Standard Disclaimer
Ughh! Computer problems were happening and being super jerk! But Halloween is coming so get ready and get a costume! I have a wedding to go to round that time so…upset. But I got to talk to family and they're doing pretty good…so good!
X-X
No Alternative
Chapter – 20
Makoto was a ball of energy, unable to keep her hands from doing something as she waited for people to start to show up. She cleaned the table they'd use for their studies for the umpteenth time. Cloth in hand, she just wiped and wiped until it was almost reflective. Once that was done, she checked again and again to make sure everything was clean. Garbage in its place, any potential smelly things bagged…then double bagged. Why was she so pensive!? Things were different now though, that's why. They knew, knew what she did, and things between all of them was different. New first impressions and all.
"An open relationship, would my parents been proud or disappointed in me?" Makoto wondered aloud. Checking the food she cooked, Shinji was on dessert detail today so she made a nice simple supper. Cooking for her boyfriend, boyfriend, Shinji was her boyfriend! Sure he was a few others, he always had multiple, but somehow she wasn't upset by this. After stirring the pot, she went back to the couch and flopped onto her stomach and lay there. Moaning into the pillow, "Why don't I feel bad about this? I should…I should feel bad. But it couldn't feel better!" She kicked her feet against the pillows as her joy again swelled.
It wasn't like some romance movie, nothing overly changed much in the few days of school since Shinji and she had sex. They were, if anything, relaxed around each other. They ate lunch together one day, Minako joined them as did Shinji's friend Kensuke. But, it felt supportive and wonderful. No hiding things like she did with Motoki. People saw them together, they pointed, some laughed, others didn't care, and more important Makoto was fine with that! Let others laugh, let them mock, she knew what was what and it made her happy! It wasn't all hand holding, looking deeply in his eyes, and making kissy faces, no…it was good and bad.
Hearing her bell toll, her heart lurched and she pushed herself up off the cushion. Was it him? Was he early and they might get a few tender moments before the others got here? Giddy, she felt so giddy. The small shame she felt with Motoki, sneaking behind peoples backs due to the age difference, was gone. Rushing to the door, if it was him she didn't want to miss a moment, she peeked through the eyehole and saw raven black hair, opening the door with a smile, "Hey Rei-chan, how's your grandpa doing?" Wasn't what she hoped, but even still she felt good about seeing her friend.
"He's being a pest as always. Shinji-kun was over yesterday and he was bugging us all evening. Putting him through some sort of test I think. But by the end of the evening…he gave us his blessing if you can believe that," Rei admitted as she entered Makoto's place. They sat down, Rei pulling her books out and her homework, she looked about the apartment and eyed Makoto's bedroom. Actually looking a bit bashful, she slowly leaned forward and flicked her chin at the door, "Is he…?"
Was Rei asking if Shinji was here and sleeping off a small fling? That fire that was in Makoto's stomach doubled and spilled upward and over to her legs. "No, he said he had to head back to his apartment. Something odd is happening with that Nerv place, and he was going to add our crystals to his own. Amazing that he got more on his own than we did as a group," Makoto put her feet up on the coffee table. Rei sat next to her, was she closer than she normally would be? Makoto had started to become more aware of Ami since they started their now exposed plan to double team one wayward Ikari. Now she was seeing Minako and Rei in the same way.
"Yahoo we're here! Mako-chan you left the door unlocked. Not doing something dirty in here are you?" Usagi called out in her cheery manner. Slamming the door, girl was a whirlwind as always, Usagi along with Minako joined the relaxing two in the living room. "Just you two?" Usagi asked in a leading manner as she peeked around before sitting, "or is somebody hiding around somewhere?"
Biffing Usagi on the back of the head, one of Usagi's twintails went flying, Minako huffed as she plopped down on the floor. "Usagi-chan! You know better than to ask that! You saw me texting him on the walk over. He had me ask you if you wanted chocolate or vanilla remember? Can you believe her? You'd think SHE was the one that is starting this…whatever you want to call it." Minako tried sounding angry but it was too energetic to be anything but joyous. Sitting across from Rei at the table, leaving the couch to Rei, Usagi, and Makoto.
"Hey you two," Makoto giggled a little as Usagi rubbed the back of her head and sat. The atmosphere was different now, the thick air was gone, evaporated. Maybe this madness might work after all, it was improbable, it was stupid, but somehow it felt right for them! Usagi was the core, the one they knew the future about and knew they had to support. Usagi had Mamoru, they had one another…and now they had a powerful ally and…dare she say lover? "Have any of you heard from Ami-chan?" the one dark spot washed over Makoto's mood.
Hands on her lap, Usagi's head sank just a little, "I tried talking to her after school yesterday. She didn't…talk to me. I tried using the phone, but she ignored it. She wasn't even with us last night. I think she's still upset." Usagi was like glass as always with her emotion, everybody knew what Usagi felt typically. There was the issue with Mamoru's disappearance a few months ago, but since then the senshi had been much more attentive to their friend's attitude. "Maybe we just need to give her time," Usagi was sounding just that bit extra mature.
The four fell into safer and softer topics as they waited for the missing male of the group. Makoto listened to them gossip about who was dating who, and what shows they watched, but she just thought about Ami and Shinji. They had fought against a large group of youma last night, Shiki joining them this time. No fears of him getting hurt, of him being dragged into their fight against the forces of evil or darkness. Their other boyfriend attempts had that worry about it, not this time. No secrets, no illusions, and they'd have to try to have no selfishiness. That would be hard, but it could be fun to. Makoto even found herself talking openly with Akira at work! Girl was so positive when not at Makoto's throat!
"I…uh…let myself in. I was knocking and nobody answered. Everything alright in here?" Shinji asked just loud enough to cut through the din of their talking. When he saw three sets of adoring eyes and one of pure friendship, Shinji joined them with a small grin of his own. Setting a Tupperware container on the center of the table, Shinji sat down across from Minako, tricky girl knew he'd do that. Finding himself the center of attention, in a room full of teenage hormones with most of them directed at him, he squirmed unconsciously. Eyeing the bathroom, "A-Ami-chan in there? We ready to get started? Sorry I'm late."
Speaking before the others could, it was going to be how things were until emotions calmed down, Makoto babbled, "NO…no she's not going to be here today, something came up and she can't make it," Makoto and the others shared a little look. They didn't know what was going on with Ami, and they didn't want to make things go sour right as they were about to start. Opening her own book, "So we can start now that you're here." He was here, he was with them, also with Akira and Karen, but for now…he was theirs.
"Really? She called me while I was cooking and said she'd…but you'd know better," Shinji just had to go and say that. Now they were all more confused than before. Ami contacted Shinji? When did that start happening? From what Makoto knew, Ami didn't know about the whole arrangement they set up with Akira! Don't cut in on one another, if Shinji said he was going off with Akira one weekend, don't try to tempt him away. Be open, be supportive, don't cause issues for one another, and they'd all get what they wanted. It'd never work, in the end, but the last standing was the winner. "So we ready to START?" Shinji yelped.
Flipping through pages, Minako coyly looked at the boy, "Of course we are Shin-chan. Something wrong?" It was then that Makoto noticed how Minako was sitting and gasped. Minako had her legs under the coffee table, bent inward towards the lad and her feet would reach just far enough to…!
"Say Shin-c-chan," gods it was still hard for Makoto to say it in front of others, but they didn't contradict her or even look hard at her. No, Usagi had that soft look about her as if she knew this was going to happen and was going according to plan. Sliding off the couch and moving to his side, she did watch a miffed Minako retract her foot, "You said you needed some help with your biology right? Horticulture?" This was going to be a game wasn't it, not a hard one, but more a game between friends like Asuka's video games! Leaning in close to him, breathing in his scent, her body tingled, shoulder to shoulder, she went about helping him for a change.
And like that the study session began in earnest. Well study was a bit of an exaggeration, more play session. Shinji took great tutelage from Makoto over the plant study unit they were learning in their life science course, but after that Rei needed his eye for some classical music piece they were working on. All through it he'd help from time to time as a stray foot from Minako struck gold. Minako was pinned down with Usagi needing assistance with grammar, math, and history. They all helped one another, and just as Makoto noticed when they first arrived, the atmosphere was different.
