Author Notes: Apologies for the wait, but I've been having a bit of a rest over the summer holidays from writing and art work. Now that I'm back at University for another year, and writing is something I'll be doing a lot of in one form or another, things should be a bit quicker.
Oh, point of note, I'm not going to do this story in a "day-by-day" style. (That would be silly.) I'm not sure when, but expect a small time-skip here and there, though they'll normally be by about 1-2 months, I'm guessing.
Glad you all enjoyed chapter 8. Here is chapter 9 for your enjoyment.
She had intended to walk up here and introduce herself to the bridge crew, or what of them had arrived back from the massive puddle of primordial soup, but none were here; she was alone in this massive place with only a bitchy computer-triad for company.
That triad were the three wise men.
Two problems with that little reference: one, they were not the minds of men, but three separate parts of her mother; and two, part of said mother decided it would be better to save a bastard than her own daughter. And she thought she had a reason to detest her mother before.
Throughout her life, she'd done everything she could to push herself away from her mother, so far as to do something so superficial as to dye her hair blonde; in stark contrast to the Second and Third Children who had nothing more than a childish need to have that motherly attention; and even they had found that mothers could be disgustingly cruel beings, so she had heard.
Even with not even not so much as a skeleton crew, news travelled fast in NERV. It seemed like the competent people of very few Section-Two had returned, at least.
But in the end, her attempts were a failure. She'd become a scientist, like her mother. She'd entered into NERV, like her mother. She'd let herself fall for a man who wanted nothing more than his own desires fulfilled, like her mother.
She'd let herself be killed by said man, like her mother.
Killed. The word normally carried a sense of finality. Not in today's modern world.
And now, as she stood on the platform where the three bridge crew normally sat, behind the centre chair and the lights from the ceiling and the half-powered holographic displays illuminating all of Central Dogma, her back to the mother who'd betrayed her time and time again, she found herself again asking why she had come back.
She must've had a good reason. After all, that was the only way she'd could've returned. If she could imagine herself.
So how did she imagine herself? A friend to all? Someone who never lied? A person whom people cared about?
A hollow chuckle seemed to echo in the room, emanating from her closed lips.
"Ritsuko?"
She hadn't even heard the elevator arriving upwards, so lost in her thoughts. Fear suddenly stabbed through her chest like that bullet had. She knew that voice... and besides Misato, she had betrayed this person the most.
And yet, the voice had sounded surprised and hopeful.
After a brief but intense moment of silence, she pulled her hands from the pockets of her white lab coat, her navy blue shirt, black skirt that came to just above her knees, tights and black high heeled shoes finishing her current clothing, and turned about to see the shocked face of her assistant.
"Hello, Maya."
Maya was wearing the usual light tan brown uniform of the bridge crew, a form-fitting skirt that went to just above her knees marking it out as the female version, and holding a black clipboard to her chest with her left hand and arm.
The clipboard was dropped to the metallic floor beneath them.
Maya, all her usual professionalism forgotten, ran at Ritsuko and engulfed her with her arms wrapped around her shoulders.
Ritsuko could only stand there with a star-struck face, perhaps the most emotion she'd shown since her return or for a long while.
Maya whimpered into her senior's left shoulder. "I didn't think you were coming back."
Chapter 9
Good Times Gone
The freckled Hikari could only stare at the two children known as Shinji Ikari and Asuka Lanlgey Soryu, as could Toji Suzuhara and Kensuke Aida. What they had just seen... the 'newly-weds'... being friendly to each other?
Asuka had already spun her head away to look away from them, along with hiding the cake by her right side. Shinji stood there with a blush, looking very sheepish and fearful at what was about to be said and done.
And of course, Toji. He had visited him in the hospital just after the Thirteenth angel, but as with Asuka, he'd been unconscious at the time. He'd been so frightened of the boy that even while asleep, he couldn't do anything but stare.
And now here he was, his two missing limbs miraculously replaced and walking as if it was second nature to him once more.
"What they hell did that Devil do to you?!" Kensuke suddenly blurted out and pointing a finger accusingly at Asuka, breaking the tense silence.
