Chain Lightning Studios Presents
Together We Stand Book Two
Divided We Fall
By T. L. Webb
The prisoner who now stands before you
was caught red-handed showing feelings
showing feelings of an almost human nature
this will not do.
The Trial
Pink Floyd, The Wall
[]======================[]
Book Two Part Ten
[]======================[]
On the umbilical bridge of the sixth cage, Misato stood in front
of Evangelion Unit one. She stared into its cold glass eyeports and
wondered how long it would remain under the freeze order. As
much as she'd come to despise the armored beast of flesh and steel
over the past several months, she dreaded going into battle without
it available to back them up.
Unit One didn't occupy all her thoughts; however, part of her
annoyance was directed towards Nerv itself. Time after time they
had won only by the thinnest margins and the wildest luck. Each
time she felt they could have drastically improved their chances if
the commander would simply tell her what was really going on
behind her back.
Unfortunatly, she knew as well as they did that should she find
out what Ikari was really up to she'd probably refuse to have any
more part in it as a few of the senior staff had already done. Nerv
was by no means falling apart due to the losses--too many were
desperately waiting to join for that to be the case. The secrets that
were being well hidden, and she was afraid that Kaji had paid the
price for opening her door to them. She didn't know what she
would do once she found the truth, but she'd be damned if she was
going to let Kaji's sacrifice be in vain.
'The Eva series is tied to the first angel somehow,' she thought--
trying to put the pieces she had into some kind of order, 'without
them we stand no chance of defeating the Angels... even though
that which gave birth to them caused Second Impact. Why would
anyone play with something like this? I remember that the first angel
wasn't even awake when dad found it. They probably woke it up
when they were doing whatever the hell that experiment was.
Father was funded by Seele, who runs Nerv... did they do it on
purpose? Maybe, but why would anyone want to put this entire
mess in motion in the first place? It just doesn't make any sense!'
She frowned and looked away from Unit One.
"I hate these things," she muttered as a voice echoed across the
cavernous room.
"Major Katsuragi!" Makoto called as she hurried over to
where she stood. He paused a moment to catch his breath and in a
much quieter voice whispered, "there's news."
[]====[]
[]====[]
"Thanks for coming with us Rei," Hikari said. They were at Ence
Square--the building that was Tokyo Three's main shopping
district. Hikari and Shinji had invited her to join them on a shopping
trip, and after a little coaxing they'd finally talked her into it.
"It was... not a inconvenience," Rei said a bit nervously as they
waited outside a changing room for Shinji.
"Are you sure? You sound a little uneasy."
"No, I'm merely unused to these clothes."
To her earlier discomfort Hikari had discovered that morning
that Rei didn't own any clothes other than her school uniforms, and
had made her first goal of the day to rectify that. After having her
try on dozens of outfits they'd decided on a white tunic that tied to
the side accompanied by a pair of matching shorts. While it wasn't
anything she'd have bought for herself, Rei was slowly growing to
like the outfit, and was considering expanding her wardrobe once
their shopping continued.
"Well I guess it is a little different," Hikari replied, "but you have
to admit it's more comfortable than our school uniforms. They're
nice and all but I prefer to wear stuff that hasn't been starched a
few thousand times over."
"Yes, I suppose it is more comfortable," Rei agreed as Shinji's
voice drifted from inside the booth.
"Are you sure about this one Hikari?" he shouted through the
door.
"Come on you big chicken," Hikari shot back with a giggle, "put
it on and get your butt out here so we can stare at it!"
"And that was supposed to be encouraging _how_ exactly?"
Shinji muttered just loud enough for them to hear.
Rei frowned as she listened to this. She did not understand the
purpose of the mild verbal barbs that the two were exchanging, but
they seemed to be enjoying it. She had seen this often at school,
and it had never failed to amaze her how the closest of friends
could constantly taunt one another and stay in good humor while
doing so.
"Okay," Shinji announced, "I'm coming out, ready or not!"
The door opened and Shinji stepped out wearing a pair of dark
pants and a shirt that had an odd fading effect in its color from blue
to black. This would have been fine, save that the clothes were made
of a clingy fabric and were fitting in places that made Rei blush and
Hikari fight to reign in her giggles.
"I still have no idea where I'd ever wear this Hikari," Shinji said
as he glanced in the mirror and let out a small yelp as he saw the
bunching effect the pants were creating.
Hikari immediately began to giggle even louder as Shinji rolled
his eyes and stepped back into the room. Rei turned to Hikari who
was trying to catch her breath.
"Why did you do that?" she asked.
"I dunno," Hikari replied, "mostly just to tease Shinji I guess...
Although I did want to see him in those," She added with a
lecherous grin.
"Why?"
"Don't tell me you didn't enjoy that," Hikari said, "your blush
could have lit up the city during a blackout."
"I do not know," Rei told her, "it felt... odd."
Before Hikari could discuss it in any more depth, however,
Shinji reemerged shaking his head.
"Very cute, Hikari," he grumbled as they made their way to the
checkout counter with the clothes they had already selected.
"_I_ thought so," Hikari told him as she gave him a kiss on the
cheek, "I particularly liked the part where me and Rei had already
made our selections--preventing you from any payback. Besides,
just because I laughed doesn't mean I didn't like the outfit."