When they first started this study group it had been much like this, no walls and totally unveiled persona. But as Shinji joined the group, things originally changed. All putting their best foot forward, but reserved, primping and preening to gain attention or detract from negative qualities. Never did you want a potential lover to see you scratch your belly or belch unlady like. Those were traits you only showed your significant other, the whole package…good and bad. Today was back to being those original sessions pre-Shinji, only with him there.
Rei yawned big open mouth gaps, showing how she was often tired from all the extra work she did. Digging out ear gold with her pencil, Minako cleaned that waxy pencil with a tissue and hucked it in the trash. Usagi, well Usagi was herself and ate her share of dessert well before the others even started. Herself, Makoto let out a gut buster of a belch, yet didn't feel self-conscious of it, hell they all laughed at it. Even Shinji seemed different, muttering under his breath if something confounded him or annoying him. They weren't putting on pretense, weren't lying to show only the good, this was…perfect.
"Well I have a show I want to watch that starts in about a half-hour so I think this is a good time to stop for the evening," Minako shut her book with yawn. Progress had been made, food had been eaten, and Shinji and Rei did the dishes side by side. Usagi just had to make the 'newlywed' comment which resulted in Rei chasing the girl down with a wet towel, and a great study session. Packing up her stuff, the others doing the same, once one left they all left. Makoto didn't know what to do. Did she go with them? They didn't have to trail Shinji anymore, they knew he could defend himself now if needed. Shouldering her bag, Minako had that impish grin on her stupidly beautiful face, "Well line up girls, not you Usagi, its goodnight kiss time! Only fair we do it here and now with Mako-chan with us."
Falling to his side, Shinji ended up with his head in Makoto's lap looking up at her, shock evident in his features. "M-Mina-chan isn't that…" isn't it what? Shinji didn't have anything else to say. Makoto caressed his cheek and any reservation he had was lost in that soft touch. This was part of it, wasn't it. Shinji was passive enough that he'd not push things physical if left to him, hadn't it been Makoto to push the issue that one life changing evening? Blushing as he realized where his head was, Shinji gushed, "This is so strange…I never expected things to go like this, never in my wildest dreams. You girls are way to selfle…"
Makoto was tired of waiting, wanted to be the first to get the sugar. Using her strength, she lifted him off her and enveloped him with her arms. Not her first kiss by far, not even her first open mouth, but it was different than the others, spicier yet mellow, a lovely combo.
"Mako-chan if you keep that up Mina-chan will miss her show and I'll find grandpa watching the adult channel when I get home," Rei tapped Makoto's shoulder. When that didn't work, she dropped an ice cube down the back of the woman's shirt. That worked. Makoto's arms went tense, her eyes widened and she danced about the apartment to get the cube out. When it fell, mostly melted, out to the ground with a plot, Makoto found Rei had already replaced her and went one step further. She had him pinned on the table, his arms around her, and Usagi was watching with…well a lot more intensity than anybody suspected. Well…they all had their thoughts about Usagi and Rei having an odd friendship…maybe deeper than expected.
Grabbing Rei by the ear and twisting it, Minako clicked her tongue, "You two are incorrigible. All I meant was a soft and chaste kiss on the cheek. Not to manhandle him. Need to learn how to appreciate things and…" Hypocrite, through and through, Minako could say something and do something completely different. Where Rei had propped herself off of the sensory overloaded boy, Minako melded against him and moaned loud enough they could all hear it. It took Usagi tickling Minako's exposed back, courtesy of her grinding against Shinji.
"Down girl down, I think you all fried his brain a little," Usagi giggled as she poured just a few drops of water on the small of Minako's back. Kneeling down over Shinji, Usagi did actually kiss his cheek, "Thank you for helping my friends…for caring about them as they care about you. Maybe we can have a group date with Mamo-chan. Though might have to limit how many go to that. Be odd I think. Mako-chan…why don't you help him get ready as we leave." Usagi winked and prodded two reluctant girls out of the apartment leaving Shinji and Makoto alone again.
A dazed look on his face, Shinji's hands lay limply over his chest, "Wow…just…I don't deserve this, but I'll do my best to live up to it." Shinji did NOT have a fat head about his current situation, not at all. Sitting up, his shirt disheveled, he bashfully fixed it as Makoto looked on hungrily. "This is going to be so hard to get used to. But I'll give it my all, for all of you, while it lasts," Shinji smiled that sad soft twinging of lips that melted Makoto's heart.
"Don't I get my sugar too? Or…was that all a lie?" Ami said from the hallway leading to the door. Clad in her greed dress with yellow shawl, Ami was not showing any evident emotion. Taking a step towards Makoto and Shinji was still lying on the coffee table, Ami had a balled fist. With a sigh, "I was spying on you today. Listening for you to be mocking me, teasing me for not being here…or saying you were glad I wasn't here…"
When Shinji went to talk, Makoto raised a hand and stopped him, this was something she had to say. "Never…I fell so bad about what I did to you. Our plan, yours and my plan to be with him, I didn't mean to hurt you with it. Things just happened faster than expected, and I was caught up in my own depression and Shin-chan tossed me a life preserver. If you were here, maybe we'd have really frazzled his mind. I love him Ami-chan…and I think…no…I know…I love you too. You danced with me, you treat me like…a person…both of you…I love both of you so much," Makoto's mental dam broke. All those times she felt ridiculed for her size, Ami had been there first and then Shinji second. Sweet and adorable Ami, the girl that was oft overlooked for being meek and small…cared for the giant amazon.
"Mako-chan," both Shinji and Ami said in unison. He was up and off the table at her side as Ami did the same. Flanking the girl, giving her the support and understanding that she craved all her life, Makoto broke down crying tears of joy. The small tinkling of metal got both of Makoto and Shinji's attention as Ami showed them an elaborate black necklace. "I won't be needing this after all…" Ami dropped it and stomped the gem it held. Then the trio hugged and sat down on the couch. Turning on Makoto's small television they sat there together, sandwiching Makoto in silence…it was a good day.
X-X
Right or left…right or left! LEFT! Shinji dove to the left and swung with all his might and felt the connection go all the way from hand up to elbow. His momentum carried and he landed on his chest with a heavy oomph, but he was successful! That moment of success was quickly turned to dread as he heard a thowck followed by the projectile bouncing back and off his head. Point Nene and Kensuke, game was tied up again. Putting his head back down on the court, Shinji let out a little laugh. All that effort and for nothing, but such was tennis. Maron's hand trailed his back for a moment before it went to his hand and yanked him back up.
"Nice save, but I was too far away to counter her return. See you're getting this game already," Maron gave him a little wink. Clad in a very short white tennis skirt, her hair done up behind her ponytail, Maron was the classic picture of an enthusiast. Across the court from them was a very disheveled Kensuke and a dedicated Nene. Swatting Shinji's butt with her racket, Maron laughed, "Now we just have two points to win. So no slacking alright?" She took the ball and went back to the server's position.
Nodding as his lungs ached with each breath, Shinji found it hard to talk. No longer a stranger to exercise and heavy exertion, Shinji was finding tennis a lot more active than expected. It was all burst activity and sudden reactions, it was a fight done in moments of rest and feverous actions. Great at keeping his mind busy, not thinking about those mysteries that were eating at him. Sucking in a massive breath, "I'll do my best. You doing alright over there Kensuke?" His buddy looked ready to drop.
"Don't you worry about him Ikari! We got this in the bag, just see if we don't!" Nene yelled back at them. Sadly for the young woman, she was only looking a little better than her partner was, sweat dribbling down her face and panting heavily. Pointing her racket at Maron, "And you get that smug look of superiority off your face, you're not that much better than I am!"
Maron took no offense to the crass comment and launched her serve right between Nene's feet, girl didn't even react. Point Maron/Shinji, and that stole a lot of the thunder from Nene's little boast. For what it was worth, Maron could have beaten all three of them and still looked as graceful and unaffected as she did right now. Not a drop of perspiration, clothing perfectly in place, and her energy level was through the roof. Tossing the ball up for the potential final point, "Heads up Aida-kun!" Maron signaled her intent.
