Rebirth

by OrionPax09

Shinji and Misato have always seen the strength the other had. When tragedy strikes, will they finally see themselves as the other does? Chapters 1-17: Current story content overhauled. Chapter 26: Brand new chapter! See profile for details.

25. Unit 03 Revealed

Disclaimer: I do not own Evangelion or anything associated with it. I'm writing this story simply because I enjoy writing.

Chapter 25: Unit 03 Revealed

Perking up at the sound of a door opening, Shinji looked away from the open refrigerator. "I'm home!" he heard a welcome, beloved voice call out, and immediately smiled.

"Hi, Misato!" Shinji replied, moving towards the kitchen door and leaning out into the hall. "How's everything at base today?"

Meeting Shinji's eyes, Misato frowned and looked about the apartment. "Uhhh…" she started, a definite frown about her entire face. "Where's Asuka?"

"I'm not sure," Shinji returned, narrowing his eyes as he caught her tone. "I think she said she was going to spend some time with Hikari today, but…" His words fell dead in his mouth when Misato lowered her eyes, her expression darkening a bit more. "Misato, what is it? What's wrong?"

Pressing her lips together, the purple-haired woman exhaled slowly before looking back up at her charge. "A lot happened today at the base, Shinji. And a lot of it…wasn't good." Slowly shaking her head, Misato paused before speaking again. "Look, why don't we sit down in the living room. There's a lot I need to tell you, and…I guess I might as well do it right now."

His blood running colder, Shinji realized that Misato had actually been hoping that Asuka would be there. That she would only have to tell them what she had to once. And when he realized this, he knew that whatever had happened most be truly unpleasant. "Does…?" he began, only to suffer a dread premonition. "Is…Father back?" Taking a step back in surprise, she frowned before nodding. "Then…is he making…does Rei…?"

"What?" Misato started at the 1st Child's mentioning. Rapidly waving her hands in negation, she stepped up to her charge. "No, no, it has nothing to do with Rei. It's…" Then the life fled her eyes again, leaving her to frown as she clasped her hand on Shinji's shoulder. "It's a long story."

Pausing to study his guardian, Shinji finally nodded. "Okay," was all he could think to say before making his way into the living room, with Misato close behind. As one, the two of them sat down on the couch, and looked somberly at each other.

"Alright," Misato began, as if pausing to sort out her own thoughts. "Like you said, Shinji…the Commander came back today." Nodding to this, Shinji leaned forward, waiting for Misato to continue. "Now, first of all, he didn't say anything about Rei or moving her anywhere else. Okay?" Again, Shinji nodded, taking a measure of solace in this. "But…he did have some bad news for us."

"What?" Shinji wondered. "What kind of bad news?" Sighing, Misato looked him square in the eyes, and she began to explain everything that had happened at NERV. About Ritsuko's findings in regards to the captured Fallen. To the anomaly with Section 2. And most importantly, she detailed the UN's new orders and financial restrictions. And when she was done, it was all he could do not to flop back against the couch in shock. Incomprehensible sounds spilling from his mouth as he tried to make sense of what he had been told.

Giving him a sympathetic look, Misato managed a slight curling of her lips. "I know," she told him gingerly. "I felt the same way when the Commander told us."

Blinking slowly as his mind somehow managed to recover, Shinji sputtered a few bungled words out before managing to speak again. "Then…everybody's going to be leaving the city?" he got out in a desperate voice, pictures of the scant few friends he had garnered since coming there appearing in his thoughts. "Toji…Kensuke…everyone…?"

"Not everyone," Misato corrected him somberly. "They're going to keep enough people here to maintain NERV, the Evas and their support systems, along with the city's utilities. They're also going to be keeping a few of the grocery stores and restaurants open, so we'll still have places to eat and what-not." Then she lowered her eyes again, and sadness clouded them. "But I'm not going to lie to you, Shinji-kun. Things aren't going to be the same around here for much longer. And…I don't know if they ever will be again."

Folding his arms in his laps, Shinji found himself staring aimlessly at the floor, as if his mind and was too heavy for him to lift his head any higher. "So…" he tried again. Trying to imagine himself saying goodbye to those few, precious people that weren't caught up in the nightmare of the Angel War. "So…do you know who's…?"

"Who's going to be leaving?" Misato wondered. When Shinji nodded, the purple-haired woman shook her head somberly. "I'm afraid not. The department heads were already making the announcement when I left, and…well, they were all as surprised about this as you were. So I really don't know how this is gonna shake out." She frowned, her lips forming a tight line on her face as she looked away, the pain she wore seeming to increase before Shinji's eyes. "And…there's one other thing."

You mean there's more?! Shinji thought, blanching as he looked up again. Feeling as if live electrical wire had been shoved into his spine, he was about to ask how things could possibly be worse than this, only to find a lifetime of experience shutting his mouth. Telling him that he would find out soon enough.

Unfortunately, experience was correct in this case. "It's Toji," Misato explained sadly. "The Commander has decided that he…has to return to NERV."

The instant this was said, Shinji froze up, mentally and physically. His mind was completely emptied by the shock he suffered from this declaration, and then was overwhelmed by a cry of deepest horror rising up from his heart. "Wh-what…?!" he got out, his jaw falling open as he looked at Misato. "Toji…?"

"I'm afraid so," Misato nodded sadly. She then went on to explain how Unit 03 had somehow survived being dismembered by the DPS-controlled Unit 01, and how its regenerative capabilities had been enhanced by the 13th Angel. How it had since been rebuilt for even greater power than ever. "I understand that the damned thing has even grown its own S2 organ," she added sourly. "And Ritsuko…she's been adding all kinds of new weapons and gear to it to help it keep up with the Fallen."

Studying the woman who sat next to him, Shinji considered what she had just told him. "Then…she must've been working on it for a while now, right?" Misato automatically nodded to this, something that made the boy frown. "But…if you've known about this, then why…?"

Hearing the question that Shinji failed to give voice to, the Major shook her head. "Nothing was official. Not until today," she muttered, moisture building up in her eyes. "Ritsuko and I…we were hoping that there'd be some kind of reprieve. That something would happen, that…I don't know. That we'd get some clue about who was making the Fallen…something…" Feeling the bitterness flowing out from Misato, Shinji involuntarily leaned closer to her. "Oh, God, who am I kidding? I was scared of even talking about it! I…"

Watching as tears began to roll down Misato's face, Shinji felt a surge of emotions rise up within him. The first was the horror he had felt when he had first seen Toji's mutilated form within the Entry Plug, followed by the news that his shattered limbs would need to be amputated. This was followed closely by anger, the absolute hatred he had felt.

But this anger had not been directed at the woman who had failed to tell him that Toji had been recruited as an Eva pilot. Nor was it towards the people responsible for the Dummy Plug System's creation, or even at Maya, who had pushed the button that had set defective auto-pilot into motion. His fury was directed, straight and sure, at the one who had set those events in motion. Who refused to even talk to Shinji, who couldn't even be bothered to try and justify the maiming of his best friend, to answer for his actions.

Before his fury could fully manifest itself, Shinji was brought back to reality as he looked into his guardian's face. And saw that tears were struggling to escape to escape the beautiful, brown eyes that he loved. Eyes that were a window to every torment that she was now enduring. Keeping bottled up in order to keep them away from him.

Suddenly emptied of anger, Shinji collapsed and shook his head woefully. "Misato…I…" he began, suffering urge to apologize for things beyond his control. When his mouth once again balked him, he winced and tried again. "I…I didn't…I…!"

"No, it's okay, Shinji-kun," Misato returned, leaning in closer to him. "I…I know I should've told you sooner, but…" As she sucked in a breath, Shinji could almost feel the heavy burdens she had bearing up under. The pressure of dealing with the Fallen and the many changes on base, the catastrophic battles and needing to recover from them. And through it all, he could see it her eyes, the way she damned herself for her supposed failure, nonetheless.

"I…I understand," Shinji breathed, meaning it as he shifted closer to her, placing his hand on her own. Looking down as he gave her hand a tiny squeeze, Misato looked up at him, their gazes meeting once more. And even then, with everything else that he was dealing with, even as tormented as she was, Shinji couldn't help but think about how wonderful and beautiful Misato was. And how much he hated seeing her hurting for things beyond her control. How much he wanted to help her, so that she could smile again.

"When…" Shinji began, his throat clenching. "When do you…does Toji…?"

Intuiting what he was trying to say, Misato frowned that much more. "The Commander said that I was to have Toji brought to Headquarters tomorrow. So that I can fully brief him on…everything," she explained clumsily. Another long pause passed as she studied the boy before her, further guilt knotting her brows. "Shinji, I…" she began, her throat clenching as well. "Listen, I…I know I don't have any right to ask this, but…"

"You want me to be there," Shinji realized as she broke off. Not even thinking about it as he spoke.

A hint of surprise registering in her features, Misato pressed her lips together and gave him a shaky nod. "Yes," she admitted with a heavy voice. "Toji's going to have hard enough a time dealing with…the Commander's orders, and…I thought it might help if…you were there." When she finished speaking, an oppressive silence fell like a heavy curtain on them both, and it was one she couldn't bear. "Shinji, I'm…I'm so sorry about this, but…"

"Don't be," he murmured gently, lifting his hand to Misato's cheek, where a single tear had succeeded in freeing itself. "It's…it's not your fault. So…Misato, please, don't cry…!"

"Shinji…" she got out from between clenched lips. Without warning, Misato threw her arms about him. Pulling him tightly about her, Shinji found himself being pressed into her soft, firm front as she began running her hand through his hair. "Oh, God…what would I do without you…?"

"Misato…" Shinji somehow managed to get out, numbed by the sudden closeness, his old fears of physical contact returning for a brief instant. But as he sat there, feeling the warmth of the woman he loved, his fear and his pain began to fade. They didn't disappear entirely, but they grew more distant, more manageable.

Shinji had no idea how long he sat there, being cradled by the person who had given him everything, but eventually, she loosened her grip and pulled back a bit. "Oh, Shinji-kun…" she murmured, smiling around her sadness as she looked him right in the eye. "Have I ever told you just what a wonderful person you are?"

"I…" Shinji started, unsure of himself.

When he failed to say anything to this, Misato's smile developed a hint of her normal impishness. "Well…let me remind you," she said before leaning forward, and placing a tender kiss upon his lips.

His eyes going wide at this unexpected action, Shinji momentarily floundered in her grasp, acting on old fears. But as Misato held him tighter, the warmth of her kiss and embrace chasing away everything else, another impulse took hold of him, and he gladly returned them both. Surrendering to the needs of the moment, he didn't fight Misato as she pressed into him, forcing him to lie back on the couch. Holding her even tighter as his heart began to beat harder, Shinji became increasingly lost in the moment.

Eventually, Misato broke off her kiss, and pulled up just enough to look at her ward. Surprised and even a bit upset at this, Shinji looked at her, wondering if something was wrong. But this thought was stilled before it could even take form by the look of endearment being shined down upon him. "Thank you."

Momentarily puzzled, Shinji looked at Misato for a time before asking, "For what?"

"For…everything," Misato answered, and with that, she pulled him tightly against her, blanketing him in her warmth. Leaving Shinji helpless to do anything but return her embrace and rest his head upon her shoulder. Silently praying that this moment would never end, that he would never again be deprived of her warmth and her love.

---

"Asuka?"

A questioning sound echoing in her throat, Asuka frowned, wondering who could possibly have spoken her name. Then she sat up straighter at her table, looked at the girl across from her, and she was completely broken from her thoughts. "Hikari!" she snapped. Trying to get her mind into something resembling functional order, the German looked at her friend. "I, uh…"

"Uh, yeah. That's pretty much what I thought you'd say," Hikari nodded, giving her friend a look as she lowered her soda to the table. "Look, no offence, I'm really grateful that you offered to treat me to a bite to eat," the pigtailed girl commented, gesturing at what little remained of her own meal. "But…I'm starting to feel like I'm eating alone here."

Blinking as her mind fully recovered, Asuka remembered exactly where they were. At one of the fast food restaurants in Tokyo-3, one of the few ones that dealt in Western food. A place that she had suggested visiting when she had spent lunch with Hikari earlier that day. A place where they could talk without having to worry overmuch about the ears of their classmates catching everything Asuka wanted to say. To vent to one of the few friends she had in this city.

"Oh. Uh…" Asuka mumbled as she completed her recovery, and realized that, not only had she not been particularly talkative with her friend, but she almost completely ignored the burger and soda she had ordered. "I…I'm sorry, Hikari," she muttered, wincing just the slightest amount at her apology, as well as how easily it had come to her. "I…I've just got a lot on my mind these days, that's all."

"I know the feeling," Hikari nodded as she took a bite out of her fish sandwich. "Things have been pretty nasty lately."

