Chapter 16: With Blades of Cloth and Gleaming Eyes
It's a funny feeling, having the power to change the world and yet being seemingly powerless to do anything at the same time. It weighed heavily on Shinji and Asuka, knowing what happened not just to their friend, but their mothers, and being powerless to do anything about it. They wanted more than anything to help their friends, to get back to what they did best. They got their wish, of course. It just had to take an Angel to grant it.
Meeting Room, NERV HQ, Mid-December
Commander Gendo Ikari sat silently as the members of the Human Instrumentality Committee faded into existence in front of him around the table. He was expecting this meeting. He knew what questions would be asked.
The first one to be asked was perhaps the most blindingly obvious. "Why have you implemented the Dummy Plug system into your Evangelions, Ikari?" Chairman Kihl said simply. "Explain."
"The Second and Third Children's insubordination had become untenable to their continued service as pilots of the Evangelion. Therefore, they have been released from such duties. We required a solution. And that solution is the Dummy Plug system. With its installation in Unit-00 and Unit-02, the First Child will pilot Unit-01. And we can be sure that she will follow any orders given to her."
It was silent for a moment. "Very well, Ikari." Kihl finally said. "We will accept this line of reasoning. For now."
"What of Units-03 and 04, Commander?" the American representative said. "It is understood that the pilot of Unit-03 has been declared as missing in action. What could this possibly mean, with the Child only just having been tested? And what of Unit-04? We presumed it was lost in the Nevada Incident."
Gendo was stoic. "Unit-03's pilot has not been physically found since the awakening of the 13th Angel. We presume that she has been somehow drawn into Unit-03's core in much the same fashion as…" he hesitated for the briefest of seconds, such that only those who knew him personally could notice. "The Contact Experiments with Doctor Ikari and Doctor Soryu, in response to the Angel's possession of Unit-03. Doctor Akagi has recovered sufficiently from her injuries, and is intent on attempting extraction of the Fourth Child."
Gendo paused for a moment before continuing. "As for Unit-04, we have found and designated the Fifth Child as its pilot, and he has accepted. The appropriate core is in the process of being connected to the Unit as we speak."
"The fact still stands, Ikari," the French representative said, "That you have five Evangelion, two of which possess S2 Organs, and only two pilots. You are far understaffed for your needs."
Before Commander Ikari could respond, the Frenchman continued. "And, if Units-03 and 04 are as intact as you suggest, and they have retained their S2 Organ as such implies, then why have they not been sent to NERV-2 for continued testing? The data and research we have lost in the Nevada incident could be regained tenfold with what you have right now."
Gendo tilted his head slightly towards the Frenchman to regard him. "I will answer your questions in the order given. The Second and Third Children have decided to stay in the area for an indefinite period of time. Should the need truly arise, they can be recalled into service and the Dummy Systems used as a backup."
"As for why I have yet retained Units-03 and 04," Gendo continued, "Doctor Akagi is perhaps the most knowledgeable scientist in the world in the realm of the Evangelion. She is both the most suited to carry out a recovery operation and the most suited to safely study the S2 Organs within the Units as she does so. I will require her to send any and all data she gathers on the S2 Organ to you."
The French representative sniffed but nodded nonetheless. "Very well, Ikari. If one didn't know better, one might think you were up to something."
"You still require a pilot, Ikari." Kihl said before the French representative could continue. "This is why, after great deliberation, we have decided we will be sending you the Sixth Child. He will be your pilot for Unit-03 until such time as you recover the Fourth Child."
Gendo's brow rose only a fraction. This was truly unexpected. "I did not know that he would be sent so early, Chairman. We will extract the current core from Unit-03 to prepare the way for the Sixth Child's core."
"There is no need for such preparations, Commander." Kihl said. "He is trained to synchronize with cores that are unfamiliar to him. He will serve your needs adequately."
Gendo was silent for a moment. "Very well. You have my thanks, Chairman." he said, with a face as unmoving as stone.
Kihl was similarly unmoved. "Reserve your gratitude, Commander. You will need every pilot you have if the Dead Sea scrolls are to be believed. They have proven themselves thus far. Do not think yourself infallible due to your past victories."
With that, the Committee faded away, and Gendo Ikari was left in the dark. A door opened, and Deputy Commander Fuyutsuki stepped in. "So, Ikari," he said, as Gendo stood, "what news?"
"We will be receiving the Sixth Child as the new pilot of Unit-03." Gendo said simply, as he walked towards the door and Fuyutsuki.
Fuyutsuki's eyebrows rose. "This soon? They must either be desperate or confident. I cannot for the life of me decide which."
"It does not matter, Sensei." Gendo said as they walked the short, unmonitored way to Gendo's office. "He will be useful to us. Then he will serve his purpose in the Scenario. It is as simple as that."
Tokyo-3 Municipal High School
Asuka was only slightly annoyed. It had been a dry week since Kaji had moved in, happy as she was that Misato and Kaji had seemingly started to figure things out. That made it much harder in the meantime to properly express her own love towards Shinji.
Oh, sleeping next to each other was fine, but she had hoped to be able to use the greater amount of free time to get as close to Shinji as she could.
Then she remembered why they had so much free time. And what exactly that meant missing out on. Learning about her mother, and how she was in the Eva all this time, had made her ache even more for what she had lost. She had gotten ideas, ideas that she and Shinji shared, about trying to contact their mothers. It would have meant the world to talk to them again. To know that her mama could be told that she still loved her, even after everything that had happened. Even after...
As she sat in the homeroom, and the old teacher droned on and on, she glanced over at Rei, and newfound anxiety sprang up within her. She would be going into battle alone, with only NERV's puppeteer Dummy Systems by her side. As much as she had progressed, she was still the weakest out of all of them when it came to fighting the Angels.
And that thought made her look over to another seat. An empty one, this time. Hikari was still nowhere to be seen at school. With their status as pilots gone, they had next to nothing to tell to an increasingly hysterical, though desperately trying to keep it under wraps, Toji. To see something that she and Shinji had come to treasure, the ability to explore a relationship with someone else, taken so soon from one of their friends, as much of a dolt as he could be… she couldn't help but feel somewhat sorry for him.
Today, though, as she looked over at the boy, he looked… odd. Almost determined, but more quiet and reserved than usual. He glanced over at them from time to time, looking as though he wanted to tell them something, but didn't know how to.
But it seemed, as lunch came around and the pilots, or at least, the pilot and her two friends, sat down to eat, he would find his resolve.
After a moment, Toji stood from eating with Kensuke, who had begun to sit with both Sayaka and Kyoko much more often and slowly made his way to the Children.
