Once again I wanna thank Adam Kadmon for allowing to use the premise for Substitute Invasion.
I feel like the second chapter is always the make or break of these types of fanfiction, because how In the hell am I gonna extend upon this premise and idea, not that simple and it takes time, and we all have our own ways around it, but damn we'll see.
Always I Appreciate you for even so much as looking at what I wrote, appreciate every review or comment, thank you and you da man.
Update- fixing the dialogue.
July 31st- Spacing fixed
BEGIN
Asuka and Shinji sat there, trying to comprehend what Misato just said, "so she just what…came out of the EVA.", Asuka(Soryu) asked,
"Yeah." Misato so casually responded, Asuka was baffled, Shinji was out of place, "That's not an explanation Misato.", Asuka replied "Well it's all I got, not even Ritsuko could figure it out.", Misato retorted,
"But how?", Asuka persisted, "Unit 2 went for it's usual, test and diagnostics, damage repair etc, but during the clean-up the Magi detected an Anomaly, something strange happened." Misato said,
"Strange like what?", Asuka asked. "The seat in the entry plug interior, it went too deep into its Negative Values, too deep into the EVA…so when we force ejected the plug, SHE(Shikinami) came out positioned unto the pilots seat, same as you would have been had you been piloting it" Misato said pulling her dinner plate towards her.
"she was unconscious though." Misato finished, but Asuka wasn't having any of this, "and you what?" Asuka spoke, "told her to go to school?" Asuka was now questioning Misato's judgement.
"Yeah." Misato, once again, casually responded. "oh it's okay Asuka just go to school and everything will be all fine and dandy.", Asuka was now mocking Misato, imitating her voice
"Hey." Misato said, "I do not, sound like that.", "You kinda do Misato", Shinji said to the both of them, out of the blue, Misato gasped
"what have you done to Shinji?", Misato asked Asuka, but she just ignored her childish games.
"Doesn't matter," Asuka said, "Just why would you do that?". Misato pushed her plate aside, "to be fair I thought that because there was someone like you, you'd have a real connection with her, y'know like twin sisters.", Misato said, with Asuka responds, "Yeah I thought so too".
"Maybe you guys just kicked it off on the wrong foot." Misato said, "I mean she's a lot kinder then I expected, almost had a real connection with her.".
"Misato!" Asuka interrupted, "Sorry Sorry," Misato responded, getting into a serious manner, "look, Asuka, I know this sucks, and I can't imagine what this must be like for you, but it's not going to last, Ritsuko is going to explain everything tomorrow and we'll figure this out." but Asuka was pouty, "Is she gonna pilot the EVA too?",She asked "What? No, I highly doubt." Misato responded.
Asuka looked towards Misato and she gave her a warm smile, "No one's gonna replace you." She whispered into her ear, at that moment she noticed Shinji began to smile as well. "That idiot.", she said, "That Idiot cares for you." Misato replied, teasing her. But Asuka left for her room red cheeked and a little embarrassed, but nonetheless her concerns where eased, so she could relax for a while. Misato chuckled a bit.
"Oh by the way, Misato?" Shinji asked, "Yes.", she responded,
"Where does Shikinami live? I mean, I assumed since she's Asuka or maybe some part of Asuka, she must have her memories, so wouldn't she think that she lives here with us." Shinji expected that this question would bother Misato but she simply shrugged it off.
"Well…Ritsuko didn't say much but I don't think, strictly speaking she IS Asuka, not in the traditional sense anyway.", "what do you-",
but before Shinji could ask, Misato continued speaking "Trust me, Ritsuko will explain everything tomorrow, but anyway she lives right next door.", "Huh?" he didn't quite understand.
"The other apartment next to ours.", Misato said, "Really?", he asked, "Yeah" Misato responded. after a brief pause, Misato developed that mischievous look on her face
"Why?" Misato asked, "you wanna go see her?". Shinji backed away,
"No, it's not like that", he responded, "then just what is it like Shinji?", Misato teased him, "I'm just concerned.", he said rather abruptly, but this didn't stop Misato.
"Why is that Shinji?", she asked once more.
"Because y'know, she's Asuka, so..."Shinji didn't know how to finish that sentence, and Misato capitalized on that moment.
"But she can take care of herself can't she?", Misato asked again.
