Disclaimer – NGE and all its characters are copyright their respected owners, but I'd hope everyone knows that by now
Ch-12 Chimera
Toji was in his glee.
He held on as tight as he could as they sailed through the night sky, his arms wrapped around the thickly muscled neck of the former head scientist of NERV as she leapt from building to building at blinding speeds. Glad no one could see him as he clung to her back, Toji couldn't help but let the occasional insane grin spread across his face as Ritsuko's powerful legs sped them across rooftops, jumping untold heights without a worry only to absorb the tremendous impacts of her landings and push them off skyward once again.
His ecstatic reunion with Misato back at the hospital all but forgotten, replaced with the surroundings as they rushed by in a blur. Even the part when he nearly bowled her over when Misato mentioned she genuinely missed his antics whenever she thought of Shinji.
His first major crush now a thing of the past, the super-strong, super-fast, super-human whisking him away to a safer local now took up that role – whether she acknowledged it or not – Toji didn't care. All that matter now was that he was near her, he was flying, and he was happy.
He had finally gotten his ride.
Carefully, he hauled himself a little higher on her shoulders trying see if he could get a look at Asuka, who was currently cradled in the Doctor's arms, and tried to see how she was enjoying the trip. He frowned; the girl's eyes were actually closed! If it was out of fear or motion sickness, or something else all together he didn't know, but he made a mental note to ask her about it later.
"How you doing back there?" Ritsuko asked as she landed down onto a long stretch of flattop buildings, creating a lull in the in the jumping.
Toji had to hold his breath for a moment, as he nearly shouted out his feelings and knew he would have sounded more like Tony the Tiger instead of Toji Suzuhara. But, instead of shouting out how great this was, how great she was, and how great everything was, something was nagging at the back of his mind since the group had split up and left the hospital for good.
"Actually… Ritsuko-san. I was wondering why I'm here right now with you." He couldn't help but wonder why Misato had seemed so adamant in taking Maya along with her instead of him. And the fact Maya herself didn't protest to be with her Sempai just seemed… odd. "Considering those two are walking, wouldn't I have been the better choice to escort Misato-san back?"
"Don't worry about it Toji, I'm sure Misato has her reasons." Ritsuko smiled to herself, knowing more then she was letting on. "Besides, Misato has been back longer then us and knows these streets better then anyone, they'll be fine."
"I know it just that Maya usually puts up a fuss when she's separated from you…"
"Don't fret Toji, it could be as simple as just wanting to talk."
The moon shone brightly, the dead quite city illuminated by its reflection. The only sound was the occasional dripping of water and the two pair of feet traversing the streets below. The temperature had dropped, significantly. The burning heat of the sun during the day had all but vanished, the cold made proof from the fog of breath made visible in the cool air as two women snaked their way across the city.
They ran quickly but cautiously through the open areas, and slowed their pace to a crawl in the tighter confines of the alleys and tunnel ways. No words were exchanged between the two, creating an uncomfortable silence as the time sped by.
Maya followed behind as best she could, breathing hard when they had to run and grateful for when they had a chance to slow. She did not dare break the silence that worked its way between them, thinking it was for the best lest they be discovered. Running shoes that were two sizes too big were making noise enough, she didn't need to be scolded for speaking up when she shouldn't.
She groaned to herself as the two of them came to the end of an alleyway that opened up into a large four-way intersection, watching as Misato peered cautiously around the buildings edge making sure the coast was clear. That could only mean they were about to run again, they had been going for well over an hour but Maya not dare complain.
She did not fear Misato would leave her behind, but there was something about Misato's unexpected appearance that put the smaller woman on edge.
Maya was happy to see her superior had returned, not quite as overjoyed as Toji, but she was glad none the less. Anyone that could lend her Sempai a hand was welcomed in her eyes, but when Misato had quietly demanded Maya to accompany her, Maya just couldn't shake off the strange feeling that surrounded the purple haired woman.
"It's clear, keep up. This is the last one before we make our way to the underground tunnels and the home stretch" Misato said and prepared to get going.
Maya on the other hand was just glad someone had spoke, along with the mention of almost being done with this trip. So she waited for the signal that Misato gave at every spot they had to run, only this time it never came.
Much to her surprise the purple haired woman darted from her spot without warning, catching Maya off guard and causing her to trip as she attempted to catch up. All she could do was watch as Misato tore across the street and disappeared into the gloom of the opposite buildings.
She wanted to cry out, wanted to tell the other woman to wait but she kept her outburst under control and simply tried to keep her feet under her. She crossed the street and followed where she thought Misato had gone, but as she turned the corner she realized the other woman was nowhere in sight. Fear suddenly fell over her as she realized she had no idea how to get where Misato had been leading her, and probably would not be able to find her way back in the dark.