"Hey, guys," Toji said, slowly and somewhat awkwardly, "do ya mind if I uh… butt in?"
Shinji looked up, shaking his head. "Of course not, Toji. Go ahead and sit down."
He pulled up a chair and sat down, picking at his bento quietly. After a moment, Asuka shook her head. "Alright, jock, something's eating at you. So spit it out already. You know how Shinji worries."
Toji blinked as he glanced at Asuka, then sighed. "I… I'm the Fifth Child."
There was silence for a moment as all in the group processed this. "Toji…" Shinji said, his eyes wide. "Did you…"
Toji nodded slightly. "Yeah. Yeah, I accepted. I didn't even need to ask for anything. Hik-" he hitched on the name. "Hikari already took care of things for me and my family. I didn't even need to ask for anything."
Asuka shook her head. "Look, you didn't have to. Like Shinji told Hikari, you can decli-"
"No, Asuka." Toji said a challenging look in his eye that caused Asuka to pause mid-sentence. "No, I can't turn this down. Not anymore." He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, opening them after a moment. "I need to do this. I need to find out what happened to Hikari. Because you guys can't tell me what happened, and NERV isn't saying jack either. So I have to find out myself. I need…" he trailed off, desperation taking the place of determination. "I need to know if I need to… to…"
Asuka looked over at Shinji, who sat there silently and still, staring at Toji with sympathy competing for space with the welling tears in his eyes. 'Seriously? I am so tired of this ridiculous Japanese notion of not physically comforting someone who needs it! Fine. I'll do it myself.'
She put a hand on Toji's shoulder, and Toji jumped slightly, looking at her as she looked at him with as much determination as she could muster. "Look, jock, we knew about as much as you do right now, and that hasn't changed. But I'm sure that they're doing everything they can to make sure that Hikari's okay. Even if we can't do anything about it."
"And," Asuka said, "if you need something from Shinji, Rei or I… we're a team. Even if some of us aren't piloting right now." she looked over at Shinji and Asuka. "Right, guys?"
Shinji nodded quickly. "Yeah, Toji. We're here for you. And we're more than willing to give any advice that you might need for piloting. So, don't be afraid to ask about that, too. Or for whatever else you feel you need."
Toji nodded, looking around them. "Thanks, you guys. I'm… I'm real glad I know I can count on you all."
Rei nodded. "Of course, Classmate Suzuhara. Though, as we will be going into battle, as I told Hikari, you may call me Rei."
Toji nodded, somewhat uncertainly. "Okay, Rei."
A small smile came to Rei's face. "Thank you, Toji." she paused for a moment. "Welcome to our little family."
All the other pilots looked at Rei with no small amount of wonderment. "Wondergirl…" Asuka said, somewhat dumbstruck.
Rei turned to look at her. "As Daniel has said, family is who one decides it to be. I have decided that my friends, my fellow pilots, and my guardians, are in fact my family." she paused for a moment. "It feels… good, to have a family that cares for me."
Try as some of them might, small, contented smiles came to all of their faces. "Man, Aya- Rei," Toji said, "I didn't know that you thought like that. It's kind of cool to see something break through the usual Ice Queen thing you got going on."
Asuka nodded as she cast a slight glance of annoyance at Toji. "Yep. That's our Wondergirl, jock. And we wouldn't want her any other way."
Katsuragi Residence
As Shinji, Asuka, Misato, and Kaji all sat down to eat, Shinji had a question on his mind. For all the wonder and spectacle their revelations had carried last week, Misato and Kaji seemed… he couldn't quite put a word to it. Blase? Passive? He didn't quite know, but they had acted as if they had heard some of it before. Especially when it came to their mothers in the Evas.
Finally, he could hold it in no longer. "Misato? Kaji?"
They looked over at him, as they held each other's hands. "Yes, Shinji? What is it?" Misato said.
Shinji was quiet for a moment. "Last week," he said, "when we all learned about our mothers being in the Evas… did you already know?"
Misato sighed after a moment, squeezing Kaji's hand. "Yes, Shinji."
The Children's eyes widened. Asuka shook her head. "For how long?"
Kaji shook his own head slowly. "Daniel told the both of us just before Leliel came. After that… I don't think we had time to figure out how to properly tell it to you guys before… that night."
Asuka rolled her eyes. "How hard could that be? It's not exactly the most complicated thing in the world to say 'hey, Shinji and Asuka, by the way, the souls of your moms, who both of you thought were dead, are actually powering the Evas'? Is it really harder than that?"
Misato stared at the table for a moment before shaking her head slightly and sighing. "Yes, actually. It is at least a little bit harder to explain than that."
Shinji looked at Misato incredulously. "How, Misato?"
Misato sighed. "Because of Ritsuko. She's the head of Project E, after all. You probably would have gone to her and caused a lot of trouble."
Asuka leered at Misato. "That witch who had Rei drugged out of her mind? She would have deserved every second of it."
Misato opened her mouth, then closed it, looking down on her cooling dinner. "Maybe. But… there's still someone else in there." she paused as Shinji and Asuka glanced at each other in confusion. "Someone I care about. Someone I called a friend once."
Asuka shook her head, sighing. "The past is the past, Misato. People change. Maybe… maybe she's changed enough to have lost that part of her you're seeing."
Misato was silent for a moment. Then another. "Maybe." she said, quietly. After another moment, she quietly picked up her chopsticks and began to eat again.
. . .
After a far more somber dinner concluded, Misato's phone buzzed in her pocket. As she put away the dishes she was holding, she pulled it out and saw that it was a call coming from Ritsuko. She looked at the phone for a moment and hesitated. What could she be calling about? Could it wait? But… Ritsuko rarely ever called her now. For her to reach out like this, it had to be important.
As she stepped into the entry hall, she accepted the call and put on as genuine of a smile as she could. "Hey, Ritsuko. What do you need?"
The line was silent for a moment. "Hey, Misato… I…" a sigh. "I… need to talk to you, sometime. About… about keeping secrets."
Misato's brow rose. Was she saying what she thought she was? "Alright." Misato said. "Are we talking now, or should we be meeting in person to do this?"
Ritsuko answered immediately. "No, no, in person. And somewhere up above, in Tokyo-3 proper. Somewhere she won't hear. I can think of a few places."
Misato's other brow rose to join its sister. "'She'? Ritsuko, what are you talking about? Who's…" she trailed off.
"I'll explain when we meet up. I'll text you tomorrow, and we'll meet one or two days after that. If… if that works for you."
Misato was silent for a moment as she considered what she had just heard. Then, she chuckled. "Alright, Ritsky. But you'd better choose somewhere with a good selection at the bar. It's been too long since we've just… gotten a drink as friends."