Hikari shuffled through the armful of clothes they'd selected,
holding the stack up enough for Shinji to see the same style of pants
he'd just been wearing.
"Are you seriously suggesting I go out in public in that?" he
asked nervously.
"Not if it makes you uncomfortable," Hikari said sweetly, "but I
wouldn't mind seeing you in them once in awhile."
"Well..."
"Admit it, you liked us starring at your hinder," Hikari teased.
"I will admit to no such thing," Shinji said with mock indigence,
but he couldn't hide the grin her comment had caused and their
laughter soon began to draw stares from the other patrons.
A short distance behind them, Rei watched with fascination. She
had only observed one other relationship from such a close
perspective and it was nothing like this. The Commander and Dr.
Akagi's relationship seemed to be based more on a need between
them. She had never seen the two act in any manor resembling
Shinji and Hikari, nor had she seen them enjoying one another's
company as she was now witnessing.
"Hey Rei, we're going, come on!" Hikari called--startling Rei out
of contemplation. She looked up and the two were done with their
purchases and were waving at her from the counter. Rei picked up
her bags and followed them out into the mall. As she listened to
them talking and kidding around, she wondered what it would be
like to experience such a bond.
Sadly she knew that it was impossible. Nerv would never allow
it--she was too vital to Commander Ikari's plans to risk anything
like that. She was beginning to understand why the two felt the way
they did about one another... and she also understood that it was
something she could never have.
She did not mourn this, however. She'd never had anything like
it before, and while she felt a slight longing for the warmth that her
friends obviously shared, she was more than satisfied to make do
with their friendship.
As she followed them to the exits, she smiled.
[]====[]
[]====[]
"I don't understand," Misato asked Dr. Akagi a few days later,
"how could Asuka's synch ratio be slipping this fast?"
Ritsuko set down her coffee and sighed, "at this time we only
have theories-- that girl's mind works in mysterious ways-- but it
would seem that she's subconsciously blocking her own connection
to Unit Two."
"Self sabotage?" Misato repeated with disbelief, "that doesn't
sound like Asuka, there has to be something else."
"Like what Misato? I know you don't care for psychiatrists, but
some of them _do_ actually know what they are doing."
"I'll believe that when I see it. I guess there might be something
to that though... Asuka's pride was badly damaged in the last few
attacks, she might be convincing herself she's this bad."
"A psychosomatic response is one of the possibilities we're
considering."
"I guess it's natural. Someone like her being beaten like that?
And worse yet she blames Shinji for it. It's making it kind of hard to
deal with at home."
"Aww, trouble in paradise?"
"Stuff it, Ritsu, I'm serious. The way she snaps at everyone
lately-- I'm almost afraid she'll hit someone... again."
"If we could guarantee the medication wouldn't make her synch
ratio any worse than it was we'd put her on it in a heartbeat, I'm
afraid you'll just have to deal with it for the time being. Sorry your
synthetic family isn't turning out as easy as you thought it would."
"Your all heart Ritsu," Misato said dismissavly as she turned and
walked out of the lounge.
Ritsuko watched her leave and pulled out a small phone. Dialing
up her department Yuri answered almost immediately.
"This is Dr Akagi, Yuri, it seems that we might be closer to a
breakdown with the second child than we initially thought. I want an
immediate report on Unit Three's status and go ahead and have
them begin prepping the Fifth child... we might need him prepped
for arrival sooner than we planed."
[]====[]
[]====[]
"Well I think it's scary," Hikari told Rei as they rode the
elevator down to the Cages, "I mean, didn't they have a really hard
time getting Unit Zero to work in the first place?"
"Yes," Rei replied.
"So why shouldn't I be scared?" Hikari continued as she leaned
against the handrail and tapped her foot nervously, "after what
happened my first time, its everything I can do not to whimper like
a baby whenever I get into one of the harmonics tubes."
"There is no reason to fear the harmonics tubes, Hikari"
"I know, but being in there reminds me of what happened with
the 13th angel. Didn't being in Unit Zero after your first activation
test make you think about the first time?"
"... I--I do not know," Rei said, hesitating, "I do not remember
precisely what happened during the first activation up until
Commander Ikari opened the entry plug."
"And having gaps in your memories doesn't bother you?" Hikari
inquired with amazement.
"In a sense it does, but it is unimportant in the larger scheme of
things. Nerv requires Pilots; I am capable of piloting Eva. That is all
that matters."
"That's so sad, you should have something in your life beyond
Ev--"
She didn't get to finish, because the door opened to reveal a
very annoyed Asuka standing in front of them. There was a moment
as Asuka locked eyes with her and then Rei that made Hikari
wonder if she would even step aboard, but finally the redhead
rolled her eyes and stepped in-- immediately turning to face the
door.
Hikari had heard Asuka cursing under her breath after the synch
tests earlier that day about having to put up with the physical
discomfort that proceeded her time of the month. Armed with that
knowledge she'd planed on staying well out of Asuka's way and
had warned Shinji to do the same.
Unfortunately it looked like she was going to have to deal with
her for at least the next few minutes as the elevator made its
descent to the lower levels of the Geofront.