All of them expected for Toji to follow up on that. He said nothing, did nothing but stare at Shinji.
And Shinji's face was now contorted into... anger?
"Guys," the chestnut-brown haired boy said hesitantly, "come with me." He began walking to the farthest corner of the room, on the opposite side of the room from the door.
The two boys did so, walking past the ruby-eyed girl that had led them here.
Hikari meanwhile, ran past Rei and quickly jumped in front of Asuka. The fiery redhead abruptly turned to face her, surprised at her speed. Before she could even give a greeting or explain why stupid-Shinji was trying to butter her up with gifts, she found herself held by Hikari, who gave her a short but tight hug, and then pulled back and smiled at her.
"It's great to see you again, Asuka!" She had a mild blush on her cheeks at her unusual spontaneity.
"It's... good to see you too." Asuka herself was still shell-shocked, but her voice clearly held joy. "Are you okay?"
"Now that I can talk to you again."
"Let me guess," Asuka began slyly, "the stooges too stupid to provide intelligent conversation?" The two of the shared a short, quiet laugh together, hidden from the boys in the corner.
Neither of them noticed Rei walk up beside them, on Hikari's right and Asuka's left.
"Explain, Wondergirl." Asuka suddenly demanded.
"They were brought here last night, so I am told." Rei answered softly; clasping her hands in front of her skirt. "I was asked to bring them here for food." A small smile was on her lips. A grin? "I did not know that you and Shinji were present in this room as well."
"You know, Rei," Asuka's bright blue eyes suddenly fell onto Rei, a large smirk adorning her face, "you'd be a great friend if I didn't hate your guts."
"The same to you." The two girls with the unusual hair colours stood out like beacons in the white walled cafeteria.
"Oh, could you put this somewhere?" Asuka raised the cake in her right hand, Rei took it quickly but gently, and placed it on the nearest white wooden table, promptly returning to her original position by Asuka's right side and Hikari's left.
Hikari looked at Asuka, then slightly right to look at Rei, then back to who she considered to be her best friend.
She then noticed it, and gasped, causing both pairs of eyes to look at her. "Oh my god! Asuka! What happened? Where did you get these scars?" Hikari grabbed the German girls left hand and brought it up to look at the underside and palm, seeing the long, pink line that along the centre of the arm and in between her index and seconds fingers.
She hadn't even registered Asuka flinch at the words or the contact.
Asuka's eyes were wide open, her mouth just partially agape.
They had been all but forgotten in the waves of more important problems, but in the back of her mind, this had always been there with other things, and Hikari noticing them highlighted an important fact. She was ruined. Right now, she wanted a hot bath or shower, something to at least let her thoughts be clear of everything, even if just for a little while.
Everyone would look at her, and think that she wasn't beautiful. They'd degrade her. She didn't want that.
Asuka lowered her head to look at the floor, hiding her face as her voice trembled. "I don't want to talk about it."
"But-"
"Hikari, please."
"A... Alright" Hikari's let go of Asuka's hand and it dropped back to her side.
"A lot has happened." Asuka brought her head back up to look at Hikari.
Rei spoke for Asuka, ignoring Asuka's rather displeased expression at this action. "Much of what is going on with her – with myself and Shinji as well – is something that only the three of us can share with each other at the present time. Do you understand?"
Hikari nodded her head, clearly worried for her friend.
Meanwhile, in the corner of the room, Shinji was giving Toji and Kensuke a piece of his mind. The were stood in front of him, Kensuke on his left and Toji on his right. The wall was to his left and front.
"Lay off her."
"What?" Kensuke blurted out again. "What do you mean?"
"She's been through a lot recently. We all have." Shinji was quiet, but he sounded very menacing. "She doesn't need you trying to get under her skin right now. I'm just asking you to try and be nicer to her, if just for a little while."
Toji noticed that Shinji was keeping his eyes fixed on Kensuke; perhaps because he was the only one verbally objecting. In all the time he'd been in the hospital, Shinji hadn't ever visited; at least when he was awake. He did ask Hikari to find him now and again, but she always came back with a sad face and a solemn shake of her head.