"It has been. And… well, like Kaji says, drinking likes company. So… if you want to bring him along, I'd be more than happy to tell you 'I told you so'."
Misato and Ritsuko shared a quiet chuckle. "Maybe," Misato said, "and I'm sure that Kaji wouldn't mind reliving the good old days from college."
"Yeah…" Ritsuko said. After a moment of silence, she spoke again. "So, that works for you? A few days from now?"
"Yeah, it does. We'll see you then." Misato said as she hung up the call.
She stood in the entryway quietly, pondering for a moment on the past, and how people could change.
After a moment, Kaji poked his head out into the hallway. "Who was that, Misato?"
She turned to look at him, eyes slightly wet. "I'll tell you later tonight."
Kaji nodded, guessing at who Misato had talked to with no small amount of accuracy. "Alright. Sounds good."
. . .
Asuka really hated how thin the walls in this apartment could be, as she tried hard to block out how… passionate Kaji and Misato could be. 'Man, and I thought we were loud at night.' she had come to appreciate Kaji keeping Misato busy enough for them to manage to continue sleeping together, but she wasn't sure if the price wasn't getting a little too high some nights.
She tossed and turned, sighing slightly as Shinji stirred. "Something's on your mind, Asuka." Shinji said, far less tiredly and more clearly than she expected. "What is it?"
Asuka snorted softly as she turned over to look at Shinji, whose dark brown eyes looked intently back at her. "How did you get that sixth sense about me, Shinji?" she asked only somewhat seriously.
Shinji blushed slightly but stayed silent. After a moment, Asuka sighed. "I talked about people changing, earlier at dinner."
Shinji nodded slowly as Asuka paused. "Yeah. What of it?"
Asuka sighed, fidgeting slightly. "I wasn't…" she said, a surprising amount of embarrassment in her voice. "I wasn't out of line, was I? You're… a lot better at reading situations than I am."
Shinji was dumbstruck for a moment. "Asuka… I think this is the first time I've ever seen you embarrassed over something like this." he said with wonderment evident in his voice.
Asuka frowned, a slight look of annoyance glowing in her eyes. "So? It's not like it takes a miracle or something for me to actually be embarrassed, Shinji."
Shinji's eyes widened as he slightly shook his head. "I'm not saying it is. I just… I didn't quite expect it, is all."
Asuka closed her eyes and sighed, seeming to deflate slightly. "Yeah, I don't blame you. It's… weird for me, too. I'm still kind of getting used to it."
Asuka opened her eyes to look back at Shinji seriously. "So, the question still stands. Was I out of line?"
Shinji was silent for a moment. "Well," Shinji finally said, "it's clear that Misato still cares for Doctor Akagi, even if we really don't. And I can at least begin to understand how it would be hard to give up on an old friend. But… you're also not wrong. People do change. Look at us. I mean… could anyone have looked at us from 7 or 8 months ago and thought that this is where we'd be? I don't think so."
Shinji paused for a moment. "So, you're right. People do change. Sometimes for the worse. And sometimes for the better."
Asuka nodded, then sighed. "Honestly, Shinji… I kind of wish I wasn't right about her. For Misato's sake."
Shinji wrapped Asuka in a hug. "Well, it's okay. We'll worry about that later. For now… well, I'd say let's try to get some sleep…" Shinji blushed deeply. "But I think that might be a little tougher than expected."
Asuka snorted softly. "You think?"
Central Dogma, NERV HQ
Captain Hyuga stepped onto the command bridge, a quartet of slightly steaming coffees in a holder as he walked over to the consoles. It was a quiet night in the Geofront, and the Commander had gone home for the night, as well as the Deputy Commander and Major Katsuragi.
That left him in charge of Aoba, Ibuki, and Faez. It was still an odd feeling, being in command, even if it was only keeping watch over the night shift right now. It was late, and people were starting to drop off, get tired. The cool air conditioning that gently gusted through Central Dogma didn't seem to help things much.
So, as Hyuga passed around the coffees to the command crew, Ibuki and Aoba accepting them with quiet thanks, he gave Faez hers. She accepted it quietly, with only a nod, before turning back to her monitor and regarding her finished work.
As Hyuga extracted his coffee from the carrier and began to walk back to the folding chair he had set up close to the center of the bridge, a waiting mystery novel sitting atop it, he slowed, then stopped, as he glanced back at Faez, then back to his chair.
She had been here for a little while now, yet she was still a mystery to him. In his admittedly short talks with Major Katsuragi, she stressed getting to know and care for the people who served under you. And as he looked at his novel, the feeling that there was perhaps a more present mystery to be solved grew in him.
He looked over at Ibuki and Aoba. Ibuki was in the middle of one of her romance novels, and Aoba was leafing through the latest guitar magazine that he had picked up. But Faez simply stared at her monitor, her work finished for the night.
So, as Hyuga lifted his chair a little closer to Faez, he sat down and set the novel in his lap, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. "So, Lieutenant Faez," he said, as Faez looked away from her monitor towards him, "how are you adjusting to your work here?"
Faez regarded him for a moment before nodding slightly. "Well, enough, I guess. There's a lot that I didn't really expect to be doing, but I'm flexible enough to learn it all, I suppose."
A moment of silence passed through as Hyuga contemplated what Faez said for a moment. Hyuga decided to ask his next question with only a little hesitation. "I'm not sure if anyone asked, but… with the incident at NERV-2 in Nevada, with that being your last post, and all… how did you feel about that?"
Faez looked at Hyuga more intently now, and Aoba and Ibuki looked over at the two of them as Faez digested the question silently. "Well," she finally said, after a moment, "I wasn't as torn up about it as most would probably expect, really. It was just a posting, and I didn't really talk to anyone there. Except…" she trailed off.
"Was there someone there you cared about?" Hyuga asked quietly after a moment.
Faez nodded slightly. "There was one guy. Decent enough sort. Didn't really talk much. He didn't work at NERV, but he was contracted as part of a cooperative effort between NERV and an American company. Black Mesa, I believe it was called. He was a scientist and a technician. Which means he might have been there when the accident occurred, or maybe even only got caught in the blast zone. Or maybe he's doing just fine. Still…" she sighed after a moment. "One more person that I've left behind." she said, almost too quietly for anyone to catch.
Hyuga shook his head. "Well, I'm sorry, for what it's worth." he paused for a moment. "Did that make moving here more difficult, leaving a friend behind?"
Faez shrugged. "It was only about as difficult as it could be, really. The States is decent and all, but I didn't cry over leaving it behind."
Aoba shook his head slightly. "An unpatriotic American. I never thought I'd see the day."