"well, she seemed different." Shinji replied, "there's something off about her.", Shinji was now in deep thought.
"Oh my I didn't know you spend so much time thinking about her.", Misato said, "Dammit Misato, I'm just concerned." he said, leaving the room and going into his room also a little red faced and embarrassed. "More for me Misato" said, but after that mean display she washed the dishes, and cleaned up the kitchen, "hmph those kids."
The next day, After they woke up and got ready they were headed to NERV headquarters, "Why are we knocking next door?" Asuka asked, "Oh yeah." Misato said, the door opened and once again stood Shikinami, "Oh, Hi Asuka" Shinji said, Neither of them were keen to see each other, but Asuka Langley Soryu decided that she would be the better person.
"Look, we got off on the wrong foot yesterday, and…" apologise?, never, "I Think we can do better, So what do ya say?", She extended her arm towards her, Shikinami had her arms folded, unsure, Shinji and Misato stood there awkwardly,
"truce…for now." Shikinami said, "that's fine with me." Soryu responded and once again Shikinami didn't shake Soryu's arm, but they all left and headed to NERV HQ.
Shinji wanted to talk to Shikinami, but Misato stopped her and whispered to him "Not now Shinji, not now" Misato said, "what, what I do?" he asked.
The ride there didn't take long and before they knew it they were in Ritsuko's Office/lab.
She(Ritsuko), and it(the lab) looked like a mess, "You look Angel after combat", Misato said, "Well yeah, it's not every day you get an interdimensional traveller from another world.", Ritsuko responded, "What do you mean interdimensional traveller." Misato asked, "I don't know but I'm assuming that's what this is?", Ritsuko responded, "I thought scientist's weren't allowed to make assumptions.", Misato countered, "You'd be surprised."
She put the files down and stopped typing, rubbing her eyes, she looked towards Asuka, "Asuka, I want you tell me what's the last thing you remember before we pulled you out of the entry plug." ,
"Wrong Asuka." Soryu replied. Ritsuko then turned her chair, facing the other Asuka, and Shikinami spoke "I don't know I…" she tried to remember but then began to feel a sharp a pain in her head, "I think I was-" the pain in her head grew sharper and sharper, "Asuka are you okay?" Misato asked getting closer to her, the pain continued to grow until she let out a scream and collapsed onto the floor.
Misato caught her "Medic!", she yelled, Asuka and Shinji were unsure of what was going on, and if that weren't the worst of it, the red alert rang, "It's an Angel attack" Ritsuko said, "Shinji, Asuka get to your positions, I'll handle Asuka.", "Yes ma'am" they both replied and ran to the locker rooms to get changed, but as they were running, the power cut off, "what? What's going on?" Shinji asked, "I don't know.", Asuka replied, "Shit." Asuka said.
Meanwhile Gendo and the rest of NERV staff were manually preparing the EVA's for Launch, "The termination plug has been ejected sir." a staff member said, "Excellent" Gendo replied, "Prepare for manual insertion of the entry plug.", "but the pilot's aren't here yet.", "They'll be here soon enough.", Gendo along with construction staff got to the insertion of the plugs using a manually operated pulley and lever system, tugging the rope back and forth until the plugs landed in the insertion pit, "Entry plug is fixed and ready." Maya announced, at that moment that kids, fell through the duct, "Prepare for Manual entry." Gendo yelled.
"Manual entry?", Shinji said as he got up from the floor, "apparently they did this all by hand" Asuka mentioned, whilst pointing towards Gendo and staff pulling the entry plug doors open, with the pulley, "My father would do that?", Shinji couldn't believe that would happen, "It would seem so." Rei responded. Once they were inside, the hydraulic locks were severed and the EVA's were freed, they physically removed all restrains and locks and the backup batteries were installed, "The Angel has stopped directly above us!" Makoto yelled, "Evangelion Unit's move out!" Gendo yelled, and Shinji, Asuka and Rei headed towards the Angel.
Misato and Ritsuko were with an unconscious Shikinami, "How are we gonna treat her without any power.", "We have a diesel generator for emergencies" Ritsuko replied, "although I bet they're probably using it to manually Launch the EVA's.",Ritsuko finished, "a spare will have to do then." Misato said.