He could understand why Shinji never visited, and yet he couldn't. Shinji was who he was, but at the time he felt deeply hurt that Shinji had never visited. Even now that hurt was still there, telling him to shout at the boy, admonish him, punish him for such a cruel act. He couldn't, because this was Shinji, someone who had piloted EVA at great cost to himself. He'd wait.
"But she's Asuka, the Red Devil herself! She-"
"You have no idea what's she's been through!" Shinji roared at Kensuke, then going quieter once more, apparently ignoring the fact that the three girls all looked in his direction. "She's been through so much. She doesn't deserve what you're doing to her now, even if it is just teasing."
"I'm okay with it." Toji said quickly, successfully diverting Shinji's attention to him. "I mean, I may not know or understand what's happened these past few days, but I can tell it's affecting you guys. Asuka isn't herself. And you and Rei are acting different too."
"Toji!"
Kensuke received a firm smack on the back of the head for that from the taller boy on his right, and not the playful type either. "Deal with it, Kensuke. If you can't do this for him, then you're hardly his friend. Suck it up like a man!"
The army-geek rubbed the back of his head, then grumpily crossed his arms over his chest, muttering an okay. Obviously he didn't like the idea.
Shinji sighed, clearly relieved. However, he realised that Toji was stood next to him, his eyes looking down on him since he was the taller boy. His nervous reaction of clenching and unclenching his hand began.
Toji had said that he still considered him a friend. How?
"Toji, I'm... sorry that I didn't visit you." He muttered into his collarbone. "I mean... I did visit, but you were unconscious that one time I did visit, and, well..."
He didn't want to look. He was scared. He was tense. He didn't want to do this, but he wasn't going to run away anymore. He had to do this. He had to be strong, to show his friends that he could stand up against his problems, to show Toji that he did still value him as a friend, to show Rei that the whole experience had made him a better person, to show Asuka that he was strong like she could be. If she could muster the courage to fight against her inner fears, then he could too! He wouldn't use Asuka as a monolith of strength anymore.
It was so difficult though. He felt like Toji must be accusing him of something with his eyes, accusing him of anything. He wanted to curl into a ball and hide, something he'd wanted to do so many times before. He almost did, he could feel his legs trembling, telling him to just walk away and not bother with what he wanted to saw.
"You know, I was told what happened." Shinji looked up at Toji as his voice snapped him away from his thoughts, a childlike gleam of hope around him. "And I was angry with you at first, because I thought you did this." He rotated his left shoulder to add emphasis. "I mean, I thought my life was ruined with my left arm and right leg gone. I couldn't play sports anymore, I couldn't walk; I even had trouble eating; and all because you destroyed that EVA. But then I realised you had to, because it was an Angel. Then I got told you didn't do anything."
"But that's the point, I didn't do anything to help you." Shinji said solemnly, biting back a sob. "If I'd done something you wouldn't have lost your arm and leg. I'm sorry."
"I've gotten 'em back, haven't I?"
Kensuke wished he had his camera right now. He understood this was something important to the two of them, but this was gold! Then he slapped himself mentally. How could he even think like that, seriously? He let his friends continue while silently vowing to make things up to both of them for his very recent actions. Maybe he was already forgiven, but a little extra enthusiasm couldn't hurt.
"Shinji, if I was in your position," Toji gave him an understanding look and a compassionate smile, casually placing his right hand onto Shinji's left shoulder, "I can honestly say I would've done the exact same thing you did." Shinji stared. "You had a tough decision to make in a split-second. A lot of people would've hesitated in that time and place. I've got nothin' against you."
Shinji slowly nodded as the so-called jock put his right hand back in his pocket, unable to do anything else. He'd been forgiven that easily. Was it really that easy between friends?
He could feel the tears coming up, but he forced them down. He'd already cried enough today, and besides, being teased by Toji and Kensuke for it would hardly be worth it.
"No hard feelings, eh?" Toji grinned. "And before you say anything along the lines of not deserving it, I've had a lot of time to think about it." A small laugh came from him. "Trust me on that. Just visit me the next time I'm in hospital, will ya?"
Shinji's reply was quiet, but incredibly thankful. "Yeah..." Toji was much more understanding than he thought he would be. But then again, deep beneath that 'jock' exterior was a kind being.