Something came up from behind, a motion so fast the small woman didn't have time to even react. Maya soon found herself being thrown against the wall. She cried out as her head connected against the cold wall before hands turned her around and slammed her hard against the rough brick. Stars exploded in front her eyes from the sudden jolt and Maya wanted to scream, Misato halted that effort, pressing her forearm into Maya's throat both silencing and pinning the smaller woman in place.
"I knew it!" Maya wheezed out as she looked into the fierce eyes of the former Major. "There was just something too coincidental about you showing up just as those men did."
Misato ignored her, instead pushing her arm harder against Maya causing the smaller woman to squeak in pain. "Tell me everything, everything about Akagi!"
"Gack!" Maya choked. "What are you talking about?"
"You've been around her the most, can she be trusted? Is she in her right mind?"
Maya tried to shift under Misato, but her awkward position left her unable to move. "Why don't you go ask her yourself? You were with her all day!"
Misato eyed her for a moment, eyes softening just a tad before a huge smile crept across her face. "Sorry about that." She said as she released Maya from her hold and back away, flinging an errant strand of hair that fell across her face from the scuffle. "I just wanted to see how you would react."
Maya opened her mouth to speak but no words formed, too dumbfounded at the moment. "Wh-what?"
"You know you could have at least tried to push me away." Misato regarded Maya for a second before shaking her head. "You rely on others too much Ibuki, I know you got it in you… but… I guess that's what this is for."
Misato stepped forward and placed something hard and cold into Maya's palm. The smaller woman looked down and gasped at the small black gun she now held. She had seen it before; in fact she never used to see Misato without it on her person. It was her trusty pistol, the one she used to carry around as far back as Maya could remember. She couldn't understand why it was thrust into her hands right now in this dead street.
"You're kidding right?" Maya said as she held the firearm like it was something dirty.
"Ibuki, tell me. Is Akagi alright?" Misato suddenly looked incredibly stern in the dark, her eyes staring through the other woman with all seriousness. "She's changed from the first time I ran into her…."
'The first time?' Maya wondered, remembering someone screeching away in a car during the first nights they had returned, not to mention the mysterious wound on her Sempai's arm when they left the mall. 'Why keep that a secret…'
Misato ignored the sudden hurt look in Maya's eyes and continued. "Besides the fact that she's gotten positively gigantic how is she … mentally?"
Maya looked between the gun in her hand and the purple haired woman in front of her. She got a slight chill when she began to understand what this little encounter was about, and why Misato had dragged her out here instead of Toji.
"Sempai… She's…." Maya paused searching for the proper way to form her words, still unsure if she should say anything at all. "I'm not going to lie, when she's focused on an attacker it can get pretty scary, the more she gets hurt or sees us getting hurt her eyes change. Its like Sempai is backing down and letting the animal take over… and… sometimes… it seems like she takes a little while to come out of that battle haze."
She looked up to see Misato's face had turned to a frown and panicked. "But! Its only when the bad guys are around, she's never even shown a fang towards one of us, even when we do something really stupid or annoying!" 'Like nail her in the head with a water bottle for instance.'
Misato sighed; she had already assumed what Maya had just told her, and felt just a tad bit relieved that it wasn't as serious as she first thought. "Alright…" She looked down at the gun in Maya's hands. "You do know how to use that right?"
Maya's face cringed in disgust. She never liked weapons, especially guns, much to easy to kill someone with. She somehow avoided training and to this day doesn't understand how she managed to get the position she did. "What! I could never use one of these!"
"Don't be stupid Maya, I'm being completely serious here. I know how crazy you are towards Akagi, but I know you can tell something is wrong. I can see it in your own eyes, you've realized that everyday that goes by Rits acts a little less like herself, and a little more like-
"I know! You don't have to say it. I know…" She looks down sadly at the gun in her hands. How she just wanted to throw it away let it drop to the ground and be done with it. Instead she took in a deep breath, 'I have to stop living a fantasy.' and let her fingers curl around grip properly, almost professionally. It was a foreign feeling, not uncomfortable, just… unwanted. "Just in case right?"
Misato noticed the sudden change in the woman's posture, noting as her back straightened and her eyes narrowed. Finally, she no longer looked like a lost pet. Misato grinned to herself, seeing how easy it was to bring out the big dog in the little Chihuahua. She nodded to her in reply. "Just in case."
With a final ridiculous leap, Ritsuko landed down onto the roof of the bar, happy to no longer have the strange cold wind stinging at her ears. 'I wonder if we're heading into fall, or if the weather is just screwed up royally.' She thought, purposely landing a little harder then normal letting Kozo know she had returned so she wouldn't have to break down any doors.
Toji slid off her shoulders with a huff, then shouted out a loud whoop!
"That was so, so fun! What did you think Asuka?" He turned to look at them both as Ritsuko set the girl down.