Snorting somewhat at this, Asuka looked down at her burger. Deciding that she really had nothing better to do, she picked up and took a good-sized bite out of it. While it hadn't been sitting out in the open for long, it was approaching lukewarm, and had very little taste. "Yeah," she muttered around the mouthful before swallowing it. Wishing that she could come up with something more brilliant to say. Or at least something that sounded like an actual conversation.

Then again, what's there to talk about? Asuka demanded as she took another bite. Recalling once again the battle records she had sat through only yesterday. Feeling as if it had been an eternity since she had seen her own missions through the cold, impartial eye of a camera. I'm a complete joke to everyone at NERV – if not the entire world - and I was too stupid to figure it out until I saw what an absolute bitch I am for myself! Wincing even as she thought this, she returned her focus to the one person in Japan she would even think of discussing these feelings with. And finding that the tattered remnants of her pride bristled even at the thought of it. And now, here I am, waiting for somebody to write me a punch line…

"Asuka?" Hikari began again as the German slowly chewed. "Asuka, what is it?" When her question was met with further chewing, her best friend fixed her with a glare that she normally reserved for when she was acting within her role of class representative. "C'mon, don't do this to me! What happened?"

A sharp noise escaped her throat, prompting Asuka to swallow her mouthful. "What – ugh!" she tried, only to almost choke on her own burger. Requiring a moment to clear her throat, the redhead than shot her friend a decidedly unfriendly glare. "What are you talking about?!"

Taking this barbed question in stride, Hikari folded her arms before her. "You've been acting weird all day, Asuka. Don't think I haven't noticed!" Practically oozing authority, the pigtailed girl tilted her head to the side as she continued to study her friend. "I know you too well for that. Now…what is it?"

You know me? Asuka thought with a mild sniff. Thinking that this was a joke in and of itself. Hikari, that's not possible. Because even I don't know who I am anymore. And I if don't know myself well, who could? When her tattered pride refused to let her give voice to such a self-depreciating statement, Asuka took a deep chug of her soda, hoping to clear her mind and throat. When she managed to succeed at one of these goals, she sighed loudly. "I dunno," she lied, wishing she knew how to lie to others like she had managed to lie to herself for so very long. "It's just…a whole bunch of things, I guess. Stuff that I'm…I'm having a hard time sorting out right now."

Looking intently at her friend, clearly not completely satisfied with this answer, Hikari finally sighed and nodded. "I know how that is," she finally muttered. "It's like…one minute, everything's going smoothly, and the next, you're stuck dealing with a dozen different things all at once."

Quickly deciding that this was as good an analogy to her own situation as was possible, Asuka slowly nodded. "Yeah."

"Like this morning," Hikari went on, losing herself in her own thoughts. "It turns out that my Dad was able to get an interview for a new job in Tokyo-2. He's going to be going there the day after tomorrow."

Gasping at this like she would from a blade being shoved into her side, Asuka looked up sharply at her friend. "What?" she got out, her insides shifting about in a way that had nothing to do with the quality of her meal. "You mean…your father's still trying to get you out of here?"

Nodding grimly, Hikari looked despondently at her friend. "He's been looking all over the place for a new job," she confirmed. "To make matters worse, he and Kodama have been arguing night and day about it."

"Really?" Asuka inquired with a frown. Trying not to think of the possibility of the girl before her moving far away. Of not having this precious confidant in her life. "But…doesn't she go to Tokyo-2 University?"

"She does. That's not the problem," Hikari grumbled. "The problem is that Kodama was able to get into a special program to help cover her tuition because Dad works at NERV. If he quits, then she won't have that anymore, and then she'll have to get a job of her own to help cover the cost." Then the pigtailed girl gave her friend a wry smile and added, "And considering how bad she is at even taking care of things at home…"

A deep groan escaped her throat as Asuka considered that situation. At just about any other time, she probably would have told her friend that that was Kodama's problem, not Hikari's. Unfortunately, this was not most times, and such a statement would do nothing to ease her friend's burden. "Great," the German finally muttered. "And what about Nozomi? How's she handling this?"

"She's not much better," Hikari admitted. "I think she's more scared of moving than she is of the Angels. She's already lost a lot of her friends when they had to move away. And Tokyo-3 is all she knows." Giving a low sigh, the pigtailed girl lowered her gaze somewhat, as if being physically overwhelmed by her problems. "I don't want her to lose that. Not with everything going on right now."

Frowning somewhat, Asuka found her thoughts drifting back to when she had been Nozomi's age herself. Of how she had not only lost her mother, but had given up so much else. All for the sake of a greatness that clearly wasn't hers. "Yeah. I know what you mean," the German muttered, things that were too disturbing and painful for her to think of hovering all too near for her.

Hikari opened her mouth to say something else, but then she sighed. "Asuka, I'm…I'm sorry to go on about my problems like this," she muttered contritely. "I mean…here I am, asking you to tell me what's bothering you, only to start sounding off like crazy!"

I know. And I wish I could, too, Asuka thought sadly, almost envying her friend for how easily she could put her worries into words. To confess everything that was eating away at her. But she didn't say that. She couldn't. Instead, she gave Hikari's concerns a dismissive roll of her eyes. "Eh, forget it," she muttered wearily. "We're both here, so you might as well get whatever's bothering you off your chest." Seconds passed, and when the look of guilt failed to fade from the pigtailed girl's face, the German forced the corner of her lip to curl up. "That is what friends are for…right?"

As the two girls sat there, looking at each other, Asuka found in her friend's eyes something that she had found in no other gaze; gratitude and trust. "Thanks," Hikari smiled wanly, reaching out to take Asuka's hand in her own. "I just wish…I dunno. I mean, I guess I'm not surprised that this is happening. It's not like it's the first time I've thought about what would happen if we had to move away," she explained wearily. "It's just…it'd be nice if I didn't have to deal with everything else as well while I'm at it."

"What do you mean?" Asuka wondered, genuinely perplexed by this admission.

"I mean that I wish that I could get a break and not have to deal with everything at once!" Snorting her disgust, probably as an alternative to using a colorful metaphor, Hikari tilted her head to the side. "I mean…take this morning, in school? While I was busy talking to Shinji and couple others, Kazu left his joy buzzer on my chair. I didn't even notice until I wound up sitting on it!"

"What?!" Asuka squawked indignantly, her confusion momentarily replaced by good, refreshing anger.

"That's about how I felt," Hikari agreed.

Snorting nastily and making a mental note to give the miserable little creep the pounding he deserved, Asuka frowned back in thought to when she had arrived at school that day. "I guess that explains why he was on his way to the principal's office when I got there."

"That's it," Hikari agreed gruffly. "Then at lunch, I tried to talk to Toji. You know, see what's been bothering him?"

"Don't tell me. Let me guess," Asuka broke in. "He blew you off, right?"

"Worse." Frowning at this, Asuka sat up straighter as Hikari sighed woefully. "I…I asked him how he was doing, and about Rika and everything. You know, just…trying to see if there was anything I could do to help him?" Waiting until the German nodded her understanding, the pigtailed girl averted her eyes before speaking again. "Anyway, we…we sat there, talking to each other for a while, but…"

"But what?" Asuka frowned, realizing that there was something here that she just wasn't getting. "What is it? What did he do?"

Her frown deepening, Hikari answered, "It's more like what he didn't do." A perplexed squeak escaping her lips, Asuka sat back even further as her friend gathered herself up to speak again. "He barely even looked at me the entire time we were talking. And every time I asked him something, he just said that everything was fine, there was no problem. You know, that kind of thing?"

"In other words, he completely ignored you," Asuka muttered, rolling her eyes at this. "Honestly, why you're wasting your time on him to begin with…"

"It's not that, Asuka," Hikari immediately protested. "Something's up with him. I just know it!" Shaking her head slowly with unspent frustration, the pigtailed girl's entire face creased with anger. "Of course, I might have been able to get something out of him if Kensuke hadn't shown up!"

"Stooge Number Three?" Asuka grumbled, really not liking the sound of this. "And what did he do?"

Huffing irritably, Hikari looked her friend square in the eye. "Well, as I said, Toji and I were talking. And at one point, I thought I might actually be able to get somewhere with him," she explained tersely. "And then, out of nowhere, Kensuke shows up and blows everything! He was practically screaming about this 'awesome news' he had for him."

"Great," Asuka muttered. "Dare I ask what the news was?"

"Ugh…you know, that's probably the worst part about school today," Hikari grumbled disdainfully. "You've heard about the Restoration Act, right? And that the government was thinking of making some changes to it?" Asuka nodded, to which the pigtailed girl hissed beneath her breath. "Well, they just passed a whole bunch of new amendments to it. Including, I might add, the legal age a person can get married at!"

For a moment, Asuka sat there staring at her friend. She knew she had missed something of importance in Hikari's words; the irate look the prudish class representative wore was proof enough of that. But as the German reviewed these words, over and over again, she failed to see anything particularly earth-shattering about them. "Uh…so what?"

"So what?!" Hikari spat, wearing a look that was a mix of astonishment and pure horror. "Asuka, under the new laws, even a kid our age could get married!" Momentarily bristling at the fact that she had been indirectly labeled as a kid, Asuka was unable to break in as her friend went on with increasing venom. "Can you believe it?! We're not even out of middle school, and anybody we know could legally get married!"

Frowning again, Asuka raised an eyebrow at her friend. "Really?" she got out, forcing as much disgust as she could scrounge up into that word, if for no other reason so that she wouldn't have Hikari upset at her as well.

As Hikari sat there, studying Asuka with her irritable gaze, even her freckles seem ready to explode. "Asuka, don't you get it?!" she finally asked, her tone of voice making it clear that she didn't believe she even had to say this. "The whole point of the Restoration Act is to encourage the repopulation of various species, including our own! So they don't want us to stop at getting married! They want us to…do the rest of it, too!"

At last, realization fell and struck the German like an anvil. "Oh…" she got out. Now beginning to feel as annoyed as Hikari clearly was, Asuka leaned forward and asked in a hushed voice, "You mean…that, too?!"

"Yeah! That, too!" Completely forgetting her meal in her ire, Hikari stared harshly at her friend, metaphoric flames leaping from her eyes. "Can you imagine that?! Girls like us married and pregnant?! It's disgusting! What is wrong with those people?!" Snorting hatefully at this, the prudish class representative ground her teeth for a moment. "And that's not even the worst of it!"

Now Asuka was genuinely surprised. "You mean there's more?"

Nodding a face that would stun a basilisk in its tracks, Hikari snarled, "They're also considering the possibility of legalizing a form of 'restricted polygamy to help deal with the current population crisis'!"

"Restricted polyg-?!" Asuka attempted to say. When the concept overloaded her mind, she gave it a quick shake to help it reboot before trying again. "Hi-Hikari…are you trying to tell me what I think you're trying to tell me…?"

"Unfortunately, yes." Her face souring more by the instant, the pigtailed girl glowered at her friend. "It seems that some people think that, if a male tiger or gorilla having a bunch of ladies to have his way with will help bolster their species a lot faster than them having just one, then that should work out just fine for humans as well, and women's rights be damned!" Wincing at her use of an expletive, Hikari paused just long enough to see if there was anyone else in earshot. Once satisfied that Asuka was the only to have heard her using stronger language, Hikari took a quick chug of her soda. "Honestly," she muttered after gulping it down, wiping her mouth off as she spoke. "What do these people think we are? A bunch of dumb cows that only belong in the kitchen or in bed?! That we should be perfectly happy to be nothing but breeding machines?!"

Not as shy about cursing as her friend, Asuka let out a few choice words in German before taking a chug of her own drink. "Figures that this would happen in Japan," she muttered, thinking a few evil thoughts about the people making such a decision. "And I can guess why that useless Stooge Kensuke Aida was so happy about that!"

Hikari snorted in agreement, "As soon as he was done telling us his 'big news'," she grumbled, placing so much venom in those two words that it seemed impossible that she was able to say them without burning a hole in her own tongue, "Kensuke said that he and Toji should get busy, trying to score themselves their own harems!"

Utterly nauseated by the bespectacled otaku, Asuka visibly gagged at the thought of him saying something so disgusting in her friend's place. "Too bad I wasn't there. I'd have been more than happy to make sure that he couldn't contaminate the next generation with his stupidity!" she declared, raising her fist in emphasis. "And I bet his Stooge buddy was just as happy about it as he was! Am I right?"

Already certain that this was the case, Asuka began painting images of Toji's and Kensuke's respective demises in her mind, and was giving serious consideration into making them a very painful reality. However, before she could even complete the picture of her kicking Kensuke's balls up into his filthy mouth, she was surprised out her rage fantasy when Hikari smiled. "Actually, Toji told him to get a grip and butt out."

Of all the things Asuka could have imagined her friend saying, this wasn't even close to being one of them. "Wh-what?!" she fumbled out, thrown from her safe anger into the muddy waters of confusion. "Are you…he really said…is this a joke?! Because of it is, I'm really not in the mood for that right now!"