Shinji's reflexes had obviously been enhanced by his time in EVA, because he gave Toji a short, sharp, and very quick hug. Toji was certainly glad it was quick, because it certainly wasn't very manly and the girls would've definitely teased him about it. Luckily, they seemed not to have noticed. He'd have to make sure Kensuke nether brought it up. A quick threat would ensure that. He couldn't have just settled for a handshake? Truthfully though, he was glad. It meant Shinji and him could start over... again.
Shinji knew it had been silly to be scared of what Toji would say, but that was just it, the irrational fear, something humans often got. It came about even when it wasn't needed, like a spectre.
Why was everyone being so kind to him? He hadn't exactly treated them well. But they were forgiving him. One after the other, they had forgiven him. He didn't deserve it, he really didn't; he knew that. But they were forgiving him. Even Asuka, whom he had wronged most out of everyone he knew, was on the road to full forgiveness. They were already talking like friends.
But another thing came to his mind. How would Asuka react to this? This was the first time he'd offered his help to her since the beach two days ago; and knowing her, anything could happen. He inwardly shivered, fearing the unknown reaction. But he would help her, because in his heart he knew she wanted that help, wanted to be able to start being better friends to those around her. He did too.
It's as if I've seen her crying before, when I look into her eyes.He could imagine himself and her when they were four years old, as if meeting each other for the first time. In one scenario, he was crying. In another, it was her. A left over though from the world's minds being joined, perhaps? She cares about me. When we were at NERV, she saw me as competition. But at home, she saw me... as me. As 'Stupid-Shinji. Me. Just like she had said to him – that he cared about her and not any masks she put on – the same was true vice-versa. She did not care about 'Invincible Shinji, saviour of the world', or 'Shinji, the EVA-pilot with the highest sync-score.' She cared about Shinji.
"Well, let's get some food," Toji announced to the whole cafeteria, drawing all eyes to him, "I'm starving!"
"Typical." Kensuke groaned. "The moment he gets into the kitchen, he starts thinking about food." The spectacled boy followed his taller friend to the grey kitchen doors, opening them like the doors to a western saloon. "And what kind of idiot who loses his limbs imagines himself returning with them attached?" The doors banged shut just as Kensuke finished that sentence.
In the centre of the room, Hikari wanted to follow, but was afraid. She had an obligation to help Asuka in anyway she could, but she'd been told it was something she needed to work out with other people. Once again, she was torn between separate obligations.
"Go ahead." Asuka told her. "We can talk later. Don't worry about me." She gave her a big, toothy smile. "I'm Asuka Langley Soryu, after all!"
"Erm.. okay. If you want to talk, I'm all ears."
"Trust me, after all this time with Blue and the idiot," motioning with her right hand to Rei and Shinji respectively, "I need to talk to you."
They shared another giggle before Hikari walked into the kitchen to find something to eat.
"Do you wish to talk?" Rei asked politely, almost startling Asuka. "You appear troubled."
The redhead looked to her left, away from Rei. "To you? Honestly, just because I'm having some problems does everyone think I need help anytime I can get it?" She let her anger be hard by Shinji now. "I don't need your pity!"
Shinji rushed over and stood in front of her, Rei to his right. Weren't they trying to help each other?
"Asuka?"
"I don't need a babysitter, Shinji!" She poked her former rivals chest, pushing the loose white t-shirt he wore onto the skin in that spot while her harsh blue eyes drove into his. "I'm a big girl, and I can look after myself; especially from the stooges!"
"I..." He closed his eyes briefly as he thought over what to say before opening them. He wanted to say sorry, his mind was begging him too. He didn't. "I was trying to help you Asuka."
Asuka wanted to scream. She knew that Shinji was trying to help her, knew that was what they had agreed to, but she this was the first time he'd actually taken the initiative since that request, and it'd made her go defensive. She really, truly wanted his help; but she wanted to be strong at the same time. It seemed like a mix that just couldn't work. The problem was he had told Toji and Kensuke to leave her alone, and Hikari had heard this too. He had made her seem weak in front of all three of them and-
... She couldn't have been more grateful.