Asuka was still weak and far from her old fiery self, but even so Toji noticed she didn't show any signs of excitement or fear… or boredom for that matter. "It was, different." She said softly, as she opened a bag she was carrying releasing PenPen onto the rooftop. She then hobbled over and held onto the doc's muscular arm for support.
"Different? That's all? We just literally flew across the entire city and all you can say was that it was DIFFERENT?" Toji fumed and was about to say more when the door to the roof access opened up, revealing a silver haired older looking man who was struggling with the door.
"Ah, Ritsuko. Glad to see your safe return." Kozo said as he finally managed to get the heavy door open. "And I see this young man enjoyed the trip." He noted how excited Toji was acting. The boy grinned almost manically, probably wondering when he'd get to experience it again. "Well, lets get all of you out of the cold and to a hot meal why don't we."
"These two will." Ritsuko said as she approached Toji and handed Asuka over to him. "The air has changed," Ritsuko raised her nose and gave a quick sniff. "The temperature is dropping and it smells like rain, I'm going to go see if I can find Misato and Maya, couldn't hurt to give them a little escort back home. You three get acquainted, I'll be back soon."
The three watched silently as the Doc turned and casually jogged to the edge of the building and leapt off as if it was the most normal thing to do. Kozo heard the boy let out a sigh as they watched her disappear from sight. He chuckled to himself as he walked closer, noting the faraway look in the young man's eyes.
"I bet that never gets old huh?" Fuyutsuki said, pulling Toji from his daydream. "You must be , I'm Kozo Fuyutsuki. I used to work with Akagi as her superior, though I dare not use that word around her now."
"Really, you haven't seen her fight… its… wow." Toji shook his hand politely as the man stepped closer.
"I've heard the tales of her strength from Misato, I thought she was exaggerating until I saw for myself how… large… she has become." Kozo let his eyes drift to Asuka, who was still looking over in the direction Akagi had left. "Hello again Asuka. I see you've had a bit of a rough time. I'm pleased to see you recovering at least."
Asuka looked to the older man, her one good eye regarded him like a lost child while the damaged one told another tale of pain and suffering. She regarded him for a moment, before something in both her eyes shifted to a softer less pained look. Almost as if she was looking through him, trying to look past his scars and the limp he carried, and thought about the words he just spoke. "Yes, Akagi's been taking care of me. She's been taking good care of all of us." And for the first time since she or anyone could remember, she smiled.
Kozo sighed to himself. "I'm glad. But come now, we can't stay up here all night. There's a nice dinner waiting for you all downstairs."
Two women in the night continued on their way to Fuyutsuki's flat, Maya quite happy that their running pace was now settled into a comfortable yet still hurried walk. 'Misato must have been pushing me earlier simply to tire me out.' Maya thought to herself, as she kept close behind Misato, her hand slowly tracing over the pistol that was now strapped around her waist and hidden under her oversized shirt.
The Major had said it wouldn't be long now until they made it to the old highway tunnel, then it would just be a brisk walk, no more then an hour of being underground before they would be at their destination.
Maya let out a sigh of relief; she just wasn't built for long distance travel. Give her a leather chair and a computer and she was quite happily in her element.
They stopped suddenly, Maya noticing Misato's body tensing as her hand immediately went to her own sidearm. Another pair of footsteps soon rang out; bouncing off the walls making it hard to pinpoint which direction they were coming from. "Damn it!" Misato swore, more annoyed at herself that she let down her guard and allowed some nutcase to sneak up on them.
"Don't move!"
Both women flinched at the foreign voice, then spun around. Misato's silver weapon in her hands but unable to act as a tall blue eye man pointed a larger weapon at the two of them. Maya immediately hid behind Misato as the man pushed his MP5 forward.
Misato did what he asked and froze, seeing the sweat dripping from his face, the crazed look in the man's eyes and the way his body caused his weapon to shake. This guy was either tripping balls or just simply insane, whatever it was she knew he was on a hair-trigger, making him unpredictable and causing her not to be able to act unless she put both herself and Maya in danger.
"Hey! I said don't move!" The man yelled again when he saw the purple haired woman slowly try to raise her firearm. His crazed blue eyes turned to slits, as he looked her over, recognition showing on his scraggly face. "Wait I know you! Yeah, yeah! You're that bitch who killed—"
A blur of movement from above and the man was silenced. A sickening mixture of bones breaking and organs being crushed broke out through the darkened streets as the man's life ended. Both women stood in horror as the image of the tall blue-eyed goon that was standing in front of them was replaced by the green-eyed glow of their tiger-like friend. She descended from above out of nowhere, landing on his shoulders and snuffing out his life.
"Hi." She greeted them, almost ignoring the bloodied mess beneath her, and trying to hold back a grin from the ridiculously stupid faces the two other women still held. Maya's was somewhere between a cringe and a gag, while Misato's mouth simply hung open in surprise and disgust.