"No, I'm serious!" Hikari assured her friend. "He just looked at Aida and told him to give it a rest!" Smiling ruefully, the pigtailed looked off into the distance, as if she were somehow seeing her crush. "I have to admit, I wasn't expecting him to tell Kensuke off, but…"

"Are you sure we're talking about the same Toji here?!" Asuka demanded, raising an incredulous eyebrow. "The stupid Stooge who spent all his time drooling over Misato, for Gott's sake?!"

"Don't be so surprised. It's like I told you before; he might be a little rough around the edges, but he really is a nice guy," Hikari informed her. Then she heaved a weary sigh before adding, "And it's a good thing he is. Because if he hadn't told Kensuke to drop it right then and there, I'd have probably run clear out of the school, screaming all the way home!"

Instantly picturing such an occurrence, Asuka found herself reacting to it on two different levels. On the one hand, the idea of Hikari, of all people, acting in such a way was so utterly ludicrous that it was almost laughable. The second was that, with all the insanity that had overwhelmed her life recently, the 2nd Child of NERV felt that such a happening was no longer as impossible an idea of her. And that was something she didn't find to be the least bit amusing.

Not liking these thoughts that were rattling about in her mind, Asuka frowned and said, "I doubt that, but…oh, well." Shaking her head, she sat there and tried to think of anything else she could say. To keep the silence from returning.

As it turned out, it wasn't necessary for her to say anything. "Anyway, that's about it as far as my day is concerned. Unless you count making dinner and hoping I don't have to referee another argument when Dad gets back home," Hikari added, wrinkling her nose at the end. Then her face returned to normal, and sprouted a grateful smile in the process. "I'm sorry to go on like that, Asuka, but…"

"Hey!" Asuka broke in, raising her hand in negation. "I told you, it's no big deal! Okay?"

"Well, it might not be a big deal for you…but it meant a lot to me," Hikari informed her with absolute sincerity. "Thank you, Asuka. I…I really do appreciate it."

So do I, Asuka thought somberly, looking at the one face that took her at face value. So do I, Hikari…

---

"Whew. I needed that," Hikari smiled as she and Asuka exited into the night air of Tokyo-3. "Thanks again for treating."

Forcing a grin, along with an even more forced air of nonchalance, Asuka shrugged. "Hey it was a treat for me as well. I need to have something other than Japanese every now and again," she muttered. "So, see you at school tomorrow?"

"Sure thing," Hikari replied easily. "Have a nice night, Asuka!"

"Yeah, sure," Asuka returned, her smile, her entire face faltering somewhat as she threw up her hand in what was probably an attempt to wave goodbye. Instead, it quickly fell limp at her side as the German turned away and started back home. And while Hikari was truly grateful to her friend for hearing out her various gripes and concerns, she felt even more concerned now than she had before entering the restaurant.

Hikari had met Asuka very shortly after she had arrived in Tokyo-3, and had been quick to welcome her to their school and class. Having been immediately impressed by the sheer authority and confidence radiated by the redhead, she had been quick to befriend her, and was gratified when Asuka returned that friendship in kind. And so the two of them had grown closer together, and Hikari had quickly learned to read the German's moods. She could tell in an instant whether she was feeling good, or if there was something was bothering her.

In recent months, Hikari had noticed her friend's general mood slowly deteriorating. That in and of itself came as no surprise; she had heard all about when Shinji's synch ability had finally overtaken Asuka's, something she knew that the 2nd Child hadn't taken well. This, coupled with the disaster involving Toji, as well as the horrendous nature of the last few Angels and the battles fought to defeat them, and Hikari could very easily understand how these things would take their toll on anyone, even someone as strong as Asuka was.

But now, something else was wrong. Even though Asuka had ultimately refused to speak her mind, the pigtailed girl knew that she had brought them to the restaurant to do more than eat a few burgers. There was something weighing down on her mind, something that Hikari could tell that was hurting her very deeply. To the point that eating with Asuka had been very near to eating with a complete stranger.

But what? What could have happened? Hikari wondered as she started towards home. Frustrated by her utter failure to get her friend to open up to her. She seemed okay the day before yesterday…well, as okay as anybody can be after what happened with that last Angel. Suppressing a shudder as she thought about the latest monstrosity to terrorize the world, and how eager it had been to kill anything it could find, she took a moment to fight down the lingering fear she still felt from that day. So that means that something must've happened yesterday, probably while she was at the base. But…what?

To this question, Hikari found that she could not think of anything that even approached being an answer. She had heard no word of any new orders that might affect them, though as she had learned the hard way, a lot could change in a day. Certainly, there was nothing in the school gossip to hint at anything wrong. As for the only other Eva pilot at school that day, Shinji had been jubilant. Happier than she had ever seen him before. Something that certainly didn't qualify as an ill omen.

And there's another problem, Hikari grumbled inwardly. The inverse nature of the two pilots and their moods that day sending up red flags all on its own. When I saw Shinji this morning, I thought for sure that he'd confessed to Asuka, but… Frowning, the class representative thought to when she had seen Asuka come in that morning. Already planning on asking her where Shinji had taken her to for their picnic, only for those thoughts to die a quick death when she saw the morose expression worn by the German. An expression that Shinji somehow failed to notice, the smile he wore staying with him throughout the day.

It simply didn't make sense, Hikari had thought over and over again. If Shinji had confessed his feelings to Asuka and she had accepted, then she shouldn't have been so downcast. If she had refuted Shinji, then there was no way the normally morose 3rd Child could ever be so upbeat. So what does that leave me? Frowning that much more, she looked back at the day she had had. I mean, I never had a chance to ask him what he was so happy about, but the way he was acting, I was sure that he… Her train of thought slowly grinding to a halt, the pigtailed girl considered the matter again and again.

The idea that something completely random happening that inexplicably resulted in Shinji's good mood came and evaporated in short order. Hikari couldn't remember seeing him happy period, let alone glowing the way he had been. And given the timing of his sudden onset of delight, it just didn't seem feasible that it was unrelated to what the two of them had discussed. Besides, Shinji told me that there was a girl he was in love with, and that he was planning on telling her. So what else could it be?

Another possibility that made a bit more likely to Hikari was that Shinji had indeed confessed to the girl he liked. It just hadn't been Asuka he had confessed to. But that doesn't make sense, either. I mean, if it wasn't Asuka he was talking about, then who could it be? Shinji's list of school friends could be counted on one hand without even using all five fingers, sadly enough. He didn't seem at all close to any of the girls there, save for possibly herself, and she knew that he hadn't confessed to her. Which left only two possibilities; Asuka…and Rei.

Could it actually have been her Shinji's in love with? Hikari wondered, narrowing her eyes at the thought. The two of them were about the quietest people she had ever met, and both were socially withdrawn, had difficulty dealing with people. In those ways, they could feasibly become a couple. But even as Hikari thought these things, she found herself slowly discarding them. But…that doesn't make sense, either. Rei…she's been acting strangely herself. Not at all like she's in love with anyone. And after everything that's happened to her…

Frowning more and more, Hikari found that, unless she was overlooking something, then that last possibility simply didn't add up. But then…who? Who could it be?! Unsurprisingly, a divine voice failed to show up and give her the answers she wanted. Leaving her sighing in dismay as she went up to the front door of her home and inserted her key. I guess I'll just have to ask Shinji about it tomorrow. That is, if he's not on standby.

With a snort of frustration, Hikari tugged open the door of the Horaki residence and let herself in. "I'm home!"

For a moment, there was no response. But then the Horaki matriarch heard footsteps approaching, seconds before Kodama appeared before. "Hikari! Thank god you're here!"

With her heart sinking into her toes, Hikari instantly realized what this meant. She had come home just in time to deal with yet another crisis. "What is it?" she asked as her older sister marched up to her. "Kodama, what's happened? What's wrong?"

"It's Dad! He's volunteering for us to leave the city!" Kodama blurted, her face white with disbelief. "He – he doesn't even have a new job yet, and he's going to -!"

"Whoa, wait a minute!" Hikari got out. Having heard and processed just enough to know how much she wasn't going to like this, she took a step back from her distraught sibling. "Kodama, hold on! Now…just what happened?! And what's this about Dad?!"

The eldest Horaki sister took a breath and was about to speak, but it was another voice that was heard. "Hi, Hikari," came the somber voice of Tanaka Horaki. A moment later, her father appeared in the hall, and directed a sad look at his middle daughter.

"Daddy?" Hikari murmured, so quietly that she barely heard herself speaking. Looking back and forth between the two of them, she suddenly had the bad feeling that the other shoe had somehow dropped while she hadn't been looking. "What's going on here? What – what's this about…volunteering to…?"

"It's…a long story, Hikari," her father returned, who tried to muster up a smile, only to fail miserably. The Horaki patriarch looked at the two of his daughters for a time before gesturing towards the living room. "Come on, why don't we all sit down for this?"

Staring at her father, Hikari was sorely tempted to refute her father's request, and demand that he come out and say whatever it was that he had to say without pussyfooting around the subject. But as she looked at him and Kodama, saw the anxiety that clung to them both, the pigtailed girl finally relented. "Alright," she finally muttered, and without preamble, she entered the living room and seated herself. And there she waited as her father sat down opposite her, his hands clasped together so tightly that they were turning white. "So, Dad…what's this all about?" Tilting her head towards he elder sister, who was standing a short distance away, she asked, "And what did Kodama mean when you said you volunteered for us to leave Tokyo-3."

Pressing his lips together, Tanaka let his gaze drop for a moment before snapping his eyes back up at his middle daughter. "It's…it's like this, Hikari," he began tentatively. "NERV's budget is being…restructured."

"Restructured?" Hikari repeated, narrowing her eyes at her father.

Tanaka took in a breath and nodded. "Yes." And with that, he explained to Hikari the UN's new orders for NERV, and how it affected them all. With each word that was spoken, the Horaki matriarch's heart sank that much more. "And, that's it. The UN's decided that since this city's defenses haven't been very useful against the Angels, then it's better spent on the Evangelions. So the Commander has to clear out everyone who isn't 'essential' to maintaining the Evas and their systems."

"And we only have two weeks before they start?!" Hikari spat in disbelief. When her father nodded, she sank back in her seat, feeling much like a computer whose memory was completely maxed out, and was suffering a power surge as well.

For an untold period of time, Hikari sat there, struggling with everything that she had just been told, as well as the terrors that her father's words unleashed within her. Fears that she had holding back for a painfully long time now, things that she had been casually discussing with Asuka just minutes ago, had been made reality in a matter of seconds. And for the longest time, Hikari could say or do nothing. Nothing but struggle to reassert her savaged control of her own self.

Finally, after working her jaw and uttering several incoherent noises, the Horaki matriarch slowly looked at her father. "I…I don't…I can't…" she rambled, shaking her head in disbelief. Then she sat up straighter, almost in shock at how pathetic she sounded, even to herself, and instinct came to the fore. Instinct that told her that she had to remain in control of both the situation and herself, something she had had to do since her mother had passed away. "And…you…volunteered to quit? For all of us to be evacuated?" Tanaka nodded his confirmation. "And what about Nozomi? Have you…told her about this?"

"As soon as I got home, yes," Tanaka confirmed. A hint of self-recrimination shadowed his eyes at this, to which he added, "I…she didn't take it well, and…"

"Didn't take it well?! Dad, she ran up to her room and cried herself to sleep!" Kodama declared with her hands to her hips.

"She what?!" Hikari gasped in dismay. "Daddy…!"

"I know, but…there was no easy way for me to the break it to her!" Holding his hands up before him, Tanaka gave his middle daughter a woeful look. "Now, I…I know this is difficult. For all of you! But…it's what's best for us all, and -!"

"What's best for us?!" Hikari repeated, her various conflicted emotions uniting and melding into anger. "Daddy, you don't have a new job yet, let alone a new place for us to live! You're forcing us to leave everything we know behind, and you're telling me that it's best for us?!"

Taken aback by this rebuke, Tanaka's own features hardened. "Hikari, don't do this to me. You and I both know that it's become too dangerous to live here anymore! The Angels have attacked twice this month alone! At this rate, we're going to have to deal with another attack before we leave as it is!" Bringing up his hand and running it through his head, the senior Horaki looked at his daughters like they were made of gold. "And I…I refuse to lose any of you girls. I won't. I just won't."

Sighing, Hikari frowned as she studied her father. She knew perfectly well that his concerns were valid, having seen firsthand the destructive powers the Angels wielded as she and other children had cowered helplessly as one of them marched through Tokyo-3. But while she couldn't blame him for this, she had learned the hard way that her father's grasp of certain basic, day-to-day realities was somewhat lacking. "I understand, Daddy," she began as soothingly as she could. "But you still need a job, remember? What if you don't get that one you're looking at now? And even if you do, we still need a place to live! How are we going to do all of that in two weeks?!"