"No fair!" Kensuke clumsily raised his racket to meet the smash. Kensuke made to intercept the ball as did his partner. Shinji watched the mayhem about to play out and wanted to call out to them, but all was fair in love and tennis. Both of his opponents were so fixated on the return they didn't notice the other acting the same. It was oddly nice to see both working in such unison, working to compliment the other, but with them not looking…they collided heads, though Kensuke DID return the serve right in Shinji's direction.
Only having to move a little, Shinji lined up gripped the racket as Maron taught him, and almost missed the ball. Hit did return it though, and it bounced gently and slowly back and bounced right in front of the downed pair. "And…match…good game you two. I didn't expect this game to be so draining. You look great though," Shinji doubled over panting as he addressed Maron. Girl was radiant and appeared ready for another match. Then again it when she played it was more a showing of grace and poise, her masterful skill in gymnastics countered her skill with the game wonderfully.
"Just played this a bit more than you, you did great Shinji-kun," Maron blushed just a little. Heading over to their opponents, Maron bent over and helped Nene up…and flashed Shinji just what was under that skirt. Frilly and lacy panty that she HAD to know he was seeing. Once she stopped showing Shinji her love nest, she helped smooth Nene's rumpled shirt, "And you're a lot better than you give yourself credit for Romanova-san. Aida-kun…did you need some help? Water maybe?"
Rolling on his back, Kensuke got an eyeful of both girls over him, noticed Nene noticing and quickly looked away. Blindly looking up, Nene grabbed his hand and yanked him up, he panted, "Just not very active. Nene's…Nene's been doing her best to get me away from the computer…getting exercise. Never expected you to be so…active Shin-man. When did that happen?" They all headed off the court and let the next players have their turn.
"Akira-chan has been sparring with Karen-chan and myself for months now. She's active and I want to be part of that, guess it's worn off a little," Shinji admitted partially. Months of fighting monsters helped more than his playtime with Akira. Handing Maron a water bottle, their hands touched and they booth looked at that then at one another…his heart skipped a beat. Hearing Nene cough, very discreet that one, Shinji turned back to them, "So what are you two up to now? We have an hour or so before our skit practice." He gave an open offer to continue their little group outing.
Swatting Kensuke's head with her racket softly, Nene was peppy and just a little snarky, "I think he's done with exercise for the day. But at least I got him out of his little funk over that Unit-03 stuff. Think we'll go back to my place and get a little food, watch a movie, and then we can get back into our code jam." She wrapped an arm around the smaller boy and yanked him towards her with a toothy grin.
"Yeah, I'm tapped out man. My arms feel like lead and my legs are about to snap off below the knee. As for Unit-03 though…" Kensuke stopped when Nene handed him a towel. Cleaning his face of the infinite fount of teenage boy sweat, Kensuke and Shinji shared a look and just like that the worry was back. It was easy to be bothered by the news, and it was due to the uncertainty. Letting Nene lead them towards there scooter, "W-who do you think the pilot is? Do you know?"
As they followed, Shinji was squirmed a moment when Maron's arm went around his waist comfortingly. Going to have to get used to this 'open relationship' thing, he panicked for a moment then remembered he was doing nothing wrong. He leaned into that half hug of pure comfort. "I don't know. Hokari-san, Touji, Makoto-chan, and…" Shinji couldn't finish. Two days ago he was watching television with Makoto and Ami on her couch, reveling in the company of great friends, now he was worried either Makoto, Akira, or Karen were being suited up to join him in the hell that was Eva.
"Don't go getting depressed again or dragging him in it with you. We didn't come out here for that, you don't know who it is, I don't know, and neither does Ken-chan. We have a whole planet worth of people, odds of it being one of your friends is impossible," Nene tossed Kensuke a helmet, it matched Nene's own design and color scheme. Woman was marking Kensuke as hers in every way possible. Kick starting the bike, it's engine screamed into life as she flipped up her visor, "You girl…keep him busy like I am this one. This mess will be over soon and then we can be done with all the doom and gloom." But she didn't sound to convinced herself, she was masking, forcing her WANT for herself to be right…but that was it. With a wave the two drove off with Kensuke wrapping his arms around the driver's waist.
With a small shake of his shoulders, Maron hip checked Shinji, "Romanova-san is right. We have to have faith in them. Neither Akira or Karen are good at lying, never have been. So when they say they're visiting Karen's parents…maybe they are." Maron gave Shinji a small shrug, and they left the courts and towards Maron's place.
Yes two days ago Shinji was with his study group that proved that they either did love him or were at least making great strides towards it, and he couldn't refute he felt the same. Then yesterday was date night with Akira and Karen. They went to an aquarium that Karen wanted to see, and then they sparred with Akira in a two on one match at Akira's dojo, before going home for a meal of Shinji's making, some television, and a very slow and sensuous session between the sheets. After they finishes, Akira asked Shinji to do what he was doing now…spend the next day with Maron. 'We have to go see Karen's parents,' Akira said while Karen pretended to sleep. It came out of nowhere, no hinting in the past, no previous visits to see them, just a sudden dropping of subject and then sleep.
It wouldn't have been so bad, had Kensuke not hinting he heard of Unit-03's being moved to Japan and then Misato's cagy actions the last few days. A big mission that both Honey and she had to do, a mission that made both women upset and bothered, and were gone for days. Today, Misato was gone along with so many others…one of them had to be with Misato right now. But who was it…who?
Putting a hand around Maron's waist, mimicking her hold, Shinji leaned his head against hers and that connection spiked again. "I hope you're right, I really do. But we'll have to punish them for dropping this one us. They're slacking on the skit too," he tried joking. As they walked to Maron's place, Shinji took the moment to replay all the moments he shared with this woman at his side. Fighting together, playing together, talking, cooking, eating, and just being with her…yeah she was a great girl to. A heart too big for her own good, a task that was so daunting but she courageously fought it. Sniffing hard as his eyes starting to sting, "Thank you for being here today, Maron-chan, thank you for being you."
"Same goes for you, Shin-chan. They're my friends too, longer than you've known them even. And you've been there for me in ways most people can't comprehend. Thick and thin, you're stuck with us…Akira-chan did…tell you right?" Maron opened the door to her apartment. It wasn't a very 'good' apartment, more run down than not. But Maron was a living alone with only government assistance to live off of. Better than Ayanami's old place, but not by a whole lot. Fumbling for her keys, her forward progression slowing constantly, "I mean…if you don't WANT me to I won't. You have the right to say so. I mean it will inconvenience you and them and…"
Squeezing her hand, Shinji was amazed at how many people he met had similar experiences as he had. "You moving in with them is great. They have room, I want you out of this place, its win-win," Shinji did his best to address her fears. That was another part of the post coital bliss, Akira asked Maron to move in with them. Karen was going to move into Akira's room and they offered Maron the other room. In time when they got a three bedroom apartment the third would be shared…so Shinji could live with them. It would make 'snuggle time' a little awkward but it was well worth the price. Maron deserved better than this. Opening the door to her hallway, Shinji had to blink hard, "Rei-chan you're early!"
"I have…missed you. I have an odd feeling that something is…Katsuragi-san refused to return my calls and the commander is inaccessible at the moment to alleviate my concerns as well," Rei confessed. Leaning against Maron's door, the allusive Ayanami Rei fiddled with the hem of her longer skirt. Pushing off the thin rusty metal door, it let out a gong sound as the metal bent, she moved out of the way. Tilting her head and eying up Maron, "Am I not wanted to be here right now? When we make love I wish for privacy, was that something I am interrupting?"
Both Maron and Shinji stopped midstride and looked at one another and how they were standing. Side by side, hands draped around each other's side, they looked like a very content couple. They had hinted at it from time to time, but Shinji wasn't sure Maron had such feelings and they quickly separated. "R-Rei-chan you can't just say those things. T-think about Maron-san's feelings! And you are wanted here, you're always wanted to be around, always. Right Maron-san?" Shinji turned to find Maron examining the floor with a full red-face and hands that were frozen into claws.
"I-I-I'm going to g-go clean up the apartment real quick…you two…stay out here while I-I get the space ready for the practice," Maron stuttered quickly. Rushing past Shinji and Rei, her motion causing their hair to sway in the breeze, she left the two pilots in the hallway alone and slammed the door.