She gave an exasperated but very relieved sigh, closing her eyes as she felt heartbeat slow after her sudden attack. "Sorry, Shinji." She looked up, her voice clearly apologetic. "I really do want any help you can give right now, but it's... it's still difficult for me to accept it. I've gone all this time thinking and living by myself, alone, thinking that's what it took to be an adult that it's kind of hard to get out of that thought pattern."
"It is understandable." Rei cut in before Shinji could say anything, making him and Asuka turn their eyes to her. "Changes you would want to make would be difficult. But you are trying, and that is a good first step."
"Well, you are too." The chocolate-haired boy noted. "You're far more talkative than you were. It's... nice."
Rei unknowingly blushed. "Thank you."
The redhead continued. "Really, thanks for the help. Both of you." She looked into his eyes to see him looking at her hopefully. She replied with a nod and a smile herself. "I do appreciate it. Just remember that I don't need you helping me withevery little thing."
Shinji nodded. "I understand, Asuka. It's not really easy for me either." That earned him a raised eyebrow from the German girl. "I mean, all I've done is accept anything and nether give anything back, because I was too scared of people's reactions if I did anything without being asked too. That's true when it comes to you and Misato. Did I do the right thing this time, at least?"
"Yeah, you did." Asuka told him happily.
Rei had a small smile on her lips. "Asuka, if you need to talk to me at anytime-"
"Jeez, I've already had this talk from Misato!" She threw her hands in the air quickly then brought them back to her sides, glaring at Rei; but yet again her face and tone softened. "But yeah, thanks. Same to you. And one other thing, do you mind if I still call you 'Wondergirl'?"
"Your insults have a strange way of becoming terms of endearment. You may continue if you wish to do so."
Asuka looked to her left to give her fellow female a curious glare. "And what does that mean?"
"Simply what I said." Rei told her calmly. "I
have noticed that Shinji seems to like it when you call him an
'idiot'."
It still amazed Shinji that the cerulean haired
girl could remain totally unfazed by the ferocity that Asuka could
sometimes display, and even now he dared not get involved. But when
Asuka's curious gaze fell on him, he looked away, embarrassed. It was
silly, the fact about the word 'idiot' Rei had stated was already
been confirmed before today.
"Well he should like it." Asuka stated proudly, crossing her arms over her chest. "After all, it's not like I'll ever call him 'dear-Shinji', is it?"
She was amazed at how well she could temporarily forget all her current problems just by talking with them. How could this be so enjoyable? It was just talking.
But it was with Shinji and – surprisingly – Rei. She knew bits about them they had nether shared, and likewise for them knowing about her. It couldn't be just Instrumentality though... No, she'd always wanted to connect to people like this, to just enjoy the time they spent together, but of course her fear of rejection and a 'knowledge' that they would leave her eventually always meant she pushed them away before she could find any form of true companionship. She had learnt many things though, one such thing being that humans needed companionship that amounted to more than living together, and another being that she did care about Shinji for various reasons, and that Rei had experienced a life that was different but similar to hers.
Rei also pushed people away before with the silent treatment, knowing that in the end she would disappear as if she nether existed. By all rights, she shouldn't exist. But she did, and she wanted to try and connect now, difficult as it was. She may have been the most clear minded of the three former pilots on how to go about changing herself for the better, but getting there was a scary and confusing process for the cerulean-haired girl.
Shinji had done it by always being in the background, by keeping interactions with others to a bare minimum while still trying to find that connection. But now he was trying. It was obvious he was still frightened of what could happen in the future, but he was facing it now.
They were linked. Bonded by EVA. By the pain it had caused them all.
And then Asuka noticed that Shinji was just looking at her. Staring. "What?" She flashed him playful grin. "See something you like?"
Shinji looked away timidly once again.
This highlighted something else to Asuka. Shinji valued her.
She remembered what she had told him that time on the beach: "You don't care about 'Asuka, the ace-EVA pilot', or 'Asuka, the super-smart college graduate', or 'Asuka, the prettiest girl in school'... You care about Asuka."