"I got back fairly quickly and thought maybe you two would like a lift." Ristuko said as she stepped off from the broken man, shaking some blood and gore from her shoes. "Yeesh I didn't think that through did I…"
Maya shook her head as she finally came out of her shock. "Sempai! Was that completely necessary?"
"No. But it worked didn't it?"
Misato sighed and put a palm to her face, while Maya simply put her hands on her hips and shook her head. "Sempai… that's disgusting."
Ritsuko merely shrugged. "Would you rather me let him shoot you?" The silence of the two gave her the answer. "Didn't think so."
Misato snapped her firearm back into place now that the danger had passed. "So, to what do we owe the pleasure of your company Rits? I thought I said I'd get us there fair and square." Misato spoke up, stepping past the squished man and getting him out of her line of sight. She bent down and removed the magazine from the sub machine gun, pocketing it.
"Yeah well your square was starting to look more like a rhombus, so I decided to step in. And now I am offering a quicker lift home. You coming or not?" Akagi said, rising to her full height, which was now a good six feet, towering over the two who now had to look up.
Even if Misato had faced off with the same ugly wolf-monsters and crabby things, not to mention face the end of the world… she couldn't help but feel a bit intimidated by the sheer mass of the woman in front of her. Never in her life would she ever admit to be the least bit afraid of her egghead friend, sure back then Rits had always been taller, but Misato was a fighter and Ritsuko simply a scientist. Now however…
Maya on the other hand didn't look intimidated at all, and ran forward immediately after the offer of a lift. "I call shotgun!" She shouted as she ran towards her mentor with the intention of grabbing her in a bear hug. Ritsuko anticipated this, and just before Maya realized it Ritsuko had grabbed the small woman and easily slung her over her shoulder.
"That depends Maya, what part of me is shotgun exactly?" Ritsuko said as she listened to Maya squealing as she was being handled like a sack of potatoes.
"Uh… the front?" Maya guessed, then felt the world tilt as Ritsuko slung her over again and shifted until Maya was being cradled in her arms, looking more like a child then a grown adult.
"Like that?"
"Uh, I guess." Maya didn't think her little joke would have been taking seriously, but she was quite happy with the safe feeling she got from her Sempai's strong arms.
Ritsuko turned her attention back to Misato, who was standing off to the side with an arched brow as she watched the exchange between the two. "You coming Katsuragi? Or would you rather walk… though I don't recommend it. We're going to get rain real soon, not to mention I can smell this guys buddies nearby." A quick sniff in the air confirmed it. "Yep, at least four more and they're heading this way."
Misato sighed. She didn't exactly enjoy the first trip she experienced from the back of her friend, but it was the quickest way to travel, and this time there was no one shooting madly at them. "May as well." She said and walked behind her large friend and waited for her to kneel down before wrapping her arms around her neck. "Alright, just don't do anything crazy this time!"
"Heh, don't have to." Ritsuko said as she started into a run down the street. "No psycho chopper to worry about."
"Chopper!? As in helicopter?" Maya yelled and looked up at Ritsuko with a worried look.
"Whoops." Ritsuko had intended to keep that little bit of information from Maya for a little while at least. "Uh, hold on tight heading up!"
"Sempai wait, what about chopp—Waaah!"
Maya was silenced as her Sempai jumped into the air and curled all three of them into a flip; landing successfully on the roof of an abandoned truck then again up onto the rooftops. Ritsuko grinned to herself as she felt both of them tighten their holds on her, knowing she had dodged a bullet with Maya.
For now anyway.
Just like she had promised, Ritsuko had brought them home, much faster then they would have walking. They beat the rain by mere minutes but grateful none the less for missing out on a good soaking.
All of them gathered around in one of the larger dens, dinner had been served and now they were comfortable in their safety and simply sat and talked. The gas fire had been lit to take some of the damp chill out of the room, Kozo in a large recliner nearby while Toji and Asuka had taken their seats in front of it on some cushions on the floor. Misato sat next to Akagi on one of the larger couches, PenPen in the Major's lap.
The penguin had taken one look at his old owner when they had arrived, gave out a wark, and ran straight towards her. It was a scene right out of a classic movie, the two long separated lovers running down the beach towards each other to be finally reunited. Except this time the beach was a poorly lit hallway and one of the lovers was a fat penguin who waddled instead of ran.
Now the penguin dozed quite comfortably, letting his mistress scratch his belly while all the other humans talked around him. The little one was trying to get a say in all night, and PenPen was on the verge of warking out loud to get everyone else to shut up and let her talk. Finally she was able to speak during a break in the conversation, allowing the fat bird to drift off into a dream world of food, lady penguins and… more food.