Fortunately Asuka apparently wanted to converse with her and
Rei about as much as she would with Kensuke or Touji.
The seconds ticked by and by as the elevator continued its
seemingly eternal trek downwards, Hikari was just beginning to
think that they'd make it without an argument when a soft, calm
voice broke the silence.
"If you do not open your mind to her, Eva will not move."
Hikari let out a small gasp; didn't Rei know better to criticize
Asuka? Didn't she understand what a volatile situation she was
stirring? Then she realized that Rei hadn't been in as much contact
with Asuka as she had-- of course she didn't understand!
Sure enough Asuka practically exploded at her.
"What?" she screamed, "are you saying this is _my_ fault?"
Hikari took a step back, trying to hide in the corner.
"Yes," Rei replied as if Asuka wasn't sneering at her, "Eva has
her own mind."
"Oh puh-lease!" Asuka said with a dismissive laugh, "its just a
big doll."
"Surely you are aware that it is much more than that," Rei
countered.
"Pfft! Things must really be going down the toilet if Wondergirl
is giving _me_ advice, maybe tomorrow it will snow?" she whirled
and looked at Hikari, "I bet you two are just _sooo_ happy that I'm
in a rut-- Even though I'm still better than poor Hikari here. But oh!
Don't worry, when the next big bad angel comes it the _mighty_ Shinji
Ikari will charge in and save us all! We don't have to even lift a
finger; they only need the pathetic little Shinji, not us girls. So don't
spare any sympathy for me-- save it for you and the rookie here,
little doll" she said over to Rei.
"I am not a doll," Rei insisted with surprising resolve.
"Shut up!" Asuka roared, "you'd do anything you're ordered to!
You'd _kill_ yourself if Commander Ikari said so!"
"That is true."
it took a moment to sink in, but later Hikari realized Asuka'd
actually recoiled in fright from Rei in that moment. Perhaps it was
the way she'd admitted it; perhaps it had just been that she _had_.
The effect didn't last long, however, and Asuka quickly pressed the
button to open the doors. As the doors opened behind her, Asuka
snarled and reared back to slap Rei when Hikari decided enough was
enough. Stepping between the two, she managed to catch Asuka's
hand just as it was rounding to strike.
Asuka's eyes went wide when she realized what had happened,
and for some reason that Hikari couldn't understand, she saw
relief in them.
Stepping forward, she left Rei behind in the elevator as the
doors shut behind her. After a moment of silence, Hikari let go of
Asuka's hand. The redhead drew back, holding her arm slightly as
if it'd been injured by Hikari's grasp.
"What do _you_ want?" Asuka demanded.
"We need to talk," Hikari stated as she crossed her arms, "what
is _wrong_ with you, Asuka? We're friends, aren't we? Or we were,
rather, before that one night."
"I thought we already had this discussion," Asuka said coolly.
"No, this isn't about you and Shinji-- this is about us."
"So? What's your point?"
"I really don't understand why you're acting like this, Asuka. Rei
didn't say a single thing to insult you back there, and you were about
to hit her."
"Bullshit, she said that I wasn't a good enough pilot!"
"No, she tried to give you advice on how to be a better one,"
Hikari said as it began to dawn on her what Asuka's point of view
on the situation had been.
"Right, and she was implying that she was better than me."
"She was implying that you're attitude is why you're synch rate
is dropping, Asuka," Hikari said with exasperation, "you can argue
it all you want, but this isn't about who's a better pilot. It's about
helping someone we _thought_ was our friend when she needs it."
"I don't need _anyone's_ help," Asuka growled," and if you think that
I'm going to sit back and let you all laugh at me like this you've got
another thing coming!"
"_What_?" Hikari almost shouted back, "Asuka, are you out of your
mind? Where did you get that idea?"
"If you think I'm that blind then _you're_ the one out of their
mind, Hikari," Asuka said stepping forward into her former friends
space, "I might be in a rut right now, but I can still out pilot all
of you-- even your pathetic little boyfriend."
Hikari's face reddened. This was exactly how their last fight had
started. Asuka knew just how to push people's buttons, but Hikari
was determined to see this discussion through.
"I told you, leave Shinji out of this," she said as calmly as she
could manage with the German girl in her face.
"Did you start wearing your hair down like mine to keep him
interested?" Asuka asked with a smirk-- throwing Hikari for a total
loop. Where had that come from? And as she blushed furiously, she
realized that the neural connectors did make her hairstyle resemble
Asuka's.
"Stop that!" she demanded while trying to regain her
composure.
"Going to dye your hair red next? I notice that your plugsuit's
modeled after mine as well."
"Asuka, I'm warning you..."
"Of course, no matter how much you imitate me, you'll never
manage to match the original. It must kill you that all I'd have to do
to steal him away is just walk across the hall and--" there was a
resounding smack and Asuka stumbled back, holding her cheek.
Blushing furiously in anger, Hikari nursed her stinging palm and
tried to make her eyes stop watering. Why had Asuka done this?
Why did she have to turn every conversation into a argument?
What was she trying to prove?
"See?" Asuka said as she walked away, "I knew you were
jealous."