Something about his eyes told her that he didn't care about the scars that marred her skin now. None of her friends here did. They only saw her. Hikari had only ever seen her as a friend. Rei now only saw her as a friend, and before simply someone she knew. Shinji had only ever seen her as a... well, someone who he had a weird friendship with. Toji and Kensuke – loathed as she was to admit it, they had a part too – had only ever seen her as an annoyance and interference to them and Shinji.
To them, EVA was not part of what made her who she was.
It was things about her. Her personality. Her actions. Her words.
Suddenly, her Unit-Two did not seem very important. She may have lost her purpose, but she could... she would find a new reason to exist.
Perhaps I already have.
"Asuka?" Shinji broke her out of her thoughts. He seemed to have a habit of doing that. "Is something wrong? You're being quiet."
"I wasn't quiet for that long, idiot." Truthfully, she only been quiet for about two minutes. "I'm just figuring a couple of things out."
Rei abruptly changed the subject. "Are you hungry?"
"Not for cafeteria food," Asuka was thoroughly annoyed at that thought, "but it's all they have. As long as they have some proper meat and not just fish and rice in there, I'll be happy." Truthfully, that wasn't all that was making her happy right now.
Rei followed them, Shinji and Asuka. She thought about what Shinji had said, that she had been more talkative. She knew that as a person she hadn't changed; this part of her was always there, but she had always suppressed it because she knew what would come in the future. She noticed the changes in her two friends aswell. Friends. Yes, that is the word to describe people like them. The nicer part of Asuka and the stronger part of Shinji were always inside, aching to get out; and now they had. And she liked the thought that despite her intended role to join the minds of the world into one, she had played a major part in helping both of them find those parts of themselves and how they could show them.
But they were all still the same people, they were just finding a balance. Finding being the optimum word. Shinji was still very shy and scared of what other people might say or do, should he potentially do something wrong. Asuka was still loud and her defensive pride and anger kept trying to force itself back into being the dominant factor. She herself was still very quiet, speaking only when it seemed necessary; though it had seemed so more than usual recently.
And now that EVA was gone, she was not associated with it in any way whatsoever. Shinji had never seen her as associated with EVA. Asuka had at many points, but other times she hadn't, and the same was true of now. In fact, it seemed like the only reason the thre of them had ever considered the Evangelions a part of their identities was because they did so themselves, not because others did.
But they were working towards it. And with the arrival of the other three – Toji, Kensuke and Hikari – she noticed that Shinji and Asuka had brightened up yet further.
It wasn't just the joining of their minds that had allowed this new-found friendship within their triangle, the want had always been there. The fear of rejection was not gone, not fully; indeed, it would always remain with them, far more pronounced than for most human beings, but by continuing to aid each other as they had been doing, they could push through. This she knew.
And now they could begin to live how they should've lived them.
Normally.
Perhaps having A.T. Fields in place is not such a bad thing. Even when they are present, people can connect in ways you would not think possible.
Kind soul that she was, her assistant had quickly rushed off to quickly prepare the morning coffee the two of them had so often shared.
Now sat in Central Dogma, Maya in her normal seat on the right and Ritsuko in the centre chair, they enjoyed each others company.
In the waning days of what the few people in NERV were calling the 'Angel Wars' – and what she guessed they would eventually come to be officially called – Ritsuko had avoided Maya. How could she corrupt such a kind soul? Even in those final days, it seemed that Maya kept her good will and some kind of innocence, despite being one of the people more clued-in on NERV than most were and taking part in actions many others didn't.
Maya heard her tutor take a sip of her coffee, holding the warm cup with both hands. "Ritsuko, if I may?"
"I'm not on duty Maya, there isn't any need to ask permission." She'd missed coffee like this. Made well.
"Well, I'm glad you came back." Ritsuko looked up at her younger colleague with a sad smile on her lips. "I don't know why you did what you did, but-"
"Don't kid yourself." Ritsuko cut in suddenly, grimly. "I'm a horrible person."
"That isn't true!" Maya said, nearly jumping out of her chair. "You did make some wrong choices, but I'm willing to forgive you."