Faez rolled her eyes. "I wasn't born in America under the waving stars and stripes, Aoba. I was born in Saudi Arabia. The only American flags that were really out there were painted on the tanks and planes that came through during whatever military operations that they barreled into the rest of the Middle East for during the '90s."
Faez shook her head. "The only reason that I even went to America at all was because I was running with my parents from the warlords that started to pop up all over the place after Second Impact kicked everything off. They believed America would offer a better life for us. They had protected us in the past, they said." She scoffed softly. "They never got to see it, though. They died on the voyage there. I was an orphan when I landed in New York."
It was silent for a moment as they processed the story Faez had told. Even before she had left America, it seemed, she had gone through things that the others almost couldn't comprehend.
After a moment, Maya shook her head. "So, how did you end up in the American military, then?"
Faez shook her head slowly. "I was an orphan, like I said. I had… well, a tough life would be an understatement. I joined my fair share of gangs, picked up bits and pieces of languages, and then… I was noticed by some officer one day. He took me aside from my peers at the time and told me there was an opportunity to use my skills and instinct for survival for 'a better cause'."
Faez scoffed. "Then, at 16, I was inducted into the Valkyrie program."
Hyuga nodded. "That's what became the Valkyrie Division you've said that you were a part of, right?"
Faez nodded. "Yeah. I… I don't like to talk about that. There's a lot to unpack there."
After a moment, Faez snorted slightly, gently smirking. "So that's my life's traumas in a nutshell. But I think I've brought the mood down enough for tonight. I've got to go."
She stood, and started walking towards the elevator. "Thanks for the coffee, Captain. I still have no idea why a hot cup of it is so rare around here."
She reached the elevator, and descended quietly, leaving Hyuga, Aoba, and Maya to quietly ponder on a harsh life lived.
Hyuga, in particular, thought deeply about what he had heard, putting the mind that loved mysteries so much to work. She was nice but closed off from most everyone else. She had told the basics of her life's story, but little else beyond that. She had had a rough life, and a hard enough time in the Valkyrie Division that she did not want to talk about what it even was. He knew what she had gone through, but that didn't constitute who she was, really.
She was… well, with everything that they had learned, she was still an enigma. And not only that but one that had been through a lot, with few people to lean on. Someone like that… well, he felt that someone like that deserved a friend. Like the one she had left behind in America. So, perhaps, he could help her as more than just her commanding officer. Perhaps he could be a friend here, too.
A Quiet Place Bar, Tokyo-3
Misato and Kaji walked up to the small, out-of-the-way bar that Ritsuko had directed them to the day after her call. They still didn't quite know why she had picked such an oddly seedy location, or who the 'she' that Ritsuko was so worried about. Who could scare the normally unflappable Doctor Akagi that much?
The pair stood outside, waiting for a moment. They were expecting someone else, who had invited themselves along the day of. Misato had no objections. Maya would probably act as a stabilizing influence on Ritsuko, what with being her student and friend.
Maya soon showed up, wearing dark denim jeans and a dark hoodie with the hood up. Kaji shook his head slightly as he watched her approach. "You know," he said, slightly chuckling, "you didn't need to look like some shadowy informant sneaking around."
Maya lowered her hood, slightly blushing. "Well, I'm not as trained in the arts of spycraft as you are, Mr. Kaji. I'm sure you have a much better idea of what's going on than I do."
Kaji chuckled again. "Well, I can offer you some advice for free." he paused as Maya nodded for him to go on. "Looking normal goes a long way in this business."
Misato playfully punched him in the shoulder. "That's enough, Kaji. You know she's probably anxious enough as is." she leaned over to look at Maya. "Just relax. We're all just having a drink with our friend. Nothing much more than that."
Maya nodded, rolling her eyes at Kaji when she was sure neither of them was looking as they entered.
It was as small on the inside as its exterior made it out to be, with separate wood-paneled booths along the walls, each individually lit. It was quiet, with few people, which wasn't unexpected, and the bartender had a headphone in as he cleaned various glasses.
They spotted Ritsuko in the farthest left booth, nursing a dark drink that was probably the coke and gin that she had come to favor. They made their way over to her, and she looked up at them, her eyes widening slightly as she saw Maya with them. "I didn't know that Maya would be coming with you." she said, looking back at Misato and Kaji.
Maya stepped forward and took a seat next to her teacher. "That's because I only informed them I'd be coming along this afternoon, when I found out you were going to be meeting them, Senpai."
As Kaji and Misato sat down, Ritsuko shook her head. "I'm… well, I'm not sure that you'll want to hear what I have to say, Maya. I-"
Maya put up a hand. "It's okay, Senpai. Whatever it is, I'm ready. I'm here for you."
A moment of silence fell over the table as Ritsuko nodded after a moment. "Thank you, Kouhai."
As the waiter came to their table and took their orders, and eventually delivered their drinks, Misato regarded Ritsuko as she sipped her beer. "So, Ritsky, you talked about secrets over the phone. Are you about to spill some of them?"
Ritsuko nodded, sighing. "Yes. I've got a lot of them, and… frankly, I've stopped caring about keeping them. From you, at least."
Misato nodded, and Kaji sipped at the whiskey that he had gotten. "So, what have you got? Actually, first off, you mentioned a 'she' when you called Misato. Who were you talking about?"
Ritsuko breathed deeply, and took a sip of her drink. "That is… well, to say it's complicated would be to undersell it."
She paused for a moment. "The Magi… it's alive. My mother's alive."
The table was silent again as Misato and Kaji processed this. "What?" Misato finally said, her eyes slightly widened. "How?"
Ritsuko shook her head. "I'm not entirely sure about how it all works myself. Apparently, in the aftermath of the attack by Iruel, the Magi… spontaneously created a new line of processing, with all the nodes linked together by that line. And that line… is managed by my mother's soul."
Ritsuko paused, seeming to wait for Misato and Kaji's reactions. After a moment, Misato shrugged. "Makes sense, I guess."
Ritsuko blinked, somewhat taken aback. "You know," she said after a moment, "I didn't expect you to be so… passive with such a revelation."
Kaji shrugged. "I mean, when you're fighting Angels all the time, the revelation that a 'ghost in the machine' exists gets a little less impactful than I'm sure it would usually be."
Misato nodded. "Yeah, Ritsuko. I mean, even still, it must have hit you hard… to be able to talk to your mother again in some capacity."
Ritsuko looked down. "Talking to her is part of why I'm doing this. I'm not just sharing secrets that you deserve to know. I'm… trying to process some that I've learned myself, as well."
