoto said quietly to the sleeping woman. He crept over to the corner of the room and grabbed a blanket. Making his way back over to Misato, he gently draped the blanket over her before turning around, stopping in his tracks as he saw Pen-Pen standing in the doorway.
"I-I'm just leaving," Makoto said to the bird. Pen-Pen nodded his head and waddled away from Makoto, leading the man back through the living room and over through the kitchen, where a glass of some dark liquid sat next to a plate of half-eaten noodles and vegetables on the dinner table. "Wark," Pen-Pen said in... what could have been interpreted as a grateful tone. Makoto wasn't sure. So, he simply nodded his head at the penguin and walked out the door, carefully closing it behind him.
Making his way down the hall, Makoto pulled out his cell phone and called for a taxi to come pick him up. As he entered the elevator, he leaned back and sighed. If Misato hadn't been drunk, he would have been elated at hearing her call him her Makoto. But, the woman's obvious drunkenness put a damper on that, meaning that the sincerity of her thoughts and feelings regarding him were pretty much all speculation. "Well, a man can dream," Makoto said before he exited the elevator and made his way out through the lobby to stand outside and wait for his cab.
NERV HQ, Saturday Evening, September 20, 2042...
Staring at the stream of data on the monitor in front of her, Ritsuko sighed and leaned back in her chair, closing her eyes. "When was the last time you slept?" a male voice asked her. Her eyes snapped open and she looked up to see the face of a man with bad shaving habits.
"Ryoji, I didn't expect you here so soon," Ritsuko said.
"Liar," Kaji retorted playfully as he stepped around her chair and leaned back against a terminal. "So, anything unusual with Mari and Asuka's sync ratios?" Kaji asked her. Ritsuko raised an eyebrow.
"Straight to business? No flirting?" Ritsuko asked him suspiciously.
"Hey, I've had to take care of two girls for the last nine years. That kind of thing wears a guy out after a while. Besides, I shouldn't need to tell a beautiful woman that she's beautiful. It should be quite obvious," Kaji replied smoothly.
Ritsuko blushed at the compliment. "You always did know the right thing to say," she said with a smile.
"Oh, I know what the ladies like," Kaji replied with a smirk.
"I'm sure that you do," Ritsuko replied with a chuckle.
"So, where's-" Kaji was cut off as the door to Ritsuko's lab slid open. Stepping inside, Misato looked at Ritsuko before she finally noticed the newcomer.
"Kaji? I was wondering when you'd show up. I didn't see you at all yesterday," Misato said with a smile as she walked over and hugged the man before stepping back. Kaji looked at her in bewilderment.
"Well... that was... unexpected," Kaji said.
"Just a hello hug. It's been several years since the last time we saw each other," Misato replied.
"Yeah, it's just... you made it clear the last time we met that we... were finished," Kaji said.
"Yes, I did. And we still are. That doesn't mean I can't be affectionate with a friend," Misato said.
Kaji raised an eyebrow at Misato as he digested her words. Soon, a spark of intuition lit up in his head. "Hm, so... who's the lucky guy?" Kaji asked her with a smirk.
Misato blinked at him in surprise. "W-What? What guy?" she asked him, flustered.
"Come on, there's gotta be someone around here who's caught your eye. I mean, you've been here for how long now?" Kaji asked her in response.
"Look, I don't know what you're talking about, okay? Th-There's no one here that I'm involved with, got? No one," Misato said, placing her hands on her hips.
"If you say so," Kaji said, rolling his eyes in disbelief. "So, I hear that you're the current guardian of both pilots of Eva units Zero and One. That must be quite a hassle," Kaji said, changing the subject.
"Well, not really. Shinji's more responsible than I am most of the time, and Rei is pretty quiet most of the time. Neither of them really cause much trouble," Misato said. "In fact, the only time I can think of either of them getting into trouble at home was due to someone else," Misato said as she sent a glare in Ristuko's direction. Ritsuko merely rolled her eyes in response.
"Rits? What did you do?" Kaji asked the scientist.
"I just gave Rei a box of cereal we've been developing," Ritsuko explained.
"Yeah, cereal that catches fire when exposed to milk!" Misato added with a glare. Kaji blinked in surprise as he looked back and forth between Misato and Ritsuko.