"I know. I know it won't be easy, Hikari, but…it's not as bad as all that," Tanaka told her in a half-hearted voice. "We've already been promised a substantial severance and unemployment package. Enough to keep us going for a while. And as for a home…well…"

"Yes?" Hikari frowned, invoking her voice of authority.

"Well…I'm sure we can find someplace to stay. At least…for a while," her father informed her.

In other words, you're making this up as you go along. Aren't you, Hikari thought unhappily, having become all too familiar with the particular tone of voice her father had just used. "Dad, that's not enough. I can't believe you'd go and make a decision like this without even telling the rest of us!" Then something clicked in her mind, and she leaned forward, looking intently at the Horaki breadwinner. "Wait…this isn't official, is it? You haven't mentioned this to your supervisor, have you?"

Pulling back like a little boy who'd been caught with his hand in the cookie jar, Tanaka frowned unhappily. "Not yet," he finally admitted. "We just got word of it today, and…the department heads said they'd be asking for people to volunteer, but…"

"Then you haven't quit yet?" Kodama asked. Before their father could say anything, she looked skyward and gasped deeply. "Whew! That's a relief!"

"A relief?! Kodama, don't you understand the kind of mess we're dealing with?!" Tanaka demanded, his features twisting with annoyance. "You, me, and everyone else in this city, we're all in danger every time one of those monsters shows up! This is no place to raise a family! It's no place for any of us! Not anymore!"

"But Dad, it's still our home!" Kodama countered. "You saw Nozomi when you told her about this! I haven't seen her like that since…since…"

Watching as his eldest daughter's face fell before a wave of unspoken sadness, at a memory too painful to give voice to, Tanaka's own anger drained away. "I know, Kodama," he murmured gently. "But think about this! By the time the evacuation's done, this city will be a ghost town! Most of our friends still here will have a left! Stores will be shut down, entire neighborhoods – I don't want you to have to live in a place like that!"

"I understand that, Daddy. But what good will moving do us if we can't even afford a home? Or food or clothing, for that matter?" Hikari told him flatly. "You know how bad the global economy is! How hard it is to find a job anywhere, even in Japan!" Watching as her father visibly deflated, the Horaki matriarch knew she had scored a valid point with him. Even in modern countries like Japan and the United States, decent jobs were hard to find, and sometimes even harder to hold on to. And with social services having suffered as well, there was no guarantee of finding financial support if worse came to the worst. Things she knew her father knew as well. "Look, I know you just want to take care of us. But flying off the handle and panicking isn't going to help anyone."

"And what do you suggest I do, Hikari?" Tanaka asked sourly. "Try and hold out here when everything's falling apart, and hope like hell it doesn't get any of you killed?!"

"No. What I'm saying is that we have to be practical about this," Hikari informed him, invoking the voice of reason. "You said you haven't told your supervisor about this? That you haven't officially volunteered for us to be moved out?" Tanaka managed a quick nod. "Then don't. At least not until after you see how this interview goes." Seeing that her father was about to raise protest, Hikari held up her hand and cut him off, determined not to give him an opening. "Even if we're supposed to have financial assistance, I'd still feel a lot better if you had a job waiting for you before you did something rash. And I think you'd feel better about it, too."

Narrowing his eyes in consideration, Tanaka pondered his daughter's words. "Maybe, but…there's no telling how long it will take before I find out if I'm hired or not," he finally returned. "And besides -!"

"And besides, we still have a little time before the evacuation's supposed to start," Hikari broke in again. "That means we still have time to look into the housing situation. See what we can find." Smiling thoughtfully, she added, "Even if you can just find an apartment, I'd rather we have some kind of plan to work with before you go and volunteer us to leave here."

His mouth popping open, Tanaka sat there, staring blankly at his daughter. Neither of them knew how long they gazed at each other. All they knew was that, at last, the elder Horaki smiled and sat back. "You're right, Hikari," he intoned, giving himself a weary thump on the head as he spoke. "You're absolutely right. No use in going off half-cocked like that. Let's get everything squared away first."

"Right. Good idea," Kodama agreed. Then she narrowed an eye at their father and added, "And it would have been an even better idea if you'd have thought of that before hitting me and Nozomi with this!"

"Heh. I guess it would have, wouldn't it?" Tanaka admitted, sighing a sigh that was much like a tire deflating. "Alright, then. I guess the first order of business is to see if we can cheer Nozomi up. And then…well, I guess we'll see what we'll see. Won't we?"

"Yeah. We will," Hikari smiled, gratified beyond belief that her family's crisis had been averted, at least for the time being. That her father would be busy with preparations, his thoughts away from his worries. Already hoping beyond hope that her father failed in his search, that they wouldn't be forced to abandon their home. And wishing not for the first time that she wasn't the matriarch of this family. That she could curl up in her room like Nozomi and let others worry about comforting her.

I do understand why you're doing this, Daddy, Hikari thought sadly. Knowing that the day when the last Angel fell in defeat could not come soon enough for her or her family. But this is still our home. And I don't want to lose that. Not after everything we've had to do in order to keep it together as it is.

---

"I hate this," Misato muttered darkly as she sat in her office at NERV. Wishing not for the first time that her position of Operations Director allowed her the luxury of pushing some of her uglier duties on someone else. All the while knowing that this was one duty that she couldn't shirk. Not if she wanted to be able to look herself in the mirror.

"I know," Ritsuko agreed. Looking over at her friend, Misato looked at a woman who had appeared to have aged ten years between yesterday and that morning. Her features were seamed and line with pain that could not be conveyed with words. With guilt that was all too plain to see, she met the Major's gaze. "So…Toji's father is supposed to bring him in?"

Nodding, Misato frowned as her insides knotted up. Thinking of the private meeting Gendo had summoned her to after the general meeting with the department heads, where he had given her orders regarding Shinji's friend. That he wanted Toji back under NERV's control, no matter what it took to get him there. "I brought Mr. Suzuhara in here yesterday, and told him that we needed to talk with the both of them."

"Did you say anything else?" Ritsuko wondered. "Did you tell him about…?"

"No. I just told him that he was to bring Toji here this morning, and that was that. I didn't say anything else about it," Misato admitted with more than a hint of shame. "I…I wasn't sure how he'd react, or what he'd do or say or…" Trailing off despondently, the Major lowered her eyes. "To be honest…I didn't want to have give them the bad news one at a time. I…I'm not sure if I could…"

"Misato, I told you that I'd explain it to them," Ritsuko stated firmly. With a more tired and annoyed voice, she added, "And I would have explained it to Shinji…if you'd given me a chance."

"I know, I know," Misato returned, recalling the brief conversation that had taken place when they had run into Ritsuko that morning. How she had been ready to explain everything to Shinji, only to discover that the 3rd Child had already learned of his father's machinations. "But…that was something I had to do, Rits. After what happened last time, I…I had to be the one to tell Shinji. I just…had to."

Ritsuko continued to look at her friend, until finally her own guilt became too much for her to bear up under. "I know what you mean," she muttered woefully. "And…at least Toji will have someone to…to talk to, right?"

"That was the idea," Misato agreed, her words empty of heart. Twisting her left wrist so she could look at her watch, the purple-haired woman frowned. "Ugh…it's almost 9:30! They should've been here by now!"

A disgruntled noise slipped past Ritsuko's lips at this. "I know," she muttered. Her tone making it clear that, as much as she was dreading this, there was nothing more that she wanted than to get this evil chore over and done with. If for no other reason than to end this suffocating anticipation.

Nodding, Misato then raised an inquisitive eyebrow at her friend. "Just out of curiosity…how well do you know Mr. Suzuhara?"

"Not very well, I'm afraid," Ritsuko confessed ruefully. "Aside from the party, about the only times I've ever seen him was when he'd visit Rika or when I met with him and Toji. To see if he'd be open to us trying to regenerate his arm and leg." The faux-blonde's features tightened a bit at this mentioning. "Speaking of which, I'm going to have to take his casts off soon. Especially if…"

Misato nodded in a knowing fashion. "Yeah," she agreed unhappily. "By the way, how long will it take to get those things off, anyway?"

"Not long. I'd just need a few minutes to remove the outer shell and disassemble the inner workings," Ritsuko returned. Numbers and calculations streaming across her face, she finally replied. "I'd say…ten minutes. Fifteen at the most." Then she frowned and added, "In fact, I…I could take them off right after this meeting, if that's what you're asking."

"Well, it might be a good idea," Misato decided. "If Toji...when he comes back…he's probably going to need a little time to get used to not wearing his casts. And…"

"I know, I know. You're right," Ritsuko nodded absently, as if she didn't want to be bothered with such things. "I'll bring him over to NERV Medical after we're done here. If…he wants to, that is." Then she glanced at the Major out of the corner of her eyes. "What about you?"

Surprise sounding in her throat, Misato asked, "What about me?"

"Mr. Suzuhara," Ritsuko returned, leaving Misato even more confused. "You asked me how well I knew him?" The Major gave a tiny nod to this. "Well, what about you?"

"Me?" Several seconds of silence passed as Misato considered this question. A silence that she hated. "Well…I think I've seen him in the cafés once or twice, but…since he's not in my department, I've never really had a chance to sit down and chat with him." Lowering her eyes, the Major frowned that much more as her own words caused greater guilt to rise up inside of her. "You know, after what happened with Unit 03, I was going to make an appointment with him. Try to…apologize for what happened to his son. But…then the 14th Angel appeared. And then Shinji…"

"Yeah," Ritsuko nodded somberly. "There never seems to be enough time for anything around here."

Even as these words were said, Misato found herself frowning. It wasn't so much time that she had been lacking. It had been strength, both emotional and spiritual, that had kept her from doing what needed to be done. Along with the loss of one person, precious beyond belief to her, that had left her unable to do what needed to be done.

Thinking not for the first time that she could never thank him enough for saying those three precious words to her, Misato was brought back to the moment when there was beeping sound at the door of her office. Momentarily startled, the Major sat up straighter and looked over at Ritsuko. The doctor gave Misato a look, and within a moment, the expressions of both women tightened up, eliminating all external emotion. It was time.

"Come in," Misato spoke in a flat, cold voice. One that she had cultivated in her time as Operations Director, to help keep others at arm's length. A moment later, her office door slid open, revealing two figures on the other side. Figures that were so alike in appearance that it was impossible to miss the fact that they were related.

"Hey, Misato!" Toji spoke as he led the way in, smiling somewhat as he looked at Major. Then his eyes shifted somewhat, and his smile broadened. "Doc! I wasn't expecting to see you here!"

"Hello, Toji," Ritsuko smiled, her words not quite covering the worn, tired voice with which they were spoken.

While Toji made his way towards the two NERV officials, the elder Suzuhara smiled wearily at his son's exuberance. "Major Katsuragi," he began, looking up at the purple-haired woman. "I…apologize for being late."

"It's okay," Misato returned, waving aside his concerns. "Please, sit down, you two." Then several tons of solid granite settled down upon her shoulders, leaving the Major wishing she could allow herself to collapse beneath their weight. "I have something…important to discuss with you."

Mr. Suzuhara nodded to this, while his son tilted his head to the side before shrugging. "Well, okay. Sure," he said as he strode to the front of Misato's desk. Flopping down into the seat, he looked up at his father, who did so in a more reserved manner. "So…what's this about, anyway?"

Watching as his soon looked about the adults there, Mr. Suzuhara frowned and looked Misato straight in the eye. "I'd like to know that as well, son," he spoke, still using the same quiet, reserved voice. What he left unsaid saying a great deal more than what he did say.

Frowning, Misato studied the elder Suzuhara, wishing that she'd found the time to talk with him now more than ever. While she was fairly skilled at reading people, Toji's father was proving difficult to get a feel for, with both his words and mannerisms giving her little to work with. And thus leaving her without any idea as to how best to handle this meeting.

Which means I have only one choice; wing it and hope like hell I don't crash, Misato realized to her displeasure. Realizing this, and knowing that stalling could only make things worse, she took a deep breath and began as best as she knew. "Alright," she started, hoping that getting at least one word out would make the rest easier to speak. "Toji, I'm…I'm sure you've noticed that the…the Angels have been attacking more frequently in the past couple months, right?"

"Boy, I'll say!" Toji agreed in a loud voice. "The whole school's been talking about it!" Then the jock settled down somewhat, and looked from Misato to Ritsuko and back. "But…what's that have to do with me?"

"A lot," Misato told him. "Because of all these attacks, both the UN and the Commander have been implementing some changes here." Waiting a moment, she then took a moment to shift tracks. "Now, I'm sure your father has told you about the new budget restrictions placed on us."

"Yeah, he did," Toji confirmed, sporting a slight frown as he once again looked over at his father. When he once again failed to say anything on the matter, he turned back to the NERV officials. "So, what? You're not saying that we're…?"