"Did I say something bad again?" Rei asked. She wasted no time in getting next to Shinji and gingerly taking his hand in hers. As always her fingers were warm and strong, her palm soft and inviting and in that singular moment Shinji forgot again that his worst enemy lived behind those eyes.
Shaking his hand, Shinji couldn't help but embrace what joy Rei stoked in him. Such innocence and naiveté in that enigmatic package. "I think it was more something neither of us were expecting or even ready for. I don't know exactly what is going on with my life anymore…this whole thing with Akira-chan's little ultimatum, don't think Maron-san does either. They asked Maron to move in with them, don't like her living like this, just like I hated how you lived in your old place. I think your comment made her start to think about what living with Akira-chan might entail. So…you said you were feeling odd. Want to talk about it?" Shinji gripped her hand tighter. Behind the door they both heard Maron frantically moving about.
"I don't know really. Something inside me is growing, changing, and it is not my alternate form," Rei had a very uncharacteristic hitch in her voice. Taking a few crystals out of her pocket she handed them effortlessly to Shinji. Leaning against the wall, she dragged Shinji with her. Slowly and unbroken, "I feel something is going to change soon. A big event is drawing near…I am…afraid. Before this," she held up their joined hands, "I wished for death, wished for oblivion. That is not the case any longer. I do not wish to lose…"
Their phones started to ring in unison, they both looked down at the others phone, then at one another. "You get going, I'll tell Maron-san that we have to go, that something…" Shinji had tried to say but the angel siren did it for him. The moment the siren started to sing, the door opened and Maron saw both pilots still standing there, utter shock and fear etched into her face. "I'll be back…we'll be back as soon as we can," Shinji found himself kissing Maron's cheek before Rei and he ran off.
X-X
Now this was how she liked her fights to be, simple and elegant. Holding the blond girl with monkey ears against her blade, she gripped the hair in her fingers and yanked back. Neck to blade, Asuka savagely smiled at the panicked teammates and nicked the girl just soft enough to draw a drop of blood. "Put the gem down, and back away unless you want to see what this one's throat looks like," Seigi demanded. She had watched them, the Mew-Mew's, fight and destroy yet another general and stepped in to steal the prize. More and more generals were being defeated or defecting, yet Lilith didn't seem bothered by it.
"Don't hurt her please…if you have to hurt anybody please hurt me," the leader, a girl in a pink skirt and black cat ears, pleaded. Setting the baseball sized glimmering crystal down on the ground, she gestured for her fellow battle weary comrades to back up. It had been terrible fight for the troupe, the general had transformed into a massive boar that laid into them. But in the end the girls had won out in the end. Well Asuka did love to pluck victory from the hands of the unworthy.
Looking at the smaller monkey eared girl, Asuka tilted her head, "What do you think? Would you like to survive at the expense of your leader over there? I want my pound of flesh and I don't care who I get it from." Asuka drug the girl closer to the gem, the fight was out of the blond, and stood confidently over her prize. Yanking back on that hair again, a few strands breaking, Asuka breathed in deeply from their fear, "You should be thanking me, Lilith-sama would simply kill all of you. So who will it be?"
And Asuka realized she wasn't bluffing either, Lilith would have simply wiped them all out or played with them like a cat does a mouse until its heart pops. Her mistress had an odd sense of honor and importance. Be free, do what thou wilt, but don't get in her way or she'd snuff the life out of you. Hadn't Asuka watched last night as Lilith annihilated a whole faction of their own subordinates and ingest their powers? The lesson was clear, she didn't take betrayal well, or even potential betrayal.
"Me…it's my fault you caught me. I won't have you hurt my friends! Not like an evil creature like you knows what friends really are," the monkey girl squeaked out. Weakly trying to pry her head free of Asuka's ironclad grip, Pudding Fong's tail lashed wildly against the gargantuan thigh. Crying out to her friends, "Watch after my siblings for me…daddy's still in the mountains training."
Picking up the gem, Asuka tossed it high and got her act ready to go. Dismissing her blade, she gripped the monkey by the shoulders and spun around to gain momentum. Just as she expected, one of those girls had been trying to sneak around the others to strike, and she aimed there. Hurling her captive at the sneaking crane, her ex-hostage screamed out in mind searing panic, the two collided in mid-air. In the confusion, Asuka caught the gem again, and leapt away cackling.
"I have friends, stupid kid, better than yours to boot," Asuka commented ruefully as she stood atop a building overlooking the defeated Mew-Mew consoling one another. Right now her friends were…well she didn't know where they were. Hikari had been missing for a day or so, not that Asuka had time to check up on her with Lilith having her most trusted dealing with trash like this. Shinji was off playing tennis or something with Kensuke and that odd gymnast he played around with. There were others too, those five girls that made up Shinji's study group, a few girls in class…they were her friends. Right?
Running along buildings, coming to a good place to turn back, Asuka put her prize away once she had access to her satchel again. Not depressed, not upset, she was happy…she was! "Tonight I'm going to make him play games with me again. We don't have to…to…" gods was she tearing up?! NO! She couldn't be upset by this, she was stronger than this! If she showed weakness Lilith would see it and punish her again. "I have to take what I want, have to or she'll…" Asuka didn't know. Would it be just a simple punishment again, or was Lilith cleaning house of all unnecessary things?
But he didn't look at her the same way anymore, didn't talk to her like he used to. Go figure, she lied to his face, tricked him into making love to her…and to her it was doing such. When she realized she actually cared for the plain looking house broken idiot she didn't know, but…she did. He was there for her, talked to her, treated her like she wanted, and she could let the walls down around him. If it wasn't for that insipid bitch Akira she'd not have had to lie! She'd have him all to herself! None of this 'sharing' bull that she saw going on. No, she'd be enough for him and he was enough for her. "But since I did it…we did it…I've just been…" hostile, she'd been hostile towards him. Him and everybody else.
"Maybe I should just…" she looked at her fount of power and considered taking it off. But that was when she heard the angel siren blaring. Today? Lilith said to get ready for it, but today? Katsuragi was off doing something, along with Akagi, Asuka thought it would be a few days until it was go time! Not transforming, she ran naturally to Nerv as her mind fogged over. Lilith's orders for her were clear, let Unit-00 run off alone, and stall as long as possible, and Lilith said something about destroying the plug but that didn't make sense. She was smart enough to know Unit-03 was nearby, likely where Katsuragi was. But if an angel was attacking…why would she need to destroy the plug?
By the time she got into the base, and to the changing rooms, she found Rei already there and in the process of changing. "You are late, we waited for you but the commander insisted we not," Rei was as talkative as ever. Girl's chest was proudly on display and perky as always.
"Looking a bit pointy, cold or were you and my pet doing something while you waited for the GOOD pilot to show up?" Asuka snidely fired off. Hearing Shinji on the other side of the dividing sheet, she took her suit and walked over to his side. Yup…he was only knee deep into his suit and she got an eyeful of him since he went commando in the suit as they did. "No…he's not even half mast, guess you were just hoping for it," she gazed right into his eyes. Damn it why was her heart fluttering like this, why was she so happy just to see him! It wasn't mutual, how could it be with how she was acting lately, she saw him shift away.
Spinning away from Asuka, showing her his bum instead, Shinji quickly suited up. "Asuka what are you doing over here, we don't…don't have time for this. Ibuki-san said there was an accident at the test site where Misato and Ritsuko-san were testing something…Unit-03 I think," Shinji pressurized his suit but kept his back to her.
Look at me…look at me…LOOK AT ME! Asuka hated seeing that back! Why wasn't he looking at her, drooling after her like those other pointless males did! Because he was a good guy, because he wanted to respect her, because he was afraid of her. "Well guess that means it'll be the commander ordering us around today, great. Don't take after that ugly jerk. As for Unit-03, we don't need another Eva while I'm here. But I will need some sugar to get going…now or after," Asuka teased as she tossed her school uniform over Shinji's head.
"We do not have time for this," Rei grabbed Asuka's wrist and pulled it away from its sneaking reach for Shinji. Holding onto it until Asuka relented and pulled back, she then added salt to the wound by going up to Shinji and putting a hand on his back. Maybe a trick of the light or maybe it was really her eyes shimmering, but Rei almost smirked, "Come Shinji-kun, let us give her privacy. We will see you out on the battlefield."