"Sempai, while you were gone Toji and I did a little looking around ourselves. We ended up finding a working computer and I managed to pull this off." Maya handed a page from the large stack she originally had and watched as her mentor eyes quickly scanned it. "I couldn't make out what it all means, but I… we…" She glanced back to Toji for a second and smiled. "Think it belongs to your mother."
Ritsuko continued to read over the page, her brow furrowing the longer she looked at it. "This is my mothers very first drafts for the original programming of the MAGI, not many have seen it, and really with it being built there's no reason for others to see it anymore. That's probably why you couldn't figure it out… But still, this is ancient and not something that would be just lying around on a computer." She turned those feral green eyes towards her companion. "Where did you pull this off from exaclty?"
"Its from the MAGI itself Sempai, with Toji's help we found a working computer station with online access. I managed to hack into the MAGI and printed the first thing I saw." Maya had hoped this would get both Ritsuko and Misato to stop and rethink their plan to storm the gates of NERV. "Don't you see Sempai the MAGI…"
"Is operational yes I see that. How it survived the attack is a mystery, but the fact that it's working…" Ritsuko lowered her head in thought, and then looked over towards Misato. "If they have access to the MAGI's wealth of information, then that could explain the monsters running about."
"Not just monsters, what about info on the Eva's? Who knows what else is waiting down in those depths now… and not knowing is our biggest concern." Misato finished Ritsuko's thought, catching on quickly to the problems that could cause. "Not to mention now those guys pretty much have total control of the entire complex through one terminal, I'm talking about automated defences and complete lockdowns of certain areas. It would be virtually impossible to break through, even for you Rits."
A silence came over the room as everyone wracked their brains trying to come up with a quick fix to their plans, and it was Toji of all of them who spoke up first.
"What about…" He paused when everyone turned their gaze to him, and was taken off guard when they actually looked like they were going to listen to his idea and take it seriously. He was used to being seen as a jock and simply a jock, never one to be hatching plans to break into a militarized complex.
Toji coughed, trying to settle his nerves and continue what he was going to say. "If Maya-san was able to hack into the MAGI, could she do it again while you guys are out there? Then she could … um… keep doors open and well… just keep the path clear for you Akagi-san."
Ritsuko thought about it for a second, let the scenario play around in her head. She smiled, then frowned, and then smiled again. "That's brilliant Toji, but there's only a few things holding that plan back."
Maya stood up and began pacing as she too thought about his idea. "A hack like that, I would have to be really close to the main connection to get around any delays while communicating between the machines. Not to mention reconnect if I should be kicked out of the system which will probably happen more then once. In short, I'd pretty much have to be there with you if we want real-time help and avoid any lag."
"Well, Rits can take care of herself, if we can find a safe spot to put you down and get Toji to protect you… it could work." Misato chewed her thumb, not liking the idea of dragging the kid along, not to mention Miss I don't like to use guns. "The only problem now is finding a working portable computer."
Kozo spoke up. "There's a laptop in the office next to the study room, I have no idea if it still works but go ahead and give it a try. Its not mine anyway." He looked to Maya when an important detail came to him. "I might have to give you my higher level access codes depending how deep Ritsuko is planning to go, and if they haven't been already changed in the first place. It could make the hack just that much easier."
"Ill give her mine as well. Thank you Kozo." Ritsuko said as Maya beamed delightfully from her spot.
It was settled then, and it seems the four of them would be heading out into NERV HQ after all. Ritsuko didn't like the idea of bringing along Maya and Toji, not wanting to put them that close to danger but if they were ever going to figure out what was going on and put a stop to it, this seemed to be the only way to go about doing it.
Everyone slowly began to ease back into individual conversation again as they made plans, and Ritsuko took this opportunity to sneak away and be alone with her own thoughts. She went to a nearby window and looked out at the angry clouds that hovered overhead. Rain had started, and would most likely for the rest of the night and part of the next day, that would give them the opportunity to plan a little more, but Ritsuko had other ideas.
"Sempai?"
Ritsuko turned, to see Maya standing behind her, a forlorn look on her features. "I don't like that look on your face Sempai."
Ritsuko cocked a brow at the smaller woman, wondering if she was really that easy to read. "Oh? Whatever do you mean?" She said, a feral expression slowly creeping across her eyes unintentionally.
Maya met those green eyes with her own, not letting herself feel intimidated in the least. She refused to believe that her sempai would ever hurt her. "You have that I'm about to sneak away out into the rain while no one is looking, look."
Ritsuko chuckled softly and watch Maya smile when she knew she was absolutely correct. "There are a few things we could use for our little…um… trip we're planning. I want to get them before I miss my chance."
'Your chance?' Maya thought, wondering if Akagi meant the man she squished, or the men they saw scrambling around him after they had left. She didn't push the subject though, and instead just watched as her friend looked back out into the dark rainy night. An awkward silence overtook them, one that Maya was afraid to break only for the reason of keeping her friend here instead of out in the rain. She knew there was no hope in the world of stopping her from leaving, so instead of arguing about the perils of going out in the cold wet night, she decided to stay quite.