"No. That's not it, Toji," Ritsuko broke in before the Major could speak. When Misato looked over at her friend, the Head Scientist returned with a look of her own. A look that harkened back to their time back in college. "However, the fact remains that we've had to make some…very hard choices in recent times. And he's…given us very specific orders about how we're to deal with the situation." A crack in Ritsuko's emotional shell appeared just then, and through it regret was plainly visible. "And this is one of them."

His mouth popping open, Toji sat there as a sound of confusion echoed in his throat. "Huh?"

"I see," murmured Mr. Suzuhara, using that same quiet voice. Surprised by this, all three of them turned to look at him, and were met with his unassuming gaze. "This is about Unit 03, isn't it?"

Now you decide to open your mouth?! Misato cried out in the confines of her mind. Looking from the father to the son, silently wishing that they had more in common than just their general appearance. And just when did you hear about that, anyway?! Sure, it's not like it was exactly top secret, but come on! Can't you at least give us a chance to try and break it to the kid easily?!

Meanwhile, the boy in question was wearing a look of consummate confusion. "Huh?!" Toji squeaked out, looking at his father like he had ripped off his own face and revealed himself to be PenPen wearing an exceedingly cunning disguise. "Wait…what's my Eva have to do with this?!" Turning back to the women, he looked at them with eyes demanding answers. "What's this all about, anyway?!"

"I…" Ritsuko began, looking every bit the picture of scientific coolness and composure. A look that lasted for about a moment before it fell. The doctor screwed her eyes shut, clenching her fists as if she trying to wrestle her emotional control back into place. Then, without further ado, she looked the boy hard in the eyes. "Unit 03…has been repaired, Toji," she forced out with obvious effort. "And the Commander…wants you back as its pilot."

As those words hung in the air and slowly floated down upon them, they triggered a change in both Suzuharas. Toji's already stunned expression expanded into a picture of even deeper shock, his mouth opening and closing over and over again as he looked dumbstruck at Ritsuko. Meanwhile, his father reacted in just the opposite manner; his features tightened, his eyes narrowed. Whatever layers of shielding he kept in place to hide his thoughts and feelings from the world intensifying with each passing second. With only his eyes saying anything to Misato.

They said they had seen this coming.

"Wh-wh-wha…?!" Toji began, only to give a quick shake of his head. When he once again looked at Misato, he looked at her with a look of cocky annoyance. "Wait…is this some kinda joke? Because, if it is, then I have to tell you, it sure isn't funny!"

"Believe me, I wish we were joking," Misato assured him, her words so heavy she was barely able to force them out her lips.

Once again, astonishment and confusion plastered themselves on Toji's face. "But…you have to be!" he got out. "I mean…I saw that thing! I saw it! And there was nothing left of it! I mean, nothing! You couldn't possibly have put it back together!" The younger Suzuhara looked from face to face, waiting for someone to confirm this, and was again met with silence. "I mean…you couldn't have…could you?"

It was an expression of pure astonishment. Of shock and surprise and painful memories that had not faded away. Memories that would likely plague Toji for the rest of his life. And it was an expression that sent even more guilt to spill over Misato's heart, cracking it that much more. And as the Major turned to look over at Ritsuko, she found that the doctor's eyes mirrored her own feelings of horror.

"I'm afraid that this isn't a joke, Toji. Unit 03 is almost fully operational," Ritsuko told him in a voice that was scientific composure laced with guilt. She then went into a brief description of the things she and her people had done to make the shattered Evangelion operational once more, as well as the many changes they had been forced to make to its design. "And…that's why we asked your father to bring you in today. To tell you that…the Commander…he wants you back to pilot it."

Blinking a few times, Toji again scanned the faces around him. "Then…this is real…isn't it?" he muttered, as if needing to prove it to himself.

"Yes, Toji," Ritsuko confirmed. "I'm…afraid it is."

Slowly shaking his head, Toji seemed to be visibly wrestling with this idea for a while. "I…" he got out, one of the few coherent utterances to escape his lips as he struggled with his shock and whatever horrors he had faced after nearly being killed by Unit 01. "But…I don't get it! Why does NERV want me back?! Why me again?!"

"Because…you've already received basic training for piloting an Eva, Toji. It wouldn't take as long to fully train you, as it would someone who's never been in an Eva before," Ritsuko explained as gently as she could. Plainly hoping that this would be all that she would need to say.

The two Suzuharas sat there in silence for a time, clearly considering this, until the elder of the two asked, "And that's it? That's the only reason?"

Hissing at this, Ritsuko lowered her eyes somewhat. "Toji, I…I understand why you wouldn't want to pilot again. Not after everything that's happened," she told him earnestly. "And you have to believe that I…we wouldn't have even asked you to do this if the Commander hadn't ordered us to. But…"

As soon as Ritsuko said the word 'Commander', Toji hissed, his entire body tensing up, causing the doctor to fall silent. A moment later, his face fell as he muttered shakily, "I – I see, Doc." Probably not even aware that the fingers of his left hand were clenching and unclenching, their protective shell grinding ever so slightly as he did so. "You and…Misato-sama…you're just…doing your jobs, right?" Looking down at his restored limb, the former 4th Child seemed to grimace at everything that it meant. "Still…I just can't believe it. That it…my Eva…" Sucking in a deep breath, Toji once again looked up at the NERV officials. "You…really were able to…?"

"Yes," Ritsuko confirmed with a smile that barely even touched her face. She looked about ready to say something else, but then stopped when Toji matched her expression with a wan smile of his one.

"Damn…" he muttered in a distracted fashion. "I knew you could cook, but this…" Snorting lightly, Toji then focused on the faux-blonde. "Can…I see it…?"

Of all the things Misato could have imagined Toji asking, this had not been one of them. And judging by the surprised squeak that came from Ritsuko's direction, it was clear that she felt similarly. The two of them looked up, their eyes meeting and reflecting each other's perplexity. "Uh…" Ritsuko sputtered as she looked back at Toji. "Well…sure. I don't see why not."

"Then…okay," Toji spoke shakily. "Then…could you show me?"

"Uh…okay," Ritsuko returned numbly. She and Misato once again locked gazes, and knew from their respective glances that each was as confused as the other. But eventually, the doctor got to her feet, and made her way over to Toji. "If you two will…follow me, then…"

"Actually, why don't you two go ahead?" Mr. Suzuhara spoke up. Taken aback for what felt like the umpteenth time that day, Misato stared at Toji's father as he gestured at her. "There's a few things I'd like to discuss with Major Katsuragi."

His brows knotting up, Toji sputtered out, "Well…Dad, if you want to talk with Misato-sama, then we could wait for you, and…"

"No, no, that's okay. It won't take long," Mr. Suzuhara assured his son. "Besides, I'm sure the Major would happy to show me the way once we're done. Or at least point me in the right direction." Fixing Misato with his gaze, he smiled sadly at her. "Would you, Major?"

Raising a purple eyebrow at the elder Suzuhara, Misato couldn't help but wonder what was going through his mind, what he was trying to do there. But within moments, she frowned and decided that there was only one sure way to find out what that was. "Sure. No problem," she assured him. "You two go on ahead. We'll catch up as soon as possible."

"Well…okay, then," Toji eventually answered, darting glances at his father. Then he turned to Ritsuko and shrugged. "Lead the way, Doc."

"Right," Ritsuko returned. Looking helplessly at both her friend and the boy's father as she led Toji out of the office.

It wasn't until the door had closed behind the two of them that Misato spoke again. "Alright, Mr. Suzuhara," she began carefully. "What was it that you wanted to discuss?"

"Just a few things. About my family. About my son," Mr. Suzuhara told her, still using that same tone of voice. "Like for example…how my daughter Rika got hurt when the 3rd Angel attacked."

Pursing her lips at this, Misato considered this statement very carefully. On the one hand, she didn't see what this had to do with anything, let alone Toji's current situation. But on the other hand, she didn't feel as if she had the right to say anything of that nature, and in any case, after everything that had happened to this man's family as a result of NERV, she certainly owed him the chance to speak his mind. Especially after her own inattentiveness.

"Rika…she's always loved to roam about in open spaces. Hates to be cooped up for any reason, even for her own good," Mr. Suzuhara explained, his eyes taking the faraway look of a person drifting on the winds of better times, and pleasant memories. "So when the evacuation was ordered, and everyone was all…bottled up down there…poor little thing simply couldn't stand it. So she…snuck out while Toji wasn't looking." Giving a light snort, he frowned as a moment of ugliness relived itself in his mind. "None of knew what was coming, of course. We'd heard about the Angels, how powerful and destructive they were. Heard the evidence, even saw news reports when the 3rd Angel first appeared. But…none of us really knew just how bad things could get. Not until…it was too late."

"I know," Misato murmured, sympathy welling up for the man and having to deal with what happened that day. "I'm sorry about Rika, and Toji. But…"

"No, don't worry. I don't blame you. Or Shinji, for that matter. And while Toji roughed him up that one day, I know it wasn't him that he blamed for Rika," Mr. Suzuhara assured her. "I can't tell you the number of nights I watched Toji beat himself up for that one night. Muttering to himself that he should have kept a closer eye on her. Wished that we could get here the medical care she needed."

Which was why Toji had become a pilot in the first place, Misato knew. Because it was the only way that they could ever afford to get Rika the treatment she needed in order to be able to walk again. "Mr. Suzuhara…"

"Now, the reason I'm telling you all of this is because I want you to understand the kind of boy Toji is," the father broke in, holding up his hand in negation. "He may be a hothead at times, and sometimes he thinks with his hormones more than he should – of course, being a teenager, I suppose that's to be expected." Chuckling at this mild bit of humor, Mr. Suzuhara sat back in his seat. "But he does care about people. Even those he might not be too fond of. And you better believe that, when someone he cares for is in trouble, he'll do whatever he can in order to help them out."

"I…appreciate that, sir," Misato spoke, furrowing her brow. "But…what does that have to do with…?"

"I just wanted you to know what kind of person my son, Major. And that when he signs up to pilot that damned monster of yours again, it won't just because he wants to protect Rika or help her get better," Mr. Suzuhara explained sadly. "It'll be because there are plenty of other people in his life that he'll want to protect as well."

Again, Misato was ready to ask what this had to do with anything. But even as her lips parted open, lightning exploded in her mind, and in its wake, left clarity. Understanding. And worst of all…shame. "Then…you know."

"I suspected," Mr. Suzuhara amended. "And I'm sure Toji will figure it out without anyone having to tell him. Least of all Dr. Akagi."

Leaning closer to Mr. Suzuhara, Misato couldn't help but ask, "When did you…realize that…?"

"Oh, it wasn't hard to figure out. Not considering the kind of man the Commander is," Mr. Suzuhara told her. Narrowing an eye, he then explained, "I was there, you know. When Shinji first piloted Unit 01. I remember how his father got him to get inside that monster. And then when I saw the way you and Dr. Akagi were acting, I…" Trailing off, he then gave a sour snort, one incapable of conveying the anger he clearly felt. "It was pretty easy to figure out that, if the Commander did that to his own son, he'd be more than happy to do it to mine. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to realize that."

Nodding as she did her best to keep her tears at bay, Misato seconded with, "You sure don't."

"You know, when Toji and I signed the paperwork before he first piloted that monster, we looked it over very carefully. We read the part that said that he would have to fulfill his duties as a pilot before Rika would get any treatment. And I didn't try to stop him, because I knew it was her only chance to be able to walk again. To be the way she was…before." Sniffing sadly, he slowly shook his head as memories once again unfolded before his eyes. "That day Toji first came home from NERV Medical, even though he had those casts on, I was counting my blessings. I know it might seem strange, but that's what I was doing." Looking up at Misato, the elder Suzuhara's eyes told her that he was aware of the deep pit of guilt that was forming in her stomach. "Rika was alive, and she'd be able to walk again in a few months' time. Toji had survived that battle, and he'd be back to his old self as well. And best of all, nobody could force him to pilot that damned monster again. To make up for something that wasn't his fault to begin with."

Misato wanted nothing more than to cry when Mr. Suzuhara concluded, "But it looks like I have one less blessing to count tonight. Doesn't it."

Nodding, shame trying to wash down her face, Misato found that she could only say two words. "I'm sorry."

"So am I, Major," Mr. Suzuhara assured her. "So am I."

---

As Toji followed NERV's resident mad scientist through its twisted labyrinth of hallways, he was going through the very thought process that his father was certain that he would.

In the days since Toji had befriended Shinji, he had talked with the morose 3rd Child many times, and about many things. They had discussed Shinji's life before coming to Tokyo-3, about Toji's family and his own life. They had talked about girls and school and many things that normal boys their age would talk about. And they had also talked about other things. Sensitive things that were painful for the both of them, but needed to be said, just the same. And one of those things Toji had wound up bringing up had been something his father had told him. About why an inexperienced, untrained boy who didn't have the slightest clue how to pilot had wound up commanding the monster that had been at least partly responsible for Rika being hurt in the first place.