Oh she'd get Ayanami eventually, Lilith's protection of that girl will end and Asuka would be there to gloat! Why Lilith said to leave Rei alone…well it wasn't without cause. Kill a pilot and then they lose to the angels and everybody died. But once the angels were gone, Asuka was going to grind Rei into a smear! Suiting up quickly, she got into her plug and was launched into position. "Alright I'm here, we can start this and end this. What is the situation?" Asuka didn't care much for the mousy Ibuki but had no choice today.
"We don't have much to go on right now. Just before the test started we got reports of Ryouji Kaji attacking the command team, then we got a last communication from Makoto about Unit-03 activating without orders," Maya was frazzled and very uncertain. Her hands could be seen moving about madly, she'd occasionally look up at the commanders station but say nothing. "Need the three of you to make a perimeter around the Geo-Front. The pattern blue is wide and is interfering…satil…wha? Look ou…" Maya's image started going in and out interlaced with static and finally cut out.
That last image hung on Asuka's screen for a moment, just long enough for her to recognize a massive rock fist. Touji…Touji was here on base and attacking? Kaji had attacked the test site? Lilith was going wide for this latest offensive, but why? What was going on here? Linking up with her fellow pilots, "Well, we better hurry and take care of this ourselves. How you want to go about it? You act as scout Ayanami, I go next, and you hold up the rear Shin-chan? Get all nice and cozy behind me like you did the other day." When in doubt boost, cover up her failures with bluster and illusions.
"I don't think we should split up, sticking together would be best wouldn't it?" Shinji asked with concern dripping from him. Not reacting to Asuka's little double-entendre, proof he did still care despite all her self-sabotage. Unit -01 started moving closer to Asuka's position a quarter mile away.
It was when the unseen Ayanami cut in that he stopped, "Soryu is correct. If we all go a single attack could stop all of us, akin to the Fifth Angel. I will scout." Rei's image lingered for a moment, she was clearly looking at Shinji, wanting to say something but she didn't, then her image blinked out.
They waited in silence for a few minutes which felt like hours. Something was happening in the base, an angel was approaching, and Rei was silent. Asuka wanted to say something, something REAL, but she just sat there wondering what she was helping with.
The quality of their short-range communication was breaking as when Rei's image popped up it was heavy delayed and filled with latency. "I am…engaging…corrupt Unit-03…hel!" Rei's voice rose just an active before the image vanished and didn't come back.
"Ayanami!" Shinji screamed out and without hesitation Unit-01 was thundering down the tarmac towards Rei's last known position. Without orders from the base, they were on their own, and Shinji was not going to sit back and watch.
Listening to Shinji's mantra of 'please be ok', Asuka hadn't expected this. When did he get a pair to go running stupidly into danger? "Shinji hold up! Let me go first and deal with this, I'm better! HEY are you listening?" Asuka called but soon gave up. Shinji was blinded by panic and would not follow Asuka's plan to waste time. The blur that was Unit-01 whizzed past her and outpaced her to an embarrassing degree.
"Idiot doesn't know what he's doing…would he do this for me if I went first?" Asuka wondered as she willed her behemoth to move. When she caught up to Shinji she was shocked…he had already pinned Unit-03 to the ground on its belly, but he hadn't finished it off? "What are you doing Idiot? Kill the stupid thing!" she ordered him, but he just kept fighting the bucking and screaming abomination.
With Unit-01's hands on Unit-03's wrists, Shinji straddled the angel and kept it pinned. "I can't! The plug is still inside! The pilot…Asuka the pilot is still inside! Get them out, get them out and I'll finish this thing off," Shinji yelped as Uni-03 spasmed and nearly knocked him off.
The pilot? Pilot? Who could it be? Who was missing…who….Asuka's eyes widened as a sick idea came upon her. Acting quickly, she drew her prog-knife and got into position. Slamming Unit-03's head into the ground, it gnashed and spit at her with rubbery elongated motions of its neck. Slamming her blade into the beasts skull she pinned it down and yanked the plug out of the beasts neck. "Got it, you tend to that thing quickly," Asuka rolled away and left the destruction to Shinji.
A gift from Lilith, a true gift for services rendered. Why had Shinji been playing tennis with some inferior girl? Why because Akira and Karen were gone! Hadn't he said he suspected they were lying to him? What better reason to lie than a dangerous mission…joining Shinji in the pilot-corp something he would have loathed and not wanted! They likely wanted to increase their strangle hold on him, and cut Asuka out of even more! So which one was it? Who would they test first the blond or the redhead? Holding the plug in her hand, so fragile and so tempting, "All I have to do is squeeze." He didn't see the condition of the plug while he was struggling with the angel. All she had to do was say it had been crushed already.
"What….situation…we're getting…unication back up…going to use Akagi's…purge magi…" Maya's slightly bleeding face popped back up. It was stack ridden, the woman's face had a long smear of blood. Girl was going off on something or another, some device Akagi made? What could that mad scientist have made? Didn't matter, what did matter was if the attack at the base was ending she didn't have much time to strike without being noticed.
Setting the plug down on the ground, Asuka raised Unit-02's massive foot. "All I have to do is…" step down and one of her rivals gone…and likely if one was gone the other would leave!
"Asuka…Asuka what are you doing?" Shinji noticed. He was still struggling to put down Unit-03 but it was not as feisty as it was before. His prog-knife stabbed in the creatures back aiming for the potential core position and had to have sliced bits of it from the sluggishness the monster had. But with his attention diverted it was making a mad fight to escape. Grunting in frustration, "Help me Asuka…please…just…things are odd I know…but you're not this person. Don't…don't hurt them."
Gently putting her foot atop the plug, she didn't crush it yet, but Asuka felt that jealousy seep out of her. "I have to, Lilith needs me to! You won't look at me like you look at them! You don't…as long as they exist you'll never love ME! Why? What did I do wrong? What is wrong with you? How did everything get so fucked up!" Asuka couldn't feel it due to the LCL but she knew she was crying. Everything just…everything was wrong! This wasn't who she wanted to be, but who else COULD she be?
"Be better than she's making you be! You don't need Lilith to be strong! So don't do what she wants…be yourself," Shinji let out a scream and stabbed down and finally hit home. Unit-03 twitched a few times, tearing more of its skull open complements of Asuka's knife, but stopped.
Not a murderer, she wasn't…even earlier today she knew she'd not have actually hurt that girl. She was better than that, she was stronger…but right now she collapsed forward so utterly confused and scared of what was going to happen she just balled up. "She's going to…going to kill me…but I can't do it…I just can't," Asuka was proud yes, but before a creature like Lilith even she was unable to keep herself strong.
"Going to…Akagi's anti-magic in ten….nine…" Maya continued to inform the two pilots, even though they weren't listening.
Unit-01 crawled off its downed foe over to Unit-02 and hovered over it, "Asuka…ASUKA snap out of it…we'll keep you safe. I know…people that can keep you safe." Shinji tried to console her.
"Isn't that sweet…but Lilith-sama warned me about you Red…she knew you'd go soft, that you were SOFT. But then again you are just Seiji after all," Geo called from his standing position atop the entry plug. Raising up his monstrous fist, he let out a cackle, "Guess you lost this time Ikari, no offense but this is a long time coming!" And before either Unit-01 or Unit-02 could stop him, slammed his fist into the plug and smashed it in deep and hard. Again and again he slammed into the plug sending shrapnel all over and denting the plug to hell and back. "So…who is it? Which of your girls did I just…did…did I…Hikari? Hikari!"
And in that moment Asuka saw the whole plan for the day, saw Lilith cackling somewhere in the dark! Lilith had set this up to destroy both Touji AND her! Either way one of them would have hurt(killed) their friend…not Shinji but them! And in that moment when Asuka had her epiphany Maya counted to zero and a pulse rippled through the city and agonizing pain laced Asuka and she fainted.
X-X
His head throbbed, but Shinji didn't even feel it. The pulse that erupted from nearly all the communication towers disrupted the clouds and left a ringing sensation in his ears, but Shinji was more focused on the sight before him. Unit-02 was down and unresponsive, a destroyed entry-plug was laying on the ground before him, and Geo was in a heap on the ground. At least the angel was defeated, but he didn't feel like celebrating in the slightest. "W-who is the pilot…who?" Shinji asked the static laden image of Maya.