Hikari turned her back to Asuka and in frustration banged her
fist against the wall-- striking the elevator call button by
coincidence. A 'ding' startled her from her brooding, and she was
stunned to see Rei still standing in the elevator. Had she stopped it
to listen? Or just to wait?
"Are you alright?" she asked as she noticed Hikari's tears.
"I don't know," Hikari said sadly, "I can't get through to Asuka
lately. Every time I try to help her she turns it into some holy war.
"The second Child is very close to an emotional breakdown,"
Rei told her as she reached into her school bag and produced a
package of tissues.
"Your mastery of the obvious is as impressive as ever," Hikari
said with a bitter chuckle as she wiped her eyes, "I just don't like
seeing her like this. I want to help-- I feel horrible that I can't seem
to get through to her. The worst part is that we used to be friends."
"They may consider replacing her after your Evangelion is
repaired," Rei admitted, "for now the best they can do is hope she
can function as a pilot."
"I can't believe Nerv is such a heartless organization," Hikari
sighed.
"Nerv is fighting for the fate of all humanity, they would sacrifice
all of us to win if it were necessary."
"How can you keep doing this while knowing that?"
"By considering the alternative," Rei told her as the door opened
and they stepped out, "if my death would result in mankind
surviving then I would do so... especially if by doing so you and
Shinji would remain safe and alive."
"Rei?" Hikari whispered as her eyes widened.
"I have not had many friends... in my life, but I consider you
and Shinji as such."
Smiling, Hikari thanked Rei and pressed the button for their
floor. As the elevator cycled down into the Geofront, however, her
thoughts turned back to Asuka. It was becoming clearer to her
what was happening to her friend... Asuka's pride was such a
strong part of her. She seemed to be taking every slight as an
mortal offence... and it was weakening the barrier protecting
her real feelings. Just as Hikari had feared weeks back, the wall
that protected that fragile inner self was starting to crack under
the strain. She was afraid that if Asuka didn't let _someone_ in
she'd wash out of Project E.
Idly, she wondered what had happened to Mr. Kaji. Asuka
had always had a soft spot for him. Shinji had said that he'd gone
on a business trip... it was awful timing, because Hikari couldn't
think of a time that she'd seen Asuka in more need of emotional
support, and Kaji had been the only one that she'd ever seen
Asuka allow to give that.
With Asuka in such a dangerous state, it made Hikari more and
more concerned with her upcoming activation tests, and-- not for the
first time, she found herself wondering how far she and Shinji would
get if they just hopped a train and tried to leave.
[]====[]
[]====[]
Kensuke had planed for a lot on his mission. He'd insured that
he'd have access to the school by volunteering for cleanup duty.
He'd made sure that he'd be alone by having Shinji sign up as
well--knowing that sooner or later another test would insure his
friend's absence. He'd made extra copies of the keys just in case,
and had even made a detailed map of the areas that the security
systems covered. Most importantly he'd managed to find a way into
the building that wasn't covered by them.
The only thing he hadn't planed on was an angel attack, but he
figured it was for the best. After all, if the fighting got too intense
any broken windows or silent alarms would be attributed to the
battle. Even better was the fact that no one would be able to check
up on it until after the fighting stopped-- making his chances of
getting away with it even better.
In the back of his mind he knew what he was doing was insane.
As powerful an organization as Nerv was, it could crush him like an
ant. If he _was_ caught he'd be disposed of simply by moving the
body to the war-zone and blaming his death on the Angel. No one
would be the wiser.
As to why he was doing this-- that was much more insane. After
overhearing Major Katsuragi tell that other woman that the
principal had a list of pilot candidates he'd decided that he _had_ to
know where he stood on the list. If he had any chance of piloting an
Evangelion that was where he'd find the answer. He didn't need that
information, but he wanted it so badly he could taste it.
So as the rain poured off his camouflaged outfit, he threw his
home made grappling hook and began climbing up the roof of
Tokyo three Junior High school.
[]====[]
[]====[]
"We have visual confirmation," Shigeru announced as the image
of the fifteenth angel appeared before them.
"It doesn't appear to be moving from its position," Makoto
noted.
"No," Shigeru agreed, "it's maintaining a geosynchrinous orbit
right above us."
"So," Misato asked in a sarcastic tone, "does that mean it'll
come down an play, or is it just gonna sit up there and throw stuff
like the tenth?"
"At that range attacking it will be nearly impossible," Makoto
informed her.
"Well, we can't do anything until it makes its move... the Evas
can't fight it if it stays up there in orbit. What is the status of our
team?"
"Unit Zero and Two are in top condition," Yuri informed her,
"Unit One is locked down until the freeze order is lifted. Since Unit
three is still a few days from activation, we've hooked Horaki to the
simulator and are having data from Zero, Two and One piped in to
give her a idea of what to expect in combat."
"Alright, I want Unit's Zero and Two to move out. Take up
flanking positions on either side of the city and await further orders.
Go ahead and reduce the two way link for Unit Three to just that
from Unit One. Shinji can coach her as the others fight. But I don't
want Asuka and Rei getting distracted during the battle.
"Roger," the staff replied simultaneously as the Eva's launched.
[]====[]
[]====[]
"So how are we going to play this one?" Ritsuko asked once
the Eva's were in position. She was looking at the data from Unit
Two and frowning at the synch rate.