"I couldn't help notice that lovely new addition to you're belt Maya." Ritsuko finally said out as she spied the small firearm hidden sloppily under Maya's shirt. Maya looked down at it, and quickly pulled the oversized shirt over the gun, feeling outright embarrassed that her Sempai saw it. This caused the corner of Ritsuko's mouth to form a slight grin. "I honestly don't think I've ever seen you handle a firearm before."
"Well, now's a good time as ever to learn. We're not all six feet tall and made of steel you know." Maya said a bit too harshly in her defence. In an attempt to cut back a bit of the tension she gave the doc a light punch in the gut only to watch her hand bounce off like a rubber ball. "Ouch."
"Relax Maya, it was my idea." The doc chuckled.
Maya's eyes suddenly ballooned as she looked to her friend completely perplexed. "You're idea? But, I don't understand…"
"I wanted Misato to give you the means to protect yourself from… a very particular type of monster should the need arise." Ritsuko saw Maya look away suddenly, understanding what she meant immediately and clearly not wanting to have this conversation right now. "And I need your promise, that you will do what you have to should that monster come out of hiding."
Maya kept her head turned, knowing if she looked into her mentor's eyes right now she would probably burst into tears. "Why didn't you give it to Toji instead?"
"Because he's a minor, and ... Do I really have to explain why it's a bad idea to give a gun to a hormone driven teenager?" Ritsuko saw a slight smile appear on Maya's face as she probably imagined Toji shooting at anything that moved, including his own foot. "But, also because you know me better than anyone here, except for maybe Misato, and I trust in your judgement that you will know when the time is right to use this."
"I could never… especially to you."
"When I'm coming at you, claws out and teeth bared, I'm sure you could. So please," Ritsuko leaned towards her and nuzzled her neck like a playful cat. "Promise me you won't let me turn into that monster, alright?"
"I promise." Maya said, her voice barely audible.
"Good. Now get back in that den with everyone else. Try to get Asuka talking, I hear she's been doing that a lot more now." Ritsuko began to push Maya back towards the warm room.
"Yeah, I think she's staring to warm up to Toji, but the dummy is too smitten with you to realize it Sempai." Maya heard the sigh from her friend, and felt strong hands suddenly tightening on her shoulders.
"He'll get over me in time. I hope."
"I don't know he's got it pretty bad." Maya giggled, her big strong friend had no way to combat the advances of a teenage boy. "At least he's cute, too bad he isn't older eh Sempai?"
"Why Maya are you wishing he were?" Ritsuko teased.
"Well from the way he looks at you I bet he's wishing he was."
Ritsuko let out a low rumbling growl. "Well then I'll just have to smack some sense into him… or eat him, whatever comes first." She pushed a giggling Maya back into the den with everyone else. "Now get over there before the kid eats all the snacks."
She watched as Maya took a seat next to the boy before silently stepping behind Kozo, placing a large paw-like hand gently on his shoulder and whispered into his ear.
"We need some things for this to work. I'll be back. Don't let them wait up for me."
She felt his hand suddenly cover hers. "Be careful." He said in nearly a whisper, his hand resting on hers a moment too long. Being mindful of the claws, she finally slipped away from that strange warmth and left without anyone else knowing.
She would never admit it, though she sometimes suspected they knew. The way she smiled as she moved, the glint of fangs as she effortlessly pushed herself along with strength unheard of. She started out hating it, but now loved this feeling of freedom, of power. Loved it for all the wrong reasons.
She returned to a familiar spot, huddled in the darkness, watching as a man in black poked at the remains of his former comrade. The same one she felt crushed under her weight alone. She grinned at the memory, the sensation of the bones splitting under her feet, the grotesque sound of organs rupturing. Deep down she wished the man under her were someone else, wished it was him, that bastard who ruined her life and the lives of everyone she's ever known. She imagined it was Gendo, his face pale and cowering in fear as she came down on him and tore him apart. She snarled at herself… when had she become so bloodthirsty?
The tall man in black turned away from the pile that used to be one of his own, his eyes straining down the dark shadow of a building. He took a step forward, wondering if he had heard something or if he was just spazzing out after seeing the street pizza that used to be his partner.
He took a long look down into the dark; he couldn't see crap-all no matter how hard he tried. "Hey guys, you let one of the dogs out down here?" he said in a low husky voice, a hand to his earpiece as he communicated to another nearby.
She couldn't hear the answer on the other end; only the curses this man spat out from his foul mouth as he took another step forward. Her eyes were closed, she didn't need to see only needed to hear the footsteps he made and the heavy breaths he took, the sound of the rain as it pelted off his gear, smell the materials of his outfit and the stale sweat on unwashed skin. She stayed her spot and waited.