"You don't know who it is?" Maya was clear enough to be heard with just a little annoyance. Maya looked behind her, somebody was telling her something but only Maya was audible. Swallowing hard Maya shook her head, "How are you feeling right now Ikari-kun? Akagi-sempai's field hit the whole city and wasn't ready yet. It was supposed to kill all magical…all magical girls and monsters, but it doesn't look like she finished it."
Willing Unit-01 to its knees, Shinji hated how she didn't answer his question. Why? Why didn't she tell him who it was? Hovering over that tiny metallic tube, Shinji peered inside and stopped breathing as he pealed the plug up as gently as possible. "Please don't be dead, please," whoever it was he wanted them alive…doubly so if it was somebody who hid it from him! Seeing the pale face of one Hikari Hokari, Shinji was ashamed of how relieved he felt. True Hikari was somebody he knew, a pleasurable acquaintance who he didn't wish ill on, but she wasn't Akira, Karen, or Makoto.
"Pilot we have an issue back on base. Retreat to the central elevator now! Unit-00 has activated and is disobeying orders, internal cameras show Lilith is in control," Gendo had replaced Maya on the screen. Whatever happened in the command bridge while Shinji was fighting destroyed all but Maya's station.
Lifting the crumbling plug into the air, Shinji was tempted to stomp on Geo as he stood, "What about Hokari-san? I can't leave her here!" He owed the strict yet pleasant girl more than to die here after everything that happened. Slow raising and falling of her chest was proof she was alive, but the shard of metal puncturing her chest needed to be tended to now! Slowly covering the plug with the other hand, Shinji started running back while keeping his hands as stable as possible.
"Leave her behind and progress towards section 2B-A7 now, the life of that girl is inconsequential if Lilith gets to Terminal Dogma!" Gendo's voice rose just a smidge. Showing no concern for the lives of others, he adjusted his glasses as his brow crested.
Doing nothing of the sort, Shinji got onto the elevator to take him down. "Fuck you father. I won't risk her life! Unless you have another pilot somewhere hiding, you'll have somebody waiting to help her when I get down, THEN I'll go!" Shinji was still not understanding anything going on! How had Hokari been chosen to be a pilot, why did he feel weaker, and what was this madness about a magic nullifying field? Taking a peek at Hikari again, Shinji's bloud ran cold, she was paler than before, her breathing nearly impossible to see. "Tick-tock Commander, if I don't see anybody when I get to the deck I will get out and help her myself!" Shinji screamed at the man.
Looking off to the side, "Activate the Dummy Plug! We don't have time to placate him! What do you mean it's not working?" In a rare showing of raw emotion, Gendo gritted his teeth and threw his glasses on the ground. Pointing off in another direction the man hurled out angrily, "Get medics to the hanger now, double time it. Pilot, leave her when you get down or we all die anyway. I cannot get them to get there faster than that."
Shinji had to accept that, but he had to twist the knife, "So you don't have any option but to trust in me. A long time ago I would have cared." He didn't anymore, Gendo had burned that bridge and Shinji wasn't interested in it anymore. Other people had filled the hole in his heart that his absent parents created, Shinji didn't need Gendo's approval anymore. Setting Hikari's crumpled plug down Shinji waited just a few moments for the sight of paramedics rushing to her aid before following orders. Now that his important task was finished, "Put Ibuki-san back on, have her tell me what is happening."
Grumbling Gendo did pass the screen back to Maya who sniffed hard but she had such a proud look on her face. "That was so cool Ikari-kun. I'll keep you posted on her condition. As for what is happening…somehow Lilith reactivated Unit-00 while you were fighting Unit-03 and got into the base. Now she's moving to Terminal Dogma…commander says if she gets far enough down there…Third Impact might occur. Good luck Ikari-kun," Maya sniffed hard again and failed to keep her fear from eating at her.
"What happened to Misato-san and Ritsuko-san?" Shinji asked as he got to the edge of the monumental pit. It might be seen as impolite to refer to Ritsuko by her first name, but he grew to care about that woman over their sessions. It was very awkward at the start, his attempts at being 'in charge and dominating' were laughable at best at the start. But over the weeks Ritsuko 'trained' him, he grew to know her, to understand her, appreciate, and lastly care for the abused but lovable woman. Misato…well that went without saying he loved the woman. Mother, sister, or other he didn't know, but he did NOT want her to suffer ever. He leapt into the pit and darkness enveloped him as he fell.
Again the static started to cut into the communication line, but Maya's waxen expression spoke loud enough for Shinji. "We don't know what happened at the remote site. All we know is Kaji-kun in his odd smoke form attacked during the activation test, then the angel manifested and we lost all contact with them. F-focus on the mission for now…pray for them if you can," Maya's eyes did start to trickle as her image flickered and vanished.
"They're fine…they're fine…they can't die like this," Shinji grunted. If they did fall, Shinji would find Kaji and he would end the man in the most extreme fashion! Left to feed on his own fears, Shinji felt the g-force as he fell. "Guess I'll have to ask Karen-chan how her parents were when I get out of here. Hope it went well," he tried to look on the positive. Hard to do with so many unknowns regarding people he cared about. The mission had to come first though, to distracted and everybody suffered…just push it out for now. With a massive crash, his legs felt Unit-01's pain as he landed and put a creator in the bedrock below the GeoFront.
Seeing emergency lights on and flashing, Shinji stepped over the abandoned hulk of Unit-00. "Guess she didn't want it after all…just to get inside," Shinji hoped at least. What was Lilith doing down here, what was her plan this time? If only she wasn't holding Rei's body hostage! Moving from the bedrock to metal flooring, he advanced on a massive open door, easily the size for an Eva. His hands trembled, his whole body tingled, but he moved on, "Rei-chan was just imagining things…she didn't know about this. This ISN'T a prophecy!" Her comments back at Maron's came flooding back into his mind, her fear. Rei never feared anything, yet she did now.
"Lilith! Stop whatever you're doing!" Shinji screamed over the channel. Couldn't really be stealthy in Unit-01 so at least he could hope to make her second guess herself. If she needed concentration or would be vulnerable, knowing he was there could stop her. Rushing through the door into a massive cavern, Shinji's already overtaxed mind was pushed to the breaking point at what he saw.
Flying in the air, Lilith in her resplendent form hovered closer to a massive creature. Crucified to a giant red cross was a being of white that wore a seven eyed purple mask. Nearly making Shinji vomit was the fact the creature was suspended over a lake, a literal lake, of LCL…didn't take a genius to know where that came from. He was breathing in that things blood!
"So you did come to see my rebirth! It would have been a lot easier had Mercury sided with me, but free will is quite the bitch at times," Lilith spun around and answered. Thing was the voice was more in Shinji's head and not coming over the link. Floating faster away from him, Lilith was closer to the body than from the edge of the lake. Her voice was sing-song, hypnotic, "Did you claim her when you saw her? You or that Kino would be the only ones to keep her from falling to my side. So I pushed Geo harder…and here you are just as I wanted."
Looking down at the lake, Shinji had no idea how deep it was or how it'd impair his movements. Fortune favored the bold so…he stepped in and a small wave flowed out from him as he sank in up to Unit-01's knee. Calling out to Lilith, his Lilith's voice was tendrils in his mind, "Why did you want me here? All this time you just keep toying with me, with all of us. So what importance do I have?" He'd never make it to Lilith in time, she was too far away for him to get to her in time! Reaching out regardless he felt that tendril in his mind harden and his arm locked up.
"Now-now, a woman has to have some secrets. And I have to give Akagi credit! That little pulse of hers ruffled this body something fierce, but it opened a hole in your armor and gave me a way inside your mind. Oh and those videos of you and her together were oh so lovely to watch. Did you know she taped them? I sent one to this vessel to watch and she was so cute to listen to moan!" Lilith now hovered right before giant. Tossing into the air several large gems, they pulsated in unison and started to spin as the floated along with Lilith.