"Um... I seem to be lost here. Cereal that catches on fire when exposed to milk? I... I need to hear about this from the beginning," Kaji said as he took a seat across from Ritsuko.
Ritsuko then let out a sigh. "Well, if you must know..."
Tokyo-3 Shopping Mall, Sunday, September 21, 2042
Inside the mall's arcade, Toji grinned as he landed another skee-ball in the middle hole. "Yes!" he said with a fist and a grin as he saw his score up on the board. "I'm still da king! Hail to da king, baby!" Toji boasted before he collected the tickets from the machine.
Standing behind Toji, Sakura giggled at her older brother. She was wearing a white blouse and a blue skirt, along with a red clip in her short-cut brown hair. "All hail Toji!" Sakura joked, causing Toji to blush.
"I... I wasn't bein' serious," Toji said meekly in embarrassment. Sakura simply smiled before looking around the arcade, before her eyes settled on a racing game simulator.
Sakura quickly grabbed Toji by the sleeve of his track suit, of which he had several spares, and dragged him over to the racing game. Meanwhile, over by an air-hockey table, Kensuke watched as Shinji and Rei became locked in a duel. Kensuke watched intently as the plastic puck shot back and forth over the table, its speed almost making it a blur to the naked eye.
Because of Kensuke's intense concentration, he failed to notice the two females who had just entered the arcade. In fact, so intense was his concentration that he didn't even notice the red-haired one as she marched past him over to a fighting game console. The other girl had gone in a different direction from the red-head.
Meanwhile, a few minutes later, Sakura let out a victorious squeal as she finished her racing game. "All right! High score! High score!" Sakura repeated with a grin before she stepped out of the fake car used for the game. "Okay, Toji! Your turn again!" Sakura chirped at her brother.
Toji looked around and spotted a fighting game nearby. He grinned as he marched over to it, pulling out his token coins and counting them. He had plenty on hand for multiple matches against the machine, or if luck would have it, another player. Stepping in front of the machine, Toji saw a fist shoot up into the air from the other side, where the other person playing against the machine was standing. They had a cap on their head, but Toji didn't care what they looked like anyway. As long as he got to play against another person, he was satisfied.
"Hey, wanna place against another person? My treat," Toji said to the unseen player. They held out their hand with a thumbs-up gesture. Toji grinned in response. "Okay, start 'er up!" Toji called out to the other player as he inserted his coins and selected the player versus player option on the screen before choosing a fighter. "This is gonna be good," Toji said with a grin as the screen soon faded to black before showing a large aircraft arena. Toji saw that he was Player 2, while the other person was already selected as Player 1.
"Get ready to lose!" Toji jeered with a grin as he made his fighter leap forward using the joystick and control buttons on the machine's console section.
Two minutes later... "PLAYER ONE WINS. NEXT ROUND START!"
Three minutes later... "PLAYER ONE WINS. NEXT ROUND START!"
Two minutes later... "PLAYER TWO WINS. NEXT ROUND START!"
One minute later... "PLAYER ONE WINS. NEXT ROUND START!"
Two Minutes Later... "PLAYER ONE WINS. NEXT ROUND START!"
Two minutes later... "PLAYER ONE WINS. GAME OVER."
Toji's mouth hung upen as he stared at the screen aghast. "N-No... no way," he mumbled in disbelief. "Wow! You got your butt kicked!" Sakura stated. "Y-Yeah," Toji said. He glanced around and saw that the other player was still there at the machine. Letting his anger at being beaten get to him, Toji pulled out more tokens. "Hey! Let's have a rematch!" Toji yelled over to the other person.
They responded with a thumbs up and what sounded like a feminine chuckle. "All right, let's dance!" Toji growled as he repeated the same process from earlier. This time, he chose a different fighter. As soon as the round started, Toji sent his fighter forward.
Ten minutes later... "PLAYER ONE WINS. GAME OVER."
"You gotta be kiddin' me," Toji muttered in disbelief. Stepping over to the side of the machine, Toji walked over to the other side to see just who it was who had trounced him. "Hey, who are you any..." Toji trailed off as he saw the red hair hanging down over a flight jacket. Staring him in the eyes was a girl his age. In addition to the flight jacket over top what looked like a red T-shirt, she was also wearing a pair of blue jeans and white running shoes. Aside from her choice in clothes, Toji also noticed that she had a physical appearance that screamed exotic, yet also familiar. She was half-Japanese and half-European, Toji realized as the girl looked at him with arms crossed and a raised eyebrow.