"Christ I can't see shit out here. Why the hell did I have to come check it out anyway?" He cursed as he slung his weapon over his shoulder, convinced there was nothing dangerous out here. "If those assholes set another crab lose down here I'm going to…"
Green eyes opened inches from his face, the bright glow scaring him speechless as he stumbled backwards into the street. He tripped on his own feet as he went, eventually falling to the ground on his behind.
He watched from his position as she ever so slowly sauntered out from the darkness, cursing silently as she filled the description of the very thing they were told to look out for, and avoid if encountered alone. He looked her over, eyes wide as he took in the way green eyes glowed from behind rain soaked hair, and the way the droplets of water glided down every dip and curve of taut muscle.
Panicking he tried to swing his gun around, only realizing too late that he was pretty much sitting on it. She helped him up as one large hand covered his throat and hauled him off the ground. He whimpered as he was brought face to face with her, staring into the bright inhuman eyes.
His arms now free he swiftly swung his gun around and tried to point the barrel at her. He was almost successful, but all he accomplished was allowing her to grab the end of his weapon with her free hand as it came up between them. He began to shake when she smiled, revealing the long deadly fangs as she began to bend the end of the gun towards him. He closed his eyes unable to take it anymore then felt himself being tossed back to the ground.
The gun now rendered useless, he scrambled backwards as best he could, trying to put whatever distance possible between himself and this… monster. His mind cleared just enough to finally act to save his own life. He raised a hand to his earpiece preparing to speak into it.
'Yes, that's it. Call them… call them all. I wasn't expecting to still find you all here but now I'm itching for a fight, bring some of your pets too, please. It would be ever so fun.'
She bared her fangs at him in a low growl; the smell of fear permeating off this man drove her senses crazy. She felt her mind slipping, all sense of reason fading away only to be overcome with the anticipation of a battle.
"It's the Chimera!" The man screamed into his headpiece, his voice cracking with fear as he stared at her.
'Chimera? That's what they call me now?' She thought about it as she paced in front of him patiently, the feral grin only getting wider. She was human mixed with something that was for sure, be it big-cat, dog, silverback gorilla it didn't matter. She was a crossbreed, a hybrid of some sort. 'Makes sense.'
She continued to pace, waiting for the sound of footsteps to grow closer. The heavy padding of massive paws accompanied them. She grinned at the man on the ground, thanking him mentally for inviting the furry little weapons she just loved to destroy. A growl came from behind her, followed by the mechanical sound of guns being loaded, safeties being removed and orders being given.
The first shot rang out, and that's all it took. She moved to avoid it, the motion so fast yet so easy, she didn't even have to think as her body reacted on pure instinct. She turned to them, poised aggressively and saw her next challenge. The rest became a blur.
Time had no meaning… screams became irrelevant. Only blood, and death, and the roar of the survivor mattered.
She leered over them… human and monster, victorious. She snarled, eyes glowing brightly as she continued lurking on all fours looking for more enemies, wanting more enemies. Her heart pounded hard, the blood in her veins moving like fire, her breath ragged growls in her throat as she breathed. Blood dripped from her mouth, the copper taste only fuelling the primal instincts that were now in total control. She needed more, wanted more, craved more. To rend and tear and bite and scratch and throw, she wanted the hunt to continue, wanted the challenge to endure. The sensation of the thrill, the strain of her muscles and of the power she had over these fools, it was in her now… she lived for it.
Then something in her brain snapped back into place, and she became aware of where she was, what she was doing, and what she had done. She shook the haze away and stood up, the blood and corpses and gore surrounding her and invading her senses brought back everything human about her. She shivered.
"I'm getting worse." Ritsuko backed away against the wall as her legs, as powerful as they were, nearly gave out from under her. Placing her hands into her hair she shook her head, trying to shake away the remaining animalistic haze that had overcome her. She took in a ragged intake of breath as the pain of what she truly was, became ever so clear.
"Its takes less and less for me to lose control, yet it takes longer for me to snap out of it." She willed herself to stand on her own and walked over to the corpses she had maimed, remembering why she had come out looking for these guys in the first place. "How long until I can't come back all together..." She stooped down and claimed what she came for, removing the earpiece and pocketing it, moving to the next corpse and doing the same. "Please, for the love of god if it should come to that, don't let them hesitate to put me down."
She then went to the corpses she hadn't completely torn apart, and began to strip down the men of their gear. It wasn't what she came out here for, but considering Toji and Maya would be accompanying them tomorrow, or whenever this rain stopped, it wouldn't hurt to let them blend in just a little bit.