In a way, it had been this, more than anything else, that had led to Toji befriending the socially inept 3rd Child; not just seeing how difficult it was to pilot an Eva in the heat of battle, but also the guilt of blaming him for a situation that his father had put him in. Granted, having an excuse to pal around with beautiful women like Misato had something to do with this as well, but that had been more like the icing, rather than the cake. And that someone would have to grow up under the shadow of such a monster…

Toji had been somewhat suspicious when his father had told him that Misato was ordering him to be brought to NERV, but had eventually dismissed those thoughts. After all, there were probably other reasons for him to be wanted there, such as getting his casts removed, or perhaps something else. Besides, Toji had never been one to object to the idea of missing school when he could get away with it. The idea that he was being brought back to pilot never once occurred to him.

But that's why I'm back here, Toji thought, confusion and bitterness and a horde of other emotions swirling about inside of him like a swarm of angry hornets. They brought that monster back from the dead, and now…

Frowning pensively, Toji looked up at Dr. Akagi. The sole reason that either he or his sister had recovered to the extent that they had. "Say, Doc." Startled by the unexpected break in the silence that had shrouded them, NERV's Head Scientist turned her sad, green eyes towards him. "When this is over…any chance we can stop by and visit my sister?"

Blinking her eyes a few times as she took in this statement, Ritsuko then managed a brief smile. "Of course. I don't see why not," she decided. "Besides, I…I'd like to drop by on her as well."

Nodding at this, Toji then asked, "Been kind of busy, huh?"

"Yeah," Ritsuko answered, that single word falling like an anvil. "Between the rest of my work, and…well…" Her eyes saying the things that her voice had failed to, the doctor very nearly bit down on her lip. "It doesn't leave me as much time as…I'd like, sometimes."

Snorting a bit of laughter, Toji returned, "I bet. This whole place would probably fall apart without your big brains to keep it going."

A light chuckle sounded in Ritsuko's throat at this. "Well…I wouldn't go quite that far," the doctor told him. "But it's nice that someone thinks so highly of my work."

"How could I not think highly of it? About half of my body is your work, Doc!" Toji cracked, his tone making it very clear that he was trying to make a joke about it. But when he realized that he had completely failed to generate any form of laughter from Ritsuko a second time, his urge to make light of things completely died. "Uh, so…uh…" he began again, trying to think of something else to fill the silence. "Well, that is, I…"

"No, it's okay. I…" Ritsuko fumbled, trying to say something consoling. And failing as badly as Toji had.

"Uh, right. I…" Toji tried again, trying to force his brain to cough up something brilliantly clever to say that would erase his earlier blunder from existence. When his brain was ultimately forced to wave the white flag of surrender, he sighed and decided to try and think of something else. "So…you said you had to…make a few changes to the Eva?"

Nodding shakily, Ritsuko answered, "Yes. We were using components from two abandoned Evas, as well as some new, experimental equipment. So we…had to be creative about how we put everything together."

"I'll bet," Toji decided, thinking about the collection of scrap and organic bits and pieces that he had seen smeared around. Things that had once been an actual Evangelion. "You know, I…I'm still having a hard time believing it. That you…that you were able to put that thing back together again." Cocking his head to the side, the jock then made a glib comment. "I mean, sure, you have a lot more to work with than all the king's horses and all the king's men, here, but…"

This time, his words were successful in generating another bit of tittering from the doctor. "That's true," Ritsuko admitted. Then she gave the boy a sad sort of smile. "Of course, an Eva is a lot harder to break than an egg is."

Nodding to this, Toji needed a moment to think of something else to say. "And this…experimental stuff you put on it," he finally began. "What kind of gear is it, anyway?"

"It'd probably be easier for me to show you, than to just tell you about it," Ritsuko answered immediately. "And speaking of which…" The doctor paused, her gaze fixed on the door that stood right before them.

"So…this is it, huh?" Toji asked, looking at the door and feeling as if he was about to beard the proverbial lion in his den. His heart pounding that much more as he thought about what lay on the other end. And the memories that went with it.

While his body had been successfully restored to the way it had been before it had been crushed within Unit 03's Entry Plug, Toji knew that he was not the same person he had been before that horrible day. The memories, even nightmares of his brush with death, had not gone away when his limbs had been regenerated. Nor had the fear, the knowledge that, if placed in such a situation again, he might not be so lucky. And those fears were begging him not to go through that door. Everything that he had been told that morning, everything that morning, had been nothing but words so far. And words couldn't hurt him. But what was beyond that door was far worse than words.

It was reality. It was the confirmation of everything that he had been told. That he would have to fight once more in order for his sister to have her own life back. Because, as much as he didn't want to think of it, he knew that Commander Ikari would not have ordered him to be brought there that day if he intended to give Toji the option to say no.

Unsure of how much time passed as he just stood there, staring at the door like an idiot, Toji soon found himself growing annoyed with his own cowardice. Aw, dammit, what am I doing, standing around here like this?! he growled, wishing it were physically possible to give himself a swift kick in the butt. It's not like that damned thing is going to magically disappear while I'm dicking around out here!

Snorting in disgust, his hands clenching into fists, Toji screwed his eyes shut and tried to shove his fears back in whatever stupid portion of his mind they had been hiding in. He reminded himself that he wouldn't be any safer from the Angels if he were hiding in bed, or even if they moved away from Tokyo-3. He recalled all the things he had learned when he had first became the 4th Child, like the fact that one loss to the Angel could be all it took to trigger a Third Impact and doom all humanity. And he tried to tell himself that, having been burned by the possessive 13th Angel, that NERV would be on the alert for a creature similar to that. And most of all, he remembered that moment when he made himself bait for an Angel when he had no Eva to protect him. That if he had survived that encounter, he could survive an Eva battle as well.

But none of that mattered to his fears. All they knew that he had been mutilated, nearly killed, and that it could very well happen again. And so they were quick to respond to his mental challenge by conjuring up a horde of worst-case scenarios which flashed through his mind in rapid succession, with each and every one of them ending with him suffering an ever-more graphic demise. Never mind what Rika, his father, his friends and everyone else would go through afterwards, with everything from a tearful funeral to the entire planet exploding being listed, and a few other things in between.

Hating himself and wishing there was some way to rip out the portion of his brain that insisted on generating these images, Toji continued to stand there, gnashing his teeth in frustration. Until he was startled from this world of mental horrors by a voice asking, "Are you ready, Toji?"

"Huh?" Looking up and about for the source of the voice, Toji realized that Ritsuko was standing next to the door, her hand on the control that would open it, and leaving him with nothing between himself and what he feared. And with a heavy sigh, he realized that there was no way out of this.

C'mon, Toji, you idiot! Get with the program! You're gonna have to deal with this sooner or later! he shrilled at himself. That's why you wanted to see the damned Eva in the first place, right? To pound it into that thick skull of yours that this isn't a joke! So come on and get it over with already! His fear refused to ease, filling his throat with bile. The former Child's lips clamped harshly in place, constricted as if by the monstrous hand of Unit 01 itself. His hateful fears refused to allow him the chance to utter a single word.

Which was why, at last, Toji forced his head down, then back up again. Managing a single, simple nod.

"Okay," Ritsuko returned, her voice barely above a hushed whisper. A moment later, she clicked a switch, and machinery sounded as the metal doors parted for them. Revealing a well lit area, in which Toji could see several technicians and other people moving about. And somewhere in back, just out of sight…he was aware of something else waiting.

Fear still twisting about in his mind, as well as his stomach, Toji glanced over at the doctor, who remained next to the door. Ritsuko looked at the boy for a moment before nodding at him, the corner of her lip curling up the tiniest bit. With this, Toji realized that there was now no going back. Not that there really was, anyway, he grumbled as his suspicions and the dismal mood of both Ritsuko and Misato returned to the fore of his mind. With one last look at the doctor and imagining himself giving his fears a well-deserved kick right where they lived, Toji managed to force one foot forward, and then the next. Until at last he had passed through the door, took a quick look about at the people working there…and felt his jaw clatter to the floor.

His eyes bulging to take in the view before him, Toji felt his entire body, everything from his feet to his brain, go completely numb on him. His strength drained completely from his limbs, and his metal casts felt absurdly heavy as they threatened to pull him off balance. All of this caused by the sight of the metallic titan that stood before him, still in its holding gantry.

"It's all right, everyone," Ritsuko called out as she walked up beside him, the sound of her voice managing to fire up a few of his neurons. "He's authorized personnel. Just go on about your duties." His brain still not functioning at full capacity, Toji dimly realized that she was talking to the people there. But even as he realized this, he dismissed this fact as meaningless. The only thing that mattered at that time was the monster that they had brought back from the dead.

Before, Unit 03 had been a dark blue, and it's overall configuration had been reminiscent of Unit 01, except that it lacked a horn and had seemed less powerful, less bestial than the infamous berserker. But other than that, there had been nothing special about the Eva that had been brought there from America.

But the Evangelion that towered before him and made him feel like an insignificant little gnat bore almost no resemblance to the being that had been effortlessly crushed by Unit 01. Its armor was still mostly a dark blue, but was now thicker in places, as well as sleeker, more streamlined, and bore sharp, golden protrusions about the shoulders, sides, lower legs, and the sides of the head. The knees were oddly structured, almost like a wolf standing on its hind legs. The Eva's head added to this lupine air, being narrower and more feral, and now bore a horn of its own. But whereas Unit 01's horn was the same purple as the rest of, Unit 03's horn was golden, and was shaped like the blade of a thick knife.

As Toji continued to study the Eva, he saw that this wasn't the only cutting edge it now possessed. Three thick golden claws were folded up against each forearm, looking as if they were anxious to spring forward and slash apart anything that moved. Then he saw four much longer blades, mounted on mechanical arms that protruded from the back, and were folded in line with the towering pylons above each shoulder.

"Damn, Doc…" Toji finally got out when his capability for speech returned. "I knew you could cook, but…"

"As you can see, we've had to heavily modify Unit 03's original design in order to compensate for the new components," Ritsuko told him, all business as she spoke. "It is now equipped with six progressive claws, as well four progressive blades which are permanently mounted on a series of free-mobile arms, and thus can strike in any direction. We've also fitted it with two high-output ion boosters on the back, as well as four hip- and shoulder-mounted boosters."

"Ion boosters…?" Toji asked as his brain slowly got back up to full speed. Shifting about, he studied the Eva more closely, and sure enough, he spotted what only could be highly advanced thrusters mounted on the Eva's back, as well as the other spots mentioned. Giving the doctor a querulous look, he gaped in surprise. "Wait…are you telling me that…this thing can fly?!"

"No. Not as it is," Ritsuko returned, using that same sad, all-business voice. "While it has the power required, we decided that permanently integrating wings into its design would unnecessarily restrict the blades. And given that the majority of the Angels have been land-based, flight would seem to be largely unnecessary." Then she looked at Toji and added, "Though, with the proper equipment and enhancements, the ion boosters are certainly powerful enough for sustained flight." Looking back up at the Eva, she gestured at the numerous blades gracing its form. "More importantly, thanks to the boosters, Unit 03 will now have unparalleled speed and maneuverability. Also, the blades on its back, as well as the one on its head, will help increase its stability and turning ability, as well as making it extremely formidable in close-range combat."

"Yeah, I bet," Toji muttered, still numb with shock. "I hate to say it, but I'm sure glad this thing didn't have all this gear before." Then he narrowed an eye and looked perplexedly at Ritsuko. "But…how the heck am I supposed to control all those blades? I mean, I know how an Eva works, and this -!"

"We've already designed a new plug suit with special synaptic transceivers. One specially designed to work with Unit 03," Ritsuko informed him. "With a little training, you'll be able to control those blades as easily as you would any other part of the Eva. Like it was a part of you."

Doing his best to process this information, and ultimately deciding that was one of those things he would have an easier time understanding when he actually got around to doing it, Toji decided to switch subjects. "So, okay then. In that case…when do I start training?"

The moment this question was asked, Toji received another surprise that day. The emotional shielding that Ritsuko had been wearing since he had first seen her this morning cracked. And it wasn't a minor crack; pain and guilt tugged at every corner of her face, and she averted her eyes, as if she were ashamed to even look at him. "I…" the doctor began, the emotional control she had over her voice wavering as well. "Well…first we'd have to take off your casts, but…we can do that today, if you wanted. And then we'd have to make sure the new plug suit fit you properly, so…"

"Okay," Toji nodded. "Then how about we do that before we drop by Rika's room? I'm sure she'd be happy to see me out of these things." Then he looked down at the metal sheathes still protecting his arm and leg, and gave a rueful grin. "Though…to be honest, I've kinda gotten used to them by now. And they sure came in handy when that last Angel showed up."