"If what you and the shrinks say is correct then most of Asuka's
problem is that she feels inadequate right?" Misato said.
"Correct, but I don't understand what you're driving at."
"We let Asuka take the first shot. If she manages to kill it her
self confidence shoots back up and we can get back to business."
"What makes you think it will be that simple?"
"Nothing, but its better than sending Rei up there first and
making things worse between the two."
"What if she misses?"
"Then we try something else. Either way she went first and that
should help a little. If she fails... well then we tried our best."
"Alright, but I hope you know what you're doing, Katsuragi."
"So do I," Misato muttered under her breath, "so do I."
[]====[]
[]====[]
As the rain poured all around her, Asuka took the particle
beam rifle off the arminant building rack and prepared to destroy
the Angel. It was the Nerv version, not the patchwork piece of junk
that Superboy had used on the fifth angel. Sleek and efficient, it was
designed with combat in mind. While the other model was more of
a sniper's weapon, this one was made for an Evangelion to use at
maximum efficiency.
As she prepped the weapon she looked up at the storm
clouds above and shuddered. Even if they wouldn't affect the
targeting, she would feel much better if the sky were clear. She
liked to see what she was killing.
'And I have to kill it,' she thought, 'if I fail this mission I might
loose my position as pilot.... I can't afford to fail. _Won't_ fail! I'll
show them I'm not a failure! I'll show her... she can't ignore me if I
win!'
She shouldered the massive particle beam cannon and it slid
effortlessly into place along her Eva's shoulder wings. The display
began flashing information comforting a clean connection to the
firing systems and as she raised it into place, the targeting display
slid down over her face.
"Targeting system online," she announced, "you want the angel
original or extra crispy?"
"Set the cannon to full power," Misato replied, "we'll have
enough trouble piercing the AT field with the distance involved."
"Roger," Asuka told them, "power levels set and building,
targeting has been initiated."
The crosshairs began to converge, but as expected, adjusting
for the distance, the earth's gravity, and hundreds of other factors
were slowing the process down immensely.
"Target is still out of the firing range," she heard Shigeru
announce-- as if she couldn't see that for herself.
"Oh hurry up, Angel!" she snarled, "come down here and fight
you coward!"
Then, without warning, the clouds parted and a burning light
enveloped her very being.
[]====[]
[]====[]
As the city lit up in the distance, Kensuke whirled around and
looked out the window. He could see the beam of light slicing
through the clouds to some point within the city itself. Stepping
away from the principal's desk where he'd been going through a
stack of files he watched as a series of blasts flew from the
endpoint of the beam-- ripping huge holes into buildings and hills in
their path.
"I hope that isn't Hikari..." he muttered as he backed away from
the window. A few moments passed without any more blasts and
with a little reluctance he turned back to the desk to find what he'd
came for before anything nearby exploded as well.
[]====[]
[]====[]
"Asuka! You have to retreat NOW!" Misato screamed over
the com.
"Nein!" Asuka cried as she writhed in pain, "never, I'll never
back down, I'd rather die!"
"God damnit, Asuka! If you don't get your ass out of there
you're going do get your wish!" Misato shot back as she turned to
the bridge staff.
"Status report!" she demanded
"Psychograph is... it's off the scales!" Yuri told her, "none of our
commands are being accepted-- whatever that beam is, it's
overloading all the neural links."
"The mental circuit cant take much more of this without
permanently damaging both her and the Eva," Ritsuko told her, any
more and we might not be able to repair the damage."
"Damnit," Misato cursed as she listen to Asuka shriek in agony,
"send Rei the UN's particle beam cannon and relay all available
power to her output station."
[]====[]
[]====[]
"Asuka..." Shinji whispered from his place in Unit One. He
reached over at the window connected to the mock dummy plug
where Hikari was receiving feed from his Unit Zero
"What's going on up there?" he asked.
"Rei's setting up to fire now," Hikari told him in a shaken voice,
"oh god Shinji, I could hear Asuka over the link-- whatever that
thing is hurting her! She keeps screaming for it to get out of her
mind.... I had to turn it off-- I just couldn't listen anymore!"
As he watched the tears built in the corners of her eyes Shinji
frowned. He knew he had to do something. Asuka might not be the
nicest person he knew, but she had been Hikari's friend for at least
a short time, and he owed it to her to do something. As Rei began
preparing to fire he ran the possibilities over in his mind. He knew
that something inside Unit One was trying to tell him something
involving his mother, and he knew that Nerv would never allow it's
pilot to be put in danger of another mental attack. After the twelfth
angel he'd almost been retired just on those grounds.
Damnit... he wasn't any good at this-- Misato was the tactician,
not him! If the angel didn't attack Unit Zero then they might have a
chance, but other than that he was at a loss as to what he could do.
And he'd still have to get the commander to unfreeze Unit One...
"Releasing final safety lock," he heard Misato say as he reached
out and placed his hand to the edge of where Hikari would see his
picture on her display. She did the same, creating the effect that
their hands were touching.
"All personnel, prepare for firing!"