With is body slowed but not stopped, Shinji forced himself to work harder against the mental invasion. "S-stop this! You'll kill us all!" he couldn't fail here! Everybody…the whole planet was depending on him! Months ago he'd not care so much, not try nearly this hard, but after all that happened since he got to Tokyo-3 gave his life much more meaning! One step…two steps…three…his hand groped out for Lilith and the strain felt as if he had chains dragging down every part of him!
"Kill you? You silly boy that isn't what I'm doing here! I'm reclaiming the dormant part of my soul! Fourteen years ago during the sundering I was splintered off from the bulk of my soul and from my body. With this I reclaim my soul, and when I find the Great Earth Mother…I re-claim my body!" Lilith's voice echoed in the cavern. And now Shinji could hear the pulsating energies from the crystals as the spun around so fast they appeared to be a solid circle! Just as Shinji was about to intercept Lilith a prismatic beam of light shot out of the circle and launched Lilith into the creature's body.
Cold, so cold, Shinji didn't know if he failed or if he succeeded. Dormant part of her soul? Did that mean this massive being was actually Lilith's true body? He wasn't smart enough to understand this, maybe no human was. Taking a step back as the being pulled itself free from the cross and fell into the lake making a tidal wave of LCL wash over Unit-01. Shinji absently noticed the gems were gone, one time use items apparently, then he again felt his sanity start to slip as Lilith stood up.
"Don't need this anymore. A shame, I'll miss my little pet," Lilith's voice again spoke right into Shinji's mind. As she did a small humanoid form was ejected from Lilith's gargantuan body and fell into the lake of LCL and out of sight. Glowing brightly, the giant of white started to shrink and change shape. The mental shock threatening Shinji's mind continued as when the body stopped its transformation it was a form Shinji recognized. The woman from his dreams, the one Honey and he cherished on a near nightly basis was floating before him. Spinning in the air, she let out a near orgasmic sigh as she flew behind Unit-01, "This is so much better…being myself again! Now my new pet…my new companion…my only companion. Let us leave this place."
Panic rose in him, Shinji felt the plug start to eject and that meant he'd be at Lilith's mercy! "What did you do to Rei-chan!? What are you doing to me?" Shinji tugged on the stirrups hoping to get some action, but no. With the plug ejected, Unit-01 was standing down and useless. Feeling his ring, Shinji was about to change into Shiki but when Lilith tore open the plug his fear finally took over and he sat their paralyzed. "A-are you really the woman from my dream?" he couldn't help but ask.
"As much as I want to say yes, I hate lying. That would be whoever has my new body. This is just my soul form, won't last forever. The Great Earth Mother however will be the perfect vessel for me, as it's already been marked by me," Lilith cooed. With a wave of her hand, she summoned Shinji out of the plug and he just floated before her and into her arms. Helping herself to a sampling of his rear, she tittered, "Happy to see me officially lover? We will have such fun from now on! And as soon as I find Adam's soul and destroy it this world will be ours!"
Resisting as much as possible, Shinji found he could hardly even move! Lilith had been powerful in her old form, but this was beyond power this was something he couldn't even conceive! "W-why me? Of all people why me?" Shinji nearly swallowed his tongue. Lilith just tittered and Shinji found the real body felt just as lovely as the dream version! Too much stress and too little time to cope with it left the lad at Lilith's mercy. Ancient and expert hands worked over him as he float prone in her arms. Was this how it was going to end…did he fail and this was it? No! It couldn't end like this…it couldn't! And just as his panic reached a crescendo Lilith pulled back with a scream of rage.
"Unhand him, he belongs to me…to many!" Rei clad in Lilith's old form. The elaborate blade pierced Lilith's side and LCL poured out of it. Catching Shinji as Lilith's concentration dropped and he fell, Rei held him with one arm and he joined her in transforming. Standing atop Unit-01, Rei kept herself ready spring at a moments notice.
Rubbing her hand over the wound, it healed instantly, Lilith frowned deeply, "I didn't think you'd survive being separated from me. Guess that stupid bangle of yours really was as powerful as I feared. And you've learned to use the other form…my dear girl why don't we both take him and…" Lilith dove out of the way of Rei's feral charge, "Guess not." Flying closer to Shiki, she waved and blew a kiss, "Until next time my dear. Say hello to my old subordinates, I don't need them anymore." And with that Lilith rocketed up through the ceiling leaving rocks falling down behind her.
"What just happened here…Rei-chan are you alright?" Shinji leapt down to find Rei kneeling on the ground. Helping the girl as best he could, he turned back to normal and found Rei doing the same. She smiled softly at him again, that most glorious smile of hers, "Rei-chan are you alright?"
Caressing Shinji's face she continued to smile, "I am tired. This new form is very taxing on me right now. But I could not let her take you. Now…sleep." Rei closed her eyes and instantly was asleep. Shinji who was so overloaded with what happened opted to join her. First he positioned her so she could use him as a cushion and just let go. He woke up sometime later in a room with both Asuka and Rei, his favorite hospital room…but at least they were both with him and alive. He'd worry about things soon, now was convalescence.
X-X
"Just take it easy for the next few days and let me know if anything feels bad, alright Shinji-kun?" Ritsuko favored the boy with a small smile. Scribbling on a pad of paper, she kept taking fugitive looks at Akira at his side. Akira knew why too, Shinji finally confessed to his increase in skills at being her master. And oddly enough, Akira was grateful to the woman.
Hugging Shinji's side with her left arm, Akira took the offered scrap of paper. "Thank you sensei, for everything you've done. Hope you feel better yourself…that bruise looks nasty," Akira winked at the woman. Hating hospitals, Akira wanted out but knew they had several stops to make before they got to leave. Added to her unease was the fact that Karen was still at her parents…they wanted her to move out of Tokyo-3.
Blushing hard, Shinji shuffled his feet as the good doctor just gazed at them gobsmacked. "I-I uh told her about your training me. It felt wrong not to confess it, no secrets and all that," Shinji confessed to the older woman. Holding Akira's hand, she felt his grip tighten as his fear grew so she reassured him with a small rub of her thumb. This was not what she thought life would be like when she was younger. Then again when she pictured herself older she didn't see rock-monsters kidnapping her to be a breading sow either.
"Y-you told them about us? I-uh well you see Honjouji-kun it didn't really start off like…gods this is embarrassing," Ritsuko actually appeared mortified, quite the different side to the normally stoic woman. Her arm hung in a sling, her eye bruised; she had taken quite a beating when Unit-03 went berserk two days ago. But couldn't keep a good scientist down, especially when the world had needs. Stepping closer to the two, she waited for an orderly to walk past, "Did you tell her about…you know?"
Flashing Ritsuko her own ring, Akira nodded, "No secrets." And that was part of why she accepted this crazy situation with the man she loved. If he tried hiding things, sneaking around her back it would have been a different story. But Shinji was an open book, he loved her heart and soul, and that's what she wanted. So what if he cared for others, Akira cared for Karen just as much as she did for Shinji and didn't feel it cheapened anything. Tugging on her collar though, "Speaking of your training…would you mind…helping train Karen and I? If Shin-chan is trying to be better for us, we need to meet him halfway."
To that both Shinji and Ritsuko went for looking at one another then to Akira stunned. "How about we let Ritsuko-san get back to work, visiting hours are almost over and I want to check in on Hokari-san," Shinji gently pulled Akira away from the bewildered doctor.
"The look on her face was priceless," Akira giggled once they were further away from the woman. Hugging Shinji's arm harder, she needed this contact to calm down. Fears for his life, fears of Karen's parents, and the odd wave that hit her…she hated not knowing things! Giving Shinji a small hip-check, "And I wasn't teasing her either. She made you a great master for us…maybe we could be better servants." That embarrassed look on his face made Akira want to eat him up with peaches and cream…hmm idea for later food play! Cover herself with cream and let him lick it off…tasty.
In a rare show of playfulness Shinji bounced Akira right back and the two laughed. "Have to admit I've never seen Ritsuko-san look so flustered before. But how about we worry about training later. I rather just…you know…be with Karen-san and you right now. OH how are you feeling after…I'm recovering, how about you?" Shinji stalled outside Hikari's door. The ex Forth Child was sharing a room with the Second Child.