"Yes?" she asked in fluent Japanese.
"I-I-I... uh, y-you... what happened to the guy I was playin' against?" Toji asked.
The girl narrowed her eyes at him. "You're looking at her," she said with a frown.
"No way," Toji said. All of the girls that he knew hated playing violent fighting games, or so they would always claim when asked. "You're jokin' right? Come on, where'd the guy go?" Toji asked.
Behind him Sakura shook her head in dismay at her brother's attitude. "So old fashioned," she muttered.
"Look, I already told you, I beat you," the girl said. Toji, being the neanderthal that he was, could not help but stick his foot into his mouth.
"No! No way a girl like you coulda' beaten me in that game!" Toji retorted, his pride having taken a serious blow from so many losses. The girl's frown deepened and a scowl appeared on her face.
"A girl like me? What exactly is that supposed to mean?" she asked him dangerously.
"Look, everybody knows that girls hate violent games like dis one, so where's the guy who actually beat me? 'Cause there's no way that it was a flower like you," Toji responded, denial having taken over his brain.
The girl began pushing back the sleeves on her jacket as she balled her hands into fists. "Well, if you aren't satisfied having your ass kicked in a video game, maybe you'd like to have it kicked in the real world too?" she asked him with a sadistic grin on her face.
It was right then, Toji realized, that he'd fucked up.
Meanwhile, Shinji and Rei were busy watching Kensuke play a shooting game, their arms still sore from their intense air-hockey matches. Rei soon found her attention diverted from Kensuke's marksmanship when she heard a series of footsteps approaching from behind, their manner suggestive of someone attempting to sneak up on them. Rei quickly turned around to see a girl with brunette hair tied into two long pigtails, not dissimilar to those of fellow classmate Hikari Horaki, albeit much longer and flowing down her shoulders. The brunette was wearing what looked like a flight jacket along with a skirt. The girl had a pair of red glasses on her face, and she appeared to be only half-Japanese. Something about the girl seemed familiar, however, and Rei struggled to figure out why that was.
As the girl walked up to Rei, she leaned forward. Rei looked at her curiously, before the girl started sniffing her. Rei's eyes widened in surprise at this action.
"Yes! I win again!" Kensuke exclaimed happily. "No stomach problems can stop me today!" he added, not-so-subtly reminding Shinji that he was still recovering from his ingestion of Misato's cooking on Friday. Shinji smiled nervously in response.
"Y-Yeah. Just, uh, as long as you don't hold that against anyone," Shinji added before he noticed that they had been joined by a newcomer.
"Huh? Uh, who are..." Shinji asked, just before the girl noticed him and moved forward to invade his personal space and sniff him as well.
"Hm... LCL," she said softly with a strange smile on her face, before her eyes widened. "You're a pilot!" she grinned.
"Excuse me?" Shinji asked her in response.
"You smell like LCL, just like her," the girl said, pointing at Rei.
"So, that means... you're Eva pilots," the girl concluded. "Just like me," she added.
"J-Just like you?" Shinji asked in confusion.
"Yup! The name's Mari Illustrious Makinami, pilot of Evangelion Production Model Unit Five!" Mari said proudly as she introduced herself.
"But you are not scheduled to arrive in Japan until December," Rei said, perplexed by this girl's appearance in Japan. She had read Mari's file earlier that year, and Commander Ikari had informed her of the original scheduled date for the two European pilots' arrival. Mari turned to look at Rei.
"Well, after the appearance of three Angels in a row, Commander Ikari contacted the German Branch and requested that we arrive early," Mari explained.
"I see... but why did he not inform me?" Rei asked herself quietly. The Commander had always kept her in the loop in regards to these things before, so why had he not done so this time? Have I somehow offended the Commander? Have I... done something wrong? Does he not see me as being trustworthy with this kind of information anymore? Why? Why would the Commander not inform me?
Rei soon reached a hand up to her mouth and began chewing on her finger nails unconsciously, drawing Shinji's attention. "Rei? Are you all right?" Shinji asked her, having not seen the girl do this before. "Rei?" Shinji asked again, this time snapping Rei out of her funk. Rei looked at Shinji with wide eyes, before glancing down at her hand. Why is my hand... what was I doing?