[]====[]
[]====[]
Just as Kensuke found what he was looking for, the window
outside lit up even more brilliantly. As he watched awestruck, a
beam of pure light blasted up from within the city to pierce the
clouds above. He could actually feel the heat it gave off through the
window, and it took a few moments to realize that it was one of
Nervs weapons-- most likely the particle beam cannon he'd
repeatedly pestered Shinji about.
"Unreal..." he whispered as the beam faded out and the one
from the sky continued.
Finally tearing himself away from the window, he took out his
scanner and began going over the notebook that he'd found. At fist
glance he wondered if he'd been wasting his time, but as he got into
it a few pages his opinion changed completely.
It was a series of reports involving blood tests that they'd all had
to take at the beginning of the year, accompanied by a personality
and medical profile of every student in his school. Most of the date
meant nothing to him, but the series of notes from Dr. Akagi-- who
he now remembered as Misato's friend and coworker-- made all
his hard work more than worthwhile.
Once he had all the pages scanned, he carefully replaced the file
and closed the cabinet--carefully setting the coffee mug back where
it had been precariously balanced on top.
As he finished packing up his equipment, he took one last look
out the window. The beam from the sky was still cutting through the
clouds, and whatever it was for, he hoped that the others could
deal with it. Even more so, he hoped that the information he had
found might show him a way that he could finally be up there with
them.
"It must be exciting to be out there like that," he thought as he
opened the door and walked out, "I'd give anything to be in their
shoes right now."
[]====[]
[]====[]
"No- No- No- No!" Asuka shrieked as she grasped the sides
of her head in a vain attempt to protect it from the unwanted images
being pounded into it, "Stop it! Get out of my mind! stop it please!"
She could see herself as a child tearing apart the doll her
stepmother had tried to give her as a present. Against her will she
remembered the look on her father's face as clearly as the day she
had first seen it. What was this bastard doing to her? Why was she
seeing these things?
"But Asuka," her father had asked, "it's a present from your new
mommy, don't you like it?"
"No!" she had told him angrily.
"But why not?" he'd asked her, and at the time she had refused
to answer him-- to angry and confused to even think of a response.
But she was no longer that helpless little girl.
"Because I'm not a child," she shouted bitterly, unaware that her
voice was carrying across the communications links, "I grew up
faster than other people, I don't need some stupid doll! I _hate_
dolls!"
There was another pounding burst of pain and she recoiled from
the horrible din. Words and concepts flew through her mind faster
than she could comprehend them. She couldn't keep up and soon
became lost in the rush of information-- floating inside herself at its
mercy. Feelings of pain anger and hatred overwhelmed her, as did
memories she had thought long buried.
She found herself watching her mother feed the stupid Doll again.
For weeks she'd been doing that, ignoring her and pretending that
_thing_ was her daughter. No matter how she cried or begged, all
that her mother would do was play with the stupid Doll. At first it
had frightened her, but as the days passed a cold rage had begun to
build in Asuka concerning that stupid Doll.
"Please mama!" she had cried from the foot of the bed where
her mother sat, "look at me mama! don't stop being my mother,
please!"
As she watched this in disgust, it occurred to her that this had
quite possible been the last time she'd cried.
Suddenly the room before her dimmed, and she heard a soft
whisper in her mind-- the voice of her mother.
"Asuka, come to heaven with me, come to heaven with mama."
Asuka's face paled and she spun around-- trying to pinpoint the
voice. It seemed to be coming from all around her, but that didn't
make any more sense than the rest of this. When the room
illuminated again, it was because a door opened. Looking up,
Asuka screamed. This was something she'd spent over half a
decade trying to forget.
"No!" the girl at the door screamed, "mama, no! Please don't kill
me!"
"Don't go over there," Asuka whispered as the little girl ran
forward to where he mother hung from the ceiling. Beside the body,
a smaller one was spinning slowly. The stupid Doll was hanging a
few feet away. The little girl hadn't noticed this yet, and she ran
over trying to lift up her mamma so she could get out of the rope.
She didn't understand that she was gone forever, "stay away from
it... don't"
As the little girl lost her grip, and the body spun slightly, moving
the face into the light. There was no denying what those pale open
eyes meant. As the little girl screamed in horror and unbridled fear,
Asuka felt something land on her shoulder. Turning slowly, she saw
a shape looming over her. Four eyes glowed in the darkness as it
reached out to her.
Terrified, she shrieked and pushed back the arms-- shattering
the illusion and finding herself back in the entry plug. As she looked
around at the unlit controls around her, she could hear herself as
a child shouting defiantly... "No! I'm not you doll mama! I'll think
for myself and live for myself, I don't need a father or a mother, I'll
live on my own!"
Realizing where she was, she curled up in a ball and against her
will, the tears began to come, "No, oh please no," she whimpered.
On some basic level she understood that the angel was making her
see these things, "don't make me remember this, I don't want to
remember-- I wanted to forget these terrible things! Don't do this,
stop raping my mind, please stop it... oh Gott it's defiling me, help
me please! Oh what can I do? Kaji... please help me...someone
help?"
[]====[]
[]====[]
"Unit Two had exhausted its power reserves," Makoto
announced as Misato chewed on her thumbnail and raked her mind
for a way to stop this brutal attack on her ward.