"So I…so I understand," Ritsuko told him gingerly, greater guilt playing about her face. "Toji, I…I realize this can't be…easy for you, but…there's something else you should know." voice becoming heavier with each word she spoke, the doctor's eyes seemed to quake as she gathered herself up to go on. "The Commander, he…he made it very clear that he wants you back at NERV, and…"

"Yeah. I kinda figured that out, Doc," Toji nodded before looking back up at the reborn monster. "But…that's okay."

Her body straightening in surprise, the doctor looked querulously at the boy before her. "Okay? Toji, how can you say something like that?"

"Because…well…" Snorting somewhat, Toji found himself wishing that he was as quick and effective with his words as he was with his fists. "It's not like this was your idea, right? I mean, you did this, but he was the one ordered this, right?" Turning to look Ritsuko in the eyes, to see the turmoil behind them, and was instantly certain that his suspicions were correct. "And if he had you go to all this trouble, then…well…I already know how well he takes 'no' for an answer."

Despite his effort to be cool about his response, the way Ritsuko took a step back, clearly stricken by his words, made it clear that Toji had not been nearly as successful in his effort to be gentle than he would have liked. "I…I see," the doctor sputtered out, her eyes taking on a distinctive sheen. "Toji, I…I never wanted…"

"Yeah," Toji returned with a brief nod. "So…any idea how much longer Rika will need to stay at NERV Medical?"

Visibly wincing at this, the doctor the let her gaze fall to the floor. She looked as if someone had deposited several tons of granite on her shoulders. "Once the spinal restoration is complete, she'll need to spend some time in physical therapy. She'll…need some time to adjust to the new nerve connections, and we'll have to make sure that there aren't any complications or problems before we release her. Hopefully, that won't take much more than two, three months." Then she looked up at Toji, barely able to meet his eyes. "I…should be able to arrange for the procedure to take place by the end of the week…now that you're back."

Nodding slightly at this, Toji replied, "I see. Thanks, Doc."

"For what?" Ritsuko asked, looking genuinely perplexed by this.

"For taking care of Rika. For getting me back on me feet," Toji told her, meaning every word of it. And then, with a somewhat sadder voice, he added, "And…for being straight with me about this whole deal."

This time, Ritsuko did more than wince. Her entire face creased with shame and misery, her eyes growing moist with pain. "Toji, I…I'm sorry about this. I…I never wanted you or Rika, or…I…"

"Look, it's not your fault that the Commander's an asshole, Doc!" Toji told her in a glib fashion. Then he gave a look at Unit 03, doing his best to suppress the urge to shudder. "Besides, if it helps Rika…I guess I can put up with that thing again." Ritsuko looked ready to say something at this, but before she could do more than open her mouth, they both heard the door sliding open and turned to look. And then they saw Misato, his father, and Shinji enter the room. Completely mindless of the people going about their duties, they approached the two of them, each wearing looks of sadness and sympathy.

"Hi, Toji," Shinji murmured somberly as he came up to his friend.

"Shin-man," Toji returned, wishing that he didn't sound nearly so drained as he did.

The 3rd Child fidgeted about for a moment or so, looking as if his plug suit was a couple sizes too tight. "I…Misato told me about…what Father's doing, and…"

"Yeah," Toji nodded. Then he forced the kind of dumb jock smile that people associated with him in place. "Well, it's not like I can blame you for your father being such a bastard, can I?" Watching as a sad smile played itself across Shinji's face, he then turned towards the Operations Director. "Misato."

"Yes, Toji?" she asked, not at all the impish woman he sometimes encountered when he dropped by her apartment, nor the military lady he knew her to be. Instead, like Ritsuko, she looked like someone who was slowly being crushed by guilt.

Taking a moment to curse Commander Ikari and wonder where laser-guided karma was when you needed it, Toji paused a moment before telling her, "Tell Commander Ikari that…I'm reenlisting with NERV."

"I see." Her face twisting with guilt, Misato shook her head as she studied the boy. "Toji, I…"

"Aw, c'mon! Not you, too!" Rolling his eyes, Toji gave the Operations Director a sharp look before saying, "How many times do I have to say this? It's the Bastard in Chief's fault, not yours! So ease up, already!"

"I'd have to agree with my son there," Mr. Suzuhara broke in. Raising an eyebrow at the jock, he gave him a wry look very similar to his own. "However, Toji, if you're going to remain here at NERV, I'd be careful about how you refer to Commander Ikari from now on. He does not take kindly to people saying stuff like that out in the open."

"Sure thing, Dad," Toji nodded agreeably. "I guess I'll just have to make sure that I stick to saying it behind his back, like everybody else here." As one, all four of them regarded Toji with wide eyes, as if silently asking him what in blazes he was thinking by saying something like that. "Hey, c'mon!" he responded with hands held out before him. "You can't tell me you haven't done it yourselves!"

To his immense satisfaction, Toji watched as his father, Misato, and Ritsuko quickly exchanged glances. "Hmmm…perhaps," Mr. Suzuhara commented. "From time to time."

"Oh, yeah," Misato nodded as she glanced over at Ritsuko.

Nodding, the Head Scientist's smile was more like a grimace than anything else. "Definitely," she muttered, her face hardening, guilt lining her every feature.

Whew. The doc sure is messed up over this. Not that I can blame her, I guess, Toji found himself thinking, knowing full well just how much had gone unsaid that day. And how much she clearly cared for his sister, who had once again been used as a cudgel against him. Seriously, I wonder if there's any chance I could manage to 'accidentally' step on the ugly bastard man?

Giving a small, internal laugh at this descriptor of Commander Ikari that had been left on the walls of one of NERV's many restrooms, Toji once again focused on Ritsuko. "So, Doc," he began before casting another look on the metallic shells that had helped him regain his old life. "Shall we get going?"

Her entire body still wracked with guilt, the doctor managed a brief nod. "Of course," Ritsuko said. "Misato, Mr. Suzuhara, if you…if you don't mind, I'll…"

"No problem, Rits," Misato returned. "Guess I'll…see you later, then?"

While the doctor was nodding, Toji's father asked, "Major, if it's all the same with you, I'd like to go with them."

"I understand," Misato nodded. "I've already explained to your supervisor that you'll be late, and…"

"Thank you," Mr. Suzuhara smiled wanly. Then he moved up to his son, and took position at his side. "Ready, son?"

Not a chance in hell, was what Toji thought. Wishing that he felt even a tenth as cool and collected as he put on. "Sure thing," was what he really said. "Lead the way, Doc."

"Alright, then," Ritsuko returned with that same sad voice.

As NERV's Head Scientist started forward, moving like she was slogging her way through molasses, both Suzuhara's followed at a polite distance. As he moved past the others present, Toji looked up at them, and gave them a cocky smile. "Seeya later, Misato-sama. And hey, Shin-man?" The morose 3rd Child looked up sharply. "How about I drop by the Ready Room later? I've been wanting to check it out, ever since we had your big 'Welcome Back' party."

Blinking a few times in surprise, Shinji sniffed quietly and said, "O…okay, Toji."

"You take good care of yourself, Toji-kun," Misato told him in a voice that spoke volumes about how she felt.

"Sure thing," Toji replied as he left them and Unit 03 behind. Moving towards an uncertain future…

---

Author's Notes: I know it's been a while since I've updated this story, and I was hoping to get more into it, but given the size of it, I decided to end it here. Still, I hope you'll read and review. And maybe check out my other stories while you're at it?

When I was considering the new and improved Unit 03's redesign, I knew right from the get-go that I wanted it to be cool, but at the same time, I wanted it to be fitting with the nature of the beast in question. And given that, currently, the main strategy with the Evas is close combat, as well as the kind of design sported by Unit 05 from the Rebuild movies, I thought this makeover to be very fitting.

I was originally hoping to get more into this chapter. I have a killer action sequence in mind for later, and I was hoping to at least hint at it. But I guess I'll just have to leave it for next chapter. I just hope that it meets with everybody's expectations.

Quathis, Hikari will indeed not be pleased when she finds out who Shinji is truly in love with. And given the many complaints SEELE has made about Gendo in the past, it should come as no surprise that they would try and take greater control of NERV.

Dark Vizard447, I've been considering the possibility of Mana and Mari putting in appearance. As in the previous chapter, the Commander was hopeful that additional pilots and Evas will be forthcoming.

Xardion, what can I tell you? Gendo isn't the Bastard King without good reason.

James, I'm afraid you'll just have to wait and see which soul ends up in Unit 03.

khanto, thank you for the kind words. And don't worry; you have reviewed before.

RI100014, I'm glad you enjoyed the battle with the 4th Fallen. As for that particular debate you mentioned, you'll excuse me if I prefer not to stick my hand into that particular can of scorpions. I've found that nothing will start an argument faster than a discussion regarding preferred pairings.

Crensler, yup. Gendo considers everyone to be expendable. And woe to him if he pisses off too many people capable of piloting an Evangelion…

Well, now that that's settled, let's get onto the omakes!

Omake 1

"There! Done at last!" Orion declared as he finished pounding away at his keyboard. "It's about time I wrapped up this chapter!"

Sitting back to examine his handiwork, the fanfic writer grumbled about how long it had taken him to get it done. "I can't believe how much trouble I've had with getting new chapters out!" Orion grumbled tiredly. "Trouble with my new studio on the Fourth Wall, craziness with some of the other characters, and then the birthday fiasco…"

Wincing even as he mentioned that disaster, Orion thought back to just how close everything had come to becoming a very fatal adventure for himself…

---

"Is everything ready, Rei-chan?" Mr. Lee asked as he checked the preparations for the party he was throwing for his friend Orion.

"Yes Lee-sama. Just a few more names to be added to the guest list," Maid Rei replied as she looked at the list.

"Sweetness. The L.W.O.A. will be here tomorrow for the party," the fanfiction author said with a smile to his loyal servant. "We haven't spoken to each other lately since we're so busy in the real world. So I wanted to do this for him for all his hard work, and give him an early Christmas present."

"I'm sure he will enjoy it," Maid Rei said with her infamous smile.

"The V.B.I.A has been quiet since my Love potion #8 incident, particularly Asuka," Mr. Lee warned with a scowl, which Rei responded with a nod in agreement. "So let's be sure to be careful here. We both know how much she hates Orion. I wouldn't put it past her to try something to spoil his big party!"

A beat later, as if the gods heard his warning, Toji and Kensuke came rushing into his virtual room, their clothes sweaty and ripped.

"Lee-san, we got trouble!" Kensuke panted.

"Yeah, major trouble!" Toji added in a panicked voice.

"Calm down, you two!" Mr. Lee quickly ordered them. "Rei-chan, get these two something to drink. You two, sit down, relax and take a deep breath." As his maid went to get the drinks, the Stooges did as they were told. A few minutes later, the two of them were somewhat more relaxed and nursing their drinks, prompting Mr. Lee to say, "Now then, tell me what's wrong. And keep it short!"

"It's Asuka. She and the V.B.I.A. have kidnapped Orion!" Kensuke said sorrowfully, making the normally calm author pale.

"What?! Impossible! Orion is very careful!" Mr. Lee said as he slammed his fist on the arm of his chair. "Even if the L.W.O.A. isn't here, he wouldn't be caught by those bitches so easily!"

"Well, uh…it's kind of our fault that he got caught." Toji admitted in embarrassment.

"Explain…" Mr. Lee growled with a death glare to the two, making the two gulp in fear.

"Well, we wanted to celebrate his birthday by arranging some dancers for his party," Kensuke nervously explained. "The advertisement said they were beautiful and cheap. But when they came to my house, they ambushed us. When we woke up, Asuka and three women we never saw before were standing over us. They told us to give you this letter. And then they beat us up again before leaving with Orion."

Kensuke said as he got up and handed the letter to Mr. Lee. Taking a deep breath, he read the note. "Hey Lee-baka!" the fanfiction author read aloud. "If you want your precious kohai back, bring those photos of you-know-what along with the negatives to our base at the coordinates listed below in 12 hours. If you refuse or bring any of the L.W.O.A. members to try some stupid rescue, me and my new 'enforcers' will make sure Orion-baka's birthday will be his last!" Rolling his eyes, Mr. Lee groaned and concluded, "Signed, the Great Asuka Langley-Sohryu, Vice president of the V.B.I.A."

After reading the letter, Mr. Lee folded it up with his eyes closed. "We're sorry man!" Toji and Kensuke said in unison as they bowed in apology. "Please forgive us!"

"Don't worry about it, guys. There was nothing you could do," Mr. Lee told them calmly. "Just describe these three women the Red Devil was with."

"One girl had brown hair, was wearing a kimono, and she was kind of flat chested. But she was as scary as Naru and super strong!" Kensuke reported. "The other one was a red haired girl who was wearing an Eva-like body suit and carrying a purple gadget that talked and looked like a ball. But her eyes had an eerie golden glow. The last one had pink hair and was in a wheelchair, but she had a pretty cool dragon tattoo."