"So, anyway, I take it you guys are... Shinji Ikari and... Rei Ayame?" Mari asked.
"Rei Ayanami," Rei corrected her.
"Right. Ayanami, like that navy ship from decades past," Mari said. "So, anyway, Asuka and I got called over here early because of all of the Angel activity," Mari said.
"Pilot Sohryu is with you?" Rei asked her.
"Technically, it's Warrant Officer Sohryu and Warrant Officer Makinami, but since we aren't on duty, I'll let it slide," Mari said. "By the way, what are your current ranks?" Mari asked, oblivious to the drooling military otaku staring at her.
"Corporal. We were both promoted to Corporal following Operation Yashima," Shinji said carefully.
"Well, I'd say you earned it. I heard you were boiled like a lobster," Mari said, causing Shinji to frown.
"That's... where did you hear that from?" Shinji asked her.
"Oh, Kaji told me about what happened after he read the report," Mari replied. "So, who's this fella?" Mari asked as she finally noticed Kensuke staring at her.
"I-I-I-I'm... K-K-Kensuke Aida," Kensuke reported, blushing as the exotic and beautiful foreign girl spoke to him.
"So, K-K-Kensuke Aida, you come here often?" Mari asked him teasingly.
"Uh... y-yeah," Kensuke replied with a nervous chuckle.
"This is only my second time here. Asuka and I came here yesterday to grab some new clothes for school... and to replace what Asuka lost during the Angel attack on the way here," Mari said.
"There was another Angel attack?" Shinji asked her.
"Mm-hm. While the UN Fleet was escorting us to Japan, we were attacked by the Sixth Angel, so Asuka hopped into Unit Two and took it down. Of course, the Angel ended up destroying nearly a third of the fleet before she managed to kill it, but... hey, at least we got it," Mari said with a shrug of her shoulders.
"Warrant Officer Sohryu was deployed on her own? Why were you not deployed in your Evangelion alongside her?" Rei asked Mari.
"Unit Five didn't have the special water-type equipment attached to it, so if it had been knocked into the water, it would've sunk," Mari replied. "Unit Two, on the other hand, was equipped with the special gear, so it was able to fight the Angel on even footing, so to speak," Mari explained.
"Speaking of the red devil, where the hell is she?" Mari asked as she looked around. "Oh well, I'm sure we'll find her again at some point. Anyway I'm getting kind of hungry, and I'm sure that the food court will be a much more pleasant location for getting to know one another, wouldn't you all agree?" Mari asked them.
"Um... s-sure. Food, yes, good, I like," Kensuke blabbered.
Mari raised an eyebrow at the boy before turning to look at Rei and Shinji. "Is there something wrong with him?" Mari asked them.
"He ate some of Misato's cooking the other day," Shinji said.
"Misato? That name sounds familiar. Hm... Misato... Misato... Misato... oh! She came to visit us in New Berlin once a few years back," Mari said. "Real nice lady. I think she and Kaji had a history together at some point," Mari commented.
"But, anyway, you were saying something about Misato's cooking?" Mari asked him.
"Um... Misato isn't a very... um... her cooking skills are... how do I say this politely?" Shinji wondered out loud.
"Captain Katsuragi's attempts at cooking often have harmful results for the intended consumers of her food," Rei explained.
"Fascinating. So, I'm gonna go find Asuka and then we can all head out to get some food and get to know each other better. We are all Eva pilots, after all. Now, if I can just remember which direction she went in," Mari said.
"Komm zurück, du Schwein!" a female voice yelled out through the arcade. Mari and the others turned their heads to see Toji being chased by an angry red-headed German girl.
"Oh, there she is," Mari said with a smile as she watched Asuka chase Toji towards the arcade's exit.
"Ich werde dir in den Arsch treten!" Asuka yelled at the boy as he ran from her.
"Go, Toji! Run for your life!" Sakura shouted at her brother. Letting out a sigh, Sakura then sadly shook her head. "Sorry, Nii-chan, but with the way you acted towards that girl, you totally brought this upon yourself," she muttered before looking down at the tokens and tickets that she had procured from Toji before he'd been sent running.