She folded her bundle and picked it all up, leaving the weapons. She had no use for them, and she was pretty sure Misato had a stash of her own. She raised her head to the sky and rain, shaking one last time to clear away the blood and water from her hair, and taking in deep breaths to make sure the haze was completely gone. She would never hear the end of it if she returned home like some blood-crazed berserker.
"Don't want to be shot by friends just yet." She whispered to no one, then leapt into the air and headed for home.
It was just before dawn; only the barest glimpses of faint orange could be seen on the horizon. The dark rain clouds held back whatever proper light would be flooding the sky by now with a dark violet glow. She looked down from her leap at the rooftop of her new home, seeing someone standing out in the rain waiting for her. Alarm bells went off in her mind as she landed. Something was defiantly wrong.
"What's wrong?" She asked when she spotted a rain drenched Toji on the rooftop waiting for her by the door. The look on his face made her heart sink, then he looked into her eyes and all she saw was a lost look of sadness. She dropped the gear she was holding and walked over to the boy slowly.
"Toji…what are you doing out here? What's-"
"She jumped." He said simply, his voice barely audible in the rain.
"What? Who jumped?!" Ritsuko said, her voice rising with urgency as her mind began to panic.
"I got up to get a drink and heard a door closing. Thought it was you. When I got up here she was at the edge…" He said through chattering teeth, slurring his words. "I tried to stop her, but… I'm not fast like you…and… she just…"
"Who Toji?" She placed heavy hands on his shoulders and steadied the boy, kneeling down so she was at his eye level, letting those green orbs bore into his.
"Asuka." He looked up at her, his hair slick against his head as rain ran down his face. "She said…" His voice cracked. "She said she wanted to see Shinji again."
She nearly collapsed; having guessed that's whom he meant, but hoped and prayed it wasn't for the reasons the boy was about to say.
"She said… she missed 02, that she missed being with it." The boy continued, not even noticing the tightening grip on his shoulders from the powerful hands that held them. "Its calling to me She said. It's calling to me so we can all go see Shinji again, and everything will be all right. And… then she just… jumped." Toji took in a sharp intake of breath. "I'm sorry I couldn't stop…"
Ritsuko didn't let him say another word, wrapping her arms around him protectively. He returned the embrace, burying his face in her shoulder. She noticed that although he wasn't crying he was shaking like mad.
"Don't blame yourself Toji!" She squeezed just a bit harder. "Its not your fault, its no ones fault!" She released her hold and looked him in the eyes again. "I need your help Toji, I need you to be strong alright? You did what you could but Asuka made her own decision. Its not your fault!" She said again, punctuating every word with finality. "Be strong, for me, okay?" He nodded, his teeth clattering as he stared at her glowing eyes in the dark.
The rain-drenched boy was shivering. 'God how long has he been out here?' Without another thought she lifted him in her arms and carried him back inside. As she descended the steps she could hear the faint murmuring of voices she recognized as Misato and Kozo. Then she saw them.
Kozo was standing, leaning against a wall and wiping his hands with a blood soaked cloth. Maya was seated just behind him in a wooden chair, her legs crossed, with the warm water penguin tucked between her arms. He stared at his owner with a sad expression no animal should be able to make. Misato in question was kneeling down, her head lowered as her hands rested on a knee as she hovered over a sheet covered form.
Ritsuko walked slowly forward her eyes never leaving the white sheet, which she could see was stained with crimson as she drew closer. Kozo saw her as she let Toji down to stand on his own. Walking from his spot the older man placed hand on her shoulder.
"The boy is taking it the worst. He saw it happen. I'm sorry." He let his hand linger before taking his leave, knowing there was nothing for him to do here.
Ritsuko nodded, then knelt down next to her old friend. The major stole a glance, her own eyes reflecting the how they both felt.
"Not even you could have saved her Rits." Misato said solemnly. "Landed badly, cracked her head. Must have died instantly."
'And you were just coming out of your shell … Asuka… why?' Ritsuko let out a long breath slowly as she placed a clawed hand on the sheet covered body. "You shouldn't of let him stay out there for so long." She said, not even looking at her friend.
Misato turned her head to the boy, who was leaning against the wall for support, arms wrapped around him as he shivered in his wet clothes. "Damn, I didn't even realize he went out there."
"S'alright." The doctor replied as she gently placed her arms around the body, making sure the sheet was wrapped around the dead girl properly before picking it up. She stood and started making her way back to the roof.
Maya got up in a start, wondering what in the world her friend was doing now. "Sempai!"
"I'm going to put her to rest. All of you go get some sleep." It was more an order then a suggestion.
Misato stood up as well. "Where are you taking her?" She asked.
Ritsuko stopped, one foot resting on the second step as she prepared to leave. "Where she would want to go. I'll place her down with her Eva… or what's left of it anyway." And with that she left. Not another word from anyone would have stopped her.
A/N
I'm not dead! Just busy and time got away from me.
Next chapter - NERV