Misato nodded slightly, a sympathetic look in her eyes. "I can understand that. What have you learned recently?"
Ritsuko looked into her drink, swirling it slightly. "Well…" she sighed quietly, then looked up at Misato and Kaji. "I'll go ahead and preface what I'm about to say with this. You've probably seen Rei's files, correct? How they offer so little information concerning her past?"
She paused as Misato and Kaji nodded. "Well, that's because… she doesn't have a past, really. She's an artificial creation. A clone."
Misato's eyes went wide, and Kaji's eyes mirrored hers. "A… a clone?" Misato said quietly. "How?"
Ritsuko shook her head. "She's a mixture of several different base donors. Chief among them being Doctor Yui Ikari, my… my mother, and... another major donor."
"Who was the last donor?" Kaji asked, his mind whirling, but slowly becoming more sure of the answer to that question.
Ritsuko shook her head. "Not 'who', Kaji. Or… not 'who', exactly. It's… complicated."
Misato's eyes narrowed slightly. "It's Lilith, isn't it?"
Ritsuko blinked, then blinked again. Then her eyes widened as she properly processed what Misato had just said. "How… how did you know?" she said in an almost strangled whisper.
Misato shook her head and sighed. "Well, Kaji made his way down to Terminal Dogma, being the snoop that he is. I followed him, and held him up. Then, he opened the door in front of him, and… I saw it. The white giant in our basement."
Kaji nodded. "It was at that point that Daniel caught up with us, and filled us in with a copy of the Human Instrumentality Project that he had acquired a while ago. Now… there's a lot that we know. About what we have under our feet. About what's supposed to happen when all the Angels are defeated. About what makes the Evangelions tick."
Ritsuko seemed to deflate as she listened to this. After a moment of silence, she turned to look at Maya, and her eyes widened at the almost grim look she found in Maya's eyes. "You knew this too?"
Maya sighed. "I went to Misato after your confrontation with her over the plan to destroy Lilith. I've seen how you worry. And how much of that worry is tied to the secrets you know. So… I wanted to be able to help you better."
Ritsuko sighed and shook her head slightly, a small smile coming to her face. "Oh, Kouhai. I don't deserve you, some days."
She nodded. "So, you know what the Human Instrumentality Committee… SEELE… wants to come to pass after the Angels are destroyed. But I would be surprised if you also knew that what Commander Ikari wants to happen instead is… different."
Almost as one, Misato, Kaji, and Maya leaned towards her, at least, as much as some of them could. "Go on." Misato said, a serious look on her face.
Ritsuko sighed, then nodded. "What he wants is the entire reason that Rei even exists. He wants her to act as… a sort of go between for him and Lilith, in order to hijack Instrumentality and have it be his will that comes to pass instead of the Committee's. All because…" she chuckled sorrowfully. "All because he wants his wife back."
The rest of the table leaned back, taking in what they had learned silently. "That…" Misato said after a moment, her expression slack with shock. "That explains all the drugs he had you giving her… he didn't want her disobeying at the last moment."
Ritsuko nodded. "Yes. That was the intention behind her doses, I believe."
Kaji shook his head. "So… how do you know what Commander Ikari wants to do? I've never found out anything like that in my looking around."
Ritsuko looked down, silent for a long moment. "Because… because I thought he loved me. But I was wrong. He only loves her."
The table was silent for a long while, as Ritsuko silently fought to get a hold on the emotions that came with admitting that.
She looked back at Misato and Kaji after a few minutes. "Well…" she said, pausing for a moment and sniffling. "Other than that, I don't know what to tell you anymore, exactly. You seem to have been filled in by Mr. Theisman fairly well on most of the things I wanted to talk to you about."
Misato smiled softly, sipping her beer. "Well, Ritsky, you can start with one more thing. How was work today?"
Ritsuko quietly took a breath, smiling slightly back at Misato as she exhaled. "Well, it went about as well as one could ask for, really."
So, they relaxed now, revelation and guilt being swept aside, at least for the moment, by idle conversation and connection. Three old friends thought back to good old days, and a new friend came to know surprising things about those that she worked with.
In time, the night lost its youth, and Kaji and Misato stood. "Well, we should probably go ahead and head home, Ritsuko." Kaji said, taking Misato's hand. "I'm sure the Children are doing just fine without us, but you never know."
Ritsuko offered them a wry smile, looking at Misato. "Like I said, Misato. I told you so."
Misato rolled her eyes as she smiled. "Yeah, yeah, I figured you'd say that. Good night, Ritsuko. Good night, Maya."
They left Maya and Ritsuko sitting together, quietly regarding each other. After a moment, Maya jumped slightly, then dug around in the pocket of her hoodie for a moment. "Oh! I almost forgot. Here."
She pulled out a small box, wrapped in gold ribbon, and set it on the table in front of Ritsuko, before standing. "Shironeko-san just got done. I figured since we were meeting up tonight I'd bring him back to you here. I… I really have to go, too. Senpai…" Maya paused for a moment. "Thank you for being honest. I knew you could be."
She turned, and Ritsuko raised her hand. "Wait."
As Maya turned back, Ritsuko hesitated for a moment. "Thank you, Maya." she said after a moment.
Maya's eyes widened slightly as she blushed just as slightly, then she smiled softly. "Of course, Senpai. Anytime."
She turned and walked away, leaving Ritsuko alone at the table, the box containing her figurine. She took it, slowly unwrapping the bow in the ribbon, then opened the box.
Ritsuko gasped quietly as she beheld her figurine, now shot through with gold lacquer, glittering slightly in true kintsugi fashion. It was beautiful. 'All this trouble just for something I did on that stupid, stupid night…'
She noticed the notecard packaged next to the figurine, and removed it, noting the name of perhaps the best service for small repairs in the city. On its back, a simple haiku was handwritten onto the card.
'Scattered pieces fell,
gathered by warm, caring hands.
Made whole once again.'
Ritsuko smiled, tears pricking her eyes. 'Oh, Maya…'
. . .
Katsuragi Residence, Earlier That Night
Shinji and Asuka sat on the couch, a movie playing on the flatscreen tv in front of them. They paid little attention to it, of course, taking advantage of the fact that they had the place all to themselves for now by making out with each other only somewhat passionately. It was only the threat of Misato and Kaji coming home unexpectedly that found them still fully clothed. Asuka called the problem a personal challenge to not give in to temptation to be met, instead of an obstacle to be annoyed at, but the difference was trivial, at best.
As they drank each other in, they heard the hiss of the door opening over the quiet drone of the movie. As they separated from each other and looked towards the kitchen, they both released breaths that they did not realize they were holding as Rei stepped into the kitchen.