The life support system was beginning to break down under the
stress of the attack and they had very little time, but they also had
very few options. They couldn't attack from the air, even if they
could get a shot off there was no way to power the weapons. They
couldn't approach the beam for risk of being attacked as well...
"Damnit there has to be a way to get her out of there!" she said
aloud.
"Send me!" a voice demanded over the communications system.
It was Shinji.
"What?" Misato sputtered as her mind began to factor that
possibility into the equation.
"Out of the question!" Fuyutski informed them all, "this angel
attacks the very mind of the pilot, we can't risk it."
"Yes," Gendou agreed, "we can not allow Unit One to be
touched by an angel."
"I can do this!" Shinji insisted, "it's attacking her with memories
right? If I know it's coming I won't be taken off guard and at least I
can get her out of the way!"
"We cannot guarantee your success," Gendou informed him.
"Damnit! We can't just leave her out there!" Shinji cried as he
slammed a fist against his control panel.
"Your enthusiasm is noted, but we won't risk Unit One as long
as we have another option."
He reached down and opened a channel to Unit Zero, "Rei, go
to Terminal Dogma and retrieve the lance."
Beside him, Fuyutski paled visibly, "_use_ the lance of
Longinus? Ikari, that's--"
"We have no other option," Gendou said with a knowing smirk,
"it is the only way to pierce the AT field of an Angel in orbit."
One level down, Misato turned to face them with a frown, "but
if we do that aren't we risking contact between Adam and Eva?"
she asked--not realizing what she was saying.
The men above gave no reply, and as she turned back to the
monitor her eyes narrowed in anger.
'So, that was just another lie,' she thought, 'but if contact
between and Eva and that damn thing wont cause third impact what
will?'
Back above her, Fuyutski was in a panic.
"You can't do this Ikari, it's far to early! Seele will never permit
it!"
"The committee has already begun mass producing Eva's five
through thirteen, this is our chance to clog the gears of Seele's well
tuned machine."
"But we cant just--"
"There is no way to reverse the hands on Seele's deathwatch,
but we can move it forward to further our own goals."
"The old men will have you killed for this! don't forget what
they did to me."
"I have not forgotten Professor, but this is the perfect
opportunity to put our plan into action, another chance like this may
not occur. Besides, it is not acceptable to loose Unit Two at this
time. Odds are there will be use for it before all this ends"
[]====[]
[]====[]
As Unit Zero rose from the access shaft, Rei looked out to
where Unit Two slumped forward against a building. She did not
enjoy the company of the Second Child, but no one deserved what
was happening to her. She lifted the lance to clear the shaft and as
the steel doors shut, she lowered it to rest against the ground. It
was easily twice as tall as the Eva was, and as the targeting
calculations began, she wondered how the commander planed to
explain what they were doing to Seele. It would have to be a clever
fabrication to explain the action-- Seele had great plans for this
weapon. Those plans were about to be dashed to the wind.
The targeting computers finally finished their calculations, and as
she lifted the crimson lance, she shuddered at what was about to be
done. It was an enormous spear crafted of two bands of metal
twisted around one another-- branching off to two twin points a
third of the way to the end. No one had ever properly explained
where it had come from, or exactly why it was capable of piercing
an AT field as it did. The late Dr. Katsuragi--father of her
commanding officer-- had theorized that the lance produced an anti
AT field that neutralized the barrier upon contact. This would
explain why the five people who had touched it without protection
had reportedly dissolved to LCL.
Its theoretical effects on Angels-- while not as drastic-- would
be no less deadly.
She planet Unit Zero's feet, and closed her eyes--visualizing her
next actions. Lifting the lance into the air, she could feel the pulsing
energy through the Eva's hands. She drew back, and as she did, the
lance shifted in the Eva's hands-- the twin bands of metal came
alive and began twisting together to form one single end point.
Ignoring this, she concentrated on her target, and let fly.
The lance flew from her hands, picking up speed and rending
the cloud cover asunder as it shot past. It continued upwards
gaining speed and momentum as it went. An aura of fire began to
for around it as it flew through the atmosphere higher and higher
until passing into empty space.
If the angel suspected what was about to happen it gave no
sign-- continuing its assault on Unit Two as if its destruction was not
imminent.
The lance struck the Angel's AT field and without pause tore
through it-- striking the angel head on. There was a brief flash of
light, and an implosion, then the angel was nothing more than a
spreading group of glowing particles falling from orbit.
[]====[]
[]====[]
They'd met up at the main exit and from there Shinji and
Hikari ran as fast as they could to the access shaft where Unit Two
was being prepared for retrieval. As they rounded a corner, they
could she Asuka at the edge of the cavernous gaping hole, her red
plug suit the only speck of color in the dreary rain soaked streets.
As they neared her, they saw the warning tape around her and
stopped just short of it. The words on the tape read 'quarantine
zone' and in the center-- watching Unit Two lower into the earth--
Asuka sat with her legs pulled up to her chest. They could see her
shoulders shaking and hear her sobs, as they stood there, not sure
what to say.
Shinji realized suddenly that he'd never seen her cry even
once. There had been one or two occasions where she'd come
close-- that night before the seventh angel and once when Kaji had
brought Misato home... but he'd never see her cross that final
threshold.