Ritsuko gave a sigh into the room of dulled, dark grey tones and metal. "I suppose that's one of the reasons I've come back." Her dark green eyes looked into Maya's brown ones, which were full of hope. "I was half expecting a trial. But people like you are far too kind for your own good."
Maya blushed, she couldn't help it. "Erm... t-thank you."
The two of them heard the lift that brought people up to the area inhabited by the so-called 'bridge-bunnies' was heard; and it heralded the arrival of a purple-haired woman. She stepped cleanly off the elevator, her face passive.
"Hello, Misato." Ritsuko said neutrally; her scientist tone.
"So I wasn't seeing things yesterday." Misato replied in her own passive tone. "And I thought I was drunk without drinking beer."
"That would be a first for you." Ritsuko retorted dryly, her voice carrying no friendly playfulness.
Maya could sense the sudden tension in the room between the two older women. "Please, can you two talk about this?"
"Well, talking's been doing wonders for me and my kids," Misato said, standing in between Maya and Ritsuko and just back a little so she didn't obstruct their lines of sight to each other, "so lets talk." Misato's tone became very disapproving as she crossed her arms under her breasts, her brown eyes drilling holes into Ritsuko who was on her left. "You fucked up."
"Major!"
"No, Maya," Ritsuko said calmly, taking another sip of her coffee from the white cup she held in both , "she's right. A little crudely put, but she is correct."
"You don't have to keep going at each other's throats though." Maya desperately wanted to avoid a fight of any kind, she could just sense something brewing in the Major. "Well, what I mean is, can't you just go back to being friends?"
"That is impossible, Maya." The scientist told her assistant. "Things can never go back to then. Too many mistakes and too many betrayals."
Neither of the two scientists noticed the military woman nod an affirmative to that. Silence fell as none of them knew what to say next, none of them really wanting to say anything.
"Well, I suppose this has been a morning of new starts for me," Misato mentioned quickly, "so I might as well try it out with Ritsuko too. Just don't expect things to go quickly."
Ritsuko replied quietly, her voice shaky. "I wouldn't think so. But... that would be nice." She closed her eyes as she let the words sink in. "People today really are far too forgiving."
Misato grabbed the third empty chair and rolled it into position where she previously been standing, and dropping into it with a heavy breath, enjoying the feeling of it. "Well, if there is one thing Instrumentality and this whole damn war has taught us, it's to try and understand other people better."
"Do you remember anything from it? Instrumentality I mean?" Maya asked both of them.
"Very, very little." Ritsuko told them, looking up from the cup.
"Same." Misato added, her eyes falling on the two other women. "Something tells me that the pilots had a very different experience from anyone else." It was strange that as a collective term she referred to them as 'the pilots'. After all, they had nothing to pilot. But old habits die hard, after all. "It's amazing those three can keep going after all they've been through."
"The ability of the human to adapt to it's situation is quite amazing, especially among children." Now Ritsuko sounded like a biologist. And truthfully, with Maya in the room, all the previous tension had ebbed quickly away. Perhaps it was her almost childlike innocence that did it, because Ritsuko and Misato suddenly seemed far more talkative to one another. Maybe they were just ignoring who the other voice was coming from. "As is it's ability to distract itself."
"Mmm hmm." Misato suddenly had a truly wicked thought that she put into a question, smirking almost evilly as she levelled her eyes at Ritsuko. "You never told me..." She saw Ritsuko look at her curiously, apparently anticipating her next words. "... How he was he the sack." Her tone was insulting, but bizarrely sociable at the same time.
As Ritsuko closed her eyes once more, she failed to see Maya frozen stiff with embarrassment and fright, even if she didn't know who it was Ritsuko had been 'in the sack' with.
Ritsuko's answer was simple. "Poor."
Misato suddenly burst into a fit of laughter, slapping her right knee with her right hand and apparently forgetting her earlier statement about things not going very quickly. It did seem that among friends, some form of forgiveness could be achieved rather quickly. It could've been residual effects of having your mind melded to everyone else's in one fell swoop, but things did seem easy.
Ritsuko's own chuckling did not go unnoticed by the other two women. Maya was just plain silent, unsure of how to react to what had just happened and blushing as red as a red apple.