Asuka rolled her eyes. "Now, Wondergirl," Asuka said in mock annoyance, "did no one tell you that it's rude to interrupt a makeout session?"
Rei shook her head, a small smile on her face. "No, Asuka. I have never been in a 'makeout session' before. Thank you for informing me."
Asuka smiled slightly, shaking her head. "Of course, Rei."
Rei's smile faded after a moment, and Asuka frowned slightly. "What's up?" she said, as Shinji turned to look at Rei. "You hardly just barge in anywhere without a reason."
Rei… well, Rei fidgeted, much to Shinji and Asuka's surprise, as a look of outright worry crossed her face. "I have a synchronization test tomorrow afternoon. The full weight of my situation seems to have made itself known to me. I will be… alone. Without my friends. I require… a hug."
Asuka adjusted her posture on the couch. "So you've barged in looking for a hug from… one of us?"
Rei shook her head slightly, an almost pleading look in her eyes. "If I could receive one from the both of you… it would be appreciated."
Shinji shifted slightly, opening up a space between him and Asuka. "Of course, Rei. Here, sit down."
Rei walked over to the couch, sitting between the two of them, who wrapped their arms around her. After a moment, her eyes widened slightly, and tears began to prick her eyes. "This… this is good. Better, even."
Asuka chuckled slightly. "Yeah, Wondergirl. It sure is."
Rei nodded silently, then focused on the movie, an older American one that Daniel had introduced them to, and her eyes widened slightly further. "I see that you have decided to put this movie on. I enjoy this part of the movie particularly."
Asuka looked back at the television screen, as a roguish man in black lay silently on a table, a Spaniard and a giant talking to a strange old man about the nature of true love, and the difference between being dead and mostly dead.
Asuka looked over and shook her head with a slight smile. "Yeah, this part is pretty funny, isn't it?"
Rei nodded as the characters on the screen talked. "True, but my favor for it lies in what they say about love. Is it…" she paused for a moment. "Is it possible for feelings of love to be able to overcome something so fundamental as death?"
Those on the couch were silent for a moment as they processed this question. "Well, I think that they can." Shinji said after a moment. "If our mothers can protect us after having… well, I'm not so sure how the Contact Experiments work, but if they can still do things as they did with Leliel after having become kind of… mostly dead, I guess, then… why not say that it's love that allows them to do that?"
Rei pondered this for a moment. "I see."
After a moment, she looked over at Shinji and Asuka in turn. "Do either of you… love me like that?"
The room was silent save for the television playing as the Children considered this question with no small amount of blushing.
After a moment to collect himself, Shinji looked at Rei. "Well… I mean, I don't love you quite in the way that I love Asuka, but… I mean, I do love you, Rei. I care for you, and you deserve love as much as any of us."
Rei nodded. "Thank you, Shinji. I appreciate your honesty." she turned to look over at Asuka. "Asuka? Do you love me that deeply?"
Asuka seemed to blush deeper as she glanced away from Rei, silent for a moment. "I… I do care for you, Rei. We're so much more alike than I would have ever guessed, but… I'm not sure how to answer that. But…" she looked back at Rei. "I care for you. You're one of my best friends. That isn't going to change, no matter what comes next."
Rei looked at Asuka for a long moment, tears welling in her eyes, and nodded. "Thank you, Asuka. That is very meaningful to me."
Asuka squeezed her hug briefly as she smiled softly. "Any time, Wondergirl."
They sat, and watched as the man confronted his wife, who wasn't a witch, and chuckled as the hijinks on screen played out.
After a little while, the front door opened again, and Misato and Kaji walked into the living room. Miasto smirked at the cuddling trio. "Well, well. I didn't know it was movie night again so soon."
Rei looked up to Misato and smiled slightly. "I required comfort from Shinji and Asuka before my synchronization test tomorrow. I have received that comfort, and continue to do so."
Misato nodded silently as she considered the First Child. She was… part Angel. Not to mention she was also technically Shinji and Ritsuko's half-sister, at the same time. It was… mind-boggling.
A now far smaller part of her, instinctual and base, screamed at her to hate the Angel. The Angels had taken from her, it said. They had taken from everyone. Rei would prove to be no different, in the end, if she wasn't dealt with.
Misato did her best to quash such thoughts. Rei wasn't an Angel, she was… a tool, made against her will to do the bidding of Commander Ikari. She was a pilot. A friend.
Her thoughts turned to another pilot. Hikari. They had never told Shinji and Asuka about what happened to Hikari, did they? She had meant to on the night that Daniel was almost assassinated, and then… she had lost track of time. That was her mistake. And now, she hated to rectify it and shatter what a good time they were all having.
Misato sighed. "I hate to break the mood, but… I've needed to tell you three about something for a little while now." she paused as the Children looked back up at her, sighing quietly. "Hikari… she's been declared missing in action."
The room was utterly silent, save for the quiet movie which carelessly continued, as the Children's eyes grew wide. "But…" Asuka said, tears starting to well up in her eyes, "the Plug… I saved it. I got it back to the support line. How could she be missing from her own damn Entry Plug?" she asked the last question at almost a shout.
Shinji stared into the middle distance, silent. The only victory that they seemed to be able to continue to enjoy from that battle… was gone. How?
Misato shook her head, a forlorn look on her face. "The general consensus from those of us in the know is that she got pulled into the core by her mother when the Angel became active. Ritsuko's detected signs that she's in there, and she's going to try and extract her… but she doesn't know how long that's going to take."
She watched as the Children tightened their grip on each other, and desperately wished she could tell them something, anything else besides what she just did.
Kaji stepped forward, walking behind the couch and putting his hands on Shinji and Asuka's shoulders. "Hey. I know that it seems bleak right now. I can't blame you for feeling like that. But because we know what we know, I can be a lot more sure now that your friend is in probably one of the safest places on earth right now."
He looked at Asuka. "Your skills as a pilot made sure that the only core that got any damage at all was the Angels. You still saved your friend. Even if it isn't quite what you hoped for."
It was quiet again as the Children considered this. Shinji finally sighed. "Still," he said, almost too quietly for anyone to hear, "that was the only thing Commander Ikari hadn't taken from us. The knowledge that we saved Hikari, despite his orders, in the end. Now… I can't help but feel that it's… hollow, somehow."
Misato stepped forward, shaking her head slightly with a sorrowful look. "I wish I could make it otherwise. But… that's the nature of war, really. Sometimes, the only victories we live with are the hollow ones."