Toji ran as fast as his legs could carry him, ducking and weaving through the thongs of people in the mall. "Oh, man! Why can't I ever keep my damn mouth shut!?" he whined as he turned a corner. He glanced back over his shoulder and saw that the red devil was right behind him. "Oh shit!" Toji blurted as he saw how close she was to him.
She was a predator chasing her prey through a human jungle. Every passing shopper was an obstacle for both of them to overcome by running around, leaping behind, or in Toji's case, grabbing to put in between himself and the angry female. Every stand was both a potential safe spot and a potential dead end for the girl to corner him. No matter how much his legs burned, Toji forced himself to keep moving, constantly checking over his shoulders to see how much distance he'd been able to put between himself and the girl.
The red devil had a terrifying grin plastered on her face as she chased Toji, her eyes narrowed with burning anger. Toji's heart slammed against his ribcage as he forced himself to leap over a small toddler and roll over as he landed before shooting back up, his legs constantly moving. It was a perfect 10/10 performance.
Asuka followed shortly after, simply by weaving herself around the kid's parents to avoid the child herself. When I get my hands on him, oh... he is gonna get it, Asuka thought to herself as she kept the black jacket of the boy in her line of sight. As she continued chasing him, constantly dodging and weaving around the other shoppers, she soon saw him make a right turn into a store. She quickly followed him, only to be blocked by a gaggle of girls her age with bags of clothing.
Toji quickly ran through the clothes shop before seeing a circular rack. A light-bulb lit up in his head and he quickly pulled some of the shirts apart from each other before shoving himself into the interior of the rack, placing the shirts back in their place. Forcing himself to huddle and hunker down as he tried to keep hidden, Toji attempted to slow down his breathing as he listened to the sounds of people shopping around him.
He looked down at the space between the floor and the bottom of the shirts, watching as various shoe and even sandal-covered feet walked by. As his breathing evened out, he began to calm down, until he heard a female growl nearby. His heart-rate began to increase, and as he saw a shadow approaching the shirt rack, Toji forced his hands over his mouth to cover the gasp he almost let out.
His heart hammered against his ribcage, pounding against it like a steady drumbeat. Tha-Thump! Tha-thump! Tha-thump! Tha-thump! Toji's eyes widened in fear as he saw the running shoes of the girl get closer to the bottom of the rack. He heard her growl again in frustration as she searched for him. She stopped moving as she scanned the store, and Toji waited in terror for the girl to leave.
Nearly a minute passed before the shadow moved away, and the girl disappeared. Toji soon let out a sigh of relief before he reached out and parted the shirts on the rack, carefully stepping out of his hole. After glancing to his left and his right, Toji smiled. He had evaded the demoness with his skin intact. As he stepped forward, he heard a cough coming from behind him.
He glanced over his shoulder to see the German girl looking at him with her arms crossed and a knowing smile on her face. "Fooled you," she said with a grin. Toji's smile instantly evaporated and turned into a frown. He then pointed over to Asuka's right. "Hey, what's that!?" he asked, causing the girl to glance in that direction. Toji then darted forward, dodging the other customers as he ran like hell.
As he exited the store and made another turn, he glanced back over his shoulder, only to gasp in fright as he saw the girl right behind him. "You can't get away that easily!" she yelled at him in fluent Japanese. "Why!?" Toji cried out as he ran through more throngs of people, eventually nearing the food court.
Approacing the food court, Toji stepped onto a bench and leapt over a potted plant next to a trash bin. Using his momentum, Toji slid across the floor and under a rail before getting up as the girl leapt over the rail behind him. Toji leapt to the side of a pulled-out chair as he weaved around a table, only for the girl to cut him off and shoot a leg forward, tripping him. Toji fell forward, twisting his body so that he landed sideways with a grunt.
Before Toji could right himself, a foot kicked forward and pushed him onto his back. "Oof!" Toji grunted before looking up at the red-head standing over him. "One chance, punk. Apologize or suffer," she said darkly. Several crowds of people in the food court had turned their attention to the two teenagers, watching the commotion with interest.
Toji gulped, his pride holding him back from making the smart choice. "I..." he started.