Once Asuka was placed on an ICU bed, Ritsuko noticed something strange, Shikinami's left eye had a significant glow, she gently opened the eye and flashed the eye torch towards it, there was damage within the sclera, but this was no ordinary damage, this cloud was dark, and the cloud continue to grow, bigger and bigger until eventually it consumed the sclera and encircled the iris, once again something strange occurred, there was an irruption within NERV HQ.
(Matareal/Matriel 9th Angel- anime order of attack)
Shinji, Asuka and Rei were climbing up the tube leading directly towards the Angel's centre, the Angel dropped down and released acid down the vent, but the Acid didn't land one the EVA units (this time), they were shielded, protected. "Attack now!" Asuka yelled, each of them pulled out their rifles, positioned themselves within the shaft and began to fire, the bullets hit the AT- field, which was lifted upon impact, and so was the acid that the field held back, in a double-edged sword sort of fashion, the children were hit with Acid and some of the bullets corroded due to it as well, but some of them landed, they were sent falling down, but Shinji managed to grasp the shaft firmly and he caught his companions. Panting and huffing, "You think we did it?" Shinji asked, "No we merely maimed the target." Rei replied, "Dammit." Asuka said, "We have to regroup.", then suddenly the EVA's scanners picked up another pattern, "2nd pattern blue, what's going on?" ,"the angel is being attacked." A somewhat, shocked Rei Ayanami explained, "Attacked?, attacked by what?" Asuka asked, "I do not know." That was when the disruption occurred, the drums of battle raged and the Angel had been removed from its position, "We gotta climb up now." Asuka said, but by the time they made it to the top and climbed out the shaft, the angel had already been defeated, broken apart into pieces, and Tokyo-3 was reduced into a bloodied mess, "What the hell happened here?", neither of them knew what to say, Shinji looked around at the broken and dismembered Angel's corpse, this looked like something Unit-01 would do had it gone berserk, "god." Asuka spoke, this eerily familiar sight, left him wondering.
At the moment of the 9th Angel's defeat, Ritsuko once again examined Shikinami's eye, the black cloud had faded and her eye returned to normal. "Interesting." She said. The power returned, "Doctor!" she yelled, "ma'am?", the doctor responded, "could you please run a test and diagnostics on the blood and marrow of a Asuka-Langley Shikinami.", Ritsuko told him, "Yes ma'am" the medical doctor responded, "Give me the results as soon as you can. We have quite the fascinating subject here." Ritsuko said as she was leaving for her lab.
Misato had ran to the command deck, but found out everything had already been handled, "Thank goodness for the commander." Misato said, "What of the pilot's", She asked.
"We're initiating landing right now ma'am.", "Apparently they have an interesting report as well." Maya spoke, "Interesting how?", Misato asked her, "They didn't defeat the Angel ma'am, someone else did.", Misato was taken aback, "how is that even-", but before she could ask, "Concern yourself not with these matters Major." Gendo intervened, "I'll handle it with our benefactor's." Misato was displeased but she agreed nonetheless, "Yes Sir.", "Good." He replies, getting back to his sitting position.
Shinji left the locker room after showering the LCL off, "Where are you going?" Asuka asked, "I'm going to check in on Shikinami, see if she's alright."
"if she's anything like me she'll be fine.", Asuka(Soryu) said. "Still…I don't think we should just leave her like that, something is off, I know it.", Shinji responded.
Asuka sighed, "fine, we'll go check in on her, but you don't check in on me when I need you to" the latter she spoke in an undertone, "what was that?", he asked, "I didn't say anything, idiot", Rei came out and approached the both of them "I would like to see Shikinami for myself too.", "Great the whole gang is going, wanna bring her a get-well gift as well?", Soryu mocked, "That's actually a great idea Asu-",Soryu stopped Shinji from talking,"I was joking.",Shinji was taken aback "Oh." he said, Asuka then let out another sigh, idiot.
Asuka Langley Shikinami seemed to be awake and well, Misato was with her and it would also seem they were enjoying each other's company, "Oh hey guys, as you can see, Asuka's doing just fine.", Misato said.
"Yeah, and it looks like you guys are fun having too.", Shinji replied to her, "Oh it's just a little small talk, y'know.", Misato responded.