When the joke had finally died down, Ritsuko continued. "I can understand why he did what he did, but for one of the smartest men on the planet, he was pretty stupid."
"I know what you mean." Misato replied. "Shinji's a really sweet kid, I'm sure he could've at least stuck with him."
"Ah," Ritsuko looked at Misato, with the index finger of her right hand raised, "but that would not fit into his scenario."
Misato realised something suddenly, lurching backwards into the chair. "I'm not supposed to be this friendly with youyet!"
"You are a strange woman, Misato." Ritsuko said with a kind smile. "Perhaps you're just drunk."
"I've only had the one can!" Misato shouted suddenly, clenching her fist vengefully in front of her face and shaking it at the bleach blonde haired woman.
Maya smiled quietly. "Well, you two are getting along just fine."
"I just can't stay mad at you, Ritsu." Misato said with a kind smile, giving a small wink to Maya as a sign of thanks. "No matter how stupid you are."
"Likewise." Ritsuko told her matter-of-factly. "Just don't ask me over to dinner just yet. We aren't at that stage." Obviously she was ignoring the fact that Misato couldn't even invite her over.
"Umm... Myself and a few of the others have a night off tonight." Maya said carefully. "We're going to, well, talk. Would you like to join us?"
"Why not?" Ritsuko answered thankfully.
"Okay, sure" Misato also answered. "I can tell you all about how the pilots were talking about kissing each other a few days back." Her smile suddenly turned very sly.
"Oh no." Maya groaned, putting her head into her free left hand.
It was going to be a long evening.
It was quite amazing, really; the power he wielded right now.
By accident, he'd stumbled upon a certain document that allowed him to access anything and everything within NERV, including all the information stored within the MAGI. Besides this, he'd also gained access to the world's other MAGI systems.
Just now, he'd accessed everything related to the Evangelions – besides what films people has on personal cameras, DVDs and anything similar – including recordings of battles against the angels, information on the S-Two engine, pilot sync data for every test they had ever taken, psychological data for the pilots; everything down to how 'healthy' the Evangelions were during each weekly check up; all around the world.
Anything stored on computers anywhere in the world about the Evangelions was now at his viewing pleasure.
From this simple and rather primitive early twenty-first century computer, hidden away within the office of the former commander and hooked up to a simple LAN connector, he had interfaced with NERV's MAGI system, who had subsequently gained access to all the other MAGI systems.
He had known about it, stored in it's little drawer. Just not it's purpose.
It was plainly clear now.
'Delete' 'Y/N' '?'
It flashed enticingly upon the screen, begging him to exercise his power. Yes or no? It seems like a simple question when asked, but can always lead to perhaps the most perplexing of puzzles. Do you cut the red wire or the blue? Do you buy that extra insurance or leave it? Do you make a move on that good looking one at the bar or not?
'Delete' 'Y/N' '?'
He pressed the button.
The message came upon the screen quickly, one letter at a time.
'All data permanently erased.'
He could picture it now. The UN – what currently remains of it anyway – would scream insults and roar at him, asking him 'Why?'. Some may argue that EVA's had a singular purpose, and were now useless. Others would argue for them as the next stage in warfare – or perhaps even human evolution – and were needed to maintain peace in the new world that came after the Angel Wars. He knew things would be chaotic for a while, but he also knew that allowing the Evangelions to become weapons of standard warfare could doom the world to a third World War that would be more devastating than anything before it.
A mass of berserk EVA's, tearing each other and everything around them apart...
As he read the message a second time, Fuyutsuki could only smile to himself. Now... he had only to wait for the next stage.
The UN Inspection Team would be arriving in due time.
Author Notes: And there is chapter 9. Guess chapters 8-9 have been something like a "Part 1 and Part 2", haven't they? Plus: this is the longest chapter of this story to date.
I know, I know... I went cliché with the whole "Toji forgives Shinji" thing, but it does seem realistic to me, given how long it's been since they talked. Toji's had months to think about it, let's face it. And Toji's just a damn nice guy!
Told you I wouldn't forget Ritsuko.
P.S. To my good friend and fellow writer, Bert the Nomad, I hope you enjoyed the opening.