"Hmm…Rei-chan, you know what to do." Mr. Lee said as he turned to his servant. With a silent nod, the uzi carrying maid went to her master's computer and accessed his database on known characters in anime. Several minutes later, her analysis was complete.

"Kensuke-san, Toji-san, is this what the three look like?" Maid Rei questioned as she directed them to the screen.

"It's them alright!" Toji said with a slight shiver in his voice. "I'll never forget those three!"

"Damn," Mr. Lee muttered grimly. "This is bad. Very bad…"

"You know who they are, Lee-san?!" Kensuke questioned.

"Sadly, I do," Mr. Lee confirmed while rubbing his chin. "The one with the pink hair is Shiba'i Chuutatsu, a master strategist, but very twisted. The other one with the golden eyes is Nena Trinity. She pilots a Gundam and is pretty cute, but is a complete psycho. And last but not least, the one with the brown hair is someone who has recently become a nemesis of mine, Otae Shimura. All three of them are perfect candidates for joining the V.B.I.A."

"So...what are you going to do?" Kensuke nervously wondered. "Even if you give them the pics and the negatives, Asuka won't release him so easily!"

"If she does it at all!" Toji grimly added. "And don't forget, the V.B.I.A. has a score to settle with you too, Lee-san! This could all be one big trap!"

"I know. That's why I'm not going alone," Mr. Lee smirked.

"But, they said if any of the L.W.O.A. show up, they'll hurt Orion," Kensuke pointed out. "And Mike and a bunch of other fanfiction authors are busy in your world, so they can't help you either."

"Boys, I'm the author of light, darkness and shades of grey. And I've gained many allies throughout my years enjoying anime and manga," Mr. Lee declared with a sly grin. "The Loving Women of Anime is just one group of women I'm affiliated with."

"What do you mean?" Toji asked.

The author started to chuckle darkly as he walked to the phone and started to dial. A minute later, someone picked up. "Hello? Hey there, this is Lee-kun," Mr. Lee explained. "Yeah, the V.B.I.A has a friend of mine hostage and I need your help. Can you gather the others? Sweetness. My Rei and two other guests will be with me. Don't worry, I'll vouch for them. See you soon."

"Who was that, Lee-san?" Kensuke asked as Mr. Lee hung up.

"You'll see soon enough," Mr. Lee cryptically answered. "But first, Rei-chan, let these two take a nap."

"Yes, Lee-sama," Maid Rei obediently answered...before she pointed her Uzi at the Stooges.

"WAAH!" Toji and Kensuke cried out in dismay as they were hit with tranquilizer darts.

Undisclosed location

"Ugh…what happened?" Toji groaned as he started to stir.

"Where are we?" Kensuke added as he lifted his glasses and rubbed his eyes.

"Sorry guys, but it was necessary," Mr. Lee called out as their eyes started to focus. He was sitting in a chair with Maid Rei by his side, along with several others sitting in different chairs. "No one knows of this location, and we have to keep that way. Especially when it comes to the V.B.I.A."

"Looks like they're finally coming to," a young woman with long silver hair calmly stated.

"About damn time," grumbled another woman who was wearing a cut-off tank top, jean shorts and combat boots. "I thought we would never get started."

"Hmph, they were tranquilized," chuckled a classy woman with armor and long red hair. "It couldn't be helped."

"Shall we get started?" calmly asked a young girl in a black and red seifuku with red eyes.

"Yes. Let us begin," Mr. Lee nodded in agreement.

"What's going on here?! Who are these women?!" Toji and Kensuke asked in unison.

"Well, as you know guys, I'm still on indefinite hiatus in the fanfiction world. But I still sharpen my knowledge and skills for my return by enjoying the world of anime and manga. And as I told you, I've gained many allies. The V.B.I.A. may be strong, but I know a group that's even stronger and scarier than they are. But unlike those bitches, they don't need to prove their superiority," Mr. Lee explained as he looked towards a chair that was turned at the head of the table. "Because, simply put, they…are…badass!"

The table turned and in the chair was a woman with wild reddish orange hair, causing both Stooges to gasp in astonishment. "You…You're…!"

The woman chuckled and then slammed her hand on the table. "I, Kushina Uzumaki, now declare this meeting of the Badass Women of Anime come to order, dattebane!" she fiercely shout. "Let us now recite our motto!"

"We kick ass and take names!" All the women yelled with fire in their eyes.

With a strong nod, Kushina ordered, "Roll call, ladies!"

"Chou'un Shiryu," spoke the silver haired woman.

"Revy…" grumbled the woman in the black tank top grumbled as she lit a cigarette and put her feet on the table.

"Ai Enma…" said the seifuku wearing girl said in a quiet tone.

"Erza Scarlet," declared the red-haired woman in armor.

"Yoko Littner!" declared a sexy and lively woman.

"Hibari Ginza," stated a short, grey-haired woman wearing a red outfit with two gold guns strapped to her back.

"Tokiko Tsumura," called a blue haired girl wearing a seifuku with a scar above her nose.

"Saeko Busujima," declared a purple-haired woman with a bokken.

"Nico Robin," smirked an attractive woman in a cowboy hat said while drinking some wine.

"Yoruichi Shihoin," grinned a woman in a ninja-like orange and black suit mischievously.

"Good! We're all here!" Kushina decreed. "We have a job that our friend Lee-kun needs for us to do. And that's to save a fellow anime lover and teach those little girls in V.B.I.A. some manners, dattebane!"

"As long as I get to kick some ass, bring it on," Revy decided in a laidback tone as she blew some smoke.

"Amen to that, sister!" Ginza said with a high hive to her fellow gunslinger.

"You will. But it won't be a normal ass kicking," Mr. Lee said with an evil grin.

"What do you have in mind, Lee-kun?" Yoruichi asked with piqued curiosity.

Mr. Lee nodded to Maid Rei, who pulled out a small cooler. Opening it, he took out a freshly packed snowball and tossed it in the air with one hand. "Well this is the holiday season. And the holidays just aren't any fun without a little snowball fight. Don't you agree, my friends?" he asked while still juggling the ball in his hand.

The B.W.O.A., as well as Toji and Kensuke all nodded in agreement.

(This omake was a birthday gift from my friend, Mr. Lee. I want to take a moment to thank him, and apologize for taking so long to get it out.)

(Disclaimer: I do not own Ikkitousen, Naruto, Black Lagoon, Jigoku Shoujo, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, Speed Grapher, Buso Renkin, High School of the Dead, One Piece, Bleach, or anything associated with these assorted anime. I'm writing this story simply because I enjoy writing.)

Omake 2

As Gendo sat in his office, already scheming his next evil plot, his Sub-Commander walked away to head to his own private chambers. The knowledge of all the horror Gendo had done, as well as what he planned on doing, weighed heavily on his mind. It had gone too far. But no one was in a position to stop either him or SEELE. Him, Dr. Akagi, Misato, the Children, all of them were pawns as far as they were concerned; useful only until they had a use and then discarded soon afterward.

It had to stop.

Sitting in his office, Fuyutsuki sat down and opened his drawer. With a look of determination, he pulled out a piece of paper with a phone number on it.

Dialing the number, Fuyutsuki placed the phone to his ears, and was relived when someone picked up almost immediately. "Hello. Xardion's Crossover Reality Service," the person on the other end spoke. "Who's calling?"

"This is Kozo Fuyutsuki," the old professor spoke. "I believe we met once."

"Ah yes. We met some time ago," the other person said. "So, what seems to be the problem?"

Fuyutsuki hesitated at first, but something compelled him to tell his tale over the phone. It took some time to tell, but when the story finished, the fanfic writer he was talking to was seething.

"This Gendo guy is pure evil!"

Fuyutsuki nodded. "You once said that…if I had a serious problem on my hands, you would be able to do something to help," he spoke with the air of a man on his deathbed. "Is that true?"

"Oh, you bet there is," the fanfic writer confirmed. "See, my service calls in to characters from across the anime and video game worlds to handle certain…situations. Now, normally, there is a pricing fee, but in this case, it's on me. Besides, I'm sure my people would be happy to dispose of this bastard, just for the fun of it." Chuckling dangerously, the fanfic writer said, "Don't worry about a thing. I can assure you that Gendo will be sorry."

Frowning, Fuyutsuki asked, "But...what about SEELE?"

"Don't worry. Leave everything to me," the fanfic writer assured him, another dangerous laugh echoing his words. With a thank from the older man, Xardion soon hung up his phone and started thinking.

"Now...who can I contact for this...?" the fanfic writer wondered before divine inspiration struck. "Ah! I know just the guy..."

---

Later that evening, Gendo Ikari made ready to leave his office after thinking up another way to torment all of his subordinates for his ultimate goal. When he tried to open the door, it refused to open for him. He tried several times to open. "Damned maintenance workers. Always slacking off," he growled beneath his breath before he started pounding on the door. "And where's that secretary of mine?! If she left early, she's going to -!"

"Ikari Gendo..." came a voice. To Gendo's surprise, it came from behind him. The Commander of NERV turned around, not liking this in the least. From the far corner of the office, a black robed figure stepped forward. His body was still covered in the shadow, but the glare of strange red eyes peered through the dark.

For the first time in more years than he could remember, Gendo felt a semblance of fear, but he refused to let it show. "Who are you?" The figure said nothing and the red eyes disappeared, indicating that whoever it was closed their eyes. Gendo felt ire at this man intrusion and glared at him. "I demand...!"

But the red eyes appeared again…and Gendo's office disappeared.

The Commander gasped as he looked wildly about, trying to make sense of what was happening. Where his office once was, there was nothing but empty air. Then Gendo discovered something else; he was completely immobile. He tried to move, but couldn't, and soon he realized why; he was currently hanging from a cross, identical to the one upon which Lilith was crucified. Hanging above a sea of LCL.

Fear gaining greater ground on him, Gendo looked about, and saw the man he knew to be responsible for this standing on empty air, still looking at him. Outside of the gloom of his office, Gendo see the intruder's features more clearly Long black hair flowed down the figure's face, which Gendo could only see a half of the man's face, with the lower half shrouded by the same black robe that was patterned with red clouds. He wore a headband with a metal plate, with what looked like a leaf with a deep scrape across it.

"What is this?!" Gendo demanded hatefully.

The figure spoke in the same quiet, chilling voice he had used before. "This is the Tsukuyomi. Here, time, space, even physical mass, is all under my control..."

"And what do…you…want…?" Gendo tried to demand, but was cut short when four other figures appeared, rising up from the obscene sea of LCL. One by one, the horrifying figures of Evangelions 00, 01, 02, and 03 three appeared, LCL running down them like blood. As one, the four biomechanical monstrosities approached, and commenced Gendo's punishment.

For 72 hours, Gendo Ikari was ripped to pieces and eaten by the four Evangelions over and over again. All the while he was still conscious and aware through it all. All the while Itachi Uchiha watched with a sense of deep satisfaction.

---

The next day, Gendo Ikari was found in a deep coma. Despite the best efforts of NERV Medical, he was completely unresponsive, and showed no signs of regaining consciousness. No sign of the intruder responsible for his condition was ever found.

With Gendo unable to carry out his duty, SEELE decided that they would have to have someone new take over NERV operations and continue in their scenario. But they weren't going to get that far…

---

"This is the first time we've had to assemble like this," one of the members of SEELE commented as he greeted one of his fellows. "Meeting in real life, rather than via hologram."

"Indeed," another member agreed. Looking over towards the cybernetic head of SEELE, he added, "I must say, I was surprised that you request for us to meet this way, Keel."

"Excuse me?" Keel replied, looking as surprised as possible beneath his cybernetic visor. "I made no such request. On the contrary, it was you all that decided on this meeting."

One by one, the other members of SEELE looked at each other in confusion. Finally, one of them turned to Keel and sputtered out, "But…but we did no such thing!"

---

While the twelve members of SEELE argued about, they soon realized that they had been set up. That someone must have hacked their computers and given them all false messages to assemble together in one building, which was unoccupied, save for them. However, they realized all of this too late, for high in the skies above them, a mechanical form hovered in the skies. The massive mecha was designed to look like an armored Angel, and was holding a massive blaster rifle in its hands.

With the entirety of SEELE completely unaware of their impending doom, Wing Zero opened fired on the building they were. The beam of blazing destruction pierced the building right down to its base, blowing it sky high in an instant. As the ashes and smoke of the incinerated members of SEELE floated in the sky, Wing Zero turned and flew away, with its pilot smiling inside.

"Mission complete..."

(And this omake was a gift from Xardion. Thanks a bunch, and again, sorry to take so long in getting it out.)

(Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Gundam Wing, or anything associated with these assorted anime. I'm writing this story simply because I enjoy writing.)