"Hate you ruin your fun." Asuka(Soryu) intruded, "but what exactly happened back there.", Shikinami's expression changed to that of dejection, "my memories, I remember I was in a battle, or something like that, I lost badly, I don't know how or why, but, I was-", the pain returned, "It's okay." Misato said, "you don't have to talk about it now, let's just focus on getting you better and ready for discharge." She nodded and the pain faded, Asuka exited the ward as quietly as she could, "dammit she said." Rei followed after, "I am suspicious of this Shikinami type.", Rei said, "what do you mean?" Asuka asked, "she's very strange…almost, like me." She then proceeded to the exit of the medical area, Asuka was unsure of what Rei said, but maybe her and Shinji were unto something.
Later Shikinami was discharged and they all headed home, Shinji noticed Asuka was in deep thought, and was eyeing Shikinami rather suspiciously, "Asuka?", "Hmm…what is it Shinji?",Soryu asked her, "you okay?", he asked back. "Yeah," Soryu responded, "why wouldn't I be." Somehow Shinji wasn't convinced, but all he could think about was that eerily familiar sight from earlier.
Once home and settled, Shinji got to cooking and Asuka sat on the couch watching the TV, Misato went out, "I'm gonna get some missing groceries, I'll be back quick.", "Got it," they both replied as she went out. There was now a silence within the household, but it was a comfortable silence, they both sat there just watching TV, peacefully. Eventually Asuka spoke and said something, "Hey Shinji.","yeah.", he responded, "the first said something strange today."
"what'd she say?", Shinji asked, "she said that Shikinami reminded her of herself.", Soryu responded.
Shinji looked back at Asuka "How?", he asked, "She didn't elaborate," Asuka(Soryu) responded, "But she was very suspicious of Shikinami.", "and i'm guessing you don't trust her as well.", Shinji asked her, but she shrugged.
"I don't know what to think?" Asuka said, Shinji turned back, he thought for a while and got up from his position, "where ya going?", she asked him as he got up.
"I'm going next door, to see Shikinami", he responded, "Now?", Asuka asked, surprised, "Yeah", he replied to her,
"Look, It's good that you're showing some cojones for once, but now's not the time.", she said to him, "if you think what I'm doing is good I bet she will too." Really,thats whst he got from that she thought.
"She's not me y'know.", Asuka said to him, "I know and I'm sorry, but you guys are similar so…yeah, why not." She was beginning to get annoyed by his behaviour now, "ever since she showed up, you've been different.", "what?" Shinji asked, "Different how?",
"you're doing things Shinji, you're more active, it's like I don't know...i don't know, why…why?", why can't I bring that out in you she thought, "Why what?" he asked, "I don't know." Asuka was conflicted, she kept quiet for the remainder of time, Shinji didn't really get what she was saying so he continued to the door.
As he was about to turn the knob, Asuka raised her voice, "Shinji stop." She said in a rather serious manner, "it's just a small visit," he responded, "No." she said firmly, Shinji thought, "I know why don't you come with me.", he asked her, but Soryu persisted, "No. don't go. stay here…" she said with me, she thought.
"Why?" he asked, "Why should I?" he inquired once more, once again Asuka was taken aback by this sudden confidence he'd shown. Asuka struggled to find the words, so she said the first thing that came to her mind. "because I said so okay, I..." she paused, and Shinji looked to her, "just stay."
Shinji couldn't make out much of her expression since she was facing downwards, but he could hear that something was wrong, a compromise maybe, "Alright Asuka. i'll stay." he said, bearing a weak smile and went back to sitting down in front of the TV.
There was now an awkward silence between them "That's funny." He said, laughing at the TV, and now it just grew to be uncomfortable. Asuka began to feel guilty., this is what I wanted right?, looking towards Shinji she really couldn't see his face since he was fixated onto the TV it's not like he wanted to…oh who am I kidding, am I-, "dammit" Asuka said, "what's wrong?" he asked, She couldn't face him, looking away she got up and headed towards her room, she stopped in the middle of the hallway and spoke, "Shinji I-" Apologise, "You can go Shinji." She hurried to room and closed the door. Now Shinji was the one who was unsure, "dammit" he also said in frustration, he sat there thinking for quite some time, well I can't go now he thought to himself, he sat there contemplating and contemplating, until the doorbell chimed, "who could it be at this time of night." He went and opened the door, and once again stood the figure of Asuka. "Hey." She said "Oh…hey."
End.