All present went quiet as they contemplated what Misato had said. After a moment, Shinji extracted himself from the hug with no small amount of reluctance. He didn't want to leave either of the people that he loved like this. But… there was an idea stirring around his brain. And he wanted to try it. He had to do something. Shinji sighed. "Okay. I… I need a second to process this. And… I want to help. And there's something I think I can do to help."
He walked to his room, more of a storage closet for his things now, as the others looked on in no small amount of confusion. After disappearing down the hallway for a moment, the sonorous, soothing notes of a cello began to echo through the apartment.
Asuka recognized the song that Shinji played, happier memories of a moment of recognition replacing her sorrow for a moment. 'Bach's Cello Concerto Number 1.' she had taken the time a little while afterward to learn the song's name. 'He played this the night we kissed…'
She couldn't help herself as a small smile came to her. That smile was mirrored on the faces of all present, as they listened to Shinji make music for them. And for a moment, things were, if not great, then at least okay.
But it could not last forever, and Asuka found herself in the quiet Saturday morning afterward sitting at the table, picking somewhat at the amazing, as always, breakfast that Shinji had made. It had been a restless night, even with Shinji by her side, as the good feelings faded over the course of the night. Now, she still could not help but think about the situation that Hikari was in, and feel somewhat… envious.
She was with her mother inside the core now. What was that like? Was she able to talk to her mother now? She had no idea. And now, Unit-02 seemed farther away than ever before.
Shinji looked up from his own breakfast, and slowly reached a hand across, Asuka taking it. Misato had left already, and Shinji had told her that Kaji, who lounged in the living room, knew about them, much to her annoyance. But it meant that they could share a moment of calm, quiet solidarity, of affection. That helped more than Shinji could have possibly imagined.
As they silently buoyed each other up, the doorbell rang, and Asuka blinked. Who would come here so early? A small, terrified part of her whispered that it would be another assassin, trying to finish the job the last one had started, but she tried her best to crush that fear as she and Shinji both stood to walk to the door.
They opened the door to find Toji, doing his best not to appear too awkward. Asuka's eyebrow rose a fraction. "Toji? What's got you over here so early? I thought you would be with Rei at the synch test today."
Toji took a deep breath, and straightened up. "So, I take it Major Katsuragi isn't here then?"
Shinji shook his head. "Not right now, no. Were you thinking about asking her about Hikari?"
Toji nodded, his face twitching slightly as he tried to keep up the tough exterior that he usually presented. He nodded, a slight jerking to the motion. "Yeah, actually. I was. I haven't been getting anything but 'classified's' and 'not your priority's' for days now. I just need someone to tell me something. Anything."
Asuka sighed. "Well, jock, we finally have something to tell you. Come in, sit down."
Toji walked in almost cautiously, like he expected some sort of trap. He sat down at the table, his posture taut like an over-tuned string.
Shinji sighed. "Hikari is… missing in action."
Toji blinked, then blinked again. "What? How… how does that even work?"
Asuka sighed as well. "Alright. Let's… let's start from the beginning. It'll make at least a little more sense, that way."
So they did, unconsciously trading off who explained the moments leading up to the Angel's takeover of Unit-03, the battle that had commenced afterward, and the revelation that Hikari had somehow been pulled into Unit-03's core. They talked about their imprisonment, and how they had been let go for insubordination. They didn't tell him about what they had learned that night. That would be a little much, they both thought, as they watched him take everything else in.
With each piece of news, Toji sagged further and further in his seat, and by the end, his head rested in his arms on the tabletop. After a moment's silence as they finished their story, he lifted his head up, his face wet with tears. "So…" he swallowed. "So you're telling me that… they don't even know how long it'll take to get her out?"
Asuka nodded slowly. "For now… yeah. That's all we got, jock. But she's alive. She's in there. And…" Asuka balled her fists under the table as she paused for a moment. "Doctor Akagi is smart. She'll find a way to get her out. I promise."
Shinji blinked at Asuka's, albeit extremely grudging, praise of Asuka's abilities. After everything that she had said a few nights past, he didn't expect her to give even what little she did. Shinji nodded. "Yeah, Toji. If Asuka thinks that Doctor Akagi's smart, then I have confidence that she'll be able to do whatever it takes to get Hikari back."
Toji glumly nodded. "Alright. Alright." he sucked in a slow, deep breath as he stood, Shinji and Asuka standing with him. "Okay. I… I should go tell Sakura. She's… she's worried almost as much as I have." he chuckled softly. "Maybe even a little more than me, sometimes."
Toji made his way to the entry hall doorway, then turned to Shinji and Asuka. "Guys… thank you. Even if it doesn't look like I appreciate it… I do. Honest."
He turned and left, the door swishing open and shut marking his passing. Shinji and Asuka stood silently for a moment before Asuka turned to Shinji and engulfed him in a tight embrace. They stood there for a moment, simply supporting each other silently, before Asuka spoke, in a quiet, fragile voice. "I hate to see him like this. It reminds me of… of what I felt during Leliel. That we wouldn't be able to see each other, show us that we…"
Shinji hushed quietly. "It's okay, Asuka. We lived. We were able to get this far. And I'm sure we'll be able to say the same of Toji and Hikari."
After a moment, Shinji stepped back from the hug, and looked back towards the living room. "Mr. Kaji, Asuka and I are going out for lunch. We'll be back in an hour or two."
From the living room, Kaji's voice replied. "Alright, you two. Don't get too frisky."
Asuka blushed, only partly at what Kaji said. "Shinji… what are you doing?"
Shinji shook his head slightly, and smiled. "Well, Asuka, it's a Saturday, we've had far too depressing a day so far, we have nothing else to do, and no one else who's going to notice our absence. So, I'm taking you on a date."
Asuka's eyes went wide with wonder. It had been a while since their last date. Their first one, really. And… Shinji was right. They really could use a date right about now. She nodded, a smile slowly growing on her face. "Alright. Let me go ahead and get ready."
As the Children prepared to leave, Kaji mulled over what they had said. He had caught most everything, really. 'Are they… huh. I guess they really are enjoying each other. Well, that explains why I saw Asuka so relaxed in the last few months.'
He mulled over whether or not to confront them for doing what they were doing. It could be very irresponsible, even dangerous, considering what they… well, what they did. Then he remembered high school. Then college. He felt much less inclined to censure them after that. 'Well, as long as they're responsible and safe, I guess I can't entirely blame them for expressing their love to each other like that. I was probably just as randy at their age, honestly.'
. . .
Asuka sat and watched the street, and the people on it, as they passed around her, and sipped at her drink as she quietly held Shinji's hand. No one looked at them as they passed. No one even really cared. For all anyone knew, they were just another young, cute boy and girl enjoying a Saturday afternoon together. She was anonymous.