"Yes?" she asked him with a smirk. Neither of them noticed the sounds of footsteps approaching from the entrance of the food court. "Well?" Asuka prodded as she pressed down harder. Self-preservation soon kicked in, overriding Toji's crippling sense of pride.
"I... I'm... s-sorry," Toji let out reluctantly. The girl smirked at him and removed her foot from his chest.
"Good. You should be," she replied. She then held out a hand to him. "Get off the floor. Who knows what's been there," she said as Toji stared at her in bewilderment. "Well? Come on, numbnuts," she implored. Toji quickly nodded his head and took her hand before she pulled him up to his feet. As he wiped his jacket to get various dirt and dust off of it, Toji looked the girl in the eyes once more.
"Who... who are you?" he asked her.
The girl said nothing in response and merely smiled at him before turning around and walking away, eventually disappearing into the crowds of people beyond the food court. Looking around at the various people who were staring at him, Toji gulped before waving at them. "J-Just a... misunderstanding, folks! That's all," Toji said sheepishly before he started walked away from the food court, only to be stopped by Shinji, Rei, Kensuke, Sakura, and another half-European girl.
"Hi, my name's Mari! Wanna get something to eat?" the girl asked him.
Toji's only response was to inhale slowly and nod his head.
Tokyo-3 High School, Monday, September 22, 2042
Sitting down at his desk, Shinji listened as Toji once again regaled him and Kensuke with his tale of the red devil chasing him. "I thought I was a goner, for sure!" Toji added.
"Well, next time you'll remember that this is the twenty-first century," Shinji said.
"Pfft. Next time? I'm hoping I never have to see that girl again! She was fucking scary, man!" Toji replied. A knowing look soon appeared on Shinji's face before he glanced over at the doorway to the classroom.
"Uh, Toji? You may want to keep your voice down," Shinji said.
Soon, Hikari ordered all of the students to get into their seats. As they did, Toji noticed two people standing in the doorway of the room, and his eyes bugged out when he recognized one of them. The first one, a brunette girl with red glasses, stepped forward and wrote her name on the board.
"My name is Mari Illustrious Makinami. I just moved here from New Berlin, in Germany. I look forward to getting to know all of you," she said in fluent Japanese before she walked over to an empty seat and sat down. Next, a familiar red-head stepped forward and wrote her name on the board as well, in English.
The girl turned around and scanned the classroom, her eyes soon falling on Toji. She grinned as she saw his face blanch. "My name... is Asuka Langley Sohryu. I also just moved here from New Berlin, Germany. I look forward to getting to know all of you as well."
ENDING THEME: Everything You've Ever Dreamed, by ARIANNE
PREVIEW OF NEXT EPISODE
On the next episode of EVANGELION: REWIRED, the Angel Israfel appears, and after suffering a humiliating defeat from the creature, the pilots are forced to endure an unorthodox training regimen in order to defeat it.
Author's Notes: And this was Episode 7. This was actually quite fun to write, and as you can tell, Misato and Kaji have a very different relationship from NGE and Rebuild.
So, start placing your bets on who gets partnered up with each other in the next episode to defeat Israfel, because I won't be sticking to canon for that battle.
And, if no one else got it in episode 5, yes, Rei is a clone of Ritsuko and Lilith. I shot myself in the foot when I described Rei's mole, so I might as well just come out and say it. However, please keep in mind that only Ritsuko knows that she's the human DNA donor for Rei. Gendo still believes that Rei was cloned from the salvaged remains of Yui, while Rei believes that she is a clone of Lilith and the original Rei, or Rei I, who she thinks was a normal human girl who died while very young.
So, just like the original series, everyone is lying to everyone about everything.
Also, some portions of this chapter are indeed influenced by the NGE manga by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto, specifically the other pilots meeting Asuka in an arcade.
Also, My decision to list the use of music from The Terminator is actually a reference to a rather famous gag dub of Evangelion: Death and Rebirth (1997) called Evangelion: Re-Death, where Asuka was given a voice like Arnold Schwarzenegger's with the Terminator theme or a Terminator-like theme playing in the background during her introduction. You can find this gag dub on YouTube.
And, one last mention, some of Kaji's dialogue with Ritsuko is taken straight from Halo 2, because that game is so fucking quotable.
As always, please be sure to let me know what you think of the episode and/or story so far in your reviews. They're always appreciated.