Shaking her slowly, "I can change but I don't feel any different really. No stronger or faster, just look different. Hope nobody got hurt when that wave hit." Akira read the nameplate again and again…she was afraid to go in as well. Shinji told her the story of what happened, that poor girl nearly died! What scared her the most was how Akira had been contacted to be the Fourth herself, was tempted. Fight along side her man in all of his battles, but Karen talked her out of it.
"Well this won't take care of itself," Shinji slowly opened the door with horrible reluctance. Stepping into the darkened room, his hand went to the light but didn't flip it on. Rather than wake the recovering if they were indeed sleeping he called out softly, "You two awake?"
A raspy voice responded, "Just woke up. You can come in Ikari-kun." With the go-ahead, Shinji flipped the light on and the two walked into the nondescript room. Hikari's bed was first and a cloth screen cut the room in half and hid Asuka from view. Pale and bandaged all over, Hikari used her good hand to hit the controls on her bed to elevate herself to a better position. Waving weakly at the two, "Oh, Honjouji-san you're here too? Makes sense you'd come to see him." She trailed off and offered a sad smile.
"H-how are you feeling today," Shinji moved to the side of Hikari's bed. Akira almost didn't, to overwhelmed with the possibilities she dodged. Hikari was hurt, hurt very bad. Half her face was wrapped in gauze, her hand hung lifelessly at her side, and she appeared to have more than one foot in the grave. This had almost been Akira's fate, oh-so close to being her. Shinji got Hikari a glass of water hand handed it to her.
Sipping the drink she fumbled it but Shinji caught it before Hikari could make a mess. Coughing a little, "Drugs take the pain away. Doctors say with therapy I might regain use of my right hand too." She sniffed harder and her eyes started to go red, both visitors could see the tears forming. Reaching across her wrecked body for Shinji, he grabbed her hand, "T-thank you for saving me Ikari-kun. I-I remember everything. What Asuka and you said…how you brought me to the doctors…they said if you hadn't I'd have died…blood in my lungs."
"You'll recover, Hokari-san, you're to strong willed not to," Akira nodded and put her hand atop Shinji and the other girl's. Gods it was so hard to keep her own emotions in check. This poor girl, this bed, the pain she must be in and the fear of possibly being permanently disabled for life? Akira couldn't fathom it.
Shinji's gaze was so tender, it melted Akira's heart with how he looked at her. With a nod he gave his attention back to the girl in the bed, "Can we get you anything? I've just been released so I could get you some books or something?" Patting the back of Hikari's hand, Shinji took a step back and found Akira grabbing his tenaciously.
"My sisters are coming later and they're bringing me stuff. But thanks for the offer, right now I think I just want to be alone…if that's alright with you," Hikari looked away as the tears did slowly start to fall.
"Sure thing, we'll come visit another time," Shinji gestured to the curtain and the pair left the girl to herself. Akira put her hand on Shinji's back and she shuddered a little, nobody wanted to see friends like that, but you had to honor that wish. If the mental wound was fresh, pushing to hard would only make it worse. Had to give things time to mend a little. Rounding the curtain they found Asuka gazing out the window dumbly. Standing at the girl's side, "H-how you feeling Asuka?"
Startled, Asuka's whole body jerked. Her hands slapped down on the thin sheet, legs twisted and kicked, and her head spun to see who had the gall to invade her personally space. "Who? OH…Shinji it's you. Sorry the brain is all frazzled right now. I can't…I can't really remember much right now. Akagi say when I can leave?" Asuka alternated between Shinji and Akira.
"Few days observation she said," Akira said before Shinji could. Now this was something Akira was disgusted by. This girl took power from a horrible person, did horrible things, and when she was faced with the consequences of her actions she ran from them. Selective amnesia, at least that was what Ritsuko said it was. Asuka woke up after the battle and didn't remember the last week. The doctor said it was a coping mechanism, Akira thought it was cowardice. Asuka didn't like knowing what she nearly did, what she helped cause. If Shinji hadn't talked Asuka down, Hikari would be dead, if Akira had been chosen…she could have been killed.
Shinji was quiet, that face of his that Akira had come to love so much was featureless and blank. Was he upset with the girl, disappointed, happy, it could be any number of things. But he didn't voice them, didn't voice anything for a little while. "You'll remember in time, Asuka. You can talk to Hokari-san about it if you want, she can fill in the gaps if you want to know. Take care and…we'll talk more when you get out. We just wanted to check on you, see how you were before leaving," Shinji's voice warbled just a little south of calm.
"Get out of here ya sissy, I'm fine and will expect a feast when I get home so get groceries ready," Asuka dazzled the two with a smile that didn't fit the mood they had. Whatever she remembered, if she did in fact forget the details, it was none of her responsibility. Nope, the girl in this bed was smiles and happy while the girl in the bed next to hers was wallowing in despair. Hardly felt fair to Akira, but the hospital was hardly the place to give Asuka the punishment she deserved.
Walking past Hikari again on the way out, both Akira and Shinji clung tighter together as the heard her stifling some small cries…it hurt to hear that. In the hall, Akira finally lost her composure and slammed her right fist into her palm, "Going to have to fix this shit really fast, Shin-chan. She can't get away with what she almost did. And when I get my hands on that Geo, going to tear him to tiny pieces! If what we heard is true, he won't have his powers either, so should be real easy time of it! That poor girl, and that bitch is all smiles next to her? How is THAT FAIR?"
"I know honey, I know, but this isn't the place for this," Shinji hushed the volatile Akira. He used those words that cut through her mental defenses and laced her core…good man, she needed that. Moving to the next and final stop on their hospital tour, Rei had been released the day before Shinji informed Akira earlier, Shinji stayed close. "Asuka will remember, or I'll tell her when she's released. I agree that she can't hide from the facts. She sided with Lilith, nearly killed Hokari-san, but in the end she didn't. Remember that Akira-chan, she could have but didn't. It IS Geo that did the damage in the end. And he will face the consequences," Shinji was grim and fatal.
Sadly Shinji's powers were stronger than hers so he'd have to face some of the challenges alone, but Akira would be there when she could. "Just let me see it when you do it. As for Soryu…I say we tape our next little slave play and make her watch it," rub salt on that wound. Akira was willing to be open with Shinji, but not that open. That was the one limit she put and she saw Shinji was going to honor that. Shaking the bad feelings out of her mind, she put on the happy face for 'mother in law' and they opened Misato's door. "Katsuragi-san your candy strippers are here!" she announced with some cheer.
The moment she walked into the room she knew something was wrong. A breeze, you don't feel breezes in the hospital…
"Misato-san? Misato-san?!" Shinji yelled as he ran past Akira into the destroyed room. No body, nothing but a smashed window with the glass on the inside of the room. Somebody had broken into the room and took Misato under everybody's noses! "Akira-chan get security, get Ritsuko…get anybody! I'm…I'm…" Shinji looked at his ring and the whole and just shuddered.
Rushing to Shinji's side to stop him from doing anything rash, Akira just hit the emergency button on the bed to summon somebody. "Calm down, Shin-chan, calm down…running off won't do anything. We have to be calm…think about this. We'll find her…if they wanted her dead she'd have killed her here right? So…Lilith took her, who else could it have been? We get our powers back and we hunt her down and end this…but you can't do it alone. Just…just wait for us babe," Akira's superior strength kept Shinji from fleeing. She held him, soothed his fears, and after Akagi showed up and ushered them out they went back to Shinji's place.
There, the sat in shock, waiting for the call from Ritsuko that didn't come. Eventually Shinji cooked them some food, they ate it without much taste, then went to sleep in Shinji's room. They supported one another that night as they always did, Shinji said they'd find a way to keep Karen in the city, and Akira claiming they'd save Misato…and they would. It was time to put Lilith down for good, now that Rei wasn't a hostage anymore it was time to finally end this.
X-X
Notes
And we enter end game! Story has gone all over the place as my stories tend to he he. I get such a vague idea at the start and let the muse take me where it will. I had planned on more Sailor Senshi stuff but it bogged down the narrative at times. Like to have that mix of adventure and drama, maybe next story will just be Eva/Sailor Moon and not every magical girl story mixed together…who knows! Eva/Sekirei or something akin to that…be fun.
Ps their WILL be more Sailor Senshi stuff before this story is officially over.
Later
Mercaba