It was… liberating, somehow, in a way she couldn't really place. 'I'm not going to be like Shinji, and be willing and able to hermit away all the time, but… a girl can indulge, after all.'
She looked over to Shinji with a smile, as he met her gaze with a similar smile. 'Especially when it's indulging with my favorite rookie.'
He was dressed up, which meant that he wore a white shirt that he buttoned up all the way and a pair of decent jeans. She had dressed in her yellow sundress, at Shinji's rather bashful request. It touched her that, even with how rough she was on their first meeting, that he still had good memories tied to seeing her in it. 'Maybe I should convince Kaji or Daniel to take him clothes shopping. His wardrobe's almost as boring as Rei's was sometimes.'
She looked him up and down as best she could as they sat together and her mind continued to wander. 'I've got to say, for all of Commander Asshole's terrible personality, he is still quite the physical specimen. If Shinji's got his genes…'
Her smile widened slightly as she considered just what implications that held. Shinji blinked as he noticed this. "What are you thinking about?"
Asuka blinked herself. "Well… just about how good you're going to look in a few years. As much as we both hate your father, he doesn't look half bad. You, my dear rookie, are going to be positively yummy."
Shinji blushed as he glanced away, and Asuka laughed for a moment. As she stopped, she shook her head slightly and sighed quietly. "I could have never guessed I'd be able to feel like this today."
Shinji looked back at her after a moment. "What do you mean?"
Asuka looked back at Shinji with a warm look. "That I'd be able to smile, Shinji. Despite everything that we have to worry about, for Rei and Toji and Hikari and… and everyone, despite the fact that we've lost the jobs that define our lives right now… I'm smiling and laughing. All thanks to you."
Shinji nodded after a moment, his smile never dimming. "Yeah. It does feel good to just, I don't know... relax. Just be with each other."
Asuka shook her head as her smile started to edge closer to an impish grin. "And here I was thinking that you were just hoping for another windy day."
Shinji's blush began to return, but he shook his head. "Oh no, liebling. I know what happens when you wear that sundress and the wind picks up. I'd hate to get another viewing fee."
Asuka chuckled. "Shinji, of all the people I would gladly give a viewing fee like that to, you are no longer one of them." as she watched Shinji visibly relax, if only slightly, her impish grin grew slightly. "On the other hand, I could charge you differently."
As Shinji blushed again, she laughed. After a moment, Shinji rolled his eyes and chuckled.
After a moment of mirth, the two of them became quiet again, and Asuka sighed after a moment. "The only thing that could make this better is…" a glum look replaced the happiness that was there only a moment before. "If I could talk to Mama, too."
Shinji squeezed her hand, and she squeezed back. They were silent for a moment, simply watching as the world went by them without stopping.
Shinji shook his head and looked at Asuka. "Even with all this… I think it'll still work out. I mean," he said, as Asuka looked back at him with a questioning look, "we've faced off against the Angels, and we've won every time. We're a team, Asuka. And when we're a team, we… we win. It's that simple. If we can take on the Angels, then what can scare us now?"
Asuka looked at her boyfriend, at Shinji Ikari, and couldn't help but feel proud. 'Wow… he's right. I just never expected he'd be saying that. Especially like that.'
Her smile grew. "Shinji…" she sighed. "I'm so glad that we understand each other."
Shinji squeezed her hand. "I am too. I… don't want to think about where I would be without you."
He blinked, then looked at the time on his phone, shaking his head slightly. "But right now, I believe where we should be is heading home." the two of them stood. "I doubt Kaji would be worried about us, but you never know."
Asuka rolled her eyes. "I'm sure he's not worried in the slightest." her impish grin returned. "In fact, I hope that he's unworried enough to go back out and tend to his watermelon patch in the Geofront. I've been so… hungry lately."
Shinji blushed as she started whispering in his ear just exactly what they would be doing if Kaji wasn't home as they made their way back.
. . .
Shinji nodded absentmindedly as Asuka continued telling him, while no longer bothering with whispering, her wish list of things that they could do if Kaji wasn't home. It was quite comprehensive. As he swiped the keycard to get in the door of their apartment, Asuka continued for a moment before having the presence of mind to stop talking.
As they turned the corner into the kitchen, both Asuka and Shinji turned red as they saw Kaji calmly standing in the living room doorway, smoking a cigarette with a bemused look on his face. "My, Shinji," he said, putting out the cigarette in a nearby ashtray, "she really expects you to do all that? I'm debating between whether I should feel impressed or sorry for you."
Asuka stuttered for a moment before trailing off, her blush somehow becoming even deeper. "You… you heard that, didn't you?"
Kaji sighed and nodded. "Yeah, I did."
He was silent for a moment as Asuka's expression turned from shock and embarrassment to anger and even, Kaji noted, a little fear that she tried to hide. "Kaji, I swear, if you're going to try telling us…"
Kaji raised a hand to stop her, then spoke after she trailed off. "I can't quite say that I'm able to do what you're thinking of without coming off as both a hypocrite and a geezer. I remember being your age."
As Asuka's eyebrow rose a fraction, Kaji chuckled. "Shocking, I know. But I remember dealing with hormones too when I was your age. I can't say I ever got as lucky as Shinji here did," he said as Shinji glanced away and his blush deepened, "but I know I needed to deal with them all the same."
Kaji's expression became serious as he looked at Shinji, the boy looking back at the man. "Now, Shinji. I know you would probably never do this… but if you're simply taking advantage…"
Shinji shook his head quickly. "No, Kaji. Never. I couldn't do that. We both wanted this."
Asuka nodded nearly as quickly. "Yeah, we did. You know what we went through as pilots. Knowing we could die any day, having the world on our shoulders. Having Shinji there…" she reached for his hand again, and took it. "It helped so much. It's still helping right now."
The kitchen was silent for a moment until Kaji nodded. "Alright then. I can assume that you two are being safe and responsible, then?"
Asuka rolled her eyes. "Kaji, I graduated college at 14. If I wasn't being responsible, I'd have to be a lot more stupid than we both know I am."
Kaji chuckled. "Trust me, Asuka, I've known college kids who are far less responsible than you're claiming to be. But you're honest, so I'll take your word for it, for now."
Shinji and Asuka collectively exhaled, and Kaji suppressed another chuckle, settling on a smile instead.
The smile faded as all of them heard something outside, echoing in through the open doors to the veranda. It was the man-made thunder of heavy weaponry. The city's heavy weaponry. Then, they heard a sound that they had heard dozens of times before. Now though, it chilled the Children to the core to hear it.
It was the wail of the Angel alarm. An Angel had arrived. And there was only one pilot here ready to stand against it.