Hikari looked over to him-- searching his eyes for a hint of what
he was going to do next. Truth be told, Shinji had no clue. Talking
to Asuka under normal circumstances was a difficult enough
prospect for him... but this? What could anyone say to make her
feel better? Was there anything at all that could even be done? He just
didn't know
They stood there for several moments as he searched for those
elusive words that might make all her pain go away. When the
section two agents arrived he still hadn't found them. As the two
black attired men led Asuka away, Hikari spoke up.
"I'm glad you're okay, Asuka," she said as the girl walked past.
"Who the _fuck_ is okay?" Asuka hissed as she turned her back
and followed the men to the car at the curb.
Tears were running down his girlfriend's face when Shinji looked
from the retreating car. Putting his arms around her, he held tightly
and prayed that the angel would be the last.
[]====[]
[]====[]
As Kensuke poured through the files he'd copied, a growing
sense of helplessness enveloped him. He'd always suspected that
Nerv was involved in some type of conspiracy-- such a large
organization wouldn't take the steps it had to control the media
were it not. He'd accepted this as fact years ago. What was
frightening him was the scope of what was being hinted at through
the papers. He'd always considered it a national cover-up, and he
wanted to hit himself for not seeing it earlier.
Nerv was not just a Japanese organization--it had branch offices
the world over. Whatever was going on involved far more than
could be described with just the word 'conspiracy'. This was a
worldwide cover-up the likes of which he'd never seen.
He wanted to tell himself he was just jumping to conclusions,
but the information was right there in front of him.
Every Nerv Branch had gathered dozens of children from its
employee's families and had placed them in nearby schools as a
pool of candidates. What he had in this file was a partial list of the
main three branches in Japan, Germany and the US. All these
children were possible pilots for the Evangelions. It had at first
excited him to learn this, until he'd seen his placement on the list.
Apparently his eyesight had lowered his chances almost to zero of
ever becoming a pilot.
It was depressing, but he'd quickly forgotten it as he'd dug
deeper into the files. Most of the information didn't make much
sense to him. All the talk about genetics and blood patterns was
beyond him, but some of it he recognized. There was something
about AT Fields, and projected synch patterns. There were also
detailed psychological reports on most of the students. He was
more than a little thankful that he wasn't in that file.
Of more interest was the list of names on the Marduk institute's
board of directors. He recognized a several of the names from
Nerv-- Akagi, and Ikari were two that sprung off the page
immediately. The rest-- Kiel, Essex, Fuyutski, were unfamiliar.
'Ok Aida,' he thought as stared at the list of names, 'you have
this... now what are you going to do with it?'
[]====[]
[]====[]
Just past three AM in the Nerv medical ward, a shadowy
figure slipped unnoticed into Asuka's room. At the exact moment
he entered a shudder would be seen on the video monitor--
followed by a loop of the footage for the past ten minutes. No one
would ever know he was there.
He stepped up to the foot of the bed where Asuka lay--heavily
sedated-- and sighed.
"I don't know if you can hear me," he said, "but I want you to
know how sorry I am this happened to you Asuka. When I
promised your father I'd keep an eye on you I still had no idea of
how deep I'd be getting myself involved with what's happening
here. You deserved better than this... but you have to remember
that as long as you're still alive there is a chance of making it
through this mess. Don't let this stop you, move ahead and don't
look back. Asuka. You're one of the strongest people I've ever
met, but even you are going to find that once in awhile you need
help. Don't be afraid to accept it. I wish I could say this under
better circumstances, I'm sorry. Goodbye Asuka, and good luck."
As Kaji turned and slipped silently out the door, the camera's
returned to normal and Asuka moaned, and as she turned to her
side and a tear rolled down her cheek. She was not actually asleep
and had indeed heard what he'd told her, but the drugs they had her
on would cause her to believe what had just happened was all just
a dream.
[]===================[]
To be continued...
[]===================[]
Author's Incoherent Babbling
Well, we're close to the end of Book Two, and things are
starting to develop about the way I planed. As to just what
Kensuke will be doing with that information is going to have to wait
until the intermission between books two and three. I plan on doing
it as kind of a behind the scenes story, and it will be mostly about
Ken's internet friend and a few other characters that have come and
gone throughout the story thus far.
I've thought and thought about it, and I've decided to do
something that's going to be kinda risky with the next chapter. I'm
going to make Rei giggle. Don't flame me until you see it happen-- I
think I have a way for it to actually make sense and keep her
mostly in character. ^_^ Trust me ^_^
For those of you wondering what was so unusual about the
clothes that Hikari had Shinji trying on, check out the cover to the
Angel Sanctuary OVA. Ran across that a week or so ago and
decided that it was rather close to what I had in mind during that
scene (I haven't seen that show myself, but from what I hear its
rather... I think disturbing works as a description-- two words,
incestuous angels. Nuff said)
Here's an interesting question... just which character was this
chapter's opening quote from The Wall aimed at?
Lets see... that's about all I gots for this chapter, although I want
to add that Led Zeppelin makes for some excellent background
music when writing an Eva story ^_^
Stay cool y'all
Hotwire
Chain Lightning Studios
http://www.chainlightningstudios.com